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...

First, on the Congressional front: 52-year old Mike Johnson ( on the left ,  becomes 53 on January 30 ), from Louisiana, narrowly, and with some difficulty, was voted on the first ballot as Speaker of the House.  This was expected, but was nevertheless an embarrassment the way it happened. 63-year old  John Thune  ( he turns 64 on January 7 ), from South Dakota, is now Majority Leader of the Senate, replacing Mitch McConnell. Then, the daily Donald Trump incident.   Judge Juan Merchan denied Trump's bid to dismiss the case, and said the sentencing will be announced on January 10 , ten days before Inauguration Day.  Whew for Trump, for the judge did also say that there will be no jail sentence at this time.  Huh?  Well, let's see what Merchan says on January 10. The Sentry Tournament of Champions is being played in Kapalua on Maui,  15 miles north of the village of Lahaina , which was decimated last year by fire.  How different they ...