DAMPS.com

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

April 20, 2006 show six, The American Inventor.

Important Conspiracy Update
We have had some technical difficulty with the archive of Blog 2. This is an important part of our ongoing conspiracy story with The American Inventor judge F Chuck (Doug Hall) and his conflicting relationship with Nike. If you have not read this important blog please do so, Blog 2. Thank you.

Ratings Fall
After rising to thirty five in the ratings, the two hour special for show five fell back to forty seven. I have to agree with Mr. Nelson, so much of the last show being a re hash of earlier episodes. The song Is That All There Is, keeps playing in my head.

Again No Response to Our Invention Challenges
After pretty much calling everyone connected to the show an Insurgent Communist Wuss (ICW), I have heard nothing in response to our ongoing invention challenges. Everyone I have spoken with or who has emailed us has told us that we should have been one of the finalists.

We certainly agree and again with no slight to the finalists, we are still having a lot of trouble believing that out of ten thousand inventors that auditioned for the show, these final twelve inventions are America’s very best. They can’t be because DAMPS Technology Footwear is not included.

The Conspiracy Continues
Getting no response back from the show makes perfect conspiracy cover up sense. There is no way that the show’s producers can accept our challenge because accepting will clearly and definitely undermine the producers and the judges selection criteria.
Any reasonable and unbiased professional would certainly select DAMPS Technology Footwear as at least one of the twelve finalists. So why didn’t the judges select DAMPS Technology to move forward in the competition? Was there internal pressure from the producers because they believed we might be too outspoken based on the letters and communication we have had in the past? Was there external pressure from corporate sponsors with pre-existing relationships with one or all of the judges who did want to see DAMPS Technology move forward? Was it because we didn’t cry or beg?
The only legitimate answer is that the shows producer’s judges et al have in the past conspired to keep The DAMPS Invention Team off the show and are continuing to unfairly conspire to oppress DAMPS Technology Footwear. Have the producer’s ever heard of Restraint of Trade?

The remaining facts speak for themselves. Take a look at the novelness, the technology depth, the marketability and the overall health and productivity benefits of DAMPS Technology and there can be no question, no question at all that we should have made the final selection process.

Preston Tucker
I keep bringing up the Tucker automobile as a historic example of market and invention oppression. As back ground, in 1948 Preston Tucker built a car that was years ahead of anything else on the road. An aluminum rear engine drive powered this car to over 120 mph. It had the first padded dash, use of safety glass and seat belts. Yet with all this innovation the corporate market forces of the time colluded, conspired and eventually kept the Tucker off the street. Who knows how many lives could have been saved on the safety innovations alone if a free market society had been allowed to work as designed.

Hell No We Won’t Go
We refuse to let outside forces conspire or collude to stop DAMPS Footwear Technology. While I blog now, it will be DAMPS Technology Footwear and the people who wear them that will determine the ultimate outcome. As I do not see DAMPS to fruition, I pray my heirs and investors will.

Paul Newman Helped
Besides being one of the coolest actors on the planet, you ask what does Paul Newman have to do with invention? Answer, I find inspiration in the poignant dialogue of the world’s greatest movie. In one of Paul Newman’s greatest roles, Cool Hand Luke, he responds to George Kennedy’s the leader of the inmates, dialogue “Just like today, you kept coming at me with nothing.” Paul Newman retorts after winning the jail yard fight he was loosing badly, by simply not giving up. “Yea, sometimes nothing is a mighty cool hand.” I know the hand, I know the feeling.

It is true DAMPS Technology Footwear is not the biggest fish in the pond. However we certainly are the most magnetic and certainly the coolest!!!
Experience also teaches that a man with nothing has nothing to loose and therefore becomes extremely dangerous. I think I know this guy.

Shoe Grit, the Movie
As I noted in our last blog we are also currently developing a movie on the eighteen year development story of DAMPS Technology Footwear. The biggest question being asked so far is, Who would play me in the movie role? Any suggestions?

Show Six
Again, Congratulations to the final twelve inventors.
Now we get to see each of the four judges take three inventors and mentor them for the best use of their $ 50k prize, to assist in the overall product development for the million first prize. As I mentioned because the show now controls the final twelve inventions, we will see more re the judges and their pet inventions.

Not Again
Another two hour special rolled out Thursday night with the first hour again dedicated to the inventions that did not make the final cut. I want to tear something apart. I only hope that this priceless exposure can be utilized by these inventors.

New Inventions
I had been hoping to see new inventions before this and the producers take time to show us what looked like some pretty cool stuff, especially the outdoors and motorized inventions. Why didn’t we see these products before this?

Multi-Tasking the Morning
The rocket scientist had his hopes and head in the sky with his invention the Sit and Shave. Now thanks to invention a person can do not one, not two, but three bath room duties at once. There may be another name others would utilize.

It’s About Invention
I get so emotionally involved watching the show that I have to keep reminding myself it is about invention. Keeping this focus becomes very hard when the show reflects a portrayal of invention vs. true reality.

Simon Bowells
Simon Bowells (Peter Jones) gets a little air time re his millionaire background in England but again his onscreen romance with the school teacher inventor and her disposable bedding tell it all.

Kid Inventors, Cry but Don’t Quit
I feel that the producers made a big mistake in the way they handed the children inventors. Of course very few are going to be able to compete with the older inventors so why judge them the same way? The show should have had a separate category for children. Kids are not stupid. All the placation in the world will not make them feel any better. No still means no. Why make them cry? What is this thing the show has for crying?

The Second Hour
After wading and yawning through the first hour reruns, it’s down to the business of selecting the final four. Ed Evangelista acts as real time mentor for Eric Thompson with the Receiver Training pole. Sherry McDonald with the Un-brella. Mark Martinez with the Sack Master 2000. All the judges review the three inventors however Ed has the final say in this round.

Prototype or Perish
These three inventors under the brief tutelage of Ed Evangelista will have thirty days to spend their $ 50k, to ideally perfect their product prototype for manufacturing. No one went to Mexico. Ed provides such sage direction as listen to people, be open minded, think about a new name and break through with your product. I have to give Ed credit here because for the first time he told the inventors now it’s about the invention, even though in reality it has been about the invention since day one. The “inventor stuff” is purely for entertainment. Be sure not to get the two mixed up.

What Ed also needed to tell the inventors is that you have thirty days to perfect your product however you will really need ninety. An inventor can spend thousands of dollars very quickly with outside design and prototype companies. You almost need to be an engineer or a design expert to ride shot gun on this important and typically expensive process. The inventor really has to take the lead here or they will not get the product they want and or spend too much money.

Eric Thompson, The Receiver Training Pole
Jesus, not that Eric doesn’t have enough negative things going on at home, he gets hammered by the focus group and left with a field of uncomplimentary comments. Eric kept his spirits up and charged into the manufacturing prototype process. Eric wisely followed Ed’s advice and found a new name The Catch Vest, definitely better.

Eric was happy with the way the prototype looked however the finished prototype was a static prototype vs. dynamic prototype and it could not be utilized in testing so they had
to use his original hand made prototype for actual physical testing.

How much coaching and player learning ability re properly catching the football by the bad news bears team factored in as compared to the achievement of the actual device is hard to calculate, however it makes for an inspirational story.

You have to give Eric credit with his comeback to the judges about his name being in the title The American Inventor. I hate to agree with anything re F Chuck (Doug Hall) but he did have a point when he expressed concerns about the market potential for this product.

Sherry McDonald, The Un-Brella
Sherry did not fair any better in her focus groups and felt further hindered by the absence of her invention/ life partner. You could really see she was at the mercy of the design team and without a solid engineering plan of her own, relied on the expertise and suggestions of her chosen experts. When it came down to the unveiling Sherry got a big surprise when her prototype did not do what she thought it would do and it sounded like what she was told would be delivered by the design team. Thirty days and $50k can go by very fast and especially if you do not know what you are doing from an engineering stand point.

When it came down to testing Sherry took on water as the prototype broke during water testing. The judges had too many remaining questions and left her crying as her best chance for a spot with the final four. Don’t give up Sheryl!

Mark Martinez, the Sackmaster 2000
Again Mark gets buried with his focus group. Where are they getting these focus groups?
I liked Mark’s strength and grit in his use of his $ 50K. First thing he did is take care of himself, a skill most inventors do not incorporate. Remember the old adage clothes make the man and dress for success. Mark didn’t forget. Mark did listen to Ed re a name change to SackMaster and adding a strap. This inventor really laid down the line re not accepting new input from his design team. Now this could be construed as not being open minded however it could also be that the inventor knows his product and doesn’t need a redesign. The design firm was trying to sell him because that’s how they make their money. He choose to save money, budget for new packaging, a different color and some well deserved contemplation.

It was a great marketing idea to go to New Orleans to do the testing on this product. It was very ballzy to do the test as a competition with experienced relief workers vs. everyday people. The tide turned for Mark when the everyday Joes were very competitive in the sand bag filling against the relief workers who eventually ended up endorsing the SackMaster.

Ed and the judges were unimpressed with the progress Mark made with his product. I am not sure why he didn’t fix the strap? When asked he said he had spent only $ 20k of the original $ 50k. I am not sure if he was trying to save a little money for his family but this was not the time and it really hurt him. Simon Bowells asks Mark, “you spent $ 50k on a box?”

The Chosen Inventor
Ed told the panel of judges this is going to be tougher than I thought. Not really.
As the spirit favorite, it was no surprise that Eric overcame all his trials and was chosen to proceed to the final four. Congratulations Eric Thompson and the Catch Vest. Somebody please tell Eric to spend some of that hard earned $ 50k on some new clothes for his next appearance. He needs to have a functional manufacturing prototype. With his limited niche product, Eric will have his work cut out for him in the final four. Best of Luck! America will tell us.

Final Inventor Thoughts
To Sherry and Mark congratulations, you were and continue to be American inventors. Get used to hearing no from people outside your heart. No can simply mean the judges don’t know. This is only one step in a long journey only few will dare to take. Please consider and use your valuable prime time exposure to continue your journey. By continuing your invention quest and not giving up, you make the road wealthier for other inventors to continue and not give up. There is a past a current and a future brother hood of American inventors out there, and you are an important symbol.

Big Red (Mary Lou Quinlan) takes her turn at molding inventors in next week’s episode.
I think I just understood why they call a TV show an episode.