#outdoor activities Tulsa

[staceysoleil]

Tulsa Botanic Garden [September 2024]

Tulsa Botanic Garden: Where Nature Blooms and Dogs Roam Free (on Select Days, of Course)

This weekend, we did something that made both our hearts and our dog’s tail wag. That’s right—we took advantage of dog day at the Tulsa Botanic Garden, a.k.a., one of the prettiest places to walk, breathe, and let your four-legged friend get a sniff of the good life. If you’ve ever wanted to enjoy a serene day out among some of Oklahoma’s most beautiful blooms while your dog gets to live their best life, the Tulsa Botanic Garden is the place to be.

Nestled just a short drive from downtown, this 170-acre slice of heaven is where humans and nature connect—whether you’re chasing tranquility, exploring the seasonal flower displays, or (like today) making sure your pup gets in on the action. Here’s everything you need to know about why this spot is one of Tulsa’s best-kept secrets, and why you should get it on your calendar (with or without your furry friend).

Dog Day at the Garden: A Tail-Wagging Time

Let’s start with the real MVP of today’s visit: dog day. If you’ve got a canine companion, you know how it feels to find a place that welcomes your dog and offers you a great time too. Usually, we’re relegated to the nearest dog park or trail (no complaints, but a little variety would be nice), but the Tulsa Botanic Garden changes the game by offering specific dog days throughout the year. This means your pup can roam the gorgeous grounds, make new furry friends, and soak up some nature.

Our fur-baby has special needs as a senior pup, she’s 16-years young, is blind & deaf, however she loves special outings on the weekend—sniffing every plant, feeling the breeze on her fur and maybe getting a little too excited about some of the sculptures scattered throughout the garden. The trails are spacious enough that even on busy days, you’re not constantly dodging other dogs, and there’s plenty of room for your sweet fur-baby to enjoy themselves without pulling you through a hedge.

Pro Tip: While dogs are welcome on dog days, they do require leashes, so bring one that gives your pup enough freedom to explore but still keeps them close enough to avoid flower bed casualties & please remember to be kind and pick up after your pet!

It’s All in the Details: Gardens That Wow

Keeping things real, we weren’t quite sure what to expect from the Tulsa Botanic Garden, but we were excited to check it out and if we loved it we knew we’d scoop up a membership. We figured it’d be pretty, but the variety and attention to detail here take it to the next level. The themed gardens are so thoughtfully designed that you could visit multiple times a year and still feel like you’re discovering something new.

The Children’s Discovery Garden is a hit even if you don’t have kids in tow. It’s interactive and whimsical, with giant flowers that spray mist in the summer and water features that make you feel like you’ve stepped into a fairy tale.

The Lakeview Terrace offers killer views of the lake and it’s super expansive…so completely relaxing. We’re excited to come back and visit during the spring blooms to see the flowers showing off in all their glory. We’re told the park is brimming over with vibrant tulips, perennials, and wildflowers that make you stop in your tracks and appreciate how good Mother Nature really is.

But let’s not forget the star attraction: the Tandy Floral Terraces. These multi-tiered terraces are like something out of a dream. Seasonal flowers line the stone pathways, and the large water feature in the center is the perfect spot to stop and snap a few pics (for both your Instagram and your dog’s IG, obviously).

The Seasonal Perks: Always Something New

What’s great about the Tulsa Botanic Garden is that it’s always changing with the seasons. So, even if you’ve been before, it’s worth returning to see what’s new. As mentioned above, in the spring, the garden goes all out for its Tulsa Botanic BLOOMS, where you’ll find over 120,000 bulbs putting on a colorful show. And if you’re more of an autumn lover, the Tulsa Botanic BOO-tanical event is the place to be, complete with festive fall displays, pumpkin decorations, and all the spooky vibes you didn’t know you needed. This is precisely what they were setting up when we arrived, so we had some fun snapping pics amongst the pumpkins, and even did a little time lapse through the pumpkin hay maze, LOL! [You can catch a sneak peek of the fall set up, the fall blooms as well as a time lapse of the maze HERE on our IG]

During the summer, the Tulsa Botanic Garden opens up their Thursday Late nights, so you can wander the gardens in the cool evening air while catching a sunset over the lake (with or without a glass of wine from their events).

Can’t Forget the Amenities: The Details Matter

If you’re worried about comfort, (aside from there being NO shade throughout most of the park), the rest of the well thought out custom comforts will put your mind at ease. The Tulsa Botanic Garden has done a great job at making sure guests have everything they need for a relaxing visit. The bathrooms are clean (yes, I checked), the paths are well-maintained, and the signage is clear so you can easily find your way around.

The staff here is friendly & super knowledgeable about the blooms. Whether you’ve got questions about a specific plant (for when you’re ready to flex that gardening hobby) or just need advice on which path is best for a quiet stroll, they’ve got you covered. Where we were disappointed in all honesty was that 5 minutes after buying our tickets we asked if we could apply the cost of our tickets today towards a season pass if we enjoy the park and we were told we could not. The only accommodation they offer is $10 off. ProTip: If you think you’ll come back even just once a season, it’s more affordable to get a family pass, so just ask for one PRIOR to purchasing your tickets.

And yes, the gift shop is a total delight. Think plant-inspired gifts, gardening books, and one-of-a-kind souvenirs that help support the garden. Trust me, you’ll want to grab something on your way out. We found the cutest little fairy crowns for the grand toddlers as well as cute tshirts and magnets.

The Perfect Place for Tulsa’s Best Doggone Day

Tulsa has a lot of great places to hang out with your dog (shout out to the Midland Valley and riverfront trails, which are dog-friendly every day), but the Tulsa Botanic Garden? It’s a special treat. You get the beauty and peace of nature, your dog gets to be part of the adventure, and you both leave feeling refreshed.

Keep an eye on their schedule for upcoming dog days, because trust me, your pup will thank you. And even if it’s not a dog day, the Tulsa Botanic Garden is worth the trip. Whether you’re exploring solo, with friends, or with your four-legged family, it’s the perfect spot to get outside, unwind, and take in some of Tulsa’s natural beauty.

The Bottom Line: Tulsa Botanic Garden is for Everyone (Especially Dog Lovers)

If you haven’t been to the Tulsa Botanic Garden yet, it’s time to plan a visit. Whether you’re a die-hard nature enthusiast, a casual stroller, or someone who just needs a beautiful backdrop for your next dog walk, this place has something for everyone. Trust me, once you experience the charm of this place, you’ll find yourself coming back season after season (and on every dog day you can get to).

[ajtreeservice]

Transforming your yard into a beautiful, thriving space begins with the essential practices of tree trimming and pruning. These activities are not just about maintaining aesthetics but also ensuring the health and safety of your trees. Whether you’re looking to enhance your landscape or address safety concerns, tree removal and landscaping in Tulsa, Oklahoma, can significantly improve your outdoor space.

[frank4457]

Cherokee Nation Businesses: From Gaming to Tourism in Oklahoma.

The Cherokee Nation, one of the largest Native American tribes in the United States, has long been a significant player in Oklahoma's economy. In recent years, Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB), the tribe's economic arm, has expanded its focus beyond gaming to embrace the tourism industry, creating new opportunities for economic growth and cultural preservation.

Historically, gaming has been a primary revenue source for the Cherokee Nation. The tribe operates several successful casinos across Oklahoma, including the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa and the Cherokee Casino Resort in Roland. These establishments have not only provided jobs and economic stability for the tribe but have also become major tourist destinations in their own right, attracting visitors from across the region.

However, recognizing the potential for diversification, Cherokee Nation Businesses has been actively pursuing opportunities in the tourism sector. One notable example is the expansion of the Cherokee Nation's cultural attractions, such as the Cherokee Heritage Center and the Cherokee National History Museum, both located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

These institutions serve as important repositories of Cherokee history and culture, offering educational programs, exhibits, and events that showcase the tribe's rich heritage. By investing in these cultural assets, CNB aims to attract a broader audience of tourists interested in learning about Native American history and experiencing Cherokee traditions firsthand.

In addition to cultural tourism, CNB has also been exploring opportunities in ecotourism, leveraging the natural beauty of the Cherokee Nation's land to attract visitors interested in outdoor recreation and conservation. The tribe's extensive land holdings include scenic landscapes, forests, and waterways, making it an ideal destination for activities such as hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching.

To support this initiative, CNB has developed infrastructure and amenities to enhance the visitor experience, including hiking trails, campgrounds, and eco-lodges. These efforts not only promote sustainable tourism practices but also generate revenue that can be reinvested in conservation efforts and community development projects.

Furthermore, Cherokee Nation Businesses has been proactive in partnering with local communities and businesses to promote tourism and economic development across Oklahoma. Through initiatives such as the Cherokee Nation Film Office, which facilitates film and television productions in the region, CNB has helped to showcase Oklahoma's cultural and natural assets to a global audience.

Looking ahead, Cherokee Nation Businesses remains committed to promoting sustainable economic growth while preserving the tribe's cultural heritage and natural resources. By continuing to diversify its portfolio and invest in tourism initiatives, CNB aims to create new opportunities for prosperity and empowerment for the Cherokee people and the communities they serve.

In conclusion, Cherokee Nation Businesses' expansion into the tourism industry represents a strategic shift that aligns with the tribe's goals of economic self-sufficiency and cultural preservation. By leveraging its cultural heritage and natural assets, CNB is not only creating new opportunities for economic growth but also fostering a deeper appreciation for Cherokee history and traditions among visitors from around the world.

[esoutherngolf]

Lance Funderburk

Shangri-La Resort Names Lance Funderburk General Manager Shangri-La Resort, Oklahoma’s premier waterfront golf and outdoor recreation destination, has announced the hiring of hospitality veteran Lance Funderburk in the newly created position of General Manager. Hospitality industry veteran completes journey “from the Hawaiian Islands to Monkey Island” “The addition of Lance Funderburk in this important leadership role represents a commitment to dramatically move our resort forward,” said Shangri-La Resort President & CEO Barry Willingham. “His 20-plus years of leadership experience in the hospitality industry provides our team with a seasoned veteran who has the skill set to step immediately into this vital spot to help us move our club forward as an even bigger tourism attraction for our region.” Prior to joining the Shangri-La team, Funderburk served as Director of Operations at Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort on Grand Wailea Beach, Hawaii. In that position, he utilized his leadership and team-building skills to head all operations activities of the $1.2 billion resort, with oversight of approximately 1,500 employees. A native of Macedonia, South Carolina, Funderburke served as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps prior to beginning his hospitality career at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. He has served in leadership roles at hotels and resorts in Maui, Honolulu, South Carolina, and Virginia Beach, expanding his skill set to encompass management and oversight of the full slate of hotel operations. His career has included key positions in a variety of hotels, from privately owned facilities to major brands such as Wyndham, Starwood, Resort Trust, Diamond, and Hilton. “Once I got here to meet with (Executive Chairman) Jason Sheffield and (President & CEO) Barry Willingham, it was the people who changed my mind. Riding from the Tulsa airport to Monkey Island with Barry, it was clear he and I share the same values and goals. Everyone was so friendly, so nice, so genuine. It’s a great culture. The Shangri-La team, the members, the guests and local residents – everyone seems to have everyone else’s best interest at heart,” Funderburk says. “With the marina, golf courses, the hotel, and The Anchor, there is so much to do and everything is so beautiful. I’m excited about the Shangri-La team and the tremendous opportunities ahead of us.” Shangri-La’s visionary owner, Gibbs, has transformed the resort into the pride of Northeast Oklahoma and put the lakefront vacation oasis on the map nationally with an investment of more than $100 million into the property’s accommodations and upscale leisure amenities since taking it over in 2010. Crescent Hotels & Resorts, the award-winning, nationally recognized operator of hotels and resorts with over 120 properties in the United States & Canada, recently added the Shangri-La Resort & Marina to the growing list of properties Crescent manages under the Latitudes: Lifestyles by Crescent collection. In addition to the 119-room resort hotel, an indoor pool, 6,500 square-foot outdoor resort pool with splash pad and tanning ledge, luxury spa, full-service marina on gleaming, 46,500-acre Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees, and six distinct dining and cocktails venues culminate in an unforgettable getaway for golfers, families, groups, corporate and association retreats, and weddings. The Anchor, an award-winning, two-year-old, six-acre indoor/outdoor activity park, has basketball, tennis, pickleball, cornhole, and a unique “Mini-Fenway” WIFFLEBall park, as well as a catch-and-release fishing pond. The Anchor's 11,000-square-foot indoor space offers traditional arcade games, virtual reality games, a LaserShot shooting simulator, and Trackman Golf simulators. A popular spot for drinks and dining, the Sports Bar at The Anchor features dozens of sports screens, including two giant video walls and ping-pong, pool, shuffleboard, darts, and foosball. Visit shangrilaok.com for more information.     Read the full article

[getyourblisson]

Facing Our Challenges- Labyrinth Walk - September 9th, 2023 - Hunter Park - Outdoor Labyrinth - 5804 E 91st Street, Tulsa, OK - 9:00 am

This is the 39th of 52 workshops being presented on the 2023 tour.  Each stop on the tour will be creating a grid over the United States that will benefit our world and activate an Echoing Divine Heart energy pattern; allowing it to ripple out throughout the world and into other existences.  These are going to be an exciting set of events based on the 52 key patterns of The Code Journey work.  Participants will be getting their own learning experience while also contributing positive energy to the collective.  The one that I will be presenting here will be looking at the power that we have within our own self; and how that has the ability to impact every existence.  The Law of One will connect into this as we look at how everyone and everything is connected, while still maintaining their own identity and uniqueness within that connection.  We will look at the aspects of collective consciousness; and the importance of focusing on things support exploration, freedom, and things of value.  We will look particularly at the connection that we have with nature and natural rhythms, which unfolds us into the concepts of microcosms and macrocosms.

This is a Labyrinth Event.  In these events we will have some discussion and conversation about the topic/point that we are activating.  These are casual and informal events, and no reservation is required.  I only ask that you respect any others that are present on the grounds since this is done in a public space.  We will be walking the labyrinth.  The Event is free to attend - donations are appreciated.

[archinform]

The Power of Water, Los Angeles

The Power of Water is WPA sculptural group and fountain located in Lafayette Park, Los Angeles, designed in 1934. The artists were Henry Lion, Jason Herron, and Sherry Peticolas. The scupture stands in a triangle formed by Hoover Street, La Fayette Park Place, and Wilshire Boulevard. The fountain features a heroic-sized female figure, symbolizing the power of water, set on a pedestal atop an oblong concrete pool. The southern wall of the pool is decorated with figures in bas-relief showing people hastening to drink from a waterfall.

The Power of Water, general view

The sculpture is one of hundreds of public sculptures created during the federally-assisted Public Works of Art Project. The designs were approved March 14, 1934; the work was completed Sept. 1934. The top figure measures 10 ft x 3 ft x 6 ft 6 in; the bas-relief panel below measures 5 ft x 25 ft x 16 ft. Both portions were cast in reinforced concrete. Paul Jeffers was the engineer for the project.

Above photographs: The artists creating the sculpture, 1934. Los Angeles Public Library Photograph Collection.

The water basin at the base of the sculpture was filled in in 1966; when I last saw the work in the early 2000s, there was some degradation of the concrete, with sections of rusted rebar showing. The sculpture was in need of restoration, as it stood neglected beside a tennis court.

1930s PWAP sculptures: Astronomers Monument, Griffith Observatory, statue of Saint Monica, Santa Monica

If memory serves me correctly, this was one of the first three WPA sculptures commissioned in the L.A. area, the other two being the statue of Santa Monica [in Santa Monica] and the Astronomers' Monument at the Griffith Observatory. The Power of Water sculpture was inventoried for the Save Outdoor Sculpture California survey in 1994; the report indicated “treatment needed.”

Power of Water PWAP (Public Works Art Project). Photo: Andrew Laverdiere, Creative Commons, 2016.

The Power of Water, 1930s view. Los Angeles Public Library Photograph Collection

The Power of Water. central figure

My photo of the bas-relief at the base of the fountain.

The Artists:

Henry Lion (1900-1966) was born in Fresno, California. A resident of Los Angeles, he completed many public commissions for modernist and traditional bronze and stone works. A copy of one of his historical pieces, "Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea", is at the Gilcrease Institute in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is modeled after a sketch by Charles Russell.

Lion studied at Otis Art Institute and with Stanton MacDonald-Wright, and for many years taught sculpture at the Hollywood Art Center.

Henry Lion, with Statue of Felipe de Neve

Jason Herron’s (1900-1984) works were mostly figural, often strong portrayals of women, and were notable for the beauty and power in their faces and forms. Los Angeles Times critic Arthur Millier compared her to Rodin and wrote of Herron in 1931: “She has that feeling of life flowing, not only through the body of man, but through his soul, too, which invests her figures with a troubled dignity. They live.”

Jason Herron, sculpture, 1930s

Sherry Peticolas (1904-1956) was born in Waterloo, IA. Active in Los Angeles in the 1920s and 1930s, he studied with Merrell Gage Gutzon Borglum at USC. During the Depression years he worked on the Federal Art Project and fulfilled many important municipal commissions in southern California.

Sherry Peticolas, Juan Bautista De Anza

Excerpt from an interview with Henry Lion:

BH: Did you work with any of the other artists in any way on the Project? HL: The three of us did one large project in Lafayette Park, "The Power of Water" figure. BH: "Power of Water?" HL: "Power of Water" figure in Lafayette park. It was done by Jason Herron, Sherry Peticolas and I, the three of us together. BH: What was the subject matter of that one? HL: Well there is one main figure in the center of the design, seven foot by about an eight foot figure of composition stone. Then in front is a long high relief depicting water and it has two pools one above and one down below and the water falling into the lower pool from above. BH: Did you each do a different set of figures for it? HL: The whole design is mine and the modeling is mine. But Sherry Peticolas did mainly the engineering, casting and all sort of thing. BH: Was Sherry Peticolas man or woman? HL: A man. BH: A man? and Jason Herron was a woman! HL: That's right. BH: What was her part in it? HL: She worked with me on it. She helped in the casting and….There is an awful lot of work to it you know, in the way engineering. So we all three worked on it. BH: How long did it take you to do it? Do you remember now? HL: I believe it took several months to do it. It's surprising how much you forget. It really took several months to do it. How do people write their biographies? BH: That's why the archives are important, nobody had time at that time to get it written down. HL: It's surprising how much you forget.

Sources:

[robertbturnerfl]

Monster Tree Service of Green Country East Joins Tulsa Garden Center’s SpringFest to Promote Environmental Awareness and Sustainable Tree Care

Monster Tree Service of Green Country East, a leading tree service franchise in Tulsa, Oklahoma, proudly announces its participation in the highly anticipated SpringFest event hosted by the Tulsa Garden Center. The event, held on April 7 and 8, 2023, was a vibrant celebration of community engagement, outdoor activities, entertainment, and education on sustainable tree care practices and environmental conservation.

As a company with a strong commitment to environmental awareness and sustainable tree care practices, Monster Tree Service of Green Country East was thrilled to join hands with the Tulsa Garden Center and participate in the SpringFest event. The company’s participation aimed to promote the importance of preserving natural resources, protecting the environment, and creating a healthy ecosystem through proper tree care practices.

During the SpringFest event, Monster Tree Service of Green Country East showcased its expertise in sustainable tree care practices. The company’s highly skilled arborists demonstrated proper tree trimming and pruning techniques, highlighting the importance of maintaining healthy trees and mitigating potential risks to people and property. Additionally, the company provided valuable insights and tips on proper tree care and maintenance to the attendees.

With its state-of-the-art equipment and highly skilled team of arborists, Monster Tree Service of Green Country East offers a wide range of tree care services, including tree trimming, pruning, removal, and more. The company is dedicated to providing its customers with the highest quality service, using eco-friendly practices and equipment wherever possible.

Monster Tree Service of Green Country East’s participation in the event was highly appreciated by attendees and event organizers alike. The company’s presence contributed to the success of the event and helped raise awareness about the importance of preserving trees and the environment.

SpringFest was free for the public, and all proceeds went to benefit educational programming, beautification, and historic preservation for the 45-acre Woodward Park campus. Monster Tree Service of Green Country East is proud to have contributed to such a great cause and looks forward to supporting future initiatives that help improve the local community.

Originally published at https://presssynergy.com/newsroom/monster-tree-service-of-green-country-east-joins-tulsa-garden-centers-springfest-to-promote-environmental-awareness-and-sustainable-tree-care/

Company Name: Monster Tree Service Of Green Country East Contact Person: Beth Bounds Phone: (918) 262-8700 Address: 9715 S 75th East Ave City: Tulsa State: OK Country: United States Website: https://www.monstertreeservice.com/green-country-east/

source https://presssynergy.com/newsroom/monster-tree-service-of-green-country-east-joins-tulsa-garden-centers-springfest-to-promote-environmental-awareness-and-sustainable-tree-care/ from Press Synergy https://presssynergy1.blogspot.com/2023/05/monster-tree-service-of-green-country.html

[anitosoul]

tripreport.011: Home

nostalgia and nerves 🏠

Key Inspirations:

Alternative music [’80’s, ’90’s, late ’00’s/early ’10’s] (Music Genre)

Driving around for fun (Activity)

Suburban sprawl (Societal phenomenon)

Teenage bedroom vibes; you know, like with the colored lights and posters all over the walls (Aesthetic)

Making someone a mixtape (Activity)

Thrift Shopping (Activity)

Estate/garage sales (Activity)

The Home Depot (Store)

Looking back at memorabilia from your high school years (Activity)

Finding your parent’s cool old stuff (Activity)

Home building/improvement (Activity)

Picnics (Activity)

Dogs (Animal)

Outdoor dining (Activity)

Home Tracklist A-Side: The Suburbs

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

The Shins – Phantom Limb

Young the Giant – Cough Syrup

Youth Lagoon – 17

Frank Ocean – Ivy

The Smashing Pumpkins – Mayonaise

R.E.M. – Half A World Away

Band of Horses – Infinite Arms

Radiohead – No Surprises

The xx – Sunset

M83 – My Tears Are Becoming a Sea

Home Tracklist B-Side: The City

The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry

MGMT – Time to Pretend

Wild Nothing – Chinatown

The Strokes – Automatic Stop

Sonic Youth – Schizophrenia

Pavement – Gold Soundz

Dinosaur Jr. – Outta Hand

Local Natives – Bowery

LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends

The Smiths – I Know It’s Over

The Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey

Ep011: Home continues on the themes of LLLLL, but in reverse: I was coming to terms with the fact that I was moving back to NYC and leaving Oklahoma, the two places I call home. I was reliving a lot of memories from my days growing up in Tulsa, embracing the nostalgia of high school, and at the same time envisioning a return to my life in NYC, reigniting the momentum of venturing out on my own. I reflected often on what home represented to me, and determined that home was the space and place where I could make moments with the people I love. The songs in this mix are all alternative/indie songs invoking either the nostalgia of youth or the transition to adulthood. The A-side features songs that represent Tulsa and suburban life and the B-side features songs that represent independence and living in the city. 

I found myself idealizing the past: I was going to estate sales, flea markets, and thrift stores, activities I loved to do growing up. Finding other peoples’ old stuff connected me to nostalgia for pasts and homes that weren’t my own. My soundtrack to these activities was made up of alternative music from decades past, both lived-in and imagined. I visited old spots, reminiscing on memories I had with different people growing up in Tulsa. I would drive around aimlessly and listen to cassettes I found, recalling moments when friends and I would drive around listening to music because we had nothing better to do. I wondered if the cassettes’ previous owners did the same.

This nostalgia was partially a result of Tulsa slipping away as a home. My sister was back in Chicago for college, my mom had decided to move away, and my dad began preparations to sell my childhood house. I realized that it may be the last time I could spend an extended period of time in Tulsa, living in the house I grew up in. Building the cabin was important to me because it provided a permanence: it was my literal stake in the ground, preserving my connection to Oklahoma. Oklahoma is a home because of the loved ones that live there, but I realized that may not always be the case. If I build this cabin, I thought, I’ll always have a reason to come back.

At the same time, I was excited but nervous about my return to NYC. I didn’t have an apartment anymore, so I spent hours clicking through StreetEasy. It was always a goal to move to lower Manhattan–when I lived in Harlem, I would take the train down and fantasize about what it would be like to be in the action, living within walking distance from my favorite restaurants, shopping spots, and nightlife. With the COVID rent deals, I realized that it could actually be possible. I lucked out and found a good deal for a one bedroom in Chinatown, had a friend check it out, and committed. In a time of uncertainty, this was another grasp for permanence. 

The uncertainty of the COVID era made all kinds of commitment difficult: it affected my relationships, my moving decisions, my career path, and my values. I realized, though, that I couldn’t allow myself to become paralyzed by the fear of losing what I had or disappointed by misaligned expectations. This month taught me to appreciate every moment I have as if it’s my last, because as long as I’m with people I love, I’ll always be home. 

[jenksok]

Explore The Charm of Jenks

Jenks is a city in Oklahoma located south of Tulsa. The city is known for its antique stores, unique boutiques, and family-friendly activities. Jenks is also home to the Riverwalk, a walking trail that runs along the Arkansas River. The Riverwalk is a great place to take a stroll, go for a jog, or ride your bike. There are also several restaurants and cafes located along the trail.

In addition to the Riverwalk, Jenks is home to a variety of parks and recreation areas. The city has two community centers, an indoor pool, an outdoor water park, and a public golf course. There are also several hiking trails and a nature center. If you're looking for a place to take the kids, Jenks is a great choice. The city has a variety of family-friendly activities, including a Children's Museum, an animal zoo, and a performing arts center.

Whether you're visiting Jenks for the day or you're a lifelong resident, there's plenty to do in this charming city. Be sure to explore all that Jenks has to offer the next time you're in the area.

A Small Town with a Big Personality:

In the heart of Tulsa County lies Jenks, Oklahoma, a small town with a big personality. Founded in 1904, Jenks is one of the oldest incorporated cities in Oklahoma. The city is home to just under 11,000 residents, but its charm and spirit make it feel much bigger.

Jenks is a close-knit community that takes pride in its small-town feel. The city is home to a variety of businesses, restaurants, and shops, all of which add to the unique personality of the town. Jenks residents are friendly and welcoming, and there is a strong sense of community.

The city is also home to a number of parks and recreational facilities. Jenks residents enjoy spending time outdoors, and the city’s parks are perfect for picnics, playground time, and leisurely walks.

In recent years, Jenks has undergone a transformation. The city’s Main Street has been revitalized, and new businesses have been added. Jenks is an exciting place to live, work, and play. The city has a lot to offer, and its residents are proud of their community.

Jenks is a Great Place to Raise a Family:

Jenks is a great place to raise a family for many reasons. Below we will explore some of these reasons and why Jenks, Oklahoma is a top choice for families.

When it comes to finding a place to raise a family, there are many factors to consider. It is important to find a place with good schools, a safe environment, and plenty of amenities and activities for the family to enjoy. Jenks has all of these things and more.

The schools in Jenks are some of the bests in the state. Jenks Public Schools have consistently been ranked among the top schools in Oklahoma. The district has won numerous awards and accolades, and parents can be confident that their children will receive a great education in Jenks.

Jenks is also a very safe place to live. The crime rate in Jenks is very low, and the city is consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in Oklahoma. This is a great peace of mind for parents who want to raise their family in a safe environment.

There are also a lot of great things to do in Jenks. The city is home to a waterpark, a zoo, museums, and plenty of parks and trails. There is something for everyone in Jenks, and families will never get bored.

Jenks is a great place to raise a family because it has everything that families need. The schools are top-notch, the city is safe, and there is plenty to do. If you are looking for a great place to raise a family, Jenks should be at the top of your list.

Member Spotlight

The Joint Chiropractic

835 E Kenosha St, Broken Arrow, OK 74012, United States

+1 918-238-4338

The Joint Chiropractic — Broken Arrow is a well renowned place for their high-quality chiropractic services. They are very affordable, convenient and specialized when it comes to providing pain relief from neck, head, knee & back.

They are offering $29 New Patient Special which includes a consultation, exam, and adjustment. One can even schedule an appointment at night or on the weekends. If you don’t have insurance, it doesn’t matter!

Open nights and weekends, walk-in chiropractor, no insurance needed.

[staceysoleil]

Fun Near Tulsa - Last Days of September

Squeeze in the Last of Warm Tulsa Days

We’re teetering on the edge of fall, and while pumpkin spice season is creeping up (don’t worry, we’re already stocked up), let’s not rush things. After all, we still have a few warm, sunny days left to squeeze out every drop of summer-like fun in and around Tulsa. Whether you’re looking to get outdoors, explore the arts, or simply take a little road trip to a nearby town, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the end of the season before the cool breezes blow in and the leaves start to fall.

So, here’s your guide to the best things to do near Tulsa for end-of-summer fun. Grab your sunscreen, throw on those shades, and let’s make the most of these last summer-like moments.

Take a Day Trip to Keystone Lake

You don’t have to drive far from Tulsa to experience a perfect end-of-summer day by the water. Just about 20 minutes west of Tulsa, Keystone Lake is the ultimate spot for boating, fishing, or just hanging out on the shore with your toes in the sand. This massive reservoir has plenty of beaches, marinas, and picnic spots that make it perfect for a low-key day outdoors.

What to Do: Rent a pontoon from Keyport Marina, grab some snacks, and spend the afternoon lazily drifting along the lake. Or, if you’re feeling a little more active, give wakeboarding or paddleboarding a try (or at least pretend like you’re going to).

Local Tip: Don’t forget to stop by Harbor House Café for a post-lake burger or some fresh catfish. It’s the perfect spot to refuel after a day in the sun.

Explore the Tulsa Arts District for a Culture Fix

If you’re more of an art-and-urban-wanderer than a nature enthusiast, the Tulsa Arts District is calling your name. As the temps start to cool just a touch (we can hope), it’s the perfect time to stroll through the district’s galleries, grab a craft cocktail, and soak in the creative energy before the buzz of fall events take over.

What to Do: Start your day at Philbrook Museum, where contemporary art blends seamlessly with Tulsa’s rich history. Next, wander over to Guthrie Green for a relaxing afternoon with live music or a yoga class. The park often has food trucks and pop-up vendors, so you can snack while you people-watch.

Local Tip: End the day with a cocktail at The Tavern—a Tulsa Arts District favorite. Their “Problem Solver” is basically an art form.

Camp or Hike at Redbud Valley Nature Preserve

If the thought of fall has you dreaming about cool nights and camping under the stars, then make a quick drive to Redbud Valley Nature Preserve, just 30 minutes from Tulsa. The end of summer is the perfect time to hike the trails, explore the limestone cliffs, and marvel at the views before the trees start turning.

What to Do: The main trail at Redbud is a loop, making it perfect for a light, 2-hour hike. You’ll wind through shady trees, rocky outcrops, and open fields that feel like you’re miles away from civilization. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife—this area is known for deer, foxes, and even armadillos (yep, they’re out there).

After your hike, pack up for a night of camping at Osage Hills State Park, where the campsites are clean and quiet. Plus, nothing says end-of-summer like roasting marshmallows by the campfire.

Local Tip: Redbud Valley has some challenging terrain, so pack proper shoes and a camera because the views are worth snapping. Also, it’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so plan accordingly.

Spend a Lazy Day at The Gathering Place

If you’ve lived in Tulsa for more than five minutes, you already know that The Gathering Place is a must-visit. But if you haven’t spent a lazy, end-of-summer afternoon there yet, you’re missing out on one of Tulsa’s crown jewels. This isn’t just any park—it’s a 100-acre wonderland of activities, food trucks, and yes, plenty of places to simply relax and soak in the final rays of summer.

What to Do: Start by grabbing a coffee at Redbud Cafe (their iced drinks are lifesavers in the heat) and take a walk around the QuikTrip Great Lawn, which is perfect for a quick picnic or nap under the trees. If you’ve got kids (or if you’re just a kid at heart), the Williams Lodge has a variety of interactive water features that are perfect for cooling off.

For those who want to keep moving, rent a paddleboat and take a spin around Peggy's Pond, or hit up the skate park for some late-summer adrenaline.

Local Tip: Weekdays are quieter than weekends, but if you go on a Saturday, make sure to check their event calendar—there’s always something going on, from live music to family-friendly festivals.

Float Down the Illinois River

Located just over an hour east of Tulsa, the Illinois River is the perfect place for a lazy river float to soak in the last bit of summer heat. Grab a few friends, rent some tubes, and float your way through scenic landscapes that will make you feel like you're a world away from city life.

What to Do: Most people float for 4-6 hours, which is just the right amount of time to take in the scenery, snack on some trail mix, and maybe even sneak in a nap on the water. Companies like Arrowhead Resort offer float rentals, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. Bring sunscreen, a cooler with drinks (non-alcoholic, of course), and prepare for ultimate relaxation.

Local Tip: If tubing isn’t your thing, you can always rent a kayak or canoe and paddle your way down the river. Just make sure to book your float in advance—it’s a popular activity, especially on the weekends.

Catch an Outdoor Concert at Guthrie Green

The end of summer brings cooler evenings, and there’s no better way to enjoy the sunset than with live music. Guthrie Green, located in Tulsa’s Arts District, regularly hosts outdoor concerts and performances that are perfect for those who want to soak up the end-of-summer energy.

What to Do: Bring a blanket, grab some food from the rotating lineup of food trucks, and settle in for an evening of tunes. There’s usually something for every taste—from indie bands to jazz ensembles—so no matter your music preference, you’ll find a vibe that fits.

Local Tip: Check out their Sunday Salsa series in partnership with Tulsa Remote for a mix of local and regional talent. The shows are free, and you’ll be surrounded by people who are just as excited to dance in the warm summer air.

Head to Downtown Bartlesville for a Quick Getaway

If you’ve got the itch for a mini road trip, take a scenic drive north to Bartlesville—just over an hour from Tulsa. This charming little town is known for its art-deco architecture, unique museums, and a surprising amount of history for a town its size.

What to Do: Stop by the Price Tower, designed by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright, and take a tour to learn more about the building’s fascinating history. Next, check out Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve, where you can experience both art and nature. It’s an eclectic mix of Native American artifacts, Western art, and a sprawling outdoor wildlife preserve filled with buffalo, elk, and longhorn cattle.

Local Tip: Bartlesville is also home to some great mom-and-pop diners—stop by Dink’s Pit BBQ for some legit barbecue before heading back to Tulsa.

The Bottom Line: Make the Most of the Remaining Hot Days in & Around Tulsa

Just because summer is winding down doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Whether you’re soaking up some sun at Keystone Lake, floating down the Illinois River, or catching a live concert at Guthrie Green, there are plenty of ways to squeeze out those last bits of summer before fall arrives.

So, pack your bags (or your cooler), grab some friends, and make these final days of summer count. After all, those pumpkin spice lattes can wait just a little longer.

[libertyoklahoma]

Liberty a city with a big heart in Oklahoma

Liberty, Oklahoma is a city with a population of just over 2,000 people located in the northeastern part of the state. The city is home to Liberty Lake, which is a popular spot for fishing, swimming, and other outdoor activities. Liberty also has a number of parks and recreational facilities, as well as a variety of businesses and restaurants.

The city was founded in 1887 and was named after Liberty, Missouri. Liberty originally served as a stop on the Choctaw Coal and Railway. The city was a thriving community with a variety of businesses, including a hotel, general store, blacksmith shop, and livery stable. A school was built in Liberty in 1890, and a second hotel was erected in 1892.

In 1900, a tornado hit Liberty, damaging many of the city's buildings. The city was rebuilt, and by the early 1920s, it had a population of nearly 600 people.

During the Great Depression, Liberty's economy suffered, but the city was able to rebound in the 1940s. A number of manufacturing plants were built in the city, providing jobs for many of its residents.

In recent years, Liberty has undergone a revitalization, with new businesses and restaurants moving into the city. Liberty is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. The city has a small-town feel, yet it is close to larger cities like Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Liberty truly is a city with a big heart.

Shopping In Liberty Oklahoma

Shopping in Liberty a city in Oklahoma can be an enjoyable experience for everyone. The city is home to a variety of different stores and businesses, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are looking for a new outfit, a new piece of furniture, or just a new pair of shoes, you can find it all in Liberty.

There are a few different shopping districts in Liberty. The first is Historic Downtown Liberty, which is home to a variety of different shops and businesses. This area is perfect for those who want to experience a more unique and historic shopping experience. The second shopping district is Liberty Town Center, which is a more modern shopping district that features a variety of different stores and businesses. This area is perfect for those who want to find the latest fashion trends and shop in a more modern setting.

No matter what kind of shopping you are looking for, you can find it in Liberty. There are a variety of different stores and businesses that cater to a variety of different needs. so you are sure to find what you are looking for. Shopping in Liberty can be an enjoyable experience for everyone, so come and check it out today!

The Quality Of life in Liberty Oklahoma

It is no secret that the quality of life in America’s small towns has been in decline for years. Poverty and crime rates have been on the rise, while jobs and opportunities have been on the decline. This is especially true in the small town of Liberty, Oklahoma.

Liberty is a town of just over 2,000 people, located in the northeastern corner of the state. The town has a median household income of just $23,000, and the poverty rate is nearly double the national average. Crime is also a major problem in Liberty. There were a total of 89 crimes reported in the town in 2016, which is an increase of over 30% from the previous year.

The lack of good-paying jobs is one of the main factors contributing to the decline of Liberty. The town used to be home to a number of manufacturing and industrial jobs, but those have all disappeared over the years. The only major employer in town now is a chicken processing plant. Many of the town’s residents are forced to commute to neighboring cities for work.

The decline of Liberty’s economy has had a ripple effect throughout the town. The local schools have been forced to make cuts, and the quality of education has suffered as a result. The town’s infrastructure is also in need of repair, but there is no money to make the necessary improvements.

The town’s residents have long been struggling to make ends meet, but the situation has gotten worse in recent years. The quality of life in Liberty is at an all-time low, and it seems unlikely that things will improve anytime soon.

Member Spotlight

The Joint Chiropractic

10824 E 71st St, Tulsa, OK 74133, United States

+1 918–238–4207

https://www.thejoint.com/oklahoma/tulsa/woodland-hills-tulsa-46009?y_source=geonetwork_seo

The Joint Chiropractic Woodland Hills — Tulsa is a well renowned place for their high quality chiropractic services. They are very affordable, convenient and specialized when it comes to providing pain relief from neck, head, knee & back.

They are offering $29 New Patient Special which includes a consultation, exam, and adjustment. One can even schedule an appointment at night or on the weekends. If you don’t have insurance, it doesn’t matter!

Open nights and weekends, walk-in chiropractor, no insurance needed

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The politicization of K-pop stans

The politicization of online fandoms is always weird. Most fandoms (usually) have no intrinsic political valence, and indeed, a common strong affinity for an apolitical genre can make strange allies, bringing together people of very different politics.

I remember going to Dungeons and Dragons club in Toronto in the 1980s and bailing early to go to anti-nuclear proliferation protests, to the absolutely shock and dismay of the far-right types who found their way into the hobby through wargaming.

This makes for some bitter splits when a majority (or large minority) of a fandom decides to politicize. The closest I came to quitting SFWA was when the board unwisely promulgated a loyalty oath stating "respect for intellectual property" was a condition of membership.

(Don't worry, that's no longer the case and the people behind it are not active in the org anymore. You can still be an sf writer even if you hate patent trolls, copyfraudsters, or the toxic business-model of Elsevier)

As the fight for racial justice in America has heated up and moved back onto the streets in the highest-possible-stakes way, an unlikely fandom has thrown its support behind the cause: K-Pop Stans (AKA megafans of South Korean pop music).

Earlier this month, there was a massive flood of K-Pop "fancams" (short video clips of musical performances) in far-right hashtags, and to the snitch-line set up by Dallas police to rat out protesters.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/06/03/white-nationalist-pogrom/#solidarity

At the time, some people were skeptical of K-Pop stans' commitment to justice; I heard from several people who'd been targeted by K-Pop harasser mobs that flooded queer and racialized online spaces in precisely the same way.

At the time, I thought K-Pop fandom was probably undergoing a politicization comparable to other fandoms - like the purging of Nazi elements from the punk scene and the emergence of an explicitly anti-authoritarian, queer, leftist character to a genre of music and fandom.

I think I was right. Yesterday, Trump held a rally in Tulsa, OK. In advance of that rally, his campaign manager boasted of over 1,000,000 RSVPs and the campaign planned for massive outdoor overspill areas with jumbotrons.

But when the doors opened, only 6,000 people were there, enough to leave the 19,000 person hall - a true Emptysburg Address.

The Trump campaign (predictably) blamed it on fear of antifa supersoldiers who'd scared off his million+ throng.

But what ACTUALLY happened is that Gen-Z K-Pop stans and Tiktokkers had sent a million fake signups to the RSVP system, flooding it. That's why they were expecting a million people.

https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1274499021625794565

(As to why only 6,000 showed: Trump isn't that popular, and his base skews old and unwell and understand that going to a rally during a coronavirus pandemic could kill them)

The politicization of K-Pop stans has a really interesting recent historical antecedent: Anonymous. The movement had its origins in 4chan's /b/ forum, a notorious source of online harassment and anarchic "fun."

But during Occupy and the Arab Spring, a large plurality of Anonymous participants became explicitly politicized and declared the movement to have an explicit political character.

The path to that political character is complicated, with detours through a Scientology lawsuit and other odd alleyways, but that's where they ended up.

The very best person to read on this is the cyber-anthropologist Biella Coleman. Here's my review of her 2014 must-read on Anonymous, "Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy":

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-anonymous-ghost-in-the-machine

But after Biella's book came out, 4chan kept going. The rump of 4chan/b people who didn't want to follow Anonymous's new politics became...Donald Trump's authoritarian online footsoldiers.

And there WERE homophobic and racist K-Pop stan raids in the past. Progressive politics were not a condition of K-Pop fandom membership (until now). So there's probably a rump of bitter, vicious racist trolls who have mastered the same tactics we're celebrating today.

That said: as Yim Hyun-su documents in a fantastic Korea Herald piece on K-Pop fandom in Korea and abroad, the US K-Pop scene is pretty queer and pretty racially diverse.

http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200612000721

And K-Pop's fringe status in US culture has welded together the fandom in a movement that cut its teeth flooding I Heart Radio request lines.

He quotes Michelle Cho, a University of Toronto media scholar, who describes how the controversy over K-Pop's appropriation of Black and hiphop culture has turned into a solidarity movement.

It's a really complicated and nuanced cultural story, and it's only getting started. If Anonymous is any guide, then the backlash with the fandom is gonna be ugly. Buckle up.

[phroyd]

TULSA — Six members of the advance team preparing to staff President Trump’s rally here Saturday tested positive for the coronavirus, underscoring concerns about holding a massive indoor event in a city where cases are spiking.

The campaign made that announcement, saying quarantine procedures had gone into effect for the infected staff members and those in “immediate contact" with them, as hundreds of supporters filled downtown streets in anticipation of the president’s rally — his first since the virus brought much of public life to a standstill in March.

Upon entering the rally grounds, attendees were handed blue face coverings and directed through a maze of metal fencing, which led to a touchless temperature screening conducted by volunteers in purple smocks.

City police erected black fencing and other barriers around the 19,000-seat BOK Center, a private venue leased by the Trump campaign. Shortly before noon, the campaign directed officers to arrest a protester who had sat down within the barricaded zone, according to the police department.

The protester, Sheila Buck of Tulsa, said she had a ticket to the event. She was wearing a shirt that read, “I can’t breathe," among the final words uttered by George Floyd as a police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck.

Adding to the fortified atmosphere, about 250 National Guard soldiers were on hand to supplement local authorities. Some were armed after the threat level was elevated, said Lt. Col. Geoff Legler, a spokesman for the Guard. Initially, the plan was to equip them only with batons, shields and pepper spray.

The president is heading to Tulsa at a precarious moment for his presidency. Recent polls show him trailing former vice president Joe Biden nationally and in a number of critical swing states, suggesting he has suffered politically from his handling of the coronavirus — which has killed more than 120,000 Americans — and his response to roiling demonstrations over racial injustice and police brutality triggered by Floyd’s killing last month.

The protests and the pandemic collided with Trump’s visit to Tulsa, where the number of new coronavirus cases continues to mount. The county reported 136 new cases on Saturday — marking another high for both single-day and average cases — while the state as a whole reported 331 new infections.

Most police officers, National Guard soldiers, food vendors and the vast majority of people in line chose not to wear face coverings, though Trump-branded masks dotted the crowd. The Confederate flag also appeared — all the more striking because Oklahoma was not a state at the time of the Civil War.

Margene Dunivant and her son Christian Lynch, both of Tulsa, sat on the edge of the crowd, taking in the scene.

“Everybody here is just full-on American and American Dream and hard-working, and just believes in everything America,” said Dunivant, 52. “Nowadays, it’s like you put on a Trump shirt and you’re considered racist, and it’s just wrong. We’re good people, and we love everybody."

A clashing view was also on display in Tulsa, where counteractions were planned with such names as “Dump the Trump Rally” and “Rally Against Hate.” Antipathy to the president — and objections to his insistence on gathering thousands of people indoors for a campaign event — fused with the outpouring for Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating freedom for enslaved black people.

“It’s irresponsible to say the least,” said Mareo Johnson, a pastor and the founder of Black Lives Matter Tulsa. His organization was involved in organizing a Saturday demonstration at John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park, less than a mile from the president’s rally.

His message to the city’s black residents, he said, was, “Stay focused on what Juneteenth represents.”

The commemoration held added significance in Tulsa, a city scarred by racist violence in 1921, when a white mob killed an estimated 300 black residents and devastated an area of the city known at the time as “Black Wall Street.” The Tulsa Race Massacre unfolded in the Greenwood neighborhood, where the words “Black Lives Matter” were painted on a road in bright yellow paint on Friday.

The events — freighted with political and historical meaning — turned the city into a magnet, leaving epidemiologists and public health officials fearful about the spread of the virus.

Susan Schoonover and her husband Brian said they woke up at 3 a.m. to drive the 15 miles from their home in Glenpool, Okla. Standing in line to see Trump, Schoonover sparkled in a tutu, tube socks and a red, white and blue head piece, clad for her first Trump rally. The pair purchased a cardboard cutout of Trump from Amazon to display in line, and they said it has been a hit with other attendees.

The parents of four left their children at home “just in case,” they said, citing recent unrest in cities across the country. As for the pandemic, they did not discount the threat of the coronavirus and planned to take some precautions. If they were to contract the virus, however, “it’s not a death sentence,” they said, because both are in their early 30s. Older people with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable, but young adults have also been badly sickened, including by an inflammatory syndrome linked to covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Robin Wilson, 64, said she was not concerned about contracting the virus inside the stadium despite a heart condition that put her in a wheelchair two years ago.

“I’m here because I love my president,” said Wilson, who used to work in insurance, “and I feel that he’s misrepresented by the mainstream media. And I believe that this is history in the making today, and I wanted to be a part of it.”

Brian Clothier, 61, found a more eye-catching way to illustrate his view of possible risks from the coronavirus. He wore an adult diaper over his pants, where he placed a sign saying the underwear would “stop the spread,” in a reference to the disputed notion that flatulence can be linked to coronavirus transmission.

By early Saturday, lines had formed around three major entrances to the arena, and state troopers and tactical teams in military-style fatigues were massing at the conference center across the street on the southwestern side of the downtown stadium.

The event was able to proceed after the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday rejected a bid to require the BOK Center to enforce social distancing guidelines spelled out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and endorsed by members of the president’s own coronavirus task force. The campaign said it would hand out masks but not require them.

The Trump campaign had originally scheduled the rally for Friday, Juneteenth, but postponed a day following an outcry. The president, after admitting not to have known about the significance of June 19 for many African Americans, claimed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal to have made it “famous.” Some feared the one-day delay would not prevent conflict.

“My fear is that we will see Charlottesville 2.0 in Tulsa,” said Karlos K. Hill, chair of the African and African American studies department at the University of Oklahoma, referring to the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in 2017.

In addition to crowds gathered for the rally and Juneteenth activities, an estimated 4,500 people were expected at an exposition space across town for the Oklahoma Gun Show and the Spring Home and Outdoor Living Expo. Discover Tulsa advertised the chance to see more than “70,000 square feet of guns this weekend."

Trump on Friday threatened protesters preparing to greet him in Tulsa, warning on Twitter: “Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma, please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle or Minneapolis. It will be a much different scene!”

The Trump campaign has repeatedly touted figures suggesting as many as 1 million people have signed up for the event, vastly outstripping the arena’s capacity.

A curfew that had been in place Thursday was rescinded for Friday night after discussions between Trump and Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum (R), who has called the president’s decision to hold the event in his city a “tremendous honor” while declining to attend it. The state’s Republican governor, Kevin Stitt, has embraced the president’s move, saying of concerns about the coronavirus, “We’ve got to learn to deal with this,” while his health commissioner warned in a statement this week that “individuals looking to attend Saturday’s event, or any other large-scale gathering, will face an increased risk of becoming infected with covid-19 and becoming a transmitter of this novel virus.”

Though there was no curfew in place Friday, a “secure zone” was established around the site of the rally to “keep the area clear of individuals that are only present to break the law and disrupt the rights of people assembling peacefully,” according to the Tulsa Police Department.

Andrea Anderson, an FBI spokeswoman in Oklahoma City, said the Bureau was supplying investigative resources to state and local partners to “ensure public safety and security.”

Phroyd

[miamistax]

Read this. Someone you know has lived these same experiences. This must end now.

David Gamble, Jr.

I grew up in Reno, Nevada.

In third grade a boy confidently tells me and my brother that his mom said black people cannot swim because our muscles are different than those of white people.

In middle school, standing among a group of white classmates talking video games, I am the only black child. One classmate expresses surprise that my family has enough money to afford a PlayStation.

In high school, I am the only black kid among a group of friends. When sharing drinks in my presence they frequently tell each other not to “niggerlip” the bottles. Even though I object, they continue to use the phrase.

In high school, my brother is at a teen house party that gets broken up by police, a common occurrence. The kids at the party scatter, also a common occurrence. My brother, the only black child in attendance, is the only one on whom a police officer draws a firearm to get him to stop running away. He is 14.

In high school, a group of my white friends frequently sneak on to the outdoor basketball courts at an athletic club to play. They can usually play for hours, including with club members. On the two occasions I attend, club members complain and we are ejected from the club within minutes.

In high school, I am excited about black history month and am talking to a friend about black inventors. My friend snorts and says, “Black people have never invented anything.”

In high school, as graduation approaches, many of my white friends tell me that I am lucky. They tell me that due to my skin color, I will get into any college I want.

I remain in Reno for college.

During college an employer keeps food for employees in the break room refrigerator. One morning I decided to have microwaveable chicken wings for breakfast. The employer tells me I might not want to eat that for breakfast with my skin color. The employer immediately apologizes.

In college I am standing in a group of white friends on campus. A white acquaintance of one of my friends approaches to chat. The acquaintance tells a story about something that frustrated him and then reels off a series of expletives ending with the word, “nigger.” None of my friends corrects him.

In college I visit an antique shop in Auburn, California with my girlfriend, who is white, and her parents. The shopkeeper follows me around the store whistling loudly as I browse, until we leave.

I move to San Diego, California for law school.

In law school, during a discussion in my criminal law class, a white classmate suggests that police officers should take a suspect’s race into account when determining whether there is reasonable suspicion to believe that an individual is committing a crime.

The weekend of my law school graduation my family comes to San Diego. I go to the mall with my brother and sister and visit the Burberry store. Two different employees follow us around the store – never speaking to us – until we leave.

After law school, I return to Reno.

A co-worker jokingly calls me “King David” upon seeing me each day. I joke that I’m not treated like a king. The co-worker then begins to call me “Slave David” each time we encounter one another. When I ask the co-worker to stop because it is hurtful, I am told by my co-worker that this is a problem that I have in my head.

I attend a pub crawl with friends. We end up at a party in a hotel suite in downtown Reno. I am greeted by a white man at the door who loudly expresses surprise that I am an “educated negro” upon hearing me speak.

I walk a friend who is a white woman from a restaurant to her car because it is night time. As we stand by the car chatting, a police officer pulls up and shines a light on us, asking if everything is okay. Once my friend confirms, the officer drives away. I tell her that he was worried about her, she teasingly says, “Oh yeah, because you’re so scary.” Later, I tell another white friend I felt racially profiled by the officer. My friend shrugs and says, “I don’t know man, that’s a stretch.”

A white friend tells me that white voters have become upset at black people because of black people’s liberal use of food welfare benefits. When I point out that more whites than blacks receive welfare benefits in the U.S., my friend expresses confusion at how that could be the case.

I leave a downtown restaurant with my wife. As we walk along the river a homeless man appears to be having a schizophrenic episode, engaging auditory hallucinations. Upon seeing me, he becomes lucid and begins to shout the word “nigger” over and over.

I discover that one of my clients does not want me to represent him as his Public Defender because he does not want a black attorney. I am given the option to withdraw as counsel. I do not.

Last year, I am at a barbecue chatting with a white acquaintance who asks if I have ever experienced racism. When I say it is a nearly daily occurrence, the acquaintance retorts, without missing a beat, “Bullshit.”

Two months ago. I am driving to lunch with the black teen I mentor. At a red light a white woman crosses the street. As I begin to drive, she turns around and screams at us, “F**k you f****ing nigger!”

Before any of these instances, my family of origin moved to Reno, Nevada from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1984.

My mother recently told me that when I was a very young child my parents hired a company to remove a tree from our front lawn. Two white men showed up and removed the tree. One of them carved a swastika into the stump. My father had to confront him and ask him to remove it.

Before that, my now 93 -year-old grandfather served in the Army National Guard and was stationed in the U.S. south. Despite being active duty, he was not allowed to eat in restaurants due to “whites only” signage. He had to wait for fellow Guardsmen to bring him food outside.

Not long before that, my family were slaves, owned by Americans of English and Irish descent, which is why – despite being primarily of African descent – I have an English last name.

This is my experience of being black in America. To be black in America is to be told over and over that you are not good enough, that you do not belong, that you are genetically unfit, that your physical presence is undesirable, and that everything about you – right down to your lips – is wrong. It is absolutely true that everyone experiences hardships in life, but the psychological weight of being told both explicitly and implicitly, on a daily basis, that your very existence is objectionable can at times feel unbearable.

And despite this experience, I still love my country, my state, and my city. Despite my experience, I would not choose to be anything other than a black American. The history of black people in this country is one of struggle and triumph. Our people were brought to this country as slaves and against all odds, in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, have made our mark. Through slavery, poll taxes, literacy tests, redlining, and black codes we have persevered. Through the unspeakable horrors of mass lynchings; the Tuskegee syphilis experiments; and the massacres at Tulsa and Rosewood, we have persevered.

Bass Reeves, Dovey Johnson Roundtree, Sarah Boone, Oscar Micheaux, Shirley Chisholm, Dorie Miller, Susie King Taylor, Georgia Gilmore, Octavius Catto, Jack Johnson, Garrett Morgan, James W.C. Pennington. These are just a handful of extraordinary and oft forgotten black Americans who helped to mold and preserve the American Dream. These individuals and their accomplishments should not be regarded as “black history,” but rather as American history.

I am an American of privilege, which makes me an African American of great privilege. I am an attorney. I live in a safe neighborhood. My children do not worry about their next meal. I can afford child care. My family can afford personal vehicles. If my children become sick, I can take them to the doctor. If I am this privileged, and these have been my experiences, primarily in my own hometown, often with friends and acquaintances who are fond of me, and of whom I remain fond even now; just imagine what daily life must be like for a black person in this country who does not enjoy my level of privilege.

The protests in the streets of America are certainly about the killing of George Floyd, but not just about George Floyd. They are about countless black men, women, and children for whom the punishment did not fit the crime – if indeed there was a crime at all. We live in a country where, in order to recall what life under Jim Crow felt like, many white Americans must pick up a history book. Meanwhile, many black Americans need only pick up a telephone, and call their parents.

When we as people of color share our experiences, we are not doing so to score political points, “play the race card,” get sympathy, assign blame, or to make you feel bad about yourself. We are asking you for help. We are asking you to join us in the ongoing fight against racism in our country, because we cannot do it alone. It will take Americans of every stripe to eradicate racism from American society.

I am now asking for your help. Please seek truth and knowledge. When sharing information, please check your sources and make sure that they are reliable. Try to place what is happening today into a historical context. Read about systemic racism and anti-racism. When your friends of color tell you that racism is real and affecting their lives, believe them and then, if you can, do something about it.

My children are likely to attend the same middle school and high school that I did. It is my great hope for them that those around them have the knowledge, compassion, and guidance to know better than to daily deluge them with words that make them doubt their intelligence, their beauty, and their worth as human beings based only on the color of their skin; and instead judge them by the content of their character.

It is for all of the above reasons, and so many more that we proudly say #blacklivesmatter

[newstfionline]

Headlines

Boom in camping as Americans escape after months at home (The Guardian) The coronavirus has sparked a surge in RV or motorhome purchasing and rental, and enthusiastic camping and “glamping” bookings as Americans attempt to escape months of quarantine for a summer break while avoiding flights and keeping their distance. The pandemic, which continues to rage across the US, has made many traditional holiday activities either impossible or unappealing, putting millions off flying abroad, going to crowded resort hotels, group holidays or cruises. But experts say the apparent lower risk of transmission in the open is making outdoor holidays in demand—and attracting new fans. Camping and glamping booking services report huge spikes in business, with some 400% busier than the same time last year, following the reopening of states for business. RV companies said business is “booming” in rental and sales. Meanwhile, outdoors retailer REI said it has seen record growth in its camping department in the last six weeks as people rush to buy equipment.

For Oklahoma Tribe, Vindication at Long Last (NYT) The sorrow and death of the Trail of Tears were still fresh when a band of Muscogee (Creek) people gathered by an oak tree in 1836 to deposit the ashes of the ceremonial fires they had carried across America and begin a new home in the West. It was called Tulasi, or “Old Town.” Tulsa. What followed were decades of betrayals, broken treaties and attempts to legislate and assimilate tribes out of existence. Then this week, the Supreme Court confirmed what the Muscogee (Creek) Nation has long asserted: That this land was their land. The court’s 5-to-4 declaration that much of Tulsa and eastern Oklahoma had long been a reservation of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation was seen as a watershed victory for Native Americans’ long campaign to uphold sovereignty, tribal boundaries and treaty obligations. For Muscogee citizens, who make up the country’s fourth-largest Native American tribe, it was also something deeply personal, a thoroughly American moment that rippled across time, connecting ancestors forced to leave their homes in the Southeast with future generations.

As beach towns open, businesses are short foreign workers (AP) At this time of the year, The Friendly Fisherman on Cape Cod is usually bustling with foreign students clearing tables and helping prepare orders of clam strips or fish and chips. But because of a freeze on visas, Janet Demetri won’t be employing the 20 or so workers this summer. So as the crowds rush back, Demetri must work with nine employees for her restaurant and market—forcing her to shutter the business twice a week. The Trump administration announced last month that it was extending a ban on green cards and adding many temporary visas to the freeze, including J-1 cultural exchange visas and H-2B visas. Businesses from forestry to fisheries to hospitality depend on these visas, though there are exceptions for the food processing sector. The move was billed as a chance to free up 525,000 jobs to Americans hard hit by the economic downturn, though the administration provided no evidence to support that. Businesses said they want to hire Americans but are in regions with tiny labor pools that are no match for the millions of tourists visiting each summer. Companies also face the challenge of convincing unemployed workers, many who are still collecting federal benefits, to take a job in the hospitality industry amid a pandemic. Rising housing prices as well as a lack of child care amid the pandemic also pose hurdles.

Panama Hospitals On Verge Of Collapse As Virus Cases Surge (AFP) Hospitals in Panama are on the brink of collapse as coronavirus cases spike in the Central American country worst hit by the pandemic, where doctors are already exhausted. With a population of four million, Panama has gone from 200 cases a day to 1,100 over the last few weeks. The sharp increase has forced authorities to adapt existing hospitals and look for new spaces, like convention centers, to boost a health system with a range of problems including long waiting lists. “The fear of the collapse of the public system in our country is evident if the number of cases remains the same,” Domingo Moreno, coordinator of a coalition of healthcare workers’ unions, told AFP.

UK-China ties freeze with debate over Huawei, Hong Kong (AP) Only five years ago, then-British Prime Minister David Cameron was celebrating a “golden era” in U.K.-China relations, bonding with President Xi Jinping over a pint of beer at the pub and signing off on trade deals worth billions. Those friendly scenes now seem like a distant memory. Hostile rhetoric has ratcheted up in recent days over Beijing’s new national security law for Hong Kong. Britain’s decision to offer refuge to millions in the former colony was met with a stern telling-off by China. And Chinese officials have threatened “consequences” if Britain treats it as a “hostile country” and decides to cut Chinese technology giant Huawei out of its critical telecoms infrastructure amid growing unease over security risks. All that is pointing to a much tougher stance against China, with a growing number in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party taking a long, hard look at Britain’s Chinese ties.

Hungary imposes border checks, quarantine to prevent spread of virus (Reuters) Hungary has imposed new restrictions on cross-border travel as of next Wednesday in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after a surge in new cases in several countries, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff said on Sunday. Under the new rules, Hungarian nationals returning from high risk countries listed as “yellow” and “red” will have to go through health checks at the border and will have to go into quarantine. The same applies to foreigners coming from “yellow” countries, but their entry will be banned from “red” countries.

U.S. warns citizens of heightened detention risks in China (Reuters) The U.S. State Department warned American citizens on Saturday to “exercise increased caution” in China due to heightened risk of arbitrary law enforcement including detention and a ban from exiting the country. “U.S. citizens may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime,” the State Department said in a security alert issued to its citizens in China, adding that U.S. citizens may face “prolonged interrogations and extended detention” for reasons related to state security. “Security personnel may detain and/or deport U.S. citizens for sending private electronic messages critical of the Chinese government,” it added. The security alert comes as bilateral tensions intensify over issues ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic, trade, the new Hong Kong security law and allegations of human rights violations against Uighurs in the Xinjiang region.

Lockdowns make the heart grow fonder in Japan as online matchmaking surges (Washington Post) Japan’s matchmakers faced a dilemma: how to make those matches during the social distancing of the pandemic? Gone were group gatherings, one of the common icebreakers held by Japan’s popular agencies for people seeking a mate. Also called off were the one-on-one introductions arranged by dozens of Japan’s matchmaking companies, which can charge monthly fees as high as $200 for the many in Japan who don’t want to go solo into the online dating world. So the now-familiar tool of pandemic-era business—the video chat and those little windows—became an unexpected opportunity for Japan’s Cupids for hire. Matchmaking agencies say the video encounters have proved to be a hit, removing the pressures of arranged face-to-face sessions in a society that often discourages being bold and open in first meetings. “Without the online setting, we never would have met,” said Kazunori Nakanishi, a 31-year-old hotel employee from the eastern city of Kumamoto. Matchmakers arranged for him to chat with Ayako, a 43-year-old social worker. She lives in Tokyo, about 550 miles away. Late last month, shortly after restrictions on travel were lifted across Japan, they met in person for the first time. The following day they got married.

Defying U.S., China and Iran Near Trade and Military Partnership (NYT) Iran and China have quietly drafted a sweeping economic and security partnership that would clear the way for billions of dollars of Chinese investments in energy and other sectors, undercutting the Trump administration’s efforts to isolate the Iranian government because of its nuclear and military ambitions. The partnership, detailed in an 18-page proposed agreement obtained by The New York Times, would vastly expand Chinese presence in banking, telecommunications, ports, railways and dozens of other projects. In exchange, China would receive a regular—and, according to an Iranian official and an oil trader, heavily discounted—supply of Iranian oil over the next 25 years. The document also describes deepening military cooperation, potentially giving China a foothold in a region that has been a strategic preoccupation of the United States for decades. It calls for joint training and exercises, joint research and weapons development and intelligence sharing. The partnership—first proposed by China’s leader, Xi Jinping, during a visit to Iran in 2016—was approved by President Hassan Rouhani’s cabinet in June, Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said last week.

Lives will be lost as Syria aid access cut, aid agencies warn (Reuters) A U.N. Security Council resolution that leaves only one of two border crossings open for aid deliveries from Turkey into rebel-held northwestern Syria will cost lives and intensify the suffering of 1.3 million people living there, aid agencies said. Western states had pressed for aid access to continue through two crossings at the Turkish border, but Russia, President Bashar al-Assad’s main ally in his war against, and China vetoed a last-ditch effort on Friday to keep both open. “In northwest Syria, where a vital cross-border lifeline has been closed ... it will be harder to reach an estimated 1.3 million people dependent on food and medicine delivered by the U.N. cross-border,” aid agencies operating in Syria said in a joint statement. “Many will now not receive the help they need. Lives will be lost. Suffering will intensify.”

[cs0127]

A detailed review of the OnePlus 7T from :wired:

I TEST A lot of phones here at WIRED. Smartphones incrementally change each year, and they’ve become more of an essential utility and less of a source of the tech world’s greatest innovations. I often appreciate their new features, but few of those enhancements spark actual joy. The OnePlus 7T, however, has done just that. Putting down the glossy, fingerprint-plastered Galaxy Note10 to review the matte glass 7T was both a relief and a reminder why OnePlus has continued to gain popularity as a smartphone brand year after year.

Like the company's previous devices, the 7T is a phone that showcases much of the best smartphone tech introduced in 2019 at a $600 price—more than $100 cheaper than many top rivals from Samsung, LG, and other manufacturers. What I’ve come to appreciate more is how it uses all that latest tech to enhance my life, often by getting out of my way. Its touch interface is simple and looks just like the brand new Google Android 10 OS it runs on, only a little easier to navigate. It’s just more pleasant, like a PB&J sandwich where mom cut the crust off just because she loves you.

Smooth and Frosty

If you’ve seen an expensive smartphone in the last two years, you know what the 7T looks and feels like, but I’ll describe it anyway. It has a 6.5-inch AMOLED display (that means deeper blacks and richer colors) that takes up its entire front. A teenie teardrop cutout hanging from the top of the screen holds a 16-megapixel selfie camera.

Like the similar and more expensive OnePlus 7 Pro, this display has a 90 Hz refresh rate, which makes the entire interface noticeably smoother. OnePlus calls it a Fluid AMOLED display, and it may live up to that name. Phones have been bumping up the resolution (this one has a 1080p HD screen), but the bump in refresh rate is more noticeable. Everything feels smoother and faster, with richer color than many displays.

The power and volume buttons are in all the right places, and OnePlus has kept its sound/mute/vibrate switch on the right side. It’s a dead-simple little toggle and worth every millimeter of its cutout, letting you easily silence your phone or perk it up anytime.

OnePlus was one of the first companies to introduce an in-display fingerprint sensor, and the latest iteration on this phone is faster than ever. I’ve had trouble with Samsung's on-screen sensors in the Galaxy S10 and Note10, but the optical fingerprint reader in the 7T does the trick in a way that’s more convenient than the fingerprint sensors on the back of many phones like the Google Pixel 3A.

The phone's frame is metal, and the back is covered in shimmering Gorilla Glass because ... well ... trends. It’s silly that the back is made of glass at all, given that we probably drop our phones more than anything besides our keys, and there's no big advantage to the glass here since the 7T doesn’t have wireless charging. But the “glacier blue” color certainly is sleek, and the frosted texture repels fingerprints better than some phones. OnePlus thankfully includes a clear case in the box. I suggest you slip it on.

All Spec’d Out

Between all that glass is a list of luxury technical specs. The 7T runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ processor, which is half a tad speedier than the 855 on some earlier phones this year. It also comes with 8 gigabytes of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. (Sorry, no MicroSD slot; that’s all you get.) These are all fantastic numbers, as are the numbers you’ll see from benchmark performance tests. It’s a powerful phone, right up there with the best.

OnePlus doesn’t make a lot of changes to Android 10, but the changes it does make seem to (mostly) improve the phone's performance. You can more easily swipe up or down from anywhere on the homescreen to access the notification shade or pull up your entire list of apps. I also like the gesture controls that mimic recent iPhones, and the option to turn the back button into a swipe from the left side of the phone has worked well for me. Your mileage may vary, but you can disable these gestures controls and go back to a traditional back-button setup if you like.

The fact that the 7T even has the latest Google OS is a testament to the company’s focus on delivering software and security updates. It promises two years of updates for buyers of the 7T, and has demonstrated a positive track record on updates for older phones. This is notable—despite costing close to $1,000, most Android phones outside of Google’s Pixel line and Motorola's handsets do not get regular software updates, leaving security vulnerabilities exposed and new features out of reach.

With stereo speakers and a gaming mode that optimizes graphics (and can also restrict notifications and calls so you can play without interruption), this is an ideal machine for playing Mario Kart Tour, or any other high-end title, until your eyeballs fall out. Netflix looks lovely, as well.

I’ve ended most days having spent four or five hours with the screen active, and seen about 50 percent battery remaining. A few nights, it’s been closer to 30 to 40 percent, if I stay up late. This is good, but somewhat normal battery life. If you want to improve your power efficiency, you can turn the 90 Hz refresh rate down to a more normal 60 Hz. In a pinch, the included charger is very quick. It can juice the 7T up significantly in a half hour.

Sadly, like many high-end phones, there’s no audio jack (and no adapter in the box), but OnePlus sells an adapter for $13. And this phone also isn’t IP-rated for water resistance. OnePlus claims it will handle some rain pretty well, but you won’t want to drop it in the tub.

Ready to Zoom

When it comes to smartphones, you ain’t cool unless you have three rear cameras these days, and OnePlus always wants to be cool. Like the 7 Pro, it has a 48-megapixel standard rear shooter that outputs extra sharp 12-megapixel images, a 16-megapixel sensor beneath an ultrawide lens, and a 12-megapixel telephoto. This lets you take shots that you can both zoom out a bit, and zoom in to 2X. There’s also a portrait mode, which adds a bokeh effect, the shallow depth-of-field trick that keeps the subject in focus but blurs the background in a close-up photo.

I had a great time shooting plenty of outdoor shots around Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the past week, and I've even enjoyed the extra stability of the Super Stable video mode, which uses the wide angle lens to better stabilize 1080p video; 4K 30 fps video is also available. Everything looks good, especially shots in the Nightscape mode. Like the new iPhone 11 and the latest Pixel phones, the 7T enhances night shots, adding more light, color and detail to areas that would have just appeared as black splotches on older phones. Night shots require a steady hand and a second or two wait, but they are a definite improvement.

Related Galleries

The Quest to Get Photos of the USSR's First Space Shuttle

An Artist Takes an Unflinching Look at Her Own Hysterectomy

Space Photos of the Week: NASA's Curiosity Is a Salty Dog

Related Galleries

The Quest to Get Photos of the USSR's First Space Shuttle

An Artist Takes an Unflinching Look at Her Own Hysterectomy

Space Photos of the Week: NASA's Curiosity Is a Salty Dog

In some of the above shots, you can see some examples of Nightscape mode and Super Macro mode. If you press the flower icon in the upper left side of the camera app, you can move in closer to small objects and still see them stay in focus. The effect isn’t perfect, but I was able to get closer to some plants and ants than I ever have before using a smartphone. It’s a blast to play around with modes like these, and they solidify the OnePlus 7T as a phone for shutterbugs.

Plus One

OnePlus isn’t tampering with the formula that got it to the dance, and that’s good. The 7T is one of the most powerful phones you can buy, and it costs hundreds less than its peers. It also runs on all four major US carriers, and T-Mobile sells it directly.

I've recommended the Pixel 3A ($400) as the best phone to buy for a few months now, and given the performance it offers for the price, for many of you it still is the best phone. But if you are willing to spend an extra $200, the OnePlus 7T will give you a taste of the luxuries you’d otherwise miss out on.

Correction: I referred to the display as a "Liquid" display. OnePlus calls it a "Fluid" display.

you can check out all Amazon has to offer in the One Plus lineup at:(https://amzn.to/35H33nU)