SPACE COMMAND TV REMOTE TURNS 70 _ The Space Command TV remote is 70 this year (June). The Zenith Radio Corporation created the very first television remote control in 1950 called “Lazy Bone.” The Lazy Bone could turn a television on and off as well as change channels. The Lazy Bone was attached to the TV by a bulky cable.
• The Flash-Matic Wireless Remote was introduced by Zenith in 1955. The Flash-matic operated by means of four photocells, one in each corner of the TV screen. The viewer used a directional flashlight to activate the four control functions, which turned the picture and sound on and off as well as turned the channel tuner dial clockwise and counter-clockwise. However, the Flash-matic had problems working well on sunny days, when sunlight hitting the photocells sometimes changed channels at random.
• The Zenith Space Command remote control went into commercial production in 1956. This ultrasonic remote remained the dominant design for the next 25 years and worked using ultrasound waves. The Space Command transmitter used no batteries. Inside the transmitter were four lightweight aluminum rods that emitted high-frequency sounds when struck at one end. Each rod was a different length to create a different sound that controlled a receiver unit built into the television.
MEN CAN’T DRESS THEMSELVES _ Men and women may not agree on much, but it appears the sexes are united when it comes to the opinion that most men could use some help in the fashion department. In fact, results of a recent survey show that 75 percent of men admit that part of their wardrobe could use an update, and nearly 75 percent of women believe that at least one of the men in their lives could use a fashion makeover. More than one-third of men rarely even try on clothes before buying (as opposed to the majority of women who do). 64 percent of men go clothes shopping because they have to, whereas the majority of women clothes shop because they want to. Nearly 80 percent of men say that when they are dressed nicely they feel better about themselves. 78 percent of men describe their personal style as “Average Joe” and only 14 percent of men see themselves as “fashion- forward.”
HOTEL CLEANERS REVEAL WEIRDEST THINGS LEFT BEHIND _ Hotel cleaning staff were asked to share the weirdest things left behind by guests.
• I once found an auto transmission in the bathtub of a room.
• My first day of work someone left a hatchet in the bathtub.
• Someone completely decorated the room with framed family pictures… and left them all there. I think their stay was only two days. They set some up on the furniture but also hung some on the walls.
• A live diamondback rattlesnake. We were located downtown, no way it just came in from outside. We found out a week later the guest was part of a snake handler church.
• By the bathtub: empty gallon jugs of milk next to empty containers of Quaker Oats.
