Winners
 
Tony Blair: A masterful speech to his last party conference should allow him to depart at leisure.
 
German Muslims: They push for the production of Mozart's "Idomeneo" to go ahead, demonstrating a commitment to pluralism that is all too often lacking among Europe's self-anointed Muslim leaders.

Stereotypes: New Jersey pol corrupt, Virginia pol racist, Florida pol weird.
 
Kazakhs: They can take a joke even if their government can't.
 
Creative accounting: Greek economy grows 25 percent thanks to money launderers and prostitutes.
 
Losers
 
Rumsfeld: Revelations in Bob Woodward's book will prompt another round of resignation demands. Meanwhile, Baghdad goes into lockdown. Guess stuff just keeps happening.
 
Magna Carta: Habeas corpus goes into hibernation.

Snoops: HP bugging scandal claims more victims, while candidate for New York Attorney General is embarrassed by an investigation into whether she spied on her husband. 

Nuclear talks: Chatting with Tehran isn't going anywhere.
 
Neighborly feelings: Afghanistan and Pakistan snipe at each other, Georgia enrages Russia by arresting four alleged spies, and the U.S. Senate is set to fence off Mexico.