DAMPS.com

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

May 4, 2006 show eight, The American Inventor.

Uncharacteristically, the San Diego Tribune www.uniontrib.com did not include the TV ratings in Thursdays paper so I won’t be able to provide a ratings update this blog.

No Response from the Defendants to Our Blog Complaint
As I anticipated we heard nothing back from anyone retorting to last week’s Blog complaint. To ensure proper viewership, bright and early Monday morning I faxed the blog to ABC legal, www.abc.com, they would have talked with Disney as a named party in the complaint. Tic Toc Productions (no web site found), the show’s producers and to Simon Cowell’s agent at Creative Artist Agency. www.caa.com. You have to believe there was plenty of discussion, but in reality what can the defendants really do? If they respond they give credence to the claims and the defendants certainly don’t want to go there, especially when they know the claims have merit. Not responding to this complaint is their only option. The defendants have to just stand there in obsolete shoes and take it.

Nike
I did not fax Nike www.Nike.com, as I have an ongoing one-sided discussion with Nike’s submission attorney Ginni Hanks. Nike will not talk with me until I sign their submission agreement. I cannot sign the agreement in good conscious. Why would someone give up constitutional rights as an intellectual property holder? An agreement is unnecessary if there is no guarantee of confidentiality. Nike is not alone with their abusive submission policy.
Wolverine World Wide utilizes a similar version of the same script.
View Nike’s Submission Agreement

Ginni, re submission agreements, the true choice for corporations is fair. Either you have no submission policy at all or you offer one that is fair to the average disclosure, which includes confidential handling. Arguments that Nike is afraid of nuisance law suits or possible prior development does not suffice. Simple dating of a disclosure mutually answers the questions re overlapping developments. Law suits for a mulit-billion company are a nuisance but not a hindrance. The opposite is true for the discloser. The average inventor does not have the means to be litigious. The inventor is approaching the corporate giant with the hope of money as royalties. Not to have his pocket picked, especially by someone who doesn’t need the money.
Here is my most recent letter to Nike management. View Nike letter.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
I feel a like Jimmy Stuart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. A naive young man believing one man, one invention can do something good and make a difference, learns the hard way that what goes on behind the scenes carries more weight than the heart and sole of real people. By blogging I had hoped to bring enough sentiment to bear, so that the shows producers might see the error in their ways. No such luck.

Paul Newman Does it Again
Again I fall back on famous movie quotes. Paul Newman’s Oscar nominated role as a down but not out attorney in The Verdict. Frankie gives us poignant words re seeking justice in America. “In my religion we are taught, act as if you have faith and it will be given to you.” I am certainly developing my acting skills.

Jesus
Jesus, when asked about faith told the multitude on the hill, “Oh if you had but the faith of the mustard seed.” This American Inventor’s experience has truly been a test of my mustard. This from one hot dog to another.

Theme from Rocky
Is it just me or does anyone hear the theme from Rocky. “It ain’t the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Jethro Pew, Dallas Cowboys.

Important Inventor Update

“Patently Obvious”
Attention inventors, there is a must read article in the April-May issue of Tech Confidential magazine, www.techconfidential.com, a supplement to The Deal magazine www.thedeal.com. There is legislation pending in the legislature to change allowing patents filings from the first to invent to the first to file. If you as an inventor don’t know what this means, you should. Basically it means that the original inventor may not be able to file for patent protection if someone else files with the USPTO prior. www.uspto.com. Please read the article, your inventor patent rights could be changing.

“The Next Bright Idea”
There is also this very timely article in volume 20 in Federal Computer Week magazine www.FCW.com. At the heart of invention, the roles government and industry play in innovation research have changed dramatically and ask the important question, will America continue to lead the world in innovation?

Simon Bowells (Peter Jones) and F Chuck (Doug Hall)
This week these two judges add their fabled mentorship to the remaining six inventors. The results will take the show to final four inventors. Lets’ see what pearls of selfless wisdom the judges can impart for our inventors.

The Internet
I have to ask the judges why they haven’t recommended or suggested in their mentoring, the inventors implement a web site to further market their inventions? Why not begin marketing their product as they perfect their invention. It would be money well spent. The inventors have the exposure from the show to help their site launch. It would also give the inventors more exposure when American votes in the final episode and even more if they don’t.

Show Eight
It will be good to see the entire show devoted to the final inventors and their futures with no re runs. Come on Matt take us home.

Jodi Pliszka with the Headliner
Jodi did a nice job by expanding her niche market for the military, athletes and construction workers. Simon Bowells (Peter Jones) who initially didn’t’ believe there was a big enough market seemed impressed. The focus group gave her some positive feedback while the design team complicated her focus and it took her a while to grab back the reins. Jodi finally got her point across and T-2 Design flew in a product expert in her area to really get the ball rolling. The judges liked her progress, presentation and gave he deserved empathy, but they elected to send Jodi home.

Ed Hall with Word Ace
Ed initially didn’t fair too well in the focus groups but came away with some positive suggestions for product improvement. Simon Bowells suggests adding a Spanish language mode and tells him to make it fun. Ed reluctantly has to start over from scratch with his team, designing a new and improved prototype. The design team delivered a very nice upgrade with the new product. Second round of testing with the new product started slow but eventually all the kids loved it. That is huge! F Chuck (Doug Hall) didn’t like the design or pricing at under fifty dollars. Simon Bowells asks the question, “Is the market big enough,” and then goes on to predict it will be biggest selling American game ever.

Robert Amoure with the Toner Belt
Robert almost didn’t make it on when he couldn’t tell the judges what he was going to do with his $ 50k. The focus groups gave him mixed reviews and Simon Bowells asks him for a complete refinement of the product. Robert too had problems with his design team and this forced him to seek another design team. He ends up utilizing two teams with the hope of assuring one good prototype. Ultimately he ends up using the prototype from one team and the packaging of the other. Ed Evangelista was worried the product would end up in the back of someone’s closet. The panel placated Robert but you could see they had no intention of selecting him to go to the final four.

Simon Bowells opens up and tells us that he understand he is playing with peoples lives and that he does actually have a heart. If he does it must have been a transplant.

The Winner Ed Hall with Word Ace. Congratulations!
On to the final four.

Part Two with F Chuck, The Judge You Love to Hate
My favorite know it all F Chuck, still barefoot and pregnant with ideas leads the show into the second hour.

Sharon Clemens Restroom Door Clip
You’ve got to love the spunk and spirit of this 65 year old inventor and grandmother. Sharon really came into her own in this segment and it was fun to watch her growth. I am an inventor, this is my invention, hear me roar! She got mixed reviews from the focus group and was wise to follow F Chuck’s advice to make her door lock part of a travel bathroom kit. She handled her design team like a pro and when they couldn’t deliver she fired them and hired a new group. Nice brass! Sharon gave the judges a great presentation. She presented her product like she had been on QVC for twenty years. Judge Ed Evangelista wasn’t impressed. Most knew she wasn’t going on to the final four but Sharon should be very proud and there is still hope she can help retire her husband with her invention efforts.

Joseph and Jennifer Safuto with the Flushpure
This husband wife team almost missed the show when they told the panel of judges they were going to Mexico with the $ 50k. The focus group thought they stunk up the place, which was not their objective. You could say the couple had a little problem with their design team when it ended up in WWF cursing match. Eventually the group apologized, reconciled and delivered a prototype both sides were happy with. While the judges recommended someone else do the presentation the couple ignored the advice and pulled off a solid presentation.
The testing was very supportive when it clearly demonstrated the bathroom bacteria reduction. The pictures of the bacteria mist after flushing added further support but the end was not sitting around for this invention team. Depending upon price, I think we may see this product in new homes.

Janusz Liberkowski with the Spherical Safety Seat
A sentimental favorite, JL took an early hit with the focus group and F Chuck’s suggestion to support the physics provided an uphill battle for this father who lost his four year old daughter in a car accident. JL being an engineer worked well with his design team and it was very smart to split objectives and do one seat for design and another for testing. Everyone held their breath when it came to the car crash testing but the proof was in the demonstration. JL’s passion and unwavering determination was applauded by F Chuck and still with product issues remaining, JL is green lighted to the final four.

The Winner Janusz Liberowski with the Spherical safety Seat. Congratulations!
On to the final four.

Some Where Over the Rainbow
Who is picking the sappy finale music? Please shoot them.

American Inventors, It’s Not Over!
As the nonforwarded inventors go home, I hope everyone understands that they are not looser! I hate it and find it very disrespectful when the judges tell an inventor this is the end of the line. Inventors will hear all types of no and it doesn’t have to stop them. Just because these four judges didn’t pick you, don’t cry about it. Instead try about it. As a participant on the show you have received priceless exposure that can be your mighty spring board to further the active invention process. It is people, the market place that decides an inventors ultimate economic success. However if an inventor doesn’t feel wealthy going through the sacred American invention process before, no amount of money will make them rich.

The Final Four
Next week America will see reruns of how the final four inventors got to the finals and then hear each provide a 30 second commercial. America will vote for their favorite American Inventor. Will it be,
Erik Thompson , Franciso Patino, Ed Hall or Janusz Liberowski ?

I wonder what the odds are in Las Vegas? While I have my favorite, I believe it will come down to a close call between Ed Hall and Janusz Liberowski. If the young adults vote in force, Franciso Patino could pull out a win out. Erik Thompson is the dark horse in this race, but only in America, anyone can win.