: Cruel summer: California raises power rates

: nearly 50 percent

: SAN FRANCISCO
: (March 27, 2001 4:28 p.m. EST) - Amid the jeers of protesters
: yelling "Hell, no, we won't pay," the state
: Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to
: approve rate hikes of up to 46 percent for California's two
: largest utilities.

: Saying they had little choice but to approve the largest rate
: hikes in California history, the PUC commissioners voted

: 5-0 for increases for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and
: Southern California Edison Co. that take effect
: immediately.

: "The PUC has done all it can," commission President
: Loretta Lynch said. "We have fought back hard in every
: venue possible against these unjust energy prices."

: Customers of publicly-owned utilities, such as the Sacramento
: Municipal Utility District, won't be affected.

: Some ratepayers have labeled the plan a "rip-off"
: that would hit 10 million homes and businesses fighting to
: stay cool amid rolling blackouts and spiraling energy
: costs. The rate hikes will affect about 25 million
: Californians.

: "Our bills have gone from $26 to $70 for a stinking
: studio apartment and we don't have a heater. We use the
: oven to heat up the studio," said Belinda Lazzerini,
: 40, who serves fruit smoothies at Jitters & Shakes in
: downtown San Francisco. "The laundromat has gone up
: from $1.50 to $3, so now we will have to clean our clothes
: by hand and dry them in the basement. It's crazy."

: The PUC approved a proposal unveiled Monday by Lynch, who said
: she hoped the increases would force Californians to
: conserve more energy and would send a message to
: 'electricity hogs' to ease up on power usage.

: The meeting was disrupted at least five times by screaming
: protesters. Before the meeting, four women led by former
: Green Party senatorial candidate Medea Benjamin stood in
: the PUC chambers with yellow signs saying "We Won't
: Pay."

: News Copyright © 2001 Interest!ALERT

: -----

Response

When all else failed, & failed it did since no electricity was available, we filled a 50 gallon drum 1/2 with water & with clothes on got in it, & upon emerging the natural evaporation of the water particles in the clothing cooled our bodies to the point we wanted a sweator.

But that is for the summer coming on now, & being in a natural place for enjoying this. This proves how we have been insulated from any natural accomodations for solving the new problems of higher energy costs.

Another solution would be to purchase two 100 watt solar battery chargers to charge eight 6 volt Golf Cart Batteries in series to make 4,-12 volt batteriies & an inverter,-to run a refrigeration cooler, (or else, a water cooler,) which would be best,-because then one could enjoy T.V. in the evening, & keep a refrigerator running. The only catch,-the sun must shine. Cut costs is now the ultimatum.

Oh my, what has the world come too?

tau