title: Octopus's Garden

text: "Octopus's Garden" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written and sung by Ringo Starr (credited to his real name Richard Starkey), from their 1969 album "Abbey Road". George Harrison, who assisted Starr with the song, commented: "Octopus's Garden' is Ringo's song. It's only the second song Ringo has ever written, mind you, and it's lovely." He added that the song gets very deep into the listener's consciousness "because it's so peaceful. I suppose Ringo is writing cosmic songs these days without even realising it." It was the last song released by the Beatles featuring Starr on lead vocals.


title: Octopus's Garden

text: The idea for the song came about when Starr was on a boat belonging to comedian Peter Sellers in Sardinia in 1968. He ordered fish and chips for lunch, but instead of fish he got squid (it was the first time he'd eaten squid, and he said, "It was OK. A bit rubbery. Tasted like chicken.") The boat's captain then told Starr about how octopuses travel along the sea bed picking up stones and shiny objects with which to build gardens. Starr's songwriting was further inspired by his desire to escape mounting hostility among the Beatles; he would later admit that he had "just wanted to be under the sea, too". Uncredited assistance in developing the song's chord changes was provided by Harrison, who can be seen helping Starr work the song out on piano, with Lennon later joining in with drums, in the documentaries "Let It Be" (1970) and "" (2021), both using the same footage.


title: Octopus's Garden

text: The song, which contains the lyrics "Oh what joy for every girl and boy/Knowing they're happy and they're safe," is sometimes thought of as being a song for children, like "Yellow Submarine" or "All Together Now". It has also been performed by the Muppets several times in various episodes of their shows.


title: Octopus's Garden

text: The basic instrumental track was recorded 26 April 1969, with the Beatles lineup of two electric guitars (Harrison and Lennon), bass guitar (McCartney) and drums (Starr). Starr also provided a temporary guide vocal on this date. (Take 2 of the recording, featuring this guide vocal, Starr singing the first verse three times, is track 14 on disc 2 of "Anthology 3".) In the absence of George Martin, the Beatles themselves were listed as producer, with Martin's apprentice Chris Thomas present in the control room to assist. Thirty-two takes were required before the Beatles were satisfied with the track.


title: Octopus's Garden

text: The backing vocals by McCartney and Harrison during the guitar solo were put through compressors and limiters to create a gurgling sound. At Starr's request, Harrison added the sound of bubbles by blowing through a straw into a glass of milk.


title: Octopus's Garden

text: The song was remixed in 2006 for the Beatles album "Love", which contained remixes of classic Beatles songs. The remix begins with Starr's vocals over the orchestration from "Good Night", then transitions into the original instrumental backing track on the line "I'd ask my friends...", with sound effects from "Yellow Submarine" added in the background. During the guitar solo, the drum track is replaced with that of "Lovely Rita".


title: Octopus's Garden

text: In 2014, Starr wrote a children's book based on and named after the song. The book, which consists of the song's lyrics, is illustrated by Ben Cort. A CD is included with the book, including an introduction by Starr, a new version of the song, the lyrics spoken as prose, and an instrumental version of the song.


title: Octopus's Garden

text: Jim Henson’s Muppets made 3 video cover versions of the song, on "Sesame Street", episode 19 in 1969, "The Ed Sullivan Show" in March 1970, and "The Muppet Show" episode 312 in 1978, which was performed by Kermit the Frog, his nephew Robin the Frog, and Miss Piggy.


title: Octopus's Garden

text: Reparata and the Delrons released the song as a single in 1972 on Dart records, backed with "Your Life Is Gone". It used vocal effects and ocean-themed sound effects to mimic the style of their 1968 UK hit, "Captain of Your Ship". It was re-released in 1976, with the A- and B-sides reversed, and credited to Reparata (no Delrons).


title: Octopus's Garden

text: Noel Gallagher of Oasis adds adapted lyrics from "Octopus's Garden" to the end of their song "Whatever" during some of his live performances. The phrase "I'd like to be under the sea" is in the refrain of one of Oasis' most popular b-sides, "Take Me Away". Also, the refrain from the chorus of "Octopus's Garden" can be heard about forty seconds from the end of "The Masterplan", also by Oasis.


title: Octopus's Garden

text: The song was covered and recorded by Canadian children's musician Raffi for the 1985 album "One Light, One Sun".


title: Octopus's Garden

text: Beatles cover band The Punkles did a punk cover on their fourth album "For Sale" sung by their drummer Markey Starkey.


title: Yari

text: The forerunner of the is thought to be a derived from a Chinese spear. These are thought to be from the Nara period (710–794).


title: Yari

text: The term appeared for the first time in written sources in 1334, but this type of spear did not become popular until the late 15th century. The original warfare of the was not a thing for commoners; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who would challenge each other via horseback archery. In the late Heian period, battles on foot began to increase and , a polearm, became a main weapon along with a "yumi" (longbow).


title: Yari

text: The attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 was one of the factors that changed Japanese weaponry and warfare. The Mongols employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielding long pikes and fought in tight formations. They moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Polearms (including and ) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their significantly longer reach, lighter weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability.


title: Yari

text: In the Nanbokuchō period, battles on foot by groups became the mainstream and the importance of further increased, but were not yet the main weapon. However, from the Onin War in 15th century in the Muromachi period, large-scale group battles started in which mobilized (foot troops) fought on foot and in close quarters, and "yari", (longbow) and (Japanese matchlock) became the main weapons. This made and obsolete on the battlefield, and they were often replaced with and short, lightweight .


title: Yari

text: Around the latter half of the 16th century, holding pikes () with length of became the main forces in armies. They formed lines, combined with soldiers bearing firearms "tanegashima" and short spears. Pikemen formed a two- or three-row line, and were trained to move their pikes in unison under command. Not only but also samurai fought on the battlefield with "yari" as one of their main weapons. For example, Honda Tadakatsu was famous as a master of one of The Three Great Spears of Japan, the "Tonbokiri" (蜻蛉切). One of The Three Great Spears of Japan, the "Nihongō" () was treasured as a gift, and its ownership changed to Emperor Ogimachi, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Fukushima Masanori, and so on, and has been handed down to the present day.


title: Yari

text: With the coming of the Edo period the had fallen into disuse. Greater emphasis was placed on small-scale, close quarters combat, so the convenience of swords led to their dominance, and polearms and archery lost their practical value. During the peaceful Edo period, were still produced (sometimes even by renowned swordsmiths), although they existed mostly as either a ceremonial weapon or as a police weapon.


title: Yari

text: were characterized by a straight blade that could be anywhere from several centimeters to or more in length. The blades were made of the same steel () from which traditional Japanese swords and arrowheads were forged, and were very durable. Throughout history many variations of the straight blade were produced, often with protrusions on a central blade. blades often had an extremely long tang (; 中心); typically it would be longer than the sharpened portion of the blade. The tang protruded into a reinforced hollow portion of the handle ( or ) resulting in a very stiff shaft making it nearly impossible for the blade to fall or break off.


title: Yari

text: The shaft ( or ) came in many different lengths, widths, and shapes; made of hardwood and covered in lacquered bamboo strips, these came in oval, round, or polygonal cross section. These in turn were often wrapped in metal rings or wire (), and affixed with a metal pommel (; 石突) on the butt end. shafts were often decorated with inlays of metal or semiprecious materials such as brass pins, lacquer, or flakes of pearl. A sheath (; 鞘) was also part of a complete .


title: Yari

text: Various types of points or blades existed. The most common blade was a straight, flat design that resembles a straight-bladed double edged dagger. This type of blade could cut as well as stab and was sharpened like a razor edge. Though is a catchall term for 'spear', it is usually distinguished between , which have additional horizontal blades, and simple () or straight spears. can also be distinguished by the types of blade cross section: the triangular sections were called and the diamond sections were called .


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 101,482 in its 2019 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian Rocky Mountains contribute to the city's warm summers, mild winters, and windy climate. Lethbridge lies southeast of Calgary on the Oldman River.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge is the commercial, financial, transportation and industrial centre of southern Alberta. The city's economy developed from drift mining for coal in the late 19th century and agriculture in the early 20th century. Half of the workforce is employed in the health, education, retail and hospitality sectors, and the top five employers are government-based. The only university in Alberta south of Calgary is in Lethbridge, and two of the three colleges in southern Alberta have campuses in the city. Cultural venues in the city include performing art theatres, museums and sports centres.


title: Lethbridge

text: Before the 19th century, the Lethbridge area was populated by several First Nations at various times. The Blackfoot referred to the area as "Aksaysim" ("steep banks"), "Mek-kio-towaghs" ("painted rock"), "Assini-etomochi" ("where we slaughtered the Cree") and "Sik-ooh-kotok" ("coal"). The Sarcee referred to it as "Chadish-kashi" ("black/rocks"), the Cree as "Kuskusukisay-guni" ("black/rocks"), and the Nakoda (Stoney) as "Ipubin-saba-akabin" ("digging coal"). The Kutenai people referred to it as "ʔa•kwum".


title: Lethbridge

text: After the US Army stopped alcohol trading with the Blackfeet Nation in Montana in 1869, traders John J. Healy and Alfred B. Hamilton started a whiskey trading post at Fort Hamilton, near the future site of Lethbridge. The post's nickname became Fort Whoop-Up. The whiskey trade led to the Cypress Hills Massacre of many native Assiniboine in 1873. The North-West Mounted Police, sent to stop the trade and establish order, arrived at Fort Whoop-Up on October 9, 1874. They managed the post for the next 12 years.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge's economy developed from drift mines opened by Nicholas Sheran in 1874 and the North Western Coal and Navigation Company in 1882. North Western's president was William Lethbridge, from whom the city derives its name. By the turn of the century, the mines employed about 150 men and produced 300 tonnes of coal each day. In 1896, local collieries were the largest coal producers in the Northwest Territories, with production peaking during World War I. An internment camp was set up at the Exhibition Building in Lethbridge from September 1914 to November 1916. After the war, increasing oil and natural gas production gradually replaced coal production, and the last mine in Lethbridge closed in 1957.


title: Lethbridge

text: The first rail line in Lethbridge was opened on August 28, 1885, by the Alberta Railway and Coal Company, which bought the North Western Coal and Navigation Company five years later. The rail industry's dependence on coal and the Canadian Pacific Railway's efforts to settle southern Alberta with immigrants boosted Lethbridge's economy. After the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) moved the divisional point of its Crowsnest Line from Fort Macleod to Lethbridge in 1905, the city became the regional centre for Southern Alberta. In the mid-1980s, the CPR moved its rail yards in downtown Lethbridge to nearby Kipp, and Lethbridge ceased being a rail hub.


title: Lethbridge

text: Between 1907 and 1913, a development boom occurred in Lethbridge, making it the main marketing, distribution and service centre in southern Alberta. Such municipal projects as a water treatment plant, a power plant, a streetcar system, and exhibition buildings—as well as a construction boom and rising real estate prices—transformed the mining town into a significant city. Between World War I and World War II, however, the city experienced an economic slump. Development slowed, drought drove farmers from their farms, and coal mining rapidly declined from its peak. After World War II, irrigation of farmland near Lethbridge led to growth in the city's population and economy. Lethbridge College (previously Lethbridge Community College) opened in April 1957 and the University of Lethbridge in 1967.


title: Lethbridge

text: The city of Lethbridge is located at 49.7° north latitude and 112.833° west longitude and covers an area of . It is divided by the Oldman River; its valley has been turned into one of the largest urban park systems in North America at of protected land. Lethbridge is Alberta's third-largest by population after Calgary and Edmonton. It is the third largest in area after Calgary and Edmonton and is near the Canadian Rockies, southeast of Calgary.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge is split into three geographical areas: north, south and west. The Oldman River separates West Lethbridge from the other two, while Crowsnest Trail and the Canadian Pacific Railway rail line separate North and South Lethbridge. The newest and largest of the three areas, West Lethbridge (pop. 40,898) is home to the University of Lethbridge—which opened at that site in 1971. Although several farms existed on the what is now the Westside, the first housing development was not completed until 1974 and Whoop-Up Drive access opened only in 1975. Much of the city's recent growth has been on the west side, and it has the youngest median age of the three. The north side (pop. 28,172) was originally populated by workers from local coal mines. It has the oldest population of the three areas, is home to multiple industrial parks and includes the former Hamlet of Hardieville, which was annexed by Lethbridge in 1978. South Lethbridge (pop. 32,412) is the commercial heart of the city; it contains the downtown core, the bulk of retail and hospitality establishments, and the Lethbridge College.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification "BSk") with an average maximum temperature of and an average minimum temperature of . With precipitation averaging , and 264 dry days on average, Lethbridge is the eleventh driest city in Canada. Mean relative humidity hovers between 69 and 78% in the morning throughout the year, but afternoon mean relative humidity is more uneven, ranging from 38% in August to 58% in January. On average, Lethbridge has 116 days with wind speed of or higher, ranking it as the second city in Canada for such weather.


title: Lethbridge

text: Its high elevation of and close proximity to the Rocky Mountains provides Lethbridge with cooler summers than other locations in the Canadian Prairies. These factors protect the city from strong northwest and southwest winds and contribute to frequent chinook winds during the winter. Lethbridge winters have the highest temperatures in the prairies, reducing the severity and duration of winter cold periods and resulting in fewer days with snow cover. The average daytime temperature peaks by the end of July/beginning of August, when it reaches . The city's temperature reaches a maximum high of or greater on average once or twice a year.


title: Lethbridge

text: The highest temperature ever recorded in Lethbridge was on August 10, 2018. The lowest temperature ever recorded was on January 7, 1909, December 18, 1924, January 3, 1950, and December 29, 1968.


title: Lethbridge

text: In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Lethbridge had a population of 98,406 living in 40,225 of its 42,862 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 92,729. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.


title: Lethbridge

text: At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Lethbridge CMA had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.


title: Lethbridge

text: The population of the City of Lethbridge according to its 2019 municipal census is 101,482, a change of from its 2018 municipal census population of 99,769. With the 2019 municipal census results, the City of Lethbridge became the fourth city in Alberta to surpass 100,000 people.


title: Lethbridge

text: In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Lethbridge had a population of 92,729 living in 37,575 of its 39,867 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 83,517. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016. The same census reported that the metropolitan area of Lethbridge was 117,394 in 2016, up from 105,999 in 2011. Subsequent data from Statistics Canada showed that the 2020 metropolitan population was 128,851, an increase of 1.5% over the previous year.


title: Lethbridge

text: In 2021, 49.8% of residents were Christian, down from 64.6% in 2011. 16.1% of the population were Catholic, 12.9% were Protestant, and 11.3% were Christians of unspecified denomination. All other Christian denominations and Christian-related traditions made up 9.6%, including a large Mormon population (5.8%). 44.3% of the population was nonreligious or secular, up from 32.4% in 2011. 8.1% followed a religion (or spiritual belief) other than Christianity. The largest non-Christian religions were Islam (1.9%), Hinduism (1.3%), and Buddhism (1.1%).


title: Lethbridge

text: According to the 2021 census, 83.9% of residents spoke English as a first language. Other common mother tongues were Spanish (1.6%),Tagalog (1.4%), Nepali (1.0%), German (0.9%), French (0.8%), Chinese Languages (0.7%), Arabic (0.7%) and Dutch (0.6%). 1.7% of residents claimed both English and a non-official language as their first language.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge was 12.9% visible minorities and 7.1% aboriginal in 2016. Below is a full break down of the demographics. The city is also the home of the largest Bhutanese community in Canada.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge is southern Alberta's commercial, distribution, financial and industrial centre (although Medicine Hat plays a similar role in southeastern Alberta). It has a trading area population of 341,180, including parts of British Columbia, and provides jobs for up to 86,000 people who commute to and within the city from a radius of .


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge's economy has traditionally been agriculture-based; however, it has diversified in recent years. Half of the workforce is employed in the health, education, retail and hospitality sectors, and the top five employers are government-based. Several national companies are based in Lethbridge. From its founding in 1935, Canadian Freightways based its head office there until moving operations to Calgary in 1948, though its call centre remains in Lethbridge. Taco Time Canada was based in the city from 1978 to 1995 before moving to Calgary. Minute Muffler, which began in 1969, is based in Lethbridge. International shipping company H & R Transport has been based in the city since 1955. Braman Furniture, which has locations in Manitoba and Ontario, was headquartered in Lethbridge from 1991 to 2008.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge serves as a hub for commercial activity in the region by providing services and amenities. Many transport services, including Red Arrow buses, four provincial highways, rail service and an airport, are concentrated in or near the city. In 2004, the police services of Lethbridge and Coaldale combined to form the Lethbridge Police Service. Lethbridge provides municipal water to Coaldale, Coalhurst, Diamond City, Iron Springs, Monarch, Shaughnessy and Turin.


title: Lethbridge

text: In 2002, the municipal government organized "Economic Development Lethbridge", a body responsible for promoting and developing the city's commercial interests. Two years later, the city joined in a partnership with 24 other local communities to create an economic development alliance called "SouthGrow", representing a population of over 140,000. In 2006, Economic Development Lethbridge partnered with SouthGrow Regional Initiative and "Alberta SouthWest Regional Alliance" to create the "Southern Alberta Alternative Energy Partnership". This partnership promotes business related to alternative energy, including wind power, solar power and biofuel, in the region.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge was designated a Cultural Capital of Canada for the 2004–2005 season. The Southern Alberta Ethnic Association (Multicultural Heritage Centre) promotes multiculturalism and ethnic heritage in the community.


title: Lethbridge

text: The city is home to venues and organizations promoting the arts. Founded in 1958, the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge is the largest organization in the city dedicated to preserving and enhancing the local arts. In the spring of 2007, the Allied Arts Council Facilities Steering Committee initiated the Arts Re:Building Together Campaign, a grass roots campaign initiative to raise awareness and support for improving arts facilities in Lethbridge. The campaign identified three arts buildings: the Yates Memorial Centre, the Bowman Arts Centre, and the Southern Alberta Art Gallery as cornerstone facilities in the community requiring care and attention. On July 14, 2007, the Finance Committee of City Council approved four arts capital projects for inclusion in the city's Ten Year Capital Plan. Under the campaign to 2010, the renovation and expansion of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery was completed, a new Community Arts Centre will be built in downtown Lethbridge, the City of Lethbridge has a Public Art Program, and a committee was formed to research the possibility of a new Performing Arts Centre in Lethbridge.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge has a public library and three major museum/galleries. The Southern Alberta Art Gallery is a contemporary gallery; the community arts centre Casa, administered by the Allied Arts Council; and the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery produces contemporary exhibitions including works from its extensive collection of Canadian, American and European art.


title: Lethbridge

text: The city is also home to the Lethbridge Symphony, which was founded in 1960 and incorporated as a non-profit in 1961. It has produced several spin-off music groups, including the Southern Alberta Chamber Orchestra, and the still-active Lethbridge Musical Theatre, which produces an annual show. Vox Musica, which traces its roots back to 1968, is a community choir previously based at the University of Lethbridge. As a fully independent non-profit society, Vox Musica continues to rehearse and perform at Southminster United Church and around the community. Theatrical productions are presented by the University of Lethbridge's drama department and New West Theatre, which performs at the Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre using its two theatres: the 500-seat proscenium Yates Theatre and the 180-seat black box Sterndale Bennett Theatre.


title: Lethbridge

text: The city, which began as a frontier town, has several historical attractions. The Lethbridge Viaduct, commonly known as the "High Level Bridge", is the longest and highest steel trestle bridge in North America. It was completed in 1909 on what was then the city's western edge. Indian Battle Park, in the coulees of the Oldman River, commemorates the last battle between the Cree and the Blackfoot First Nations in 1870.


title: Lethbridge

text: Originally known as Fort Hamilton, Fort Whoop-Up was a centre of illegal activities during the late 19th century. It was first built in 1869 by J.J. Healy and A.B. Hamilton as a whiskey post and was destroyed by fire a year later. A second, sturdier structure later replaced the fort.


title: Lethbridge

text: As the cultural centre of southern Alberta, Lethbridge has notable cultural attractions. Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden in south Lethbridge was opened in 1967 as part of a Canadian centennial celebration attended by Japan's Prince and Princess Takamatsu. The Galt Museum & Archives is the largest museum in the Lethbridge area; the building housing the museum served as the city's main hospital during the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. Several other important attractions are based in Lethbridge, including the Lethbridge Military Museum and the Helen Schuler Nature Centre which educates about the river bottom and coulees.


title: Lethbridge

text: Several structures such as the historic post office are prominent on the skyline of Lethbridge. Less well-known than the High Level Bridge, the post office is one of the most distinctive buildings in Lethbridge. Built in 1912, the four-storey structure is crowned by a functioning clock tower. Other prominent buildings include office towers; the water tower, which was originally built in 1958 and sold to a private developer who converted it into a restaurant; and the Alberta Terminals grain elevators.


title: Lethbridge

text: From March 2018 to August 2020, Lethbridge was home to ARCHES, 24-hour supervised drug use site. It was the busiest SCS in North America with 663 visits a day. "The Star" called it a "new landmark". The SCS featured injection drug and inhalation drug facilities and it was a subject of disagreement by the nearby business community. The site closed at the end of August 2020 after the province removed grant funding following discovery of misappropriation of public funds.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge has designated 16 percent of the land within city boundaries as parkland, including the Oldman River valley parks system. It has facilities for field sports, numerous baseball diamonds, the Spitz Stadium, the Nicholas Sheran Park (a disc golf course), two skateparks, a BMX track, a climbing wall, a dozen tennis courts, and seven pools. It is home to five golf courses, including the award-winning Paradise Canyon Golf Resort, and is within of several others.


title: Lethbridge

text: Built for the 1975 Canada Games, the ENMAX Centre is Lethbridge's multipurpose arena. The 6,500-seat facility has hosted concerts, three-ring circuses, multicultural events, national curling championships, basketball events, banquets, skating events and is home to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, a major Western Hockey League franchise. The arena has a running track, racquetball and squash courts, and a full-size ice rink. In 1997, the Servus Sports Centre (originally the Lethbridge Soccer Centre) was built directly south of the ENMAX Centre and added two regulation size indoor soccer pitches to the complex. The Lethbridge Kyodokan Judo Club facility is located next to the Community Savings Place, and has been a Judo Canada Regional Training Centre since 2015.


title: Lethbridge

text: On the city's west side, Phase 1 of the ATB Centre, a recreation complex, opened in 2016 and houses two hockey rinks and the Lethbridge Curling Club. Phase 2 of this project opened in May 2019 and includes a field house with basketball courts and a 300m running track, as well as an aquatics centre with slides and a wave pool.


title: Lethbridge

text: Several winter sports venues are in or near Lethbridge. The city has six indoor ice arenas with a total ice area of 11,220 square metres (120,800 sq ft) and a total seating capacity of 8,149. Other than the ENMAX Centre, all ice surfaces are available from October to April only. Lethbridge is east of the Castle Mountain ski resort.


title: Lethbridge

text: In October 2020, the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) announced an expansion team would begin play in Lethbridge at the 3,500-seat University of Lethbridge Stadium in 2022. The Lethbridge Vipers will be the seventh team in the Prairie Junior Football Conference and the 19th team in the CJFL.


title: Lethbridge

text: Eight councillors and a mayor make up the Lethbridge City Council. City voters elect a new government every four years. The last election was October 18, 2021. Lethbridge does not have a ward system, so the mayor and all councillors are elected at large. The 2009–2011 operating budget of the City of Lethbridge was –278 million, more than half of which came from property tax. One Member of Parliament (MP) representing Lethbridge sits in the House of Commons in Ottawa, and two members of Alberta's legislative assembly (MLAs), representing Lethbridge-East (UCP) and Lethbridge-West (NDP), sit in the legislative assembly in Edmonton.


title: Lethbridge

text: Traditionally, political leanings in Lethbridge have been right-wing. Federally, from 1917 to 1930, Lethbridge voters switched between various federal parties, but from 1935 to 1957, they voted Social Credit in each election. Progressive Conservatives held office from 1958 until 1993, when the Reform Party of Canada was formed. The Reform party and its various subsequent incarnations such as the current Conservative Party of Canada have dominated the polls since. The city's two provincial electoral districts are represented by one government MLA, currently Nathan Neudorf for Lethbridge-East, and one opposition MLA, currently Shannon Phillips for Lethbridge-West.


title: Lethbridge

text: Alberta Health Services, the provincial health authority that plans and delivers health services on behalf of the Ministry of Health, administers public health services in Lethbridge. Chinook Health oversees facilities in southwestern Alberta, such as the Chinook Regional Hospital and St. Michael's Health Centre.


title: Lethbridge

text: Mass transit in Lethbridge consists of 40 buses (with an average age of 10 years) operating on more than a dozen routes. Traditionally, bus routes in the city started and ended downtown. In the early 21st century, however, Lethbridge Transit introduced cross-town and shuttle routes, such as University of Lethbridge to Lethbridge College, University of Lethbridge to the North Lethbridge terminal, and Lethbridge College to the North Lethbridge terminal. Several routes converge near the Chinook Regional Hospital, although it is not officially a terminal.


title: Lethbridge

text: The Parks and Recreation department maintains the citywide, pedestrian/cyclist Coal Banks Trail system (map). The system was designed to connect the Oldman River valley with other areas of the city, including Pavan Park in the north, Henderson Lake in the east, Highways 4 and 5 in the south and a loop in West Lethbridge (including University Drive and McMaster Blvd).


title: Lethbridge

text: Four provincial highways (3, 4, 5, and 25) run through or terminate in Lethbridge. This has led to the creation of major arterial roads, including Mayor Magrath Drive, University Drive and Scenic Drive. This infrastructure and its location on the CANAMEX Corridor has helped make Lethbridge and its freight depots a major shipping destination. Lethbridge is north of the United States border via Highways 4 and 5 and south of Calgary via Highways 2 and 3. Highways 2, 3 and 4 form part of the CANAMEX trade route between Mexico, the United States, and Canada.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge has a commercial airport, the Lethbridge Airport, and the CPR rail yards in Kipp, Alberta (12 km away). The airport provides commercial flights to Calgary, industrial and corporate opportunities, as well as private and charter flights elsewhere. The airport provides customs services for flights arriving from the United States. The rail yards were moved to Kipp, just west of the city, from downtown Lethbridge in 1983. The yards were planned for redevelopment with a mix of multi-family residential, commercial and light industrial land uses. The Park Place Mall is now located on the portion of the former rail yards north of 1 Avenue South between Scenic Drive to the west and Stafford Drive to the east.


title: Lethbridge

text: The Lethbridge School Division and the separate Holy Spirit Roman Catholic School Division administer grades kindergarten through 12 locally. The Palliser School Division, which is based in Lethbridge, administers public primary and secondary education in the outlying areas. Lethbridge School Division administers five high schools (Chinook High School, Immanuel Christian High School, Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, Victoria Park High School, and Winston Churchill High School), four middle schools, and 14 elementary schools in Lethbridge. Immanuel Christian covers grades 6 through 12.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge is home to Lethbridge College, founded in 1957, and the University of Lethbridge, founded in 1967. Red Crow Community College has a campus in the city. During the 2015–2016 school year, the University of Lethbridge and the Lethbridge College had a combined enrolment of 14,820, which represented 20 percent of the city's population.


title: Lethbridge

text: Lethbridge has two major newspapers: the daily "Lethbridge Herald" and the weekly "Lethbridge Sun Times". The university and college each have a student-run, weekly newspaper. There are 11 FM radio stations, including CKXU-FM, a campus radio station located at the University of Lethbridge.


title: Once on This Island

text: Once on This Island is a coming-of-age one-act stage musical with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. It is based on the 1985 novel "My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl" by Rosa Guy, a Caribbean-set retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Little Mermaid". It concerns a peasant girl in the French Antilles who falls in love with a rich boy and makes a deal with the gods to save his life.


title: Once on This Island

text: The original Broadway production ran from 1990 to 1991, and the West End production opened in 1994, where it won the 1995 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical. The musical was revived on Broadway in a production that opened on December 3, 2017 at the Circle in the Square Theatre. The revival was showered with critical acclaim, with "New York Times" critic Jesse Green describing it as "ravishing" and "The Huffington Post" praising it for creating "an aesthetic experience unlike anything seen on Broadway." It won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.


title: Once on This Island

text: "Once on This Island" was originally staged at Off-Broadway's Playwrights Horizons, running from May 6, 1990 through May 27, 1990. The Broadway production opened on October 18, 1990 at the Booth Theatre and closed on December 1, 1991, after 469 performances and 19 previews. With direction and choreography by Graciela Daniele, the musical featured LaChanze as Ti Moune, Jerry Dixon as Daniel, Andrea Frierson as Erzulie, Sheila Gibbs as Mama Euralie, Kecia Lewis as Asaka, Gerry McIntyre as Armand, Milton Craig Nealy as Agwe, Eric Riley as Papa Ge, Ellis E. Williams as Tonton Julian and Afi McClendon as Little Ti Moune.


title: Once on This Island

text: Daniele returned as director/choreographer for a U.S. national tour, which opened at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago on March 31, 1992 and closed at the Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts in Pittsburgh on January 3, 1993. Gibbs reprised her role as Mama Euralie and Gerry McIntyre (the original Armand) played Papa Ge. James Stovall (who replaced Eric Riley on Broadway as Papa Ge) played Agwe. The rest of the cast included Vanita Harbour as Ti Moune, Darius de Haas as Daniel, Natalie Venetia Belcon as Erzulie, Carol Dennis as Asaka, Miles Watson as Tonton Julian, Monique Cintron as Andrea, Keith Tyrone as Armand, and Nilyne Fields as Little Ti Moune.


title: Once on This Island

text: In 2002, the original Broadway cast was reunited with special guest Lillias White to perform the show for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund.


title: Once on This Island

text: The European premiere took place in 1994, hosted by the Birmingham Rep, and then transferred to the West End Royalty Theatre (now the Peacock Theatre) in September 1994. The production won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical.


title: Once on This Island

text: The musical was revived in the UK in 2009 at Birmingham Rep, Nottingham Playhouse, and the Hackney Empire Theatre in London. Susie McKenna directed, with Sharon D. Clarke reprising her 1994 role as Asaka. The original West End Ti Moune, Lorna Brown, played Erzulie in this production.


title: Once on This Island

text: In June 2012, the Paper Mill Playhouse presented a production directed by Thomas Kail, with Syesha Mercado as Ti Moune and Darius de Haas as Agwe.


title: Once on This Island

text: The first Broadway revival of "Once on This Island", produced by Ken Davenport, directed by Michael Arden and choreographed by Camille A. Brown, began previews on November 9, 2017 and officially opened on December 3 at the Circle in the Square Theatre. This production featured a stage covered in sand, with live animals onstage, and set and costume design intended to suggest a wrecked beach community recovering from a hurricane. The opening night cast included Hailey Kilgore as Ti Moune, Isaac Powell as Daniel, Alysha Deslorieux as Andrea, Phillip Boykin as Tonton Julian, Kenita R. Miller as Mama Euralie, Alex Newell as Asaka, Merle Dandridge as Papa Ge, Quentin Earl Darrington as Agwe, Lea Salonga as Erzulie and David Jennings as Armand. The revival closed on January 6, 2019, after 458 regular performances.


title: Once on This Island

text: The Broadway revival production tour in North America starting at The Carson Center, Paducah, Kentucky on October 12, 2019,


title: Once on This Island

text: with the official opening on October 15 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville, Tennessee. The tour is directed by Michael Arden with choreography by Camille A. Brown. The tour featured onstage seating, "creating a unique experience within the footprint of every theatre we play... Audiences will be invited to put their feet in the sand and surround our company, becoming part of the show." The tour ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the Smith Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.


title: Once on This Island

text: One stormy night in the Antilles archipelago, thunder booms, making a small girl cry in fear. To comfort her, the village storytellers tell her the story of Ti Moune, a peasant girl who falls in love with a "grand homme", Daniel Beauxhomme – a story of life, pain, love, grief, faith, and hope. In this story, four gods (consisting of Asaka: Mother of the Earth, Agwé: god of Water, Erzulie: goddess of Love, and Papa Ge: demon of Death) rule an island known as the Jewel of the Antilles where poor peasants worship them (Prologue/"We Dance"). The peasants, "black as night", live on one side of the island, and the "grands hommes", lighter-skinned descendants of the original French planters and their slaves, live on the other. One night, Agwe unleashes a terrible storm upon the island, which in turn causes a disastrous flood, wiping out many villages. However, the gods save the life of a little orphan named Ti Moune by placing her in a tree above the flood's waves. She is found and subsequently adopted by the peasants Mama Euralie and Tonton Julian ("One Small Girl").


title: Once on This Island

text: Years afterwards, a grown-up Ti Moune prays to the gods to let her know her purpose, and to let her be like the fast-driving strangers on the roads near her village - the "grands hommes" ("Waiting for Life"). Hearing her plea, the gods laugh at her. However, Erzulie suggests that they give her love, because it is stronger than any of the other elements. Offended, Papa Ge proposes a bet to prove which is stronger: love or death. Agwe arranges for the car of Daniel Beauxhomme, a young "grande homme", to crash during a storm so that Ti Moune may meet Daniel and restore him to health ("And the Gods Heard Her Prayer/Rain"). Despite the objections of the other peasants including her own parents, Ti Moune helps the intruder recover ("Pray"). Ti Moune falls in love with the stranger and as she cares for the unconscious boy, she imagines he loves her too. When Papa Ge comes to take Daniel's life, Ti Moune offers her life in exchange for Daniel's so that he will not die ("Forever Yours"). Papa Ge is angry but leaves, hinting he will return – sooner or later, as her life now belongs to him.


title: Once on This Island

text: Tonton Julian travels to the other side of the Island to seek Daniel's family at the Hotel Beauxhomme. When he returns, he brings with him some of Daniel's people to take the boy back, as well as the story of Daniel's family: Four generations ago, during the Napoleonic era, a French aristocrat named Armand colonised the island. Although Armand had a wife, he had affairs with several natives, one of which bore him a son, named Beauxhomme. When Beauxhomme grew up, war broke out between the peasant locals and the French. The peasants won the war with Beauxhomme's help, after which he banished Armand back to France. Before leaving, however, Armand cursed Beauxhomme and his descendants saying their "black blood will keep them forever on the island, while their hearts yearn forever for France." To this day the curse causes future Beauxhommes to alienate the peasants for reminding them of their homeland ("The Sad Tale of the Beauxhommes"). Ti Moune is tearfully separated from Daniel and tells her parents that she will go after Daniel to marry him, and though they are reluctant to let her go, they eventually give her their blessing ("Ti Moune"). The goddess Asaka tells Ti Moune not to fear, as the Earth will give her everything she needs on her journey to Daniel ("Mama Will Provide").


title: Once on This Island

text: Ti Moune travels across the island ("Waiting for Life (Reprise)"), and the storytellers relate the many versions of her difficult journey to the city (including being forced to wear too-tight shoes), through the hotel gates and finding Daniel's room ("Some Say"). Daniel, still ill and unable to walk, does not remember her but believes her after she describes the scar on his chest. As they stay together, Erzulie gives them the gift of love ("Human Heart"). Daniel ignores the townspeople's gossiping ("Pray (Reprise)") over the unlikely relationship between a rich Beauxhomme and a poor peasant. Daniel delights in Ti Moune's differences from the rich girls in his life, noting that "some girls you marry, some you love" ("Some Girls").


title: Once on This Island

text: At a ball held at the hotel ("The Ball"), Andrea Devereaux, a daughter of Daniel's family friends, cajoles Ti Moune to dance for them (her ulterior motive being to make her look bad in front of the "grande hommes"). Ti Moune does dance and gains the admiration of the rich society members, inspiring both the peasant servants and the "grande homme" guests to join her ("Ti Moune's Dance"). Afterwards, Ti Moune learns that Daniel is already engaged to be married to Andrea ("When We Are Wed"). Daniel, reminded of his responsibilities, must go through with the arranged marriage, although he insists they can be lovers forever, leaving Ti Moune crushed. Papa Ge reappears and reminds Ti Moune of her promise to exchange her life for Daniel's – but says she can revoke the bargain if she kills Daniel ("Promises/Forever Yours (Reprise)"). Ti Moune enters Daniel's room with a knife, but she still loves him too much to kill him, proving love is stronger than death. However, Daniel finds Ti Moune with the knife. Appalled at the attempted murder, the Beauxhommes throw her out of the hotel grounds.


title: Once on This Island

text: Barred from the hotel, Ti Moune waits for two weeks to try and meet Daniel at the gate. As Daniel and Andrea are married, they follow an old tradition of throwing coins to the peasants outside the hotel gates. Ti Moune calls to Daniel who gently places a silver coin in Ti Moune's hand, kisses her cheek, and leaves. The storytellers tell of how the gods were moved to tears by Ti Moune's selflessness and love, and chose to bestow a final kindness on her; Erzulie took her by the hand and led her to the ocean, where Agwé allowed her to drown peacefully. Papa Ge received her gently and brought her back to shore where Asaka transformed her into a tree ("A Part of Us").


title: Once on This Island

text: The tree becomes a celebration of life and love that cracks open the gates of the hotel, allowing those of all social statuses to become one, including a peasant girl and a young "grande homme", Daniel's son, as they play in her branches. As the years go by, the story of Ti Moune is told again and again, passed down through generations as proof of the power of love and stories to bring people together. As the musical ends, the little girl who was frightened by the storm begins to retell the story herself ("Why We Tell the Story").


title: Once on This Island

text: Note: The original cast was chosen along racial lines with darker-skinned actors portraying the peasants and lighter-skinned actors portraying the upper-class landowners. In the script, the writers provide small line changes that can be used to remove references to skin color to accommodate multi-ethnic productions, while preserving the storyline about differences between the upper and lower classes.


title: Once on This Island

text: Cut songs include "Come Down From the Tree" and "When Daniel Marries". "Come Down From the Tree", was a song for Mama Euralie; it is included in several recordings, including its first recording on Bruce Kimmel's Lost in Boston CD, where it was sung by Lillias White - it was also included on Audra McDonald's "How Glory Goes".


title: Once on This Island

text: On July 30, 2020, it was announced that Walt Disney Pictures and producer Marc Platt bought the film rights to adapt "Once on This Island" into a feature film for the Disney+ streaming service. Playwright Jocelyn Bioh will pen the script and Wanuri Kahiu will direct.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: A local exchange trading system (also local employment and trading system or local energy transfer system; abbreviated LETS) is a locally initiated, democratically organised, not-for-profit community enterprise that provides a community information service and records transactions of members exchanging goods and services by using locally created currency. LETS allow people to negotiate the value of their own hours or services, and to keep wealth in the locality where it is created.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: Similar trading systems around the world are also known as Community Exchange Systems, Mutual Credit trading systems, Clearing Circles, Trade Exchanges or Time Banks. These all use 'metric currencies' – currencies that "measure", as opposed to the fiat currencies used in conventional value exchange. These are all a type of alternative or complementary currency.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: In the 21st century, the internet-based networks haves been used to link individual LETS systems, into national or global networks.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: Michael Linton may have originated the term "local exchange trading system" in 1983, for a time running the Comox Valley LETSystems in Courtenay, British Columbia. The system he designed was intended as an adjunct to the national currency, rather than a replacement for it. He called the currency "green dollars" and it was mostly used by a local dentist, but dwindled when he moved away. Linton started at least four more versions, with varying degrees of success, such as the "Community Way Dollars" in 2008. The system's turnover in the first two years amounted to green $500,000. There were 5 LETS in Great Britain in 1992. In 1995 this number increased to 350 with 30,000 membership and 2 million turnover. In 2018 the University of Victoria undertook to research his archives as a demonstration of how people react to new ideas that are outside the norms of society. Linton thought that he had failed to communicate his idea adequately.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: LETS is a new type of money which makes it easy to pursue new Livelihood without the previous wholesale transformation of Capitalism. It is thus regarded as an alternative currency movement, and as a form of political protest.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: After flourishing in the 1990s, the LETS movement waned. Interest in local currency moved on to other designs such as time-based currency and dollar-backed local voucher schemes.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: On the whole, the movement was slow to adapt to the internet and to the possibility of networking together. Reluctance to engage with technology, a belief in decentralisation/localisation and lack of funds all contributed to this.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: Examples of LETS networks based on free software are the Cape Town-based Community Exchange System (CES), which links to the Geneva-based Community Forge and Spanish IntegralCES.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: Internet Exchange Trading System was established in 1998 as an idea to spread local exchange tradings systems online and establish a service exchange online platform. It didn't reach critical mass of users and the idea was later abandoned.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: LETS networks facilitate exchange between members by providing a directory of offers and needs and by allowing a line of interest-free credit to each. Members' IOUs are logged in a centralised accounting system which publishes a directory as well as balances visible to all members. In case of a default, the loss of value or units is absorbed equally by all members, which makes it a mutual credit exchange. For instance, a member may earn credit by doing childcare for one person and spend it later on carpentry with another person in the same network, or they may spend first and earn later.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: In many countries, the distinction between LETS and timebanking is not clear, as many LETS use time as their unit of account.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: As per Linton's definition, LETS are generally considered to have the following five fundamental criteria:


title: Local exchange trading system

text: According to a 1996 survey by LetsLink UK, only 13% of LETS networks actually practise equivalence, with most groups establishing alternative systems of valuation "in order to divorce [themselves] entirely from the mainstream economy." Michael Linton has stated that such systems are "personal money" networks rather than LETS.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: A list of services offered by network members is put together to create a LETS scheme, and trading takes place between members using a local currency. The LETS foundation is a virtual currency, a check book, a directory as well as a transparent accounting system built on trust and community regulation.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: The first LETS required nothing more than a telephone, an answering machine and a notebook. Since then, there have been several attempts to improve the process with software, printed notes, and other familiar aspects of traditional currencies.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: LETS is a full-fledged monetary or exchange system, unlike direct barter. LETS members are able to earn credits from any member and spend them with anyone else on the scheme. Since the details are worked out by the users, there is much variation between schemes.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: LETS is not a scheme for avoiding the payment of taxation, and generally groups encourage all members to personally undertake their liabilities to the state for all taxation, including income tax and goods and services tax. In a number of countries, various government taxation authorities have examined LETS along with other forms of counter trade, and made rulings concerning their use. Generally for personal arrangements, social arrangements, hobbies or pastimes, there are no taxation implications. This generally covers the vast majority of LETS transactions. Taxation liabilities accrue when a tradesperson or professional person provides his or her professional services in payment for LETS units, or a registered or incorporated business sells part of its product for LETS units. In such cases, the businesses are generally encouraged to sell the service or product partly for LETS units and partly in the national currency, to allow the payment of all required taxation. This does imply, however, that in situations where national-currency expenditures would be tax-deductible, LETS must be as well.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: In a number of countries, LETS have been encouraged as a social security initiative. For example, in Australia, Peter Baldwin, a former Minister of Social Security in the Keating government, encouraged LETS as a way of letting welfare recipients borrow against their welfare entitlement for urgent personal needs or to establish themselves in business.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: Since their commencement over 30 years ago, LETS have been highly innovative in adapting to the needs of their local communities in all kinds of ways. For example, in Australia, people have built houses using LETS in place of a bank mortgage, freeing the owner from onerous interest payments.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: LETS can help revitalise and build community by allowing a wider cross-section of the community—individuals, small businesses, local services and voluntary groups—to save money and resources in cooperation with others and extend their purchasing power. Other benefits may include social contact, health care, tuition and training, support for local enterprise and new businesses. One goal of this approach is to stimulate the economies of economically depressed towns that have goods and services, but little official currency: the LETS scheme does not require outside sources of income as stimulus.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: The environmental benefits of enhanced locals' self-reliance involve less-distance transport (as local goods are substituted for imports) and more evident environmental effects. Moreover, diverse local economies support sustainability by decreasing the need to use assets in an inefficient manner to satisfy external consumer demands. That also requires improving the local quality of life without having to make expenditures. LETS can allow for much greater self-direction and flexibility in employment patterns than the mainstream, conventional economy and, in particular, enable the skills of the unemployed to be valued and used.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: Even though LETS are strongly oriented towards the formal market economy, they disengage from it by establishing small, cooperative exchange enclaves in which trust and intimacy relationships are cultivated. And it also means that there is a small range of services available. LETS members must be economically involved outside to meet their needs. LETS also does not effect a 'return' to bartering or the abolition of property.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: While LETS members could decide individually to change the way they value money and life and develop new codes and live by them to a large degree, they were restricted in their ability to sustain this utopia. LETS have limited resources, so when they need mainstream resources, they might be unable to transfer their codes through their network.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: Local exchange trading systems now exist in many countries. Currency exchange between countries is done automatically through the CES or a similar network.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: In 2003, the original CES was founded as internet-based LETS in Cape Town, South Africa. By 2011 it had grown into a global network spanning 99 countries.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: In Japan, the "Fureai kippu" (in Japanese ふれあい切符: Caring Relationship Tickets) is a Japanese sectoral currency created in 1995 by the Sawayaka Welfare Foundation so that people could earn credits helping seniors in their community.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: The Government of Australia, in 1989, allocated AU$50,000 for the development of LETSystems, including the running of state conferences, the production of software, a LETSystems Training Pack, and assistance to Michael Linton to visit Western Australia. By 1995 there were 250 LETSystems in Australia, with Western Australia having 43 separate systems serving a population of 2.3 million (although actual participation is by only a tiny fraction of that population), making it then the region with the highest LETS coverage in the world.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: From around 2007, many Australian LETS groups started trading online using the Community Exchange System. This system allows new members to sign up directly, list offers and wants, and enter trades without assistance from the administrator.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: By 2011 Australia had become the most active country on the Community Exchange System, prompting Tim Jenkin and Annette Loudon to set up the Australian Community Exchange System. there were 31 communities using CES.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: In the Czech Republic, there are multiple LETS. Rozleťse, operating in the region of city of Brno sharing the same Cyclos3 server with other smaller groups in the regions of Jeseník, Ostrava and Beskydy. The capital, Prague, uses Pralets.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: In Switzerland an adaption of LETS, the Talent, was established and quite successfully launched in 1992. This spread out in Europe and spawned many other Talent-Groups in other countries.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: The United Kingdom has many LETS systems, many loosely affiliated to LETSLINK UK and some operating under the CES system, such as North London LETS. In the UK Skillsbox operates an online community system similar to LETS, letting users trade their skills and time for credits which can be spent within the online community.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: The Flemish part of Belgium has many LETS groups. There is a non profit organization promoting LETS: Lets Vlaanderen vzw. They assist the local groups in starting up, they organize events, they share knowledge.


title: Local exchange trading system

text: , there were many active communities in the region being hosted on the CES global server: Argentina had 11; Brazil 14; Bolivia 1; Chile 9; Colombia 13; Costa Rica 3; Curaçao 1; Dominican Republic 2; Ecuador 3; Guatemala 1; Nicaragua 1; Paraguay 1; Peru 3; Puerto Rico 2; Sint Maarten 1; Trinidad and Tobago 2; Turks and Caicos Islands 1; Uruguay 3; US Virgin Islands 1; Venezuela 3.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Nothing's Shocking is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Jane's Addiction, released on August 23, 1988 through Warner Bros. Records. "Nothing's Shocking" was well received by critics and peaked at number 103 on the "Billboard" 200. The single "Jane Says" reached number six on the "Billboard" Modern Rock Tracks in 1988. "Rolling Stone" ranked "Nothing's Shocking" at number 312 on its "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Warner Bros. Records gave Jane's Addiction a list of producers to choose from. The band's frontman, Perry Farrell, appreciated Dave Jerden's work as engineer on David Byrne and Brian Eno's album, "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts". Jerden said he "jumped" at the chance to work with the group. "I had a demo tape of 18 songs," Jerden recalled, "and I listened to it every night all summer. I picked nine songs from the tape and put them in an order. And then I said to the band, 'Let's do these nine songs. You'll rehearse them in this order, and we'll record them in this order.' And that's what we did."


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: During the recording sessions, Farrell stated he wanted 50% of the band's publishing royalties for writing the lyrics, plus a quarter of the remaining half for writing music, adding up to 62.5%. Bassist Eric Avery said he and the other members – guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins – were stunned by these demands. One day Jerden drove to the studio to find Farrell, Navarro, and Perkins leaving; Farrell told him the band had broken up and there would be no record. Warner Bros. called an emergency meeting to resolve the situation. Farrell received the percentage he sought, and the other members received 12.5% each. Avery said the incident had a profound effect on the band, creating an internal fracture.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Not long after the royalties dispute, Farrell and Avery – who had cofounded the band – had a falling out. This was the result of Avery's newfound sobriety as well as an incident in which Farrell believed Avery had drunkenly tried to pick up his girlfriend. "Unfortunately," Farrell recalled, "the tensions between Eric and I affected the whole family. Some people were asked to take sides, and others just moped about because they didn't know what was going on." Perkins, however, is reported to have got along with Navarro, Avery, and Farrell.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: The writing process varied from song to song. "Some came from Eric's bass lines," noted Navarro, "some from guitar, some came from Perry, some came from drum riffs, and some just came from free-form jams. There was really no formula." Avery wrote several songs, including "Mountain Song", "Had a Dad", "Jane Says", and "Summertime Rolls" (the latter two of which he also created the guitar parts for). For his songs, Avery came up with lyrical concepts that Perry Farrell would create lyrics for; for example, "Had a Dad" dealt with Avery discovering he had a different biological father.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: "Jane Says" and "Pigs in Zen", which first appeared on the band's self-titled 1987 debut, were rerecorded for "Nothing's Shocking". The later version of "Jane Says" features a steel drum while the spoken interlude in "Pigs in Zen" is completely different.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: "Mountain Song" – originally released in 1986 on the soundtrack for the film "Dudes" – was also rerecorded. Musically similar to the original, it is sung in a higher key, to be consistent with the rest of the record. The 1986 original saw a more widespread release when it was included on the band's 1997 outtake/alternate/live and new compilation "Kettle Whistle".


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Farrell created the cover image, which features a sculpture of nude female conjoined twins on a rocking chair with their heads on fire. He hired Warner Bros. employees to create the sculpture, but – after learning how to create sculptures by watching them closely – fired them and created the artwork himself. "The idea came from a dream I had," he recalled. "There were these two women swinging back and forth. They were joined at the hip and shoulder, and their hair was on fire. I just went from there, and "[girlfriend]" Casey "[Niccoli]" assisted me. We had a fellow come and do a plaster body-casting of her, then we made the twins' hair and head gear from pipe cleaners. You'll notice the chair rocks from side to side, as opposed to back and forth, so we had to have that made specially. We also went shopping for fake eyeballs."


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Owing to the cover, nine of the eleven leading record store chains refused to carry "Nothing's Shocking". It was issued covered with brown paper.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: "Mountain Song" was released as a single; however, MTV refused to air the song's music video owing to a scene containing graphic nudity. Farrell decided to release the video commercially, adding twenty minutes of live footage to create the "Soul Kiss" home video.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Lack of airplay on MTV and modern rock radio meant "Nothing's Shocking" sold only 200,000 to 250,000 copies in its first year of release. By 1998, it had been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of one million copies in the United States.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Other than the addition of remastering production credits and a cardboard slipcase over the standard jewel case, the liner notes and artwork are almost identical to the original release. Likewise, the track list remained unchanged. The most notable artwork difference between the original and the remaster is in the color of band name typeface on the cover: the original is rendered in a deep teal color with black outline while the remaster features a light grey type with purple outline.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Produced by Audio Fidelity, the remaster had a limited production run of 5,000 units. Each pressing came individually numbered.


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: Reviewing "Nothing's Shocking" for "Rolling Stone", Steve Pond praised Jane's Addiction as "the true heir to Led Zeppelin" and called the album "simultaneously forbidding and weighty, delicate and ethereal", while also distinctly more "hardheaded and realistic" in sensibility than Led Zeppelin's music. "Los Angeles Times" critic Richard Cromelin commented that Jane's Addiction "sounds supremely assured as it alternates its taut, brutal metal alloy with oddly endearing moments of reflection", describing their style as "a bracing throwback to rebellious sources and forces of excess like old Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper". Ken Tucker, writing for "The Philadelphia Inquirer", found the album's lyrics incomprehensible in meaning, but viewed them as secondary to the music, which he deemed "first-rate – deceptively slapdash, passionately messy, thoroughly exhilarating." "Kerrang!"s Phil Wilding hailed Jane's Addiction as "the second coming" and posited that their innovation would be "understood" over time, while "Q"s Martin Aston wrote that the band manages to recall acts such as Led Zeppelin and Van Halen without resorting to "the plagiarism that plagues the HM/hard rock genre." Jack Barron of "NME" credited Jane's Addiction for having "breadth" and concluded that they "come from a town ruled by glam where talent is only mascara deep, but this is no five-year-old's IQ on show here."


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: At the end of 1988, "Nothing's Shocking" was voted the 34th best album of the year in "The Village Voice"s Pazz & Jop critics' poll. The poll's curator, Robert Christgau, was lukewarm toward the record, summarizing Jane's Addiction as "Alice Cooper revisited" while conceding that "if they stick at it like the pros they'll be, they might land an 'Only Women Bleed.'"


title: Nothing's Shocking

text: In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Greg Prato called "Nothing's Shocking" a "now classic" album and "a must-have for lovers of cutting-edge, influential, and timeless hard rock." Steve Hochman, writing in the 2004 edition of "The Rolling Stone Album Guide", regarded it as an "often stunning" work whose songs juxtapose "slinky Zeppelin thunder with personal/poetic imagery recalling Lou Reed." "Even with all the baggage of prophecy and influence," wrote Ian Cohen of "Pitchfork", ""Nothing's Shocking" lives as a poignant, almost quixotic work of Hollywood imagination". "Pitchfork" listed it as one of the 1980s' best albums in 2002, ranking it 90th, and in 2018, ranking it 134th. In 2006, "Q" named it the 32nd best album of the 1980s. "Nothing's Shocking" was ranked at number 312 on "Rolling Stone"s 2012 edition of its "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: The Glass Bead Game (, ) is the last full-length novel by the German author Hermann Hesse. It was begun in 1931 in Switzerland, where it was published in 1943 after being rejected for publication in Germany due to Hesse's anti-Fascist views.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: "The Glass Bead Game" is a literal translation of the German title, but the book has also been published under the title Magister Ludi, Latin for "Master of the Game", an honorific title awarded to the book's central character. "Magister Ludi" can also be seen as a pun: "magister" is a Latin word meaning "teacher", while "ludus" can be translated as either "game" or "school". But the title "Magister Ludi" is somewhat misleading, as it implies the book is a straightforward bildungsroman, when, in reality, the book touches on many different genres, and the bulk of the story is on one level a parody of the biography genre.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: In 1946, Hesse won the Nobel Prize in Literature. In honoring him in its Award Ceremony Speech, the Swedish Academy said that the novel "occupies a special position" in Hesse's work. In 2019, the novel was nominated for the 1944 Retrospective Hugo Award for Best Novel.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: "The Glass Bead Game" takes place at an unspecified date centuries in the future. Hesse suggested that he imagined the book's narrator writing around the start of the 25th century. The setting is a fictional province of central Europe called Castalia, which was reserved by political decision for the life of the mind; technology and economic life are kept to a strict minimum. Castalia is home to an austere order of intellectuals with a twofold mission: to run boarding schools, and to cultivate and play the Glass Bead Game, whose exact nature remains elusive and whose devotees occupy a special school in Castalia known as Waldzell. The rules of the game are only alluded to—they are so sophisticated that they are not easy to imagine. Playing the game well requires years of hard study of music, mathematics, and cultural history. The game is essentially an abstract synthesis of all arts and sciences. It proceeds by players making deep connections between seemingly unrelated topics.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: The novel is an example of a Bildungsroman, following the life of a distinguished member of the Castalian Order, Joseph Knecht, whose surname means "servant" and is cognate with the English word "knight". The plot chronicles Knecht's education as a youth, his decision to join the order, his mastery of the Game, and his advancement in the order's hierarchy to eventually become "Magister Ludi", the executive officer of the Castalian Order's game administrators.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: The novel's beginning introduces the Music Master, the resident of Castalia who recruits Knecht as a young student and who is to have the longest-lasting and profoundest effect on Knecht throughout his life. At one point, as the Music Master nears death in his home at Monteport, Knecht obliquely refers to the Master's "sainthood". Knecht also develops another meaningful friendship with Plinio Designori, a student from a politically influential family, who is studying in Castalia as a guest, and holds vigorous debates with Designori, who views Castalia as an "ivory tower" with little to no impact on the outside world.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: Although educated in Castalia, Knecht's path to "Magister Ludi" is atypical for the order, as he spends much of his time after graduation outside the province's boundaries. His first such venture, to the Bamboo Grove, results in his learning Chinese and becoming something of a disciple to Elder Brother, a recluse who had given up living in Castalia. Next, as part of an assignment to foster goodwill between the order and the Catholic Church, Knecht is sent on several "missions" to the Benedictine monastery of Mariafels, where he befriends the historian Father Jacobus—a relationship that also profoundly affects Knecht.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: As the novel progresses, Knecht begins to question his loyalty to the order, gradually coming to doubt that the intellectually gifted have a right to withdraw from life's big problems. Knecht, too, comes to see Castalia as a kind of ivory tower, an ethereal and protected community, devoted to pure intellectual pursuits but oblivious to the problems of life outside its borders. This conclusion precipitates a personal crisis, and, according to his personal views regarding spiritual awakening, Knecht does the unthinkable: he resigns as Magister Ludi and asks to leave the order, ostensibly to become of value and service to the larger culture. The heads of the order deny his request, but Knecht departs Castalia anyway, initially taking a job as a tutor to his childhood friend Designori's energetic and strong-willed son, Tito. Only a few days later, the story ends abruptly with Knecht drowning in a mountain lake while attempting to follow Tito on a swim for which Knecht was unfit.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: The fictional narrator leaves off before the final sections of the book, remarking that the end of the story is beyond the scope of his biography. The concluding chapter, "The Legend", is reportedly from a different biography. After this final chapter, several of Knecht's "posthumous" works are then presented. The first section contains Knecht's poetry from various periods of his life, followed by three short stories labeled "Three Lives". These are presented as exercises by Knecht imagining his life had he been born in another time and place. The first tells of a pagan rainmaker named Knecht who lived "many thousands of years ago, when women ruled". Eventually the shaman's powers to summon rain fail, and he offers himself as a sacrifice for the good of the tribe. The second is based on the life of St Hilarion and tells of Josephus, an early Christian hermit who acquires a reputation for piety but is inwardly troubled by self-loathing and seeks a confessor, only to find that same penitent had been seeking him.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: The final story concerns the life of Dasa, a prince wrongfully usurped by his half-brother as heir to a kingdom and disguised as a cowherd to save his life. While working with the herdsmen as a young boy, Dasa encounters a yogi in meditation in the forest. He wishes to experience the same tranquility as the yogi, but is unable to stay. He later leaves the herdsmen and marries a beautiful young woman, only to be cuckolded by his half-brother (now the Rajah). In a cold fury, he kills his half-brother and finds himself once again in the forest with the old yogi, who, through an experience of an alternate life, guides him on the spiritual path and out of the world of illusion (Maya).


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: The three lives, together with that as Magister Ludi, oscillate between extroversion (rainmaker, Indian life—both get married) and introversion (father confessor, Magister Ludi) while developing the four basic psychic functions of analytical psychology: sensation (rainmaker), intuition (Indian life), feeling (father confessor), and thinking (Magister Ludi).


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: Hesse originally intended several different lives of the same person as he is reincarnated. Instead, he focused on a story set in the future and placed the three shorter stories, "authored" by Knecht in "The Glass Bead Game", at the end of the novel.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: Two drafts of a fourth life were published in 1965, the second recast in the first person and breaking off earlier. Dated 1934, they describe Knecht's childhood and education as a Swabian theologian. This Knecht has been born some dozen years after the Treaty of Rijswijk in the time of Eberhard Ludwig, and in depicting the other characters Hesse draws heavily on actual biographies: Friedrich Christoph Oetinger, Johann Friedrich Rock, Johann Albrecht Bengel and Nicolaus Zinzendorf make up the cast of Pietist mentors. Knecht is heavily drawn to music, both that of Pachelbel and the more exotic Buxtehude. The fragment breaks off as the young contemporary of Bach happens upon an organ recital in Stuttgart.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: Castalia, where most of the novel is set, is described in English translation as the "pedagogical province". It forms part of a large and prosperous state whose leaders are broadly but not uncritically sympathetic to the Castalian ideal of scholarship.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: Castalia is an entirely male community, whose members are or aspire to be members of a secular Order similar to monastic orders. Prospective members are recruited in their pre-/early teens from the most promising scholars in its host state's regular schools. One of Castalia's roles (not explored in depth in the book) is provision of schoolteachers to its host state. Another is the advancement of learning, primarily in the fields of mathematics, musicology (of Western music up to the 18th century), philology and the history of art. This role is entirely analytical: creativity and scientific research appear to be dead. A third role is to cultivate and develop the Glass Bead Game.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: The Glass Bead Game is "a kind of synthesis of human learning" in which themes, such as a musical phrase or a philosophical thought, are stated. As the Game progresses, associations between the themes become deeper and more varied. Although the Glass Bead Game is described lucidly, the rules and mechanics are not explained in detail.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: Many of the novel's characters have names that are allusive word games. For example, Knecht's predecessor as Magister Ludi was Thomas van der Trave, a veiled reference to Thomas Mann, who was born in Lübeck, situated on the Trave River. Knecht's brilliant but unstable friend Fritz Tegularius is based on Friedrich Nietzsche, while Father Jacobus is based on the historian Jakob Burckhardt. The name of Carlo Ferromonte is an Italianized version of the name of Hesse's nephew, Karl Isenberg, while the name of the Glass Bead Game's inventor, Bastian Perrot of Calw, was taken from Heinrich Perrot, who owned a machine shop where Hesse once worked after dropping out of school. The name of the pedagogic province in the story is taken from Greek legend of the nymph Castalia, who was transformed into an inspiration-granting fountain by the god Apollo.


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: In his biography of Hesse, Freedman wrote that the tensions caused by the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany directly contributed to the creation of "The Glass Bead Game" as a response to the oppressive times. "The educational province of Castalia, which provided a setting for the novel, came to resemble Hesse's childhood Swabia physically while assuming more and more the function of his adopted home, neutral Switzerland, which in turn embodied his own antidote to the crises of his time. It became the 'island of love' or at least an island of the spirit." According to Freedman, in the Glass Bead Game, "contemplation, the secrets of the Chinese I Ching and Western mathematics and music fashioned the perennial conflicts of his life into a unifying design."


title: The Glass Bead Game

text: In 2010, "The Glass Bead Game" was dramatised by Lavinia Greenlaw for BBC Radio 4. It starred Derek Jacobi as the Biographer, Tom Ferguson as Knecht and David Seddon as Plinio.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?", also written "Da' Ya' Think I'm Sexy", is a song by British singer Rod Stewart from his ninth studio album, "Blondes Have More Fun" (1978). It was written by Stewart, Carmine Appice and Duane Hitchings, though it incorporates the melody from the song "Taj Mahal" by Jorge Ben Jor and the string arrangement from the song "(If You Want My Love) Put Something Down On It" by Bobby Womack.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: The song was released as the first single from "Blondes Have More Fun" in November 1978. It spent one week atop the UK Singles Chart in December 1978 and four weeks atop the US "Billboard" Hot 100 in February 1979. "Billboard" ranked it number four on its Top Singles of 1979 year-end chart. It also topped the charts in Canada for four weeks and in Australia for two weeks.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: Royalties from the song were donated to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Stewart performed the song at the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly in January 1979. "Rolling Stone" ranked the song at number 308 in its 2004 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: Carmine Appice, who played drums on this song told Songfacts: "This was a story of a guy meeting a chick in a club. At that time, that was a cool saying. If you listen to the lyrics, 'She sits alone, waiting for suggestions, he's so nervous...' it's the feelings of what was going on in a dance club. The guy sees a chick he digs, she's nervous and he's nervous and she's alone and doesn't know what's going on, then they end up at his place having sex, and then she's gone." In a 2007 interview, co-writer Duane Hitchings noted that "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" was


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: It has been noted that Stewart created parts of the song through musical plagiarism. A copyright infringement lawsuit by Brazilian musician Jorge Ben Jor claimed the chorus of the song had been derived from his song "Taj Mahal". The case was "settled amicably" according to Jorge Ben Jor, in Ben Jor's favor. Stewart admitted in his 2012 autobiography to "unconscious plagiarism" of the Ben Jor song, which he had heard while attending the Rio Carnival in 1978. He also admitted that he had consciously lifted the song's signature synthesizer riff from the string arrangement on Bobby Womack's "(If You Want My Love) Put Something Down On It". Stewart contends that it is legal to lift a line from any song's arrangement as long as the core melody line is not copied.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: The song was criticised by many in the rock press as a betrayal of Stewart's blues-oriented rock roots, due to its disco-like arrangement, but Stewart and others were quick to point out that other widely respected artists, such as Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones, had also released disco-flavoured songs. However, the song has since experienced some retrospective acclaim as "Rolling Stone" placed the song at number 308 in its 2004 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: "Cash Box" said it has "a clipping bass line [by Phil Chen], steady kick drum and soaring synthesized strings" as well as "alternately gentle and dashing rhythm guitar work and a commanding sax solo."


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: Industrial supergroup Revolting Cocks (featuring Richard 23 of Front 242, Luc van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry) recorded a version of Da Ya Think I'm Sexy for their album Linger Ficken' Good. The song was released as a single in September 1993 with the songs "Sergio Guitar" and "Wrong Sexy Mix" as B-sides. This version includes slightly altered lyrics (the lyric "Give me a dime so I can call my mother" is replaced with "Give me a buck so I can buy a rubber" and "He says, I'm sorry, but I'm out of milk and coffee." is replaced with "He says, I'm sorry, but I'm out of KY Jelly.")http://www.songlyrics.com/revolting-cocks/do-ya-think-i-m-sexy-lyrics/


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: In 1997, the song was remixed by English electronic dance music group N-Trance for their second album, "Happy Hour" (1998), and features lyrics from the Millie Jackson version (as performed by vocalist Kelly Llorenna). It was featured in the film "A Night at the Roxbury" the following year. This version became a hit in late 1997, topping both the New Zealand Singles Chart for three weeks and the Czech Republic singles chart. Additionally, the song peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart and earning a double-platinum sales certification in Australia, where it charted at number three.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: Larry Flick from "Billboard" described the song as "another slice of flashback fever". He noted that "with its recognizable hook, booty-shakin' baseline, guest rap by Ricardo da Force, diva wailings by Kelly Llorenna, and Stewart himself, this updated remake could very well become the surprise radio hit of the summer. Of course, it could also become this month's novelty record." British magazine "Music Week" rated N-Trance's version four out of five in their review.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: On August 25, 2017, Rod Stewart released a remix version featuring a guest appearance from American band DNCE. He sings along with the lead singer of the band, Joe Jonas.


title: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

text: In 2021, Appice and Fernando Perdomo released an instrumental rock album, "Energy Overload", that includes what Eric Harabadian of Music Connection Magazine describes as a "harmonic and rhythmic renovation" of Do Ya Think I'm Sexy.


title: A∴A∴

text: The A∴A∴ ( ) is a magical organization described in 1907 by occultist Aleister Crowley. Its members are dedicated to the advancement of humanity by perfection of the individual on every plane through a graded series of universal initiations. Its initiations are syncretic, unifying the essence of Theravada Buddhism with Vedantic yoga and ceremonial magic. The A∴A∴ applies what it describes as mystical and magical methods of spiritual attainment under the structure of the Qabalistic Tree of Life, and aims to research, practise, and teach "scientific illuminism". A∴A∴ is often held to stand for Argenteum Astrum, which is Latin for Silver Star, however, see section on "Name" below.


title: A∴A∴

text: The A∴A∴ claims to have been present in all societies and epochs, although not necessarily under that name.


title: A∴A∴

text: The A∴A∴ is composed of two orders, known as the inner and outer college. The outer college in its modern form was formulated in 1907 by Aleister Crowley and George Cecil Jones, claiming authority from Aiwass (the Author of "The Book of the Law") and other Secret Chiefs of the planetary spiritual order after the schism in and subsequent collapse of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn at the turn of the Twentieth century. The principal holy book of the A∴A∴ is the book Crowley called "AL" and "Liber Legis", technically called "Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX as delivered by 93=418 to DCLXVI", whose scriptural title is "The Book of the Law", by which name the "Book" is most commonly known and referred to. There are several other holy books venerated in A∴A∴, which comprise the so-called Class A and AB material.


title: A∴A∴

text: In 1919 the O.T.O. considered itself to be a "close ally" of the A∴A∴, both organisations having accepted the authority of "The Book of the Law", although the O.T.O., being a temporal and fraternal society, in no way participates in the A∴A∴'s strictly hierarchic and spiritual initiatory program, nor does O.T.O. represent A∴A∴. or transmit its functions or authority.


title: A∴A∴

text: The classic account of A∴A∴ is Karl Von Eckharthausen's "The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary", re-issued by the A∴A∴ as "Liber XXXIII".


title: A∴A∴

text: Following Crowley's death in 1947, his student Karl Germer took over running the outer college of the order, but since Germer's death the situation has been less clear. Various lineages of the A∴A∴ survive today that claim to be descended from Crowley.


title: A∴A∴

text: One such lineage descends from Crowley's student, actress Jane Wolfe (known as Soror Estai). Soror Estai's one student, Phyllis Seckler (Soror Meral), founded College of Thelema in 1973 and (with James A. Eshelman and Anna-Kria King) founded Temple of Thelema in 1987. She designated Eshelman as her successor in the Jane Wolfe branch of A∴A∴ and as chancellor of College of Thelema. Later, she also affirmed David Shoemaker's authority to "admit, supervise, and train" A∴A∴ initiates.


title: A∴A∴

text: Several lineages run through pupils of Marcelo Ramos Motta, such that of J. Daniel Gunther. Another lineage links itself to Crowley through Israel Regardie and his pupil Gerald Suster. Other lineages run through Grady McMurtry and Charles Stansfeld Jones.


title: A∴A∴

text: Members of the First Order of A∴A∴ (Golden Dawn) and Dominus Liminis are sworn to openly declare everywhere their connection with A∴A∴ (Liber CLXXXV). Adepts, however, are expected to work in silence, whereas Magi are required to declare "their Law". The Ipsissimi, who "existeth without form", the highest initiates manifest on this plane, are sworn to silence as to their attainment to this degree (Liber B vel Magi, One Star in Sight).


title: A∴A∴

text: In A∴A∴ members officially only know those directly above and below in the chain of instruction. Members are expected to work alone, consulting as needed with their superior in the Order. In this way the founders of the system hoped to avoid the many political problems that allegedly brought about the downfall of the predecessor organisation, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The A∴A∴ is an organisation focused on enlightenment of the individual, with a strong emphasis on maintaining the chain of initiation from teacher to student, and devoting all of one's attainments to those individuals below them (One Star in Sight).


title: A∴A∴

text: Any person whosoever may swear the Oath of the Master of the Temple of A∴A∴ and be admitted into the Opening of the Grade of Magister Templi and the Order of the S∴S∴ the opening of which is the passage through the Abyss.


title: A∴A∴

text: It is the strict and inviolable rule of the Order that members of A∴A∴ never accept payment or other consideration for initiation or other services, on pain of irredeemable expulsion.


title: A∴A∴

text: The initiatory structure of A∴A∴ is based on the Qabalistic Tree Of Life, its grades following the sephirot up the tree in reverse order.


title: A∴A∴

text: The S.S., being the governing body (Third Order) and comprising those grades that are above the Abyss;


title: A∴A∴

text: The R.R. et A.C. (Second Order), comprising those degrees that are below the Abyss but above the Veil of Paroketh; and


title: A∴A∴

text: The Golden Dawn (First Order), comprising the grades below the Veil of Paroketh. A complete description of the tasks of the First Order is given in Liber XIII vel Graduum Montis Abiegni: a syllabus of the steps upon path, in The Equinox Volume 1.


title: A∴A∴

text: Two additional "grades", the Dwellers on the Thresholds, link the orders: Dominus Limnis in Paroketh, and Babe of the Abyss in the Abyss.


title: A∴A∴

text: Members of the Third Order can generate their own variations of the First and Second Order teachings as reflections of their own Understanding, contemplating systems of attainment not compassed in the curriculum of the main system.


title: A∴A∴

text: A student's business is to acquire a general intellectual knowledge of all systems of attainment, as declared in the prescribed books. At the end of a fixed period, the Student takes a written examination to test his reading, after which he passes through a small ritual involving the reading of the History Lection (Liber LXI), and passes to the grade of Probationer.


title: A∴A∴

text: (0°=0): The Probationer's principal business is to begin such practices as he or she may prefer, and to write a careful record of the same for one year.


title: A∴A∴

text: (2°=9): The Zelator's main work is to achieve complete success in asana and pranayama. The Zelator also begins to study the formula of the Rose Cross.


title: A∴A∴

text: (5°=6): Lesser Adept (Without). Is expected to perform the Great Work and to attain the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. In the system of the A∴A∴ magical order, the single most important goal is to consciously connect with one’s HGA and, by doing so, the magician becomes fully aware of their own True Will. For Crowley, this event was the single most important goal of any adept:


title: A∴A∴

text: (5°=6): Lesser Adept (Within). Is admitted to the practice of the formula of the Rosy Cross on entering the College of the Holy Ghost.


title: A∴A∴

text: (7°=4): Exempt Adept. After one attains Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel and completes in perfection all these matters, the adept may attempt the crossing of the Abyss, the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source, that great spiritual wilderness which must be crossed by the adept to attain mastery. Choronzon is the Dweller in the Abyss; he is there as the final obstruction. If he is met with the proper preparation, then he is there to destroy the ego, which allows the adept to move beyond the Abyss. If unprepared, then the unfortunate traveller will be utterly dispersed into annihilation, leaving the adept to become a Brother of the Left Hand Path. If successful, the adept stripped of all their attainments and of their self as well, even of their Holy Guardian Angel, and becoming a Babe of the Abyss, who, having transcended the Reason, does nothing but grow in the womb of its mother, Babalon.


title: A∴A∴

text: (8°=3): Babalon is on the other side of the Abyss (beckoning in the sphere of Binah on the Tree of Life). If the adept gives himself to her—the symbol of this act is the pouring of the adept’s blood into her graal—he becomes impregnated in her (a state called "Babe of the Abyss"), then he is reborn as a Master and a Saint that dwells in the City of the Pyramids, becoming a Master of the Temple (). The principal business of this grade is to obtain a perfect understanding of the Universe. The Magister Templi is pre-eminently the Master of Mysticism, that is, his Understanding is entirely free from internal contradiction or external obscurity; his Work is to comprehend the existing Universe in accordance with his own Mind. This grade corresponds to Binah on the Tree of Life. Crowley also linked it with the experience he called "Shivadarshana" and with the Four Formless States of Buddhism, although he cautions against treating these criteria as sufficient for the grade.


title: A∴A∴

text: The City of the Pyramids is the home to those adepts that have crossed the great Abyss, having spilled all their blood in the Graal of Babalon. They have destroyed their earthly ego-identities, becoming nothing more than piles of dust (i.e. the remaining aspects of their True Selves without the self-sense of "I"). It is a step along the path of spiritual purification, and a spiritual resting place for those who have successfully shed their attachments to the mundane world.


title: A∴A∴

text: The City exists under the "Night of Pan", or N.O.X. Pan is both the giver and the taker of life, and his Night is that time of symbolic death where the adept experiences unification with the All through the ecstatic destruction of the ego-self. In a less poetic symbolic sense, this is the state where one transcends all limitations and experiences oneness with the universe.


title: A∴A∴

text: (9°=2): The Magus seeks to attain Wisdom (symbolized by entering Chokmah on the Tree of Life), declares his law, and is a Master of all Magick in its greatest and highest sense. His will is entirely free from internal diversion or external opposition; His work is to create a new Universe in accordance with his Will. This grade corresponds to Chokmah on the Tree of Life. It also bears some resemblance to Nietzsche's "new philosopher" who creates values, although with more focus on self-transcendence according to Crowley biographer Lawrence Sutin. The state of being a Magus is described in Crowley's "Liber B vel Magi". Of the Magi, Crowley writes:


title: A∴A∴

text: Elsewhere, he admits the possibility of someone reaching this rank without uttering a new magick Word. Such a Magus, he says, would identify himself or herself with the Word of the current Aeon and work to establish it. In "Magick Without Tears", Crowley suggests (without actually saying so) that the Secret Chiefs of the A∴A∴ have reached at least the rank of Magus, in some sense.


title: A∴A∴

text: Crowley named as a condition of this grade the trance Nirodha-samapatti, which reduces heartbeat and other life functions to the bare minimum. Theravada Buddhist monks traditionally attain nirodha-samapatti by producing the aforementioned Formless States one after the other, and perceiving in each what they call the Three Characteristics of all existence: sorrow or tendency towards sorrow, change or unreliability, and insubstantiality or lack of self. Crowley and the A∴A∴ however seek to replace this threefold concept of existence with the quest for balance as both a motive for discipline and the means of achieving their end goal. In "Liber B vel Magi" they urge the Magus seeking further progress to identify the Buddhist Three Characteristics with the opposite states. "Wherein Sorrow is Joy, and Change is Stability, and Selflessness is Self." Crowley's version of nirodha includes "seeing first the truth and then the falsity of the Three Characteristics" according to his published theory.


title: A∴A∴

text: The Ipsissimus should keep the achievement of this final grade secret, even from the rest of the Order, and continue with the work of the Magus while expressing the nature of an Ipsissimus in word and deed. Crowley writes: