In his July 7 commentary, Time’s columnist Joe Klein encouraged Americans to “Kill your air conditioner. Solving the energy crisis requires sacrifice. For the good of the country, we should be sweating.”

Let’s all write Arik Hesseldahl, a writer for BusinessWeek.com, and inform him how much the HVACR industry needs employees. We all have to get the attention of the national and local press in order to spread the word of this industry’s labor needs.

If you think the federal tax code is complex, try figuring out what is and what is not allowed when it comes to cleaning ductwork. It is making even the most competent and experienced in the field shake their heads. Making things more complicated is the fact that regulations are, for the most part, different in each state.

While the Bick Group is proud of having invested time and money into its underfloor air distribution (UAD) system, its headquarters has a lot of other top-notch, thinking-outside-the-box features going for it. After all, it did not get its LEED Gold certification by sticking to traditional ways.

For now, I’d like to know if any HVACR contracting businesses are being affected by the flooding in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and elsewhere - and the same due to the fires in Southern California.

Skills USA National Conference and competition is this week in Kansas City. Based on the information I have, the student to beat in the HVACR division is Andrew Klein.

The South and West are expected to see a hot summer for 2008, but the Midwest and East could have below normal temperatures for the months of June through August. Of course, the trouble with weather forecasting is, as one pundit put it, “that it’s right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it.”

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is preparing to seek a possible injunction in federal court against the city of Albuquerque, N.M., if its council and mayor continue to stick with the city’s new Energy Conservation Code and High Performance Building Ordinance, set to become effective July 1.

OK, maybe we're getting somewhere. Since last I wrote, more than a few contractors have written or called to back up my idea in regard to getting a weekly HVACR-related program on television. In my opinion, this is a strong way to connect the young to this industry. And, we do have to connect with the young. Otherwise, this industry is going to be in trouble.

John McCain or Barrack Obama? Those are the choices. Who are you voting for in the next presidential election and why?