Senate Republican leaders emerged from a lunch with President Donald Trump cautiously optimistic that the government shutdown could be nearing an end as Democrats open the door to talks and possible negotiations. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters after Tuesday’s lunch that he is “hopeful” lawmakers can break through the 21-day impasse sometime this week, noting he will give Democrats “several opportunities” to reopen the government with future votes. The sense of confidence comes after talks appeared to be completely stalled coming into this week and both parties remained dug in on their opposite sides...

Republicans on both sides of the Capitol are publicly and privately pushing back on President Donald Trump’s idea of importing beef from Argentina, with some making direct pleas to the White House to reverse course. The issue came up during Senate Republicans' visit to the White House on Tuesday, according to Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb. Fischer said she also met with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Tuesday to discuss her concerns...

It's Day 22 of the federal government shutdown, and Republicans and Democrats appear no closer to an agreement to end it. Without a fix, many federal employees will not be getting paid this Friday, the first full paycheck they'll miss as a result of the shutdown. By law federal workers are supposed to get back pay once the shutdown ends, but the White House has tried to cast doubt on that. Meanwhile, President Trump has tied the shutdown to his overall goal of shrinking the size of the government, laying off workers en masse while it continues — and promising more — while specifically targeting what he calls "Democrat programs."...

The best-selling author Michael Wolff is suing Melania Trump in an unprecedented court case—after she threatened to sue him for $1 billion. The author, who is co-host of The Daily Beast’s hit podcast, Inside Trump’s Head, is accusing the First Lady of launching an assault on his free speech and trying to stifle “legitimate inquiry” into Jeffrey Epstein. The case is the first time Melania Trump has been sued as First Lady and appears to be the first time a president’s wife has been the subject of court action. Wolff is asking the court for permission to question Melania and Donald Trump under oath about their dealings with Epstein...

I’ve had intense issues with insomnia and respiratory problems for 40 years – and yet, I only learned about cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) this year. Fellow insomniacs told me about it when I was reporting a story on the link I discovered between orthodontics and sleep health during my exhaustive search for sleep solutions. Two rounds of nasal surgery in the past year revolutionized my air flow – but didn’t improve the anxious mind that still kept me awake...

Great choices. The post The two bands Neil Young always wanted to work with: “I’d love to” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

A disaster. The post The massive festival set that disgusted Tom Petty: “All I could see were little specks” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Far from his forte. The post The moment Bob Dylan stopped caring about music: “Seemed to take a different turn” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Platner's Tattoo Exposes Dems Badly

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