Book Sales. And Other Stuff.
by Douglas Lindsay - 18:46 on 30 July 2010
Moving On
by Douglas Lindsay - 14:47 on 13 July 2010
Vincerò
by Elvis Shackleton - 11:55 on 12 July 2010
Jacob's Snake
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:47 on 09 July 2010
Neverending Story
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:46 on 08 July 2010
Starter For Ten
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:27 on 07 July 2010
The Hand of Dog
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:06 on 05 July 2010
Their Heads Hung Low
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:48 on 03 July 2010
How Many Men
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:50 on 02 July 2010
A Perfect Storm
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:36 on 01 July 2010
A Death In The Family
by Elvis Shackleton - 11:28 on 30 June 2010
A Tale of Two Nations
by Elvis Shackleton - 11:54 on 29 June 2010
World Cup Blues
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:19 on 28 June 2010
Would You Like Fries with That?
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:27 on 27 June 2010
The Fat Lady Sings
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:45 on 25 June 2010
Lo and Behold
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:03 on 24 June 2010
And So The Slaughter Commences
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:43 on 23 June 2010
I Have Found My Voice
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:01 on 22 June 2010
Ironic
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:26 on 21 June 2010
Downfall
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:04 on 20 June 2010
Lions
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:49 on 19 June 2010
He Walks Amongst Us
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:34 on 18 June 2010
The Lonesome Death of Robert Green
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:13 on 17 June 2010
Sky Sports Don't Have The World Cup
by Elvis Shackleton - 14:10 on 16 June 2010
Nomination for Mince Advert of the Year (Although it Probably Won't Win)
by Douglas Lindsay - 12:24 on 15 June 2010
World Cup 2010 Predictions
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:31 on 10 June 2010
Lost in Space
by Douglas Lindsay - 22:13 on 08 June 2010
Blogging Uber-Genius In Blog Comeback
by Douglas Lindsay - 16:43 on 25 May 2010
The Long, Dark Easter Break
by Douglas Lindsay - 22:11 on 02 April 2010
The Lost Art of Ski Pole Walking (Updated)
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:27 on 25 March 2010
a grim, bleak day in the south west
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:55 on 23 March 2010
Diminishing Returns (or The Very Final End of Barney Thomson)
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:27 on 19 March 2010
Dead Birds
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:48 on 17 March 2010
A Fresh Start to the Day
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:57 on 16 March 2010
Sunday Morning in Little Britain and Why We Should All Live Abroad
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:35 on 15 March 2010
The Bookseller II
by Douglas Lindsay - 17:26 on 12 March 2010
The Bookseller
by Douglas Lindsay - 15:49 on 04 March 2010
Vasectomy Day
by Douglas Lindsay - 15:53 on 25 February 2010
The Case of the Stained Glass Widow
by Douglas Lindsay - 15:25 on 11 February 2010
Sandy Lyle Watch 2010
by Douglas Lindsay - 21:53 on 10 February 2010
the girl in socks
by Elvis Shackleton - 16:10 on 27 January 2010
The Reanult Ad 2010
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:29 on 19 January 2010
A Room With No Natural Light
by Elvis Shackleton - 12:41 on 11 January 2010
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 18
by Douglas Lindsay - 01:32 on 25 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 17
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:22 on 24 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 16
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:27 on 23 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 15
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:02 on 22 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 14
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:37 on 21 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 13
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:09 on 18 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 12
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:39 on 17 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 11
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:35 on 16 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 10
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:31 on 15 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 9
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:33 on 11 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 8
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:58 on 10 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 7
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:24 on 09 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 6
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:02 on 08 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 5
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:04 on 07 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 4
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:44 on 04 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 3
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:59 on 03 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 2
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:33 on 02 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre - Episode 1
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:41 on 01 December 2009
Barney Thomson & The Westminster Christmas Massacre
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:05 on 24 November 2009
UEFA To Seriously Examine 'Most Shocking Football Decision In History'
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:42 on 20 November 2009
On The Vacancy For Scotland Manager
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:29 on 17 November 2009
An Indeterminate Number of Wise Men
by Douglas Lindsay - 03:32 on 16 November 2009
IACGMOOH 2009
by Elvis Shackleton - 13:19 on 13 November 2009
Further Revisitation on A Prayer For Barney Thomson
by Douglas Lindsay - 14:29 on 12 November 2009
Unreleased Radio 4 Interview
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:03 on 11 November 2009
Barney Thomson and the Westminster Christmas Massacre
by Douglas Lindsay - 12:04 on 09 November 2009
In Conversation With Elvis Shackleton #3
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:11 on 06 November 2009
Lisbon - The Morning After
by Douglas Lindsay - 12:40 on 05 November 2009
Lisbon
by Elvis Shackleton - 12:24 on 04 November 2009
The One With The Cupcakes
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:34 on 02 November 2009
The Final Cut Update
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:13 on 01 November 2009
On Rumours Of A Take-Over Move For Glasgow Rangers
by Elvis Shackleton - 11:45 on 30 October 2009
First Words III
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:49 on 23 October 2009
First Words II
by Elvis Shackleton - 11:58 on 20 October 2009
First Words I
by Elvis Shackleton - 15:05 on 16 October 2009
Great On Hot Toast
by Douglas Lindsay - 02:53 on 12 October 2009
Friday 9th October 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 15:03 on 09 October 2009
Getting Away With Murder
by Douglas Lindsay - 15:46 on 08 October 2009
In Conversation With Elvis Shackleton #2
by Elvis Shackleton - 10:26 on 02 October 2009
The Strange Case of Solomon Green
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:45 on 22 September 2009
The Bob Who Stole Christmas
by Douglas Lindsay - 16:07 on 17 September 2009
In Conversation With Elvis Shackleton #1
by Elvis Shackleton - 14:28 on 11 September 2009
England, And The Nightmare of World Cup 2010
by Douglas Lindsay - 14:25 on 10 September 2009
The Ever-Increasing Curse of 2012
by Douglas Lindsay - 14:26 on 08 September 2009
The End of Barney Thomson
by Douglas Lindsay - 15:30 on 07 September 2009
A Brief Note On Leaving Poland
by Douglas Lindsay - 23:35 on 31 July 2009
Monday 29th June 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:48 on 29 June 2009
Monday 22nd June 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 17:02 on 22 June 2009
Monday 15th June 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:10 on 15 June 2009
Monday 1st June 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:05 on 01 June 2009
Monday 25th May 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:52 on 25 May 2009
Monday 18th May 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:31 on 18 May 2009
Monday 11th May 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:26 on 11 May 2009
Monday 4th May 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:27 on 04 May 2009
Monday 27th April 2009
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:21 on 27 April 2009
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:52 on 06 April 2009
Get A Pizza The News
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:14 on 03 April 2009
Solomon Green Back In The Recording Studio
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:15 on 01 April 2009
"Nothing To Say" Author Nears Full Week Of Silence
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:44 on 30 March 2009
Author With Nothing To Say Continues To Say Nothing
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:47 on 27 March 2009
Dow Closes Up 1.17% at 7,749.81 Despite Author's Continued Absence
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:24 on 26 March 2009
World Famous Crime Author Has "Nothing To Say"
by Elvis Shackleton - 09:12 on 25 March 2009
Dead Cat
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:35 on 23 March 2009
0 Not Out
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:48 on 20 March 2009
Blake's 7, The Magnificent Seven, Seven Pounds, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:32 on 19 March 2009
State Of The Union
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:01 on 18 March 2009
Stuff
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:49 on 17 March 2009
New Covers & New Dylan
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:44 on 13 March 2009
You Can't Step Twice In The Same Custard
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:23 on 11 March 2009
How News Works No.3156
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:17 on 10 March 2009
The Eager Nature Fit For A Great Crisis
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:33 on 09 March 2009
The Great Debate... One Of Them Anyway
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:24 on 05 March 2009
A Highly Trained Author Writes
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:07 on 04 March 2009
That's Mistake And I Want It*
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:39 on 03 March 2009
The Shower Gel Bottle Promised It Would Delight My Senses, But In The End It Just Cleaned My Armpits
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:24 on 02 March 2009
A School Show & More Covers
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:31 on 27 February 2009
Never Judge A Book... etc etc
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:02 on 26 February 2009
The Economics of Optimism
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:20 on 25 February 2009
New Series Covers
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:00 on 24 February 2009
What It Doesn't Mean To Be Scottish
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:58 on 23 February 2009
Temporary Absence
by Elvis Shackleton - 22:35 on 17 February 2009
The Return of The Strange Case of Solomon Green
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:30 on 16 February 2009
Scenes from the Studio - Day 1
by Douglas Lindsay - 07:38 on 13 February 2009
The Songs Of The Solomon Grundys
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:37 on 11 February 2009
The Return of The Solomon Grundys
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:11 on 10 February 2009
Sporting Catastrophe
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:34 on 09 February 2009
The Barber Surgeon's Hairshirt
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:42 on 06 February 2009
Spa Baths, Naked Women, Massages & Caves
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:24 on 05 February 2009
Horse Feathers
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:14 on 04 February 2009
The Root Of All Evil
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:49 on 03 February 2009
The Cat & The Final Cut
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:51 on 02 February 2009
Runner's World, January 2006
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:54 on 29 January 2009
There's Something Going Round
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:57 on 28 January 2009
Battle of the Books
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:57 on 27 January 2009
In the city of Hull...
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:21 on 26 January 2009
Revenge of the Shit
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:56 on 23 January 2009
We Come At Last To The Great Faecal Examination Of Our Times
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:06 on 22 January 2009
The One With The Magnetic Ball
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:58 on 21 January 2009
The Two Minute Review
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:10 on 20 January 2009
In The Bleak Midwinter
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:56 on 19 January 2009
The Many Adventures of Vlada The Pooh
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:26 on 16 January 2009
Gum For The New Generation
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:51 on 15 January 2009
The Final Cut Continues
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:35 on 14 January 2009
Who Ate All The McDonuts?
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:00 on 13 January 2009
When They're Passing Round The Coffee And The Pumpkin Pie...
by Elvis Shackleton - 07:56 on 12 January 2009
A Question of Logic
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:13 on 09 January 2009
It's All In The Mallet
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:13 on 08 January 2009
The Cult of Barney Thomson
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:36 on 07 January 2009
The Perfect Stone
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:03 on 06 January 2009
The Blissful First Day of School
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:03 on 05 January 2009
Getting Away With Murder
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:51 on 03 January 2009
The Last Judgement
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:30 on 02 January 2009
Five Minutes With....Douglas Lindsay
by Elvis Shackleton - 08:31 on 31 December 2008
The Jigsaw Man II
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:16 on 30 December 2008
The Line of Scrimmage
by Douglas Lindsay - 00:26 on 29 December 2008
The Basketball Diaries
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:38 on 26 December 2008
Christmas Morning
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:15 on 25 December 2008
A Brief Departure From Yuletide Merrymaking
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:33 on 24 December 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas #2,312
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:56 on 23 December 2008
Another Christmas Song Polemic
by Douglas Lindsay - 23:20 on 21 December 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas #7 (School Holidays Day One)
by Douglas Lindsay - 07:33 on 19 December 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas #6
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:39 on 18 December 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas #5 (More Weird Shit That You Sing Every Year Without Thinking About It)
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:07 on 17 December 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas #4
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:23 on 16 December 2008
Plan A
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:26 on 15 December 2008
A Bit of This, A Bit of Bob
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:35 on 12 December 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas #3
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:01 on 11 December 2008
The Strange Case of Solomon Green
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:09 on 10 December 2008
Butter Enriched Marketing Drivel
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:15 on 09 December 2008
Final Cut Update
by Douglas Lindsay - 00:22 on 08 December 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas #2
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:11 on 05 December 2008
Emergency Ward 10
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:31 on 04 December 2008
It Happened In Slovakia
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:56 on 03 December 2008
The Miffyanic Legacy - Part 1
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:02 on 02 December 2008
An Incredibly Exciting Business Update
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:44 on 01 December 2008
Don't Bring Me Down
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:42 on 28 November 2008
Work In Progress
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:36 on 27 November 2008
Monkfish Cowboy - The Story So Far...
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:36 on 26 November 2008
The Jigsaw Man
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:08 on 25 November 2008
And On The Sixth Day The Lord Created Football
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:03 on 24 November 2008
Bloody Murder
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:36 on 21 November 2008
A Miserable Bloody Day
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:46 on 20 November 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas #1
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:04 on 19 November 2008
On Your Bike
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:36 on 18 November 2008
A Short Walk Through the Weekend
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:17 on 17 November 2008
The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson (10th Anniversary Edition) #2
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:43 on 14 November 2008
The Solomon Grundys
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:03 on 13 November 2008
Alien v Predator 3 meets The Wombles
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:39 on 12 November 2008
Can You Hear The Drums?
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:13 on 11 November 2008
The Man With No Feet
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:14 on 10 November 2008
Bond. James Bond.
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:53 on 08 November 2008
Depression Over Warsaw
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:31 on 07 November 2008
Romance And The Lonely Barber
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:53 on 06 November 2008
My Part In His Victory
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:47 on 05 November 2008
Over The Hedge
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:40 on 04 November 2008
Sound. And More.
by Douglas Lindsay - 07:40 on 03 November 2008
Incident At Black Rock
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:22 on 02 November 2008
The Month In Statistics
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:15 on 01 November 2008
Waiting Game For The Long Midnight Reprint
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:22 on 31 October 2008
Wrestling A Doughnut
by Douglas Lindsay - 06:40 on 30 October 2008
Banjo Watch - Day 11
by Douglas Lindsay - 07:08 on 29 October 2008
Banjo Crisis
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:41 on 28 October 2008
Hallowe'en Nightmare
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:16 on 27 October 2008
Proof
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:31 on 24 October 2008
63 Days Until Christmas
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:44 on 23 October 2008
Gratuitous Eagle Eye Spolier
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:16 on 22 October 2008
Maurice and Norbert
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:36 on 21 October 2008
Road Movie
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:43 on 20 October 2008
And So It Begins...
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:55 on 17 October 2008
The Distilled Essence of Pussy Galore
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:04 on 16 October 2008
Cover For The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:34 on 15 October 2008
Saw Your Thing On YouTube
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:14 on 14 October 2008
The Case For The Return of Harry Potter
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:25 on 13 October 2008
More Long Midnight Covers
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:54 on 11 October 2008
The Quarterback Song
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:40 on 10 October 2008
Bloodied, Broken And Everything Else
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:54 on 09 October 2008
The Da Vinci Stoat
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:08 on 08 October 2008
Long Midnight Cover Suggestions 1-4
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:45 on 07 October 2008
A Matter Of Time
by Douglas Lindsay - 04:24 on 04 October 2008
1 of 800,000
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:58 on 03 October 2008
The Laws of Gravity
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:41 on 02 October 2008
The Month In Statistics
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:03 on 01 October 2008
On The Fringe
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:41 on 30 September 2008
The Long Rewrite of Barney Thomson
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:51 on 29 September 2008
The Amazing Fusionman
by Douglas Lindsay - 16:19 on 26 September 2008
Razor Comb Mousse Styling
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:09 on 25 September 2008
Another Wet Day in Warsaw
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:23 on 24 September 2008
The Low End Of The Quarterback Rating
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:38 on 23 September 2008
Don't Mess With You Don't Mess With The Zohan
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:45 on 22 September 2008
Bob Dylan #45
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:16 on 19 September 2008
The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson (10th Anniversary Edition)
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:51 on 18 September 2008
The Phantom Buggery of Harry Potter - Part 2
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:43 on 17 September 2008
The Phantom Buggery of Harry Potter - Part 1
by Douglas Lindsay - 12:07 on 15 September 2008
It Was A Warm And Lazy Afternoon...
by Douglas Lindsay - 22:29 on 10 September 2008
Tom Brady: My Part In His Injury
by Douglas Lindsay - 23:06 on 09 September 2008
5 Reasons Not To Be Miserable After Scotland’s 1-0 Loss To Macedonia
by Douglas Lindsay - 09:21 on 08 September 2008
And at last, the school holiday wound its way to a conclusion
by Douglas Lindsay - 20:39 on 06 September 2008
Nothing Is Impossible
by Douglas Lindsay - 21:56 on 04 September 2008
Four weeks later...
by Douglas Lindsay - 21:52 on 01 September 2008
It'll Be OK On The Night
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:34 on 11 July 2008
YouTube
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:35 on 30 June 2008
Economics Can Be Fun...
by Douglas Lindsay - 08:12 on 17 June 2008
Full cover
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:01 on 11 June 2008
Alternative Covers
by Douglas Lindsay - 12:57 on 15 May 2008
The Finishing End Is In Sight
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:55 on 01 May 2008
Not Working Prevents Work Getting Done, Study Finds
by Douglas Lindsay - 21:23 on 19 March 2008
Soap Box
by Douglas Lindsay - 11:13 on 29 February 2008
Another Week Off
by Douglas Lindsay - 22:12 on 09 February 2008
Chick Lit, Petrocelli & The Superbowl
by Douglas Lindsay - 12:07 on 04 February 2008
Conspiracy
by Douglas Lindsay - 15:38 on 16 January 2008
The Bob Thing
by Douglas Lindsay - 20:39 on 04 January 2008
The Return of the Word Count Junky
by Douglas Lindsay - 12:16 on 08 December 2007
A Slow Mince
by Douglas Lindsay - 10:55 on 01 December 2007
Getting Started
by Douglas Lindsay - 14:04 on 25 November 2007
typical working week...
by Douglas Lindsay - 13:01 on 21 November 2007
Slow Start
by Douglas Lindsay - 20:36 on 14 November 2007
Day One
by Douglas Lindsay - 12:56 on 08 November 2007
And so it begins...