When Czech political dissident, playwright and poet Václav Havel wrote The Power of the Powerless in October 1978, he set out to analyse a distinctive form of domination that did not rely primarily on terror, spectacle or charismatic authority, but on routine compliance and the internalisation of untruth. His central claim was disarmingly simple. Systems of coercive power endure not only because of police power or elite control, but because ordinary people participate in them by acting as if they believe what they know to be false. They live, as Havel put it, “within a lie”.
Archives for February 12, 2026
Bill Would Ban Local Governments from Adopting Climate Change Policies
Local governments would be severely restricted from implementing measures to reduce the effects of climate change under a bill approved Thursday by a Florida House committee. The measure (HB 1217) comes nearly two years Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation declaring that the state would no longer be required to consider climate change when crafting energy policy.
Misleading Bill Banning Use of ‘West Bank’ in Schools and State Documents Passes Florida House
“Judea and Samaria” are the biblical names for the region in the Middle East and is how the Israeli government refers to the area. The international community, including the U.S. government, refers to the territory as the West Bank (of the Jordan River) and doesn’t recognize Israeli sovereignty there. Approximately 3 million Palestinians and half a million Israeli settlers live in the West Bank. A legislative analysis accompanying the bill falsely states that Israel “liberated” the West Bank from Jordan in 1967. The West Bank is occupied territory as defined by international law.
Former School Board Member Trevor Tucker Enters Race Against Christy Chong in Rematch
Former Flagler County School Board member Trevor Tucker has filed to run for his old District 4 seat, challenging incumbent Christy Chong. Citing a lack of board cohesion and a desire for rational governance, Tucker admits he underestimated the need to campaign in 2022. He plans a more robust effort this election cycle to address district dysfunction.
Flagler Sheriff’s Deputies De-escalate Standoff After Manic Man Reaches for Replica Gun
Flagler County deputies on Monday successfully de-escalated a volatile encounter with a frantic man wielding a realistic-looking pepper ball gun, extending the agency’s 13-year record without a fatal officer-involved shooting. The incident followed days of delusional 911 calls by the suspect, who was safely detained for a mental health evaluation despite resisting arrest and attempting to flee.
Concrete Batch Plant Company Again Seeks Hargrove Grade Rezoning Amid Traffic and Water Questions
Hard Rock Materials returns to the Palm Coast Planning Board seeking to rezone 10.5 acres on Hargrove Grade for a concrete batch plant. City staff is recommending approval, but inconsistencies or questions persist regarding traffic safety and discrepancies in water usage data. Opponents fear heavy industrial zoning could set a precedent for pollution and further industrial sprawl near the existing park, even though Hargrove Grade is Palm Coast’s industrial zone.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, February 12, 2026
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series explores conservation bright spots, AI reduces some of the great works of literature to haikus, a hoot of a top-10 list.