title: District

text: Iran is subdivided into thirty one provinces (Persian: ), each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (Persian: ) of that province. The provinces of Iran further subdivided into counties called ( ), an area inside an , and consists of a city center, few () and many villages around them. There are usually a few cities ( ) and rural agglomerations ( ) in each county. Rural agglomerations are a collection of a number of villages. One of the cities of the county is appointed as the capital of the county. The word comes from the Persian words and , which mean "city" (or "town") and "province", respectively. The nearest equivalent of in English would be sub-province or county. Each has a governmental office known as which coordinates different events and governmental offices. The , or the head of , is the governor of the which is the highest governmental authority in the division.


title: District

text: In Iraq, they use the word for districts. There are over a hundred districts, each district being within one of 18 Iraqi governorates, sometimes known as provinces. The district generally (but not always) bears the name of a city within that district, usually the capital of that district.


title: District

text: A is a local administrative unit comprising towns and villages but not cities. See districts of Japan for a more complete description. In 1923, its administrative role was abolished although it is still in use for addressing purposes. "District" is also a translation of , defined by Japan's planning law.


title: District

text: A district () is a subdivision of larger cities in South Korea. Smaller cities have no districts, whereas districts in Seoul and six Metropolitan Cities are treated as a city in their own right.


title: District

text: Malawi is divided into 28 districts within three regions. Each district is headed by a District Commissioner.


title: District

text: The districts of the Republic of Mauritius are the second-order administrative divisions after the Outer islands of the country. Mauritius is divided into nine districts which consist of 2 cities, 4 towns and 130 villages, the capital is Port Louis.


title: District

text: The island of Rodrigues used to be the tenth district of Mauritius but it gained autonomous status in 2002.


title: District

text: A district is known as in Malay. A district governed directly by the federal government is known as a Federal Territory, and they are Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan.


title: District

text: In Peninsular Malaysia, a district is a division of a state. A is a subdivision of a district. The , is however, of less importance with respect to the administration of local government.


title: District

text: In East Malaysia, a district is a subdivision within a division of a state. For example, Tuaran is a district within the West Coast Division of Sabah. A district is usually named after the main town or its administrative capital, for example, Sandakan town is the capital of the district of Sandakan, as well the capital of Sandakan Division. (Note: Sandakan district is a sub-division of Sandakan Division.)


title: District

text: In Malaysia, each district will have a District Office, headed by a district officer, and is administered by a local government either being a District Council, Municipal Council, or a City Council. In some highly urbanized districts, there may be further subdivisions. For example, the district of Petaling in Selangor is administered by 3 local governments: Shah Alam City Council, Petaling Jaya City Council, and Subang Jaya Municipal Council. Another example is the district of Johor Bahru in Johor, which has 3 subdivisions: Johor Bahru City Council, Iskandar Puteri City Council, and Pasir Gudang Municipal Council. Conversely, there may be one local government administering more than one district, for example, Seberang Perai Municipal Council administers the districts of Central Seberang Perai, North Seberang Perai, and South Seberang Perai; as well as Kuala Terengganu City Council, which administers the districts of Kuala Terengganu and Kuala Nerus.


title: District

text: An administrative district border and an electoral district border (constituency) transcend each other and do not correspond with each other in most instances.


title: District

text: Malta holds 13 Electoral Divisions for the unicameral (single-assembly) parliament. Each consists of a number of localities (although there is no requirement that electoral boundaries follow the boundaries of localities).


title: District

text: Nepal is divided into 77 districts. Each district acts as an independent administrative unit. A district consists of two types of units like Rural Municipalities and Municipalities. Official documents like citizenship cards and passports are issued by the Chief of District Office (CDO). Constituencies for elections are also constructed according to the population distribution within the district.


title: District

text: A district in New Zealand is a territorial authority (second-tier local government unit) that has not gained the distinction of being proclaimed a city. Districts tend to be less urbanized, tend to cover more than one population center and a larger amount of rural area, and tend to have a smaller population than cities. While cities and districts are generally considered to be two different types of territorial authority, the area covered by a city is often known as its district—for example the term "district plan" is used equally in districts and cities. The Chatham Islands Territory is neither a district nor a city.


title: District

text: A district is not always a simple division of a region: several districts lie within two regions, and the Taupo District lies in four.


title: District

text: Districts of Pakistan are local administrative units inherited from the British Raj. They form third-level Administrative Division in Pakistan after Provinces and Divisions. Districts were generally grouped into administrative divisions, which in turn formed provinces. Pakistan has 160 districts (including ten in Azad Jammu and Kashmir). They are known as in Urdu. They comprise villages, towns, and cities. A district is headed by a district (mayor), who is an elected official (in local body elections) and the local controller of the district level officers of all the departments under provincial government, while Deputy Commissioner is the executive head of the District usually Grade-18 officer from Pakistan Administrative Service. Deputy Commissioner is entrusted with overall responsibility of law & order, implementation of government schemes and is also authorized to hear revenue cases pertaining to the district. The district mayor () heads an elected district council composed of councilors, who represent various district-level constituencies. The councils have a constitutional requirement to be composed of a minimum of 33% women or more than that.


title: District

text: The usage of the term 'district' () in the Philippines has similarities to that in the United States.


title: District

text: A constituency with a representative in the lower house of Congress is a congressional district. However, the term congressional district has become synonymous in local parlance with 'representative district,' because, just like in the US, the word 'congress' () has come to refer specifically to the lower house (the House of Representatives).


title: District

text: A legislative district, which has an average population of about 250,000 to 500,000, may be composed of:


title: District

text: (b.) within a province, a group of municipalities and cities (sometimes even including independent and highly urbanized cities geographically located in the province),


title: District

text: (d.) a group of geographically adjacent independent cities and independent municipalities (currently the only example is the Pateros-Taguig, or


title: District

text: Each province is guaranteed at least one representative to the lower house, even though it may not come close to having the same population as other legislative districts. Only voters within each district are allowed to vote in the election for the member of the House of Representatives from that district.


title: District

text: From 1916 to 1935, the Philippines were divided into 12 senatorial districts, of which 11 elected two members each, for a total of 22 out of the 24 members of the upper house of Congress (the Senate). Since 1935 senators have been elected at large.


title: District

text: In addition, each congressional district that falls under the jurisdiction of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (a total of 8) elects three members each to the country's only subnational legislative assembly.


title: District

text: There are provincial districts for the purpose of electing (Provincial Council) members, which follow the congressional district arrangement, except that independent and highly urbanized cities whose charters prevent them from electing provincial officials are excluded. Also, provinces that comprise a lone congressional district are divided into at least two provincial districts.


title: District

text: There are also city councilor districts for the purpose of electing (City Council) members, which follow the congressional district arrangement. In cases where the city does not form two or more congressional districts by itself, it is divided into at least two city council districts.


title: District

text: Districts exist as administrative entities only in local government, with limited powers or responsibilities. Certain cities, such as Manila, Iloilo and Davao, for administrative purposes, formally divide their jurisdictions into city districts composed of several barangays, but the extent of these district-level administrative powers vary. Several barangays (the lowest level of government) also have the word 'district' in their names – examples are those in Jala-jala and Zamboanga City. However, this is solely for the purpose of nomenclature, and does not imply a higher level of local government.


title: District

text: During Spanish and early American colonial rule, certain areas of the Philippines were designated as 'districts,' mainly those that had not been formally organized into provinces or incorporated into existing ones.


title: District

text: In the American era, cities and municipalities were divided into city and municipal districts, which served as the lowest level of government before the creation of the .


title: District

text: Special-purpose districts also exist in the Philippines, created for government departments and agencies. Examples are school districts for the Department of Education (DepEd), engineering districts for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and coast guard districts for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).


title: District

text: Some cities and municipalities also extend the usage of the word 'district' to refer to certain areas, even without having any formal administrative purposes. Examples are the central business districts in Naga, Camarines Sur, and Makati.


title: District

text: The second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture (LAU-1) in other countries is called a . As of 2008, there are 379 powiat-level entities in Poland: 314 land counties and 65 city counties. For a complete alphabetical listing, see list of counties in Poland.


title: District

text: Districts () are administrative divisions of Portugal. They were mainly used as the jurisdiction areas for the civil governors, the government officials that represented locally the Central Government. However, in 2011, the role of the civil governor was "de facto" extinct (although not "de jure"), with the decision taken by the Government not to appoint new civil governors and to transfer its functions to other bodies. The district areas are now only used as the regional jurisdiction areas of some public bodies (like the Public Security Police district commands) and some private entities (like the district associations and championships of football).


title: District

text: In Russia, districts are administrative and municipal divisions of the federal subjects, as well as administrative divisions of larger cities ("city districts") which are commonly referenced as () and () respectively.


title: District

text: The term "district" is also used to refer to the type of administrative division of the Sakha Republic— (; ). The Sakha Republic is administratively divided into five cities under the Republic's jurisdiction and 33 "uluses". The law of the Sakha Republic establishes that the terms and "district" are equivalent.


title: District

text: Serbia is divided into twenty-nine districts () and the city of Belgrade, each of which is further divided into municipalities ()


title: District

text: In South Africa, the district municipality forms the layer of government below the provinces. A district municipality is in turn divided into several local municipalities.


title: District

text: For purposes of local government, the country of Sri Lanka is divided into nine provinces: Western, Central, Southern, Northern, Eastern, North Western, North Central, Uva, and Sabaragamuwa. (The Northern and Eastern Provinces have however, technically been jointly administered since 1988.)


title: District

text: Each of the districts is divided into divisions. These were originally based on the feudal counties, the and . They were formerly known as 'D.R.O. Divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'. Later the D.R.O.s became 'Assistant Government Agents' and the Divisions were known as 'A.G.A. Divisions'. Currently, the Divisions are administered by a 'Divisional Secretary', and are known as a 'D.S. Divisions'. Rural D.S. Divisions are also administered by a 'Pradeshiya Sabha' (Sinhala for 'Regional Council'), which is elected.


title: District

text: In Switzerland, some cantons organize themselves into districts, while others dispense with districts and govern themselves at the (constituency or electoral district) level.


title: District

text: Some municipalities in the Kingdom of Sweden have divided their territory into smaller areas, which often are assigned an administrative board responsible for certain elements of municipal governance within their district. These areas take a variety of different Swedish names; however, "district" is usually the official English term for them. The term "borough" is sometimes used in unofficial contexts.


title: District

text: In the Republic of China on Taiwan, the district () is the 3rd level of the administrative division. It is a division of special municipality and provincial city of Taiwan Province. Currently, there are 157 districts in total from 5 special municipalities and 3 provincial cities.


title: District

text: A district () is a subdivision of a province () in Thailand. Some provinces also contain minor districts (), which are smaller than the average district.


title: District

text: In Turkey, a district () is an administrative subdivision of a province (). They are governed by a district governor/official (Kaymakam) appointed by the Ministry of the Interior, and a by the local population elected Mayor. See also Districts of Turkey.


title: District

text: In Ukraine, districts (raions) second level of administrative division of Ukraine and are primarily the most common division of Ukrainian regions, as well as administrative divisions of larger cities ("city districts").


title: District

text: Districts are the most recognizable form of local government in large parts of England. For those areas that retain two-tier local government, districts usually form the lower tier of that arrangement, with counties forming the upper tier. Districts tend to have responsibility for a number of areas including:


title: District

text: Each district raises taxes from residents on behalf of itself, and the upper tier authority through the Council Tax. It also raises income from business through the Non-Domestic Rates system, which is coordinated nationally.


title: District

text: There is no official use of the word "district" in Wales. The country is broken up into 22 unitary authorities. However, "district" may be used informally for a whole or unofficial part of a ward in a city.


title: District

text: Between 1930 and 1975, districts were subdivisions of counties, formed under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929. See List of local government areas in Scotland 1930–75. Scotland, since 1996, has been divided in 32 unitary council areas, and districts are no longer used.


title: District

text: Northern Ireland is divided into 11 districts for local government purposes. The councils do not carry out the same range of functions as those in the rest of the United Kingdom; for example, they have no responsibility for education, road-building or housing (although they do nominate members to the advisory Northern Ireland Housing Council).


title: District

text: Their functions do include waste and recycling services, leisure and community services, building control and local economic and cultural development. They are not planning authorities, but are consulted on some planning applications. Collection of rates (local tax) is handled by the Rate Collection Agency.


title: District

text: The District of Columbia is the only part of the United States, excluding territories, that is not located within any of the fifty states.


title: District

text: A constituency with a representative in Congress is a congressional district. Each state is organized into one or more such districts; the exact number within each state is based on the most recent census. Only voters within each district are allowed to vote in the election for the member of the House of Representatives from that district. Overall, there are 435 congressional districts in the United States; each has roughly 630,000 people, with some variance.


title: District

text: A constituency with a representative in a state legislature is a "legislative district"; the territory over which a federal court has jurisdiction is a federal judicial district.


title: District

text: The United States also has many types of special-purpose districts with limited powers of local government. School districts are the most common, but other types of districts include community college districts, hospital districts, utility districts, irrigation districts, port districts, and public transit districts.


title: District

text: Many cities in the late 20th century adopted names for non-governmental districts as a way of increasing the recognition and identity of these distinct areas and neighborhoods. Perhaps most apparently in Los Angeles, various areas and neighborhoods within the city are specified as districts. For instance, Hollywood is a district of Los Angeles, whereas Beverly Hills and West Hollywood are independent incorporated cities, with their own governments and police departments. This can be confusing, as the difference between districts and neighboring cities is usually not readily apparent, for they all make up the greater Los Angeles area. Typically, districts may or may not be distinguished at the boundary of the district with a "district sign" with the city's insignia; whereas at a city boundary, a city limit sign would usually be placed on the street with the city's name and population, at a minimum, but also often includes its elevation. The important distinction is that areas classified as districts are still part of the parent city and governed by the laws and ordinances of that city.


title: District

text: Various federal, regional, and local agencies such as the National Register of Historic Places recognized historic districts.


title: District

text: From the late 18th century until the Philadelphia Act of Consolidation in 1854, districts were politically independent municipalities made up of densely populated neighborhoods adjacent to but outside the legal boundaries of the City of Philadelphia. Northern Liberties, Southwark, and Spring Garden were among the ten largest municipalities by population in the United States.


title: District

text: A municipal utility district is a special-purpose district or other jurisdiction that provides services (such as electricity, natural gas, sewage treatment, waste collection/management, wholesale telecommunications, water) to district residents. Local residents may vote to establish a municipal utility district, which is represented by a board of directors elected by constituents. As governmental bodies, they are usually nonprofit.


title: District

text: In the US, public utility districts (PUD) have similar functions to Municipal utility districts, but are created by a local government body such as a city or county, and have no authority to levy taxes. They provide public utilities to the residents of that district.


title: District

text: PUDs are created by a local government body, such as a city, county, or metropolitan service area (two or more communities joining together for public utility purposes). Normally the districts are non-profit. PUDs are often governed by a commission, which may be appointed or elected.


title: District

text: The term "district" in Vietnam refers to the second level administrative unit, below provinces () and municipalities (). This second level unit is called a (counties) in rural areas, while in urban areas districts are either (subdivisions of municipalities), (provincial cities) or (towns). Vietnam had 707 "districts" including 77 provincial cities, 52 towns, 49 urban subdivisions, and 529 rural districts/counties (including 12 island districts/counties).


title: District

text: Vietnamese districts vary significantly in both population and area. Excluding the island districts, the most populous is Biên Hoà (provincial city) with 1,099,943 people; the least populous is the town of Mường Lay (12,125). Similarly, the largest district is Tương Dương (2,812.07 km) while the smallest is Cồn Cỏ with an area of only 2.3 km.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: The World Marathon Majors (WMM) (known for sponsorship reasons as the Abbott World Marathon Majors) is a championship-style competition for marathon runners that started in 2006. A points-based competition founded on six major marathon races recognised as the most high-profile on the calendar, the series comprises annual races for the cities of Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. In addition, each edition of the series recognises and includes the results of the major global championship marathon held in that year, usually on a one-off lapped course. These races are the biennial World Athletics Championships Marathon, and the quadrennial Olympic Games Marathon.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: Each World Marathon Majors series originally spanned two full calendar years; the second year of a series overlapped with the first year of the next. Starting in 2015, each series began with a defined city race and ended with the following race in the same city. So, series IX started in February 2015 at the 2015 Tokyo Marathon and ended there in February 2016 at the 2016 Tokyo Marathon. Series X started at the 2016 Boston Marathon and finished at the 2017 Boston Marathon. Series XI started at the 2017 London Marathon and finished at the 2018 London Marathon.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: It began being sponsored by Abbott Laboratories in 2015. On April 26, 2017, Dalian Wanda Group Co., Ltd., one of the leading Chinese private conglomerates, announced a ten-year strategic partnership aimed at the continued growth and development of marathon events worldwide.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: Beginning with Series X at the 2016 Boston Marathon, wheelchair competitions were added for men and women.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: At the end of each of the first 10 WMM series the leading man and woman each won $500,000, making a total prize of one million U.S. dollars. Beginning with Series XI, the prize structure was revised so that for men and women first place became $250,000, second place $50,000 and third place $25,000. In the wheelchair division the prize money for men and women is $50,000 (first), $25,000 (second) and $10,000 (third).


title: World Marathon Majors

text: Athletes who competed in the marathons originally received points for finishing in any of the top five places (1st place: 25 points; 2nd place: 15 points; 3rd place: 10 points; 4th place: 5 points; 5th place: 1 point). Their four highest ranks over the two-year period were counted; if an athlete scored points in more than this number, the athlete's four best races were scored. To be eligible for the jackpot, an athlete had to compete in at least one qualifying race in each calendar year of the series.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: In 2015, the scoring was revised (1st place: 25 points; 2nd place: 16 points; 3rd place: 9 points; 4th place: 4 points; 5th place: 1 point). The two highest ranks during the scoring period would be counted, with only the best two if more than that number.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: For the first three series if there were equal top scores at the end of the competition the tiebreakers were head-to-head competition and, if necessary, a majority vote of the five WMM race directors. This happened in the 2007–08 women's competition.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: Beginning in 2009–10 season, following best head-to-head record, the following tie-breakers were implemented, in descending order: the person who achieved his or her points in the fewest races, the person who won the most qualifying races during the period, the person with the fastest average time in their scoring races, and a majority vote of the six-race directors. If the final circumstance is necessary, the race directors could award the title jointly.


title: World Marathon Majors

text: Six star finishers are marathoners who have completed all 6 of the World Marathon Majors. In 2016 following the Tokyo Marathon a Six Star Finisher Medal was introduced In July 2018 a "Reach for the Stars" campaign was launched wherein a runner could claim a star for each WMM race completed. The system allows runners to create a profile, search for their ‘stars’ and add them to their page.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Some toilets in Japan are more elaborate than toilets commonly found in other developed nations. European countries often have a toilet and a bidet separate whilst Japan combines an electronic bidet with the toilet. The current state of the art for Western-style toilets in Japan is the bidet toilet, which, as of March 2016, is installed in 81% of Japanese households. In Japan, these bidets are commonly called washlets, a brand name of Toto Ltd., and include many advanced features rarely seen outside of Asia. The feature set commonly found on washlets are anal hygiene, bidet washing, seat warming, and deodorization.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The word is an abbreviated form of the English language word "toilet" and is used both for the toilet itself and for the room where it is located.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: A common euphemism is . This is similar to the usage in US English of "washroom", which literally means a room where something is washed, and "toilet", which literally refers to the act of self-cleaning. (However, in Canada, "washroom" is equivalent to US "restroom.") It is also common to see another loan translation, , on signs in department stores and supermarkets, as well as accompanying the public toilet pictogram.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The plain word for toilet is , from the word meaning "convenience" or "excrement", and this word is fairly common. It is often used in elementary schools, public swimming baths, and other such public places, and is not especially impolite, although some may prefer to use a more refined word. In many children's games, a child who is tagged "out" is sent to a special place, such as the middle of a circle, called the "benjo". Japanese has many other words for places reserved for excretory functions, including "kawaya" (厠) and "habakari" (憚り), but most are rare or archaic.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The toilet itself—that is, the bowl or in-floor receptacle, the water tank, et cetera—is called "benki" (便器). The toilet seat is "benza" (便座). A potty, either for small children or for the elderly or infirm, is called "omaru" (sometimes written 御虎子).


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The Japan Toilet Association celebrates an unofficial "Toilet Day" on November 10, because in Japan the numbers 11/10 (for the month and the day) can be read as "", which also means "Good Toilet".


title: Toilets in Japan

text: There are two styles of toilets commonly found in Japan; the oldest type is a simple squat toilet, which is still common in public conveniences. After World War II, modern Western-type flush toilets and urinals became common.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The traditional toilet is the squat toilet. A squat toilet differs from a sitting toilet in both construction and method of employment. A squat toilet essentially looks like a miniature urinal set horizontally into the floor. Most squat toilets in Japan are made of porcelain, although in some cases (as on trains) stainless steel is used instead. The user squats over the toilet, facing the hemispherical hood, i.e., the wall in the back of the toilet in the picture seen on the right. A shallow trough collects the waste, instead of a large water-filled bowl as in a Western toilet. All other fixtures, such as the water tank, piping, and flushing mechanism, may be identical to those of a Western toilet. Flushing causes water to push the waste matter from the trough into a collecting reservoir which is then emptied, with the waste carried off into the sewer system. The flush is often operated in the same manner as a Western toilet, though some have pull handles or pedals instead. Many Japanese toilets have two kinds of flush: "small" (小) and "large" (大). The difference is in the amount of water used. The former is for urine (in Japanese, literally "small excretion") and the latter for feces ("large excretion"). The lever is often pushed to the "small" setting to provide a continuous covering noise for privacy, as discussed below.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: A combination squat/sitting toilet also exists, where a seat can be flipped down over a squat toilet, and the toilet can be used essentially the same way as the Western style. This hybrid seems to be common only in rural areas for the benefit of resident foreigners. Adapters that sit on top of the Japanese toilet to convert it to a functional sit-down toilet are much more common. There are also permanently installed extensions available to convert a squat toilet into a sitting-style washlet.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: A flush toilet which has a pedestal for sitting is known in Japan as a toilet, more commonly known as the sitting toilet. Western-style toilets, including high tech toilets, are now more common in Japanese homes than the traditional squat toilets, though some older apartments retain stickers on the toilet or in its room illustrating the proper way to use it for urination and defecation. Many public toilets at schools, temples, and train stations are still equipped with only squat toilets. In their own homes, however, Japanese people prefer being able to sit, especially older or physically disabled individuals for whom prolonged squatting is physically demanding or uncomfortable. Like Japanese toilets, many Western toilets have two kinds of flush: "small" (小) and "large" (大). The difference is in the amount of water used.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The modern toilet in Japan, in English sometimes called "Super Toilet", and commonly known in Japanese as or as has many features. The Toto product "Washlet Zoe" is listed in "Guinness World Records" as the world's most sophisticated toilet, with seven functions. However, as the model was introduced in 1997, it is now likely to be inferior to the latest model by Toto, "Neorest". The idea for the "washlet" came from abroad, and the first toilet seat with integrated bidet was produced in Switzerland by Closomat in 1957. The age of the high-tech toilet in Japan started in 1980 with the introduction of the "Washlet G Series" by Toto, and since then the product name "washlet" has been used to refer to all types of Japanese high-tech toilets. As of 2002, almost half of all private homes in Japan have such a toilet, exceeding the number of households with a personal computer. While the toilet looks like a Western-style toilet at first glance, there are numerous additional features—such as blow dryer, seat heating, massage options, water jet adjustments, automatic lid opening, automatic flushing, wireless control panel, room heating and air conditioning for the room—included either as part of the toilet or in the seat. These features can be accessed by an (often wireless) control panel attached to the seat or mounted on a nearby wall.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The most basic feature is the integrated bidet, a nozzle the size of a pencil that comes out from underneath the toilet seat and squirts water. It has two settings: one for washing the anus and one for the bidet. The former is called "posterior wash", "general use", or "family cleaning", and the latter is known as "feminine cleaning", "feminine wash" or simply "bidet". At no point does the nozzle actually touch the body of the user. The nozzle is also self-cleaning and cleans itself before and after operation. The user can select to wash the anus or vulva by pressing the corresponding button on the control panel. Usually the same nozzle is used for both operations, but at a different position of the nozzle head, and using different openings in the nozzle to squirt water at a different angle to aim for the correct spot. Occasionally, two nozzles are used, each dedicated for one area. The control logic is also attached to a pressure switch or a proximity sensor in the toilet seat, and operates only when the seat is occupied. The very first models did not include this automatic switch-off.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The seat-heating feature is very common, found even on toilets that lack the bidet features. As most Japanese homes lack central heating – instead using space heating – the bathroom may be only a few degrees above freezing in the winter.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Most high-tech toilets allow water temperature and water pressure to be adjusted to match the preferences of the user. By default, the vulva receives less pressure than the anus. Researchers in Japan have found that most users prefer a water temperature slightly above body temperature, with considered optimal. The nozzle position can also often be manually adjusted forward or aft. High-end washlets allow selection of vibrating and pulsating jets of water, claimed by manufacturers


title: Toilets in Japan

text: to be beneficial for constipation and hemorrhoids. The most advanced washlets can mix the water jet with soap for an improved cleaning process.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The washlet can replace toilet paper completely, but many users opt to use both wash and paper in combination—although use of paper may be omitted for cleaning of the vulva. Some wipe before washing, some wash before wiping, some wash only, and some wipe only—each according to their preference. Another frequent feature is a blow dryer, often adjustable between 40 °C (104 °F) and 60 °C, (140 °F) used to dry the washed areas.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Other features may include a heated seat, which may be adjustable from 30 °C (86 °F) to 40 °C;(104 °F), an automatic lid equipped with a proximity sensor, which opens and closes based on the location of the user; and an air dryer and deodorizer. Some play music to relax the user's sphincter (some INAX toilets, for example, play the first few phrases of Op. 62 Nr. 6 "Frühlingslied" by Felix Mendelssohn). Other features are automatic flushing, automatic air deodorizing, and a germ-resistant surface. Some models specially designed for the elderly may include armrests and devices that help the user to stand back up after use. A "soft close" feature slows the toilet lid down while closing so the lid does not slam onto the seat, or in some models, the toilet lid will close automatically a certain time after flushing. The most recent introduction is the ozone deodorant system that can quickly eliminate smells. Also, the latest models store the times when the toilet is used and have a power-saving mode that warms the toilet seat only during times when the toilet is likely to be used based on historic usage patterns. Some toilets also glow in the dark or may even have air conditioning below the rim for hot summer days. Another recent innovation is intelligent sensors that detect someone standing in front of the toilet and initiate an automatic raising of the lid (if the person is facing away from the toilet) or the lid and seat together (if someone is facing the toilet).


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Japanese toilets with washlets increasingly have features intended to reduce the frequency with which cleaning is required.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Many models will spray a layer of water prior to use to prevent waste from bonding to the bowl prior to flushing. Still others will spray a small amount of mild detergent, this has the added benefit of breaking the surface tension of the water preventing urine or solid waste from splashing during use. Some models will spray electrolyzed water after use to disinfect the bowl.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Air ionizers are sometimes included with claims of microbe reduction when the lid is closed. Recently, there has been development in using photocatalytic glazes and ultraviolet light to clean the bowl.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Text explaining the controls of these toilets tends to be in Japanese only. Although many of the buttons often have pictograms, the flush button is often written only in Kanji, meaning that non-Japanese users may initially find it difficult to locate the correct button.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: In January 2017, The Japan Sanitary Equipment Industry Association, a consortium of companies producing plumbing products including Toto Ltd., Panasonic, and Toshiba, has agreed to unify the iconography used on the often baffling control panels for Japanese toilets. The toilet manufacturers plan to implement the eight new pictogram on models released from 2017 onward, with a view to the system becoming an international standard.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Recently, researchers have added medical sensors into these toilets, which can measure the blood sugar based on the urine, and also measure the pulse, blood pressure, and the body fat content of the user. Talking toilets that greet the user have also started being made. Other measurements are currently being researched. The data may automatically be sent to a doctor through a built-in internet-capable cellular telephone. However, these devices are still very rare in Japan, and their future commercial success is difficult to predict. A voice-operated toilet that understands verbal commands is under development. TOTO, NAiS (a division of Panasonic), and other companies also produce portable, battery-operated "travel washlets", which must be filled with warm water before use.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The repetitive use of a "type water jet on a high-pressure setting for an enema, can weaken the capability for self-evacuation of the "Washlet" user, which can lead to more serious constipation."


title: Toilets in Japan

text: If a "Washlet" high-pressure water jet is used on the anus repeatedly, it may cause excessive cleanliness, prompting other bacteria to adhere around the anus, causing skin disease (inflammation) around the anus. Some proctologists in Japan have named this or .


title: Toilets in Japan

text: There have been claims of benefit in preventing urinary tract infections and also concerns that washlet use can cause increased risk of urinary tract infection, aggravate vaginal flora when the bidet feature is used, and cause cross-contamination from the wand and/or water tank, but the effects appear to be minimal and neither a substantial risk or of measurable benefit for healthy adults.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Urinals in Japan are very similar to the urinals in the rest of the world, and mainly used for public male toilets or male toilets with a large number of users. They often are, however, mounted lower compared to urinals in the West.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Female urinals never caught on in Japan, although there were attempts made to popularize the American Sanistand female urinal by the Japanese toilet manufacturing company Toto between 1951 and 1968. This device was shaped like a cone and placed on the floor. However, those were never very popular, and only a few of them remain, including those underneath the now demolished National Olympic Stadium from the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which was added to accommodate people from a wide range of cultures.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Toilets in Japan have very similar accessories as most toilets worldwide, including toilet paper, a toilet brush, a sink, etc. However, there are some Japan-specific accessories that are rarely found outside Japan.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Many Japanese women are embarrassed at the thought of being heard by others during urination (see paruresis). To cover the sound of bodily functions, many women used to flush public toilets continuously while using them, wasting a large amount of water in the process. As persuasion campaigns did not stop this practice, a device was introduced in the 1980s that, after activation, produces the sound of flushing water without the need for actual flushing. A Toto brand name commonly found is the . This device is now routinely placed in most new public women's rooms, and many older public women's rooms have been upgraded. The "Otohime" may be either a separate battery-operated device attached to the wall of the toilet, or included in an existing washlet. The device is activated by pressing a button, or by the wave of a hand in front of a motion sensor. When activated, the device creates a loud flushing sound similar to a toilet being flushed. This sound either stops after a preset time or can be halted through a second press on the button. It is estimated that this saves up to of water per use. However, some women believe that the "Otohime" sounds artificial and prefer to use a continuous flushing of the toilet instead of the recorded flush of the "Otohime".


title: Toilets in Japan

text: In Japanese culture, there is a tendency to separate areas into "clean" and "unclean", and the contact between these areas is minimized. For example, the inside of the house is considered a clean area, whereas the outside of the house is considered unclean. To keep the two areas separated, shoes are taken off before entering the house so that the unclean shoes do not touch the "clean" area inside of the house. Historically, toilets were located outside of the house, and shoes were worn for a trip to the toilet. Nowadays, the toilet is almost always inside the home and hygienic conditions have improved significantly, but the toilet is still considered an "unclean" area. To minimize contact between the "unclean" toilet floor and the "clean" floor in the rest of the house, many private homes and also some public toilets have in front of the toilet door that should be used when in the toilet and removed immediately after leaving the toilet. This also indicates if the toilet is in use. They can be as simple as a pair of rubber slippers, decorated slippers with prints of anime characters for small children, or even animal fur slippers. A frequent "faux pas" of foreigners is to forget to take off the toilet slippers after a visit to the restroom, and then use these in the non-toilet areas, hence mixing the "clean" and "unclean" areas.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Public toilets are usually readily available all over Japan, and can be found in department stores, supermarkets, book stores, CD shops, parks, most convenience stores, and in all but the most rural train stations. Some older public toilet buildings lack doors, meaning that men using the urinals are in full view of people walking past. Beginning in the 1990s, there has been a movement to make public toilets cleaner and more hospitable than they had been in the past.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The number of public restrooms that have both Western and squat types of toilets is increasing. Many train stations in the Tokyo area and public schools throughout Japan, for example, only have squat toilets. In addition, parks, temples, traditional Japanese restaurants, and older buildings typically only have squat toilets. Western-style toilets are usually indicated by the kanji characters 洋式 (yōshiki), the English words "Western-style", a symbol for the type of toilet, or any combination of the three. Handicapped bathrooms are always Western style.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Many public toilets do not have soap for washing hands, or towels for drying hands. Many people carry a handkerchief with them for such occasions, and some even carry soap. Some public toilets are fitted with powerful hand dryers to reduce the volume of waste generated from paper towels. Hand dryers and taps are sometimes installed with motion-sensors as an additional resource-saving measure.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: In a project launched by the Nippon Foundation, 16 well-known architects were asked to renovate 17 public toilets located in the public parks of Shibuya, Tokyo. Shigeru Ban designed restrooms that are surrounded by transparent tinted glass, which allows a person to evaluate the interior before entering. In August 2020, these restrooms were installed in Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park and the Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: In the often-crowded living conditions of Japanese cities and with the lack of rooms that can be locked from inside in a traditional Japanese house, the toilet is one of the few rooms in the house that allows for privacy. Some toilet rooms are equipped with a bookshelf, in others people may enter with a newspaper, and some are even filled with character goods and posters. Even so, these toilets are, whenever possible, in rooms separate from those for bathing. This is due to the ethic in separating clean from unclean, and this fact is a selling point in properties for rent.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Both the traditional squat toilet and the high-tech toilet are a source of confusion for foreigners unaccustomed to these devices. There are humorous reports of individuals using a toilet, and randomly pressing buttons on the control panel either out of curiosity or in search for the flushing control, and suddenly to their horror receiving a jet of water directed at the genitals or anus. As the water jet continues for a few seconds after he jumps up, he also gets himself or the bathroom wet. Many Japanese toilets now feature pressure-sensitive seats that automatically shut off the bidet when the user stands up. Many have the buttons labeled in English to reduce culture shock.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: In January 2017, the Japan Sanitary Equipment Industry Association agreed to standardize the iconography used on control panels of Japanese toilets, in an attempt to reduce confusion by foreign visitors.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The environmental impact of modern style washlets differs from regular flush toilets. Modern toilets use less water than old toilets, and the self-cleaning options also reduce the amount of detergent. Some toilets even change the amount of water for the flush depending if the seat was flipped up (indicating male urination) or not. They also cause less toilet paper to be used. On the other hand, these toilets also consume energy, and are estimated to consume 5% of the energy of the average Japanese household. In rural areas, toilets that use very little or no water have also been designed. These are also considered as emergency toilets in case of earthquakes.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Many toilets in Japan with a water tank include a built-in sink. This is a simple water-saving grey water system: clean municipal water is used to wash the hands, then the waste water from hand washing is used to fill the tank for flushing. It also is a space saving feature in small, older bathrooms.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Washlets in Japan cost from US$200, with the majority priced around US$500 for washlet upgrades for existing Western-style toilets. Top-of-the-range washlets, including the ceramic bowl, can cost up to US$5,000.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Toto Ltd. is the largest producer of toilets, including washlets, worldwide. Washlets and other toilet related products are also produced by Inax, and Panasonic.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The total market worldwide for high-tech toilets was about US$800 million in 1997. The largest producer is Toto, with 65% of the market share, while the second largest is Inax at 25%. The main market for washlets is still in Japan, and TOTO reports that overseas sales account for just 5% of its revenue. The primary foreign market is China, where Toto sells over one million washlets each year. In the US for example, sales are well below Japanese levels, even though sales improved from 600 units per month in 2001 to 1,000 units per month in 2003. In Europe, Toto sells only 5,000 washlets annually. While most Europeans would probably regard Japanese washlets as quite a curiosity, the number of such toilets being installed in Europe is increasing. This is mainly for toilets for the handicapped. Depending on the type of disability, handicapped persons may have difficulties reaching the anus region to clean themselves after toilet use. Hence, the introduction of toilets with a water jet cleaner and blow dryer allows such persons to clean themselves without assistance.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: There are several reasons for low sales outside of Japan. One main reason is that it takes time for customers to get used to the idea of a washlet. Sales in Japan were slow when the device was introduced in 1980. After some acclimatization, sales improved significantly starting in 1985. Around 1990, 10% of Japanese households had a washlet; this number increased to over 50% in 2002. Toto expects a corresponding improvement in foreign sales within a few years. Another reason is the lack of a power supply near the toilet. While virtually all Japanese washrooms have an electric outlet behind the toilet, many foreign bathrooms lack a nearby outlet. In Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, and many other countries, high current electrical outlets installed in close proximity to water, or where persons may be wet, are prohibited by codes due to possible health and safety concerns. Finally the outlet of the toilet (for S-type toilets) is max. 10–15 cm from back wall but Japanese toilets need it to be at least 30 cm so a S-type European toilet cannot be replaced easily with a Japanese toilet. They are much more expensive than traditional Western toilets. In Europe, there is competition of the traditional Western bidet, while North Americans are unaccustomed to bidets.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: During the Jōmon period (1400 B.C. to 300 B.C.) settlements were built in a horseshoe shape, with a central plaza in the middle and garbage heaps around the settlement. In these garbage heaps, calcified fecal remains of humans or dogs, so called "coprolites", were found, indicating that these garbage dumps were also used as toilets.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: The earliest sewer systems are from the Yayoi period (300 BC to A.D. 250). These systems were used in larger settlements, probably in combination with toilets.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: A possible ritual site, that may also have been a toilet using flowing water, dating back to the early 3rd century was found in Sakurai, Nara. Another cesspit analyzed by archaeologists in detail was found at the site of the Fujiwara Palace in Kashihara, Nara, the first location of the imperial city from 694 to 710. This toilet was constructed over an open pit similar to an outhouse.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: During the Nara period (710 to 784), a drainage system was created in the capital in Nara, consisting of 10–15 cm wide streams where the user could squat over with one foot on each side of the stream. Wooden sticks called "chūgi" were used as a sort of toilet paper. In earlier days seaweed was used for cleaning, but by the Edo period, these had been replaced by toilet paper made of washi (traditional Japanese paper). In the mountainous regions, wooden scrapers and large leaves were used too.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Often, toilets were constructed over a running stream; one of the first known flushing toilets was found at Akita castle, dating back to the 8th century, with the toilet constructed over a diverted stream.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: However, historically, pit toilets were more common, as they were easier to build and allowed the reuse of the feces as fertilizer—very important in a country where Buddhism and its associated mostly vegetarian, pescetarian lifestyle acted to reduce dependence on livestock for food. The waste products of rich people were sold at higher prices because their diet was better.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Various historic documents dating from the 9th century describe laws regarding the construction of fresh and waste water channels, and detail the disposal procedures for toilet waste.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Prisoners shall be directed to clean up sewage at the Palace and government offices as well as toilets of the east and west on the morning after a rainy night


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Selling human waste products as fertilizers became much less common after World War II, both for sanitary reasons and because of the proliferation of chemical fertilizers, and less than 1% is now used for fertilization. Because of this history, Japan had a much higher historical standard of hygiene. For example, in Japan, the orderly disposal of human waste was common. The first Westerner to visit Edo expressed his shock to see such a clean city.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: In Okinawa, the toilet was often attached to the pig pen, and the pigs were fed with the human waste product. This practice was banned as unhygienic after World War II by the American authorities.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: During the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568 to 1600), the "Taiko Sewerage" was built around Osaka Castle, and it still exists and functions today. The use of modern sewage systems began in 1884, with the installation of the first brick and ceramic sewer in Kanda, Tokyo. More plumbing and sewage systems were installed after the Great Kantō earthquake to avoid diseases after future earthquakes. However, the construction of sewers increased only after World War II to cope with the waste products of the growing population centers. By the year 2000, 60% of the population was connected to a sewer system. The national Sewage Day is September 10.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: Western-style toilets and urinals started to appear in Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, but only after World War II did their use become more widespread, due to the influence of the American occupation. The Occupation government eschewed the use of human excreta as fertilizer, which led to a sense of shame over this practice, and in rural areas where the practice had persisted, human waste quickly went from being recycled to being disposed of. Specific places where night soil continued to be recycled required conscious political leadership, such as the Shinkyō Commune in Nara Prefecture.


title: Toilets in Japan

text: In 1977, the sale of Western-style toilets exceeded the sale of traditional squat toilets in Japan. Based on toilets with a built-in bidet from Switzerland and the US, the world's largest sanitary equipment company, TOTO, introduced the "Washlet" in 1980. Japanese companies currently produce some of the most advanced, highest tech toilets in the world.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Crowley is a fictional character on the American paranormal drama television series "Supernatural", portrayed by actor Mark Sheppard, Known as the King of the Crossroads and the King of Hell in Lucifer's absence. Introduced in the fifth season, Sheppard has appeared in a recurring role in every season since then, and was eventually promoted to series regular in the tenth season. His portrayal of Crowley has been met with positive reception from both critics and fans of the series. His name is inspired by Aleister Crowley.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Crowley is introduced mid-way through Season 5 in the episode "Abandon All Hope...", having first been mentioned near the end of the previous episode, "The Real Ghostbusters", when series protagonists Sam and Dean Winchester learn that Crowley—not Lilith, as was previously believed—had been the one who took The Colt from Bela Talbot in the Season 3. In the following episode, they track down and confront him. Although his guards capture the brothers, Crowley uses The Colt to kill his own men before explaining that he shares the Winchesters' goal of them killing Lucifer, as he suspects that Lucifer would kill all demons once he has killed all humans. Crowley gives The Colt to the brothers to use to kill Lucifer and then informs them of Lucifer's location so that they can find him. When The Colt fails to kill Lucifer, Crowley is forced to go on the run to evade retribution from Hell's forces for his betrayal. Learning of the Winchesters' new plan to stop Lucifer by trapping him in his cage in Hell once again using the Horsemen's rings, Crowley again aids the brothers in "The Devil You Know" to help them find Pestilence and retrieve his ring by orchestrating the capture of a high-ranking demonic minion of Pestilence's and ultimately manipulating the demon into revealing Pestilence's location. He then manipulates the Winchesters' long-time ally Bobby Singer to "lend" Crowley his soul in order for them to find Death, with Crowley assuring Bobby that he will rescind his claim on Bobby's soul once Lucifer is imprisoned. It is soon revealed that he wants Bobby's soul to prevent the brothers from killing him after they stop Lucifer. Despite ever-increasing animosity between himself and the rest of the group, Crowley helps Dean recover the final ring from Death.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: The Season 6 episode "Weekend at Bobby's" reveals that Crowley went back on his promise to Bobby and plans to keep Bobby's soul, telling him that he will give him the ten years left of life customary for Faustian deals before he has him killed and brought to Hell. Eventually, however, Crowley is forced to return Bobby's soul to save his own life. The same episode establishes Crowley's backstory: he had been a 17th-century Scotsman named Fergus MacLeod whose own son, Gavin, hated him as much as he himself hated Gavin. It is also revealed that Crowley has become the King of Hell since Lucifer's imprisonment in the Season 5 finale. Several episodes later, Crowley reveals himself to be manipulating hunters into working for him by capturing monsters. He explains that he wants to interrogate the monsters on how to reach Purgatory—the afterlife of monsters—to be able to harvest the souls there and build his own power. He then coerces Sam and Dean into working for him, too, by claiming that he can restore Sam's missing soul; however, once he is forced to admit that he had lied in saying that he could, the angel Castiel seemingly kills him. It is eventually revealed that Crowley is, in fact, still alive and still trying to find Purgatory in secret; furthermore, he and Castiel have been working together all along to find Purgatory. They learn how to access Purgatory in the season finale, but Castiel reveals that he has no intentions of letting Crowley have any of the Purgatory souls, thus Crowley forms an alliance with Castiel's enemy Raphael. Castiel sabotages their spell to open Purgatory before taking all of the souls therein for himself, and Crowley makes his escape, leaving Raphael to be killed by Castiel.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Though reluctant to risk crossing the new god-like Castiel, Crowley once again secretly aids the Winchesters in Season 7 premiere "Meet the New Boss", this time in trying to defeat Castiel. When the Leviathans are released into the world from Castiel's body, Crowley attempts to strike an alliance with their leader, Dick Roman, but Dick scoffs at the idea of an alliance between their kind, instead insulting and threatening Crowley. In response, Crowley orders his demons to refrain from attacking Sam and Dean, to allow the Winchesters to wipe out the Leviathans. When it turns out that Crowley's blood is needed to construct a weapon to kill the Leviathans, he agrees on the condition that they retrieve the other components of the weapon first. Later, Crowley encounters Dick, who makes a deal with Crowley for the demon to give the Winchesters the wrong blood and thus sabotage the weapon. Despite the deal, Crowley gives Sam and Dean his real blood, resulting in Dick's death and the Leviathans' plan unraveling.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: In Season 8, Crowley breaks off his alliance with the Winchesters and acts as an antagonist towards them, as they seek to seal all demons in Hell forever by completing three trials described in a Word of God tablet about demons. Crowley himself wants to use the tablet to unleash all demons onto Earth, and so hunts the tablet and the only one who can read it—the prophet Kevin Tran—relentlessly, but can only secure one broken-off half of the tablet. He later becomes interested in a tablet on angels as well. In "Taxi Driver", he attempts to sabotage the second trial Sam and Dean are trying to finish, by dragging the deceased Bobby's soul back to Hell where he had it trapped earlier through use of a reaper working for him. He flees when the angel Naomi is about to attack him, and the trial is ultimately completed. However, the episode ends with Crowley successfully capturing Kevin once again, trying to kill him after Kevin proves that he cannot be tricked or threatened into translating the half of the demon tablet. Crowley is thwarted by the intervention of the angel Metatron. Although Kevin takes Crowley's half of the demon tablet with him when he is rescued by Metatron, Crowley now has the angel tablet, having earlier found and taken it in a confrontation between Castiel and Naomi. In the next episode, he begins killing people whom Sam and Dean have saved, threatening to kill them all and undo the Winchesters' life work unless Sam and Dean surrender the whole demon tablet and give up the trials. Crowley is lured into a trap by Sam and Dean in the season finale, at which point they take him prisoner and make him the subject of the final trial: restoring a demon's humanity by injecting him with purified human blood. Although Crowley manages to make a distress call to other demons, the only one who shows up is Abaddon, who attacks Crowley, planning to take over Hell after killing him. Sam saves him from Abaddon and Crowley soon starts showing human emotion from the effects of Sam's blood, but the process is stopped before it is fully completed, as Sam and Dean learn that completing the last trial would require Sam's death.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Crowley remains the Winchesters' prisoner in the first half of the ninth season, with them using him for information. He is set free in the episode "Road Trip" when Dean lets him go to help him in saving Sam, and immediately starts trying to defeat Abaddon for rulership of Hell. He stages an elaborate set-up in "First Born" for the purpose of manipulating Dean into taking on the Mark of Cain, which enables Dean to wield the First Blade, the only weapon that can kill Abaddon. Crowley then sets out to find the lost First Blade for Dean to use on Abaddon. At the same time, Crowley is haunted by the memory of almost being cured and eventually turns to injecting himself with human blood to re-experience his lost humanity, later developing an addiction to it. The Winchesters are forced to help him at his most human in his addiction, but while the three of them manage to retrieve the First Blade by working together, Crowley bitterly concedes that Sam and Dean will try to kill him now that he has gotten them the Blade, and takes off with it to prevent that, planning to give it to Dean only once they have found Abaddon. Ultimately, though Crowley and his time-displaced son Gavin fall into Abaddon's clutches in "King of the Damned", he is able to aid Dean in killing her by giving him the location of the First Blade and discreetly tipping him off to her trap for him and Sam. Crowley's increased humanity prompts him to keep Gavin alive in the present to spare him the death he had experienced in his own time, and to reconcile much of their mutually hateful relationship. In the season finale "Do You Believe in Miracles?", Crowley reveals that he has stopped drinking human blood. At the end of the episode, he oversees Dean's transformation into a demon from the Mark and invites the newborn demon to join him.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: In "Black" and "Reichenbach", Crowley and Dean are living it up away from everything. However, Crowley gets impatient with Dean's refusal to give up his new life and come to Hell with him to rule at his side. To feed the Mark, Crowley sends Abaddon supporters to Dean to kill and has him fulfill a crossroads deal for him by killing a man's wife and is annoyed when Dean kills the man instead. As Dean starts to get too out of his control, Crowley turns on him, calling Sam and letting him know where Dean is in exchange for the First Blade. In "Soul Survivor", Crowley returns to rule of Hell, executing Abaddon supporters, but finds his time with Dean to be causing him problems. To solve this, Crowley saves Castiel and Hannah from the rogue angel Adina and gives Castiel her grace so he can stop Dean by whatever means necessary, whether they be helping cure him or kill him. In "Girls, Girls, Girls", Crowley learns of the demonic brothel run by two of his demons and while disgusted as he finds it "tacky" rather than evil, orders one to track down the witch who destroyed the brothel. Crowley's demons capture the witch despite the Winchesters interference and Crowley is shocked to learn that the witch is his mother, Rowena. In "The Things We Left Behind", Crowley rebuffs Rowena's efforts to bond with him until she reveals that his demon minion Gerald has been trafficking demons to Earth. Crowley kills Gerald to save her, not knowing that Rowena was lying and lets her out of her cell. More of Crowley's backstory is revealed: Crowley's mother conceived him at an orgy and thus he grew up with no father. Rowena was a terrible mother who ended up abandoning him at age eight and never returning despite promising to, something Crowley holds a great deal of resentment towards her for. In "The Hunter Games", Crowley continues to let Rowena roam free, but mistrusts her. Rowena plots against Crowley, making him have nightmares of being attacked by his demons and spying on a meeting with the Winchesters where they ask him for the First Blade back to help get rid of the Mark of Cain. Crowley reluctantly goes to retrieve the Blade from where he stashed it in a crypt in Guam with his bones, but discovers it missing. Returning to Hell, he finds that Rowena has killed his loyal demon Guthrie who stole the Blade for her. Crowley believes Rowena's lies about Guthrie and informs the Winchesters he will keep the Blade until they are ready to use it to remove the Mark. In Season 10 Episode 17, inside man, Crowley kicks Rowena out because he learns that she has been plotting against him and has been lying to him.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: After Sam's attempts to cure Dean of the Mark of Cain, Crowley turns back to his old villainy. He attempts to 'raise' Amara- a soul-draining young woman who was 'born' when the Mark was removed from Dean- for his own ends, but she soon proves too powerful to control. Lost for better solutions to the threat of Amara, Crowley provides Dean and Sam with a way to communicate with Lucifer in the Cage, but Lucifer subsequently escaped when Castiel, out of desperation against the threat posed by Amara, agrees to act as Lucifer's new vessel himself. Having retaken control of Hell, Lucifer has Crowley act as his 'servant', such as forcing him to clean a floor with a toothbrush, until one of Crowley's remaining followers helps him escape. Attempts to battle Lucifer and the Darkness eventually fail, but they are able to stop the threat by convincing Amara to reconcile with God, her 'brother'.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Despite Lucifer being freed from Castiel, he resorts to a random assault on the world, lacking any real plan beyond anger against the world that has 'mistreated' him. Working with Castiel and Rowena, Crowley is able to force Lucifer to keep 'jumping' between vessels, eventually exorcising him from the body of the President of the United States and trapping him back in Nick. He is also forced to send his son Gavin back in time to meet his original death in order to prevent the ghost of Gavin's fiancé Fiona killing more people in the present. Crowley initially plans to use Lucifer as his 'attack dog', having warded Lucifer's body so that he is trapped by his very vessel, but Lucifer feigns compliance so that he can win support from other demons to break the warding and free himself. Lucifer eventually escapes and apparently kills Crowley, something the Winchesters learn about from the British Men of Letters.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: In "All Along the Watchtower", Crowley is revealed to have survived by possessing a rat before Lucifer "killed" him. Returning to his usual vessel, Crowley offers his help to defeat Lucifer at which point he promises to personally seal the Gates of Hell, tired of his job as the King of Hell and all of the backstabbing that comes with it. After discovering that the Nephilim's power has opened a rift to an alternate reality where the world has ended, Crowley works with the Winchesters to trap Lucifer in the alternate reality. As the spell requires the sacrifice of a life, Crowley says his goodbyes to the Winchesters before killing himself with an angel blade. Crowley's death completes the spell, but Lucifer is able to kill Castiel before he is trapped in the alternate reality with Mary Winchester.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Originally, Crowley is described as "Lilith's right-hand man and King of the Crossroads", with the latter title referencing his role as the leader and "the most powerful" of the crossroad demons, a special subgroup of demons in "Supernatural" who fulfill the traditional concept of a "deal with the Devil" for one's soul. By the sixth season, Crowley has usurped leadership of Hell, becoming "the undisputed King of Hell". However, executive producer and current series showrunner, Jeremy Carver, explained that Crowley "actually doesn't care for [Hell] much", in contrast to Abaddon, his challenger for the crown in Season 9. Nicholas Knight, an author of various "Supernatural" supplementary materials, summarized Crowley as "nasty, cocky, brutally honest, and wickedly funny", and wrote that, "If [Crowley] weren't such a bad guy, he'd make one amazing hero—although technically he "is" a hero to the forces of evil."


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Starting in the eighth season finale "Sacrifice", Crowley began exposing a "new emotional vulnerability" due to an unfinished demon-curing ritual performed on him in the episode and a resulting addiction to human blood in Season 9. On this topic, executive producer Robert Singer said that Crowley's secret enjoyment of his temporary sense of humanity influenced the character throughout the ninth season. However, Carver's statement raised the possibility that Crowley might not retain this humanity in Season 10.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Season 12 revealed he occupied his throne as "King Of Hell" because the prince of hell next in line for the throne, Ramiel, has no interest in the title. He gives Crowley the throne under one condition: that he be left alone, forever. Ramiel lived a solitary life fishing until one day, the Winchesters and Castiel go kicking up that nest. As Cass was dying from being impaled with the Lance of Michael, Sam Winchester defeated Ramiel with the Lance of Michael. Crowley saved Castiel by breaking the Lance, therefore breaking the spell the Lance of Michael carried.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Maureen Ryan of the "Chicago Tribune" disclosed in her October 9, 2009 review of fifth season episode "Fallen Idols" that "the ubiquitous and talented Mark Sheppard" had been cast as the "pivotal" demon character Crowley in the upcoming episode "Abandon All Hope...". Sheppard had previously worked with "Supernatural" producer and director Kim Manners on "The X-Files". Sheppard revealed in an interview with "Variety" on November 11, 2014 that he and Manners had discussed the possibility of Sheppard appearing on "Supernatural", but that Manners had died before Sheppard ultimately landed his role as Crowley. In the same interview, Sheppard also revealed that when reading the script for "Abandon All Hope", he "got the giggles" and took the part partially to honor Manners and partially out of appreciation for the work of writer Ben Edlund, as Edlund had written for "Firefly", another show on which Sheppard appeared.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: In an exclusive interview with Michael Ausiello on July 15, 2010, series creator Eric Kripke confirmed that Crowley would return in the show's sixth season.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Knight felt that "Crowley's journey on the show has been a bold and ambitious one". On the Season 9 subplot of Crowley's human blood addiction, he wrote that it was "one of the most interesting and unexpected subplots of [the] season...and it left a lasting (and often amusing) impression on viewers." Carver, too, enjoys the character, stating, "He's pure evil, but, in an odd sort of way, we find him likable. He's so much fun to write."


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: When discussing plots that had been either set up or not resolved by the end of Season 9, Knight cited the developments in Crowley's story, questioning what the character plans to do with the demonic version of Dean he beckoned to in the closing moments of "Do You Believe in Miracles?" He also questioned Crowley's plans for demons at large under his control and how Hell may or may not change.


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Critical response to Sheppard's characterization of Crowley has been largely positive. In a review of the episode "Blade Runners" "New York"'s Vulture website, Price Peterson wrote, "This whole enemy-of-my-enemy relationship between the Winchesters and Crowley is one of the most compelling dynamics this series has seen, and as long as "Supernatural" keeps Crowley constantly on the verge of redemption, I see no end to its emotional rewards." Of the same episode, "The A.V. Club" member Phil Dyess-Nugent wrote, "Just how terrific is Mark A. Sheppard? There was a time, not so very long ago, when I would have tagged this as a trick question, but Sheppard has been playing Crowley long enough to have gotten comfortable in the part and grateful for the chance to do new things with it, and he carries 'Blade Runners' in the palm of his hand." On io9, Charlie Jane Anders praised Sheppard's "impeccable comic timing, and his ability to sell an entire scene with afew "[sic]" well-chosen facial expressions."


title: Crowley (Supernatural)

text: Fan reaction to Crowley has been described as being positive as well. The character was described as a "fan-favorite" and "one of the most iconic and popular characters on the show" since his first appearance. "He's a villain fans love to hate," Knight wrote, "and no matter how difficult he makes Dean and Sam's lives, viewers are always thrilled by Crowley's devilish ways", adding to Carver's warning that Crowley had not become truly human over the course of his Season 9 story arc, that, "A truly human Crowley is something fans would never really want anyway; it's much more fun rooting for a truly "bad" guy, especially when he's so darn entertaining."


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: Incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo sought re-election to a second term in office, though incumbent Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy did not seek re-election. Cuomo and his running mate, former U.S. Representative Kathy Hochul, won contested primaries, while Republican Rob Astorino, the Westchester County Executive, and his running mate (Chemung County Sheriff Chris Moss) were unopposed for their party's nomination. Astorino and Moss were also cross-nominated by the Conservative Party and the Stop Common Core Party.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: Democrat Andrew Cuomo, then serving as Attorney General of New York, was elected Governor in 2010. Cuomo defeated Republican businessman Carl Paladino by a nearly 2 to 1 margin, 63% to 33%. Cuomo had succeeded retiring Democratic Governor David Paterson. Entering the 2014 campaign, Cuomo enjoyed high approval ratings and a large campaign war chest that totaled $33 million as of January 2014. "The Cook Political Report", "Daily Kos Elections", "Governing", RealClearPolitics, "The Rothenberg Political Report" and "Sabato's Crystal Ball" all rated the 2014 New York gubernatorial election as "Safe Democratic".


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: On Election Day, Cuomo and Hochul defeated Astorino and Moss by a margin of 14 percentage points. Cuomo handily defeated Astorino by a 54.19%-40.25% margin, although this margin was smaller than Cuomo's victory margin in 2010. Cuomo won all five counties of New York City, along with Westchester, Rockland, and Nassau counties; Astorino won a supermajority of upstate counties. Hawkins's presence on the ballot was credited by some as having a spoiler effect that allowed Astorino to win Monroe County and other upstate counties that traditionally vote Democratic.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: Progressive minor parties saw an opportunity to make headway in the state due to Cuomo's relatively conservative stances on taxes and spending. A poll commissioned by businessman and progressive political activist Bill Samuels in March 2014 indicated that even an unknown left-wing third-party challenger on the Working Families Party line could garner between 6% and 13% of the vote without threatening Cuomo's chances of winning re-election. A later poll by the Siena Research Institute taken of 772 registered voters from April 12–17, 2014, with a margin of error of ± 3.5%, found Cuomo taking 39% to Republican candidate Rob Astorino's 24% and an unnamed Working Families Party candidate also at 24%. A Quinnipiac poll conducted in May 2014 produced a similar result to Siena's, with Cuomo at 37%, Astorino at 24% and the third party candidate at 22%. The Working Families Party nonetheless cross-endorsed Cuomo in a bitterly contested convention vote, leaving Howie Hawkins of the Green Party as the sole progressive challenger assured of a place on the ballot.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: In May 2014, after widespread speculation, Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy confirmed that he would not run for a second term, expressing a desire to return to his home city of Rochester. Byron Brown, the Mayor of Buffalo; Kathy Hochul, a former U.S. Representative; Steve Bellone, the current Suffolk County Executive; Kevin Law, the former deputy Suffolk County executive; and Republican Joanie Mahoney, the County Executive of Onondaga County; were considered to be potential replacements. Within the Cuomo administration, potential names included Matt Driscoll, the former mayor of Syracuse; RoAnn Destito, a former Assemblywoman; and Cesar A. Perales, the Secretary of State of New York. Hochul was revealed as Cuomo's running mate during the state Democratic convention on May 21, 2014.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: It was believed that the Republicans would nominate someone who was not up for re-election in 2014 and so did not have to give up their office to run, and who would use the campaign to raise their profile for a more competitive statewide bid in the future. Rob Astorino, the Westchester County Executive and the only Republican to enter the race, was not up for re-election until 2017. Business magnate and television personality Donald Trump flirted with a run, but decided against it, instead running for president as a Republican in 2016 and winning. Other potential candidates who did not run were former U.S. Representative Vito Fossella, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro and businessman and 2010 candidate for New York State Comptroller Harry Wilson.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: Assemblywomen Jane Corwin and Nicole Malliotakis both declined overtures to be the party's nominee for lieutenant governor, as did Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen M. Jimino and former United States Attorney for the Western District of New York Michael A. Battle. On May 13, Astorino announced Chemung County Sheriff Chris Moss as his running mate.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: On May 15, 2014, the Republican Party nominated Astorino for Governor of New York and Moss for Lieutenant Governor of New York.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: Besides the Democratic and Republican parties, the Conservative, Green, Independence and Working Families parties are qualified New York parties. These parties have automatic ballot access.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: Conservative Party chairman Michael R. Long endorsed Rob Astorino in February 2014. Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education member and 2010 Republican gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino originally stated he would seek the Conservative Party nomination if the Republicans nominated Astorino; however, by March 2014, Paladino indicated that he would not run for governor in 2014 and would support Astorino if Donald Trump did not run. On May 31, 2014, the Party nominated Astorino and Moss for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: In contrast to the other qualified parties, the Green Party of New York traditionally endorses its own candidates. The party held its nominating convention on May 17, 2014.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The Independence Party of New York, which traditionally cross-endorses the candidate most likely to get them the most votes, was expected to nominate incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo as it did in 2010. Republican Rob Astorino refused the line, and several members of the Democratic Party called on Cuomo to do the same.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The Working Families Party traditionally cross-endorses Democrats, but many of its members (most of which are labor unions) have expressed reservations over endorsing incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo as they did in 2010.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The WFP convention, held on May 31, chose Cuomo over professor Zephyr Teachout by a 59%–41% margin in a contentious floor vote. Cuomo's supporters negotiated an agreement in which the governor would support the party agenda in exchange for their vote, expressly attempting to keep the party line solely as a second line for the Democrats; this agreement was met with widespread and vocal skepticism from Teachout's supporters, who insisted the WFP hold to its principles and that Cuomo could not be trusted to hold up to his end of the bargain.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: Any candidate not among the six qualified New York parties (Democratic, Republican, Conservative, Green, Independence and Working Families) must petition their way onto the ballot; they do not face primary elections. Independent nominating petitions began collecting signatures on July 8 and were due to the state by August 19.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The Libertarian Party of New York held its nominating convention on April 26, 2014. The nominating process required five rounds of voting, after which Michael McDermott was nominated.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The party initially filed with Kendy Guzman as the running mate. As of August 26, Guzman had turned down the nomination and was replaced with Kalotee, the former chairman of the forcibly-dissolved Nassau County wing of the Independence Party.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The "Stop Common Core Party" (renamed after the election to the Reform Party) is a single-issue ballot line conceived by Republican nominee Rob Astorino.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The Women's Equality Party is a political party created by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his allies. The Party was designed to take advantage of New York's electoral fusion laws, which allow candidates to appear on multiple parties' lines in the same election. The Party is named after the Women's Equality Act, a bill that failed in the New York State Senate in 2013 and 2014 due to a stalemate over an abortion rights provision in the bill.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The formation of the Party was particularly controversial among feminists (particularly Zephyr Teachout, Cuomo's primary opponent) and was noted for its use of questionable campaign imagery, particularly a tour bus that bore a striking resemblance to a box of Tampax tampons. Additionally, the Working Families Party asserted that the formation of the Women's Equality Party was an attempt to undermine the WFP as a viable party in New York politics.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: In July 2014, Astorino called for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to resign his position as chair of the Republican Governors Association due to his refusal to support Astorino's campaign, which Christie publicly characterized as a "lost cause." Astorino claimed that Christie refused to support him due to Christie's relationship with Cuomo.


title: 2014 New York gubernatorial election

text: The Green Party took Row D on the ballot, surpassing the Independence and Working Families Parties (both of whom lost significant vote share but still qualified for automatic ballot status through 2018) but not surpassing the Conservative Party, which retained Row C with 6 percent of the vote. The Libertarian Party, after a 2010 showing in which it narrowly fell short of the 50,000 votes needed for automatic ballot access, missed that measure by a wide margin in 2014; the Party's candidate earned less than 17,000 votes. The Sapient Party was a non-factor with fewer than 5,000 votes. Two new political parties—the Women's Equality Party and the Stop Common Core Party—surpassed the 50,000-vote threshold and attained automatic ballot status.


title: Cartomancy

text: Cartomancy is fortune-telling or divination using a deck of cards. Forms of cartomancy appeared soon after playing cards were first introduced into Europe in the 14th century. Practitioners of cartomancy are generally known as "cartomancers", "card readers", or simply "readers".


title: Cartomancy

text: Cartomancy using standard playing cards was the most popular form of providing fortune-telling card readings in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The standard 52-card deck is often augmented with jokers or even with the blank card found in many packaged decks. In France, the 32-card piquet stripped deck is most typically used in cartomantic readings, although the 52 card deck can also be used. (A piquet deck can be a 52-card deck with all of the 2s through the 6s removed. This leaves all of the 7s through the 10s, the face cards, and the aces.)


title: Cartomancy

text: In English-speaking countries, the most common form of cartomancy is generally tarot card reading. Tarot cards are almost exclusively used for this purpose in these places.


title: Cartomancy

text: The most popular method of cartomancy using a standard playing deck is referred to as the "Wheel of Fortune". Here, the reader removes cards at random and assigns significance to them based on the order they were chosen. Though the interpretation of various cards varies by region, the common significators for the future are as follows:


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: "Because of You" is a song recorded by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson for her second studio album, "Breakaway" (2004). It was written by Clarkson along with its producers David Hodges and Ben Moody, both from Evanescence. It was released on August 16, 2005, by RCA Records, as the third single from "Breakaway". Clarkson originally wrote "Because of You" when she was 16 years old to cope with the emotional distress caused by her parents' divorce. She wanted the song to be included on her debut studio album, "Thankful" (2003), but her record label rejected the song. She then polished the song with Hodges and Moody before successfully convincing her label to include it on "Breakaway".


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: Lyrically, "Because of You" explores the pain of Clarkson's deteriorating relationship with her father. The song begins with a piano-led melody and as it launches into the chorus, the sound of a roaring guitar becomes apparent. "Because of You" received positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its expressive lyrics, creative arrangement, and Clarkson's vocal prowess. It peaked at number seven on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and sold over 2 million digital downloads in the United States. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "Because of You" became Clarkson's biggest success in Europe, topping the European Hot 100 Singles chart. It also reached number one in Brazil, the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland, as well as the top ten in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: The song's accompanying music video was directed by Vadim Perelman. Clarkson wrote the treatment for the video herself in order to reflect the pain that she felt due to her parents' divorce. The video's plot centers on Clarkson engaging in a heated argument with her husband in front of her child before realizing that she was repeating her parents' mistake. It won in the category for Best Female Video at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. "Because of You" was performed live at numerous venues, including the My December Tour (2007) as well as the All I Ever Wanted Tour (2009). It was covered by several artists including Ronan Parke, who was a runner-up in the fifth series of "Britain's Got Talent", and added to the international soundtrack of Brazilian soap opera "Belíssima". In 2007, the song was recorded by Reba McEntire as a duet with Clarkson, which was released as a lead single for McEntire's twenty-fourth studio album "". This version reached number 36 on the Canadian Hot 100. "Piece by Piece", the title track from Clarkson's seventh studio album, serves as the canonical sequel to "Because of You".


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: "Because of You" was written by Clarkson alongside its producer, David Hodges and Ben Moody. They also wrote and produced another track, titled "Addicted", that appeared in Clarkson's album "Breakaway" (2004). Clarkson originally wrote "Because of You" when she was 16 years old as a means of coping with the emotional distress caused by the divorce of her parents. She wrote the lyrics of the song in less than 25 minutes.


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: In an interview with "The Guardian", Clarkson said that she wanted to include the song in her first album, "Thankful" (2003), but she was laughed at. Then she took the initiative to polish the song by sending a tape to Moody and Hodges, with whom she later worked, and received co-writing credit of the song. Clarkson explained, "Hearing the Evanescence album, you can obviously tell that David and Ben have a real passion for music and that big kind of background. And I have a big voice and I like the music to match it, so it was a real dream team."


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: According to Moody, he was very impressed with Clarkson and the song itself, saying "She had these ideas already in place for songs; all I really had to do was build music around them and develop them. It was quite easy." Clarkson also admitted that "Because of You" is the most depressing song she has ever written. Despite the revelation, she told "Entertainment Weekly" in August 2011 that she wanted to be remembered for the song because she had to work hard to get it on "Breakaway" (2004) when everyone was against it. She added, "I think I’m most proud of that song – just getting it on an album because no one liked it until it hit no. 1 worldwide and everybody was on board."


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: "Because of You" is a piano-driven pop ballad with a length of three minutes and 39 seconds. It is set in common time and has a moderate tempo of 69 beats per minute. The song is composed in the key of F minor, and then modulated to the key of G minor, with Clarkson's vocal range spanning over two octaves from G3 to F5. Tony Heywood of MusicOMH noted that the song's piano arrangement is reminiscent of Tori Amos. Lyrically, "Because of You" is a critical song about Clarkson's father, and begins with Clarkson singing "oohs" over a somber piano which creates a "wintry tone." As the song launches into the chorus, the roaring guitar is evident, and the lyrics, "Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk / Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt," were deemed as "touching" by Dave Donelly of Sputnikmusic.


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: "Because of You" received universal critical acclaim. Film Laureate of Blogcritics considered "Because of You" and "Where Is Your Heart" as his two favorite songs from "Breakaway," writing "[Clarkson] commands these two songs like a seasoned pro and directs herself in her songs the way Steven Spielberg said Barbra Streisand directs herself in her songs as if she's directing an actor in a movie." Dave Donnelly of Sputnikmusic compared the song to Evanescence's "My Immortal" (2003). (Note that two of the songwriters and producers of "My Immortal" were also involved in this track.) He added that Clarkson managed to take the piano-driven song in a different direction with a "stormy, hard blues vocal... avoiding the typical raised-key final chorus cliché along the way". Christa L. Titus of "Billboard" lauded the song for its absence of schmaltz factor, "only a potent, pained, grown-up anthem of gross betrayal and loss." She concluded her review, writing "it is time for Clarkson to return to No. 1 on the "Billboard" Hot 100; she has certainly become the most consistent hope for top 40 staple status."


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: Critics also lauded Clarkson's vocal prowess in the song. Pam Avoledo of Blogcritics thought that vocally, the song is Clarkson's "shining" moment. Tony Heywood of MusicOMH noted that in the song, Clarkson's voice is "full of vulnerability, ache and wounded pride." On May 15, 2007, the song was listed as one of the recipients of BMI Pop Awards. At the 24th ASCAP Pop Music Awards, the song was honoured with the Most Performed Songs award. In July 2008, BBC News reported that according to Performing Right Society, "Because of You" was the second most played song in the United Kingdom over the last five years, following Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" (2005). On March 5, 2013, "Billboard" ranked the song at number seven in its list of Top 100 American Idol Hits of All Time. Additionally, it also appeared at number five of Clarkson's Top 15 Biggest "Billboard" Hot 100 hits through the week ending April 29, 2017.


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: "Because of You" entered the "Billboard" Hot 100 at number 99 on the week ending September 3, 2005. On November 19, 2005, the song peaked at number seven and became her sixth single to reach the top-ten. It also topped the Pop Songs chart on the week ending October 29, 2005. It became the seventh best selling single of the 2000s decade on the Pop Songs chart compiled by "Billboard". On January 31, 2008, "Because of You" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of September 2017, the song has sold 2,079,000 digital copies in the United States. The single also appeared and peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number seven on the week ending December 4, 2005. As of April 2016, the song sold over 430,000 copies in the United Kingdom.


title: Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)

text: In Australia, the song debuted and peaked at number four on the issue dated December 5, 2005. It was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments over 35,000 units. The song became the 58th best-selling single in Australia in 2006. In New Zealand, "Because of You" debuted on New Zealand Singles Chart at number 37 on the week ending December 5, 2005, and peaked at number 19 two weeks later. On the week ending March 20, 2006, "Because of You" debuted at number eight on the German Singles Chart. Three weeks later, it peaked at number four and stayed in the position for three consecutive weeks. The song was certified gold by The Federal Association of Music Industry for shipments over 150,000 copies. In Europe, "Because of You" received a commercial success. The song topped the charts in the Netherlands and Switzerland, and reached the top five in Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Ireland and Norway.