If you are one of the 30,000-plus industry people that made their way to the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan last week, you probably had the same reaction that I did. Even though I am not used to $6 cups of coffee or tipping cabbies 20 percent to avoid a cold stare, I’ve gotta say my experience in New York was pretty darn good.

There seems to be dangerous thinking pervading some casual conversations around our country. People are always talking about how to increase efficiency will reducing costs of HVAC equipment. That’s a given. But they are also talking about the importance of “going green,” too.

Everyone seems intent on comparing the saving of building more efficient cars, of building more efficient toasters, of building more efficient heat pumps, and yes, the more efficient use of anything to - saving trees.

For those who attended the 2008 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition in New York City Jan. 22-24, I want to hear from you. What did you think of the three-day walkfest at the Jacob Javits Convention Center?

No, I’m not boozing it up or making ridiculous headlines to attract your attention (unlike a certain editor-in-chief who uses “snow bunnies’ and sexy photos to boost his sagging readership). I am talking about a fantasy I had the other day (no, not a snow bunny fantasy.)

Good to know that the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association (PHCC), along with the PHCC National Educational Foundation, is looking into the worker shortage, specifically in hurricane-ravaged Louisiana.

The NEWS’ booth will be a virtual hotbed of activity at the 2008 AHR Expo in New York. We’ve got two snow bunnies that will be dragging show-goers into our booth, No. 1728, to try their hand at an interactive snowmobile arcade game.

No, that headline isn’t a typo. Some of your employees really stink and they could be turning off your customers. I’m not talking about physiology such as body odor or bad breath. Lord knows I suffer from both. No, I’m talking about odors from tobacco, i.e., cigarettes, cigars, or yes – marijuana.

Did you read about how our unemployment has “climbed” to 5 percent and on top of that the stock market only went up 7 percent in 2007. I also saw an e-mail today about a 15 percent drop in attendance for the upcoming International Builders Show in February. Oh no! The sky is falling.

Last year saw the return of Rocky Balboa starring the ageless Sylvester Stallone. This year we will see Indiana Jones again, starring another famous senior citizen Harrison Ford. Those two guys make me feel like a youngster, although they look a little better than me (at least with all of the pancake makeup on).

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