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Today’s Big Story

Tech Bros and Facelifts

To combat fears of aging out of the workforce, more men are splurging on cosmetic work

Forget about the fleece vest. Or the luxury vehicle. It seems that that the latest Silicon Valley status symbol is a discreet, high-end cosmetic procedure. I guess it makes sense, right? Tech is a young person’s game. If you can look young(er) but also have a few decades of institutional knowledge, you could really have an edge.

This is why men in the tech field are increasingly spending thousands of dollars on procedures such as “mini face-lifts”, neck lifts and eyelid lifts to beat the signs of aging, according to plastic surgeons. Much like a Kardashian, one of the biggest keys to success is a brand-new face.

“Our society has traditionally put more pressure on women to look young, but now everyone is feeling it—especially in Silicon Valley, where you start to be labeled ‘irrelevant’ if you look old,” one San Francisco plastic surgeon tells the Wall Street Journal. A fellow surgeon says requests for face-lifts from men in tech have jumped roughly 25% from pre-Covid levels, while eyelid surgeries are up by 50%.

Dr. Ben Talei, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon (who charges around $125,000-$150,000 for his advanced face- and neck lift), has seen demand from tech guys increase fivefold over the past five years. He said the most notable increase appears to be among men in VC and private equity. The fact that these guys have access to funds helps, where even a basic face-lift will run you at least $40,000.

Of course, they’re not the only ones. Freshly chiseled jawlines are in everywhere, but in Washington, D.C., people have even more reasons to go under the knife (or at least the needle). Politico reports that in the MAGA-2 era, men’s facial features are looking … different. The surgeons and dermatologists who treat the D.C. power class will never share their patients’ secrets; some doctors strategically time surgeries during congressional recess, and many go out of their way to make sure their clients aren’t even seen entering the office, using a spy-movie-like web of hidden entries and secret back doors. But “strong jawlines and prominent chins are de rigueur,” says Dr. Tina Alster, a dermatologist who treats high-powered patients at her K Street practice.

Trump in Asia

Topping the agenda at every stop is trade, with negotiators still ironing out details of pacts

President Donald Trump has arrived in Tokyo, Japan, his second stop on a three-country tour of Asia. Here in Japan, he’ll have the opportunity to meet with Sanae Takaichi, a staunch conservative and protege of the late Shinzo Abe, who became Japan’s first female prime minister this month. Trump is likely to highlight Japan’s commitment to invest $550 billion in the U.S. He is also expected to meet with Japan’s emperor, visit with U.S. troops, and meet Japanese business leaders during the trip.

Earlier, he danced alongside Malaysian performers as he was greeted on the first leg of the tour. The five-day trip will culminate in a highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, as tensions between the world’s two biggest economies tick higher. Trade is expected to dominate the week. Aboard Air Force One, Trump told NBC News that he would subsidize U.S. farmers if he did not reach a deal with China, and that he planned to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war with Xi, saying he’d like to see China “help us out.”

The White House says it reached trade agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia, and frameworks for deals with Thailand and Vietnam during Trump’s trip across Asia. The announcements, while not legally binding, represent significant progress in Trump’s quest to lower trade barriers for U.S. goods abroad.

The Government Is Still Shutdown

GOP is growing uneasy over voters’ health care premiums amid the standoff

President Donald Trump has now overseen America’s two longest government shutdowns in history. He’s also the first one to leave the U.S. mid-shutdown. But the show must go on, especially since this standoff doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon.

Democrats say they will not vote to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending tax credits under the Affordable Care Act that have subsidized health insurance for millions of Americans. Republicans say they will not negotiate until Democrats reopen the government. But the effects are certainly now being felt. Saturday marked the first day after more than 1 million federal employees failed to receive their full paycheck. And many travelers are experiencing flight delays, too.

Anxiety is rising among congressional Republicans that their party has no plan to address the critical health care deadline that will result in spiking costs for millions of Americans. According to CNN, some of those GOP members are offering a stark warning today their own leaders: Doing nothing could cost them their full control of Congress in next November’s midterms, calling for a plan that would address expiring enhanced Obamacare tax credits to be swiftly advanced once the government eventually reopens. What’s more, more than 40 million Americans are at risk of going without food assistance benefits at the end of the month if the shutdown continues.

Pop Culture Costumes

How to get the internet’s nod of approval this spooky season

For some, Halloween is a time to dress up as something scary. For others, something sexy. But over the last decade, the urge to dress up as something incredibly niche, yet culturally relevant, has become the go-to move for many “chronically online” people.

It’s knowing that even if the house party doesn’t understand your costume, the internet will (“Gay Halloween” is all the proof you need). Maybe, as the world gets scarier, we’re not looking for another fright, but a moment of relief instead—or maybe modern politics just makes zombies and demons look tame. Either way, this year has provided us with plenty of ridiculous pop culture moments primed for reinterpretation.

Dazed suggests going as a “Jet2holiday” or “Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl”. Vogue put together shoppable options, whether you’re going as “Katy Perry in space” or a “slightly sexy Labubu”. And The Cut suggests even deeper cuts like “the big brain puppy” and “VanillaMace and the ‘f#ck ass Christmas tree’”.

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