Like many others, I often find myself scouring the house for it.
Sometimes, it’s the first thing I look for when I walk in the door after a long day.
If it were invented before dogs came along, it would be known as ‘man’s best friend.?
I’m talking, of course, about the remote control, the single most powerful item in today’s American household.
Well, maybe it’s not that powerful, but you certainly wish it were in your hands (and not someone else’s) when the latest three-hour Home & Garden show comes on.
At least, I do.
Couch potatoship was officially born in 1956, when engineers Robert Adler and Eugene Polley created the device.
Adler, who worked for Zenith for six decades, passed away last week at the age of 93.
Earning more than 180 United States patents, Adler was awarded an Emmy in 1997 by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
With all due respect to the microwave, toaster over, coffee maker, vacuum cleaner and others, the television remote control is bested by only one invention: The Universal Remote Control.
Just think, because of Adler, we will someday be able to clean the house and start dinner from the comfort of our Lazyboys (all while flipping through some 300 channels).
And, don’t sweat. If you realize an important ingredient is missing from your recipe, you can start your car via remote too. Just think, someday we may even be able to drive to the store, go in, find and purchase that missing ingredient all from the comfort of home just by pressing a few buttons.
When you spend more time looking for a device than getting up and doing the job it accomplishes by yourself, you realize it has an important place in your life.
I’d like to go on gushing about Adler’s work, but I am, after all, reporting from a remote location.
Perhaps we should follow the advice of the Associated Press earlier this week and hit the mute button for a moment of silence.
If only I knew where I left the dang thing?