HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the Marine Corps.

UGH: Mexico’s drug wars curtail holiday travel. “Fearing that they won’t be safe visiting relatives south of the border, many are forsaking family traditions and staying in the U.S.”

A MCCAIN VICTORY OF SORTS: “A wave of rural support for presidential candidate John McCain helped lead Tennessee Republicans to majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly for the first time in 140 years.”

Plus, TN GOP ready for shakeup.

SUDDENLY, dissent isn’t the highest form of patriotism anymore. Well, maybe there’s more to this than the video shows.

ADVANCES FOR thin plastic solar cells.

WANT A HIGH-TECH FUTURE? Consider paying for it. “People should consider diverting $100-150 per year in science fiction movies, DVD, books, toys and games towards actual scientific attempts at life extension and molecular nanotechnology.”

HOW ABOUT WAITING UNTIL HE’S ACTUALLY DONE SOMETHING? Planning under way for Obama holiday. “Plans are being made to promote a national holiday for Barack Obama, who will become the nation’s 44th president when he takes the oath of office Jan. 20.”

Related item here: “This is a cult like the one which grew up around Princess Diana, bereft of reason and hostile to facts.”

YOU’RE HERE, YOU’RE QUEER, Get over yourselves. “For the record, I voted NO on Prop 8, folks. Now that THAT’s out of the way, let me get to my point. Last night’s protest rallies in West Hollywood and elsewhere did NOTHING to help the No on 8 cause.”

Plus, complaints about HRC. And Aunt B. speaks in favor of litigation.

THE LONG TAIL OF WEB SEARCH IS much longer than expected.

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE CALLS ON OBAMA to keep his promise to keep Patrick Fitzgerald on as U.S. Attorney: “President-elect Barack Obama has said he’ll keep Fitzgerald in the job, and we trust he’ll keep his word. But Fitzgerald, who serves at the president’s pleasure, has powerful enemies. They know that as his list of cooperating witnesses lengthens—convicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko may be joining that club—so does his list of potential targets. Those with reason to fear Fitzgerald’s breath on their necks would love to see him dumped—or promoted high into Justice Department oblivion—when Obama takes office. . . . The sooner Obama silences speculation about the possible replacement of Fitzgerald, the better for both men: Obama will show that he’s a man of his word. And witnesses to corruption will know they aren’t cooperating with prosecutors who might soon have a new boss.”

YOUR MONEY AT WORK — WELL, MAYBE. Fed Defies Transparency Aim in Refusal to Identify Bank Loans. “The Federal Reserve is refusing to identify the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers or the troubled assets the central bank is accepting as collateral. Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in September they would comply with congressional demands for transparency in a $700 billion bailout of the banking system. Two months later, as the Fed lends far more than that in separate rescue programs that didn’t require approval by Congress, Americans have no idea where their money is going or what securities the banks are pledging in return.” And why not?

JOHN SCALZI brings America together.

PROFESSOR BAINBRIDGE: No Bailout for the Auto Industry. “Union contracts that impose astronomical health and pension costs, make innovation harder, reduce production flexibility, and fail to ensure quality. American workers can produce quality cars and do so at numerous foreign owned plants. Most of those plants, however, are not organized. A Democrat-sponsored bailout is certain to preserve the current union contract.” And that’s not the worst of the problems . . . .

Plus, Varifrank asks, Why can’t GM be allowed to go into bankruptcy?

ANOTHER CHANCE TO PLAY NAME THAT PARTY! “A Jersey City councilman has reportedly been arrested for urinating on a crowd of concertgoers from the balcony of a Washington D.C. nightclub.”

Did he tell them it was raining?