I really can't see an argument in favor of a 30 round magazine, and I doubt I would find a person who feels they must have one an appealing person to be around.  But then again they would not like me either.   That said, if we d get an actual terrorist to use one of these clips we will see them banned in about ten minutes.  

The blue dogs are dying and the left is more free to bring out it's idealogical crusades...  gun control as a debate is back, and this is the tip of the iceberg.

 Sitting here in Hong Kong what I always notice is the "down stream" thoughts of Chinese families.  They are looking down the road at what the kids can be, as economic life is more on the minds here....  Where I think the Chinese moms have an advantage is if the kid came home and said  they want to be a "communications major" they would get the stick...

The economic outcome of education is more driven here -- mark

Miss Conduct. I would say that a high level for a woman would be the same it is for a man. What do you hold dearest and what do you do to protect and grow what you hold impost dear. If you meet not just your standards but those of the world then I would propose you are at that high level. I doubt your answer will be next quarters company finical results that we are talking about.

Having lived in Hong Kong and Asia for the last 17 years, and writing from the Neihui business park in Taipei I would advise all that no one in Asia is reading a book on the "proper environment" for starting a business. They just do it.

Sorry to be so negative, but really. Is there any hope for NYC?

Spot on Conor. While Obama is in a 9 ft hole due to his spending thanks to "us" he started out in a 3 ft one.

Having been abroad for 17 years I have to say that American mothers are by and large one of the weaker groups in the catagory of "mothers".

I tend to find at the core of most communities uncompetitive attitudes, allowances for bad behaviour, and general slackness, an american motherhood that refuses to be held responsible for the performance of their children.

Chinese saying is "soft mother makes a soft child"...

Do we really think Oprah, The View, Dr Phil, Hollywood, womens lib, and "womens studies programs" have made stronger moms...

have at it folks

Rob Long has more insight on this than most when it comes to Hollywood libs, but I suspect he is tired of it all.

It's one big snarky sneer from Tina Fey with Palin. I am not a big Palin fan, but I just find it so nasty of women on the left that rather than understand their sisters on the right they sneer at them.

Recall that Jodie Foster movie where she played the lower class girl that was raped in the pool hall. A champion of that woman and her situation, but in any way do you think Jodie Foster or Tina Fey have any time for the millions of women who don't get raped in country bars, ride with their men in pick-ups, and in general like Sarah Palin.....

Duane, you are a gentleman.

Re-unification is a Chinese idea now, in Taiwan it is political death even for KMT to openly talk it. Although no doubt the old guard have visions.

China is everywhere here now, always has been I guess, but with tourists now coming by the hundreds of thousands it is more and more obvious. But we might be careful to note that in the eastern bloc the russians played with borders, sent armies everywhere, but the notion of nation was never swayed.

Former DPP president Chen, (now in jail) did one thing. He established a moral sense of dignity in the nationalism of being Taiwanese. He awakened the Taiwanese to the idea that for the first time in a Chinese run society no one feared a knock on the door. The Taiwanese understand the dignity they have in their democracy and the dignity they have as a free people.

Chen established the Taiwanese identity. (after this he and his family tried to rob the place, but what he awakened and forced debated has stuck).

Rebuke from Logo noted...

Sorry that Logo does not fully understand why I use the term fool. You see, I have six sports reporters who are not in the Asian games now. Because in keeping with being the "same" as Seoul, the Chinese have decided in their enlghtened ways that our newspaper, the largest paper in Hong Kong and Taiwan, is such a threat that sports reporters may upset and overthrow the regime.

So, while I understand and agree with sentiments that China has improved greatly in the last 30 years, it remains a fools game to equate them with a democratic regime.

Mitch Daniels will use this China trip in his presidential campaign. Is it too much to ask that we view his actions as those of a Presidential candidate.

Bottom line is Nobel Winner Liu Xiaobao sits in jail and Daniels went to China said nothing.

Sitting here in Taipei would strongly disagree with that outlook as would even most KMT folks. Taiwan is a strong democracy. Just this morning outside my hotel two taxi drivers with DPP flags on their car were engaging a couple of dozen mainland tourists in banter over the election.

It is unjust to say the time since Deng in the 1980s have not been good for China when compared to it's history, but when we draw out too many comparisons we get into a "ifs and buts" game.

I am fully confident that within the next 20 years we will see a more open and free China than we have today. But it will not happen without the same effort that went into countering the moral arguments that were in favor of the the former Soviet Union.

The knee jerk defense of China, and usually the self-washing away of sins in dealing with the regime on it's terms, are not helpful.

Is China a better place than it was 20 years ago, of course. Is it free, No.

Would be interested in comments from all on how a man who is an open presidential candidate can spend 11 days in China and not bring up human rights once?

Can anyone find where he said anything in China on human rights?

Mr. Oyen,

I lived in Hong Kong for nearly 15 years, I opened some of the first container shipping routes for US lines in the 90's to china, and I am writing from the offices of Hong Kong and Taiwan's largest media company in Taiwan right now. Is it okay if I disagree with your "insightful views"

"Hard pressed to find much difference between Seoul and Shanghai in everyday life" Not to be rude, but only a fool would make such a statement.

I have several friends, Hugo Restall of the WSJ and David Zweig, a noted sinologist, who are considered "pro-china" in the view of most on the right and they would laugh at your statement. In the last 5 years we have seen a sharp increase in the influence of the communist party in everyday life as the regime struggles more and more to retain control. Should you like to come to Shanghai one day I will gladly fill your schedule with US business executives and Chinese citizens who can fill you in on the difference of Seoul and Shanghai.

Your argument is insulting to Chinese and your cliches and studied ignorance are not enlightening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrgpxoS8nzE

We had some fun with Superman. But seriously, here in Taiwan, if teachers were as callous as they are in public schools in the US they would lynch them.. Education is future earnings and the Taiwanese get that.

Rob, yes, NPR loses goverment funding and yes it does go down in flames. It all has to do with donations. Federal money is what gives NPR it's legitimacy in the eyes of large donors. By getting federal money NPR can make the case they are not Air America and they are performing a task that is in line with good citizenship. The money knocks back the critics of NPR, as afterall if so partisan why would a Republican congress fund.

Most of the corporate money in america and of course the foundation money is not up for a political fight, and if there was no federal money in NPR then the right would turn them into Plannned Parenthood.

It's easy to mock Ratigan, but the mindset he has is more sad than funny. You lose an election and you contemplate violence?

My dad always said never argue with a dumb guy as they run out of ammo pretty quickly and that leaves only a punch. The Left is now out of intellectual ammo and the conversation on MSNBC is sadly what we were up against in the future. We also have a President who is willing to name enemies.

2012 will be an uncivil election year, maybe not violence, but certainly many many nasty encounters on the campaign trail .