Relying on the recent research of Aleksandr Fursenko and Timothy Naftali in the Soviet archives, Thomas writes that in 1964, "in an irresponsible and potentially mischievous act of backdoor diplomacy, a Kennedy acolyte, New York painter William Walton, was sent to the Soviet Union to meet with R.F.K.'s old back-channel friend Georgi Bolshakov".
The difference between the two is that the latter is an expression "such as to constitute…a positive instigation to some mischievous act," (1978, 53), namely, to place the rights, and possibly the life, of the corn dealer in danger.
"This mischievous act once again reveals the adventurist nature of the Zionist regime [of Israel] and added another black page to this fake and warmongering regime's file which is full of crimes," said the Revolutionary Guards' statement.
"Iran is not a place for any individual or group to make mischievous acts or any other action," Mr. Lari was quoted as saying by the Iranian News Agency, adding that the Ministry of Intelligence was reviewing Mr. Hekmatyar's case.
By laying down penalties for mischievous acts, the legislator would make it unprofitable for a person to harm his neighbour.
Aquarium workers have confirmed that certain mischievous acts, which sound like more tall tales in Pliny, do occur.
But he has a mischievous air.
The A.C.L.U. filed what it acknowledged was a "mischievous" Freedom of Information Act request in an effort to force the government to acknowledge counterterrorism operations that it had refused to discuss on secrecy grounds and that were mentioned in the cables.
"It is more the act of a mischievous student politician who wants to aggravate the left as part of a campus brawl," the commentator said.
He was like a mischievous boy caught in the act, the barest of smiles playing around the corners of his mouth.
