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Walmart Holds Invention Contest
An anonymous reader writes "Walmart is holding the inventor's equivalent to 'American Idol' calling for product submissions that will be offered for sale in Walmart stores. Feel that the back scratcher you received a patent for hasn't garnered the attention it deserves? This could be your big chance at fame and fortune."
I'll be able to show my all in one toilet!!! http://i.imgur.com/fdJDV.jpg See you there! :D
Is this you first time FPing? Overall, you did allright. You did use the term "FRIST", to parody the typical slashdotter's lazy, cheeto and cum-stained keyboard hand, as well as the word "nigger", as referring to darkie-americans. However, notably absent are 1.)the GNAA recruitment blurb, and 2.)sexism in any form whatsoever. You have much to learn, young AC.
7/10
Yep, and given that it is WalMart, the winning entry will be...
A coffee table shaped like a car from nascar, which only holds the cheapest, nastiest bears (destroying all others) and has a built in remote that automatically switches the TV to nascar or wrestling and maxes the volume.
Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
Be very careful to read the fine print on contests like this. I looked into one a few years ago (run by Hammacher Schlemmer, I think), and by entering you essentially wound up giving them your IP at pretty unfavorable terms. If you have a good idea, something like KickStarter is a much better bet.
While it might sound altruistic, it isn't.
Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
Yep, and given that it is WalMart, the winning entry will be...
A coffee table shaped like a car from nascar, which only holds the cheapest, nastiest bears (destroying all others) and has a built in remote that automatically switches the TV to nascar or wrestling and maxes the volume.
Hey, a bear destroying coffee table would be awesome. I'd put it in the middle of the bear pit at the local zoo. I'm not too sure what I should imagine when you talk about the "cheapest" nastiest bears. I didn't really know nasty bears came in cheap and expensive variations. Do the more expensive ones not hibernate or something? Maybe it's longer claws.
* beers, not bears.
Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
So essentially, they buy the stuff they sell from China because it's super-cheap, and now they're trying to get people to give them product ideas because designers and engineers are too expensive, to save on the cost of product development.
No way I'm giving the cheap bastards any of my brainpower so they can make even more profit.
(Mind you, that's exactly what Google does too...)
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
As conditions of Contest entry, you acknowledge and agree that: (a) Sponsor and other participants and members of the general public have access to and/or may create materials, ideas and concepts which may be similar or identical to your Entry, ideas and/or concepts; (b) you will not be entitled to any compensation or other consideration because of the use by Sponsor or any other participant of such similar or identical material, ideas and/or concepts; and (c) Sponsor's or other participant's use of material containing elements similar to or identical with those contained in your Entry shall not obligate Sponsor to negotiate with nor entitle you to any compensation or other claim.
By submitting an Entry, you warrant and represent that (a) you have all rights, including, without limitation, rights of copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights, to the Product and Video to submit your Entry in accordance with these Official Rules, subject to the posting and voting provisions herein and if your Entry wins, you have the right to enter into an agreement with Sponsor regarding the sale of your Product; (b) your Entry does not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity (as more fully set forth in he Submission Requirements below), (c) that publication or other use by Sponsor of the Entry via various media including Web posting, will not infringe on the rights of any third party rights; and (d) otherwise complies with these Official Rules. You will indemnify and hold Released Parties (as defined below) harmless from and against any and all claims to the contrary and any demands, actions, causes of action, damages, costs or expenses brought against or suffered or incurred by the Released Parties, or any of them arising out of or in connection with your participation in this Contest, or the use, in whole or in part, by any Released Party of your Entry (or portion thereof) submitted by you in this Contest.
http://getontheshelf.com/rules
i propose to design a machine that when pointed at an object in a retail environment, will search a database and present to the user an interactive presentation about all the points on the supply chain that led to the object's existence on that retail shelf.
for example, the overnight wal-mart stockers with no health insurance, the long haul truckers who are continually pushed by managers to drive further with less sleep, the docks where TSA irradiates everything, the chinese factory where the manager rapes the workers on a regular basis, the government run prison mines that provide input to the factory, etc etc etc.
A guy I knew in my hometown made game calls. He employed a few people and made what are the Cadillac of game calls. His game calls were featured on a show on the outdoor network and the next thing you know Wal Mart came calling. He had to hire 20 people to handle the demand. Next year Wal Mart comes to him and says "We need these 5 cents cheaper than what you sold them to us for last year". He lowered his price but ultimately what happened was he ended up lowering his prices so much year after year that he couldn't afford to keep people employed in rural Kentucky so he outsourced to Malaysia. His entire production plant in Kentucky went of business. Low prices have a consequence and so does innovation if you do it with Wal Mart
"Each demonstration should begin with the phrase "Stand back if you know what's good for ya" or "Hold my beer and watch this!""
What about an augmented reality device to turn all that $99.99 prices into $100.00 and so on?
I'm betting on a wireless taser system for zapping their wage slaves remotely, with a motion sensor that detects when they're not moving for more than a few minutes, a microphone for listening in and a camera.
The whole thing will be fashioned to look like a big smiley face button.
Check your premises.