Glossary
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Term & Definition
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9
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Bronx Home for Aged Hebrews:
Retirement home for Jewish people located in Riverdale, NY, founded in 1917. It began at a small synagogue in Harlem as a shelter for the homeless and elderly. It is still open under the name of The Hebrew Home at Riverdale (“History”). |
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10
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Melting Pot:
A place (such as a city or country) where different types of people live together and gradually create one community (Merriam-Webster). |
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10
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Goyische:
Not Jewish, Gentile (Parsons). |
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10
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Litvak shtetl:
Litvak means a Lithuanian Jew (Merriam-Webster). Shtetl means a small Jewish town or village formerly found in Eastern Europe (Merriam-Webster). |
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12
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Kate Smith:
American singer on radio and television who rose to fame during the 1930s. She is well known for her performance of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” (“Kate Smith”). |
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12
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Nixon:
Full name is Richard Milhous Nixon. Republican politician who was President of the United States from 1969-74. He was the first President in US history to resign from the position, which he did because of his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Before his presidency, he served on the House Un-American Activities Committee from 1948-50 (“Richard Nixon”). |
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12
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Cats:
A musical based on T.S. Eliot’s poems. The music was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It premiered on Broadway Oct. 7, 1982 and ran for 7,485 performances (“Cats”). |
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12
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42nd Street:
A musical based on a novel and film of the same name, composed by Harry Warren, lyrics by Al Dubin, and libretto by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. It premiered on Broadway Aug. 25, 1980 and ran for 3,486 performances (“42nd Street”). |
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12
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La Cage:
Full title is La Cage Aux Follies. It is a musical primarily featuring gay men who are drag queens. Jerry Herman composed music and wrote lyrics, and Harvey Fierstein wrote the libretto. It premiered on Broadway Aug. 21, 1983 and ran for 1,761 performances (“La Cage Aux Follies”). |
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12
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Manhattan Family Court:
Court building currently located at 60 Lafayette St. NY, NY 10013. Family Court primarily deals with cases involving families and children. Specific types of cases include: “custody, visitation and guardianship monetary support for children, spouses and ex-spouses adoption paternity abuse and neglect of children violence among family members children accused of committing crimes children in need of supervision” (“New York City Family Court”) |
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13
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Appeals:
See Page 28: Brooklyn Federal Court of Appeals |
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13
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Weehawken, New Jersey:
A city located just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Can be accessed through the Lincoln Tunnel (“Weehawken Parks, Playgrounds, and Ballfields”). |
14
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Post:
Short for The Washington Post, a morning daily newspaper published in Washington D.C.. It is well known and considered credible, for instance it has been awarded more than 60 Pulitzer Prizes. It is also widely considered to be a conservative newspaper (“The Washington Post”). |
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14
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Schtupping:
Yiddish word literally meaning push or poke. It is used as slang for intercourse ("Yiddish Dictionary Online ייִדיש װערטערבוך אַפֿן װעב."). |
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15
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Internal Affairs:
Often abbreviated to IA, the main office is located in Washington D.C.. It is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, more specifically the U.S. Marshall Service (abbreviated to USMS). Its primary purpose is to “facilitate the investigation of and preparation of reports on alleged improper conduct on the part of USMS personnel” ("U.S. Marshals Service, Freedom of Information Act Information, Internal Affairs System."). |
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15
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Ed Meese:
Full name is Edwin Meese III, he was the 75th U.S. Attorney General. He served from February 1985 to August 1988. Before that, he was a chief policy advisor for President Reagan from 1981-1985. He was also Reagan’s chief of staff when he was governor (“Edwin Meese”). |
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17
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Salt Lake:
The Mormon population of Salt Lake City could not be found.Though, in 1990 the Church of the Latter Day Saints claimed 1.3 million members in Utah alone, which was 77% of Utah’s population at the time (Phillips & Cragun 2). |
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17
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International Order of Travel Agents:
This organization is fake but it is possibly based on the International Airlines Travel Agent Network, IATAN for short (“Frequently Asked Questions”). For more information go here: http://www.iatan.org/Pages/default.aspx. |
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17
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The hole in the ozone:
There were hints of the hole forming over Antarctica during the 70’s and early 80’s, but in 1984 the hole appeared fully and suddenly. The British Antarctic Survey was the first to publish their findings on May 1985 in the journal Nature (Dunbar). |
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19
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Emma Goldman:
(1869-1940) Nicknamed “Red Emma” for her far left ideals, she was actively supported anarchy in the United States though she was born in Lithuania. She wrote essays, gave lectures, and led violent protests in support of her progressive causes. She was Jewish though she spoke against the church often. She also wrote essays in support of the European dramatists Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, George Bernard Shaw (“Emma Goldman”). |
19
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Yiddish:
a language based on German that is written in Hebrew characters and that was originally spoken by Jews of central and eastern Europe (Merriam-Webster). |
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19
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Put dirt on the coffin:
A Jewish custom considered to be the last thing relatives can give their loved ones. Small shovel fulls of dirt are put on the coffin (after it has been lowered into the ground) by those present. The first shovel fulls are usually tossed in with the back of the blade to show reluctance. This custom can be drawn back to the Torah, where the Biblical figure Abraham did this while burying his wife Sarah. There are multiple other instances in the Torah where this practice is cited (“Ask the Rabbi: Shoveling Dirt on the Coffin.”). |
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19
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Sibilant:
making or having a sound like the letters s or sh (Merriam-Webster). |
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20
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Feh:
A Yiddish exclamation meaning “yuck” or “pooh” ("Yiddish Dictionary Online ייִדיש װערטערבוך אַפֿן װעב."). |
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20
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WASP:
“An American of Northern European and especially British ancestry and of Protestant background; especially : a member of the dominant and the most privileged class of people in the United States” (Merriam-Webster). |
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20
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Dyke:
Often offensive, meaning- a lesbian (Merriam-Webster). |
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20
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Little Sheba:
From the 1952 movie Come Back, Little Sheba, which was based on a play of the same name by William Inge. It is about a married couple, Doc Delaney and Lola Delaney, whose marriage is challenged when Doc is interested in a young woman. Lola, who was played by Shirley Booth was described in a New York Times Review as “the immature, mawkish, lazy housewife” (Crowther). |
20
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Babylonians:
The Babylonians believed cats escorted souls from the here to the afterlife when they died. For this they thought them to be mystical and sinister (Johnson). Also, when the Jews were under Babylonian control, they were introduced to Zoroastrian concepts of angels. See more in The Origin of Angels and Their Various Functions. |
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21
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Shirley Booth:
An American stage and film actress, though she primarily worked on the stage. She played the role of Lola both in the stage production and the movie of Come Back, Little Sheba. She won an Oscar for her performance in the movie (“Shirley Booth”). |
21
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Le chat, elle ne reviendra jemais, jemais…:
“The cat, she’ll never come back never, never” the term “jemais” was possibly misspelled, for this translation the spelling used was “jamais” ("Online Dictionary: French-English Translation."). |
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21
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Purple spot:
A sign of Kaposi’s Sarcoma which is a common, AIDS related cancer. They are reddish-purple lesions that appear on the skin (“AIDS Signs and Symptoms”). |
21
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K.S. Wham:
K.S. is short for Kaposi’s Sarcoma, which is what causes the lesion (see pg. 43 “Kaposi’s Sarcoma”). |
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23
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Chief clerk:
Chief clerks have the the highest ranking non-judicial job in Supreme and County Courts. They have many responsibilities that generally involve managing court operations. In 2015 the base salary for a Chief Clerk in Suffolk County (located on Long Island) is $109,411 annually (“Job Postings"). In 1985, this equated to $48,890 (Wolphram Alpha: Computational Knowledge Engine). |
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23
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Conran’s:
A furniture and home decor store that opened in Georgetown in the early 80’s. It sold modern style items. It has since closed, though some similar stores under the same name have opened elsewhere (Dickenson). |
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24
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Rosemary’s Baby:
A psychological horror, released in 1968 and directed by Roman Polanski. It takes place in a New York City apartment complex called The Bramford. The main character, Rosemary, is very suspicious of those around her and the child she is carrying (Bozzola). |
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24
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The Exorcist:
A horror movie,released in 1973 and directed by William Friedken. It is about the last Catholic Sanctioned exorcism to take place in the United States, which was performed on a 14 year old girl. It is set in 1949 Georgetown (Erickson). |
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25
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Kenig Lear:
A Yiddish translation of King Lear by Shakespeare. The Yiddish King Lear was written in 1892 by Jacob Gordon. It is not an exact translation of the original, more of an adaptation (Bordman & Hischak 11). |
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25
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Holy Writ:
The sacred text of Judaism is referred to as the Old Testament by Christians. It is called by the Hebrew acronym Tanakh. This combines the titles of the three parts: the Torah, the Nevi’im, and Ketuvim. The Torah is the first five books of the Old Testament, also called the Pentateuch. The Nevi’im are the books of prophets. The Ketuvim contains other writings. Another important text is the Talmud, which began as oral teachings of the Torah from Rabbis. After being passed down by ear it was eventually written down (“Jewish sacred texts”). |
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25
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Neo-Hegelian:
“the doctrines of an idealist school of philosophers that was prominent in Great Britain and in the United States between 1870 and 1920” (“Neo-Hegelianism”). Mostly against materialism and utilitarianism (“Neo-Hegelianism”). |
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25
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Positivist:
Definition for positivism: a theory that theology and metaphysics are earlier imperfect modes of knowledge and that positive knowledge is based on natural phenomena and their properties and relations as verified by the empirical sciences (Merriam-Webster). |
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25
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Bubbulah:
Definition for Yiddish word bubele: darling, usually applied to children. An American Jewish term ("Yiddish Dictionary Online ייִדיש װערטערבוך אַפֿן װעב."). |
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28
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Brooklyn Federal Court of Appeals:
A District Federal court of New York that is a part of the larger Second Circuit of the U.S. Federal Court of Appeals. Also called the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. It is located at 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York). The purpose of Appeals courts is to “determine whether or not the law was applied correctly in the trial court” (“Court Role and Structure”). |
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30
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Word Processing:
In court, this person transcribes everything said in various legal proceedings. This job requires at least high school diploma. In 2014, the median salary for this was $49, 860 (“Word Processing Jobs”). In 1985, this equated to $22, 280 (Wolfram Alpha: Computational Knowledge Engine). |
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31
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I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille:
Quote from the movie Sunset Boulevard (1950). The direct quote is “Alright Mr. Demille I’m ready for my closeup”. Link to original clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMTT0LW0M_Y |
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Valium:
Also called diazepam, Valium is an anti-anxiety drug used medically by many people in the U.S.. For those who take heavy doses side effects can include: confusion, hallucinations, loss of inhibitions, depression, agitation, hostility, and more (“Signs and Symptoms of Valium Abuse”). |
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33
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Threshold:
The point at which a physiological or psychological effect begins to be produced (Merriam-Webster). |
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38
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Oversexed:
Having more interest in sex than is usual (Merriam-Webster). |
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38
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Abstracted:
Not paying attention to what is happening or being said; thinking of other things (Merriam-Webster). |
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39
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Zen:
a Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism that aims at enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation (Merriam-Webster). |
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42
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Nova Scotia:
See 42: Halifax. |
42
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La Grande Geste:
“The grand gesture, big gesture” ("Online Dictionary: French-English Translation."). |
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42
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Halifax:
Halifax is the capital of the province Nova Scotia in Canada. It is a large port city on the East coast (“Destinations: Nova Scotia”). |
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Human Immunodeficiency Virus:
Usually shortened to HIV, it is the virus that attacks the immune system and eventually develops into AIDS (“What Are HIV and AIDS?”). For more info see The AIDS Crisis of the 1980's. |
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43
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Kaposi's Sarcomas:
A cancer that is most common in people who have been infected with HIV. It causes lesions to form on the skin that are purple/red in color. It can be life threatening when the lesions reach the lungs, liver, or digestive tract (“What is Kaposi Sarcoma”). |
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Hemophiliacs:
An acquired or inherited disease that affects the blood, causing it to be unable to clot properly. By the mid 1980’s half of all hemophiliacs in the U.S. had contracted HIV (National Hemophilia Foundation). |
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45
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AIDS:
Short for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. See The AIDS Crisis of the 1980’s for more details. |
46
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Clout:
The power to influence or control situations (Merriam-Webster). |
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46
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Sophistry:
The use of reasoning or arguments that sound correct but are actually false (Merriam-Webster). |
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47
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Liver Cancer:
Throughout his treatment, Cohn maintained that his illness was liver cancer when speaking to the press (Krebs). |
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47
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NIH:
Short for National Institute of Health located in Bethesda, Maryland. In real life, Cohn died here on August 2, 1986, while receiving treatment for AIDS (“Biographies: Roy Cohn”). |
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47
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AZT:
Short for azidothymidine, it is a drug that delays the development of AIDS in people already infected with HIV. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1987. AZT was the first drug approved to treat AIDS (“AZT”). |
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51
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Jacob:
Biblical figure from the book of Genesis. One night while on a journey home, Jacob encountered a man. Jacob sent his family ahead while he wrestled with the man until daybreak. The man dislocated Jacob’s hip, yet still could not overpower him. The man asked Jacob’s name, then proceeded to rename him Israel, which possibly means “he who struggles with God”. Jacob asked the man his name but he would not say. When the man left he blessed Jacob. This man is sometimes represented as God, other times as an angel (“Genesis 32: 22-31.”). |
53
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Mayflower:
The ship that carried 102 passengers from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. Those passengers created the first New England Territory in the United States (“Mayflower”). |
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53
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Norman Conquests:
The military conquests in 1066 of England, led by William of Normandy. The most significant battle of the Conquests being the Battle of Hastings, Oct 14, 1066. William and the Norman’s defeated the British and took control of their country. Their victory changed many political and social aspects of Britain. The events of the Conquests were chronicled in the Bayeux tapestry (“Norman Conquest). |
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Bayeux tapestry:
A linen tapestry embroidered with scenes depicting the Norman Conquests. It is 231 feet long and 19.5 inches wide. The tapestry ends with Harold II’s troops fleeing Hastings. The scenes of the Conquests are bordered on the top and bottom by various other drawings and figures. It’s creation was wrongly attributed to Matilda, the wife of William I. Only a few names of obscure men are on the tapestry (“Bayeux Tapestry”). |
54
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La Reine Mathilde:
La Reine is French for “the queen” ("Online Dictionary: French-English Translation."). Mathilde is the French version of Matilda. She was the wife of William I (“Matilda of Flanders”). |
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54
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William the Conqueror:
Also called William I, he was the son of Duke of Normandy Robert I and his mistress. William I became the Duke when his father died then proceeded to change the course of British history by conquering England (“William I”). |
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The Ramble:
A section of Central Park that is 36 acres. It is called a wild garden, where plants are allowed to grow naturally. They form a thick canopy over winding sidewalks. It is located in the middle of the park (“The Ramble”). |
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Walter Winchell:
(1897-1972) A journalist and broadcaster who covered news and gossip. He was popular particularly from the 1930’s-50’s (“Walter Winchell”). He was friends with Roy Cohn, and some say that friendship influenced Winchell to support McCarthyism (Weinraub). |
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58
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Edgar Hoover:
(1895-1972) The director of the FBI from 1924 to his death in 1972 (“J. Edgar Hoover”). He recommended Roy for chief counsel to Joseph McCarthy. Hoover was impressed with Roy’s involvement in the Rosenberg Case (Simkin). |
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58
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Joe McCarthy:
(1908-1957) A U.S. Senator whose Anti-Communist prosecutions in the 1950’s gave rise to an era called McCarthyism (“Joseph McCarthy”). See The Trial of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg for more information. |
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Ma cherie bichette:
“My honey/darling/dear.” Both “cherie” and “bichette” are used like pet names similar to darling or sweetie ("Online Dictionary: French-English Translation."). |
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Comme la merde!:
“Like shit!” ("Online Dictionary: French-English Translation."). |
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62
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Voodoo:
a religion that is derived from African polytheism and ancestor worship and is practiced chiefly in Haiti (Merriam-Webster). |
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Botanica:
a shop that deals in herbs and charms used especially by adherents of Santeria (Merriam-Webter). |
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Ce n’est pas pour la joyeux noël et la bonne année:
“It’s not certain to be a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" ("Online Dictionary: French-English Translation."). |
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Ma pauvre bichette:
“My poor dear/darling” (“Online Dictionary: French-English Translation.”). |
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Comme ça:
“Like this” (“Online Dictionary: French-English Translation.”). |
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64
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Concupiscence:
Strong desire, especially sexual desire (Merriam-Webster). |
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64
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Florence Nightingale:
(1820-1910) A nurse for British troops during the Crimean War. She spent many hours in wards looking after the sick late into the night, which is what gave her the nickname “Lady with the Lamp” (“Florence Nightingale”). |
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64
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Ma bébé:
“My baby” (“Online Dictionary: French-English Translation.”). |
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64
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Je t’adore, ma belle nègre:
“I love you, my beautiful Negro” (“Online Dictionary: French-English Translation.”). |
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Katharine Hepburn:
A film actress who had a distinctive Mid-Atlantic accent, which she learned from vocal training (Taylor). A video featuring her speaking primarily can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na32H_d0NKU |
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65
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Je t’aime:
“I love you” (“Online Dictionary: French-English Translation.”). |
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Viola:
a musical instrument of the violin family that is intermediate in size and compass between the violin and cello and is tuned a fifth below the violin (Merriam-Webster). |
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66
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Senate:
The 99th Congress party division of the Senate was Republican: 53 seats, Democrat: 47 (“Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present”). |
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66
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Central America:
During the 1980’s, the US was involved in several civil wars in Central America. They were between Soviet- and Cuban- backed Marxist insurgents and American- backed right wing forces. These battles lasted throughout the decade (Arana). |
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67
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Ipso facto secular humanism:
Definition of ipso facto: by that very fact or act: as an inevitable result (Merriam-Webster). Secular humanism is a personal philosophy that is non-religious. It focuses in human interests over religious (“What is Secular Humanism?”). |
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69
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Genteel:
of or relating to people who have high social status (Merriam-Webster). |
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69
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Brahmin:
Definition for Brahman: an educated person who belongs to a high social class (Merriam-Webster). |
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70
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Antitrust suits:
Cases dealing with large industries and corporations, particularly their trading practices (“Antitrust Definition”). |
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70
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Deregulation:
Deals with large industries. It is the act of reducing government involvement in a certain industry for the purposes of creating more competition in said industry (“Deregulation Definition”). |
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70
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Environmental control:
Cases involving environmental control are handled in New York by The Environmental Control Board Hearing Division. It is a court, but not one that is a part of the state. The Board hears cases of possible violations of laws meant to protect the environment of the city (“Environmental Control Board”). |
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72
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Sabrett wagon:
A New York company that has wagons selling hot dogs stationed throughout the city. They all have signature blue and yellow flags (“Sabrett Hot Dogs”). |
73
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Irridium:
Misspelled in text, actually spelled iridium. A rare, hard, brittle, dense, platinum-like metal. Considered to be of low toxicity (“Iridium.”). |
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74
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Tallulah Bankhead:
(1902-1968) An American actress known for her quick wit and party lifestyle (“Tallulah Bankhead”). A video of her performing can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJgjbHJNR6M . |
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74
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Zeitgeist:
the general beliefs, ideas, and spirit of a time and place (Merriam-Webster). |
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74
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The American Animus:
The definition of animus- a strong feeling of dislike or hatred (Merriam-Webster). |
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74
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People:
A weekly, New York based magazine that publishes stories mostly about celebrities lives. It began publication in March 1974 (“People”). |
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78
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Maudlin:
showing or expressing too much emotion especially in a foolish or annoying way (Merriam-Webster). |
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84
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-Forty’d be more like it. -Fifty.:
$40,000 in current U.S. dollars equates to $89,910. $50,000 in current U.S. dollars equates to $111,900 (Wolfram Alpha: Computational Knowledge Engine). |
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86
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Radon gas:
A radioactive gas that can be found in the basements of homes. It cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States (“Radon Facts”). |
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87
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Latter-day saints:
The full title of the Mormon church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The term “latter-day” means new or modern. Members of ancient Christian churches were called saints. Mormons believe they were former-day Saints while current members are latter-day Saints (“What is the Mormon Church and Religion?”). |
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90
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Pestilence:
a disease that causes many people to die (Merriam-Webster). |
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91
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The spotty monster:
The Black Death most likely reached England around 1348. The disease cause spots called bulboes to occur at the sites where infected fleas bit their hosts. The plague is estimated to have killed around 2 million English citizens. Many saw it as an apocalypse plotted by the Jews against the Christians. This lead to mobs attacking and killing Jews (Ross). |
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92
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Rose petal and palm leaf:
Some believe they smell roses when they communicate with angels. They say angels send the scent of roses to signal their spiritual presence to a human. For this reason, angels are often depicted with roses in art (Hopler). Palm leaves were used by Romans and Christians alike as a sign of victory. For Christians in particular, it was used for martyrs as victory over earthly temptation and misery (“Symbols in Christian Art”). |
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92
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Revelator:
one that reveals; especially: one that reveals the will of God (Merriam-Webster). |
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92
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Adonai, Adonai, Olam ha-yichud, Zefirot, Zazahot, Ha-adam, ha-gadol:
This is Hebrew, meaning “My God, my God, world of unity, (Zefirot, Zazahot), the earth, the whole world.” The translations for “Zefirot, Zazahot” could not be found. This translation was found here: http://abbedamangels.tumblr.com/pronunciation . |
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92
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Fluor! Phosphor! Lumen! Candle!:
Fluor is a prefix meaning glow i.e.: fluorescent, fluoroscope. Lumen is also a prefix meaning light i.e.: lumenous, bioluminescent (“Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes”). The definition of phosphor is a luminescent substance that emits light when excited by radiation, fluorescent lamps (Merriam-Webster). |
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94
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Jeane Kirkpatrick:
(1926-2006) The first woman to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.. She was appointed by Reagan in 1981. She began her political career as very left oriented, but when the Soviet Union expressed its oppressive nature she became ardently anti-Communist. Her career as Ambassador was marked with controversy as she was combative rather than diplomatic. She also strongly supported the right-wing guerilla war groups in Central America (Pg 66) at the time. She helped secretly give them an aid of $19 million (“Jeane Kirkpatrick”). |
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94
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Bush:
(1924-) George H.W. Bush was the Vice President to President Reagan for both of his terms. He also served as President immediately following his Vice Presidency (“George H.W. Bush”). |
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94
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Venusians:
Of or relating to the planet Venus (Merriam-Webster). |
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94
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Bourgeois:
having qualities or values associated with the middle class : too concerned about wealth, possessions, and respectable behavior (Merriam-Webster). |
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94
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Enfranchisement:
To give someone the legal right to vote (Merriam-Webster). |
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94
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Implicit:
understood though not clearly or directly stated (Merriam-Webster). |
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95
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Sid the Yid:
Yid definition: offensive term for Jew, short for Yiddish (Merriam-Webster). Nothing could be found specifically about the "Sid" portion so it can be assumed this is just an rhyming idiom and "Sid" has no real significance. |
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95
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Woody Allen:
(1935-) A Jewish American director, actor, and writer. He grew up with a very rich Jewish culture in Brooklyn, NY (“Woody Allen”). |
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95
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Annie Hall:
A romantic comedy written and directed by Woody Allen, released in 1977. It concerns the relationship of a Jewish, Brooklyn-born comedian named Alvy Singer, and a nightclub singer named Annie Hall. Allen also played the role of Alvy Singer, which many comment on as the two share many similarities (Dirks). |
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96
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Spiritualists:
a belief that the spirits of dead people can communicate with living people (Merriam-Webster). |
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97
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Passive-aggressive:
being, marked by, or displaying behavior characterized by the expression of negative feelings, resentment, and aggression in an unassertive passive way (as through procrastination and stubbornness) (Merriam-Webster). |
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98
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Internalized oppression:
An instance where “a member of an oppressed group believes and acts out the stereotypes created about their group” (Jones). |
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99
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Louis Farrakhan:
(1933-) An African American who is a leader of the Nation of Islam. He has come under fire for being Anti-Semitic (“Louis Farrakhan”). |
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99
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Ed Koch:
(1924-2013) An American Jewish politician born to Polish immigrants living in the Bronx (JTA). He was the mayor of New York City from 1978-89. He received criticism for his racially insensitive remarks towards the African American community and for closing a hospital that had served a Black community well for many years (“Ed Koch”). |
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99
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Jesse Jackson:
(1941-) An African American politician, Baptist minister, and civil rights leader. He ran for President under the Democratic bid multiple times. He founded The National Rainbow Coalition in 1984. During his presidential campaign in 1984 he was criticised for his close relationship to Louis Farrakhan and for making disparaging remarks towards New York’s Jewish community (“Jesse Jackson”). |
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100
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Hymietown:
Jesse Jackson supposedly referred to Jews as “Hymies” and New York City as “Hymietown while talking to a Washington Post reporter in 1984. This caused several protests, to which Jackson replied that Jews were “conspiring to defeat him” (Sabato). |
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100
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The Rainbow Coalition:
Created in 1984 by Jesse Jackson, this group’s main purpose is to “demand social programs, voting rights, and affirmative action for minority groups left out by ‘Reaganomics’.” It still exists today, though it merged with Jackson’s other organization PUSH in 1996 (“A Brief History of Rainbow PUSH Coalition”). |
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100
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Ambivalent:
Definition of ambivalence: simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action (Merriam-Webster). |
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100
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In Love with the Night Mysterious:
This book is fake. It seems Kushner created this for the purpose of it being generic, like a cheap paperback romance novel. |
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100
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Democracy in America:
This is real, written by Alexis de Tocqueville in two volumes, published in 1835 and 1840. They each concern his analysis of American government, which he developed while visiting America in 1831 (“Democracy in America”). You can find the full text online here: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/home.html . |
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101
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Lazarus:
A Biblical figure of the New Testament. He becomes ill and dies, much to Jesus’ remorse. Jesus travels to Lazarus’ tomb in Bethany four days after he died. Jesus has his sisters open the tomb and Lazarus walks out at Jesus’ command, completely alive (“John 11”). |
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102
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Bird tuberculosis:
Also called Avian Tuberculosis, it is an often fatal disease transmitted from birds to humans. Thus far there has not been any convincing proof that it can be transmitted from human to human, only bird to human (“Avian TB”). |
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102
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Toxoplasmosis series:
A text used to see if patients have toxoplasmic encephalitis, which is caused by a protozoan infecting the host. This can be found in undercooked food or cat feces. People with AIDS are highly susceptible to it so they are always tested ("Toxoplasma Gondii Encephalitis"). |
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102
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Shochen bamromim hamtzeh menucho nechono al kanfey haschino...Bemaalos k’doshim ut’horim kezohar horokeea mazhirim...Es nishmas Prior sheholoch leolomoh, baavur shenodvoo z/dokoh b’ad hazkoras nishmosoh:
This is a Hebrew prayer for the dead. In Hebrew it is called “Kel Maleh Rachamim”, in English it is “Prayer for the Soul of the Departed” (Goldstein). Though some of the spelling differs, the transliteration and translation of the entire prayer can be found here: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/367837/jewish/Kel-Maleh-Rachamim.htm . |
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103
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Aleph:
The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which is usually called the “aleph-bet” as those are the first two letters (“Hebrew Alphabet”). |
104
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Mark of Cain:
A reference to the story of Adam and Eve’s children, Cain and Abel, in the book of Genesis. Cain was a farmer for the family, while Abel worked with the flocks. When they both made an offering to God, Abel presented meat from the firstborn of his flock, which God approved of. Cain offered the fruits of his soil, which God did not favor. This upset Cain and the Lord warned him not to give in to sin when it was on his doorstep. Cain invited Abel into the fields and killed him. In his anger, God banished Cain from the land. Cain replied that he would surely be killed by someone, so God put a mark on his forehead so all would know who he was. Cain later had a child named Enoch, who wrote the Book of Enoch (“Genesis 4”). This book concerned angels and the Apocalypse. See Mormons, Jews, and the Apocalypse for more information. |
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105
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Ruination:
the act or process of destroying something (Merriam-Webster). |
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107
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Eskimo:
An indigenous group of the Arctic, most of which now live in the subarctic regions of Canada, the U.S., and Eastern Russia (“Eskimo”). |
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107
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National Geographic:
A monthly magazine that has been publishing from Washington D.C. since 1888. Its articles concern geography, archeology, anthropology, and exploration (“National Geographic Magazine”). |
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108
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South Bronx:
On the other side of the city in relation to Brooklyn. There is a map detailing their locations in the Gallery. |
109
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Polack:
In 1943, the Nazis began to build underground tunnels in the Lower Silesia area, calling it Project Riese. Riese meaning “Giant”. These were built by prisoners from their concentration camps, including Polish people. The network of tunnels still exist in Poland today (Walden). |
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110
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Nostradamus:
(1503-1566) A French philosopher, physician, and astrologer. He began in the medical profession but began to write prophecies around 1547 that some believed to be true. Some believe his writings prophesied the French Revolution. The rest of his work does not make much sense, which leads many to believe they are events that haven’t happened yet (“Nostradamus”). Here is a pdf of his most notable work, Centuries, in both French and English: https://zelalemkibret.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/the-complete-works-of-nostradamus.pdf . |
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111
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Mormon Visitors’:
The Manhattan LDS temple is actually located at 65th and Broadway. Its exact address is 125 Columbus Ave., NY, NY (“Google Maps”). |
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112
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Bleeding Ulcer:
Also called a Peptic Ulcer, it involves open sores in the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. There is a myth that they are caused by stress, but they are actually from infection (“Peptic Ulcer”). |
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112
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Mary Jane:
Slang for a plain looking girl (“Mary Jane”). |
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112
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Ephemera:
things that are important or useful for only a short time ; items that were not meant to have lasting value (Merriam-Webster). |
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113
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Ethel Rosenberg:
(1915-1953) A Jewish woman tried with her husband in 1951 for revealing secrets to the Soviet Union (Biographies: Ethel Rosenberg). For more information see The Trial of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg. |
113
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Yid nebbish:
Yid is short for Yiddish and nebbish means “a timid, meek, or ineffectual person” (Merriam-Webster). |
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113
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The Nation:
A weekly American opinion journal. During the 1950’s it very blatantly opposed the practices of Joseph McCarthy (“The Nation”). |
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114
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Gospel:
He means “gospel truth” which means “the undeniable truth” ("Gospel Truth."). |
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114
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Ex-parte communication:
Ex-parte is “one sided”, so ex-parte communication is “any communication between a judge or juror and a party to a legal proceeding or any other person about the case, outside of the presence of the opposing party or the opposing party’s attorney” (Mince-Didier). |
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114
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Censurable:
Deserving or open to censure. Definition of censure: a judgement involving condemnation (Merriam-Webster). |
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115
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Prodigal son:
A character in a parable told by Jesus in the Bible. The prodigal son is a man who leaves his home and squanders his inherited wealth. When he returns, his father still accepts him as his son and celebrates his return (“Luke 15: 11-32”). |
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115
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Transgress:
to do something that is not allowed; to disobey a command or law (Merriam-Webster). |
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116
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Zaftig, mit hips:
Yiddish for “Juicy, with size” ("Yiddish Dictionary Online ייִדיש װערטערבוך אַפֿן װעב."). |
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117
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BETTER DEAD THAN RED!:
“A cold-war slogan claiming that the prospect of nuclear war is preferable to that of a communist society” (Oxford Dictionaries). |
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119
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La la la…:
She is referring to the dual tones associated to the push button phone. Video with each dual tone and their numbers found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSGqYyXBro |
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119
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Tumesce:
readiness for sexual activity marked especially by vascular congestion of the sex organs (Merriam-Webster). |
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119
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Oboe:
In Perestroika, Mr. Lies describes the oboe as the official instrument of IOTA saying, “If the duck was a songbird it would sing like this. Nasal, desolate, the call of migratory things...Blues for the death of Heaven” (145). Trio of oboes playing “Moon River” can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq8UEDrTIYA . |
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119
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“Moon River”:
Song written in 1961 for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, by Henry Mancini, lyrics by Johnny Mercer (“Moon River.”). Audrey Hepburn’s version from Breakfast at Tiffany’s here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7SI7N22k_A . |
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119
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Spectral:
Of, relating to, or made by a spectrum. Definition of spectrum: an entire range of light waves (Merriam-Webster). |
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121
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Scion:
a person who was born into a rich, famous, or important family (Merriam-Webster). |
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121
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The Recording Angel:
According to some Jewish teachings, this is the angel that “records the deeds of all individuals for future reward or punishment”. In Ezekiel, the angel Gabriel has a job similar to this, which was to mark the foreheads of the men of Jerusalem who were to be spared (Kohler & Eisenstein). For more information on Gabriel see The Origin of Angels and Their Various Functions. |
122
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Crocodile Tears:
A false expression of sadness or regret about something (Merriam-Webster). |
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123
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Strange bedfellows:
Two people with very different opinions or lifestyles who would normally not be seen together, yet are connected in a particular activity (“Make strange bedfellows”). |
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