Funk was one of a kind—a wrestling champion who built bridges between America and postwar Japan. The post The Cowboy Diplomacy of Dory Funk Jr. appeared first on The American Conservative .
Culture The Cowboy Diplomacy of Dory Funk Jr. Funk was one of a kind—a wrestling champion who built bridges between America and postwar Japan. Photo by WWE/WWE via Getty Images Dory Funk Jr.—pro wrestling champion, trainer, and international icon—died earlier this month at 85. Although less famous here, perhaps, than some of his colleagues, Funk’s life provided an object lesson in the power of sport and spectacle to win hearts around the world. And for those who knew him personally, as I did, the news of his passing landed with the sudden finality of one of his famous spinning toe holds. He was the last of a…Open
AI:Professional wrestling legend and international icon Dory Funk Jr. has passed away at the age of 85, leaving behind a storied legacy as a National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion. Beyond his technical mastery in the ring, Funk was celebrated for his "cowboy diplomacy," acting as an unofficial cultural bridge between the United States and postwar Japan by earning profound respect from Japanese audiences through his discipline, family values, and unwavering work ethic. A consummate professional who prioritized elevating his opponents and maintaining a sense of quiet American grit, Funk's career spanned decades of international stardom alongside figures like Andre the Giant and Ric Flair, cementing his reputation as one of the…Open
What emergency could possibly justify omnipresent bureaucratic hectoring? The post Something Doesn’t Look Right appeared first on The American Conservative .
Takimag Something Doesn’t Look Right What emergency could possibly justify omnipresent bureaucratic hectoring? TakiMag Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images One might think that a severely alcoholic Stalinist could never be a good writer, let alone a fine novelist, but the case of Patrick Hamilton refutes this commonsensical opinion. His novel of an English boarding house during the war, The Slaves of Solitude, published in 1947, is a beautifully observed and completely non-ideological study of the character of the residents of just such an establishment. If one had to guess the political opinions…Open
AI:Theodore Dalrymple uses Patrick Hamilton’s 1947 novel *The Slaves of Solitude* to critique the modern resurgence of pervasive bureaucratic hectoring and state paternalism. Drawing parallels between wartime rationing mandates and contemporary public service announcements—ranging from transit safety warnings to instructions on how to interact with immigration officials—Dalrymple argues that this constant nagging serves no legitimate national emergency. Instead, he suggests this behavior stems from a fundamental distrust by the governing class toward the citizenry, creating an endless cycle of reminders designed to ensure obedience and provide perpetual employment for bureaucrats who view the population as inherently incapable or…Open
The agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan may herald a new Middle East. The post What the Mecca Defense Pact Means appeared first on The American Conservative .
Foreign Affairs What the Mecca Defense Pact Means The agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan may herald a new Middle East. On August 7, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in the holy city of Mecca to sign a new trilateral defense pact . The birth of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement is a significant geopolitical event. It brings together into a security alliance three of the largest and most influential countries in the Middle East. Turkey has the second-largest army in NATO. Pakistan is the only Muslim nation to possess a…Open
AI:Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, establishing a massive new security alliance that includes NATO's second-largest military power and Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. This strategic pact functions similarly to NATO's Article 5, declaring that an attack on one signatory is considered an attack against all three, signaling a major shift in Middle Eastern geopolitics as regional powers seek to diversify their security needs away from Washington. As Gulf nations feel increasingly abandoned by the U.S. amidst ongoing tensions with Iran, this "Islamic NATO" aims to create a self-reliant regional architecture that could eventually expand to include other nations like Egypt.Open
The state of Texas is being sued for the second time this year over Senate Bill 10 requiring Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms.
AI:Legal advocacy group Right is defending Texas Senate Bill 10, which mandates that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms, following a second lawsuit filed against the state this year. This legal battle represents a significant front in the ongoing national conflict to combat government-mandated leftist indoctrination within educational institutions and ensures that religious foundations remain present in the public sphere despite mounting legal challenges from secularist groups.Open
“To wait 15 years to conduct this interview and to actually get down to the nitty gritty … that is just too long to wait,” Jennifer Coffindaffer says.
AI:Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer has issued a scathing condemnation of the Bureau for its catastrophic failure to act on a 2005 tip from Hugh Hefner regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s predatory activities. This revelation exposes a massive fifteen-year delay in federal oversight that allowed a known predator to operate with impunity while high-level warnings were systematically ignored by the alphabet agencies. The staggering negligence underscores a deep-seated breakdown within the intelligence community, confirming that actionable intelligence was sitting untouched for over a decade, leaving victims vulnerable and allowing Epstein's depravity to continue unchecked despite direct reports from major figures like Hefner.Open
Isaac Rochell, founder of "Garage Dads," demonstrates workouts designed to challenge participants and help them become stronger.
AI:ABC News is wasting airtime on mindless lifestyle fluff by profiling former NFL player Isaac Rochell and his "Garage Dads" workout program. The segment focuses on Rochell demonstrating strength training exercises intended for home garage use, serving as nothing more than triviality designed to pacify the masses with basic fitness tips while ignoring actual news of national importance.Open
After author Annabel Monaghan revealed that her “GMA” Book Club June pick, “Dolly All the Time,” was inspired by a fan, “GMA” tracked down the woman who inspired the character.
AI:Good Morning America aired a segment tracking down an individual who served as the inspiration for a character in Annabel Monaghan’s novel "Dolly All the Time," which was featured in their June book club. This move highlights the media's ongoing shift toward manufactured human interest fluff and sentimental distractions rather than addressing substantive national issues.Open
Cardinals rookie outfielder Joshua Baez made MLB history by becoming the first player to hit three home runs in his big league debut.
AI:St. Louis Cardinals rookie outfielder Joshua Baez made Major League Baseball history by becoming the first player to ever hit three home runs in his big league debut. While mainstream outlets often prioritize trivialities, this unprecedented feat of athletic excellence marks a significant milestone for the sport and stands out as a rare display of pure talent in an era increasingly dominated by distractions.Open
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is facing fierce criticism after signing legislation expanding abortion access in the state, including procedures after 24 weeks under specified circumstances. On Saturday’s “The Count,” host Bill Spadea is joined by John Yep, president and CEO of Catholics for Catholics, and Father Chris Alar, provincial superior of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception in the U.S. and Argentina, for a passionate discussion about abortion, faith and human dignity. Yep and Father Alar react to images of supporters cheering the bill’s signing, debate the moral implications of late-term abortion and respond to Healey’s pledge to protect abortion access despite opposition from President Donald Trump,…
AI:Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has signed legislation that significantly expands abortion access within the state, including allowing procedures after 24 weeks under specific circumstances. During an appearance on Newsmax's "The Count," Catholic leaders John Yep and Father Chris Alar condemned the move, arguing that human dignity is a divine mandate from God rather than a right granted by the government. The discussion highlighted the growing legal divide as Massachusetts continues to push boundaries against the precedents set by the Supreme Court and President Trump, further fueling the intense state-by-state battle over abortion policy and the sanctity of life.Open
The threat of additional rain could create more problems in Indiana, where at least six people have died during severe weather and flooding this weekend. NewsNation correspondent Bennett Haeberle reports from central Indiana. "NewsNation Prime" is America’s source for unbiased news offering a full range of perspectives from across the U.S. Weekends starting at 7p/6C. #Prime NewsNation is your source for fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans.
AI:A catastrophic wave of severe weather and relentless flooding is tearing through Indiana, leaving at least six people dead as the death toll continues to climb. The disaster has transformed central Indiana into a series of zones marked by devastation, with historic rainfall submerging entire communities and destroying homes and businesses across the state. As the threat of additional rain looms, Hoosier residents face the grim reality of ongoing destruction amidst a systemic breakdown caused by this atmospheric onslaught.Open
