But you told me Darth Vader betrayed and murdered a 92Y!

Millionaire Philanthropist Found Shot Dead at Assisted Living Facility in Maryland
February 18, 2026

□ [“Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ Is Doing the Job That NATO and the UN Can’t"]

I haven't paid any attention to the 'board of peace,' I don't even know who else is involved in it, but I'm just very skeptical.  What is there to stop it from just become an updated version of the UN?  Maybe not right away but in ten or twenty years.  It just comes off as a permanent dream that deludes a lot of people into thinking it will work in reality.

The concept has its good and bad side.  Like the UN before it, we should have a place where nations can make agreements and resolve problems peacefully.  But also like the UN, there are issues that simply cannot be solved.  Just look at Israel, founded by the UN, it should be the ideal, but it's unanimously opposed by those who run the UN.  That won't be fixed and I'm probably not the only person to compare this to the Tower of Babel.  Which, in case you don't know, doesn't exist anymore.

Then there's the problem of competing with the UN, however long it continues to exist, and BRICS.  That would just be an updated version of the Cold War.  Maybe it's just natural for there to always be conflict between the two biggest sides of human existence.  Britain versus France, Europe versus the Turks, Rome versus Carthage.  Of course if that's the case then these big groups would just be increasing the problem, but it's the way things work.

‘Not My Business’ U.S.-Born Skier Eileen Gu Competes for China; ‘Skeptic’ of Uyghur Genocide Claims
February 18, 2026

□ [“Dems Plot to Make a Circus Out of the State of the Union Address, Because of Course They Do"]

If Trump wants my advice, don't even bother with a speech.  As far as I know, there's no rules beyond the Constitution requiring an occasional report so just email them.  I know, I know, Trump is a showman, of course he wants to give a speech.  I'd just like to hear about - since it's not like I'll watch it - the novelty of doing something different.  And doing it this way means Democrats get to put on their own show with whatever idiotic stunts they come up with.

A week or so ago, Fetterman called out Democrats to not do anything stupid.  Of course they're going to, what else do they have to do?  Maybe Trump can bring the black kid out again so they can ignore him again.  Or the Iranian Grand Ayatollah, 'look who we just picked up!'  See how many will applaud then.

Because of all the secret intel games going on, maybe each member of Congress will receive a file, probably a standard practice, but these include the Epstein files that they really don't want released.  This speech will be given next Wednesday, I think the Clintons are supposed to testify to Congress the following day or so.  We still don't know what these people are really trying to do but we're supposed to be close to something happening.

Lara Trump Says ‘Many’ Other Trump Family Members May Run for Office ‘It May Not End Just with Donald Trump!’
February 18, 2026

□ [“The Iranian Regime’s Days Are Numbered – Explosions Reported Across the Country"]

I was expecting them to be gone by the end of January, look how that worked out.  I still think there is a mission underway but it is not clear what it is or when we'll see it.  If these explosions are real - and as always, we can't trust the reports - I bet they're hitting crucial locations for the government.  No idea what it could be but it probably isn't just random attacks or even the protesters.

The US has been having talks with Iran regarding their nuclear program.  It doesn't seem to be going anywhere - just like Ukraine - but I don't think it's expected to go anywhere.  Not sure if it's a distraction or if they're secretly about some other topic but I don't think either side intends it to go to any peaceful agreement.  Maybe the Mullahs wouldn't be permitted to surrender by their Revolutionary Guard and this is a way to give up while having a chance of staying alive.

I'm still surprised that, at least publicly, Iran is getting no support from the Muslim world, BRICS or even leftist protestors.  They must be getting assistance from somewhere but there's no clue from who.  And even that doesn't seem to be as helpful as you might expect, North Korea maybe?  The UN?  I still think the regime is ready to fall, I'm just disappointed that it hasn't happened yet.

Illegal Alien Semi-Truck Driver Runs Red Light, Kills Elderly Man in Indiana
February 18, 2026

□ [“NYC’s Mamdani Seeking First Property Tax Hike in Decades to Cover Budget Deficit"]

I try to ignore this idiot but he just won't go away.  Now he's trying to threaten the state of New York because they won't raise taxes the way he wants and - I'm assuming it's based on state law - he can't just raise taxes in the city itself.  Property taxes are the only place they can do that so Mamdani is threatening to do that unless the state raises taxes.  There's a chance they'll comply but it seems unlikely so he's going to need to screw over his own people, just like he's already doing to everybody else.

He couldn't clean out the snow after a storm - except at the Mayor's mansion - or get garbage picked up - ditto - and now he's saying that NYC is suddenly in massive debt which undoes all the 'free stuff' promises he made to take power.  This is where the left realizes they need to blame everybody else for their problems because otherwise they'll have to do something themselves.  NYC could just cut spending and it would be much easier to handle the debt, but that's not an option.  So poor and middle-class people need to pay higher taxes on rent and property, they just have to suffer.

I still don't get how or why they would do this but it just looks like the Trump administration is deliberately getting the left so outraged they'll seize power wherever they can.  Then they'll flop like this.  We don't know if that will really get through to the citizens but it will to the rest of us, they can't live up to their own beliefs and all they can do is demand more power.  That's why I'm tired of whatever plans the Trump administration has in motion, I want the world to see these people solidly defeated.  Don't wiggle through 52-48% of the vote in November, I want them to lose completely where even devout leftists can't deny it.

Jimmy Kimmel to Host $25K Per Ticket Fundraiser for House Democrats Headed Into Midterms
February 18, 2026