73-year old jailed after fatal fight over remote control

Would that all battles over the remote were this playful.

What would you do if she wanted to watch "The View" and you wanted to watch a Civil War re-enactment?

Sane adults might compromise, say, with a neutral program like "The Price is Right." But 73-year-old Donald Zampini stabbed his 63-year-old female companion instead.

Zampini was sentenced to 18 years in jail yesterday for killing Barbara Morris in her East Windsor, N.J., home in 2006.

He says he doesn't remember why the couple fought over the remote control but evidently Morris's choice was so despicable that Zampini stabbed her 27 times.

Jailmates beware ... let this guy watch whatever he wants!

Believe it or not, this stabbing was just one of many violent remote-related outbursts.

[via nj.com] [thanks, Hank!]

World's most hideous trunk slammer

JJ gives a spanking

In response to many of you: I did not do this graphic. 39 Cent dreamed it up on his own.

Dealers over at RemoteCentral.com were complaining about the fee being charged by Electronic House for Home of the Year entries.

I suggested, in a very polite fashion, for them to quit their whining.

Charging a modest fee (everyone else does it) helps us whittle down the inordinate number of entries (400+) we receive every year. Plus, it's by far the most expensive issue of the year, and the fee helps subsidize the photography.

My friend 39 Cent responded with this classic illustration.

Note: Julie Jacobson, Electronic House, EH Publishing and other affiliated organizations do not condone the use of corporal punishment.

Feeling nostalgiac? Revisit Frox

System integrator Rich Jackson passed this piece of nostalgia along.

He picked up some Frox literature at the Great America Music Hall at a 1991 CEDIA event, where the product debuted.

Now the laughing stock of home automation, Frox was followed by many notable failures. Send yours to me for posting.

New!! Randy Klein Action Figure

Collect them all!

CE Action Figures.

Thanks, 39, best GUI Guy ever.

PC Alchemy goes under

The economy has claimed PC Alchemy, a beloved boutique PC maker.

An industry friend wrote:

Went to order an upgraded TV Tuner card for my HTPC from my favorite vendor and *poof* - gone – bummer.

These guys were GREAT!

Great service, built really nice HTPC’s at several price points.

When I'm not writing...

New!! Gary Shapiro Action Figure

CEA’s Gary Shapiro Assails Govt. Regulations, Certain Union Activities

Consumer Electronics Association chief says, we are "quickly putting our American way of life at risk."

Collect them all: Jeremy Burkhardt Action Figure, Noel Lee Action Figure, Bob Carver Toy, Matthew Polk Action Figure

[Thanks, 39 Cents. You rock my world]