Monday, May 18, 2026

On Day 80 of Trump War of Whimsy, skyrocketing price of diesel fuel wreaks havoc on school budgets

 
Headline:  Wisconsin State Journal, 5/18/2026

Lisa Baertlein reports for Reuters:
School districts from Yakima, Washington, to Waco, Texas, are tapping emergency funding reserves to keep buses running. In remote Alaska, officials scrambled to secure enough fuel to keep the lights on, according to Reuters interviews. 
"It's more than a straw on the camel's back, it's like a haystack," Yakima Superintendent Trevor Greene said.
 
Related posts:
May 2026
Day 65: Iran War has cost American consumers more than $31 billion in extra fuel costs.  (5/3)

April 2026
 

GET ME REWRITE: Trump's Big Beautiful Coal fetish is making Americans sicker and dumber

 
Headline:  New York Times, 5/11/2026

Irena Hwang and Hiroko Tabuchi report:
Coal-fired power plants across the country released more mercury last year as power demand surged, reversing a yearslong downward trend in the emissions of a toxic metal that impairs brain development
Mercury emissions from coal-burning plants increased by roughly 9 percent in 2025, compared with a year earlier, totaling more than 4,800 pounds, according to a New York Times analysis of data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency. 
At the same time, the Trump administration launched a series of moves that experts say may make those emissions climb even higher this year and beyond. [emphasis added]

Related posts:
2026
 
2025

GET ME REWRITE: Many Americans went deeper in debt in April due to higher gas prices

 
Graph:  New York Consumer Credit Panel via Lending Tree
Headline:  New York Times, 5/14/2026

Sydney Ember reports:
Lower-income households in particular are feeling the squeeze. Higher-frequency credit card transactions from Bank of America showed evidence that middle- and lower-income consumers were pulling back on discretionary spending in April. 
To afford everyday life, many Americans are dipping into their savings and relying on credit cards to get by. The personals savings rate is the lowest it has been since 2022. [emphasis added]

Related posts:
2026

2025

Sunday, May 17, 2026

Evers-GOP deal brings to mind smoke-filled rooms of yore

 
Top headline  Wisconsin Examiner, 5/11/2026
Bottom headline:  Wisconsin Public Radio, 5/13/2026

Baylor Spears reports for Wisconsin Examiner:
Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) said in a statement that from her perspective there is no deal. She said her caucus needs to see the full details of the “expensive proposal” before they say more. 
“Three men who will not be in elected office next year have come up with this proposal which Senate Dems will be reviewing,” Hesselbein said. “Any proposal must pass both houses of the legislature and no one knows if Republicans have the votes to pass it.”

USA box office for the 20th weekend 2017-2026

 
USA box office on the 19th weekend of 2026 is down 18% compared to last year when Final Destination: Bloodlines was the top-grossing movie.  In its 4th week of release, Michael regains the top spot.

But it's down 50% compared 2018, when Deadpool 2 ruled the box office.
 

Variety, 5/17/2027

Rebecca Rubin reports:
Right now, Hollywood and theater operators are enthusiastic as they prepare for the summer season to officially start with the Memorial Day weekend release of Disney’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.” Heading into one of the busiest stretches for the industry, overall ticket sales are 16% ahead of last year, according to Comscore. That’s thanks to several overperforming blockbusters, such as “Michael” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” as well as “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” ($964 million globally) and “Project Hail Mary” ($667.9 million globally).

More box office posts
2026
19th weekend.  (5/10)
18th weekend.  (5/3)
17th weekend.  (4/26)
16th weekend.  (4/19)
15th weekend.  (4/12)
14th weekend.  (4/5)
13th weekend.  (3/29)
12th weekend.  (3/22)
11th weekend.  (3/15)
10th weekend.  (3/8)
9th weekend.  (3/1)
8th weekend.  (2/22)
7th weekend.  (2/15)
6th weekend.  (2/8)
5th weekend.  (2/1)
4th weekend.  (1/25)
3rd weekend.  (1/18)
2nd weekend.  (1/11)
1st weekend.  (1/4)

2025
52nd weekend.  (12/28)
51st weekend.  (12/28)
50th weekend.  (12/14)
49th weekend.  (12/7)
48th weekend.  (11/30) 
47th weekend.  (11/23)
46th weekend.  (11/16)
45th weekend.  (11/9)
44th weekend.  (11/2)
43rd weekend.  (10/26)
42nd weekend.  (10/19)
41st weekend.  (10/12)
40th weekend.  (10/5)
39th weekend.  (9/28)
38th weekend.  (9/21)
37th weekend.  (9/14)
36th weekend.  (9/9)
35th weekend.  (9/9)
34th weekend.  (8/24)
33rd weekend.  (8/17)
32nd weekend.  (8/10)
31st weekend.  (8/3)
30th weekend.  (7/27)
29th weekend.  (7/20)
28th weekend.  (7/13)
27th weekend.  (7/6)
26th weekend.  (6/29)
25th weekend.  (6/22)
24th weekend.  (6/15)
23rd weekend.  (6/8)
22nd weekend.  (6/1)
20th weekend.  (5/18)
19th weekend.  (5/11)
18th weekend.  (5/4)
17th weekend.  (4/27)
16th weekend.  (4/20)
15th weekend.  (4/13)
14th weekend.  (4/6) 
13th weekend.  (3/30)
12th weekend.  (3/23)
11th weekend.  (3/16)
10th weekend.  (3/9)
9th weekend.  (3/2)
8th weekend.  (2/23)
7th weekend.  (2/16)
6th weekend.  (2/9)
5th weekend.  (2/2)
4th weekend.  (1/26)
3rd weekend.  (1/19)
2nd weekend.  (1/12)
1st weekend.  (1/5)

2024
Easter weekend.  (3/31)

2023

2022

MISCREANT PREACHERS: Sexual misconduct toward teenager in the Name of the Lord (#315 in a series)


 Mugshot:  Facebook
Headline:  NBC 4, 5/8/2026

Katie Millard reports:
Christopher Riggs, a recent pastor at Washington Township Baptist Church, was arrested Wednesday on one count of gross sexual imposition and two counts of voyeurism. Court documents show Riggs’ misconduct was directed toward a minor teenager. Riggs pleaded guilty to both shortly after his arrest. \ 
According to court documents, Riggs had forced sexual contact with a 14-year-old between June 1 and Sept. 23 of 2023, a fourth-degree felony. Riggs also pleaded guilty to voyeurism “for the purpose of sexually arousing or gratifying” himself during the same dates, a third-degree misdemeanor. Court documents said Riggs also committed sexual voyeurism from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, 2025 with the same victim, now 17.
 
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."  (Hebrews 4:12)
 

Other miscreant preacher posts (which cover a multitude of sins):. 
May 2026
Terry Reed.  (5/8)

April 2026 (19)
Leslie Williams.  (4/29)
Joshua Trent.  (4/28)
Emilio Alberto Esperanza-Pacheco. (4/27)
Philip Vaught.  (4/23)
Kevin Johnson.  (4/18)
Ryan Pena.  (4/7)

March 2026 (29, a new monthly record)
February 2026 (23, a new monthly record)
Caleb Flynn.  (2/26)
Tyrell Brown.  (2/24)
Jonathan Elwing.  (2/22)
Garrett Harmon.  (2/21)
Elco Vallier.  (2/19)
David Rodgers. (2/17)
Rod Loy.  (2/15)
William Robbins.  (2/13)
Robert Whipley.  (2/12)
Isaiah Teague.  (2/5)

January 2026 (14)
Michael Mohr.  (1/30)
Wesley Brobeck.  (1/19)
Korey Lavergne.  (1/17)
Michael Howard.  (1/16)
Joshua Price.  (1/10)
Bruce Neal.  (1/8)

December 2025 (15)
Enrique Molina.  (12/30)
John Paul.  (12/19)
James Watford.  (12/17)
Doug Overmyer.  (12/13)
Joseph Herzing.  (12/10)
Robert Sullivan.  (12/8)
Danny Varnadore.  (12/7)
Roger Scalice.  (12/6)
James Stockton.  (12/3)
Michael Martin.  (12/2)

November 2025 (16):
Mark Vega.  (11/28)
Stephen Santeli Castro.  (11/26)
Yersson Solarte.  (11/23)
Jason Allen.  (11/21)
Glenn Rosenbaum.  (11/17)
Adolfo Castillo.  (11/16)
Quintilo Segrero.  (11/14)
Matthew McGinley.  (11/11)
Eli Regalado.  (11/7)
Andrew Ervin.  (11/6)

October 2025 (15)
Robert L Carter.  (10/23)
Xamie Reyes.  (10/20)
Luis Sosa.  (10/19)
Silas Shelton.  (10/17)
Adrian David.  (10/9)
Virgil Mozee.  (10/7)
Robert Morris.  (10/3)
Ryan McElrath.  (10/2)

September 2025 (10)
Macario Garcia.  (9/26)
John McKinzie.  (9/20)
Isaac Tilden.  (9/19)
Diego Fuller.  (9/17)

August 2025 (7)
Neal Creecy.  (8/22)
Shelton Burkart.  (8/15)

July 2025 (11)
Eli Regalado.  (7/23)
Kenneth Flowers.  (7/18)
John Gibson.  (7/15)
Roy Andrews.  (7/3)

June 2025 (11)
Justin Rhodes.  (6/26)
Dominic Foor.  (6/14)
Ryan McElrath.  (6/10)
Jim Mustain.  (6/7)
Nathan Roach.  (6/3)

May 2025 (11)
Daniel Lamppin.  (5/30)
Alan Buresh.  (5/29)
Daniel Champ.  (5/13)
Paul Dyal. (5/11)
Leo Parker.  (5/8)

April 2025 (7)
Brad Swink.  (4/12)
Jaime Arriaga.  (4/10)
Darren Day.  (4/8)

March 2025 (17)
Joshua Lucero.  (3/26)
Jeffrey Summers.  (3/24)
Sergio Guardia.  (3/22)
Marvin Upton.  (3/21)
Rodger Strong.  (3/20)
Britt Taylor.  (3/19)
Daniel Menelaou.  (3/15)
Robert Morris.  (3/14)
Jose Saez Jr.  (3/12)
Waymon Jordan.  (3/8)

February 2025 (9)
Jesse Santos.  (2/26)
Ruel Barbee.  (2/16)
Lee B. Patrick.  (2/14)
Timothy Nall.  (2/7)

January 2025 (14)
John Fiedler.  (1/26)
James McMillan.  (1/25)
Jeffrey Merrow.  (1/18)
Johel LaFaurie.  (1/17)
Jeff Taylor.  (1/16)
Dallas Majewski.  (1/15)
Bruce Hollen.  (1/14)
Timothy Nall.  (1/9)
 
December 2024 (14)
Edward Monk.  (12/23)
Joshua Lough.  (12/22)
Ignazio Medina.  (12/20)
Anthony Odiong.  (12/19)
Vincent Bishop.  (12/9)
Arturo Alarcon.  (12/8)
Hunter Eubanks.  (12/7)
Roy Shoop.  (12/5)

November 2024 (19)
James McMillan.  (11/30)
Charles Sulivant.  (11/24)
Geoffrey Carter.  (11/22)
John Radcliff.  (11/21)
Garrett Harmon.  (11/20)
Edward R. Monk.  (11/16)
George Bell.  (11/14)
Jose Mora.  (11/13)
William Pounds.  (11/12)
Charles Randall.  (11/9)
Jackson Gatlin.  (11/7)
Charles Goff.  (11/1)

October 2024 (25)
Stephen Johnson.  (10/27)
Josh Howerton.  (10/26)
Craig Stone.  (10/26/2024)
Steven Lawson. (10/25).  
Scott Crenshaw.  (10/25)
Byron Copeland.  (10/25)
Josiah Anthony.  (10/25)
Ronald Goines.  (10/24)
Tony Cammarota.  (10/24)
Robert Morris.  (10/24)
Mike Buster.  (10/23)
Tony Evans.  (10/23)
Terren Dames.  (10/23)
James Randolph.  (10/23)
Matt Queen.  (10/18)
Roy Shoop.  (10/12)
Gabriel Mills.  (10/3)

September 2024 (16)
John Raymond.  (9/27)
Juan Barrios.  (9/23)
Demiro Johnson.  (9/22)
Glen Dean McCoy.  (9/22)
James Swanson.  (9/21)
William Dunfee.  (9/21)
Steven Lawson.  (9/20)
Rocky Goodwin.  (9/19)
William Johnson.  (9/17)
Tim Ballard.  (9/13)