Four in the morning

1. Whichever way the California Supreme Court rules on the gay-marriage ban today, expect the losing side to mount legal and political challenges. AP

2. Conservatives might be itching for a fight over the choice of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, but it looks like President Obama has found a way to sidestep a nasty showdown. Mark Halperin

3. It's a long way to the top of Manaslu - and it leads right through the Death Zone. Nicholas Rice of Hermosa Beach (photo right) peaked last Tuesday. Watershed News

4. Standing up to a recalcitrant - and nuclear - North Korea is a lot harder than it looks. NYT