A Desperate Plan is a wonderful romp through the worlds of government, the military and medical care. You'll enjoy it! -Lesley Visser, sportscaster/writer, ABC/ESPN A Desperate Plan is a fast paced, exciting political action thriller. It chronicles a sinister government "cover-up" at its worst. All power, no ethics. -Barry Kutin, former speaker pro tempore, House of Representatives, State of Florida legislature A Desperate Plan provides an accurate glimpse of prison life, a world few people know or want to know about. This plot is frightening, but believable! It will keep you constantly guessing as to who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. Once you start it, you won't put it down. -Jim Brigham, correctional medical professional

Nancy gets the big picture from a really tiny clue! Nancy and her friends love Mr. Lizard's Funhouse -- it's their favorite TV show. But now Mr. Lizard is going to be replaced -- by a cooking show! Nancy gets the kids in school to sign a petition to save the Show, but when she brings it to the TV station, it says in big purple letters, "Get rid of Mr. Lizard!" From the lunch lady to a science whiz kid, anyone in school Could have written the nasty note. Then Nancy's father gives her a special gift -- a magnifying glass. It's just the thing for an upclose look at her best clue -- a distinctive purple fingerprint!

The second collection of poetry to be released by Thomas Porky McDonald, Downtown Revival: Poems 1994-1997, covers the poets most focused and (arguably) prolific period. Written directly after returning to Downtown Brooklyn following a protracted suspension from work, Homestand opens this collection with a number of personal pieces. For Ever Friends, All These Eternities and Single Santa Fe Car, as well as the title piece, show the poets appreciation for both the concept and the reality of home. McDonald continues in this vein in Trolley Tracks, another collection that speaks to the inner soul of the man. She Smiles For You Ever, Once Upon a Time on a Platform and As the Pink Grayer Grays live in reflective glances that are obviously revered by the poet. Ramble Poets, which McDonald himself considers his most structured and polished book of poems, goes back to the ballpark, in a way that is reminiscent of his first two poem books, Secondto Verse and Eternal Postcards. Along with baseball pieces like Safe Harbor and September Rain, Ramble Poets also contains a long list of thought-provoking verses, most notably Cross on the Red, When the Day Comes and Bleary-eyed Milkmen. The final two books that appear in Downtown Revival are Gravy Man and Universal Loner, which appear semi-autobiographical in nature. Gravy Man, in many ways as reflective as Ramble Poets, features some nostalgic material, like Time Induced Lies, Hey Jack Ruby, P.S. 6 is a Parking Lot and Sunnyside Gardens. The tender Waltz Into the Night closes out this book and leads to Universal Loner, which could well be entitled The Sad Poems. The title piece, along with Scenes of This Earth, All Ashore, Miss Troubadour and I Never Went to the Polo Grounds all shed a tear for a time lost. The final poem of the collection, aptly titled Until the Next Remember, leaves the reader poised for the next five book set by McDonald, Closer to Rona: Poems 1997-1999, in which the sometime gravy man and universal loner finds love.

How would the image of Jesus appear if it were based only on sayings that scholars generally agreed originated with Jesus? And how would the wisdom of Jesus reflected in those few sayings compare to the wisdom of the sages of ancient Israel and the apostles of the early first-century church? To answer such questions historians face serious difficulties. Everything we know about Jesus comes from what later writers thought about him; none of the things they claimed he said came directly from him. "Everything in the early Christian gospels is either derived from historical memory, or is borrowed, or invented," Hedrick claims. Even those few sayings receiving near-universal agreement from historians as sayings of Jesus can only be affirmed as probable rather than certain. The aim of this study is to allow Jesus to speak for himself directly to readers, as nearly as possible in his own words without the theological explanations of his interpreters. The resulting image of Jesus that emerges is a complex picture of a first-century lower-class man who was not religious in a traditional sense. His discourse was the language of the secular world and addressed issues of common life.

While keeping physically fit and achieving expert law enforcement skills are essential to a successful police officer, maintaining a strong heart, mind, and soul are also crucial to surviving in his or her career. This new edition of this singular book serves as a tool to help law enforcement officers consciously take the pulse of their soul, ensuring that they stay on a strong spiritual and moral path. The book is not just a collection of devotions with religious meaning, but rather it clearly identifies some of the most trying situations that officers often find themselves in and helps them make sense of it all. The author then links these situations with relevant biblical passages. Each devotion in the book is freestanding and can be used in any order. The devotions and corresponding situations are presented in five categories: Justice, Dealing with People, Crime and Police Situations, Prevention, and Self-Care. Each of the 69 devotion sections concludes with questions for reflection and a meaningful prayer. The revision of the text includes 15 percent more devotions, and the Appendix of Prayers for Law Enforcement Situations has been increased from two to 22 prayers. These address a wide variety of ceremonial functions, including cadet graduations, retirements, blessings for substations, and award banquets. Also new is a guide for offering prayers for Fire Department events. This unique book is designed not only for the individual police officer, but firefighters, law enforcement supervisors, community service officers, chaplains, and ministers as well.

The future success of the once famous and prestigious Glen Graham distillery depends on finding the lost 50 bottles of the King's Malt, but will a gang of bungling smugglers, villains and black-marketeers get away with the biggest job of their lives? From cliff top car chases to secret meetings in dark shady pub cellars, to a tense final confrontation in a sunken cave, Captain Jack will be facing his ultimate challenge. Who will be the one to hold their nerve best and confront their worst fears when the tide is creeping ever nearer and the rocks are closing in? The 4th new adventure in the Captain Two Sugars series. Suitable for Junior readers 8-1

According to the Hebrew Bible, David rose from humble beginnings as a sheepherder in the hills of Bethlehem to become the ruler of the ancient kingdom of Israel and the founder of an empire that included not only the modern state of Israel, but parts of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan as well. Courageous and conniving, pious and vengeful, warrior, poet, fugitive, and king, David is not only one of the most complex and fascinating figures in Hebrew scripture but also one of the ancient world's best-known leaders. King David uses the ample writings by and about the revered king of Israel to explore his historical significance in world history and how his time in power contributed to modern-day situations in the Middle East.