Stay off my subwoofer!

Portia likes to play with cords. It’s really quite a thing having your own animal. I had cats all growing up in Vermont, but it was really my sister and my mom who scooped the poop and dribbled the kibble. That, I’ve learned, makes a huge difference.

Portia comes to us for everything. Petting, feeding, sleeping, and most of all, cord frenzy. In two months with us this cat has eaten destroyed two ipod headphones, speakers connected to a subwoofer, and chewed half way through Maddy’s computer powercord. It’s intense.

Economic Recession is nothing

Crossposted from Itsgettinghotinhere.org

Nothing compared to ecosystem collapse that is.

Spreading hands as dry and cracked as the orchards he tends, the stout man his mates call Tank explained what damage a decade of drought has done.

“Suicide is high. Depression is huge. Families are breaking up. It’s devastation,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ve got a neighbor in terrible trouble. Found him in the paddock, sitting in his [truck], crying his eyes out. Grown men — big, strong grown men. We’re holding on by the skin of our teeth. It’s desperate times.”

A result of climate change?

“You’d have to have your head in the bloody sand to think otherwise,” Eddy said.

Ten years ago I traveled to Adelaide, South Australia, the driest province in the driest continent on Earth. I spent five months of my Junior year in college studying sustainable development, environmental politics, and climate change. It was the first time I grasped the issue of global warming. At that time, the drought described by Tank had only just begun.

Now, ten years later, Australia is teaching me a new lesson – as depressing as they may be, articles about climate impacts can still teach us something.

My climate reading for today all started with this news story about global warming creeping into Joshua Tree territory. Have you no decency, Mr. Crisis. That’s my tree you’re messing with.

Get smart

It seems smartness is in these days. Hillary is talking about “smart power” diplomacy. Obama wants to bring back the science. And just last night I picked up a witty and thoughtful copy of the New Yorker and read an entire article. With no offense to Texas or the old addage, Keep It Simple Stupidhead, I’m pretty down with this change.

One reason I’m excited about smartness is the “smart grid”.

GridWise Talks Smart Grid in the Stimulus

The “smart grid” isn’t really a thing. It’s anything that helps the power grid communicate better. It’s a slogan to talk about upgrading the electricity grid so that it can waste less and do more.

Obama tucked $11 billion for the smart grid in the $825 billion Stimulus that just passed the House. If the Senate gives the thumbs up to those $11 billion, that will mean really big things for the black wires that connect to our houses.

Right now our electricity grid is not so smart. No disrespect to the diligent engineers, operators, and regulators who put the thing together over the years, but the thing can’t communicate for shit.

I really like things that run smoothly. I have five siblings and grew up fighting over the TV remote. I know what chaos looks like. Rachael wants to watch pony cartoons. Warren and Ben want to watch Fraggle Rock. Heather and Adam want to watch Princess Bride for the third time this week and I’m fuming because we’re missing the Super Bowl and nobody else knows or cares what a football is. Because we each want different shows and are clueless about how to communicate with each other, we end up with mom stomping into the room, shutting off the TV and telling everybody to stop fighting and go outside.

I’m not an expert on this, but here’s my understanding of the current electrical grid:

The power grid isn’t exactly like my childhood experience of watching television, but it does have similarities. There are more than 1000 different utility companies spread across the country whose job it is to sell power to hundreds of millions of households and businesses. Each are connected to centralized distribution and transmission centers that channel power from large power plants far away. Decisions about how much power to transmit, when, and how are determined by operators and regulators with different rules and guidelines in different regions.

While the complex system is a mess, the real kicker is that the system doesn’t communicate very well. The people running the show don’t know how much electricity is being used until well afterward. Communication only goes one way most of the time. To find out how much electricity I’m using, the utility has to come to my house and physically check my meter. If I want to save electricity in my house, I have to look at my monthly bill, compare it to other bills, and try to figure out what I should turn off, turn down, or replace. If I have a solar panel, a turbine in my stream, or some other way of generating my own power, unless my state has a “net-metering” law, I can’t sell the extra power that I produce to the grid or to anyone else (unless they’re really gullible).

The smart grid fixes all of this business. Smart meters on your house combined with smart technology up the wire show you and the utility what appliances are using what amount of electricity at what times. If we know how much we’re using and the utility knows how much electricity we need, we can get what we need and even store or generate our own power and sell it back to earn some extra cash.

The smart grid is like we get the internet for the grid. It’s sweet. Let’s get one.

VIDEO: The Day Before

Tomorrow is ‘Stache Bash 2008. With a last minute push, my mustache has now raised $839 for school kids in need. I’m just $161 away from my goal of $1000! Even more incredibly, I’m currently in 24th place, which if it holds up in this sprint to the finish, would put me squarely in the beauty pageant for mustache growers I’ve been training for all year.

You’ve got until 5pm PST tomorrow (12/17) to sponsor my mustache for kids. Please pick a project to fund with a $25 Tom Selleck sponsorship:

www.joshmustache.com

In the midst of all of these wind sprints, pushups, and whisker-curls, I managed to get sick yesterday. I’m wheezing like a hound on cigarettes. The coughing and sneezing has kept Maddy awake and disturbed my housemates all day. However, I’m determined to heal by the time the ‘Stache Bash rolls around tomorrow night at 8pm at the Rickshaw Stop. While sitting on my tush, I managed to make one final video to thank all of my generous mustache sponsors. Enjoy!

Invest in Mustache

Dear friends and family of my upper lip,

This is my big ask.

I wonder if you could find it in your heart this holiday season to sponsor my mustache. It would make life for school children in poverty a little bit better and would give me a chance to compete in the event that I’ve prepared for all year long.

Please sponsor my mustache with a “My Name is Earl” $50 or “Magnum P.I.” $25 donation for school kids:
http://www.joshmustache.com

To say thanks, I’ve just completed a new ’stache video just for you.

2008 is not like other years in the land of Mustaches for Kids San Francisco.

This year, only the top 20 mustache growing fundraisers are guaranteed a spot in the ‘Stache Bash. For those who don’t know, ‘Stache Bash is the big event on December 17th where men who have been growing a mustache for a month get on stage to answer questions about their mustache and impress the judges for four grueling rounds. The winner is crowned “Sweetest ‘Stache” 2008. In previous years all growers were given a chance to compete, but currently I’m about $300 short of making it into the Top 20 fundraisers.

I need your help. Feel free to go big and donate at the “Burt Reynolds” level of $150 or go small with a $5 “Frida Kahlo” gift:
http://www.joshmustache.com

Today I was asked an important question. The answer is “no”. There is absolutely zero overhead taken in your donation on behalf of my mustache. 100% of the funds you give will be given through DonorsChoose.org to a elementary school teacher’s class project for her kids.

Thanks to Jess for your $50 gift today and thanks to all those who have sponsored my soup-strainer thus far. If just 30 more people sponsor with a $25 gift or greater, I’ll reach my goal of $1000 and catapult right into the big show on 12/17!

In the spirit of giving, please invest in my mustache today:
http://www.joshmustache.com

With all the love and gratitude my upper lip can muster,
Josh

P.S. If you’re in the Bay Area, please join me at ‘Stache Bash at the Rickshaw Stop next Wednesday 12/17 at 8pm.

P.P.S. Please help out by spreading my mustache videos (#1, #2, #3) with a personal ask to your friends to sponsor me and support the kids.

VIDEO: Galavanting

Two weeks after returning from Europe, I finally finished this compilation video. It’s dedicated to our hosts. Thanks Papa, Anita, Aaron, Marianne, Lila, and Sid!

22 Reasons to Sponsor my Mustache

Growing strong on Day 22

Good afternoon friends.

I decided to think of 22 reasons why you should sponsor my mustache right now at www.joshmustache.com.

#22 – be like Aliza Wasserman who donated at the Yosemite Sam donation level ($20) the other day and is uber sweet
#21 – your money goes directly to school projects for kids in poverty like this: YOUR $$$ -> SCHOOL PROJECTS FOR KIDS
#20 – there are excited little kids in Colorado who just want to learn how to grow vegetables
#19 – my mustache is about to go on a growing strike if I don’t raise $200 this week
#18 – I did 55 pushups this morning and my stache is reaping the benefits
#17 – Kids in Mississippi need a digital project to show their art projects
#16 – America’s public school systems are in shambles and Obama can’t fix everything immediately
#15 – you really want the complimentary famous mustache video that I will send you after you donate
#14 – you are a major Josh fan and want to see me at the top of the leaderboard of mustache fundraisers this year
#13 – kids are an excellent investment
#12 – with the financial crisis, cash is gonna be worthless soon anyway so you might as well spend it
#11 – you feel guilty for blowing $25 on lottery tickets this week so you might as well make up for it with a Magnum P.I. level sponsorship ($25)
#10 – you don’t have kids but you love them oh so much
#9 – you have kids and you understand what they really need
#8 – you heard me boasting about that sweet Thank You email that I got from the teacher of a project that I donated to last week and you want one too!
#7 – you really want to see “Mustaches for Kids” on your credit card statement
#6 – San Francisco Growers are in third place behind growers from New York and Charlotte and you want to see us trounce them
#5 – you’re pretty sick of Josh’s mustache but you heard that sexy Julian Mocine-McQueen is growing like there’s no tomorrow and you want more of that action
#4 – you’ve got a special affiliation with Vermont, renewable energy, gardens, or cork boards
#3 – Madeleine AND her mom are mustaches sponsors
#2 – Although you know you can’t legally help a six year old boy grow his own mustache, you know you can do the next best thing – support the education of that six year old that will help them to gain the confidence needed to grow his own mustache well before it’s socially acceptable
#1 – I’ve asked you three times nicely..

A huge thanks to all those who have already sponsored this year! Please do me a favor and invite 5 friends to this group.

for the little ones,
Josh

Please sponsor me here – www.joshmustache.com

VIDEO: Mustache Training

My mustache needs three things to grow strong:

1. Your Donations

2. Cheese

3. And Training…

Day 8: TWO New Projects to Fund – VT & Clean Energy

I just woke up in fair Fontainebleau (France) to the sound of bells chiming. To celebrate the end of Week 1 of the mustache growing season, I’ve picked two new school projects that you can contribute toward.

Day 8: Waking up Mustache in Fontainebleau

Please sponsor my ’stache today and help the 2nd grade kids in my home state of Vermont display their art or put your money behind students in Richmond, VA who want some hands on experience with clean energy.
My sponsors page (go here to donate!):
http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/viewChallenge.html?id=19596

As you know, Mustaches for Kids isn’t just a world-class charity event. It’s also a no holds barred, knock-down, drag-out mustache growing contest. Now that we’re in Week 2 of the growing season, I’m starting to look around and see how I’m measuring up to the competition.

Face-wise, I’m starting to feel pretty good about my chances. My whiskers are teeming at the lip. Every day my face gets a little more exciting.

Kiddie-sponsor-wise, I’m in desperate need of some Rogaine, however. Out of 51 San Francisco mustachelites, I am currently #26. OUCH!!!

Now, we all know I can take four more weeks of John McCain’s ridicule toward my face, but America’s children can’t take four more weeks of lackluster investment in their future. Help me turn the page on #26 and put my kids in the driver’s seat this year:

http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/leadershipboard.html?category=40

A word about the two new projects I’m supporting:

Support Future Clean Energy Inventors in Virginia

“My students need the Nasco Fuel Cell Experiment Kit and Manual, and 3 Nasco Photocell Testing Kits to allow my students to get hands-on experience with technologies that are available to help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.”

Support 2nd Grade Art in Vermont!

“In donating for these bulletin boards you will allow my students to have colorful bulletin boards that display their work and where they can find more information about themes we are studying.”

Thanks for helping the kids!
Josh

JOSH’S 2008 MUSTACHE SPONSORS
$40 Santiago Requejo (Magnum P.I.)

MUSTACHES FOR KIDS DONATION LEVELS
“The Albert Einstein” – $250
“The Billy Dee Williams” – $200
“The Burt Reynolds” – $150
“The Al Sharpton” – $125
“The Borat” – $100
“The Dr. Phil” – $75
“The ‘My Name is Earl’” – $50
“The Magnum P.I.” (Tom Selleck!) – $25
“The Yosemite Sam” – $20
“The Lionel Ritchie” – $10
“The John Waters” – $5
“The Frida Kahlo” – Anything below $5

Globe-trotting Mustache & New Videos

My sister Heather and I are in the middle of a European tour. My mustache and the kids have their first sugar daddy of the season. My friend Julian and I were just featured in a hilarious article about Mustaches for Kids written in the Golden Gate Express (Please excuse the slightly obscene photo). I’ve been capturing some of these special moments in slideshow style musical videos now posted on Youtube (1. Queen’s Jewels, 2. Mustaches Intro Video, 3. Sumo Slopfest).

Santiago Requeno couldn’t be a part of this year’s San Francisco Mustaches for Kids as he now lives in Oregon, but that didn’t stop him from becoming my first mustache benefactor. Even though he is no longer able to grow with the group, he’s still an inspiration to all of us, growing in solidarity on our timetable from afar and donating to the cause. Santi just joined at the Magnum P.I. level ($25-50) with $40 in gifts to Donorschoose.org (the second $20 is on it’s way). I’m still looking for sponsor #2 for my mustache. Click here to be that person.

If you prefer, you can still sponsor the old fashioned way. Send a check to “Josh Lynch” at 630 Oak St San Francisco, CA and I’ll add it to my DonorsChoose.org contribution at the end of the growing season.
So, it’s nearing midnight in Fontainebleau and my sister Heather and I have just rounded out our fourth day in Europe. We’re out here visiting our grandfather and his wife Anita in Switzerland, my old friend Aaron and his new family in France, and a smidge of British royalty in London. It’s already been quite a journey.

All along the way my whiskers have been sprouting out for the kids. When I wake up it will be Day 8 of Mustaches for Kids, a full week completed. My fledgling mustache has already swept through four countries in one week. Every day it comes across new risks and challenges.

Tonight my stache encountered it’s biggest obstacle yet – two-year old Lila Le Moigne-Nellis. Lila is the adorable daughter of Aaron and Marianne here in Fontainebleau and always points out men’s facial hair, but was quite shy around my pushbroom. As innocent as I try to make this thing, even at 1 week old, it can be pretty intimidating. I can only hope that the hesitations of children and adults alike about my face don’t keep them from sponsoring the ’stache. After all, as explained in last week’s intro video, it’s all for a real good cause this year – school project materials for students in high poverty areas requested by their teachers. You get to choose which project to donate to. Exciting things!

That’s all for now folks. Thanks for supporting the silly and the serious.

Love and videos,
Josh