People in Hong Kong are already starting to plan for when the giant duck leaves on June 9.

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Their influence can still be tasted at many of the thousands of restaurants serving dishes like Sichuan duck smoked with camphor wood and tea leaves, and a popular dish called Over the Bridge Noodles.

BBC: The melting pot of Chinese cuisine

And their elected representatives, who often know little more than their constituents about our military, should refrain from imposing such hardships on those who keep us safe and free - especially in a lame-duck session that leaves no opportunity for deliberation and debate about the predictable, real and toxic repercussions of such actions.

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That leaves one, rather distant, hope: that, in the lame-duck period between the election and the next Congress, prompted by the imminent expiry of George Bush's tax cuts at the beginning of 2013, America's politicians will sit down and finally hammer out the grand bargain the country so desperately needs, with the tax increases delayed in exchange for sensible reforms to spending and the tax code.

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The locally sourced potatoes are twice fried in a healthy coating of duck fat that results in a crunchy exterior but leaves each fry's interior fresh and tender.

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