Well, that 41-day government shutdown should be over by mid-week or so.  A few steps remain.   From  Time  magazine: Senate Democrats had been withholding their support for a House-passed funding bill over healthcare subsidies they wanted extended, but the eight Democrats who broke rank with their party leadership said they agreed to a handshake deal with the White House and Senate Republicans to back a stopgap measure to fund the government through January in return for a promised future vote on those healthcare subsidies, though the Republicans did not pledge their support for extending them. The   continuing resolution   acts as a legislative vehicle to reopen the government, and will extend government funding till Jan. 30, 2026. In exchange for the Democrats’ votes, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R, S.D.) promised a vote in mid-December on an extension bill for ACA subsidies of Democrats’ choosing. Thune, members of the Appropriations Committee...

Before I get into baseball, a further look at the fractious Epstein matter.   First some history : March 2005:  Police in Palm Beach Florida begin investigating Jeffrey Epstein after the family of a 14-year old girl reported she was molested at this mansion. He bought the place in 1990. Two miles south is Mar-a-Lago, which Donald Trump has owned since 1985. Epstein's home was razed  soon after it was sold in 2019. May 2006:  Palm Beach police charge Epstein with multiple counts of unlawful sex with a minor. June 2006:  Clearly, Epstein influenced State Attorney Barry Krischer, who sent the case to a grand jury that heard from only one accuser, so the only judgement was to charge Epstein with one count of solicitation of prostitution. July 2006:  FBI becomes suspicious and opens investigations into Epstein's activities not only in Florida, but also New York and elsewhere. 2007:  Federal prosecutors prepare an indictment against Epstein. June 2008:...