Every Point on the Map, Photography, Travel

“Every Point on the Map” or Why My Heart Has the Flutters

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Have you ever had an idea spark at some point in your brain, move from the incubation stages slowly and deliberately, then continuously remerge in your consciousness until it demands to be reckoned with?

I would imagine those types of ideas are the fabric from which “Bucket Lists” are constructed.  They’re the kinds of ideas that send little currants of electricity down your spine, or through your teeth.  They’re the visions that, when played out in your head, give your heart a little flutter, or awaken the butterflies in your stomach.

They’re the kinds of ideas that aren’t uttered aloud until you can own them.  And, until you can own the results of your utterances.

One such result might be that by uttering your idea aloud, you’ve implied some kind of social contract with the person who heard you.  Or, perhaps a contract with yourself.

Some people blurt their ideas in the early stages, before they’re fully developed.  Others harbor them covertly until they’ve weighed every risk associated and every aspect or contingency.  I fall more into the second camp.  And that’s why it’s not until NOW that I’ve decided to publicly announce a project I’ll be starting in February called, “Every Point on the Map.”

Every Point on the Map will be a ten year journey to visit each one of Oklahoma’s 593 townships or cities and have a meaningful conversation with one person in each place.  My daughter will be traveling with me, documenting the journey through two types of digital video and with two different cameras.  Every Point on the Map is something of a “bucket list-type” idea that has been incubating for a while, and by virtue of writing this beginning post – to me – it’s like forming a social contract with Oklahomans at large.  To me, it’s like the beginning of trying to introduce the idea.  And, to introduce you to the “why” behind the idea. Continue reading “Every Point on the Map” or Why My Heart Has the Flutters →

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Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Is It Really That Big a Deal?

I recently went to cover an interim study about drones also known as UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). During the study, much was said about personal security and what needs to be done to make sure that our right to privacy is kept just that…private.

UAVs are here to stay. Get used to it but realize that your privacy may be invaded a little bit but it’s nothing to be worried about. If law enforcement do use a UAV to track a suspect, they may need to fly over your property but they aren’t spying on you or gathering info about you. They are simply following the shortest path to get where they need to be to collect info about someone who is actually breaking the law. This issue was discussed in great detail and when the final law is enacted, you’re privacy will be covered.

In recent days, I’ve read articles about the town in Colorado that wants to shoot down UAVs. That’s a little bit extreme and always makes me wonder, what are they hiding???? Why the paranoia? Does the government really invade our privacy that much? Well if you’re watching the news about the Edward Snowden case and the NSA, good possibility. Maybe the paranoia is a little warranted but I truly believe the government isn’t out to get everyone. They are out to protect us but if you aren’t doing anything wrong, don’t worry about. Maybe I’m naïve but I try to keep an open mind until such time as something happens to me or my family.

What many people don’t realize is the good that UAVs can do. Farmers are beginning to use them to be able to check their cattle and land especially when there is snow and ice on the ground to the point that they can’t get out in vehicles to do so. They can fly over and not be hampered buy the hazardous conditions. Forestry fire divisions are using them to fly over suspect areas to check on fire conditions instead of having to send someone in person into a hazardous situation. Places like Colorado should understand that quite well. In this week’s video blog, we look at the issue of UAVs in our skies.

Alisa Hines

Tactical Electronics Up in the Air from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

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Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Obamacare

I know a lot of people don’t really like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) otherwise known as Obamacare but I’m not really sure why. I’ve heard all the rhetoric from the far right and must say that they really are a doom and gloom bunch. Some of what they say could be true but I believe much of it is more of a scare tactic towards people who won’t take the time to research what the ACA really says and will believe anything they hear whether or not it’s correct which is really sad. Is it perfect? No, but I believe that it is something that will help many, many people.

For example, I have a friend who has cancer. For a while now, he hasn’t been able to have any insurance. His insurance company cancelled his policy when he was diagnosed. That really bothers me that insurance companies which we pay into for a policy can cancel our policies just because they don’t want the expense. Isn’t that what they are for? Anyway, he has to pay out of pocket and rack up lots of bills for his cancer treatment. It’s bad enough that he was diagnosed with a disease that kills people but not knowing how he can afford to pay for his treatments is something he shouldn’t have to worry about. Now with the ACA, he doesn’t have to worry. And that’s what it’s all about. It is forcing insurance companies to cover the really necessary treatments that they should have been covering all along.

The other thing that really affects me even though I have insurance currently, is what would happen when I retire in a couple of years? See I have a pre-existing condition of Diabetes. It’s something that evidently runs in my family (I’m adopted so I have no idea what medical conditions I could come down with but evidently Diabetes is one of them) and I developed it in mid-life. But many insurance companies won’t even let you sign up with them with a pre-existing condition like my disease. And some of my medications are expensive even with insurance and I haven’t even needed to think about insulin yet so have no idea how much that will cost me when I do have to start using it. So the thought that I wouldn’t be covered by insurance in later life really scares me. But not anymore, because the ACA guarantees I will be covered regardless of any pre-existing conditions.

Those are just two examples where the ACA is helping people out. Does it need some work? Yes and I think that eventually the fixes it needs will be addressed. This is a good thing for those who need insurance and either can’t afford it, have a pre-existing condition, or have had their policies cancelled do to an illness they didn’t ask for. Can we afford it? Well if we were to get rid of the “pork” we’ve been paying for for a long time now, I think we can. We just have to have politicians who are willing to slice and dice the budget and get rid of things we don’t need and take care of funding what really helps the people.

In today’s video blog, we visit with an Oklahoma state Senator who is also an emergency room doctor who also agrees that the ACA is a good thing even though his political party trys to say it isn’t.
Alisa Hines

On the Horizon: Obamacare from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

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Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Digging Up History

I’ve always been interested in archeology. If there is a show on television that has anything to do with it, I watch it. History was always one of my favorite subjects in school although I do have to admit, if it’s anything from 1900 forward not so much. It’s too “current” for me to enjoy. I really like the ancient history topics. I even did extra credit in high school by going through an extra history book. It’s just really fascinating to me.

Imagine my surprise while shooting a story for OK Horizon, I was told by a person that I could actually volunteer my time to digging up history. I was certainly excited. The only problem was…I simply didn’t have time. But a few years later after my children grew up and left home, I revisited the thought and looked up the Oklahoma Anthropological Society (OAS) online and found out how I could get involved. They told me about an upcoming dig and said come on out and find out for yourself whether you like it or not. So I did. Well I was hooked and the rest, as they say, was history.

The OAS does two digs a year, one in the Spring and one in the Fall. They do them in conjunction with the Oklahoma Archeological Society. Archeologists and Anthropologists from OU and OSU jointly do the digs and they use the OAS volunteers to help them dig. It’s the one time that school rivalry is set aside and everyone gets along and really enjoy themselves. Volunteers from all walks of life come out for each week-long dig. Some stay all week and some only come for a day or two. They come from all over the state and even a few come from out of state to help.

It is hard work but at the same time, at least for me, it’s a time to de-stress. As you are concentrating so hard on the task in front of you, all thoughts of everything else simply drift away. You use muscles that you’ve forgotten you had. By the end of the time you are there, you are exhausted but enthused. Little objects that come out of the ground make everyone really excited and the thought that no one has seen or held these objects for a thousand years or more is simply awe inspiring.
In today’s video blog, see what it’s like to dig up some Oklahoma history.
Alisa Hines

On the Horizon: Digging Up History from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

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Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon–The Road Less Traveled

Family farms have been a tradition in America for years. From crops to livestock, farmers keep the grocery stores shelves stocked and the clothes racks full.

A trend that is emerging is the average age of farmers is increasing and less and less young farmers are coming up to take their place. With the global population nearing nine billion, a small amount of people are presented with the task of feeding and clothing more with less.

Despite this grim scenario, a young couple in Western Oklahoma are bucking the trends and have a farm and then some. I was able to spend a couple days with the Base family at their farm in Geary, Okla. It was easy to see their passion for agriculture and it was obvious to see how dedicated they are.

In today’s video blog, we take a look at the Base Vines and Cattle farm. Diversity doesn’t begin to describe what the Base family does. They seem to have their hands in all things agriculture. They have a little bit of traditional and a little bit of nontraditional. All in all they are definitely doing their part in feeding the world.

Andy Barth

On the Horizon: Variety on the Farm from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

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Showcasing Red Dirt culture ~ authored and managed by contributors with connections to the great state of Oklahoma.