The Good, the Bad, and NBC

I agree with every word John R. Hall wrote in his column about the hvacr trade being “scorched by NBC’s ‘Dateline.’ “

In New Jersey this past year, a local utility started a marketing campaign. An ad comes with your monthly bill. It reads: “YEARLY HVAC SERVICE CONTRACT — $29.95.”

They would need 500 trucks and the same number of technicians to cover about 1,200 square miles. The tech-nician would have to have experience on 50 different units. They would have to drive tractor-trailers to ensure having all the replacement parts. “On the job” training would replace 20 years of “schooling” to save time.

Can you believe this?

Nationwide, I have visited hundreds of hvacr contractors and thousands of jobs. I have yet to see a customer “bilked” by a certified hvacr con-tractor. Errors, yes! But they were corrected without charge. It’s sad that NBC can reach a potential of 100 million people, and we are helpless to add our comments. They must learn to contribute “plus” stories along with the “minus” ones on an equal “air time” basis.

John C. Schaub Schaub Consulting Medford, NJ

Use All You Want, We’ll Make More

After reading Mr. Skaer’s article on conservation [“Conserve Energy? Not in the Good Ol’ U.S.A., it Appears,” July 2], I had to e-mail. Environmentalists will be the doom of us all. The answer in this country is not to conserve, but to find more. For years the American people have been told to conserve; cut back; do without; car-pool; buy smaller, more efficient cars; etc.

The American people should be able to purchase what they want and go where they want, without a guilty conscience. Your article goes on to say that more taxes should be raised, and price regulation should occur. I say NEVER to those ideas. Who is to say that the new taxes raised even go to energy efficiency? We need to explore more and become less dependent on foreign oil.

As for the state of California, point fingers at the Clinton Administration. He had many energy plants shut down due to pressure from the environmentalist wackos. Plus, the energy shortage in California has not been talked about for some time. Could it be over? They have had the energy all along, but no way to harness it.

In my opinion, the American people have been told what to do for far too long. It is time for new discoveries of oil, natural gas, etc. We need to get “groups” out of the way. Yes, I understand that “groups” have done some good, but also a lot of harm.

Do you know that a “front” load washing machine is coming to the market? Brought to you by our good friends at the environmentalist groups. We need to save more water. Watch for this new washer in the coming future.

Terry Bradshaw Co-Director of the College Vatterott College Omaha, NE

Publication date: 07/30/2001