Thanks for that, Kent. I remember the first time I went to DC and Alexandria, being struck by the Egyptian/Masonic layout... I mean, it was everywhere. Overwhelmingly so, if you knew the symbolism. I'd happened by chance to have a copy of the big Golden Dawn book in my luggage, and I was able to basically make similar drawings to your sephiroth stuff, using the diagrams from that . Strange how those hardheaded Yankee pragmatic visionaries were so closely aligned to such an esoteric cult. Any idea why or when the Masons folded their public tent? They were doing such booming business suddenly all the temples became just either recording studios, nightclubs, banquet halls, or just plain mothballed. Expensive real estate, too. In the gorgeous and spooky old Masonic temple here in downtown LA there's a fantastic wax figure of Shrub in his robes, dagger, and keys. Like Dennis the Menace suddenly appearing as a haracte in Foucault's Pendulum. A friend of a friend of mine bought the building; library, artifacts and all. I havent been there yet, but will soon. Apparently there's a fabulous collection of books, from Donne, Cagliostro, and everybody, most of which are almost impossible to find. Very strange history, that. Very interesting. Very odd. One doesnt really get the sense that it was just a fun kind of sexparty/male bonding kind of thing, but a very serious something or other. At least the level of craftsmanship implies that to be the case. They went to an awful lot of trouble, those guys, if it was just a Loyal Order of the Buffalo keg party. It had to have been more than just a way to get away from the wife. It's just too much work, with the giant buildings and highway construction and etc.., to be explained so simply. (though I'm sure that was a part of it, ho ho.)

anyway, thanks for the reminder

db One of the great mysteries of this country's roots. I wonder if we'll ever really know. Part of the problem is that academia tends to blackball anyone who tries to start digging into the reality, which could of course be a tribute to their hidden power, but more likely is just a general instinctive distaste for that kind of hocus pocus and huggery muggery, especially when it's combined with such undeniable political and economic power. Nonetheless, a troubling and fascinating post. Got me thinking about stuff I thought I'd managed to forget, damn you. History is a nightmare from which I'm trying not to awaken.