Word: rules
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...believes he is the reincarnation of a Burmese king who killed many Thais, and so has engaged in elaborate cleansing rituals to wash away the sins of his past lives. While in power, Wassana says Thaksin performed several saiyasat, or black magic rituals, that he hoped would prolong his rule for life. While visiting Burma he sought counsel from a deformed astrologer nicknamed "ET" who is favored by the generals that have kept the country in their iron grip for more than half a century...
...Slovakia ranked as the fourth least patriotic nation out of 33 countries surveyed -the U.S., not surprisingly, was number one. Slovakia's angst began when Czechoslovakia split up in 1993 and Vladimir Meciar became Prime Minister of the new Slovak nation, ushering in four years of autocratic and isolationist rule. The country was considered such a backwater during those days that then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright once famously referred to it as "the black hole in the heart of Europe." Since then, however, Slovakia has caught up with and even surpassed its Eastern European rivals, joining NATO...
White has tried to take advantage of a potential $11 billion state-budget shortfall, deriding Perry's support for a 5% across-the-board budget scrub as "Soviet-style" management. Unfortunately, his criticism of Perry's style was accompanied with a refusal to rule out tax increases - a position the Perry campaign pounced on. Perry pollster Mike Baselice says White's support for taxes, national health care reform and cap-and-trade legislation help define him as a "McGovern liberal...
...didn't vote for the bill. On final passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) later that year, to gain Representative Robin Hayes' vote, GOP leaders promised that they would help steer business to a textile company in his district. But these threats, sweetheart deals and rule-bending votes were long forgotten by the next elections. Seniors adore the Medicare Prescription Drug plan, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has declared CAFTA a success. If health reform passes, Democrats will be able to tout a number of immediate benefits, including a ban on preexisting exclusions for children...
...Iranian New Year celebration, which for more than three millenniums marked the beginning of spring in the Persian world. The popular holiday, celebrated with bonfires and, more recently, illegal fireworks, is so hoary it predates the three Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - a fact that the mullahs who rule Iran are quite sensitive about. One ayatullah, Nasser Makarem Shirazi, called the first day of Nowrooz a "superstitious act and baseless. Pious and sensible Muslims will stay away from...