MEANWHILE, IN THE EASTERN VACATIONLAND - AT 9:44 A.M. ET:  North Korea is responding to that UN resolution yesterday, sold to us by diplomats as "tough":

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea responded to new United Nations sanctions on Saturday by defiantly vowing to press forward with production of nuclear weapons and take “resolute military actions” against efforts to isolate it.

In a statement on the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, an unnamed spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying that his nation will continue its nuclear program to defend itself against what he called a hostile United States policy. He was quoted as saying his nation will “weaponize” its existing plutonium stockpiles and begin a new program to enrich uranium, another material that can be used to make atomic warheads.

COMMENT:   Not very sporting.  Of course, the North Koreans always talk tough, and we haven't exactly responded with much muscle.  They calculate that they can get away with anything verbal, and most things physical.  And that is the record.

There's no question but that crunch time is coming.  It is inconceivable for anyone to think that we'll make progress with Iran if we allow North Korea to run rampant over us and our allies.  For President Obama, the honeymoon may soon turn into a nightmare, eased only by the obeisance of much of the press.  We have said here that the last half of this year, especially the last third, will be hellish.  Nothing has happened to alter that judgment.

June 13, 2009