Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

What's your favorite ice cream?    
Ice cream is the best -
"we all scream for ice cream."
There's more to ice cream than meets the eye,  
Eat it in good health - 
There are health benefits to eating ice cream.

Marvin Irving Blusteln

Re:1955

What's wrong in America.

There are people who continue to support and re-elect "politicians" who have no moral compass.

I think the U S is being controlled by people who love to hate others.  Our system is broken,  Our founding fathers had no inkling that heartless and self-indulgent people could and would be elected to public office.

Our system is broken.  We function under minority rule.   Too often the elected forget there job is to govern and be the caretaker of the country.  Margery T. Green is a fine example of our failing system.  Investigations do not goverrn, do not promote the functioning of the government for the benefit of all Americans.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

"Ubuntu" (defined as "I am because you are" in Swahili).      
We are not islands.

American Embassy staff and their families have been evacuated from Sudan; the Embassy is closed.      
Sudan is at war again. The Sudanese are caught in what seems an endless cycle of violence.

Some of my most vivid (and best) memories are from my time in post-colonial Sudan, living in Khartoum, at the time the most primitive capital city in the world...
experiencing a bloodless coup d'etat with tanks on the street and a halt on all imports;        
being among the international crowd, some on camels, for the parade welcoming Tito (Yugoslav dictator) to Khartoum;        
attending Unity High School for Girls with girls who were local and from around the world (my closest friends were a German girl and an Indian girl), and teachers from around the world, and from across the British Commonwealth: an English teacher from New Zealand, and my French teacher, a native born French woman; not 'til I watched "Doc Martin" did I understand my Précis teacher's expectations for imaginative writing;   
sitting in the row behind the American Ambassador and his wife Sunday evenings at the Evensong service at the Anglican Cathedral;      
sailing on the Nile with my dad's students;      
traveling up south on the White Nile to spend time in what now is South Sudan;    
sleeping on the roof of our house in Khartoum at night (except during haboob season), sleeping in a bedroom during the heat of the afternoon, waking up and swimming at the international Cultural Centre and/or going to the outdoor cinema.

The fighting in Sudan began as the Sudanese were attempting to transition to democracy. The generals who worked together to force the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir turned on each other to seize control of leadership in Sudan. Their struggle is complicated by the interest foreign backers and fighters have in the riches of rare minerals and other natural resources in Sudan. The countries that border Sudan are mired in their own conflicts, with various rebel groups operating along porous borders.  On top of that there are many external would-be mediators who could further complicate Sudan's complex path to peace and stability.

Real people live in Sudan, Sudan is in great peril.

Nancy Doyle (Sudlow)

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

"A new Fox News poll shows that 87% of voters favor background checks for gun purchases, 81% favor making  21 the minimum age to buy a gun, 80% want mental health care checks on all gun buyers, 80% want flags for people who are dangerous to themselves or others, 77% want a 30-day waiting period to buy a gun, and 61% want an assault weapons ban. And yet, Republican majorities in state legislatures are rapidly rolling back gun laws."  -- Heather Cox Richardson

All this info from a FOX News poll.      
Gun stuff:        
age requirements, mental health checks, red flag legislation, waiting periods, assault weapon bans.        
And yet sadly the source of the news poll will nevertheless tell its viewers that the proactive measures illuminated by the poll are disguising the primary objective: to take everyone's guns.

The Fox News poll simply states that the vast majority of Americans actually want no nonsense, common sense, gun safety legislation.

Why do most Americans support common sense gun initiatives?            
We've seen far too many children slaughtered in America.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Beware: "There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to accept what is true."    -- Soren Kierkegaard

CS Lewis said: "One of the most cowardly things people do is to shut their eyes to the facts."

Are we running towards something or away from something, or maybe in both directions?

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

The senseless violence in America is too shocking to just shrug off.        
It is time to elect a Congress that is ready to seriously wrestle with the gun problem in America and the 2nd Amendment.

We need to elect adults.

We need a Congress that is ready to be serious about the debt ceiling and immigration and ethics in the Supreme Court.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Human nature is as capable of depravity as of virtue.    
The only powers we have in the public square is the voice and the vote. As citizens we have the responsibility to exercise those powers.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

"Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one person is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of another... ".      
-- Harper Lee, "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

For all the fear of Sharia law,        
the consequences of the legislation Christian Nationalists are attempting in America are of similar concern.
The separation of church and state is foundationally important to our society; hunkering down with only those who agree with us is a threat to the health of our nation.      

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

If Universal Background Checks and Red Flag Laws create an insurmountable barrier to you owning a firearm, then you ARE the person we're worried about.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf form a partnership:
- a total surprise and disheartening disappointment, an absolute turn of events.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Facts are facts:          
The Saudis are heavily invested in many of the companies that sponsor PGA Tour events.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

 Glory to Ukraine.

    🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

"How could players who imagine that they are independent, self-determining contractors wind up in this position? The answer is, Jack Nicklaus and Arnie Palmer didn't mean to, but they ceded way too much control to the commissioner and his policy board (of tour players) when they formed the PGA Tour back in 1968.            
(Note: The board of Tour players was not included nor aware of PGA Tour negotiations with LIV.)

"Today's players should use this moment as an opportunity. The players have the advantage: they can form a new platform and court new suitors, cleanly.

"The players are the game of golf. Not the cigar smokers."

with attribution to Sally Jenkins, "It's time for golfers to seize control of their game", WaPo June 15, 2023

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

  On Juneteenth 2023

  "God speed the day when human blood    
   Shall cease to flow!    
   In every clime be understood,      
   The claims of human brotherhood,      
   And each return for evil, good,      
   Not blow for blow;        
   That day will come all feuds to end,        
   And change into a faithful friend           
   Each foe."        
   -- Frederick Douglass, 1852

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Billy Taylor composed "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" in 1952.        
The song, with its stately melody and strong gospel roots, was embraced by leaders of the Civil Rights Movement as a message of peace and dignity.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Watch for drone displays to replace fireworks.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a hero.    
Glory to Ukraine.

  🇺🇦   🇺🇦   🇺🇦

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

He made a run for it, into North Korea.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him, but it wasn't there.

The conductor said, "Dr Einstein, I know who you are, I'm sure you have a ticket. Don't worry about it."

Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. Ready to move to the next car, he turned and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat.

The conductor rushed back and said, "Dr Einstein, Dr Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are, I'm sure you have a ticket."

Einstein looked up at the conductor and said, "Sir, I know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going."

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Do penguins have knees?

Larry Metnick

I I    I had breakfast this morning with Coach Burkel (seated right) Coach Armor(seated left) , Coach Foerch(seated middle). Standing left to,right, Darrell Kerbel, me, Steve Rochel and Ed Raymond, all former Niles West gymnasts.

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Wow❗️  Lookin' good❗️

Rosalle Stemer

What a great picture, Larry