THE WAY OF THE FUTURE:  Iron Lung: Herald of a Revolution. The film Iron Lung has achieved a double triumph; first by doing well at the box office, and second by proving a hit film can be produced and distributed outside of Hollywood’s failing empire.

WHERE ARE AMERICA’S JEWISH LEADERS? That may seem like an odd question to ask in this country, which has for so long welcomed and been blessed by courageous, freedom-loving men and women of the Jewish faith who love America and sought to protect and build it.

But my friend and former newsroom co-conspirator Richard Pollock — who made the long journey from 60s Lefty buddy of the Chicago 7 to a hugely successful journalism career and ultimately commonsense conservatism — looks around today and here’s what he sees:

“Today’s vicious antisemites are constantly in the streets. Yes, they act fiercely and thrive on intimidation. They are loud, impertinent, pushy and in your face. Muslims and political progressives have joined in an alliance to denounce Jews and Israel.

“They own the streets. They act with impunity. They physically assault Jews. They hide their faces behind Palestinian Keffiyehs and masks. We see their hideous work as they paint their dirty, antisemitic slogans to deface Jewish homes, synagogues, college campuses and Jewish institutions.”

Where are today’s Jewish leaders fighting back against this swelling wave of anti-semitism, Pollock asks?

ONE ENCOURAGING SIGN on this issue is the forthcoming “Why Israel Matters to America” forums on Capitol Hill for congressional staff and others who may be interested. Details here on HillFaith.

WATER AND PREPAREDNESS:  Avoiding Water Everywhere And Not A Drop To Drink.

I’D PUT IT DOWN LIKE THE MAD DOG IT IS:  If ‘Our’ BBC really belonged to me, I’d flog it.

A DROP OF TRUTH WOULD KILL HER:  Lie-a-Watha Strikes Again! Elizabeth Warren Doesn’t Tell the Truth About Tesla Paying Taxes.

DUNNING-KRUGER’S REVENGE:  Gavin Newsom Is Getting Dragged for Not Knowing What Illiterate Means…and It’s Pretty Funny.

THE CHURCH CHOSE COMFORT OVER PRINCIPLE. IT CHOSE UNWISELY:  Same-sex marriage and the neo-Marxist takeover of the Church.

THIS IS DEFINITELY NONSENSE:  When Counting Doesn’t Add Up.

REALLY? MINE ARE STILL IN THE BEGINNING, AND ALWAYS WILL BE:  My Days of Not Taking CNN Seriously Are Coming to a Middle.

DEMOCRATS BEING DEMOCRATS:  News from the Washington State Legislature.

KEEPING A COOL HEAD:   The Great Panic.

INTERESTING:  Strikes on Iran could last for weeks as more F-35s fly into the region, US says Richard White 17th February 2026 at 11:46am.

THE EVIL THAT MEN DO:  RIP Jesse Jackson: The Reverend and the Obama Birth Controversy.

I’m afraid he did more evil than good. And yet may the Lord have mercy on his soul.

WHEN OBAMA OPENS HIS MOUTH:  Alien Nation.

THE FUTURE WE HOPE TO HAVE:  Goodbye to chemical rockets: scientists propose an idea that would allow interstellar travel in just 40 years using beams of electrons traveling at close to the speed of light.

INDEED. AND WE ALWAYS WILL BE:  Stop playing silly buggers. We’re better at it than you are.

THIS MIGHT BE TOO PHILOSOPHICAL FOR ME, AND THAT’S SAYING MUCH:  The informational abyss gazes also and the hunter becomes the hunted.

AND THEN WE’LL MEME OVER ITS GRAVE:  The Meme-ing Will Continue Until Statism Goes Away. Fear the meme!

SWEET, SWEET MEMORIES:

BREAKING: President Obama and his National Security Adviser Susan Rice were so distraught after Trump won in 2016 they literally broke down and cried in front of White House staff, according to 1,100 hours of new audio and video compiled by Columbia University in cooperation with…

— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) February 18, 2026

WELL, I HOPE THEY’RE RIGHT. . . . The Artemis 1 moon mission had a heat shield issue. Here’s why NASA doesn’t think it will happen again on Artemis 2.

THE LAST FEW HOURS OF:  The 2026 Spring Based Book Sale! Runs Now Through Tuesday February 17, 2026.

Lots of books for 99c or free by authors to the right of Lenin.

I have the first volume of No Man’s Land in it for 99c.  The price will change at midnight. Yes, that means you’ll see it at 3 or 4 am, but after midnight it’s iffy. I have no intention of putting it on sale for at least a year.

OPEN THREAD: Tuesday’s groovy.

THE NEW SPACE RACE: ‘Fully unlocking the orbital economy’: This California company will fly astronauts to the space station in 2027.

LOL, TERRY MORAN:

Indeed, the interview was in response to his exit as California Governor and not as a candidate. The primary elections were in mid-1976, so the interview was nearly a year and a half before his next primary election.

— Mike Englund (@MikeEnglund2) February 18, 2026

What’s really funny is that he made a fool of himself defending something that even Jasmine Crockett wouldn’t.

Jasmine Crockett sides with Trump/FCC version of events.

Colbert is absolutely cooked.

I’m really enjoying this. 🍿 https://t.co/jpo2G34Nt2

— 🐺 (@LeighWolf) February 17, 2026

THEY TRIED TO ESCAPE X’S “TOXICITY,” BUT THEY WERE THE TOXINS:

So funny. A bunch of people who knew they'd soon be answering tough questions on child experimentation, trans violence etc all left X for another site, which they promptly turned into such a woke nightmare that even Will Stancil can't take it. pic.twitter.com/lvyN93PYG4

— Graham Linehan (@Glinner) February 17, 2026