A criminal couple joins a nefarious underground organization in this novel full of “sharp characterization, vivid scenes, and offbeat humor” (The Oregonian). When anyone in the Detroit underworld hears the names Joe Service and Helen Sedlacek, they know lots of trouble—and bullet-riddled bodies—are sure to follow. That’s why Joe and Helen are perfect recruits for the Lucani—a group of rogue operatives, covert intelligence, and cold-blooded killers who bypass all those pesky laws and government red tape to get the dirtiest jobs done. For their first assignment, Joe and Helen are back in beautiful Butte, Montana, searching for Franko, a Lucani agent who supposedly vanished while on an overseas drug-busting mission. But what starts as a simple manhunt quickly spins out of control, with backstabbing, betrayal, and bloodshed all over. Luckily for Joe and Helen, that’s just another day at the office . . . “Great fun . . . there is plenty of action, low-key black humor, and Jackson’s perfect ear for the nuances of criminal speech.” —Chicago Tribune

The Kingdom of Northymbra is a land in turmoil. King Redwulf is missing, and his son rules as regent in his stead, facing threats from within and without: growing dissention among the knights and nobles of the realm, whispers of revolution from the Freebeasts, Wildbeasts encroaching on the borders, and bandits of all stripes making the most of the chaos. Burrows & Badgers is a tabletop skirmish game set in the ancient realm of Northymbra, a kingdom where mice, badgers, toads and other animals wear armour, wield swords, and cast magic spells. Your tabletop becomes part of the Kingdom of Northymbra, whose ruined villages, haunted forests, and misty marshes play host to brutal ambushes and desperate skirmishes. Lead your warband from battle to battle, and uphold the name of your faction, whether you stand with Reinert's Royalists, the Freebeasts of the Fox Families, or simply for your own glory or survival. Each model in Burrows & Badgers represents an individual character, and can be selected from a wide range of species – from the humble mouse to the mighty badger – and armed and equipped as desired. Scenarios link into ongoing campaigns, where heroes and villains may make their names and the assistance of infamous mercenaries might mean the difference between victory and defeat.

This newly revised edition of Tales from the Wisconsin Badgers Sideline weaves together a series of anecdotes, personal recollections, and research to bring readers a taste of the stories that make Badgers football so interesting. There are the Heisman Trophies hard-earned by running backs Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne, the tumult of a 23-game winless streak broken with a victory over archrival Iowa in 1969, the bizarre tale of “Kangaroo Kicker” Pat O’Dea, and so much more. Without a doubt, Tales from the Wisconsin Badgers Sideline is a must-have for any Wisconsin fan!

Bernard Madoff's financial fraud was global, an enormous amount of money was involved, and thousands of people and hundreds of institutions were swindled. Madoff's con game was a Ponzi scheme—an investment that pays returns to early investors from money acquired from subsequent investors.This case study of the Madoff scheme looks at the effects of his crimes on the victims. Elements from a theoretical framework put forward by Erving Goffman provide a perspective for understanding the development and the aftermath of Madoff's con. For example, as Goffman would have put it, Madoff's marks were not cooled out. Many did not accept the fact that they were victims of a con game and publicly clamored for sympathy, restitution, and for public officials to share their perspective.Inside men, ropers, outside men, and victims are at the core of con games. Lionel S. Lewis emphasizes that it is important to understand a con game's characteristics so as to grasp how it operates. The Madoff fraud includes elements of a variety of con games. For a comprehensive study of this economic crime, the case study must be seen as part of the broader social system. Considerably more is known about the dynamics of con games than about Ponzi schemes, and this fact frames this book's approach. To better understand what Madoff did, who was central in keeping his scheme alive, whom he defrauded, and how they reacted, this work is as invaluable as it is illuminating.

The Badger Book takes its place as part of Graffeg's compact, accessible Nature Book series, exploring our relationship with some of Britain's best-loved wild creatures.This addition introduces the wonderfully mysterious and enigmatic Meles meles to the newly curious with fresh information in store for those with a long-standing interest. An inhabitant of these lands for thousands of years, badgers have been both revered and reviled, cherished and tormented, beloved and brutalised - The Badger Book takes a closer look at Britain's largest carnivorous mammal.Alongside magical photography, we examine the science - and politics - around bTB and the controversial badger cull as well as introducing a passionate group of ordinary people dedicated to rescuing them, followed by a meander through the myth, legend, art and literature which has incorporated them into our culture. Chapters include:Badger PhysiologyBadger WatchingBadger ThreatsThe CullThe Badger Protectors: Wounded Badger Patrol CheshireBadgers in Myth & LegendBadgers in Art & Literature