Whynot.net Ideas

Here are some ideas I posted on the Whynot.net site – which is still fascinating. Enjoy.

large-scale textbk review web (3 votes) Date submitted: Jul 22 2008	💡
Wnd Turbine on Trns line tower (2 votes) Date submitted: Aug 16 2006	💡
Collage Maker 1.0 (2 votes) Date submitted: Jan 11 2005	💡
Washer/Dryer in one appliance! (5 votes) Date submitted: Dec 29 2004	💡
Removing impervious surfaces (4 votes) Date submitted: Dec 08 2004	💡
Co-housing works (4 votes) Date submitted: Dec 08 2004	💡
Metro supplied van pools (1 votes) Date submitted: Dec 08 2004	💡
Improving the Oregonian (2 votes) Date submitted: Nov 18 2004	💡
Energy-saving tips at the pump (4 votes) Date submitted: May 21 2004	💡
Phil Busse for Mayor’s top 100 (1 votes) Date submitted: May 05 2004	💡
1,000 Ways to improve PDX Traf (1 votes) Date submitted: Apr 20 2004	💡
Mount Hood National Park (2 votes) Date submitted: Apr 20 2004	💡
This Shrinking World (3 votes) Date submitted: Dec 31 2003	💡
Cement Snowmen/Snow-women (4 votes) Date submitted: Dec 30 2003	💡
Freecycle – tis a gift to be . 💡 (19 votes) Date submitted: Nov 11 2003

All from this neat site whynot.net which is still alive, though not active.

Filed Under: Ideas Tagged With: ideas, mayor, population growth, Portland, wind power

You Bet Your Sweet Bippity – The Eleven – July 2018

Here’s the Eleven for July 2018 – We find ourselves at a crossroads right now. We have an opportunity to make good decisions and save ourselves and future generations (and other species) from living in a complete hot mess or we can choose to move further toward the BBQ. I suggest we take simple and drastic actions to move towards the light and a future of life and comfort. Here are a few thoughts;

Trees : Trees are the lifeblood for us – we should have a worldwide moratorium on any further cutting of any trees – particularly native ones that haven’t been cut or burned in a long time. This especially includes urban trees. How about a worldwide pact that no urban trees are cut moving forward and we attempt to work around them and treasure them as they provide us oxygen without which we cannot live? They also do a lot of other good besides being beautiful to look at – shade, taking in carbon dioxide and water management – all are big pluses in the tree category. Let’s not cut another one down – the simple action is for you to cut no more trees; plant new ones and work on keeping trees standing. Join our effort by clicking here . Thank you.

Second . There are way too many people on this planet . This is the truth. There are simple actions we can all take to ensure a planet with less people on it. Making sex ed available to all ages and making it a priority – will not only give us more intelligent people, but will also lead to people choosing smaller families and to think about when to procreate rather than being mindless about it. Along these lines – making sure that contraception is free an and easily available will go a long way in making healthier societies – it also honors women and will make childbirth less dangerous around the world as we invest heavily in reproductive health across the board. Some have suggested that no one have children at all for a while – which in 5 years would shrink us naturally by one billion people. That would be incredible – imagine a less crowded world. Let’s work towards that.

Between these two issues – prioritizing trees and working towards a smaller population will lead humanity (and perhaps other species) towards a future where the air is still breathable and the planet is still habitable! What small action can you take today to make this happen? And what larger, global actions can we also accelerate? Thanks for playing your part.

Have a great Summer – Albert

PS – Here are some great pics from this year’s Breitenbush Summer Solstice Healing Retreat by Jef Murphy

PPS – see my write up from WDS 2018 and info about my gig on 7.25 in Portland

Here’s my Summer Schedule – I’d love your company

Join my list for Tagging Along with Albert at the Last Minute 🙂

July 11-15 – Oregon Country Fair, yes, of course 🙂 For OCF, I’ll be part of Booth L12,Wileyware
July 19-22 – Northwest String Summit – I’d love company for this 🙂 (I have tix) – I really think this is going to be a fun time this year. Many who would normally attend will be shaking their tushes off at the Gorge (Phish) – so, I anticipate a smaller crowd and the line up is spectacular. Come and camp with me!
July 25th – Come Sing Along with me at the Tiny Caravan Hotel on Alberta Street – I’ll be doing some songs by Ben Bochner and there will be s’mores!
Picnic & Singalong with Albert @ Taborspace – Wednesday night August 1st – 6-8
Pickathon – August 3-5 – Maybe (up for company!)
Beloved, August 10-13 – yes! Year 11 – how could I not? – I have tickets, come!
Singing Alive – August 24-27 (very likely)

if anything above strikes you and you’re interested in joining me – please write and let me know!

Summer Solstice Healing Retreat this year at Breitenbush. Such a lovely time with family and friends! Photo by Jef Murphy. This is a picture of me facing the setting sun on the summer solstice!

Making More Music

After years of attending PSGW I’m finally feeling the umph to organize an Oregon Guitar Camp. And, one in Maui, too. If you’d like to get alerts as these are organized (or better yet, help organize them with me 🙂 Click here .

I’m convinced that playing music together is one of the best ways to change the world. I hardly ever feel as optimistic and moved as when music is involved. Join me!

Filed Under: The Eleven Tagged With: albert kaufman, heated planet, heating planet, nw summer festivals, population growth, summer festivals, The Eleven, too many people, trees

The Eleven: April 2015, The DC Edition

April 14, 2015 by albertkaufman Leave a Comment

The Eleven, April 2015

Hello from the Nation’s Captitol

On a break from lobbying in the Botanical Gardens

My representative’s office – 1111

New lobbying friends, by the Capitol Building

Biggest CapHillDays Ever!

For years I’ve felt that population growth is the most important environmental issue we face. I traveled to Washington, DC to participate in Population Connection’s Capitol Hill Days. This was probably my 8th trip for this purpose. It’s a combination of advocacy training and lobbying on Capitol Hill. Here’s a quick action you can take to both learn more about where we’re at with international family planning and to ask your representatives for help on the matter. And, if contacting President Obama is your cup of tea, here’s a request to him to lift the Helms amendment and loosen restrictions on abortion care overseas.

This year’s event was the largest ever and I was surrounded by a diverse group of college students from across the US who are passionate about womens’ reproductive health issues. It was inspiring to feel their passion and caring for the planet. We heard some great speakers who have direct experience on how access to contraception impacts peoples lives in less developed countries of the world.

I also got to wander DC some and I had an interesting time on day 1 in Georgetown, and Day 2 in some nooks and crannies near the Mall that I’d never seen before. I didn’t go to the main collection of cherry blossoms, but still saw my fair share – enjoy these photo collections!

Pic Set #1 Pic Set #2 Pic Set #3

yes, there’s mail order 🙂

While in the area I also got to visit with my parents, Rich and Hannah, and my brother, Dan, who is also known as BakerMan Dan!

We are so lucky in the West, and yet we face many of the same problems people in other parts of the world face due to our increasing human population – overcrowding; resource depletion (thinking of California’s drought); having to grow food for 7.42 billion; species loss – staggering number of species dying off to make way for more humans. I don’t know the exact answer to how to stave off climate change and our other environmental issues – but any conversation that does not include human population growth as part of the issue is leaving out a key element. So, I’ll keep trying to include it and keep advocating for the low-hanging fruit – easy and free access to contraception; reproductive healthcare for all; sex ed at all age levels and encouragement to those who have small families and no children at all. I’m encouraged by this recent story/book: Childless, Proud and Happy: An Honest Conversation about Forgoing Kids that was on NPR.

And, if you have kids – great. I look forward to being a great uncle to them and a friend and support to you, cause kids can use all the adult connection they can get and parents could certainly use a hand.

Here’s to us all figuring this out together. I wrote a note to myself while wandering Georgetown and it’s a theme I hope to develop more: “It’s not like people haven’t been lying in the past. It’s just that right now we really need our wits about us. Instead of having people educated and smart and making good decisions we’re arguing over lies and bullshit and wasting money and time that we don’t really have right now“. I think now, more than anytime in history, money has to come out of politics and those who are working to deceive us (climate change deniers, anyone who advocates against access to contraception – Republicans), need to stop so we can work to figure our way through. Otherwise, we’re done for as a species.

On that happy note, I’ll see you back on the West Coast! Can’t wait to get home!

Happy Spring

Albert, The Eleven, April 2015

22 Reproductive Rights Activists Explain In Their Own Words Why They’re Fighting

ABBY JOHNSTON

@AJOHNSTON12

2 WEEKS AGO NEWS – Bustle Article

On Friday, April 10, advocates from around the world gathered in Washington, D.C. for Population Connection’s Capitol Hill Days, an annual advocacy event that focuses on training reproductive rights activists. An estimated 200 people gathered at the Fairfax Hotel for four days of interactive programming, which ended in a powerful lobbying trip to Capitol Hill on Monday.

Population Connection, a grassroots organization that focuses on population stabilization, brought family planning and reproductive health experts to educate attendees on legislative issues. And in this legislature, there are plenty of harmful bills that need activists’ attention: In one session, for example, representatives from NARAL Pro-Choice America and the National Women’s Law Center gave participants a crash course on the Hyde Amendment, a provision barring the use of federal funds to fund abortion that effectively derailed a bipartisan human-trafficking bill. The speakers also discussed the 20-week abortion ban that stalled early in the session, but remains in the GOP’s sights and the effect of last year’s Hobby Lobby decision on contraception access.

And that was just one session.

Reproductive health advocates, unfortunately, will always have plenty to keep them busy at the federal and state level. But if the turnout at Capitol Hill Days was any indication, there are plenty of men and women ready to fight. We wanted to know what brought participants to D.C., so we asked them to tell us in their own words.

What brought you to Capitol Hill Days?

Erica Davis, 20

Wilson Mugabo, 22

I want to be part of the advocacy for human rights especially women and children.

Laura Sooy, 21 and Daniel Saldivar, 22

Jenn Chow, 23 (she’s moving to India this year!)

Andrew Huang, 23

Shelina Noorali, 21

Timothy Irvine, 25

Abel Befirdu, 20

Sean Wirks, 21

Bailey Wendelberger, 20

Rickey Leachman, 25

Stephanie Kuhn, 22

Kelly Martin, 21

Nancy Machera, 21

I am part of the world’s population. I want to contribute to the necessary implementations concerning the population.

Samantha Downing, 22

Alyson Gray, 22

Lydia Seraichick, 22

Niko Naleid, 22

Lena Khawatmi, 22

Mohammed Naiyer, 18

Annie Guare, 20

Images: Blake Maples (20)

Filed Under: Albert Kaufman, albertideation, Barack Obama, Caring Society, climate change, climate warming, Contraception, crisitunity, Democrats, Jeff Merkley, population growth, Reproductive Healthcare, The Eleven, thinking better, thriving in the future, World News Tagged With: #caphilldays15, capitol hill days 2015, contraception, population connection action fund, population growth, The Eleven, winning the house in 2016

Events

January 20, 2012 by albertkaufman Leave a Comment

Here are some upcoming events I’d love you to come participate in that I’m organizing. If you have any energy to volunteer for any of these, please let me know at albertkaufman@gmail.com

1. Saturday, January 28th – house concert with Jonah Matranga from California. 8pm – $10-ish donation-style, good times for all. Hear Jonah’s music @

2. Monday, February 20th, 7:30pm. Mother: Caring for the 7 Billion – showing at the Hollywood Theater with discussion about film. – Free – http://motherthefilm.com

3. Saturday/Sunday March 3-4 10am-5pm – SE Artwalk – Wileyware (earrings, glassware, candleholders, buttons and Marcia Wiley in person!) showing at KORU House, 1704 SE 22nd, More information about the art walk at http://www.seportlandartwalk.com/

4. Saturday, March 10th, 8:30am-1pm – Friends of Trees Tree planting – Irvington. Meet at Holliday Park Church of God at 21st and Tillamook, NE. Music by the Ten Spiders, bring blank t-shirts and tote bags for silk-screening. Breakfast and lunch provided – and are usually both very hearty! More info at https://albertideation.com/2011/10/21/irvington-friends-of-trees-2012-planting-coming-soon/

4. Saturday, March 25th, 7pm – House Concert with Dana Lyons at the Happy Clam, 7pm Also featuring discussion by local anti-corporate activist Paul Cienfuegos

Hope your Winter is going well! Stay warm and dry!

Albert

Filed Under: Folk Music, Friends of Trees, Irvington, Music, tree planting, Wileyware Tagged With: Dana Lyons, folk music, hollywood theater, house concerts, Irvington, Jonah Matranga, Mother, Paul Cienfuegos, population growth, tree planting

whynot.net ideas 💡