FoxNews just went with this story, which the Czar does not see on other news feeds yet, that the dramatically-named USS John McCain is closing in on a North Korean ship believed to be moving weapon material around.

The destroyer, to be clear, has not engaged the North Koreans nor is presently ordered to do so—however, it is clearly moving into position for one and only one purpose: to stop that ship.

You will recall that North Korea assured the world that if any American or South Korean naval vessel intercepted any North Korean ship, the North would consider it an open declaration of war.

Also mentioned, and another story we missed, is that the John McCain was involved in a slight fender bender a week ago, when a Chinese submarine stealthily snuck up behind her…and smashed right into the John McCain’s sonar array. Gosh, Wen, you think they heard us?

Anyhow, this appears to have the markings of North Korea’s most serious and direct test of the new administration: the end game scenarios (which the link above does get into) require us to be incredibly tough on the Koreans, or to wimp out entirely: there is little middle ground.

In an assuredly unrelated story, the North Koreans are allegedly preparing a missile test that is aimed at, and could theoretically reach, Hawaii—a state in which POTUS Obama may or may not have been born. If the President does not want Hawaiians voting Republican next year, he might want to check into this.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.