CHANGE: The Global Revolt Against Greenism.

LOL, TOM FRIEDMAN: New York Times Columnist Tom Friedman Plays His Readers for Fools—Again: Friedman cites phony Soros-PLO poll to smear Israel as apartheid pariah state.

Is he a useful idiot? Or just . . . useful?

JONATHAN TURLEY ON RO KHANNA’S ABUSE OF POWER: Ro Khanna and the Impunity of “Wealthy, Powerful Men.”

Last year, I wrote a column expressing concerns over the move to release the Epstein files en masse, including grand jury material. The files include a wide range of tangential figures and unsupported allegations common to criminal investigations. Politicians eager to capitalize on the scandal would likely show little concern for the underlying facts in “outing” names and repeating unproven allegations.

That fear was realized this week with the chest-pounding speech of Rep. Ro Khanna (D., Cal.) on the House floor in which he took credit for outing six “wealthy, powerful men” who he suggested were actively shielded by the DOJ from public exposure. After the DOJ unredacted the names at his request, he read them on the floor. It turns out that four have nothing to do with Epstein.

Had Khanna made these comments outside of the House floor, he would be looking at four defamation lawsuits. However, Khanna knew the men could not sue him because of the immunity afforded to him under the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause.

The four were literally just randoms who stood in a police lineup, as people do, along with the actual suspect. Congress should have internal remedies for abuse of the House and Senate floor.

CDR SALAMANDER: Again…ESB’s Carry the Tactical Load …build more of what proves itself.

EVERYTHING IS GOING SWIMMINGLY:

This BRITISH woman trying to exit the bus is a metaphor for the entire West right now. pic.twitter.com/nSvJAublyX

— Don Keith (@RealDonKeith) February 18, 2026

WELL: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over ties to Epstein.

A friend writes: “Interesting. Does this mean they’re gonna start arresting all those Pakistani rape gangs, plus the police and other public officials who turned a blind eye to that?”

Don’t be silly. That would be racist or something. Also it would interfere with the leftist/Islamist takeover of Britain. Arresting (former) Prince Andrew weakens the royal family, and thus promotes that takeover. Not that King Charles has shown any sign of getting in the way, but just by existing the monarchy is a potential center of resistance.

UPDATE (From Ed):

Arresting the King’s brother while letting Pakistani rape gangs roam free is not justice but a cynical evasion of it. pic.twitter.com/HnWeCBJXSq

— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) February 19, 2026

More (From Ed):

🚨 BREAKING: A video is resurfacing of Donald Trump in 2015 CALLING OUT Prince Andrew — who has now been arrested

"That island was a cesspool. No question about it — just ask Prince Andrew. He'll tell you about it!"

Trump was EARLY to blow the whistle!pic.twitter.com/H6cznOg1E7

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 19, 2026

THOUGHTS ON War Without A Declaration of War.

OPEN THREAD: Make it special.

ROBERT HEINLEIN SMILES: Elon Musk wants to put a satellite catapult on the moon. It’s not a new idea. This story credits Gerard K. O’Neill, but Heinlein was there first with The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress.

GOD FORBID:

AOC claims Republicans are “radicalizing young men by pushing them toward masculinity.”

This is really the Democrat’s top candidate. Yikes.
pic.twitter.com/AbP3enxoyU

— Jack (@jackunheard) February 19, 2026

GOODBYE, SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP: UK PM Starmer Blocks Trump From Using RAF Bases to Strike Iran Amid Escalating Tensions: Report.

What’s funny is, while Britain carries water for the mullahs, plenty of other Islamic countries are happy to provide us with facilities to attack Iran.

UPDATE: It occurs to me that this might be Trump-inspired theater to make the mullahs drop their guard. More likely that it’s Starmer being a dick, but don’t entirely rule it out.

METFORMIN: Common Diabetes Drug Linked With ‘Exceptional Longevity’ in Women.

GOOD THING I DON’T DO THOSE THEN: Ultramarathons May Be Aging Your Blood Cells Faster Than You Think.

SEDUCTIVE AI: People prefer the empathy of humans, but rate ‘fake’ AI empathy higher.

UPDATE: From the comments:

This is going to be a problem. Already is starting to be. Truly skilled first-rate human flatterer/persuader/seducers are rare, and generally end up aimed at high payoff targets. Most people in their whole lives will never have rated more than passing attention from such, and thus will have little or no immunity.

And now that level of individually customized flatterer/persuader/seducer skills is being automated, and will soon be cheaply deployable against *everyone*. I foresee big trouble.

I address these very issues in my forthcoming Seductive AI.

I LIKE A V-12: Whoa: Toyota’s Rolls-Baiting Century SUV Might Have an 800-HP V-12.

OR MONEY LAUNDRIES FOR SUPPORTERS: ‘Violence Interruptor’ Programs Are Blue State Wishful Thinking, Not Crime Reduction.

I THINK WE’VE ACTUALLY KNOWN THIS FOR A WHILE: Menopausal hormone therapy not linked to increased risk of death, study shows.

THAT SEEMS REASONABLE: No First Amendment Right to Force Government to Provide Live Feed of Macaques in Government Lab.

CHECKS OUT.

Prince Andrew Joins UK Muslim Rape Gang So He Can Keep Abusing Young Girls https://t.co/1575p1aivL pic.twitter.com/6dakOSmvhX

— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) February 19, 2026

More thoughts below.

GOOD: NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya will take over leadership of CDC temporarily.

MICROBIOME NEWS: Your gut microbes can be anti-aging – scientists are uncovering how to keep your microbiome youthful.

#JOURNALISM:

Here's how the @latimes described @bariweiss being canceled at UCLA because of threats: "CBS’s Bari Weiss pulls out of UCLA lecture." The thugs can threaten, and media will blame you. There's no accountability. Notably, lecture named for Daniel Pearl, murdered for being Jewish.

— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) February 19, 2026

MASSIVE RESISTANCE: DEI remains strong at UMich a year after president promised to gut it.

THIS IS EXPLAINED BELOW:

The UK: We’ve arrested the former prince

Everyone: what about the horde of Pakistani child rapists?

The UK: the what?

— The Dank Knight 🦇 (@capeandcowell) February 19, 2026

UPDATE: From a friend:

England. Where royalty once could rape with impunity, that’s now the exclusive domain of third world migrants. #socialjustice #willwondersnevercease

Update the anthem: God Save the UK Teens. Srsly they must be having an Urdu laugh riot up in Rotherham.

Fascinating how the massively historic game-changing law enforcement virtue signal of arresting a royal for rape serves mainly to highlight the utter hypocrisy and disdain for the common people of British justice.
I suspect this one is going to bite them in the ass.

All that yapping over the last couple decades about rape culture. As a wise man of my acquaintance is given to saying, it’s always in the last place you look.

Or in the UK, the last place you choose to look.

Choose, indeed.

I REMEMBER WHEN HIGHER EDUCATION WAS SUPPOSED TO FOSTER CIVIL DISCOURSE: University of Houston student wishes paralysis and cancer on TPUSA chapter members and their families in profane outburst.