The Musings of an ex-Moleque by Jeff Smith Jeff Smith's life can easily be summarized by two distinct periods of time. "The Musings of an ex-Moleque" tell the story of the first period. This time-frame is the first eighteen years of his life where Jeff truly was the product of his family's "old school" influence and the small town rural environment in which he was raised. In the 1950's and 60's, Sisters, Oregon was a small mill town of about 500 souls. Being situated in the very heart of Oregon and nestled at the foot of the Cascade Mountain Range, it offered a unique setting for a young lad to live a life of unfettered adventure, joy, and security. Jeff's story is the story of perhaps thousands of young American lads raised in a bygone era, one which probably will never be enjoyed again as our culture continues to change so drastically, leaving no room for little rascals to run free and wild. Author's Biography Jeff Smith was born on August 11th in the year 1952 in Redmond, Oregon. Jeff was the last of six children born to William Ray and Naomi Belle Smith. Though born in Redmond, Jeff was raised in the nearby town of Sisters. As Sisters was so small it had no hospital, so most babies in those days were born either in Redmond's newly built hospital or in neighboring Bend. Jeff was definitely a product of his familial upbringing and the small town rural environment in which he spent the first eighteen years of his adventurous life. Shortly after high school graduation in 1970 Jeff entered a missionary training center in Bend, Oregon in pursuit of his dream of being a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Brazil. That dream was interrupted by a two year tour of duty in the US Army, having been drafted number 34 in the end of the old lottery draft system.

Historically, when sweeping policy changes or legislation of indelible consequence are signed into law, Presidents receive the credit. There is a good reason for that. Without the Chief Executive putting his pen to paper, these advancements would have nary a chance of becoming reality. In most cases, though, a President’s signature is simply the culmination of a long fight to make an idea or actual proposal a reality. In fact, quite often it is members of Congress who nurture proposals from inception to the President’s desk. Like a train leaving its first station, the legislative process often starts with a handful of people on board until slowly, a few more passengers hop on at each stop and before long, there is a full car with people standing in the aisles. Often times, a bill becoming a law is no different.

This is Tony’s first book and he wants children to enjoy reading the adventures of Cornelius, Finn and Merlin as much as he did writing about them. “The ideas for the stories were inspired by the cat who lives next door to me, the fox who lives on the field at the side of my house and a mischievous looking gnome which I brought for the garden. I hope that the stories encourage children to use their imagination and create their own magical animal stories. More adventures to follow soon!” TM/London/October 2020.

My first two volumes of Statesmen and Mischief Makers portrayed the stories of officeholders who had tremendous impact on politics at the national level, either by way of Presidential proximity, legislative accomplishments or simply through living a life of idiosyncrasies that made a great anecdote - or two. Governors and big-city Mayors are no different. There were smart leaders, courageous leaders, visionary leaders, and inevitably, small-minded and even unscrupulous leaders. In other words, leaders who were anything but. Whatever the case, the Governors that ushered their state structure into a modern era or the Mayors whose cities have become the cultural meccas with landmarks that attract millions are all people who deserve recognition. And yes, so do the people who ended up on the wrong side of the law and went to jail. Volume three examines these individuals. All presided within the times of Kennedy to Reagan. All are Statesmen and Mischief Makers. And all are told here.

New Zealand was supposed to be a model society at the end of the world, a utopia for 'men and women of good character' who were willing to work hard for a better life. And, for most, so it proved. But this book is about the others - the misfits, the swindlers, the fallen women, the love rats, the escaped convicts, the hoaxers, the charlatans, the highwaymen, the mass murderers - from the earliest days of European settlement to the present day. Law Breakers and Mischief Makers gives the scandalous details of those who've made a name for themselves in New Zealand for all the wrong reasons. Take for example, Charlotte Badger, a pistol-wielding English thief who launched a mutiny on a Tasmanian convict ship in 1806 and sailed over to hide among the Maori of the Bay of Islands, and Amy Bock, a con woman who masqueraded as a wealthy man to marry the daughter of her landlady in 1909.Some of the people featured in this book are monsters, some are merely rascals, but all make fascinating reading. A lot of the people featured in it have somewhat disappeared into the mists of time and readers will be surprised at the shady characters in this country's past.

Accomplishments, associations and anecdotes - that is what this book encompasses. Previous volumes of Statesmen and Mischief Makers have portrayed members of Congress from the eras of John F. Kennedy through Ronald Reagan whose stories were the subject of fantastic tidbits. This volume is no exception but the emphasis is on the unknown men - and a few women – who were either at the center of now famous laws or had high-profile roles in historic events. It depicts those with close proximity to those who appeared on a national ticket, either as Congressional friends or opponents. These individuals never achieved the fame or only had a mere 15 minutes of it, which suited them fine. Yet their stories should be adequately told. The many obscure members of the House Judiciary Committee who negotiated the endgame of Watergate, for example, should stand out. Those who helped forge indelible advancement on civil/gender rights, education and wilderness protection, to name a few, should be household names. Ditto for those who labored long and hard for government efficiency and consumer protection, taking on the high and mighty to do so. Finally, there are humble, revered people who never sought recognition beyond their home turf or public policy initiatives they were promoting. That’s what makes these individuals special – and worthy of remembrance.

A collection of short stories about some extremely mischievous children from the world's favourite storyteller Enid Blyton. Perfect for children aged 5 and up! Are you ready for some delightfully dreadful tales? From cheeky pixies and naughty imps to hair-raisingly horrid children and tricks gone wrong, there is abundant mischief in these cautionary short stories by Enid Blyton. These traditional tales are ideal for younger children being read to and for newly confident readers to read alone. Each story stands alone and is the perfect length for reading at bedtime or in the classroom. Enid Blyton remains one of Britain's favourite children's authors and her bumper short story collections are perfect for introducing her to the latest generation of readers. Read all of Enid Blyton's bumper short story collections. New in 2022: Stories for Bedtime Stories of Mischief Makers Magical Tales Christmas Treats *** Enid Blyton® and Enid Blyton's signature are registered trade marks of Hodder & Stoughton Limited. No trade mark or copyrighted material may be reproduced without the express written permission of the trade mark and copyright owner.