Category Archives: Current Events

Agnostic Allen notes, “The people who successfully delude themselves seem happier than the people who can’t” (Woody Wednesday)

February 15, 2012 – 12:11 am

Woody Allen interviews Billy Graham on Religion

This article below makes we think of the lady tied to the Railroad in the Schaeffer video.

Dr. Francis schaeffer – The flow of Materialism

(Modern man sees no hope for the future and has deluded himself by appealing to nonreason to stay sane. Look at the example of the lady tied to the railroad tracks in this above video as a example.)

Francis Schaeffer took a look at modern day humanism and he showed how pitiful “optimistic humanism” is. Schaffer points out this weakness of the humanistic view:

With my reason I can find absolutely no way to have meaning, morality, hope or beauty if the universe I am living in only an existial absurdity. This would plunge me into dispair, but that is not where I stop. I say to myself “There is hope” even though there is none, “There is help on the way” even though there is none. “We shall overcome” even though there is nothing more certain than we shall be destroyed.

Woody Allen, the caustic, agnostic grew-up-Jewish director who often toys with delusions in love and life, takes on what he considers the big delusion — God — in his new movie.

“We need some delusions to keep us going,” Allen tells The New York Times. In You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, which opens next week, Allen says,

The people who successfully delude themselves seem happier than the people who can’t. I’ve known people who have put their faith in religion and in fortune tellers. So it occurred to me that that was a good character for a movie: a woman who everything had failed for her, and all of a sudden, it turned out that a woman telling her fortune was helping her. The problem is, eventually, she’s in for a rude awakening.

Oddly, that seems to make the NYT interviewer go directly a reincarnation question, perhaps unawarenearly one in ten Americans believe both in God and in reincarnation, according to the 2008 General Social Survey. Allen answers,

Neither seems plausible to me. I have a grim, scientific assessment of it. I just feel, what you see is what you get.

This is pretty much Allen’s standard God riff. Until You Tube yanked the tapes for copyright reasons, you could once see Allen him try it out on Rev. Billy Graham — although the stalwart evangelist drew almost as many laughs as Allen.

Perhaps his childhood upbringing in an “unreasonable enforced religion” led the one-time Allen Stewart Konigsberg, now Woody Allen to use humor as a survival too. He once told a biographer:

It was a joyless, unpleasant, stupid, barbaric thing when I was a child and I’ve never gotten over that feeling. If you’re talking about religion it’s one thing; I don’t hold Jewish religion with any more seriousness than I would any other.

Allen qualified that by adding that he benefited from Jewish values and cultural habits which he described as “respect for books and learning and the higher professions” and an “appreciation of theater and music.”

But those are fringe benefits, not matters of faith. This may explain why, when the Jewish journal Moment asked 70 Jewish writers, thinkers and cultural figures this spring what “What does it mean to be a Jew today? they didn’t include Allen.

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According to Woody Allen Life is meaningless (Woody Wednesday Part 2)

Woody Allen, the film writer, director, and actor, has consistently populated his scripts with characters who exchange dialogue concerning meaning and purpose. In Hannah and Her Sisters a character named Mickey says, “Do you realize what a thread were all hanging by? Can you understand how meaningless everything is? Everything. I gotta get some answers.”{7} […]

“Woody Wednesday” Part 1 starts today, Complete listing of all posts on the historical people mentioned in “Midnight in Paris”

I have gone to see Woody Allen’s latest movie “Midnight in Paris” three times and taken lots of notes during the films. I have attempted since June 12th when I first started posting to give a historical rundown on every person mentioned in the film. Below are the results of my study. I welcome any […]

What can we learn from Woody Allen Films?

Looking at the (sometimes skewed) morality of Woody Allen’s best films. In the late ’60s, Woody Allen left the world of stand-up comedy behind for the movies. Since then, he’s become one of American cinema’s most celebrated filmmakers. Sure, he’s had his stinkers and his private life hasn’t been without controversy. But he’s also crafted […]

Nihilism can be seen in Woody Allen’s latest film “Midnight in Paris”

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Movie Review of “Midnight in Paris” lastest movie by Woody Allen

Midnight in Paris – a delightfully entertaining film of wit, wonder and love Have you ever thought that you were born in the wrong time? Since I was a child, I found my love for MGM musicals set me apart from my friends. Are we really out of place, or is a sense of nostalgia […]

“Midnight in Paris” movie review plus review of 5 Woody Allen classics (video clips from Annie Hall)

Five favorite Woody Allen classics Add a comment Sean Kernan , Davenport Classic Movies Examiner June 11, 2011 Woody Allen’s new film “Midnight in Paris” starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Oscar winner Marion Cotillard opened Friday, June 10th at Rave Motion Pictures in Davenport, Iowa. “Midnight in Paris” stars Owen Wilson as a blocked […]

Leo Stein and sister Gertrude Stein’s salon is in the Woody Allen film “Midnight in Paris”

Below is a press release from a museum in San Francisco:  the steins were known for their saturday evening salons, where artists, writers, musicians, intellectuals, and collectors gathered to discuss contemporary art, culture, and ideas.  the stein salons have even been described as ‘the first museum of modern art’!  midnight in paris transports you to the stein […]

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

A mighty shark is swallowed whole just like USA being swallowed by debt

February 14, 2012 – 3:02 pm

It is true that the USA is a very powerful country in many ways, but it also true that we are BROKE AND OWE MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. That reminds me of the mighty shark in this picture below that is swallowed whole. It was so mighty until it was brought down by another giant. Our giant problem in the USA is our debt and we need to run from it as fast as we can.

Photo by Daniela Ceccarelli

National Geographic has released this soon-to-be classic photograph of one shark eating another shark whole.

The photo comes from Daniela Ceccarelli, of Australia’s Research Council Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.  Ceccarelli was working with fellow researcher David Williamson on conducting a “fish census” off Great Keppel Island, part of the country’s Great Barrier Reef. That’s when Ceccarelli thought she spotted a brown-banded bamboo shark hanging out near the ocean’s floor.

“The first thing that caught my eye was the almost translucent white of the bamboo shark,” Ceccarelli told National Geographic in an email. Instead, as Ceccarelli moved in for a closer look she noticed a camouflaged wobbegong shark emerging from seclusion with the same bamboo shark partially wedged inside its jaws.

“It became clear that the head of the bamboo shark was hidden in its mouth,” she said. “The bamboo shark was motionless and definitely dead.”

As the New Scientist explains, Wobbegongs, aka carpet sharks, are silent predators, waiting at the bottom of the ocean floor for their pray to pass by. And as stunning as this photo may be, it’s not uncommon for Wobbegongs to devour such large meals. Like several kinds of snakes, the Wobbegong has a dislocating jaw and rearward-pointing teeth that help it consume disproportionately large prey.

Although Wobbegongs bite humans with some regularity, these usually aren’t actual attacks where the shark is hunting for prey. Rather, these bites tend to be more of a defensive reflex after the shark itself has been assaulted, usually by someone unintentionally stepping on it.

While shark attacks were down in the U.S. last year, deaths from shark bites more than doubled worldwide with 12 reported deaths all happening outside of the U.S. However, Florida still led the overall national count for most attacks, with 11 of the 29 attacks reported inside the U.S.

“We had a number of fatalities in essentially out-of-the-way places, where there’s not the same quantity and quality of medical attention readily available,” George Burgess, director of the Shark Attack File, told Gannett. “They also don’t have histories of shark attacks in these regions, so there are not contingency plans in effect like there are in places such as Florida.”

You can keep track of individual shark attack statistics here.

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A mighty shark is swallowed whole just like USA being swallowed by debt

It is true that the USA is a very powerful country in many ways, but it also true that we are BROKE AND OWE MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. That reminds me of the mighty shark in this picture below that is swallowed whole. Photo by Daniela Ceccarelli National Geographic has released […]

Each American’s Share of National Debt Is Growing

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Senator Pryor asks for Spending Cut Suggestions! Here are a few!(Part 134)

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Protectionism does not work

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Van Jones liberal alternative movement doomed to fail

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Ron Paul’s opinion of Fed

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By Everette Hatcher III | Also posted in spending out of control | Comments (0)

New details about Clinton’s thoughts during Lewinsky scandal

February 14, 2012 – 2:37 pm

Bill Clinton admits to having inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky

Uploaded by on Nov 18, 2010

Bill Clinton admits to having inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

______________________________

After the story I have some links to related posts.

Bill Clinton Struggled to Deal With Lewinsky Affair, Film Says

ABC NewsBy Huma Khan | ABC News – Mon, Feb 13, 2012

George Bridges/AFP/getty Images

Bill Clinton apparently struggled with whether to talk publicly about his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, as his aides were surprised, even dismayed, about his relationship with the 23-year-old.

A new documentary focusing on Clinton’s life and presidency reveals that he contacted pollster Dick Morris to gauge whether he should come out with the truth when news of the affair broke.

“He said, ‘Ever since I got here to the White House I’ve had to shut my body down sexually I mean, but I screwed up with this girl. I didn’t do what they said I did, but I may have done so much that I can’t prove my innocence,'” Morris recalls in the film “Clinton,” which was written and directed by Barak Goodman.

“And I said to him, ‘The problem that presidents have is not the sin, it’s the cover up and you should explore just telling the American people the truth.’ He said, ‘Really, do you think I could do that?’ And I said, ‘Let me test it, let me run a poll.’ So I took a poll and I tested popular attitudes on that and I called him back and I said, ‘They will forgive the adultery, but they won’t easily forgive that you lied,'” Morris says in the documentary to air on PBS next week.

Meanwhile, several of Clinton’s aides were convinced he was set up.

“He’s got all these enemies who are out to get him,” Clinton’s labor secretary, Robert Reich, said in the film. “He wouldn’t be so stupid as to jeopardize his entire presidency. For what? No, that was not the Bill Clinton I knew.”

Clinton first denied the affair that broke out in the news media in 1998, famously saying he “did not have sexual relations with that woman.” He later admitted to oral sex with the young intern and said his relationship with Lewinsky was wrong and inappropriate.

“I am profoundly sorry for all I have done wrong in words and in deeds,” he said Dec. 11 1998. “I never should have misled the country, the Congress, my friends or my family. Quite simply, I gave in to my shame.”

Although his subsequent impeachment made him only the second U.S. president to be impeached, Clinton’s aides say that in a way, the former president himself set up barriers that he could then leap across and he was always confident he could find his way back.

“How many second chances does any one person deserve?” his former press secretary, Dee Dee Myers, said in the film. “Clinton’s view is as many second chances as a person is willing to try to take. As many times as you fail, don’t you deserve the chance to redeem yourself? Isn’t history loaded with people who have fallen and gotten up, fallen and gotten up and done great things?”

The documentary also details the challenges Hillary Clinton faced as first lady. Clinton was, behind the scenes, a powerful force in the White House but aides said her strengths often turned into his weaknesses.

“Voters thought that it was a zero-sum game, that for Hillary to be strong, Bill would have to be weak, and as a result the perception of Hillary’s strength became a perception of Bill’s weakness,” Morris said.

Hillary Clinton was blamed by many for a weak turnout in the 1994 election and for the failure of the administration’s health care reform plan in 1993 that failed to gain momentum.

“She was outspoken, she was smart, she was hard driving, and some people resented her,” Clinton’s Deputy Chief of Staff Harold Ickes said in the film. “Remember during the campaign, it was two for the price of one, well people aren’t electing two for the price of one. They’re electing the president.”

The documentary airs on PBS Feb. 20-21, as part of  its “American Experience” series.

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Timeline of Newt’s affairs

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By Everette Hatcher III | Also posted in Bill Clinton | Comments (1)

Jeremy Lin: Thanking Jesus like Tebow

February 14, 2012 – 10:40 am

I have not hesitated to say before how much I admire Tim Tebow. Well I am becoming a fan of Jeremy Lin too. (Here are some links to other fine articles on Jeremy’s faith.)

New York Knicks: Why Jeremy Lin Will Become the Tim Tebow of the NBA

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 31: Jeremy Lin #17 of the New York Knicks drives past Detroit Pistons Walker Russell #23 of the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on January 31, 2012 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

 

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Amid the smoke and rubble of the New York Knicks’ season, a man, a hero, a legend has emerged—a man of humility, courage and faith who can run a Mike D’Antoni system. The legend that is Jeremy Lin has only just begun. The NBA answer to Tim Tebow has arrived. 

In games where the Knicks D-League point guard has attempted at least 10 shots, the Knicks are undefeated. If they can maintain this winning percentage with him as the starter, the Knicks would be able to finish with a record of 51-15, good enough to challenge the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat as the Beasts in the East.

OK. Well, maybe that’s not going to happen. The Knicks do have an unlikely star in the making, though. Lin has electrified the city of New York, taking it by storm, even in the wake of the New York Giants winning the Super Bowl.. 

In the last two games, he has totaled 53 points and 15 assists. More importantly, the Knicks offense has been more “offensive” in a good way than in a bad way. 

Lin has a lot of similarities to Tebow. Both are men of devout Christian faiths and aren’t intimidated about expressing it. During his postgame interview on the NBA TV’s Gametime Monday night, Lin had “Tebowian” words of gratitude, “I want to just thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” 

____________

He went on to praise his teammates and his coach and flow praise about how fortunate he was to have the opportunity. 

In that regard, he is also similar to Tebow, not just in the humility he expressed, but also in the fact that he is, in fact, actually very fortunate to receive the opportunity to prove himself. 

As with Tebow, you didn’t get the feeling that he was putting on an act for the cameras but that it was a genuine “aw, shucks” attitude. 

Finally, when he’s playing, it’s clear his teammates are behind him. His genuine self-confidence and likability make his team want to succeed and believe that they can. He really is a reason they are winning. 

That the team won last night with Amar’e Stoudemire missing the game due to his brother’s death and Carmelo Anthony only playing six minutes due to a groin pull is evidence enough of that. 

The Knicks may have found their point guard in the most unlikely of places. If he maintains this kind of play, Skip Bayless may have a new favorite topic—Jeremy Lin, the hero who saved New York. 

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Jeremy Lin’s Christian Faith (Part 6)

Jeremy Lin – Knicks vs Kings FULL COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS 2.15.12 HD ____________________ Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012 Uploaded by Smosharticles on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012, 02/15/2012 10 Points, Career High 13 Assists in […]

Jeremy Lin’s Christian Faith (Part 5)

Uploaded by doko0218 on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Alley Oop To Landry Fields Knicks vs Kings _______________________ Jeremy Lin – Knicks vs Kings FULL COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS 2.15.12 HD ____________________ Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012 Uploaded by Smosharticles on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Post Game […]

Jeremy Lin’s Christian Faith (Part 4)

Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]

Jeremy Lin’s Christian Faith (Part 3)

Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]

Jeremy Lin’s Christian Faith (Part 2)

Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _____________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]

Jeremy Lin’s Christian Faith

Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _____________________ (Here are some links to other fine articles on Jeremy’s faith.) Another article on Jeremy Lin’s faith: The God […]

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Tim Tebow’s faith (Part 1)

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Tim Tebow being persecuted for his Christian faith?

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By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Vol Coach looks needs victory over Hogs on way to NCAA berth

February 14, 2012 – 9:37 am

I think that the hogs and the vols both need 10-6 conference records to get in the NCAA. I have said all year that we need two road victories to do that. I do assume that we will need to beat Florida in Fayetteville to accomplish that.

Cuonzo Martin: 10-6 in SEC puts Vols ‘in good shape’ for NCAA

  • By Mike Griffith
  • govolsxtra.com
  • Posted February 13, 2012 at 1 p.m., updated February 13, 2012 at 7:40 p.m
Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin watches as his team plays Florida during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. Tennessee defeated Florida 75-70. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin watches as his team plays Florida during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. Tennessee defeated Florida 75-70. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

 

UT first-year men’s coachCuonzo Martin said Monday if the Vols go 10-6 in the SEC, he believes they’ll be “in good shape” to make what would be the program’s seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.

Since 1992 only three eligible SEC teams have won 10 or more conference regular-season games and failed to make the NCAA tournament, according to the conference office.

First things first, UT (13-12, 5-5 SEC) plays host to Arkansas (17-8, 5-5) on Wednesday (TV: MyVLT, 8 p.m.) in a battle of teams tied for fifth place in the league.

“I look back at our RPI, when it was 290 against Austin Peay (on Dec. 1), and now it’s like (110),” Martin said. “We’re definitely making progress as a team at the right time.

“I think if you win your next five, I don’t think there’s any question at this level in this league,” Martin said. “With the NCAA, you don’t have a true gauge of, here’s the criteria; in one year, it can change on you.

“If we win 10 league games we’ll be in good shape, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be in for sure. You do your job, put in your work, and when Selection Sunday comes, if you’re a part of it, you’re a part of it.”

After Arkansas, the Vols close the regular season playing: at Alabama (1:30 p.m., Saturday); home vs. Ole Miss (7 p.m., Feb. 22); at South Carolina (8 p.m., Feb. 25); at LSU (9 p.m., Feb. 29) and home against Vanderbilt (4 p.m., March 3).

The SEC tournament takes place March 8-11 in New Orleans.

“If you don’t say you think some about (postseason), you’d be lying,” said UT juniorSkylar McBee, who has averaged 13.7 points in his first three starts. “But if you start looking too far ahead, you can lose sight of what’s next.

“If we focus on taking care of what’s at hand, the big picture will take care of itself.”

That said, Martin’s Missouri State team got snubbed last season despite winning the rugged Missouri Valley Conference outright with a 15-3 league record and a No. 39 RPI.

“That was tough,” Martin said. “But it’s part of it.”

Closer to home, Alabama failed to make the NCAA field last season despite going 12-4 in the SEC and posting a No. 48 RPI.

In 2008-09, South Carolina and Auburn each went 10-6 and failed to make the NCAA tournament, the Gamecocks with an RPI of 58 and Auburn’s at 64.

UT freshman Jarnell Stokes isn’t ready to start crunching numbers; he’s just ready for more wins.

“We definitely plan on going to the (NCAA) tournament,” Stokes said. “It would be amazing, but we feel we can beat any team we step on the floor with.”

More McBee: McBee has heard his critics loud and clear, but instead of being upset with them, he appreciates the edge they provide.

“Everyone has doubters, but that just keeps you hungry,” said McBee, a former walk-on who leads UT with 48 made threes and is shooting a team-best 41.4 percent beyond the 3-point arc. “When you get satisfied, you’re in trouble. As long as you have that voice in your head reminding yourself you have doubters, you’re going to work hard if you’re a competitor.”

The Vols are 9-0 in games McBee has scored in double digits, and UT’s three-game win streak coincides with his addition to the starting lineup.

Hall’s Improvement: Junior center Kenny Hall has impressed Martin since replacing Stokes in the starting lineup, particularly on defense.

“It’s amazing; He’s done a good job without fouling,” Martin said. “He’s playing defense without fouling. I don’t want to say anything to him about it because I don’t want him to start thinking about it. He has made a conscious effort of working hard in that area.”

Stat Facts: UT has scored the same amount of points in SEC play (612) as its opponents. The Vols have attempted 205 free throws and made 144 in SEC games, while opponents have attempted 202 and made 145.

Top Five: UT’s hold on ranking in the top five in national attendance for a seventh consecutive season is slipping. The Vols are averaging 17,192 per home game after only 14,784 turned out for last Wednesday’s home game with South Carolina.

Wisconsin, which is sixth in the nation in attendance, is averaging 17,171 per home game.

Plenty of tickets are available for Wednesday night’s game against Arkansas, including lower-level seats.

Mike Griffith covers Tennessee men’s basketball. Follow him at http://twitter.com/MikeGriffith32

Related posts:

When are the Razorbacks going to get road victory, maybe in Knoxville?

Arkansas must get a couple of road wins if we hope to make it to the NCAA Tournament this year. By reading the comments on Arkansas Sports 360 it appears the fans are anxious for one.  Looking at the schedule and there remains games at Tennessee, Auburn and Mississippi State. The Miss St game would […]

 

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Each American’s Share of National Debt Is Growing

February 14, 2012 – 12:56 am

Each American’s Share of National Debt Is Growing

Everyone wants to know more about the budget and here is some key information with a chart from the Heritage Foundation and a video from the Cato Institute.

As Washington continues to spend more than it can afford, future generations of taxpayers will be on the hook for increasing levels of debt. The amount of debt per citizen will skyrocket.

INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS (2010)

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Each American's Share of National Debt Is Growing

Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Congressional Budget Office (Alternative Fiscal Scenario).

Chart 21 of 42

In Depth

  • Policy Papers for Researchers

  • Technical Notes

    The charts in this book are based primarily on data available as of March 2011 from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The charts using OMB data display the historical growth of the federal government to 2010 while the charts using CBO data display both historical and projected growth from as early as 1940 to 2084. Projections based on OMB data are taken from the White House Fiscal Year 2012 budget. The charts provide data on an annual basis except… Read More

  • Authors

    Emily GoffResearch Assistant
    Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy StudiesKathryn NixPolicy Analyst
    Center for Health Policy StudiesJohn FlemingSenior Data Graphics Editor

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

“Tennis Tuesday” John McEnroe part 4

February 14, 2012 – 12:53 am

 

Born: February 16, 1959
Wiesbaden, Germany
American tennis player and television commentator

John McEnroe was one of the most successful and high-profile players in the history of tennis. Throughout his career, McEnroe won seventeen Grand Slam titles, seventy-seven career single titles, and seventy-seven doubles titles.

Childhood on the court

John Patrick McEnroe Jr. was born on February 16, 1959, in Wiesbaden, Germany, where his father, John McEnroe Sr., was serving in the United States Air Force, and his mother, Kay McEnroe, was a surgical nurse. He was the oldest of three sons. In 1963 his family moved to Queens, New York, where he was raised. At an early age he showed advanced hand-eye coordination and athletic ability. According to his father, when John Jr. was only two years of age, he could strike a ball with a plastic bat, and at age four he could hit it a considerable distance.

It soon became obvious that McEnroe possessed a great deal of natural ability on the tennis court. Oddly, although he won several junior tournaments, and moved steadily upward in rank, he was never rated number one on the National Junior circuit. In 1970 McEnroe began training with Tony Palafox, a former Davis Cup (an international team tennis tournament) player for Mexico, and Harry “Hop” Hopman, a former Australian Davis Cup coach, at the Port Washington (Long Island) Tennis Academy.

McEnroe attended Trinity School, a well-known and expensive Ivy League preparatory school in Manhattan, where he was known to be funny, witty, and rowdy. He did above average scholastically—although by his own admission, he could have done better if it weren’t for his many sports activities: four years of soccer and tennis as well as two years of basketball.

Youngest win in Wimbledon finals

In 1977, after McEnroe graduated from high school, he was given the opportunity to play in Europe, where he won the French Juniors Tournament. Aiming for the Junior’s title at Wimbledon, he had to pull out of the event when he qualified for the men’s senior competition. Not only did he qualify for this important tournament, but he advanced to the semi-finals, where he was beaten by the more experienced Jimmy Connors (1952–), who won in four sets. At that time, McEnroe became the youngest man ever to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals. He also solidified his reputation as one of tennis’s “bad boys” along with Jimmy Connors and Ilie Nastase (1946–). His disturbing, emotional outbursts were directed at linesmen, opponents, and himself. Although McEnroe played somewhat inconsistently for the remainder of the year, he was voted Tennis magazine’s Rookie of the Year for 1977.

That fall McEnroe attended Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, on a tennis scholarship. He led the school’s tennis team to the NCAA Championship in 1978. After his freshman year he decided to turn professional. In the summer of 1978 McEnroe was eliminated in the first round at Wimbledon but reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Open. By the end of that year, he was ranked sixth in the world in singles and fifth in doubles.

Temper tantrums and superstardom

As McEnroe’s talent came to public attention, so did his “superstar” personality. At no tournament did his comments and disruptive

John McEnroe. Reproduced by permission of the Corbis Corporation.

John McEnroe.
Reproduced by permission of the

Corbis Corporation

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actions stand out more than they did at Wimbledon, which was run by the traditional All England Club. Whether there was any truth to his claims or not, McEnroe believed that the Wimbledon umpires were out to get him. Although McEnroe lost in the fourth round at the 1979 Wimbledon tournament, later that year he bounced back and won his first U.S. Open Championship, defeating fellow New Yorker Vitas Gerulaitis. McEnroe became the youngest player to win the U.S. Open since 1948.

At Wimbledon in July 1980 the world watched as one of tennis’s greatest rivalries developed between McEnroe and Bjorn Borg (1956–). The highlight of the match took place in the fourth set, which went into a tiebreaker. It took twenty-two minutes and thirty-four points for McEnroe to finally win the set. But Borg emerged victorious (1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–7, 8–6). It was Borg’s fifth consecutive Wimbledon title, but it also showed the world that McEnroe had the endurance and mental toughness to be a top player. The rivals met again at the U.S. Open, where McEnroe found himself defending the title against a determined Borg, who had yet to win the Open. In a match with as many games as their famous Wimbledon final, McEnroe emerged the winner (7–6, 6–1, 6–7, 5–7, 6–4).

The 1981 Wimbledon tournament saw McEnroe and Borg once again in the final. This time McEnroe ended Borg’s five year reign as he won in four sets (4–6, 7–6, 7–6, 6–4). That same year, in September, McEnroe defended his U.S. Open title once again against Borg (4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–3). Borg, perhaps feeling that his reign was over, retired after this defeat. McEnroe became the only man since Bill Tilden (1893–1953) to win three consecutive U.S. Open titles.

McEnroe’s decline and comeback

In 1984 McEnroe won eighty-two of eighty-four matches, including his fourth World Championship of Tennis final, his third U.S. Pro Indoor Championship, and his second Grand Prix Masters title. He captured his third Wimbledon title, soundly defeating Connors (6–1, 6–1, 6–2), and his fourth U.S. Open title (beating Ivan Lendl 6–3, 6–4, 6–1). This victory was to mark the last major title of his career.

In 1986 McEnroe took time away from tennis and married actress Tatum O’Neal, his girlfriend of two years (after the birth of their first child, Kevin), and retreated to his Malibu, California, home. His break from tennis did not last long as he came back in August to face Boris Becker in a tournament in Stratton Mountain, Vermont. The match invited comparisons to the earlier Borg-McEnroe rivalries. Unfortunately, his comeback never fully took shape. He continued as a Davis Cup player and his successes in Cup play earned him more press than his occasional singles titles. McEnroe, who has four children, divorced O’Neal in 1992. He married singer Patty Smyth in April of 1997. The couple has two daughters.

Sports broadcasting and charity work

In 1995 McEnroe began to call matches with the USA Network’s coverage of the French Open. This began his present broadcasting career. He is a network television commentator for both NBC and CBS at Wimbledon, the French Open, and the U.S. Open. He currently competes in a select number of tournaments and special events, largely for charity. In 1999 McEnroe was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and was named captain of the Davis Cup team.

Although McEnroe’s lack of single-minded devotion may have brought his tennis career to a halt, his charitable activities have brought to the public eye a side of him that was not seen during his reign as champion. An avid rock fan and guitar player, McEnroe occasionally plays at charity events. His interest in art led him to open the John McEnroe Art Gallery in New York City, which features up-and-coming young artists.

For More Information

Evans, Richard. McEnroe, a Rage for Perfection: A Biography. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1982.

Evans, Richard. McEnroe: Taming the Talent. Lexington, MA: S. Green, 1990.

McEnroe, John. You Cannot Be Serious. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2002.

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Keith Green’s article “Grumbling and Complaining–So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt?” (Part 1)

February 14, 2012 – 12:03 am

Keith Green – So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt (live)

Uploaded by on May 25, 2008

Keith Green performing “So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt” live at West Coast 1980

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This song really shows Keith’s humor, but it really has great message. Keith also had a great newsletter that went out every month and I always enjoyed reading it. Below is a portion of an article he wrote  and I still remember some of the things he said over 30 years ago when I first read it.

Keith Green – So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt

Grumbling and Complaining —So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt?

By Keith Green

  “Now the people became like those who complain about adversity in the hearing of the Lord; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.” (Num. 11:1-2)

Grumbling and complaining is one thing we don’t get too concerned about these days. I mean everybody grumbles about something, right? Husbands and wives complain about each other. Kids tell each other how terrible their folks are. Christians grumble about one another – even about their leaders!

The nation of Israel had a long history of grumbling and complaining. You can read about the misery it brought them in the first five books of the Old Testament. I have to confess, for a long time I didn’t like those five books because I thought they were full of The Law. God’s wrath could be pretty terrible. Sometimes He sent plagues or fire from heaven. In Numbers 16, you read about the “rebellion of Korah” when the ground opened up and 250 people who complained against Moses and the Lord were swallowed alive. That’s heavy!

Now the New Testament – that seemed easy in comparison! We were given a new law to keep. The law of love and liberty. As a new Christian, I heard nothing but “love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy” which was great because without them I’d be dead as a doornail! Yet I kept running across scriptures in the New Testament that really turned my head around. Jesus also made some strong statements about obeying the laws of God.

In Matthew, Jesus rebuked the people of three cities where He’d taught and performed many miracles. He wasn’t exactly trying to win a popularity contest when He said: “Woe to you… For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes… (And) if the miracles had occurred in Sodom that occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless, I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” (Matthew 11:21-24) In other words, “If I don’t judge you in light of all you know, I’m going to have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”

I’m not pointing out these scriptures to say, “You’d better listen or God’s gonna get ya.” That’s not God’s heart. He is “slow to anger, full of lovingkindness and compassion.” (Ps. 145:8) What I am saying is that those who lived under the old covenant may have had a harsher requirement – but they’ll have an easier judgment than we who live under the new covenant. Why is that?

During the old covenant, the Spirit of God only came to rest upon people, empowering them to do mighty deeds. But it never lived in them to help them fulfill the law. Today, under the law of love and liberty, the Holy Spirit lives in us, to help us keep the law. James says, “..be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves… But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein… this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:22,25 KJV)

I want to make this point strongly: Once God has led us out of our old sinful lives by His Spirit, we must be careful not to return.

I found an important warning sign while reading Old Testament books like Numbers. This signal can tell you if you’re headed backwards where you’re no longer led and controlled by the Holy Spirit. No longer walking forward with God. It seems like a little “insignificant” sin. In fact, some people don’t think it’s a sin at all! I’m talking about grumbling and complaining.
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Keith Green,
By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Remembering Francis Schaeffer at 100 (Part 4)

February 13, 2012 – 1:25 pm

schaeffer

This

THE FRANCIS SCHAEFFER CENTENNIAL – INVOCATION – PASTOR TONY FELICH

Uploaded by on Feb 3, 2012

Pastor Tony Felich of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Overland Park, KS gives the invocation to the mini conference event in honor of Francis Schaeffer’s 100th Birthday.

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This year Francis Schaeffer would have turned 100 on Jan 30, 2012. I remember like yesterday when I first was introduced to his books. I was even more amazed when I first saw his films. I was so influenced by them that I bought every one of his 30 something books and his two film series. Here is a tribute that I got off the internet from Chuck Colson’s website www.breakpoint.org :

A Jeremiah Summer
By Diane Singer|Published Date: August 29, 2011

sun

“And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.” Jeremiah 1:16

Prophetic timing
The summer of 2011 has been a memorable one, but for all the wrong reasons. Much of the country has been gripped by an unrelenting heat wave, the nation is reeling from ever-worsening economic news, violence has broken out in a number of cities here and abroad, and the battle for traditional marriage and moral decency lost another round with New York state’s endorsement of same-sex marriage.

During this time, I’ve been teaching Jeremiah in my Sunday morning Explore the Bible class. It wasn’t my idea to teach this particular book at this particular time: it’s part of a nine year through-the-Bible curriculum established by Lifeway publishers. However, the timing does seem, well, prophetic. The similarities between the stiff-necked rebellious people of Judah living six centuries before Christ and the stiff-necked rebellious people of America living today are terrifying — terrifying because of the strong possibility that Judah’s fate foreshadows America’s not-too-distant future.

I realize that many people will say, “America is not Judah. God does not have the same relationship with America as He did with Israel and Judah; therefore, it’s impossible to draw parallels.” They’re wrong. While I concede that no two nations are alike, let alone two nations separated by more than 2500 years of history, we must recognize that God establishes and rules over all nations from the beginning of history to its end. Time does not erase what He requires, both for those who rule and for those who are ruled. Think about it:

  • God is still the same.
  • His holiness hasn’t diminished.
  • His standards for what constitute a good and just society haven’t altered.
  • Our responsibility to hear and obey His Word hasn’t been negated.
  • The “law of cause and effect” (sowing and reaping) is still in effect.

Furthermore, to ignore the warning signs of a nation on the verge of destruction – signs we see in Jeremiah – is to make a liar of the apostle Paul, who wrote that all of the Old Testament is written for our instruction (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11). It also makes a liar out of God, who speaking through the prophet, asserts that “If any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it” (Jeremiah 12:17).

The indictment against Judah
Jeremiah had a great deal to say about why the people of Judah were headed for destruction:

  • They “went after worthlessness and became worthless” (2:5).
  • They “turned degenerate” (2:21) and wore themselves out sinning (9:5).
  • They were so wicked that they even taught “wicked women” things they didn’t know (2:33).
  • They “polluted the land with [their] vile whoredom” (3:2).
  • They were callous and unjust toward the poor (2:34).
  • They repeatedly claimed that they had not sinned (2:35).
  • They were greedy, conniving, unashamed, and self-deluded regarding their true status (6:13-15).
  • They treated the Word as an object of scorn (6:10).
  • They were incapable of speaking the Truth (7:28).
  • They followed their own hearts and went after false gods even more diligently than their forefathers had (9:14).
  • They broke their covenant with the Lord (11:1-13).
  • They were not correctable: they would not listen to God’s prophet (2:30; 5:3), and they would not obey His Word.
  • They assured themselves that God would not judge them, that disaster would not fall (5:12).

They were wrong, as history demonstrated in 586 BC when Judah was crushed by the Babylonians.

The indictment against America
It doesn’t take much effort to read through the list of Judah’s sins and see America’s. Even a casual perusal of the television shows being offered today provides plenty of examples of “worthlessness” and of an exuberant, even gleeful, promotion of every kind of immorality and perversion. The poor, and even the middle class, are being destroyed by the government’s irresponsible fiscal policies and by a welfare policy that keeps them dependant and living in poverty. Movies, television shows, and many so-called news programs are boldly promoting their anti-Christian agenda – one designed to keep Bible-believing Christians intimidated and cowed into silence when it comes to the public square. (If you don’t believe this, consider how people who support the Bible’s view of marriage are now labeled homophobic haters in the media.) And public figures who speak up about what the Bible has to say about the state of the nation are ridiculed as backward, desperate, and dangerously out of touch with reality. Even our president has characterized Bible-believing Christians in disparaging terms.

At the 2011 Resolved Conference, pastor John MacArthur made a claim, based on a passage in Isaiah 5, that particularly offended the anti-Christian crowd: “Materialism, drunkard pleasure seeking, arrogant conceit, defiant sinfulness, moral perversion, and corrupt leadership…Do you not see [them] in America?,” MacArthur asked. He then explained that just as these sins resulted in the destruction of Israel in 721 BC, these sins have brought the USA under divine judgment today.

The Christian response
MacArthur’s pronouncement comes as no surprise to anyone who has read Francis Schaeffer’s 1969 book Death in the City. Schaeffer not only claimed that both Europe and America were even then under “the wrath of God,” he also addressed the question of the contemporary relevance of Jeremiah:

“We do not have to guess what God would say about this because there was a period of history, biblical history, which greatly parallels our day. That is the day of Jeremiah. The Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations show how God looks at a culture which knew Him and deliberately turned away.

But this is not just the character of Jeremiah’s day of apostasy. It’s my day. It’s our day. And if we are going to help our own generation, our perspective must be that of Jeremiah, that weeping prophet Rembrandt so magnificently pictured weeping over Jerusalem, yet in the midst of his tears speaking without mitigating his message of judgment to a people who had had so much yet turned away.” (emphasis mine)

Our response to the evil of our day – to the millions of people who “knew Him and deliberately turned away” – therefore, must mirror Jeremiah’s sorrowful but unflinching response:
By Everette Hatcher III | Also posted in Francis Schaeffer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Reports on cause of Whitney Houston death

February 13, 2012 – 9:27 am

FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2009 file photo, singer Whitney Houston performs on 'Good Morning America' in New York's Central Park. Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, has died, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. She was 48.(AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)

Uploaded by on Feb 12, 2012

R.I.P WHITNEY HOUSTON; Last Performance at Kelly Price’s “For the Love of R&B” Pre-Grammy Party Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. COURTESY OF JET

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It seems that alcohol and drugs are a bad combination. The report below from Yahoo News:

Whitney Houston Died of Prescription Drug, Alcohol Combination, TMZ Reports

By KEVIN DOLAK, CHRISTINA NG and CECILIA VEGA | Good Morning America – 29 minutes ago

Whitney Houston probably died from a combination of the drug Xanax and other prescription medication mixed with alcohol, TMZ reported, citing family sources who were briefed by L.A. County Coroner officials.

Coroners informed Houston’s family that there was not enough water in the singer’s lungs for her to have drowned, and that she may have died before her head became submerged in the bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel where her body was found Saturday, TMZ.com reported.

Whitney’s aunt, Mary Jones, found her lifeless body in the bathtub, having laid out her dress for a party Houston was set to attend Saturday night, sources told TMZ. a Half hour later, at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday, someone from Houston’s entourage called hotel security when they found the singer’s lifeless body.

Houston’s mother has arranged for her body to be flown back to Atlanta as early as Tuesday, TMZ reported. Her family was reportedly told that since there is no suspicion of foul play police have not put a hold on the body, and it may be transported.

Investigators looking into the death of Houston have said that they will be examining the pop icon’s behavior in the hours and days before she was found dead in the bathtub, while the singer’s family, friends and staff have already been questioned.

The Los Angeles Coroner said Sunday that toxicology reports on Houston were will not be available for six to eight weeks, but a family member confirmed that Houston’s family, along with those working for her, have been questioned about any health issues she may have had and her behavior before her death.

Houston was staying at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where she was to attend music industry executive Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy party. It is the same event where she was introduced to the record industry and the world nearly three decades ago.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, Houston’s daughter, was staying in the hotel with her mother and according to TMZ had also fallen asleep in the bathtub the night before her mother’s death in another room. Friends of the 18-year-old tried knocking on her door repeatedly and eventually had to contact security to open the door to her room so she could be removed from the tub.

Houston, who has struggled with drugs and alcohol for many years and entered rehab last year, reportedly spent Friday night at the bar of the Beverly Hilton hotel with a group of friends. She was at the bar for a long time, drinking and being very loud, according to TMZ.

On Thursday Houston was a guest at Grammy nominee Kelly Price’s party, “Kelly Price and Friends Unplugged: For the Love of R&B Grammy Party” at the nightclub, Tru Hollywood. Price recalls an enjoyable evening with Houston.

“We laughed and we joked and we cracked up, and we danced and sang. She was never more than two feet from me the entire night. I gave her a hug, and while I was talking to her she said give me the mic,” Price recalled.

Houston was there with her 18-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown and performed a duet with Price in the early hours of Friday morning, in what would become her last performance.

“In retrospect it’s a much bigger moment than I could have imagined. It was a big moment just because it was Whitney. The world got a gift in that they got an opportunity to see her perform one last time,” Price said.

At the party, Houston reportedly clashed with singer and former “X Factor” finalist Stacy Francis, who had credited Houston as her inspiration and had been pulled onstage to sing with her in 1999 during a concert, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Houston and Francis were re-introduced at the party and all seemed fine until R&B star Ray J, who had dated Houston on-and-off for several years, entered the conversation.

“Whitney just got belligerent,” a witness told The Hollywood Reporter. “Ray was trying to defend Stacy, telling Whitney, ‘Stacy’s family!’, but Whitney was feeling crowded out and hands were raised.”

Photos taken later that night showed Houston disheveled, agitated and bloated as she left. She reportedly had to be escorted from the club with blood dripping down her leg and scratches on her wrist.

“It was a great event and she left sweaty, and I have heard the word ‘disheveled,'” Price told ABC News. “That’s about right. When you stand for three hours and in that time period you are dancing. You would leave a club looking that way.

“She didn’t look like she was under the influence of anything. She drank some champagne and toasted Kelly Price’s three Grammy nominations Thursday night. That’s what Whitney Houston did,” Price added.

Over the days preceding her death Houston’s behavior was erratic. She was seen skipping around a ballroom and doing handstands near the hotel pool, the Los Angeles Times reported, adding that she was seen in mismatched clothes and with dripping wet hair.

At some point on Saturday morning or early afternoon Houston’s cousin, the singer Dionne Warwick, spoke to her over the phone to make sure they were seated at the same table at Davis’ party. At this point there were no signs of trouble, according to TMZ.

Around 3:15 p.m., Houston spoke to her mother, Cissy Houston, and everything still seemed to be fine.

Police, who were already on the scene in preparation for the event later in the evening, arrived at Houston’s room two minutes after her body was discovered.

Officials tried to resuscitate the 48-year-old singer with CPR but were unable to revive her. Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.

Beverly Hills police Lt. Mark Rosen said she was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. He said there were “no obvious signs of foul play and no obvious signs of a cause of death.”

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