Tulsa Rents up 1.5% over past month

By David Arnett

Apartment List is reporting their national rent index jumped another 2.1%, a slight dip from August’s 2.5% increase, but still pacing far ahead of the typical monthly growth from recent pre-pandemic years. With inflation concerns heating up, the national median rent has now increased by 13.8% in 2021, more than 3x the average growth rate of recent pre-pandemic years.

Rents are currently increasing in all of the nation’s 100 largest cities, and there are now just 8 cities remaining where rents are still below pre-pandemic levels. This rapid rent growth is a symptom of record high demand clashing with historically tight vacancies.

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Will the U.S. win the war on COVID-19?

By Jane M. Orient, M.D.

As U.S. forces beat a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, defeated after 20 years by the primitive Taliban, who clung to their guns and their faith, America’s invincibility as the “world’s only superpower” might be disputed.

Joe Biden told Americans, when speaking about his gun-control agenda, that to move against the government one would need F-15s and perhaps nuclear weapons. The Taliban lack those, although they have acquired a treasure trove of advanced weapons left behind by Americans.

Against Americans, the U.S. government might not deploy F-15s, nukes, bombers, or killer drones, but it has other means of compulsion, backed up by SWAT teams with assault weapons: prisons, ruinous fines, deprivation of licenses and permits, withholding of benefits on which one has become dependent, no-fly lists, or freezing one’s financial assets.

In the “war” against COVID-19, the government is showing its willingness to deploy all of these against anyone who might interfere with its strategy: lockdowns and mandatory warp-speed vaccine.

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Jurassic Quest migrates to Tulsa

By David Arnett

The largest and most realistic dinosaur exhibit in North America is back, bigger and better than ever! More than 100 photo-realistic dinosaurs are ready to delight families when Jurassic Quest® heads to Tulsa’s Cox Convention Center September 10-12. Jurassic Quest is one of the first indoor family edutainment shows to re-launch since March 2020 due to the pandemic.

Jurassic Quest will open with beloved and unique experiences for the whole family including more than 100 life-like dinosaurs, dinosaur themed rides, live dinosaur shows, interactive science and art activities, a “Triceratots” soft play area for the littlest explorers, face painting, bounce houses and inflatable attractions (socks required), photo opportunities, and more. Walk through the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic periods to see the dinos that ruled on land, and “deep dive” into the “Ancient Oceans” exhibit to come face to face with the largest apex predator that ever existed – a moving, life-size, 50-foot-long megalodon! Meet the babies, hatched only at Jurassic Quest: Cammie the Camarasaurus, Tyson the T-Rex and Trixie the Triceratops – and, you may even catch one of our star dino trainers: Safari Sarah, Dino Dustin, Captain Caleb, Prehistoric Nick or Park Ranger Marty!

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Jenks Schools directs to ‘social justice’

By Ray Carter, Director, Center for Independent Journalism

Parents who visit the Jenks Public Schools Southeast Elementary website to learn more about the school’s “social emotional learning” (SEL) efforts are quickly directed to documents by other organizations that declare “social emotional learning” allows teachers to “address privilege, prejudice, discrimination, social justice, and self-determination in K-12 settings.”

The Jenks elementary school’s “Social Emotional Learning (COVID Resources)” page on its website, includes a prominent link for an “SEL for Parents & Educators” page. That link takes parents to the Inside SEL website, whose “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” materials tout Panorama Education’s “Transformative SEL.”

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Stopping the Tyranny of Medical Mandates

By Marilyn M. Singleton, M.D., J.D.

In Patrick Henry’s June 4, 1788 speech, “A Wrong Step Now and the Republic Will Be Lost Forever” he pleaded for less power to the federal government and the preservation of states’ and individual rights as a condition for ratification of the Constitution. We got our Bill of Rights, including freedom of religion, speech, assembly and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. We also have the right to be secure in our “persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures.” And we cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.

Despite the Constitution’s admonitions, fear and anxiety have led to an increase in federal powers. The Great Depression gave birth to some 70 new agencies and programs. The mother of all programs was the Social Security Act, constitutionally justified under the Congress’ Constitutional taxing power. We have been so irrational as to deem it constitutional to place American citizens in internment camps with no due process.

COVID-19 is the latest justification for government overreach in the name of public health. There is little reason for confidence given the CDC’s faulty COVID-19 tests, the conflicting information on the usefulness of wearing masks, and censoring of effective treatments that were not on the infallible Dr. Fauci’s personal favorite list. (Note: the World Health Organization recommended against the use of his favored drug, remdesivir). Adding to the erosion of trust is the change in definition of a COVID-19 “case.” Prior to the vaccination rollout, any positive COVID-19 test—with or without symptoms—was a “case.” Now, a positive test in a vaccinated person is only considered a “case” if the patient was hospitalized or died.

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