WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

SUNDAY, AUGUST 19: TWO ELECTRONIC GENIUSES 

Profile America — Sunday, August 19th.  Two geniuses in the field of electronics whose inventions changed the way Americans live were born in August.  One was television pioneer Philo Farnsworth, whose birthday is noted today  He conceived the idea of television broadcasting while still in high school and realized his dream at the age of 21.  His first transmitted image was a dollar sign.  The other was Lee de Forest.  He invented the electron tube among his hundreds of patents and became known as the "father of radio."  The idea of wireless broadcasting was so unbelievable he was once arrested for selling stock to underwrite his invention.  Homes in America have an average of eight radios and nearly three television sets.  Profile America is in its 16th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2012, p. 410, 419
               Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1132
               Statistical Abstract of the United States 2011, t. 1131

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau