I think another roundup is in order

In the "Britain down the toilet" and "Idiot Judge" combined categories, we have this:
Paul Hannam, 39, was beaten unconscious as he attempted to defend 12-year-old son Josh from an unprovoked assault outside a Chinese takeaway.
...
But incredibly Judge Timothy Clayson let the four yobs charged over the attack walk free from Bolton Crown Court with suspended jail terms. He said it was because they saved the cost of a trial by pleading guilty.
You just can't make crap like this up.

Next, in the "Why the hell were any of those boats still floating?" section, we have the opinion of Ralph Peters:
On Sunday, the Iranians tested us. We failed. They'll probe us again. And every time we fail to react decisively, we raise the number of future US casualties.

Remember the USS Cole? You bet the Iranians do. They plan to better that attack by an order of magnitude.

For almost 70 years, we've deployed the finest navy in the history of the world. But it looks increasingly as if we've gone from "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" to "Will this interfere with my next promotion?"
Two things: first, whatever idiot gave the orders that both let the Iranians get that close(200 Freakin' Meters!) AND let them get away should have their rank stripped and be thrown out of the service. Second, we can be sure it was some high-ranking idiot who cares more about politics(and his star, or next star) than about the men and ships. Who, for that reason also, ought to be made to walk a damn plank.

In the "ATF Follies", it seems that Acting Director Sullivan isn't exactly winning friends and influencing people. At least not the way he wants to. (found this one through Uncle)

And we have a new entry in the "Harry Reid Is A Statist Prick With A Thin Skin" field:
Richard Viguerie, a conservative “grassroots” lobbyist, defines the legal gobbledegook as follows:

“Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before theSenate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists. Section 220 would amend existing lobbying reporting law by creating the most expansive intrusion on First Amendment rights ever. For the first time in history, critics of Congress will need to register and report with Congress itself.

“The bill would require reporting of ‘paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying,’ but defines ‘paid’ merely as communications to 500 or more members of the public, with no other qualifiers.

Lamppost, rope, politician...

And finally, in the "Best Description of the UN" category, this from Theo.

And on a personal level, one description of a not overly good day:
Up all day yesterday.
Go to work with(due to circumstances) about 1.5 hours sleep, work beginning at midnight.
Don't try to sleep during the day because A: I tend to get headaches when I take naps, and B: it'll mess up my being able to sleep tonight.
In a state of worn-out this afternoon, hear the report of the booby-trapped house killing six troops. In the region where you think the offspring is. That's not good to hear at any time, exhaustion just makes it worse.