Thursday, July 29, 2010

Where Is Amway Now?

I'm reading with a great deal of interest about the oil spill near Battle Creek, Michigan. I did a quick Google map check and learned that Battle Creek is a little over an hour away from Grand Rapids. I haven't come across anything that Amway has said or done about the recent Michigan Oil Spill

What I'm really surprised about (sort of) is the lack of any public response from Amway. There's been a concerted effort in the past 5 years by Amway to try and improve their (incredibly decimated) image. They continuously seek recognition for things they do for the environment and people, both internationally and domestically.

On top of that, they make a specific point of making sure everyone knows they are using alternative sources of power to help the environment!

If Amway has actually done anything about this, then they don't appear to be using their regular PR programs they have in place.

There's pictures all over the news of Canada Geese walking around covered in oil. I can't help but wonder if a few truckloads of LOC wouldn't help clean up the wildlife and contaminated plant life? After all, according to Amway it cleans away everything, but harms nothing.

With Amway's reminders about how great they are at organizing volunteers, you'd think they would be taking up a leadership role in helping clean up this unfortunate mess. They could help the other folks who have chosen to be part of the solution and organize a response.

I guess I'm just confused about why Amway hasn't taken the opportunity to jump all over this and be part of the solution of a major problem less than 100 miles away from them!

I find it strange that a company that makes mention of all the buzz words about environmental stewardship doesn't seem to even acknowledge what some are calling the biggest oil spill in the history of central USA!

Maybe Amway Global means that they need to focus all their good deeds in parts of the world they will receive their greatest return on the good will they are so vocal about providing.

Please Note, I'm certainly not forgetting that Enbridge needs to get their shit together and get this mess cleaned up asap!

But I would've thought that Amway would have done more. I'm sure Michiganders would be more disappointed than I.

I guess cleaning up oil spills isn't as sexy as making walking paths. Meh.....

Saturday, July 24, 2010

What Rocket's been doing..........

I'm not a construction guy. At all.

In fact, Mrs. Rocket has frequently pointed out the numerous tools I own that seemingly have very little wear & tear. When we bought our home a few years ago, we gutted it, and put in all new flooring, kitchen, bathroom, fixtures....everything with the help of contractors of course!!!!

The walls were down to the gyproc, and the floors were torn up. Everything old was gone. Since then, I have re shingled my roof, made a new bedroom in our basement out of my old workshop (We needed a fourth bedroom due to the addition of the Pocket Rocket). We actually had to cut a hole into our basement to put in a window, and at the same time we did dome major utility upgrades.

Everything we've done until now has been practical, not fun if you can dig that? Don't get me wrong, love our home now even more, but the stuff we'd done wasn't just for the hell of it.

Early this year, I received a promotion at work, and my stress level from my previous position to this one went up incredibly. I have a lot more headaches and personnel issues to deal with now, and I also stopped smoking cigars by accident (which is another story completely).

Well, obviously with the new addition as well, there was a lot going on in my life and I needed another outlet which wouldn't take me away from my family like fishing, running, or cycling would. Enter my great idea.............



Here's the top floor. It's 15 feet up!



Here's how you get up & down




Here's a side view where you can see everything!



The rope you see hanging left of the slide is a bucket and pulley system to transport food, toys, beer maybe.....


So, that's what I've been doing. Hope the rest of you are enjoying the weather. Just have a question for anyone at all out there:

Why is a tool consumption level recognized as any sort of accomplishment?

Monday, July 12, 2010

Everybody's Favorite Diamond!!!!!

I stumbled across a Canada AM piece with Craig & Kara Loupelle featured. Remember them? The folks that had quite the interesting trip to diamond according to their former housekeeper/babysitter/nanny.

The Canada AM video doesn't give any indication that they are still independently wealthy, in fact, an article in Canadian Family seems to suggest that they are both out of Amway completely!
Here's the link to the video of them appearing on Canada AM. Check it quick before it's gone! Looks like Craig has lost a bit of weight! Good for him.

I guess being a diamond in Amway isn't all it's cracked up to be, since Kara has a part time job in a retail store.

Looks like the Loupelle's will have a hand making ends meet as product testers! Kara is taken with her new washer & dryer, and Craig likes the dishwasher given to them! I wonder if Amway would jump at the chance for the Loupelle's to be their product testers?

Congrats to Craig & Kara for being Canadian Family's Ultimate Family Testers!