tall order

informal.

something that is very difficult to do

Getting the project done on schedule is going to be a tall order.

That's a tall order to fill.

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What is a subplot in a story?

In fiction writing, the definition of a subplot is a side story that runs parallel to the main plot. It has a secondary strand of characters and events that can infuse important information into the main storyline.

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buzz

an atmosphere of excitement and activity.

"there is a real buzz about the place"

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bail out

rescue someone or something from a difficulty.

"the state will not bail out loss-making enterprises"

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potluck

A potluck is a communal gathering where each guest or group contributes a different, often homemade, dish of food to be shared.

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jarring

causing a physical shock, jolt, or vibration.

"the truck came to a jarring halt"

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confound

verb

past tense: confounded; past participle: confounded

cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by acting against their expectations.

"the inflation figure confounded economic analysts"

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heistinformal

noun

noun: heist; plural noun: heists

a robbery.

"a diamond heist"

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directives

Policy directives are statements of and instructions for implementing important, high-level internal direction and positions that guide organization decisions and actions.

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sentencing enhancements

Sentencing enhancements are laws that increase the total incarceration term for a crime based on aspects of how the crime was committed or who committed it. The Three Strikes law quickly became the most notorious enhancement law since its adoption in California in the 1990s.

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moratorium

noun

noun: moratorium; plural noun: moratoria; plural noun: moratoriums

a temporary prohibition of an activity.

"an indefinite moratorium on the use of drift nets"

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ballot

noun: ballot; plural noun: ballots

a process of voting, in writing and typically in secret.

"the commissioners were elected by ballot"

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impossible

very difficult to deal with.

"she was in an impossible situation"

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Pending Litigation

Pending Litigation means a proceeding in a court of law whose activity is in progress but not yet completed.

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deputy

noun: deputy; plural noun: deputies

a person whose immediate superior is a senior figure within an organization and who is empowered to act as a substitute for this superior.

"his deputy has been largely running the business for the past year"

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L.A.'s 'zero bail' policy

Under the policy, individuals accused of low-level offenses are released while they await trial without having to pay bail.

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lay something at the feet of someone

If you lay something at the feet of someone, you make or hold someone, especially a group of people, responsible for something.

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Watergate

水門事件（英語：Watergate scandal，又稱水門丑聞），是1970年代發(fā)生在美國(guó)的一場(chǎng)政治丑聞。1972年民主黨全國(guó)委員會(huì)位于華盛頓特區(qū)的水門綜合大廈被人侵入，然而時(shí)任總統(tǒng)理查德·尼克松及內(nèi)閣試圖掩蓋事件真相并阻撓國(guó)會(huì)調(diào)查，導(dǎo)致憲政危機(jī)。此次事件使尼克松于1974年宣布辭去總統(tǒng)職務(wù)。

1972年6月17日凌晨，當(dāng)時(shí)美國(guó)民主黨全國(guó)委員會(huì)所在地水門綜合大廈有住客失眠，保安人員檢查時(shí)意外發(fā)現(xiàn)從地下車庫(kù)通往大廈的門鎖兩次被人用膠布貼住。報(bào)警后，到場(chǎng)偵辦的兩名便衣警察抓獲5名潛入民主黨全國(guó)委員會(huì)總部安裝竊聽器和拍攝文件的嫌犯。之后，聯(lián)邦調(diào)查局調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)，這些人的資金來源是尼克松的籌款組織，也就是總統(tǒng)競(jìng)選連任委員會(huì)的政治捐款。

1973年7月，包括前白宮幕僚在聯(lián)邦參議院水門委員會(huì)的證詞在內(nèi)的證據(jù)都指向有白宮高層從中策劃了竊聽事件。而受到調(diào)查的白宮幕僚為了脫身，主動(dòng)交代理查德·尼克松總統(tǒng)上任后曾在整個(gè)白宮安裝由語音啟動(dòng)的錄音系統(tǒng)，并錄下白宮中幾乎所有的談話。而對(duì)這些錄音磁帶進(jìn)行調(diào)查后發(fā)現(xiàn)，尼克松在水門竊聽案發(fā)前后，都曾經(jīng)表示應(yīng)掩蓋其上任后的一些并不完全合法的行動(dòng)——無論是其本人還是下屬完成的。經(jīng)過一系列的司法訴訟，聯(lián)邦最高法院作出判決，要求總統(tǒng)必須交出錄音帶。尼克松總統(tǒng)最終服從了最高法院的判決。

面對(duì)國(guó)會(huì)眾議院幾乎肯定會(huì)通過，并且很可能導(dǎo)致總統(tǒng)被參議院定罪的總統(tǒng)彈劾案，尼克松于1974年8月9日發(fā)表電視演說正式宣布辭去美國(guó)總統(tǒng)職務(wù)。杰拉爾德·福特繼任成為新的美國(guó)總統(tǒng)，并于9月8日宣布赦免他的一切刑事責(zé)任。

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“Third-rate burglary”

“Third-rate burglary” is a phrase which President Richard Nixon's press secretary used to describe the Watergate break-in.

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bungle

verb: bungle; 3rd person present: bungles; past tense: bungled; past participle: bungled; gerund or present participle: bungling

carry out (a task) clumsily or incompetently.

"he bungled his first attempt to manage a group of professional players"

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“shoe leather” reporting

It's called “shoe leather” reporting because in its classic form, the journalist is literally on foot, walking from office to office, source to source, conducting interviews, pulling documents, hunting down facts no one else has confirmed yet.

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What was the Bridgegate scandal?

The Fort Lee lane closure scandal, also known as the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal or Bridgegate, was a political scandal involving a staff member and political appointees of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie colluding to create traffic jams in Fort Lee, New Jersey, by closing lanes at the main toll

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Deflategate was a National Football League controversy involving the allegation that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ordered the deliberate deflation of footballs used in the Patriots' victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Championship Game.

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Weinergate

Anthony Weiner sexting scandals

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smoking gun

: something that serves as conclusive evidence or proof (as of a crime or scientific theory)

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What was the significance of the White House tapes in the Watergate investigation?

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Nixon had to release the Oval Office tapes to government investigators. The Nixon White House tapes revealed that he had conspired to cover up activities that took place after the break-in and later tried to use federal officials to deflect the investigation.

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