"IN AN ENCYCLOPEDIC,
A-to-Z format, author Mick Farren addresses hundreds of conspiracy issues in detail, exposing the fact behind the fiction. He catalogues some of the strangest news, real or imagined, yet in print. Neither poking fun at conspiracy theorists nor conceding all arguments to skeptics, Farren's insightful accounts of news-behind-the-news provide an objective and fascinating look at contemporary phenomena. He explores such topics as Bill Clinton's Death List, Area 51, the Wheel of Dharma, and investigations of the Warren and Rockefeller Commissions, among others..."

---From a Spring, 1999 press release
by Renaissance Books, Los Angeles, USA,
touting "Conspiracies, Lies & Hidden Agendas.
(E-mail: pubbooks@aol.com)

"AND THE STARS keep on moving --
no one can tie them to one place.
Dog eye from under the cloud, sky mullioned with oak limbs,
Stars moving unseen behind the light surge, great river.
The end of desire is the beginning of wisdom,
We keep on telling ourselves,
lone crow
In sun-splotch now crawling across the lawn, black on black.

---From the poem "Spring Storm"
in the collection "Appalachia," by Charles Wright
(New York: Farrar Straus Giroux 1998)

"EVERY MODERN BUDDHIST knows that Nirvana can be reached much more quickly and efficiently over the Internet than by the old methods. This 3-1/2-inch wide, 5-inch tall soft vinyl Buddha sits peacefully gazing at his laptop computer. The reverent look on his face shows that he is pleased with the spiritual convenience of modern technology. Give him a squeeze and he'll squeak!"

---Text for "E-Buddha" item (seen above), available from
Archie McPhee catalog No. 63 for $4.95 each, Item 10476.
Also available online at www.mcphee.com

"THE RICHMOND, VIRGINIA-BASED band The Ernies aren't too keen on being labeled, and that's understandable because their sound defies classification. Loud? Yeah. Groovin'? Hell, yeah. Toss in some cool scratching and sampling, too. "We wanted to do something that was original but danceable and that was great live," says singer/guitarist Will Hummell. But not just dancing---dancing with a vengeance... Better still, there are some brains beneath the brawn---Will's lyrics carry a hefty dose of intelligence and wit. "I had to put my degree to some kind of use," the English major reasons... Will's fascination with Buddhism and scientific thought are exemplified in songs like 'You Are Everywhere.'"

---Press release for the album "Meson Ray"
by The Ernies, released Summer 1999
(E-mail: noiseadikt@aol.com)

'MAKE YOUR BIRTHDAY
A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE...
Be at one with your cake.'

---Garfield birthday card,
Hallmark Cards

"THE AMAZING JECKEL BROTHERS" is part of the duo's continuing exploration into life's issues and the very basic aspects of good and evil... Think of them as jugglers, the Insane Clown Posse suggest, "with each sin you commit n your life as another ball that they must juggle." Each good deed, conversely, is one less ball. Jake works to keep the balls in the air as Jack tries to let them fall. When it's time to be judged, the number of sins affects our ultimate fate. "If you give 'em a light load of sins, they can juggle it and everything's great," Violent J says. "But if you've got a whole bunch of sins, they're not going to be able to handle the load, and you get what you've got coming to you. So how many balls are you going to give them to juggle?"

---Press release for Summer 1999 album
by shock rappers Insane Clown Posse,
titled "The Amazing Jeckel Brothers"

NEW AND NOTABLE:
"Trance Stare in Tongues"
by the band Zen Guerrilla
REVIEW: "They've got the guerrilla part right, but these musical thugs are about as Zen as a Mack truck. Zen Guerrilla's "Trance State in Tongues" shows off the strong-armed, revved-up, R&B-infused, smash-your-head-on-the-punk-rock tunes that make other hard-rock revivalists like the Hellacopters and Queens of the Stone Age sound like girl-school choirs."

---Review from Amazon.com's
"Alternative Music" e-mail newsletter

"THE ZEN ZONE: Eastern influences are evident in this fall's fashion statements. Just look at the prevailing neutral color palatte---calm, comfortable silhouettes and easy-care fabrics. Achieve balance between work andplay with the loose-fitting Raylz Junior Drawstring Pants and a pair of yoga shoes, or the dressier Riders Misses Pleated Front Pant paired with a textured, designer white hooded sweater. Ease your mind with Riders' worry-free, wrinkle-free twill options..."

---Press release for a line of
Fall 1999 clothing by Riders Apparel

---

PREVIOUSLY:

BUDDHASCOPE, Issue 3:
The Ford Noble Truth; Sci-fi Karma;
Killer Ad; Live and Learn and more...

BUDDHASCOPE, Issue 2:
Venerable Telly Savalas; Inverted Buddhist Sex;
ASCII Buddha; The Zen of Closing Arguments and more...

BUDDHASCOPE, Issue 1:
Beer Enlightenment; The Zen of Michael Jordan;
The People's Karma; Hip-Hop Karma and more.

	Page One | Editor's Notes | Buddhascope | Buddamerica | Dharmatalk | Foundobjects | GuestColumn | Meditation | Poetry | Quotes | ReadingRoom | SiteIndex | Contact Us | Subscribe