AtDtDA(28): The Eastern-Question Brigade

[Dave Monroe]

   "'I say, it could take forever, couldn't it.  How many working here
in your shop?'
   "Bevis indicated himself, with a single finger, held like a pistol
to his head...." (AtD, Pt, IV, p. 800)


"a single finger, held like a pistol"

E.g., ...

VINCENT: What's her name again?

JULES: Mia. Why you so interested in big man's wife?

VINCENT: Well, Marsellus is leavin' for Florida and when he's gone, he
wants me to take care of Mia.

JULES: Take care of her?

Making a gun out of his finger and placing it to his head.

VINCENT: Not that! Take her out. Show her a good time. Don't let her get lonely.

http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Pulp-Fiction.html


fatkeqëse

Albanian: translated in the text as "disaster." Is this correct?

http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_792-820#Page_800


"The Eastern-Question brigade"

The "Eastern Question", in European history, encompasses the
diplomatic and political problems posed by the decay of the Ottoman
Empire. The expression does not apply to any one particular problem,
but instead includes a variety of issues raised during the 18th, 19th,
and 20th centuries, including instability in the European territories
ruled by the Ottoman Empire.

The Eastern Question is normally dated to 1774, when the Russo-Turkish
War, 1768-1774 ended in defeat for the Ottoman Turks. As the
dissolution of the Ottoman Empire was believed to be imminent, the
European powers engaged in a power struggle to safeguard their
military, strategic and commercial interests in the Turkish domains.
Imperial Russia stood to benefit from the decline of the Ottoman
Empire; on the other hand, Austria and the United Kingdom deemed the
preservation of Turkey to be in their best interests. The position of
France changed several times over the centuries. The Eastern Question
was put to rest after World War I, which brought about the collapse of
the Ottoman Empire....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Question

Eastern Question

http://bartleby.net/65/ea/EasternQ.html

The Great Powers and the "Eastern Question"

http://www.lib.msu.edu/sowards/balkan/lect10.htm


gongs

Main Entry: gong
Pronunciation: \ˈgäŋ, ˈgȯŋ\
Function: noun
Etymology: Malay & Javanese, of imitative origin
Date: circa 1590

[...]

3 British : medal

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gong
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medal


"ash-cats of the Balkans"

Ash Cat – A locomotive foreman.
http://www.hrtrains.com/glossery.html#A

Slang term for locomotive fireman.
http://en.mimi.hu/modelrailroad/ash_cat.html

ash-cat: (a) member of ship's gang which hauls ashes from the
boiler-room and dumps them overboard ... (b) one who hugs the
fireside.
http://books.google.com/books?id=XrVbk3EndTcC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10


Irredentism

Main Entry: ir·re·den·tism
Pronunciation: \-ˈden-ˌti-zəm\
Function: noun
Date: 1883
: a political principle or policy directed toward the incorporation of
irredentas within the boundaries of their historically or ethnically
related political unit
— ir·re·den·tist  \-ˈden-tist\ noun or adjective

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irredentism

Main Entry: ir·re·den·ta
Variant(s): also ir·ri·den·ta \ˌir-i-ˈden-tə\
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian Italia irredenta, literally, unredeemed Italy,
Italian-speaking territory not incorporated in Italy
Date: 1914
: a territory historically or ethnically related to one political unit
but under the political control of another

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irredentas

Irredentism is any position advocating annexation of territories
administered by another state on the grounds of common ethnicity or
prior historical possession, actual or alleged....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irredentism

A policy appealing to the idea that "our" lands are unredeemed, i.e.,
ruled by some outsider, and must be brought into our domain....

http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_792-820#Page_800

Cf. ...

"'Ever heard of D'Annunzio?'  Then: Mussolini?  Fiume?  Italia
irredenta?" (V., Ch. 9, Sec. ii, p. 242)
http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0103&msg=54010

"Rumor had it that a week or so later the lady V. ran off with one
Sgherraccio, a mad Irredentist....."  (V., Ch. 14, Sec. ii, p. 414)
http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0106&msg=56890

"Irredentist elements" (AtD, Pt, II, p 254)
http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0705&msg=118671

"'Lot of this dang Irredentism going around lately,' it seemed to
Darby." (AtD, Pt. II, p. 254)
http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0612&msg=112912

"Eurasia Irredenta" (AtD, Pt. IV, p. 761)

http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0802&msg=124709
http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_748-767#Page_761


Derrick Theign

Book title, Anglo-Saxon Theign: The collapse of Roman rule in Britain
was not so much a sudden catastrophe as a long and drawn-out decline.
The 'Celtic' Britons retreated gradually to the highland areas of
Wales, Cornwall and the south-west of Scotland. Control of the fertile
eastern lowlands was lost to warriors of Germanic origin who migrated
from the Continent. These Germanic conquerors have become known to
history as the 'Anglo-Saxons.' The word theign (or thane) referred to
a noble ruler like an earl. Macbeth was 'thane of Cordor.'

In Henry James' novel The Outcry, there's a widowed Lord Theign, who
to cover the gambling debts of his daughter Kitty Imber, is planning
to sell his beautiful painting Duchess of Waterbridge by Sir Joshua
Reynolds to American billionaire Breckinridge Bender; code name "Good
Shepherd" in Vienna.

http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_792-820#Page_800

By the way, no alphabetical entry in the wiki ...

http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=T