Long and hot

I’m talking, of course, about the ominous power crisis.

And the problem with that problem is that it is not only very serious and multifaceted, but it’s also changing all the time. Grasping it is like trying to capture an oil spill in an ocean of 10-foot waves.

The mainstream media is on this every day, but because so much is happening on numerous fronts, it is hard to comprehend all the parts at once. So we’re adding to the reportage with our new Power page (see ‘Qualifying heat,’ page 22), including stories that can hopefully go a bit deeper into one aspect of this huge problem and bring perspective. This week we’ll examine the crisis-within-the-crisis by giving you a close-up view of the plight of alternative energy generators. Those are the people providing the cleanest energy and going broke doing it.

And if the energy predicament makes you grumpy, then lighten up with the more appealing aspects of the coming season with our Summer Guide 2001. When the heat and energy bills get unbearable, we say eat, drink and take your clothes off.