DAMPS.com

An American Inventor contestant blog
of the ABC show The American Inventor

March 30, 2006 Show three, The American Inventor.

Welcome back and thank you for tuning into another chapter of ground breaking inventors getting the shaft. We got a ton of positive feedback from our second blog and hope to be able to keep up the jaded enthusiasm. DAMPS.com will go over 15,000 viewers for March, the highest total in our web history.
It was good to see my fellow DAMPS Invention Team member Cliff Knutson bring his thoughts online as well. Everybody I talked to and everything I read said the show sucks. Simon, producers what are you thinking? This is very disappointing and I only hope the producers can salvage the good name of invention. The show dropped just a little to number nineteen in the ABC ratings.

More Controversy
During this blogging process my memory keeps getting painfully reminded of other, little things that have happened to us that further supports our Modern Day Tucker, Coincidence or Conspiracy theme.
In the fall of 2005 we were working on the final touches of our DAMPS II shock mitigation insert. What we needed now was a new pair of commercial boots to modify for the DAMPS II technology insert. I had been introduced to Wolverine World Wide (WWW) at the WSA shoe show in Las Vegas in August. So I called my product development contact at WWW and told him we had our latest DAMPS II technology evolution ready to be put into a commercial boot and asked if he would send me a pair of Wolverine’s top of the line DuraShock boots that we could modify for our technology. Not thinking that we would be able to complete this amazing feat, WWW stepped up and said we will give you two pairs because you are going to need them.

I informed WWW that I would be putting DAMPS II LD Smart Boot prototype pictures on the web site when we were finished and then we could schedule a trip to demonstrate the new technology to WWW. I also informed my contact that we would be auditioning for The American Inventor TV reality show on ABC in November.

What’s the Problem, It’s a Shoe?
If you look at a conventional composite outsole heel it is easy to understand WWW’s skepticism. These composite boot outsole heels are not made to be cut open.
While I did have to call my contact and remind him of his promise to send me two pairs of boots, we finally got our Wolverine boots some thirty days later.

The Challenge
Carefully we drilled a starting back hole and with a borrowed band saw we were able to cut out an area in the heel for our DAMPS insert. Now the hard part. An area in the heel had to be carefully carved out from the remaining heel top and bottom. About sixty hours and one dead dremel later, I had an area to accept the heel insert. Ever so carefully I glued the DAMPS technology insert into the heel, it was an almost perfect fit. To fill in the gaps in the heel one of our management team members Greg Hengesbaugh suggested using black caulking. It was just what we needed to give a more finalized and presentable version. I had another partner Tom Plonka come by with his digital camera and take some pictures that he later emailed me to be placed on www.damps.com. No one got to see those pictures?

Upon completion, as a courtesy, I sent WWW an early web site update preview template link of our new DAMPS II LD Smart Wolverine Boots. I immediately got a strongly worded email from Wolverine legal telling me not to use the pictures of the DAMPS Wolverine boots. I called and spoke with the WWW attorney and while having no legal foundation for asking me not to use the pictures on the web it was decided to not make an enemy and so the pictures were never aired on DAMPS.com.
Wolverine did however want me to send them the boots, but with no guarantees of confidential handling and their surprising attitude re airing the photos we decided not to send the boots. Instead, we used the boots in our audition for the American Inventor.

Luckily for us we had a pair of Bellville military boots left over from our 2004 government contract with Special Operations so we repeated the same process over again and in two weeks I had a second pair of completed DAMPS II LD Smart boot prototypes for demonstration. You can see these DAMPS Technology boots when you go to www.damps.com.

I followed up with WWW but could no response or any explanation from this point further. Again as a courtesy for providing these sample boots, I offered WWW a first technology demonstration at the WSA shoe show in Las Vegas in Feb. I got a simple No in response.

It Makes No Sense
Now I ask you, why wouldn’t a major boot company want to be the first to preview this revolutionary new technology? They have nothing to loose and potentially everything to gain? That important and poignant question continues with the growing legacy of at minimum, questionable industry handling of DAMPS technology. Individually these events are certainly questionable. When you begin to link them together one starts to see a pattern. An improper, anti-competitive pattern by multiple players. From first glance these events link up to be potentially collusionary.
Why is the industry afraid of DAMPS Technology?
Why, because DAMPS technology makes all other shock mitigation technology second tier.

Show Three
As I waited for nine o’clock to roll around I was hoping to see more inspired inventions and more inventors who hopefully didn’t have to cry to proceed to the next round unless they wanted to.

This weeks show began slowly in our nation’s capital Washington D.C., with a timely introduction form Matt Gallant. I find it no coincidence that the host of Animal Planet was chosen to lead the team of American Inventor judges. Matt’s experience handling different species is only a plus re our panel of judges. Matt is spirited and we had a fun time with our interviews.

The judges again run us by the heart and sole of the show. “It’s commitment and passion,” for Simon Bowells (Peter Jones). Something that makes life better,” for Big Red (Mary Lou Quinlan). “Something everyone get’s excited about,” for Ed Evangelista and F Chuck (Doug Hall) wants to “re-ignite the spirit of invention.” I have never heard such a contrived patent full of carpet padding. The only thing truly inspiring is the truth and there is a certain void in this show.

Enough badgering the judges for now, let’s get to the real stars of the show the inventors. The first inventor offered up the Perfect Pet Petter (PPP). Who is too lazy to pet his own dog? Big Red (Mary Lou Quinlan) called it the freak out machine. Obviously she was seeing other hand, job possibilities. Gone is the pooch pleaser.

The next inventor skated in on thin ice, and brought the Hockey Instructor. F Chuck now flirting with Big Red (Mary Lou Quinlan) with his certain and obvious Zambony physicality, was chosen to be the test guinea pig. I must stop here and scream. F Chuck put on some shoes! Cliff Knutson and I winced when he put on our Smart boot with no socks, icky stick to the max. What do think this is a hippie retreat for pompous inventors. All four judges voted this sporting product through to the next round.

Next was the long handled arm of the Pet Pooper Scooper. Simon Bowells was obviously incensed. Only Big Red (Mary Lou Quinlan) voted for keeping her distance from the business end of a log pushing pooch. Gone was poop away at least from the show.

As a change of pace three products were machine gunned on to the next round, the bouncing alarm clock, the basketball touch gloves and the two person chair we never saw. Good luck!

The next product was the disposable bedding. While I loved the grit of this lady, the product is just what our land fills need, more trash. I can easily over look this with the obvious chemistry between this inventor and Simon Bowells. I guess I am just an old softy when it comes to love. Pick up the paper judges! This retired teacher ruled the class room and made F Chuck and Simon Bowells her bitches after Simon tore up her invention and tossed it on the floor. As the judges said, miracles can happen and she is on to the next round.

Now it’s on to San Francisco. This quadriplegic inventor had a new design for flossing which impressed three out of four judges. Simon Bowells being English didn’t see much of a smiling market for oral hygiene.

What would a reality show be without a product for women with breast augmentation.
F Chuck blushed while talking bossom smack re the breast market being not being big enough. ED Evangelista and Big Red (Mary Lou Quinlan) disagreed. Best breast products always move forward however the speed is proportional with the question, is the cup half empty or half full.

No, to the fingernail hats, the stick, the suit tail, the folding box, the toe jam dispenser and a little fruck. A tough call for the inventor with the Bed Plate, a plastic plate with a built in cup holder. The all knowing, all seeing, all being F Chuck, was positive it could not be manufactured for less than a million dollars. The other judges disagreed and sent it on to the next round with the words of wisdom, “make it practical.” I wish I had gotten such helpful wisdom when I first started as an inventor.

The Mr. Know it All segment was dedicated to F Chuck, a man who openly admits he spends a lot of time on the toilet. The man knows crap, I’ll give him that.
Here we find another Red Flag when F Chuck tells us, I have invented footwear before, a segment easily edited in from our audition. Well, where are your shoes? Are you now working for Nike? When did you last work for Nike? Did Nike tell you to say that? Did you have any discussions with Nike re DAMPS Technology? Who is paying you? I need answers!

Perhaps it was wooden shoes from his family tree, traced back to a forefather signing the Declaration of Independence. I am not sure if the messenger who signed for the ink and paper really counts?

The life saver rescue disk I have seen before although it was with another inventor, Paul Driscoll from San Diego, US Coast Guard, retired. This product won the most innovative product for the USCD Connects Entrepreneurial program here locally in San Diego. I gave Paul a call on Friday and he was in the process of having his attorney drafting a letter to ABC and the producers. www.life-safer.com

Again F Chuck has been there done that. “I have fallen through the ice in Antarctica and I know what it is like.” I only have one question, who would save this guy? Anyway the product moved on. I will keep you posted on the inventive resolve of this matter.

We close show three with a dedicated inventor and his product Word Ace, an educational tool. Perfect for a panel of invention tools. An educational product so controversial that the judges are racked with enough emotion and passion that finally ends up with Ed Evangelista kissing Simon Bowells for letting the guy on to the next round. In addition Big Red (Mary Lou Quinlan) adds to her resume by adding she was a spelling bee champion who could have benefited from this game. This guy is sincere about helping.

I have to be honest here. For me the show is becoming such a pain to watch let alone blog that I am not sure I can keep this up. It’s like the judges are kicking little puppies.
I find myself so jealous of the inventors and their prime time exposure that I want to give up all my remaining personal possessions which aren’t much and join a cult. I will try to struggle on because after all it’s not about us, its’ about invention.

By Cliff Knutson

I’m embarrassed to say anything as testament that I watched the show.

What does this ridiculous display have to do with invention? I have to believe that Simon Cowell is shaking his head in disbelief. He has a reputation of “telling it like it is” on American Idol. Where is that sober voice in this competition? There is no doubt that Doug Hall and Peter Jones are jockeying for the Simon title. A little advice to the producers, focus on real inventions and not on talk show style dramatics.

Like Jeff, I will have a difficult time continuing this process since I feel that T.V. America probably agrees with us as to the quality of this show. I predict a quick death. Don’t they have any “F Troop” reruns available?

I don’t see any reason to blather on about how disappointing the show turned out to be. DAMPS had high hopes that it would be a legitimate avenue to advance those ideas truly deserving of the exposure. This could never happen with a panel of judges that seem to have a completely different agenda. Even a provable Stigma would have been dispelled because Doug would have already experienced one of his own.

At this stage, it is probably a blessing that DAMPS didn’t have to endure to the 3rd round. The entire farce can only limit a truly great invention.

This is a gimmick search for television entertainment.