I'm sure many already know this one, but it was new to me
SOME FORD HISTORY > > Here is a little known fact ... > The four Goldberg brothers, Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and Max, invented and > developed the first automobile air-conditioner. On July 17, 1948, the > temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees. > The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford's office and sweet-talked > his secretary into telling him that four gentlemen were there with the > most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter. > Henry was curious and invited them into his office. > They refused, and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to > their car. > They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about 130 degrees, > turned on the air conditioner, and quickly cooled the car off. > The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he > offered them $3 million for the patent. > The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2 million, but they > wanted the recognition by having a label, 'The Goldberg > Air-Conditioner,' on the dashboard of each car in which it was installed. > Now old man Ford was more than just a little anti-Semitic, and there was > no way he was going to put the Goldberg's name on two million Fords. > They haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally agreed on $4 > million and that just their first names would be shown. > And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show -- Lo, Norm, Hi, and > Max -- on the controls. > Control yourself !!!