StarWolf Geek

Matching Monsters

Which one do you believe best matches the Mongolian Death Worm?

Dune or Tremors?

I have always believed that the death worm looks like the worms from Dune. Not Tremors!

Babylon 5: Science Fiction & Reboot

Speculative fiction on television flourished in the 1990s, and the genre’s experimentation with serialization and other storytelling approaches foreshadowed the “Golden Age” of drama in the 2000s. Some of these shows are well-known for their contributions to the genre, such as The X-Files, which has been hailed as one of the best and most influential shows of the decade despite recurring storyline disappointment. There’s also Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which has gone from cult favorite to important part of the canon. Others, such as Hercules, Xena, Sliders, and SeaQuest, have largely been forgotten.

Then there’s Babylon 5, a show that needs more attention, despite the fact that it’s understandable why it’s not as well-known as Buffy or the X-Files.

J. Michael Straczynski, the creator of Babylon 5, a science-fiction epic set onboard a space station, scripted the most of the series and devised a five-year plan that the show generally followed. Furthermore, the performance was the first to incorporate computer-generated special effects. However, Babylon 5 gets off to a poor start, repelling potential viewers. Its writing and acting lack nuance (which grates on people used to irony-drenched post-Whedon dialogue), and the shoestring budget results in occasionally irritating low production values.

However, arguing the relevance of Babylon 5 and how, why, and when it was poor detracts from its most important legacy: During its mid-series peak, Babylon 5 was typically fantastic television, and it could still achieve high points during its poorer seasons. Part of the reason those middle seasons seemed so revolutionary is that they were simply better than the ones before them. Almost every major speculative fiction show of the time, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Buffy, and even The X-Files, debuted with a shaky first season, and Babylon 5 was no exception. Throughout the series, technical competence, including that of the performers, steadily improves, peaking in the middle years.

There’s also the five-year plan, which begins to bear fruit after a half-season.

Few TV shows can match Babylon 5’s propensity to change the core relationships of its characters, as well as its Shakespearean levels of tragic blunders, partial redemptions, and unavoidable fates. Ambassador Londo Mollari, in particular, is a good example of this. Londo began as the show’s most absurd character, thanks to his weird hair and generic science-fiction name, but with time, he evolved into the show’s soul, and actor Peter Jurasik ate up the scenery and played up Londo’s comedy and weaknesses, even in the worst early episodes. Meanwhile, his opponent, G’Kar, began as a cartoon villain before gradually gaining complexity and making some major adjustments. The story prompted these two people to switch roles: the aggressor became the victim, the sufferer overcame her anguish, and antagonism turned into friendship. All of this had been hinted at, was unexpected, and could be explained.

That’s how the show became so addictive to watch: All of the world-building, all of the various characters and factions, all of the time spent creating the sandcastle of what’s expected of television is knocked over, dismantled, and rebuilt, and it all makes sense as part of a broader coherent narrative. Babylon 5 may destroy and rebuild every important planet in its world, and it may significantly or subtly change the motivations of all of its major characters, yet none of this feels like a stunt. It succeeds because the plot develops naturally, and the absence of sophistication allows it to function on an archetypal level.

Reboot:

And now, Babylon 5 is returning to television 23 years after it first aired.

The CW has ordered a revival of the legendary sci-fi series, according to Variety.

J. Michael Straczynski, the original creator, is also involved in the project.

This is great news, considering Straczynski wrote 92 of the 110 episodes in Babylon 5. There are few facts about the project at the time, but we do know that it is being marketed as a “from-the-ground-up revival.” Currently, none of the original cast members, including Bruce Boxleitner, are affiliated to the project, but that could change. It’s sometimes difficult to discern what makes Babylon 5 so great, given its frequently archaic aesthetics. It was, nevertheless, ahead of its time in many ways. It was a long time before series like The Wire established serialized storytelling. There is also the possibility that there could be and like is a whole new cast.

Further Reading/Sources:

https://andrewmtanner.medium.com/why-bablyon-5-was-so-special-f790600adc58

How Babylon 5 Made Star Trek Better

https://collider.com/babylon-5-reboot-j-michael-straczynski-the-cw/

https://gizmodo.com/the-strange-secret-evolution-of-babylon-5-5985727

Work For You

Do you need any of these jobs done?

Connect me at lizzew19@gmail.com

Looking Forward To In 2022

These are the things that I am most looking forward to this year.

Video Games:

Dying Light 2

Starfield

Rainbow Six Extraction

Horizon Forbidden West

Elden Ring

Forspoken

God Of War Ragnarok

Redfall

Babylon’s Fall

Weird West

Hogwarts Legacy

Diablo 4

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin

Bayonetta 3

Gotham Knights

Midnight Suns

Dead Space

The Outlast Trials

S.t.a.l.k.e.r 2

The Dark Pictures: The Devil In Me

Monster Hunter Rise

TV Shows: some of these have no exact date

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Mayfair Witches

Vampire Chronicles

House of The Dragon ( 200 years before Game of Thrones)

The Lord of the Rings (thousands of years before The Hobbit)

The Last of Us

She-Hulk

Moon Knight

Ardor ( Star Wars prequel of Rogue One)

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Vikings: Valhalla

Halo

The Witcher: Blood Origin

Sherwood

Willow

Cabinet of Curiosities

The Sandman

The Continental (based of John Wick)

Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas

Ahsoka (Star Wars)

The Rangers of the New Republic (Star Wars)

The Acolyte (Star Wars)

Alien (based on Alien series/on FX)

Dune: The Sisterhood (Dune universe)

Judge Dredd’s Mega City One

Fathoms

Movies:

Scream

Halloween Ends

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Jurassic World: Dominion

Jeepers Creeper Rebore

Uncharted

Thor: Love and Thunder

Morbius

Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom

Books:

Road of Bones – Christopher Golden

Omens Bite – P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Abandoned In Death – J.D. Robb

Belle Morte – Bella Higgin

Into the Midnight Void – Mara Fitzgerald

Rameses the Damned: The Reign of Osiris – Anne Rice & Christopher Rice

Freaks – Brett Riley

The Order – Mark Barber

The Witchry – S. Isabelle

The Thousand Eyes – A.K. Larkwood

The Helheim Princess – Tiana Warner

The Excalibur Curse – Kiersten White (While)

The Discord of Gods – Jern Lyons

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven – Juno Dawson

Soul Taken – Patricia Briggs

Child of Light & The Fall of Shannara: The Last Druid – Terry Brooks

A MILLENNIA-OLD FANTASY OF LADY WARRIORS

WARNING – ADULT CONCEPTS

Photo by Victoria Borodinova on Pexels.com

Wonder Woman is a superheroine who goes by the name Diana, Princess of the Amazons, and has been taught to be an unstoppable warrior. Diana flees her guarded island paradise when an American pilot, Steve Trevor, crashes on the shores and tells her of a tremendous struggle raging outside. Wonder Woman is a powerfully sexual character, despite the fact that she was portrayed as a feminist symbol in the 1940s.

We can only speculate – no pun intended! – on the reasons for this infinite link between female sexuality and war. Wonder Woman isn’t alone in her role as a seductive but fearless female fighter. From feline killers to sensuous goddesses to feisty spelunkers, the femme fatale has been envisioned and cherished by cultures all over the world throughout history.

“Wonder woman” in Sumerian mythology

The first kings of human history ruled over the south of modern-day Iraq approximately 3000 BC, protected by Ishtar, a great goddess of war and love commonly connected with lions, in the ancient Sumerian city of Uruk in Mesopotamia. Ishtar would identify the kings’ foes and accompany them to battle.

She was reported to fight like an enraged lioness, protecting her young – the Sumerian people in this case.Ishtar’s holy responsibility, like Wonder Woman’s, was to protect the Earth.

She has the potential to be seductive. The Kings of Uruk claimed to be Ishtar’s lovers, who would enter her bed and “plow the celestial vulva,” according to royal hymns of the time. Receiving sexual and military favors from a goddess helped the king’s political goal, legitimized his reign, and elevated him to the status of a national hero. This part is played by an American pilot in the Wonder Woman film. Scholars couldn’t prove what was really going on in those temples, but references to heavenly lovemaking may also be discovered among ancient Palestinians and Babylonians.

Sekhmet’s cat girls

What’s more enticing than a strong woman?

Of course, taming her or trying to tame her.

Sekhmet was the name of the most terrifying goddess in ancient Egypt. She, like Ishtar, had two personalities: savage beast and caring friend. Sekhmet was frequently shown as a terrifying lioness who slaughtered the Pharaoh’s adversaries. She did, however, occasionally morph into a cute cat named Bastet.

The feline is still a symbol of female sexuality today. Another comic book character, Catwoman, was born just a few months before Wonder Woman and is the most recent incarnation of a feline woman. Catwoman has always been hypersexual, thanks to her curves and bondage fetish, yet some critics lament that her sexuality, rather than her cleverness, has become her most valuable asset these days.

Amazons, The Fantasies of Lone Seafarers

The ancient Greeks had warrior women with sexual natures as well.

Their Amazon myth depicts a Mediterranean nation in which women battled and ruled, while males were restricted to household responsibilities. The Amazons’ capital, Themiscyra, and its queen, Hippolyta, are both mentioned in Marston’s Wonder Woman comic. He enriched his ancient Amazonian setting with features from the Aegean Sea’s mythology of the women of Lemnos, adopting the isolated island concept as Wonder Woman’s home. According to legend, the women of Lemnos rose up and slaughtered all of the island’s men, young and old. The ladies were overjoyed when sailors unexpectedly landed on a nearby beach, despite their mandated sexual abstinence. They went after the Argonauts, a group of gorgeous and well-known mythological heroes that included Hercules and Theseus, and forced them into extended orgiastic encounters.

Another popular male dream is the sex-deprived yet unattached woman, which provides fictional fulfillment of sexual settings that may be impossible to achieve in real life. Lara Croft appeared in the late twentieth century to modernize the idea of the Amazons and the ladies of Lemnos. Croft, an English archeologist-adventurer who first appeared as a character in the Tomb Raider computer game in the 1990s, was the quintessential virtual-reality dream girl: she is a martial arts adept, a firearms specialist, and extremely intelligent. Furthermore, she consistently leaves the boys wanting more. Croft, who was reincarnated on the big screen in 2001 by actress Angelina Jolie, was known for giving her male rivals the cold shoulder. Croft’s feminist credentials were bolstered in subsequent sequels starring Alicia Vikander.

Isn’t it the ultimate fantasy to have a woman with a weapon?

The old link between femininity, sexual desire, and the military appears to be alive and well today, both on and off screen. Everything from Wonder Woman to soldiers-turned-amateur models to the advent of a new sub-genre of lady warriors in Asian movies and, of course, American arms catalogs supports the old masculine ideal of connecting lovely faces with weaponry. Attempts in pop culture to portray the heroine as a feminist fail to counter thousands of years of worldwide sexual desire.

But at least its a box office hit.

EVOLUTION OF GODDESS MYTHOLOGY

The eternal heaven within human beings has long been symbolized by mythological gods and goddesses. This is how civilizations connect to and move through life in a way that allows them to make sense of their surroundings and situations while also allowing them to transcend what is often a harsh physical reality.

For a variety of reasons, cultures have adopted and adored the image of a mother goddess throughout history. She is most commonly associated with abundance, fertility, friendliness, family, marriage, excellent harvests, and good fortune. Femininity and womanhood have been associated with these magnificent beings, as have hearth, home, family, fertility, compassion, strength, and loving-kindness throughout so many centuries. Others, are goddesses who embody the darker aspects of life, such as the underworld, death, magical healing, and guiding men’s fortunes.

Goddess Worship History

Goddess or woman worship dates back to the Paleolithic period (2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BCE), which is the longest period of human history on Earth. Archaeological digs have uncovered objects from this time period, the most famous of which is Venus, which is thought to have been carved between 24,000 and 22,000 BCE. However, there are several sites and artifacts that prove this type of worship is much older.

The Neolithic period came next, during which more carved goddess figurines were discovered, some of which appear to be 10,000 years old. This was a time when farming was becoming more common, and figurines from this era most likely represented fertility and offerings to ensure a plentiful crop.

Beginning with their Nagada culture, the Egyptians were at the forefront of goddess culture. A goddess figure stands between two lionesses in a number of murals. Lionesses were thought to represent healthy parenthood. The feminine and its nurturing abilities were also identified with the earth, moon, sky, and primordial waters. Egyptians worshiped a variety of gods and goddesses, but Isis and Hathor were the most important female figures in Egyptian mythology. These customs were subsequently passed down down the generations to other cultures.

Further Reading

https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/goddess-worship-overview

https://www.mama.org/exhibits/ancient/goddess/

http://www.mother-god.com/goddess-religion.html

Lost Viking Capital On Scotland’s Shetland Islands

The Skailway project, which began in May after more than £20,000 was contributed to fund an excavation, has announced “huge significance” finds.

Since last year, when he discovered five round house structures and 26 human remains and a comb & painted pebbles or stones, while building foundations for a garden shed, Kristian Leith has been searching for the ancient capital. These findings were added to the growing list of objects recovered at the site, which was first excavated in 1990 when a new house was being built on the field’s edge.

The first nine archaeological test trenches showed no new archaeology, but as luck would have it, the foundations of another, even larger edifice were discovered on the final day of the inquiry.
This probable drinking hall is supposed to be a portion of, if not the beating heart, of Skailvoighand, the ancient Viking city.

And, because the excavations only touched a small portion of the structure, Mr Leith believes there is still a lot more to discover.

He mentioned the discovery of two red sandstone whetstones, which he said were comparable to those unearthed in 1990 during a dig – and which date from 750 to 1000 AD, during the Viking period.

Mr. Leith stated that he intends to form a charitable organization in order to seek government financing and continue his investigation of the location.

Also see:

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/viking-capital-0015552

I’m Back! And a New Movement

I am back! First of all I’d like to say that I’ve been too busy with work, creating several income streams, and business planning.

I am also starting a church/movement/group/coven, but not the kind that is mainstream. The kind that embraces ALL beliefs, regardless of what you wear, how you love, or what religion you have; be that mainstream, pagan, witchcraft, Left Hand Path, and Magickal system.

Current looking for members and a minister Also a lawyer that will have job within the church not just as the legal part and security/protection/training. The minister should be ordained online by themonastery.org (Universal Life Church) or any other online organization offering free minister license, also need to buy/get the materials needed to prove that you have been ordained. This minister will handle all God/Source/The One (whatever you call him), chaplain services, preaching on whatever you wish, marriage/weddings, naming ceremonies. The minister will chose which day to hold services: Sunday or Saturday (which is the day services were held during the old traditions before it was changed to Sunday, which is also in the 10 Commandants).

And I will be dealing with the pagan, witchcraft, Left Hand Path and Magickal systems.

Every so often we will all come together for celebrations, gatherings, and etc.

If interested check out the website from information, here: ewinters611.wixsite.com/cosl WEBSITE TAKEN DOWN!

If still interested after that the contact me through email, here: lizzew19@gmail.com

Ceremonial Magic & A Few Secret Sources Of Energy

Many strategies have been developed throughout history to assist us in controlling our thoughts. In an attempt to make us better people, a lot of dogma has been thrown around as well. One of the oldest and most general of these systems is magick (the occult variety, written with a ‘k’). The study and application of psychic forces is known as magick. It employs mental training, attention, and a symbol system to achieve its goals.

The majority of today’s magick derives from ancient Egypt and Chaldea.
Chinese, Hindus, and Tibetans all evolved their own forms of witchcraft.

Western magick was imprisoned for thousands of years by Egyptian priesthood and later suppressed by the birth of Christianity. Alchemists and Cabalists did not uncover magical knowledge until medieval Europe. Western civilization has only been open minded enough to allow widespread examination of the subject in the last hundred years or so. Only since the turn of the twentieth century have scientists shown any interest in these subjects.

Parapsychology & Psychic Phenomena

We are learning more about man’s hidden essence through parapsychology.
The study of psychic phenomena is known as parapsychology, which is a branch of psychology. Even now, it is considered a frontier. One reason for this could be the unpredictability of psychic experiences. Nonetheless, there is compelling evidence for psychic phenomena based on multiple examples and experiments. Under the correct circumstances, the mind can have a direct impact on the surroundings.

We can theorize that, like a radio station, the human mind and body broadcasts a mental energy or force. This notion is supported by Kirlian photography, temperature effects, cloud chamber testing, and other experiments. Despite the fact that the specific form of this psychic power is unclear, it is undeniably the energy that underpins all psychic phenomena and magick. It is not, however, a radio wave since it acts differently.
The mental force is too weak to be directly measured (at least so far as we know).
Everyone possesses some form of psychic talent. Psychic occurrences come in a variety of forms. They are divided into two categories by parapsychology: ESP and PK.

What’s ESP?

The term ESP stands for extrasensory perception, which refers to the reception of information through extrasensory means (ie. not regular physical senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, or taste). This is performed, in theory, by obtaining psychic energy from outside the body.
Here are some ESP examples:

Clairvoyance or Remote Viewing, Clairaudience or remote hearing, Astral Projection (OOBE) or Travelling Clairvoyance, Psychometry, Telepathic receiver, Precognition, Retrocognition.

Even A ‘channel’ or medium who is in direct communication with a ‘spirit’ or entity. Ouija board, a pendulum, or automatic writing experiences.

What’s PK?

Psychokinesis (abbreviated as PK) is the active or transmitting side of psychic phenomena. Psychic force is emitted by the individual, according to this theory.
The following are some examples of PK:

Telepathic sender, Psychokinesis (or telekinesis), Psychic healing, Teleportation, asportation, & levitation.

Some occultists believe that a magician performing PK effects is nothing more than a conduit for universal energy. Others believe the force comes from within the magician in some way.

The Subconscious

The subconscious mind, as proposed by Freud and others, is a significant idea.
This is the concept that a part of the mind functions below or outside of ordinary consciousness and awareness. This can be seen in dreams and hypnosis, for example.
Many automatic operations of the physical body, such as respiration and digestion, are also subconscious.

Too many sources to name, including books, website, youtube, and more.

WHOLESALING REAL ESTATE WITHOUT BUYING IT

It’s time to think about wholesaling if you want to get started making money in real estate fast. Since the wholesale process differs from more conventional forms of real estate transactions, closing a wholesale deal for the first time is a significant achievement for any investor.

Are you unsure where to begin? This step-by-step wholesale real estate wholesaling guide has everything you need to make your first wholesale deal a success.

The Basics:

Wholesaling Real Estate is about finding distressed properties (in need of repairs or default on their mortgages or foreclosed on or even inherited & doesn’t want it) owned by motivated sellers.

See if the owner is willing to sell their house at a lower price, and for you to sign a contract in order to buy their property.

The next move is to put the property on the market and search for buyers.
The aim is to sell (or assign) the contract to a cash buyer for a price that is higher than the seller’s asking price.

The difference between the price you gave the seller and the price a buyer is willing to pay is your profit as a wholesaler, minus any expenses you incurred along the way, such as ads.

Is Money Needed To Wholesale Real Estate?

If you’ve ever been put off from getting involved in real estate investment because you don’t have a lot of money or a bad credit score, you should know that you can start wholesaling real estate right now. A wholesaler is not allowed to purchase property because they delegate purchase contracts directly from sellers to end buyers. As a result, meeting various financing eligibility criteria, such as income level or credit score, is not an issue. As a result, wholesaling is a fantastic way to develop useful skills and gain knowledge of the real estate industry while still saving money and improving your credit score.

Also seasoned investors may use wholesaling to fund other types of real estate transactions. An investor who prefers to make all-cash offers on rehab deals, for example, might turn to wholesaling to replenish their personal capital in a hurry. Understanding how to wholesale real estate step by step is a credible way to transition into other forms of investment strategies for these purposes.

Steps TO Wholesaling Real Estate:

Locate the Properties – Sites like Craigslist, FSBO, & Homesbyowner. Can even hire somebody to find properties for you & either pay them when you profit or for every lead, but check your states laws before settling on a payment arrangement. A few other ways are: buy mailing lists, send out letters & postcards, attend real estate networking events, put out “bandit signs”.
Contact owners – You’ll have to pick up the phone and contact people because you can’t wholesale a property without first making an offer. Bear in mind that certain property owners might be hesitant to work with a wholesaler. After all, this is a non-traditional ways to selling real estate that they’ve never heard of before. However, if they’re motivated, there’s no need for much salesmanship. So instead, empathize with their difficulties. Always keep in mind that the aim of contacting sellers isn’t to convince them to do anything. It’s to see if they’re genuinely motivated, which just around 1 in 10 are. It’s not a concern if they aren’t! Quickly move on. Now to present yourself, there are two options: A. You should tell the owner right away that you’re a wholesaler. That means informing them of your plan to find a new buyer and sell the contract to them in order to benefit from the transaction. B. Is to sign a contract with the owner that does not include the word “wholesale.” Homeowners are also told by wholesalers that the buyer is their partner. Although this activity isn’t illegal, it is a little hazy. Check your state for wholesaling laws & proceed with caution. Remember: Your negotiating aim is to persuade the owner to sell the property for a low price. Simple real estate contracts can be found online and modified to meet your needs, or you can have an attorney in your state make the required changes.
Determine value of the property – If you want to purchase a property for less than market value, you must first determine what the market value is. If the owner is asking for the amount that the home is worth, you shouldn’t spend much more time talking with them. If you ask them how low they were willing to accept, and they give you a number that is $20,000 or more under the market value, than you got something.
You should find out about what similar houses in area or nearby have recently sold for. You’ll have a range in mind of what the house you’re looking at will sell for after any required renovations are done once you’ve found at least three prior sales that meet this criterion. The easiest way to obtain this information is through a real estate agent. You may also use Zillow.com to conduct your own quest. Only make sure to locate the comps yourself rather than relying on their Zestimate, which is often inaccurate.
Estimate repair costs – When you’re selling to an investor rather than an owner-occupant, why would you do this? The explanation for this is that it’s an outlay that would hurt their bottom line, so you’ll have to lower the price to compensate. When touring the property, take a contractor with you or make a list of everything you see that would need to be repaired & read off to a contractor to get an estimate.
Negotiate a price & get it under contract – It’s now time to talk to the seller about an offer. You’ll need to know how much the repairs will cost, as well as how much the house will sell for in the future. Calculate: 75% of the house’s after-repaired value subtract repair estimate subtract $5,000 for you fee equals the remaining amount that is the most you can pay for the home. Here’s an example: the house is worth $100,000 after repairs, so you reduce it to 75% ($75,000), then deduct the $15,000 in maintenance costs and $5,000 in benefit, taking the total price down to $55,000. You can always start the negotiation lower, but that is the most you can pay and still get paid for your time. If the seller agrees (and 1 out of every 4 motivated sellers will), sign a purchase agreement and give yourself 30 days to close.
Find a buyer -Now its time to find someone to buy you out of the deal and close with the seller on the house. Since your deal with the seller expires in 30 days, you’ll need to operate fast. However, because you’re searching for cash buyers, they’ll be able to close easily because they won’t have to apply for a loan or jump through any of the hoops that would be needed. Where & how: If you have a list of local real estate investors, contact them right away via email or phone to see if they’re interested; Attend local real estate investor networking activities to meet more people and advertise the property for sale; Distribute flyers with details about the house; Advertise the property for free on Craigslist or Zillow; and can also find creative ways to find buyers. But, regardless of what you do, the real power is in creating a buyer’s list so that when you do it again, you can immediately contact as many qualified buyers as possible.
Close – Finding a title company to manage the closing is the final move. You want to meet someone who knows what wholesaling is (as many don’t). Within a few days, the right title company will be able to conduct a title search for you. A title check is needed to determine if the property has any liens or other unexpected encumbrances. In the interest of time, don’t wait until this is completed before announcing it to your customers. If you’ve found a buyer, put them in contact with your title company, which will handle everything from arranging the deal to raising funds from the buyer to writing the settlement document. When both the seller and the buyer have signed the final closing papers, the title company will register the deed, and you’ll get paid! Your funds will be sent to you via check or wire transfer.

Conclusion

You’ll be miles ahead of most inexperienced wholesalers if you follow our step-by-step guide to wholesaling real estate. That’s because a lot of people make the mistake of jumping right in without doing their homework and learning about the wholesale process. You’re already setting yourself up for success by immersing yourself in research on the art of the deal before you begin.