GABE, Frances, American inventor, b-1915. She devised many household gadgets for greater convenience. A particular system involved a completely self-cleaning house, this technology design of hers incorporated over 70 of her inventions. Frances hated housework and saw no reason to spend her life cleaning a house, hence all the labour-saving devices she invented over a lifetime. The house contained a cleaning apparatus, about 10 square inches in size, in the centre of each room. At the press of a button, the equipment sprays the room with soapy foam and then later blow-dries it all. The room floors  slope off for easy drainage, most possessions in the room are inside glass cases for protection. In 1985 she had worked on the Self-Cleaning House for 30 years and had a patent for every invention built into it. Frances lives in Oregon and uses this surname for anonymity purposes. Not all her neighbours are keen on these concepts.