The Hermit Kingdom: Both the US and South Korean governments say they doubt that North Korea conducted its first test of a hydrogen bomb as claimed by the North. Seismic experts say the shaking felt in South Korea near the border is not consistent with a powerful nuclear bomb test.

Korea’s National Intelligence Service said the seismic readings indicate an explosion equivalent to about six kilotons of TNT and that a hydrogen bomb would have been the equivalent of hundreds of kilotons.

But what the North did, or what kind of device it may have tested, so far none of the experts can say.

Econ 101: For the second time this week Chinese stock losses exceeded 7 percent, triggering an automatic trading stoppage. The Chinese economy has been slowing and an investment bubble has been deflating. Yesterday a dismal manufacturing report led to another slide. Look for US and stocks around the world to hit the skids as well.

PoliceBeat: Perjury charges have been brought against the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, the black motorist who was later found hanging in her jail cell last year. Trooper Brian Encinia initially stopped Bland for failing to use her turn signal, but ended up hauling her out of her car because she refused to put out her cigarette. Encinia wrote on his arrest affidavit that he removed Bland from her car for a safe traffic investigation and the grand jury decided that it was a lie. No charges have been brought in Bland’s death.

Church and State: In defiance of a Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, Alabama’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore yesterday ordered all probate judges in his state to stop issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. In issuing his order Moore, a religious conservative, said the Supreme Court decision is in conflict with Alabama state law.

In his first term as Chief Justice, Moore was removed from office after refusing to move a monument to the 10 Commandments that he had ordered to be installed in Alabama’s highest court building.

Gassed: California Gov. Jerry Brown has finally declared a state of emergency because of a giant natural gas leak that started Oct. 23d and has forced 2,000 residents of Porter Ranch out of their homes. The gas has given people headaches, nosebleeds, nausea, and dizziness. So far, the Southern Calif. Gas Co. has been unable to plug the leak.

The Obit Page: Riley Martin, a member of Howard Stern’s radio “Wack Pack,” died Dec. 22^nd at age 68. Martin claimed that back in 1953 he had been abducted by an alien race called “Biaviians.” He wrote a book about it listing the Biaviian leader O-Qua Tangin Wann, as his co-author. That’s his contribution to American culture.

Home Plate: Baseball sluggers Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mike Piazza were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame yesterday. Griffey, to be inducted as a Seattle Mariner, hit 630 home runs. Catcher Mike Piazza hit 396 homers, the most for anyone at that position. Piazza, who spent 6 ½ years as a Los Angeles Dodger, wants to be inducted to the hall as a NY Met because he knows, like everyone else, the Dodgers suck.

Death by Tweet: The Report’s unscientific survey has determined that Republican presidential candidate Jeb! Bush is the most boring tweeter in the history of the 140-character medium and might even kill it like your parents showing up at the latest underground club.

His latest:

-“Great crowd here in Meredith, NH tonight! Talking about everything from school choice to national security.”

-“My motto is listen, learn, lead.”

-“New on my Snapchat story: Wishing Mom and Dad a Happy Anniversary. Add me to check it out:”

Oh, man, he just killed Snapchat, too.

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