One of my neighbors dropped by yesterday for tea and produced the following quote by Martin Luther King, Jr.:
"Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right."
"So, Sam," he asked, "Where is your man with regard to the impending demise of the business his daddy built? Is he a coward, pragmatic, vain, or is he a man of conscience?"
Naturally, I defended you as a man of conscience. To which he responded, "I very much doubt that Sam. You are no doubt familiar with John Maxwell's Law of Magnatism which says that 'who you are is who you attract'?" I replied in the affirmative and warned him to be civil as I could see where this might be heading.
"Well then Sam, how do you account for an Amway/Alticor General Counsel like Mike Mohr? If Dick truly is a man of conscience, a man dedicated to doing the right thing; certainly he would not let such a person anywhere near his business. And a person like Mr. Mohr would not be attracted to people of character and integrity.
As a man of character, certainly Dick would not stand idly by and allow such a loathsome, nefarious individual to ruthlessly destroy the people whose only crime was to say 'Look! The emperor has no clothes!'. Tell me Sam, is that the mark of a man of conscience? Is that the kind of behavior we might expect if he were elected Governor and given even more power?
Is it the the mark of a man of conscience to employ a person, who by his insidious behavior (cloaked in robes of 'legality'), demonstrates his utter lack of conscience?
Is it the mark of a man of conscience to stand by while his minions misuse the law to exact a twisted kind of personal revenge?
Is it the mark of a man of conscience to allow the hired help to ruin the reputation of not only his biggest business, but also of his family?
Is this the kind of leadership we can expect of your friend Sam?
Why doesn't he just call a truce? T'would be a statesmanlike gesture to be sure! One wonders. Look Sam, if Dick can't or refuses to lead in a simple matter like his business, how are we to believe that he can lead or manage the affairs of state?
To what hope can we cling? From what bold acts of leadership may we draw assurance that Dick is up to the job? Are we simply to take his word for it? I think not!!
Sam? Sam! Sam, can you hear me? Sam are you OK? Sam....?"
"Huh?" I heard myself saying as I was roughly shaken. "I must have lost consciouness there for a moment! Terribly sorry old man. Please, indulge me. You were saying...?"
He just shook his head, picked himself up and strode toward the door. "I wrote it all down Sam. I lost you about halfway thru and fortunately, I had written what I wanted to say to you on the offchance you threw me out." He tossed a page of wrinkled foolscap at me. "Please review my notes and write a post to Dick for me Sam. He needs to hear what I have to say. And be sure to tell him, I'm not the only person who feels this way!"
Apparently, I did black out for a few seconds there Dick. But I was SO angry! And then I realized that he did just offer an opinion - wrongheaded as it may be. But, out of respect to both him and you, I did in fact post his comments above.
Please Dick - just lead. That's all I ask. Many Michiganders are asking as well.
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Statesman?
Dick DeVos is No Favorite Son in Michigan
Dick, my very excitable neighbor just popped over and made me watch the following video:
Online Videos by Veoh.com
I certainly hope you respond. These people are making you out as an elitist fellow; the sort of person who unknowingly causes unrest by being absolutely clueless as to the daily grind and struggles of the common man. My English neighbor calls you "The Prince Charles of the States" and drives the point home on a regular basis.
I remain a fan Dick, but without input from you, I grow weary of the battle.
I was rather surprised to discover that my Republican friends in Michigan have little to no respect for you either. They bandy about the 'elitist' tag whenever your name comes up. Can you please help by LEADING?!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Take Some Responsibility Dick...Please!
“If it wasn’t for this person or that organization, my life would be much better.”
“They never did anything for me, why should I do anything for them?”
Dick – let’s be honest now. Both you and I have actually said something like this before or we’ve heard someone else verbalize similar words.
There’s a key step before achieving greatness in life that many people miss. I know I missed its power for a while. Because I passed the buck constantly.
Just as your General Counsel Mike Mohr and his running buddy Jim Payne continue doing today - Blame someone else and Assume the victim mentality.
Come now Dick, you and I have both experienced this, and we’ve seen it before in others as well. You can certainly see it now as your gaze alights on what your Dad built in Ada.
“So Sam”, you ask. “What can I do today; right now; to put me on the fast track to greatness?”
Great question Dick.
Let me share these 3 powerful quotes with you:
“The willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life is the source from which self-respect springs.” - Joan Didion 
“The price of greatness is responsibility.” - Winston Churchill
“Responsibility is the thing people dread most of all. Yet it is the one thing in the world that develops us, gives us manhood or womanhood fiber.” - Frank CranePowerful.
The fastest way to accelerate yourself on the road to greatness is to start taking more responsibility in life.
Those who take the most responsibility whether at a job or owning their own business usually make the most money as well. Those who are known to be unafraid of accepting responsibility are often elected to high office.
We can take greater responsibility in our homes.
We can take greater responsibility in our relationships.
We can take greater responsibility with our finances.
We can take greater responsibility over our attitude.
We can take greater responsibility over our health.
We can take responsibility for our mistakes.
We can take responsibility for the mistakes of those we employ.
Dick, in what area of your life will you commit to taking at least 1% more responsibility for, starting today?
How about repairing the rift between your family and Orrin Woodward and the Team?
Just a thought.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Mike Mohr - Campaign Killer
Hello Dick. I was wondering if you or your handlers noticed what happened in Iowa last week. Over 200,000 Iowans actively engaged in the electoral process and they turned out to prefer a Republican candidate who was outspent 10 to 1, but who connected with them. In a democracy, that’s a large part of politics.
Perhaps you took no notice, but you should, as your General Counsel, Mike Mohr, continues his campaign to systematically and ruthlessly DISconnect you from voters all over the United States and particularly in Michigan.
You should ask yourself, “Does Mike Mohr help me or hurt me?” and then, armed with the obvious answer, do something about it.
Just a thought.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Leadership: Quixtar vs. TEAM
Dear Dick,
Forgive me for not posting for the past fortnight but I was away enjoying the warmth and love of family and friends. I hope you and yours enjoyed a similar time together and I wish you the best for the New Year.
While on holiday I gave some thought to leadership as it relates to the Amway/Alticor business mess and their attack on TEAM. Whenever I think of the DeVos family, I immediately think leadership. Clearly it took bright minds, hard work and decent leadership skills to develop one of the nation’s largest privately owned companies, a company that literally spans the globe.
TEAM is a world class leadership development service provider, and leads with a unique, best selling book on the science and art of leadership entitled “Launching a Leadership Revolution”. Let’s look into this. 
During my holiday, I read a book by John MacArthur called “Twelve Ordinary Men.” I rather fancied MacArthur’s depiction of the elements of a great leader. He contends that any leader must have three elements: the right raw materials, life experiences, and character.
The first element, the right raw materials, remind me of those who appear to be “born leaders” in that they display a ‘leadership disposition’ very early in life. These people are insatiably inquisitive, they are willing to take the initiative, and they have a passion to be personally involved in the action.
The second element of a great leader, according to MacArthur, is life experiences. Almost all the great leaders in history overcame severe hardships at some point in their lives. Adversity builds strength. The United States Military Academy at West Point, teaches future leaders by repeatedly submitting them to adversity, not to break them, but to strengthen their fortitude.
The third element is moral character; aka: integrity, trustworthiness, respectability, unselfishness, humility, self-discipline, self-control, and courage. The USA’s current moral decline can be directly attributed to the lack of moral character in many of your leaders, particularly the Clintons. People simply cannot respect or trust someone with poor character, and no one will follow someone they don’t respect or trust.
Let’s look at the DeVos heritage in terms of leadership. Your dad, Rich DeVos, was at one time near the pinnacle of leadership. Without a doubt, he was born with the right raw materials. No one can accomplish what he did without a leader’s disposition; that willingness to take the initiative, a passion for action, and a definite fervor to discover better ways of doing things.
Rich clearly had the right life experiences. While we don’t know much about his early life, we do know that he developed the essential determination of a leader and overcame many obstacles in his early business experiences.
It goes without saying that early on, your dad was a model of good character and integrity. No one can lead people as he did, for as long as he did, without having the trust and respect of his followers. I pray that he is still the man he once was.
But what about the current leadership of Amway/Quixtar/Alticor? I do not know any of these people personally, so I cannot comment from personal experience. All I or anyone can do is examine their actions and infer leadership attributes.
1. Raw materials. I take this to mean personality style. There are countless summaries of personality types, and some are quite complex. One of the oldest (formulated by Galen in 190 A.D.) labels four basic styles: Sanguine, Melancholy, Choleric, and Phlegmatic. The Choleric personality style (or Jung’s ‘Intuitive’) is the category into which a so called “born leader” would fall - confident, fervent, passionate, aggressive, and impulsive. Given the aggressive and impulsive actions taken by the Alticor leadership over the last few months, I think it’s safe to assume the Choleric style reigns.
2. Life Experiences. There is no way for me to rate the life experiences of those in charge at Alticor. But when I look at your brother Doug, the current President of both Alticor and Quixtar, I can only guess. Let’s see; youngest child of a billionaire. The average person would think spoiled, pampered, indulged, and coddled. What difficulties has he had to overcome other than being the son of a powerful choleric? Where are the life lessons, the crucible of pain and struggle which is part and parcel to forming a leader?
I have no info on Jim Payne or Mike Mohr, the managers calling the shots at Alticor, other than what they’ve experienced in their positions there. When we look at what has happened on their watch over the last year, perhaps we can come to some reasonable conclusions.
Amway was sanctioned in India; could quite possibly be shut down in the United Kingdom, and had a mass defection (seven of the twenty members of the IBOAI Board resigned last year) in the United States. Let’s just conclude that Payne and Mohr’s life experiences have taught them nothing about intrapersonal skills, consensus building, and doing the right thing. They’ve demonstrated exactly the opposite.
3. Character. We can judge this on prior actions. Not actions taken years ago; just those within, say, the past six months.
The U.K. - The DTI threatened to shut down Amway in the United Kingdom, and Amway’s response was to blame IBOs. When Jim Dornan, leader of one of the largest IBO teams in the U.K. communicated with his IBOs on the actions taken by the corporation, he proclaimed full support of Amway’s actions and took his share of responsibility for the problems. In response, Amway chastised Mr. Dornan for “spinning” the facts of the situation and not taking full responsibility for the entire situation. In other words, Amway blamed Dornan’s group entirely for the actions taken by DTI, and claimed that Mr. Dornan should have admitted such.
As to their actions with one of their biggest and most loyal IBOs, Jerry and Mandy Scriven – I simply refer to Jerry’s post here.
Yep, that’s real character in my book—don’t miss any opportunity to pass the buck! (For those of you in Ada at the “executive” level, that’s sarcasm.)
The U.S.A. - Last August, seven of twenty IBOAI Board Members resigned from the board. Quixtar’s response? Blame Orrin Woodward and TEAM. Let’s see, in addition to Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady, the only Board members in the TEAM organization; resigned members include Billy Florence, IBO since 1973 and Board Member since 1989; Don Wilson, IBO since the 1970s; Chuck Goetschel, IBO since 1989; Bill Newton; Don Held; and Randy Haugen, IBO since the 1980s. In fact, every single resigned board member became an IBO before Orrin Woodward except Chris Brady. How is it that Mr. Woodward was able to influence these men to induce them to abandon businesses that have been built over decades? (Clearly, Mr. Woodward has and continues to exhibit real leadership!)
Quixtar’s response to this mass defection included: terminating the businesses of Woodward and Brady; terminating the businesses of three other resigned board members and Billy Florence; filing a restraining order against Woodward and Brady; sending emails to thousands of IBOs in the groups of the terminated leaders threatening legal action for affiliation with TEAM; sending emails to Platinums in the TEAM line of sponsorship threatening termination if signed commitment to cease all affiliation with TEAM is not received within HOURS; issuing press releases giving false statements as to the events leading to the termination of Woodward and Brady; and I could go on.
Nowhere do I see anyone under the Alticor umbrella taking responsibility for anything. No courage, no leadership. At best, Payne and Mohr’s admission of “guilt” is limited to “not being strict enough in monitoring IBOs”, who are as far as they are concerned, the ultimate cause of any and all problems.
And yet if I look at events leading up to so many of the IBOAI board member’s resignations, it is obvious (to everyone except Payne and Mohr) that Alticor bears substantial fault. In June of 2007, Alticor announced to the board that:
1) Quixtar is changing it’s name to Amway (in opposition to the unanimous vote of the IBOAI),
2) it’s changing bonus qualifications to reward retail sales over sponsoring,
3) it’s imposing strict sales quotas for IBOs,
4) it’s imposing harsh penalties for IBO mistakes,
5) it’s going to severely restrict and limit the use of Business Support Materials, and
6) it’s going to rescind all earlier promises that all changes which affect IBOs be submitted to and approved by the IBOAI Board.
Might any of these actions have anything to do with top leader resignations? Not according to Payne and Mohr.
My dictionary defines integrity as adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. As I looked this up, I remembered Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the Tylenol crisis in 1982. If you recall, some nutter in the Chicago area laced eight bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules with cyanide; seven people died. Although no one employed by Johnson & Johnson was responsible for the tampering or 
deaths, J & J took immediate responsive action by pulling all Tylenol capsules nationwide and developing tamper-proof packaging and tamper-proof gel-caps. Tylenol’s market-share rebounded within a year, and they are now the world’s leading over-the-counter pain reliever.
The Tylenol case is a perfect example of how doing the right thing always pays off, even if it looks too expensive. The initial costs incurred by J&J must have been staggering, and yet the result was a public that knew they could trust J&J to offer safe products.
In contrast, Alticor/Quixtar/Amway has established a recent history of denial and blame-shifting, resulting in thousands of IBOs resigning their businesses and returning products. I suspect these resignations occur because the people believe they cannot trust the owners and managers of A/Q/A. The people Dick. The people who vote.
And, as is also clear, former top Amway IBO leaders do trust Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady.
Dick, you want to be governor of the fine state of Michigan. Michigan is going through some very tough times right now and needs a leader of character who is bold and not afraid to take the responsibility to do the right thing. YOU know what it takes to be a leader.
Why not start 2008 by stepping into the debacle at A/Q/A? Rescue Jim Payne and Mike Mohr from themselves, before they completely ruin your father’s masterpiece, spoil his upcoming 50 year celebration and dash all your chances for a political career?
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Quixtar Spys on Team in Ladies Room
Dear Dick,
Saw this stunning entry yesterday on the ibominuteman.blogspot.com site. Perhaps you are not aware of the depths to which your General Counsel and his staff have sunk! Of course, Mr. Mohr will deny any responsibility for this incident as any non-leader would. That will be in perfect harmony with the blame-shifting behavior it seems is his only strength.
“If you were at ladies leadership last Friday night at the Lansing center you probably witnessed one of the lowest points that Quixtar/Amway has stooped so far in their ongoing quest to build a case against team, where there is no case. Remarkably Quixtar had an employee banquet scheduled at the Lansing center the same night as ladies leadership. Their banquet room was set up with tables and chairs but no banquet. Quixtar employees were milling about the common atrium area trying to spy on, and pump TEAM lady leaders for information that can be used against the TEAM.
One of their favorite haunts believe it or not was the ladies rooms. (How low can you go?) Now the TEAM employees who organize and man the event (You guys and girls are awesome by the way) wear red shirts to make it easy to recognize them in case someone needs help. … Amazingly some of the Q spy’s changed into red shirts to trick TEAM ladies into divulging information about a competing business that doesn’t exist. YOU GUYS AT Q PICKING UP WHAT I’M PUTTING DOWN, NO COMPETING BUSINESS.
What amazes me is how low this company is stooping, I mean the ladies room?? Come on! Setting up a banquet room adjacent to the ladies leadership room? What’s wrong with these people? I think they must be addicted to bad PR. Can’t wait to read all the blogs on this one. Wonder how many new blogs will pop up because of it? Hope it comes up in court somewhere, what Q made their employee’s do, I mean talk about embarrassing.
My dad was a business man all his life, He always told me never ask your employee’s to do anything that your not willing to do yourself. This is just another example of the so called management at Q’s cowardice. I believe most everyone who here’s about this will loose whatever shred of respect they have for that company. How can you respect people that don’t respect themselves? Q has hit an all time low. Mr. Mohr just what rock did they find you under anyway?”
My dear Achilles, I’m afraid you underestimate the lengths and depths to which Mr. Mohr and his cronies will go. Remember who they are! Why would you be surprised by this behavior? A fake banquet and spying in the ladies room? They see nothing wrong with this. If Mohr and company were not employed by the DeVos family, they would be taking cases like the following which I found at the www.stellaawards.com site. These are right up their street!
"Couple pays off the line of credit on their home, but later fraudsters changed their address with the mortgage company and ran up a $142,000 balance against their home. Homecomings Financial, which didn't even bother to confirm the address change, knows who is to blame. The people who defrauded them? No! The couple, since (it argued) they didn't notify them of the fraud sooner. How could they, when they weren't aware of it?"
"America -- and the world -- was shocked by how widespread the cases of priests sexually abusing children were. In this instance, the priest was upset that one of his victims came forward and told a newspaper the story of being repeatedly raped -- so he sued his victim for not keeping his mouth shut."
"Nut cases rent car, drive it around shooting fireworks out the window. When a rocket explodes inside, someone has to be responsible for the resulting death and mayhem. But who? That's right: they sue the car rental agency. "
"Lawyer sues airline because he was forced to sit next to a fat man; "He and I [were] literally and figuratively married from the right kneecap to the shoulder for two hours." If the lawyer isn't careful, the man might get a big divorce settlement out of him.... "
"Schoolboy running for bus runs into a teacher. She sues the 11-year-old, claiming he "negligently and carelessly" ran into her at an "excessive rate of speed," which caused "severe and multiple injuries". "
Mr. DeVos, please release Mr. Mohr and his staff of bottom feeders before they completely bury your political chances. They could wreak their kind of havoc in plenty of other places!
Posing in the ladies room indeed! How long will you let this go on?
Friday, December 14, 2007
Quixtar Proven Illegal in the UK?
My history Prof friend returned today with a book from Charles Murray entitled In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State. “Look here Sam!” he exclaimed, “Murray describes the DeVos family perfectly! Listen: 'When life becomes an extended picnic, with nothing of importance to do, ideas of greatness become an irritant. Such is the nature of the DeVos family syndrome.' Murray actually said ‘Europe’ where I have inserted ‘DeVos’, but he hit the nail on the head, didn’t he Sam?”“And did you see the post on FreeTheQuixtarIBO blog Wednesday? Listen to this from one of the biggest leaders in the business – Don Wilson:
“After extensive dialog and privately funding external research in regards to product pricing, it has became clear that the Quixtar and Amway business model has become less and less desirable to start. In my opinion the single most difficult objective for myself and others to over come is why the products are over priced. Approximately 13 years ago we were turning out over 60,000 people to monthly seminars. However that has dwindled to under 10,000 over the years.
Many very productive leaders within our business have had their business devastated by negativity; many of whom had to go return to the traditional work place in order to financially survive. We have accepted the task of helping people to become successful and feel responsible to do so. This has become increasing difficult because of the pricing gap and unmarketable price points. I have exhausted myself trying to aggressively promote change with Quixtar in order to bring the prices in line with the competitive marketplace. Regardless of their surveys, we in the field are dealing with this issue on a daily basis and have felt for many years the need to make an immediate change.
Quixtar’s recent decision to return to the Amway name, contrary to the Board’s recommendation and field’s experience, shows a complete deterioration of the working relationships which has taken place for over 40 years. Without being able to work collaboratively we have no choice but to discover new methods of bringing about change.”
“Which is what they have done Sam. Did you see that Bill Gates was recently quoted in the London Mirror? Gates said: 'Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.'He might have been speaking of DeVos, Payne and Mohr but for the descriptor, ‘smart’. Just leave that adjective out and you’re left with a wonderfully accurate quote about the owners and managers of Amway Quixtar.”
When I protested, he said: “Smart? You have to be kidding me Sam! Your man Dick couldn’t even debate, let alone beat a tax-and-spend liberal like Jennifer Granholm in a state where the economy had tanked on her watch! Any thoughtful conservative should have been able to walk into the Governors office given the circumstances of the time. Too bad the Republicans didn’t have such a candidate!
And what’s even more pitiful is that he thinks he has a prayer in a state where since that last miserable performance, he’s made 20,000 or so people so angry they could spit!?
Bad news travels fast and each of those 20,000 IBOs has family and friends that you can be sure they’ll talk to before the election on the order of about 10 to 1. So, he may have left a bad taste in 200,000 mouths by what he’s done by letting Mike Mohr run rampant over the electorate. Why do you think he will get a different result in 2010? He’ll likely get an even worse beating, which is what he deserves!!”
Well, I had to agree about the Mike Mohr shenanigans.
And now we hear that the case in England has been settled. You may lose your entire English business because the government believes (and perhaps has proven) you were running an illegal business there. That’s what you get for allowing your business to be run by lawyers and accountants! While I have no desire to see you lose your English business, it’s fairly clear to everyone on this planet, except your inept General Counsel, that he’s lost the battle. Most likely, he lost the war as well when he lowered prices by an average of 68% in his desperate last-minute attempt to mollify the English government.
What the world now sees, is that if real pressure is applied, Quixtar capitulates and reluctantly does what everyone in the United States has asked them to do for years – make prices competitive to give their IBOs a chance to own a real business. But as we have seen proven in so many posts, Jim Payne and Mike Mohr were unwilling to reduce the margins enjoyed by your family.
That is until attorneys who have bigger sticks than theirs threatened them with wrapping up their business forthwith. How does it feel to be on the receiving end Mr. Mohr? Mr. Mohr? Are you there? Are you ill sir? All I can hear is some whimpering.Dick, if you have any desire to put your hat in the ring in 2010, you have to stop Mohr now, before he ruins your reputation any further.
Just before he left, the Professor turned to me and said, “Sam, tell Dick ‘Qui male agit odit lucem’. Maybe that will get him to act.” I let him know that my Latin was a bit rusty and asked for the translation. Grinning like
the Cheshire Cat, he drolly delivered, “He who does evil despises the light”.Dick, this is what my friends think of you! No doubt there are others out there who think similarly. You must act, because if you do not, it appears that you are avoiding the light.
Please show the world who you are!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Weighing In (Heavily) on Quixtar's Mike Mohr
My next door neighbor, who shares my views about relationships built on trust, has seen last Monday’s post on the “livesturnedupsidedown” blog to which I referred in an earlier post. She was over for tea today Dick. She too was infuriated at the language of the Fanista contract and asked that I post the following few words on her behalf. I suggested she simply start a blog of her own and she refused, citing the yet unfilled spots #22-30 in the “Mike Mohr suit of bloggers he doesn’t like”. She is afraid 
of him…and she has every right to be. She cannot understand why you employ such a ‘snake’ as she calls him, and as you know Dick, neither can I.
I seriously doubt that she will be registering as an Amway or Fanista user anytime soon. In fact, she is spreading the word about the Untrustworthiness of your companies to everyone she meets. They say that good news travels fast Dick. But as any marketing man (except those on your staff at Amway Quixtar) knows, bad news travels faster.
Anyway, it is posted below. Do you think perhaps that hers may reflect the thoughts of any other Michigan voters? After all, all of us are known by the company we keep…and employ.
Here is her missive to you and Mr. Mohr:
“The paternalistic rulers of Quixtar Amway have come to regard the IBOs and the electorate as children to be seen but not heard. Hence the ever-widening gulf between a remote, disconnected family and executive staff and a population with a growing list of concerns that its ‘rulers’ refuse to discuss.
(Note to Orrin Woodward and the Team – you can’t mend bridges when the opposite bank is sinking into the river. Your only course of action with people like this is to ratchet up the public embarrassment factor. Go for it, and do it in a BIG way.)
I can imagine your marriage contract Mr. Mohr. Let’s imagine what the prospective Mrs. Mohr might have been asked to sign:
“I, Mike Mohr reserve the right, in my sole discretion, to refuse service, terminate this marriage, cancel any and all requests, or to change, restrict, suspend, or terminate your access to all or any part of this relationship and/or my website (mikemohr.com, referred to hereafter as “the Site”) at any time, for any or no reason, without notice or liability.”
“You agree to compensate, hold harmless, and defend me from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, resulting from your use or misuse of this marriage and/or the Site in violation of these Terms of Marriage.”
“I, Mike Mohr, make no representation or warranty whatsoever regarding the completeness, accuracy, correctness, integrity, reliability, currency, adequacy, suitability, functionality, availability, or operation of this marriage or the content, features, or applications provided on, or accessible from, the Site.”
“In no event will I be liable, nor do I assume responsibility for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of or in connection with my abuse of or your inability to depend on this marriage (or the content or services provided by or on, or accessible from this marriage or the Site), or otherwise, even if I am advised of the possibility of such damages.”
“I reserve the right, in my sole discretion, to change these Terms of Marriage at any time. Updated versions of the Terms of Marriage will be posted to the Site, and are effective immediately. Continued use of the Site after any changes to the Terms of Marriage constitutes your consent to such changes.”
“The relationship formed between you and I includes, without limitation, the following: (1) the terms and conditions set forth in the Mike Mohr Marriage Registration Agreement; (2) these Rules of Conduct, including the agreement to arbitrate, and (3) the Terms of Marriage posted on the Site. The same, along with anything else I wish to cover may be modified, supplemented, or amended from time to time by myself without prior notice or liability by me.”
[Source: www.mikemohrsmarriageguidelines.com] (note to reader: this is not a real website…..yet)
Perhaps as you read this Mr. Mohr, you’re saying to yourself, “[Expletive] it, I should have had her sign THAT agreement!”
And don’t even TRY to convince us otherwise with “But marriage is different! I would NEVER write such a thing for my marriage!” Two words Mr. Mohr: BOLL ACKS! (She’s a Brit remember)
Marriage is a relationship built on trust Mr. Mohr; as are ALL relationships. It is clear to all of us who read your language and observe your actions in the office that relationships mean nothing to you. (Except maybe that one that pays your salary and that, ONLY because it pays you.)
Sure, you talk a good game, but everyone knows that talk is cheap, even when it spews forth from the mouth of one who fancies himself to be an excellent communicator. (If the shoe fits Mr. Mohr...) In your case, your fancy words are just a shiny brittle covering for your evil heart. You must have been very badly hurt as a child.”
Dick, it went on much longer, but I must be off, so the rest will have to wait for another post. My question for you is, as usual, how much longer will you let this circus continue? Thanks to Mr. Mohr, your name is no longer synonymous with free enterprise, character and integrity.
You must ACT to repair the damage. Please Dick. LEAD!
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Quixtar's Biggest Weed - Mike Mohr
Dick; I was giving more thought to your General Counsel Mike Mohr and it occurs to me that he adds absolutely no value to Amway or to society in general. He’s actually subtracting value from your company. Come to think of it, in my experience, business attorneys do not perform value added work. Some exist to attack and work for selfish and flawed people who try to extract what is not really theirs. Some exist to defend. They build walls and then leap to defend them when the attackers come.
And a great deal of money which was largely made by the honest efforts of the entrepreneur flows into the pockets of the attackers and defenders. So does the money of the attacker, but if he has much more money than the defender, 999,999 times out of 1,000,000, he wins because he can protract the process with motions and appeals until the defender runs out of money or decides that he would rather spend his time and energy doing something to benefit society rather than sitting in a courtroom or attorneys offices and paying through the nose to do it.
For those of you who grew up in the states; if you think waiting in a physician waiting room is bad, take a civil case to court. (One of my companions is an attorney and has “filled me in on the game”.) Keep track of the time you spend in court, paying hourly attorney fees (which he tells me are much higher for Court time than for office and research time); waiting there as criminal cases which take precedence over yours interrupt your proceedings, and for recesses which a judge may call whenever and for as long as he or she likes. (It’s not his or her dime, is it?) At least in the physician’s office, you don’t pay for his time as you wait! My friend is very well paid for what he does, and he tells me he does a lot of waiting.
ASIDE: And by the way, just try getting into see a physician the same day or week or month that you are taken ill in England or Canada. You don’t even know what the word “wait” means until you’ve lived there. And you are actually CONSIDERING nationalized health care????!!!! I daresay you best examine the consequences of such an action BEFORE you take it and it’s too late! Here, I’ll help you.
The Daily Mail (in the UK) recently reported: “During a difficult pregnancy, Elizabeth Jones was monitored every day because doctors were worried about the health of her baby. On the day of the birth, Elizabeth was twice turned away from hospital because it was full – forcing her partner to deliver the baby himself at home.” That’s correct. The couples’ local maternity ward told them “Sorry we are full. Come back later.” Twice.
And this from the BBC: “A woman who was told she had to wait 17 weeks for a mammogram after finding a lump in her breast has discovered cancer following a private test.” Think about that America. If she had stuck with the “free” National Health Service that your Hillary and others will try to convince you is so wonderful, her cancer would have had 17 weeks to spread before the government even gave her a diagnosis!
Please don’t fall for the “But the disenfranchised must have a safety net!” wailing like we did. That safety net ALREADY exists. Every person who enters an emergency room in an American hospital today will be seen. With a National Health Care system in place, those without their NHC identity card will be refused. That's correct. They will be turned away.
Don’t ruin your system! People who need urgent care in countries with socialized medicine programs come to you for that care because they CANNOT GET IT AT HOME, or if they did by jumping the queue with a doctor who was a personal friend, they would be severely penalized for “going outside” the system.
The incredible wait times for care under socialized medicine represent an incalculable number of lost opportunities to prevent strokes, heart attacks and the spread of cancer. Wait times in every country with government medical systems, represent lives lost that would not have been lost in America. Don’t believe me? Just compare the mortality ratios for breast and prostate cancer in both the US and the UK and let me know what you find.
By the way – that Michael Moore fellow is a “Sicko”. He has a curious set of friends. How much money do you think Castro paid him to tout Cuba's health care system in his movie?
But back to the business at hand! Sorry about that. I just felt compelled to run with something I feel very strongly about. Forgive me, (or not) – but get the facts!
I was lamenting the costs of the legal system and pointing out that those with the most money usually win. I can hear you now dear reader: “But surely justice will prevail. Right will win out over might! Our legal system 
is based on justice. The statue of Justice atop the Old Bailey holds those scales, doesn’t she?” To which I reply, yes she does, but always remember, what the system decides is just, is not always what is right and/or fair. It’s not a perfect system, just the best one designed so far. To play the game well costs a great deal of money. And remember that judges are attorneys too. They know very well how the game is played and they are voted into office. (Appointments are votes by powerful people.)
And Mike Mohr, one of the best of the attacker breed, has shown his skill at wall building as well. But his walls are built to catch you up so he can attack. He must be very proud of the Fanista contract and Rules language which screams: “You can’t believe anything we say!” and “Don’t trust us!” At least there he lays that out clearly.
Bravo Mr. Mohr! You are very good at what you do. You craft obfuscating contractual and rules language to trick people. The few who even bother to read the “fine print” MAY catch the “I can change this language whenever I want to best suit my then current needs” clauses but you know very well that most of them won’t. You are a master at CYA, giving your bosses free rein to do whatever they want to do, to whomever they want to do it, whenever and for as long as they want to do it to them.
Honesty, integrity, honor, character, morality – these are clearly meaningless words to a man like you, who will do whatever it takes to please the king who pays him. You should be ashamed of yourself Mr. Mohr, but it is clear that you have no conscience, and a conscience is necessary to feel shame.
How proud you wife and children must be! What a legacy you leave! (Again, for those of you in Ada, that is sarcasm.) Actually sir, you are to be pitied. You sold your soul for a few dollars. I pray that someday, perhaps whatever is left in you of a conscience will be seared before it is too late for you to do anything about it.
As Gibbon might have described you: “They ascended the throne without power and sunk into the grave without a name….”
I’m sorry, you have no idea of whom I speak, do you?
It is often said that Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) was the first modern European historian. He was also an MP during your revolution. You may have heard of his seminal work, “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” from which I quoted above. (Don’t bother trying to read it though. It’s probably beyond your ability to comprehend.)
Dick, if your Alticor Amway Quixtar legal staff may be likened to a compost heap (and I believe they can) then Mike Mohr is the biggest weed growing out of it.
I believe the term is "whack" him out of there!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Mike Mohr Destroys Trust in (and at) Quixtar
Dick, you might want to let Robin Horder-Koop know what Jim Payne and Mike Mohr have been doing these last few months. Here she is, your Vice President of Corporate Relations, telling the world on your http://www.alticor.com/ site that you are all about “Helping people live better lives” and that Alticor stands for words like “Partnership, Integrity, Personal Worth, Personal Responsibility and Free Enterprise”. Boy is she in for a rude awakening when people accuse her of lying! She even says, “We’re not just in this for ourselves. We know what’s at stake for our employees and our Business Owners and their children.” Excuse me Mrs. Horder-Koop, but I don’t think you do. Not at all.
Well, perhaps you do, but your bosses clearly do not. You might want to send a memo to your General Counsel’s attention and remind him what you think Alticor stands for and that you’re actually on record saying these things on your website. Ask him if you are legally allowed to say these things when his actions as the legal representative of the company say just the opposite. Please let us know his response.
You go on to say, “It’s our responsibility to build a business that’s viable for another 50 years and beyond.” Sorry Mrs. HK, but to many of the IBOs in the field who are watching what Mike Mohr has done and continues to do to destroy the very people who could have and wanted to help you build such a business, you’re just mouthing platitudes. I know, someone handed you a script and you were told to “sound convincing” and you almost, you almost did. I don’t blame you. You are probably a very nice person who finds herself in a very difficult position. I imagine it's quite galling to speak these things when you know what is actually going on!
While your at it Dick, better tell your Director of Global Sales, John Brockman, to stop saying things like “This is a relationship business.” – at least in public. Like it or not, these executives represent their owner (which is you), and when their owner takes no action to collar those executives who apparently have never heard these statements and live by a completely opposite set of guidelines (Mike Mohr, Jim Payne, etc.); such inaction proves to the average guy and gal that these words on your website are just empty promises.
Dick, the voters aren’t as stupid as Hillary thinks they are. You MUST act!
Mike Mohr and his staff are an embarrassment to the America who still believes that a man’s word is his worth. Unfortunately, Mohr et all are a living testimony to the America that is “Slouching Towards Gomorrah” as Robert Bork so aptly described in his book of that title.
Mohr belongs in the offices and hallways of the UN, where his kind of work is de rigueur and where he would be admired and praised for his duplicity.
Can it not be said that the life force of a business is a series of relationships? Your dad used to think so. John Brockman still does. Relationships are built on trust. No trust, no relationship. No relationships, no business. But Mike Mohr actually believes that it is his assignment to create an environment in which trust cannot exist and he does a spanking good job! Take a look at your metrics Dick and see what Mohr’s destruction of trust is doing to your company.
Give him another assignment - say in Viet Nam or China. Those folks are used to being abused. He'll fit right in.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Is Quixtar's Mike Mohr the Real Dr. Evil?
Many thanks to “hurting inside” for your comments to my last post.
Dick, (and the rest of you in Ada) - you really should review his (or her) site: http://livesturnedupsidedown.blogspot.com/
In the post about your new company Fanista, this person does a splendid job of analysing the contract and rules language. (Bravo “hurting inside”! I know you are. So are the rest of us.)
A few paragraphs stood out on my first perusal when I remembered that your dad and Jay began their business on a handshake. My how far you’ve come in 50 years! The family must be so proud of Mr. Mohr! (Italics in the text below are mine.)
“We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to refuse service, terminate accounts, cancel orders, refuse to post or remove any posting by you, or to restrict, suspend, or terminate your access to all or any part of the Site at any time, for any or no reason, without notice or liability.” Lovely that!
“You agree to compensate, hold harmless, and defend us from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, resulting from your use or misuse of the Site in violation of these Terms of Use.” Sure I do! And I'm sure you get to decide what constitutes my 'use or misuse'. Sounds fair to me!
“We make no representation or warranty whatsoever regarding the completeness, accuracy, correctness, integrity, reliability, currency, adequacy, suitability, functionality, availability, or operation of this site or the content, features, or applications provided on, or accessible from, this site.” Why would you? It’s only your site.
“In no event will we be liable, nor do we assume responsibility for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of or in connection with the use or inability to use this site (or the content or services provided on, or accessible from this site), or otherwise, even if we are advised of the possibility of such damages.” But of course! Why should you be held responsible for anything? It's just your business.
“We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to change these Terms of Use at any time. Updated versions of the Terms of Use will be posted here on our Site and are effective immediately. […] Continued use of the Site after any changes to the Terms of Use constitutes your consent to such changes.” Naturally!
“The relationship formed between Participants and the Company includes, without limitation, the following: (1) the terms and conditions set forth in the Fanista CIC Registration Agreement; (2) these Rules of Conduct, including the CIC Plan and agreement to arbitrate, and (3) the Terms of Use posted on the Fanista.com Web site. The same, along with any pricing and fees, may be modified, supplemented, or amended from time to time by Fanista without prior notice.”
[Source: http://www.fanista.com/]
Wow. Now there’s a company I can’t wait to get into business with! (For those of you in Ada, that’s sarcasm.) I especially like those last two paragraphs which say in plain English: “We can change the deal on you however and whenever we want and we don’t even have to tell you we did it. And by the way, if you so much as view our site, we gotcha!”
Kudos Mr. Mohr! How positively Putinesque of you! What a brilliantly evil piece of work! Wait! 
Perhaps you are the real Dr. Evil!? Is there a Mini-Mohr? Are you going to use your "laser"? Who is your Number 2? Is it Jimmy the Payne? No no, don’t tell us! We’re keen to guess!
Dump this clown Dick!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Quixtar Legal - The New Gestapo?
Dear Dick,
Mike Mohr and your legal staff over at Quixtar Amway is well on their way to eliminating you from the roster of respected businessmen of Michigan. Mohr’s unprovoked attack on Orrin Woodward and the Team has cost you and your company millions in lost sales, and now your sponsoring rate is in the toilet as more and more 
American voters become aware of the Gestapo-like tactics of Mike Mohr and Jim Payne.
I’ll wager that all the IBOAI members who did not have the means or the courage to leave you on principle are now begging you to back off as their businesses suffer. Have you heard from any of them Mr. Mohr? I know you have. Are you cutting them some "special deals" that you don't want any of us to know about? Don't be too sure that all your behind the scenes dealings will remain secret.
You must feel like a rube when you realize that all you would have had to do to avoid the demise of Amway was offer competitive prices, but come to think of it, you really don’t care, do you Mr. Mohr, because you are still being paid.
Dick, why do you pay this man to hurt you?
We are amused by your antics in England Mr. Mohr, as your toadying barrister does his best to pull the wool over the eyes of the government there. “It’s not our fault! We replaced the management and got rid of the Scrivens. And look! Now that you stepped in, we lowered the prices to competitive levels! We’re good boys sir! Honest we are!” (For a look at the Times article, refer to this post in the IBO Rebellion blog)
What a crock! 
And let’s not forget that Mr. Mohr changed the bonus plan! NOT to help the average man or woman, but to increase the flow of money to the owners. (That’s you Dick.)
As Jerry Scriven pointed out on his http://www.jerryandmandy.co.uk/ site: "In the old plan you could earn a bonus based on your group activity. That was the reward for building a network. But now you have to retail 200PV to 5 retail customers each month to receive a bonus. Your own personal volume based on self-use cannot be counted. Amway’s response to low sales due to over-priced products is to force ABOs to sell products to get a bonus on their group’s volume. The effect is a lot of people who have earned bonus for years (based on years of work) won’t get a bonus. How will this improve ABO profitability? And what happens to the unpaid bonus? Does it pass upline to the next person who qualifies for it? No, Amway keeps it!"
My neighbor painfully pointed out who Amway is when he said: “Scrivens got it just a bit wrong there at the end. He should have said, DeVos keeps it! Why do you continue to shill for the man Sam? Can’t you see he doesn’t give a damn about the struggling IBO, the average man or woman trying to improve their lot in life? By taking no action through all of this DeVos is trumpeting to the world: ‘I’ve got mine so the hell with the rest of you!’ Please Sam, why do you continue to defend him?”
I told him why Dick. Because I still believe that inside of you is a good man who really wants to do the right thing.
Am I right?
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Fanista Launch Further Damages Trust
My history prof companion visited late yesterday and took the time to point me to several blogs I heretofore had overlooked. One belongs to Chuck Goetschel and his November 27th post sends off alarms which you should be hearing. "Of all the dirty tricks!" my friend shouted, "Here is proof that your friends, the DeVos family, can't be trusted as far as you could throw one of their yachts!"
Naturally, I asked for an explanation which he was glad to provide.
"It appears that the DeVos's have been plotting for two years to launch a competing MLM, 'Fanista', which the press has now revealed. Clearly, this launch fits beautifully with their strategy is to rid themselves of IBOs. Chuck Goetschel asks some damning questions in this post don't you think Sam? What a bunch of two-faced, cowardly, dishonest, trecherous, double crossing, diingenuous, sneaky scumbags! How can you defend such unscrupulous villians Sam?"
I ponted out that I don't automatically believe what I read in the press, especially the New York Times and that the DeVos's may not have any knowledge of what Jim Payne and Mike Mohr have been up to.
"Point taken about the Times." he said, "But Sam, this is probably just the first of many articles to follow about Fanista and the family's involvement. Payne and Mohr wouldn't "invest" the kind of money it takes to pull this off without the family knowing about it!"
I couldn't deny that.
"Look at their history Sam! Take everything we've seen over the past 20 to 30 years and weigh the evidence. Then ask yourself, are the DeVos's people of character and integrity? Can their word be trusted? Are they humble? Is it clear that they know where their blessings come from? Have they demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that they truly care for the little guy, the average American out there trying to do right by his family? When decisions must be made, can we trust them to always do the right thing, even if it costs them personally? Where is the evidence Sam? Where is it?!"
I couldn't answer him Dick.
"Sam", he said gently, because he could see my distress, "doesn't most of the evidence give you reason to doubt? Sam, this is an important question, not only for you, but for everyone dealing with the DeVos family and you MUST include this picture in your post! (I reluctantly did as you 
can see) If Rich or Dick or Doug DeVos looked into your eyes and shook your hand and gave you their word, about anything; and you knew that what they told you might hurt their family financially in some way; given the preponderance of evidence to the contrary, could you trust them?"
"Of course!" I replied. He just looked at me for a few seconds, shook his head in disbelief, and without a word, turned and walked out the door into the cold dark night.
Please do something Dick. As you can see, my friends see you much differently than I.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Oh Captain, My Captain!
Hi Dick. My next door neighbor just ran in, gleefully waving a copy of a post she found yesterday on Q'Reilly's blog. You are referred to as "Captain" in this little drama and you might find the dialogue as distressing as I did.
On her way out the door (her visit was brief) my neighbor said, "It appears that for the DeVos family, the only acceptable approach to Orrin Woodward and the Team is to falsely accuse them, libel them and try to bury them in the legal system. The DeVos family may see this as an heroic family protection policy, but ordinary citizens will be forgiven if they find it criminal and wreaking of hubris."
Apparently she hasn't been made aware that even a couple of extraordinary citizens, who happen to be Judges, think the same thing. I will see to it that she does her homework. Will you see to it to remove the source of this embarrassment?
Dick - it's long past time to step in and minimise the damage Jim Payne and Mike Mohr are doing to your future candidacy.
How long will you let these ne'er-do-wells inflict their damage? Even now Dick, there are many voters in Michigan closely following the legal problems you face in England. (Here's the link to today's Times article) So much of that sad story revolves around the same non-competitive pricing issues to which Orrin Woodward objected.
And, as much as Mike Mohr tries to redirect the blame to the IBOs, the common denominator is always the company.
How much bad PR is enough Dick?
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Quixtar's Payne & Mohr - Just Doing Their Jobs?
Hello Dick. My apologies to those of your staff who eagerly await my posts each day but I had a lovely hiatus away from the mess created by your crack(ed) legal team, surrounded by the love of my family. Travelling issues aside, it’s quite a wonderful holiday your President Lincoln created. I fairly threw myself into the gratifying mix of fellowship, fun, food and rest – a week for which I was most grateful.
One particularly delicious evening as we thoughtfully considered the fleeting annus mirabilis which has thus far brought so many blessings, our conversation made all the more pleasant by the combination of a marvelous 1977 Fonseca port donated by my oenophile cousin (bless him!) and a rather tasty Cohiba Esplendido, I found my thoughts drifting back to the scrum. What a contrast, heh Dick?
Basking in the glow of a crackling fire, savoring the flavors and aromas of grape and leaf, and admiring the lazy wisps of smoke as they curled their way ‘round our heads and floated heavenward, I wondered if a more perfect moment might exist. And I gave thanks. May I offer my best wishes to you and yours and say that I hope you had a wonderful holiday as well.
But, I will be returning to a much different world soon; a world where malice and ill will toward fellow man is made evident by the cruel machinations of people like Jim Payne and Mike Mohr; who as my friends back home never tire of reminding me, are “just doing their jobs.”
I wonder if that’s true.
Is it true Dick that their job is to create the antithesis of “good will toward men”? They seem to think so, and it seems to be a task for which they are more than qualified. In fact, it is a job they clearly enjoy! Unfortunately, there is a noxious breed of human beings who excel at creating misery for others. Always has been and always will be.
From Cain to Kim Jong-Il, human history is replete with example after example after example of foul men taking sick pleasure in their foul deeds. History has shown us over and over again that such men should never be allowed to lead. Yet Payne and Mohr stumble on in their positions. I wonder if they are grateful. On second thought, they probably can't believe their good fortune - that they actually get paid to 'manage' Camp Runamuck.
Burke told us, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Payne and Mohr are creating, as best they can, a living hell on earth for Orrin Woodward and the Team and in so doing, are driving your once great company into the dustbin of history and depositing it into a cesspit called Shame.
I know you are a good man Dick.
You must do something.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Mike Mohr Admits His & Quixtar's Irrelevance
Your hot-shot General Counsel leaves so much to be desired Dick! I was going to say that he was some sort of idiot, but certainly, you already know that. Please check out the site http://barristerquixtarlawsuit.blogspot.com/ for confirmation.
I know this isn't the most current account of Mr. Mohr's ineptitude, but it will do for now. Back in August when he gave testimony in the Ron Simmons Texas case, Mike Mohr stated, “We want to make sure that any changes to our contract makes sense commercially to IBO’s… we'd be irrelevant if we didn’t do that.” (May I say with all the dignity I can muster...HA!)
As this well educated blogger stated: "It is well documented that the IBOAI unanimously disagreed with the name change. If Quixtar is sincere about consulting with the Board to ensure that their decisions make “commercial sense,” why did they disregard the Board’s passionate disapproval of the name change?"
My answer: Are you kidding?! Do you really think Quixtar gives a hoot about the board or "sincerity"? One of my 'inside the walls' friends at Quixtar says that she once heard Mike Mohr state "Once you learn how to fake sincerity, you've got it made." Now, I don't know whether to believe her, but...just look at Mr. Mohr's actions Dick.
What you do speaks so loudly Mr. Mohr, I can't hear what you say.
Barrister goes on: "More importantly, if they really consulted with the Board to make sure their decisions made “commercial sense," why did they disregard Don Wilson’s pleads for a more competitive pricing strategy? Don Wilson was a two time President of the IBOAI at the time of his termination. After reading his affidavit, it is apparent that he sincerely engaged the company in the debate over their pricing strategy. If Quixtar sincerely consults with the Board, why did they disregard Orrin Woodward’s letter to Doug Devos requesting better prices? If the class action complaint is accurate, why did they disregard the results from the McKenzie Report stating that a more competitive pricing strategy was necessary to enable retail sales? Why pay a consultant to analyze your business, but not heed their advice?"
My answer: You pay a consultant to give the appearance that you really care when you really don't.
And the reason Quixtar ignores the perspicuous business advice of their most successful and brightest people in the field, is that Jim Payne and Mike Mohr have about as much ability to operate a business as a pig does to sing.
Dick - if you have any hope of running for office again, you must dismiss these charlatans and lead your company and good name out of the mud.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Quixtar's Mohr Continues to Embarrass Dick DeVos
Well Dick, Mike Mohr continues to make the company you own (and therefore, by association, you) look bad. A new site has appeared which may be of interest to you and your staff. You'll find it at www.ibolegaldefensefund.com.
Here we find what a well respected State District Court Judge, lauded for his ethical behavior by the Kansas Supreme Court, has to say about Mr. Mohr's conduct. Of course, my friends insist that you and your dad are ultimately responsible for him, but I continue to insist that if you knew what Mohr was doing to your reputation, you would stop him. 
JUDGE KEITH ANDERSON
Just a year out of Law School, Mr. Anderson was court-appointed to represent an accused armed robber. He refused to honor the demand of his client to subpoena police records Mr. Anderson knew would support perjured testimony of his client, even though the evidence would probably have won the case. The Kansas Supreme Court later saluted Mr. Anderson as modeling proper ethical behavior for an attorney. That case is still used in Law School ethics classes today.
During his 24 years as a State District Court Judge, Judge Anderson gained a reputation of fairness, unquestionable character, and high ethical conduct. He was considered one of the best trial judges in the State of Kansas.
Judge Anderson says, "In my opinion, the treatment by AMWAY/Quixtar of former and current Quixtar IBOs in terminating IBOs without following its own Rules of Conduct or, even, its historic treatment of IBO behavior it regards as inappropriate; threatening suspension or termination of IBOs; and (Please read the following carefully Mr. Mohr. This is the legacy you are creating for your children. How proud you must be!) on-going use of the legal system to intimidate and control IBO activities violates principles of basic fairness and reeks of injustice in its simplest terms." (italics mine)
It's likely that Keith Anderson isn't the only Judge in the United States who holds a similarly low opinion of Mr. Mohr's contemptible behavior. I mean, "...reeks of injustice..." is hardly a compliment to an attorney in America, and it's highly likely that other Judges will be made aware of his comments.
Perhaps Mr. Mohr could find more suitable employment with the current rulers of say, Venezuela, or Iran?
How long will you let this man embarrass you Dick?
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tom Paine to Lord Howe, or Dick DeVos?
The “Professor” returned a couple of nights ago Dick with more Thomas Paine – this time, a small portion of his letter to Lord Howe of January 13, 1777. (Remember that this was just after Washington had won his first victories, first at Trenton on Christmas and then Princeton on January 3rd.)
He had with him another annotated copy of Paine’s work. By now, I’m certain I don’t need to explain how this works to you. His additions in brown; here is the letter:
"If ever a nation (company) was made and foolish, blind to its own interest and bent on its own destruction, it is Britain (Amway/Quixtar aka, AmQuix). There are such things as national sins, and though the punishment of individuals may be reserved to another world, national punishment can only be inflicted in this world. Britain, as a nation (AmQuix, as a company), is, in my inmost belief, the greatest and most ungrateful offender against God on the face of the whole earth.
Blessed with all the commerce she could wish for, and furnished, by a vast extension of dominion, with the means of civilizing (giving people an opportunity to own their own business) both the eastern and western world, she has made no other use of both than proudly to idolize her own "thunder," and rip up the bowels of whole countries (no need to change anything here!) for what she could get.
Like Alexander, she has made war her sport, and inflicted misery for prodigality's sake. The blood of India (former IBO leaders who Amway “buried”) is not yet repaid, nor the wretchedness of Africa (the Scrivens) yet requited. Of late she has enlarged her list of national cruelties by her butcherly destruction of the Caribbs of St. Vincent's (Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady), and returning an answer by the sword to the meek prayer for "Peace, liberty and safety."
These are serious things, and whatever a foolish tyrant (Rich DeVos), a debauched court, a trafficking legislature, or a blinded people may think, the national (company’s) account with heaven must some day or other be settled: all countries (companies) have sooner or later been called to their reckoning; the proudest empires have sunk when the balance was struck; and Britain (AmQuix), like an individual penitent, must undergo her day of sorrow, and the sooner it happens to her the better. As I wish it over, I wish it to come, but withal wish that it may be as light as possible.
We may be surprised by events we did not expect, and in that interval of recollection you may gain some temporary advantage: such was the case a few weeks ago, but we soon ripen again into reason, collect our strength, and while you are preparing for a triumph, we come upon you with a defeat.
Such it has been, and such it would be were you to try it a hundred times over. Were you to garrison (sue) the places you might march over, in order to secure their subjection, (for remember you can do it by no other means,) [I didn't miss this, Paine used parentheses] your army (of attorneys) would be like a stream of water running to nothing.
By the time you extended (your pitiful reputation) from New York (Michigan) to Virginia (Texas & Nevada), you would be reduced to a string of drops not capable of hanging together; while we (the Team), by retreating (from you, but building our numbers) from State to State, like a river turning back upon itself, would acquire strength in the same proportion as you lost it, and in the end be capable of overwhelming you.
The country (Team), in the meantime, would suffer, but it is a day of suffering, and we ought to expect it. What we contend for is worthy the affliction we may go through. If we get but bread to eat, and any kind of raiment to put on, we ought not only to be contented, but thankful.
More than that we ought not to look for, and less than that heaven has not yet suffered us to want. He that would sell his birthright (freedom) for a little salt, is as worthless as he who sold it for pottage without salt; and he that would part with it for a gay coat, or a plain coat, ought for ever to be a slave in buff. What are salt, sugar and finery, to the inestimable blessings of "Liberty and Safety!"? Or what are the inconveniences of a few months to the tributary bondage of ages?"
Dick, I think my friend has captured the spirit of the thing here. Thomas Paine’s words are timeless. And they are timeless for a reason. While I may not totally agree with all of my friend's "additions", the letter rings of truth.
It is clear to everyone but Jim Payne and Mike Mohr that not only the Team, but people all over the world desire Freedom. It should be clear that there are men and women willing to go through whatever trials your attorneys may throw at them to obtain their sacred Liberty.
And now your attorneys are defending the stupidity of your executives in England and taking on that government which has brought action against them.
This is after Mohr sued people he doesn’t even know in the John Doe suit. He hasn’t even named bloggers for John Does 22-30! Was this “just in case we need to go after more”? How do you think this looks to the average voter Dick? Might they be thinking, “I might be next!”?
Payne and Mohr are making you look like a tyrant Dick and people typically don’t vote for tyranny. You might want to ring up Jim Payne and Mike Mohr and advise them to find another company to embarrass.
That is, only if you’ve had enough embarrassment yourself. If not, let this war continue.
All we ask is that you LEAD Dick.
All we ask is that you do the right thing.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Quixtar's Payne & Mohr Repell; Woodward & Brady Attract
This just in Dick. Woodward and Brady have moved into FIRST PLACE on the Wall Street Journal's Bestselling Business Book list.
I wonder how Jim Payne & Mike Mohr feel about that? Why don't you ask them, and then consider what they are trying to do to these men who are recognized in the rest of the world (Yes, there is a world outside Quixtar!(sorry - AMWAY)) as outstanding leaders.
You need to count the PR cost to any future campaign of yours of P&M's ridiculous legal campaign to smear these men - best selling authors. To most of us outside the walls of your company, Payne and Mohr look like they have their heads planted firmly up their backsides. (a rather comical picture if you think about it...)
To be blunt, Payne and Mohr look stupid. Of course that's probably because they can't help but be themselves.
People cannot be fooled for long Dick.
Outside the walls of AMWAY, most people, but especially people of character, eventually run from people who they discover have no character; who have demonstrated that they can't be trusted. Outside the walls of AMWAY, most people will only follow people of character. It's human nature to want to be around people you can trust. It's called the Law of Attraction. And it is a law. Now we both know that Payne and Mohr have no idea what I'm talking about here, but I KNOW that you do.
Mohr's probably going to waddle over (remember where his head is) to his law books and court rules to look this one up, to see if he can sue Woodward or Brady or the Team or some more 'John Does' for alleged and anticipatory breech of this law.
Perhaps it is now time for you to lead?
Friday, November 9, 2007
Woodward & Brady Climb, Mohr & Payne Outclassed...As Usual
Dick; Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady's book, Launching a Leadership Revolution is now #7 for all non-fiction hardcover books on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list. Just thought you should know.
And you might want to bail out Jim Payne and Mike Mohr. They are in WAY over their heads...or did I just miss their bestselling books about Leadership?...or about...anything?
It certainly seems like Woodward and Brady know how to lead people. Why, they've even written a bestselling book about their experience. Other LEADERS in the world are taking note AND they are voting with their pocketbooks.
That must just scare the pyjamas off your dolts at Quixtar. I assume that's what they're wearing over there as they helplessly watch their numbers steadily decline. Wouldn't a real BUSINESS want their numbers to increase? Ah well, what do I know? I invest my money in businesses with good leadership - just as my one of my mentors, Warren Buffet, taught me to do. (And that has done both of us rather well, I must admit.)
I wonder what Warren would think of this lineup: Jim Payne, Mike Mohr, Sharon Grider, Todd Krause and Rob Davidson? Not much, I'm afraid. But then, not much is what they deserve.
Sadly, it looks like Jim Payne and Mike Mohr just know how to file lawsuits. Not the best way to inspire people. But as my colleagues insist, "perhaps they are just following orders".
Please Dick! Please prove my colleagues wrong once and for all!
You are the only man who can.
