Saturday, June 6, 2026

Texas screwworm: Disaster in the office of Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins

 
Headline:  The Texas Tribune, 6/5/2026
 
Stephen Simpson and Berenice Garcia report on the time when Brooke was caught with her panties down:
Owens also took issue with Rollins blaming the proliferation of screwworm on President Joe Biden’s “open border” policies, which she said enabled the illicit movement of cattle throughout Mexico. 
“These flies do not fly to new areas on their own,” Rollins said during a call with media and officials on Thursday. “If they move, it’s because they are moving with the animal.” 
Owens pointed out that the USDA, under the Biden administration, closed ports of entry to cattle from Mexico in November 2024. The Trump administration announced their reopening in February 2025 only to shut them down again in May 2025. [emphasis added]

Related posts:

Welcome to the Trump economy, where Dollar General rules

 
Photo by Retiring Guy
Headline:  Grocery Dive, 6/3/2026

Dani James reports:

Dive Brief: 
  • Dollar General is seeing an “accelerated rate” of trading down with customers, with its selection of groceries and drugs serving as the largest draw for this activity, CEO Todd Vasos told analysts on an earnings call Tuesday. While the retailer sees the trend across all cohorts, it has particularly increased among higher-income shoppers earning over $100,000 a year. 
  • The discount chain’s core customers cut back on some household expenses — including food purchases — during the first quarter due to rising gas prices, the executive added. 
  • During its first quarter, Dollar General introduced a frozen section featuring a full door dedicated to new $1 items, and this new offering has “been doing very well since launch,” Vasos said.

Related posts:
May 2026
Rate of inflation in April 2026 is higher than any reported in the last 18 months of Biden administration.  (5/13)

April 2026
 

USA box office for the 22nd weekend 2017-2026

 
USA box office on the 22nd weekend of 2026 is up 18% compared to last year when Lilo & Stitch was the top-grossing movie.  In its 4th week of release, Backrooms was the #1 movie this weekend.

But it's down % compared to 2023, when Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ruled the box office. 

 

Variety, 5/31/2027

Rebecca Rubin reports:
Movie theaters across the nation were jamming with Gen Z crowds, who showed up en masse for not one but two buzzy horror films. A24’s “Backrooms” collected a jaw-dropping, record-breaking $81 million from 3,442 North American theaters in its opening weekend. That’s as ticket sales for the Focus Features breakout “Obsession” jumped again in its third frame with $26.4 million from 2,781 cinemas — and crossed the $100 million mark domestically. Both movies were directed by YouTube stars and cost nearly nothing to produce, upending conventional wisdom about the necessary components for a hit.

More box office posts
2026
21st weekend.  (6/6)
20th weekend.  (5/17)
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

USA box office for the 21st weekend 2017-2026

 
USA box office on the 21st weekend of 2026 is down 33% compared to last year when Lilo & Stitch was the top-grossing movie.  In its 4th week of release, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu was the #1 movie this weekend.

 

Variety, 5/25/2027

Rebecca Rubin reports:
That’s ever-so-slightly behind Sunday’s estimates of $102 million for the four-day frame, which includes $81 million over the traditional weekend. The “Star Wars” spinoff, a continuation of the popular Disney+ streaming series, also collected a softer $63 million from international markets for a global debut of $163 million over the four-day period. “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is significant as the first “Star Wars” movie in seven years — since 2019’s saga-concluding billion-dollar tentpole “The Rise of Skywalker.” As “Star Wars” owner Lucasfilm failed for years to launch a new theatrical film, the company turned its attention to the small screen with Disney+ shows like “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Ahsoka” as well as “Andor” and “Skeleton Crew.”

More box office posts
2026
20th weekend.  (5/17)
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