The Dharma Realm is probably the first Shin Buddhist podcast on the internet. It's a conversation between Rev. Harry Bridge of the Lodi Buddhist Church and Dr. Scott Mitchell of the Institute of Buddhist Studies on Buddhism and Jodo Shinshu. Their first topic is "mindfulness." The discussion is lively and contains good information on the Buddha dharma.

Rev. Harry Gyokyo Bridge spent his youth in Tokyo and the Boston. He encountered Buddhism while in college, and although he had dreams of becoming a professional musician, he instead found his way into the Buddhist ministry. He attended both the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, CA and Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan. In September of 2006 Rev. Bridge became the resident minister of the Buddhist Church of Lodi in California.

Scott Mitchell is a Buddhist scholar and Jodo Shinshu Buddhist who lives and works in Oakland and Berkeley, California. He recently completed his doctoral studies at the Graduate Theological Union; his dissertation, Taking Refuge in the Dharma: post-colonialism, ritual theory, and American Buddhist studies, examines the role of role of ritual within American Buddhist communities, challenging the orientalist assumptions of current scholarship. Currently, he works at the Institute of Buddhist Studies, both as a teacher and their resident web developer/IT guy. He also writes the blog, "The Buddha is My DJ."

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST ON DHARMA REALM...

"Since China wants to join the world community," the 14th Dalai Lama said as I was traveling across Japan with him for a week last November, "the world community has a real responsibility to bring China into the mainstream." The whole world stands to gain, he pointed out, from a peaceful and unified China—not least the 6 million Tibetans in China and Chinese-occupied Tibet. "But," he added, "genuine harmony must come from the heart. It cannot come from the barrel of a gun."
READ MORE FROM TIME MAGAZINE...

Steve Varon is a businessman from New York with a vision and a goal of having the Dali Lama carry the Olympic torch during the Beijing Olympics later this year. If you know even the slightest bit about world politics, you know that the concept of the Dali Lama participating in an Olympics being held in China is difficult to conceive.  Yet Steve pushes forward, having obtained the green light from the Dali Lama himself, as well as positive feedback from many world leaders.

What iconic image could say more about world peace than the Dali Lama participating in this event. 
blog excerpt courtesy: jordanayan.typepad.com

As the race for the democratic nomination for President of the United States nears the finish line, here's an interesting take on Barack Obama. The positive values that Obama exemplifies can be compared to many of the teachings of the Dharma. This is why the blogger believes that this is a big reason why he is the inspirational figure that he is today.

Like the Buddha, Barack Obama learned in his early adult years as a community organizer that poverty is the root of much suffering in the world. He saw how poverty seeps into people's lives like a poison that drives people into a life of crime and overall suffering. He understands that to bring people out of poverty is to improve society as a whole. He is known as a uniter, he is quite gifted at being able to bring about compromises that work for all sides involved.

READ MORE FROM THE BUDDHIST BLOG...

FYI, even Barack Obama's sister, Maya, considers her outlook on life as "Buddhist".
READ THE NEW YORK TIMES INTERVIEW...