DAMPS.com

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

May 11, 2006, show 9, The American Inventor.

Here We Go Again
As the final four inventors compete for the million prize I wish them all great luck. As I have been saying all along, everybody who showed up with an American invention is a winner in my book. I sure am glad that America gets to vote on the winner instead of the judges. I only hope I get to meet these four judges in another venue or on the street in the future. Karma has a wonderful way of adding balance to our existence.

The Judges
Some might say that I have been hard on the judges. I would answer no harder than they have been to the contestants. Each judge clearly brought their own agenda, bias, ego and unappealing arrogance to a creative venue where judgment is added only for entertainment.

A New Season
As the show is renewed for another season, I only hope someone adds fresh young minds who don’t look to build themselves up by tearing others down. New contestants please read the application very carefully.

My Resolve
As I continue to work through my issues with the shows producers and the judges, I am not sure if I can ever come to terms with our abusive treatment. Currently, I will have to settle for the exposure benefits for American Inventions.

Conspiracy II
To All the American Inventor Contestants
In lengthy discussion with Invention Teammate Cliff Knutson re the show, we kept saying, these can’t be the best inventions out of 10, 127 contestants. Then another conspiracy light came on for us.

We were right, the final twelve inventions are not necessarily the best. Again this is not slight to final twelve inventors. Let me explain.

In conjunction with the show, Disney who owns ABC et al, began a new enterprise for product development.

Imagine the brain trust as Intellectual Property (IP) that was delivered with the ten thousand inventor applications. Think about that! The inventors who didn’t move forward in the show believe and were told that that is the end of the process for them, so they go home and get on with their lives, not knowing that their ideas as IP are being amassed by a huge corporate entity with every means required to exploit the IP, everything but their own original ideas, and inventors stood in line to deliver to them.

Now as the first front the producers move forward and deliver the TV audience a mix of goofy and somewhat pheasable inventions as the veil of context for The American Inventor. In the meanwhile on the second front, Disney has the motive and opportunity to work, redesign and repackage potentially hundreds or thousands of original ideas gained improperly and dishonestly through the very lengthy and in-depth application process.
Each naïve inventor believes that he or she has a real honest chance to move forward based on the singular merits of their IP, not knowing they have been duped, manipulated to disclosure valuable and sometimes unprotectable ideas to a mouse waiting to play both sides of a dual agenda.

I hope I pray we are wrong, however based on our treatment and what I have witnessed so far on the show makes this alleged dual agenda all too plausible.
So this notice goes out as a warning to all American Inventor Contestants, keep a diligent eye out for any similarities in new products on the market to those that you disclosed in the American Inventor application process. There could be class action remedy. You can email me at ceo@damps.com with any questions.

Parting Thoughts
As the show and this blog winds down, I wanted to leave our viewers and the show’s ten thousand plus contestants with positive thoughts. Invention is a privilege and invention is a verb. Soldiers, America’s young blood are setting the sights for invention, imagination’s birth. Giving up is not an option.
As we’ve said from the beginning, everybody has at least one good invention in their life.

Words of Wisdom
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not… Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not…Unsuccessful genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not… The world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
The slogan “Press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

Author Unknown

Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it will achieve. Dream your great dreams and make them come true. Do it now! You are unique. In all the history of the world there was never anyone else exactly like you, and in all the infinity to come there will never be another you. Never affirm self-limitation. What you believe yourself to be, you are. To accomplish great things, you must not only act, but also dream. Not only plan, but also believe. If you have build castles in the air, your work need not be lost-put foundations under them. Yes you can. Believing is magic. You can always better your best. You don’t know what you can do until you try. Nothing will come from nothing. If you don’t go out on a limb, you’re never going to get the fruit. There is no failure except in no longer trying. Hazy goals produce hazy results. Clearly define your goals. Write them down. Make a plan for achieving them. Set a deadline. Visualize the results and go after them. Just don’t look back unless you want to go that way. Defeat may test you, it need not stop you. If at first you don’t succeed, try another way. For every obstacle there is a solution. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. The greatest mistake is giving up. Wishing will not bring success, but planning, persistence and a burning desire will. There is a gold mine within you which you can extract all the necessary ingredients. Success is an attitude. Get your right. It is astonishing how short a time it takes for very wonderful things to happen. Now, show us the colors of your rainbow!!

Author Unknown

Happy Mother's Day