Today's edition of quick hits:
* San Bernardino: "Grim details emerged Thursday about the massacre at a California holiday party that left 14 people dead and 21 hurt, but investigators are still trying to answer the key question: Why?"
* West Virginia: "A federal jury on Thursday found former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship guilty of conspiring to willfully violate mine safety standards. The jury found him not guilty of securities fraud and not guilty of making false statements in the wake of the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster. The count Blankenship was convicted of, conspiring, is a misdemeanor for which he could face up to one year in prison."
* Chicago: "Sen. Dick Durbin has added his voice to the mix of politicians and elected officials calling for a Department of Justice investigation into the Chicago Police Department in response to the fallout from the release of the dashcam video showing the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald."
* Keep a close eye on this one: "White House officials are seeking a way to use executive authority to close the so-called gun show loophole that allows thousands of people to buy guns each year without a background check, but complicated legal issues have slowed the process."
* British officials wasted no time on this: "Britain on Wednesday night opted to join a U.S.-led bombing campaign against Islamic State targets in Syria, with Parliament endorsing a push by Prime Minister David Cameron after a raucous debate marked by accusations that revived the ghosts of Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war. Hours later, the government announced that British airstrikes had begun in Syria."
* The final vote was 359 to 65: "The House overwhelmingly approved a five-year, $305 billion highway bill Thursday, advancing the first long-term national transportation spending package in a decade and cementing an early legislative achievement in the Speaker Paul Ryan era."
* Economy: "American workers are starting to see distinct wage growth after years of tepid gains, signaling that a tightening job market may be putting pressure on employers to sweeten pay packages."
* Natural causes: "Newly elected Mayor Greg Fisk died of natural causes Monday, and facial injuries that sparked rumors of an assault actually came from a fall, Juneau police said Wednesday. 'The first assumption was someone had done something to him,' said Bryce Johnson, Juneau police chief."
* President Obama clarifies: "When I said 'no boots on the ground,' I think the American people understood generally that we're not going to do an Iraq-style invasion of Iraq or Syria with battalions that are moving across the desert."
* Alas, the "Cheney Busted" headlines did not lead to the stories I wanted to see: "There's a new addition to the statue-lined hallways of the U.S. Capitol -- a marble bust in the likeness of Dick Cheney. It's a tradition -- and a perk -- afforded vice presidents since the late 1800s."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.