You have GOT to watch this if you want a good laugh. It's a group of "celebrities" from all eras, singing "Let it Be" on some beach somewhere. I put "celebrities" in quotes, as it includes folks like Fab from Mili Vanilli, David Faustino, Alfonso Rivera, and Tonya Harding, along with the likes of George Wendt, Glen Close, Daryl Hannah, Kathleen Turner and Peter Falk. We also get Rikki lake, Harpo (identified as "Movie Star") Ricky Schroder and Benny from LA Law. You have to watch the whole thing--blik and you'll miss a celebrity. It's some kind of promo for a NorwegianTV show, but it's corn at its best, and one of the most random assembly of people I've seen in a long time. Makes me REALLY wonder what the show is about.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
In Memory of K-Mart Dude
About five years ago, I picked up and moved to an island in Florida. I didn't know a single soul there, and of course, I was apprehensive about picking up and starting a new life on my own. To top it all off, I moved smack dab in the middle of the Summer, when the islanders all flee home for cooler climates. Needless to say, no one rolled out the red carpet for me. Except for one individual.
There is a duplex across the street from my condo unit. At the time, an “older” couple lived there. They were extremely friendly. They smiled and waved and told me what day to put out the trash. Were it not for them, it would have taken me a lot longer to settle in. In fact, he was the first local I spoke to after taking possession of my house, outside of the Realtor. No one in the condo took the time to even notice I arrived, but the couple across the street went out of their way to notice me and make me feel welcome.
I remember my first trip off of the Island. I went to the local K-Mart to buy those things you inevitably find you need in a new house. As I was browsing the aisles, I had a sense of someone behind me. I turned around to see the friendly man across the street.
“Hi there,” he said warmly. “Are you finding everything you need okay?”
“Thank you. I'm still trying to figure out all it is I need, “ I replied.
“Do you know who I am?” He asked. Without waiting for an answer or an awkward moment, he continued “I live across the street from you. Welcome to the neighborhood. Can we do anything to help you settle in?” he asked.
Being that we live in a resort community, his next question didn't phase me at all. “Are you a seasonal person, or are you going to be here more often?”
“No.” I replied. “I'm not in a dual-residence income bracket. I can only afford one home,” I joked.
“Glad to hear that. You're just what we need in the neighborhood. We think we're going to like having you across the street.”
That conversation meant more to this scared little transplant than I ever let on.
Two days later, Hurricane Charley approached, and we had to evacuate the Island. K-Mart Dude saw me as I pulled back into my driveway, and took the time to welcome me back.
“Don't worry. We don't have evacuations like that very often around here. And as you can see, the Island made it through all right.”
A few short weeks later, another storm approached. I still knew like nobody in the local area. K-Mart Dude saw me out walking my dog, and he took the time to approach me, to calm me about the oncoming storm. He told me that most of the locals were not going to evacuate, and I shouldn't feel like I had to either. He told me we'd probably be flooded in, but said that they'd be sitting it out across the street if I felt scared. When we all waded out front a few days later, again, he took the time to check on me to see that I'd made it through my first storm all right. He joked that at least I'd had power a day longer than he, and we laughed while trying to figure out how to string an extension cord across the street so they could save what was still cold in their freezer.
Unfortunately, after a few short years, K-Mart Dude and his wife moved off the Island. I never saw him again, but I thought of him often. Today, I heard that he passed away.
Ironically, in the time since K-Mart Dude moved, I have become very close with the person who lives in the other half of the duplex, someone I never really got to know until K-Mart Dude moved away. Duplex-mate and I went out for a drink in K-Mart Dude's honor. Duplex-mate always drinks Rolling Rock, but when we got to the local watering hole, they had run out. He had a Bud instead, and we raised our glasses in a toast to K-Mart Dude. Then we decided to we needed to invent a drink in his memory. We called over the bartender, and we told him we were going to invent the Blue Light Special, in honor of a very special person who had ended his run on Earth earlier that day. We mixed Blue Curacao, Vodka, and Pineapple Juice, dubbed it the K-Mart Dude Blue Light Special, and raised our glasses.
“To K-Mart Dude. A guy as special as you deserves a drink as tasty as this. We love you, and were lucky to have known you. Here's to you and your life!”
Two minutes later, the bartender came out from the back. “Look what I found hiding in the back of the cooler—a single Rolling Rock.”
At that moment, we knew K-Mart Dude had heard us, and that he was sending us a drink in return.
“How like him,” I commented. “Only K-Mart Dude would decide to return a toast from across spiritual planes. Even now, he's still making sure everybody else is okay.”
I never did tell him how special he was for me. K-Mart Dude was the first person to help take a strange place and make it feel like home to me. He was the first neighbor I met when I moved to this Island, and as it turns out, my first real friend here. I never realized how much I appreciated having them as my across the street neighbors until they moved off the Island, and I surely never realized how much K-Mart Dude had meant to me, had done for me, until he was gone. Now, he has literally and truly moved on to a better place, and this place is all the worse for it.
Here's to you, K-Mart Dude. You touched many people in your life. We love you, and we'll miss you!
(Real names have been replaced to shield the individual's privacy. But K-mart Dude, you know who you are!)
There is a duplex across the street from my condo unit. At the time, an “older” couple lived there. They were extremely friendly. They smiled and waved and told me what day to put out the trash. Were it not for them, it would have taken me a lot longer to settle in. In fact, he was the first local I spoke to after taking possession of my house, outside of the Realtor. No one in the condo took the time to even notice I arrived, but the couple across the street went out of their way to notice me and make me feel welcome.
I remember my first trip off of the Island. I went to the local K-Mart to buy those things you inevitably find you need in a new house. As I was browsing the aisles, I had a sense of someone behind me. I turned around to see the friendly man across the street.
“Hi there,” he said warmly. “Are you finding everything you need okay?”
“Thank you. I'm still trying to figure out all it is I need, “ I replied.
“Do you know who I am?” He asked. Without waiting for an answer or an awkward moment, he continued “I live across the street from you. Welcome to the neighborhood. Can we do anything to help you settle in?” he asked.
Being that we live in a resort community, his next question didn't phase me at all. “Are you a seasonal person, or are you going to be here more often?”
“No.” I replied. “I'm not in a dual-residence income bracket. I can only afford one home,” I joked.
“Glad to hear that. You're just what we need in the neighborhood. We think we're going to like having you across the street.”
That conversation meant more to this scared little transplant than I ever let on.
Two days later, Hurricane Charley approached, and we had to evacuate the Island. K-Mart Dude saw me as I pulled back into my driveway, and took the time to welcome me back.
“Don't worry. We don't have evacuations like that very often around here. And as you can see, the Island made it through all right.”
A few short weeks later, another storm approached. I still knew like nobody in the local area. K-Mart Dude saw me out walking my dog, and he took the time to approach me, to calm me about the oncoming storm. He told me that most of the locals were not going to evacuate, and I shouldn't feel like I had to either. He told me we'd probably be flooded in, but said that they'd be sitting it out across the street if I felt scared. When we all waded out front a few days later, again, he took the time to check on me to see that I'd made it through my first storm all right. He joked that at least I'd had power a day longer than he, and we laughed while trying to figure out how to string an extension cord across the street so they could save what was still cold in their freezer.
Unfortunately, after a few short years, K-Mart Dude and his wife moved off the Island. I never saw him again, but I thought of him often. Today, I heard that he passed away.
Ironically, in the time since K-Mart Dude moved, I have become very close with the person who lives in the other half of the duplex, someone I never really got to know until K-Mart Dude moved away. Duplex-mate and I went out for a drink in K-Mart Dude's honor. Duplex-mate always drinks Rolling Rock, but when we got to the local watering hole, they had run out. He had a Bud instead, and we raised our glasses in a toast to K-Mart Dude. Then we decided to we needed to invent a drink in his memory. We called over the bartender, and we told him we were going to invent the Blue Light Special, in honor of a very special person who had ended his run on Earth earlier that day. We mixed Blue Curacao, Vodka, and Pineapple Juice, dubbed it the K-Mart Dude Blue Light Special, and raised our glasses.
“To K-Mart Dude. A guy as special as you deserves a drink as tasty as this. We love you, and were lucky to have known you. Here's to you and your life!”
Two minutes later, the bartender came out from the back. “Look what I found hiding in the back of the cooler—a single Rolling Rock.”
At that moment, we knew K-Mart Dude had heard us, and that he was sending us a drink in return.
“How like him,” I commented. “Only K-Mart Dude would decide to return a toast from across spiritual planes. Even now, he's still making sure everybody else is okay.”
I never did tell him how special he was for me. K-Mart Dude was the first person to help take a strange place and make it feel like home to me. He was the first neighbor I met when I moved to this Island, and as it turns out, my first real friend here. I never realized how much I appreciated having them as my across the street neighbors until they moved off the Island, and I surely never realized how much K-Mart Dude had meant to me, had done for me, until he was gone. Now, he has literally and truly moved on to a better place, and this place is all the worse for it.
Here's to you, K-Mart Dude. You touched many people in your life. We love you, and we'll miss you!
(Real names have been replaced to shield the individual's privacy. But K-mart Dude, you know who you are!)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
People with Disabilities: Where are Our Avatars?
Where's My Avatar?
I love the Internet. On the Internet, folks just know you by your handle. They don't know what you look like or what issues you may have. Despite this, for several years, there has been a move to personalize the Internet experience. Many sites and forums now allow you to create an Avatar to be your physical representation online.
Yahoo, one of the largest Internet communities for decades, has a very intensive avatar-creating application. Using it, you can create an avatar that has many of your own physical features. You can adjust the shape of the face, the eye color, and the hairstyle. You can dress your Avatar in a number of different outfits, and you can add cool accessories like sunglasses, hats, skateboards, and MP3 players. But is there a single accessibility device amongst the avatar-decorating choices? No. My avatar can be riding a skateboard, but she cannot hold a cane!
1Avatar.com is a popular source for forum avatars. They have 4 pages of avatars in just the “shoes and legs” categories. But is a single one of these avatars wearing a brace or an orthotic shoe? Is there a single prosthetic leg amongst the avatar choices? Unfortunately, no. Not a leg with a disability amongst the lot.
Try doing a site search for “disabilities” at 1avatar.com. The result says: “Your search - disabilities - did not match any documents. “ You get the same results searching “cane,” “crutch,” “wheelchair,” or “hearing aid.” At http://avatars.jurko.net/ you can find x-rated avatars, but a similar search on assistive equipment comes up empty. Avatarsdb.com also comes up with no matches found when searching disability-related terms. I can choose from a dozen Simpsons-related avatars though.
Avatarist.com actually has some search results for “cane” – a few sports logos and a picture of the doctor from “House”. The Second Life store is the ONLY place I could find assistive equipment as accessory options for avatars. Unfortunately, these have to be purchased through the second life marketplace, and they are more expensive than similar fashion accessories.
Wikipedia's definition of an avatar says:
Too bad all crips are not represented by House, M.D. Is there a female with a disability on televison? A happier character with a disability? Any TV character that might come somewhat close to being "an object representing the user?"
I found another person complaining about the same thing at Yahoo Answers. Here is the discussion:
We are about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Twenty years later, I still cannot have equal rights when it comes to my graphical representation. The world still assumes that we want to hide our disabilities, whenever possible. And that, my friends, is not always true.
Many people with disabilities spend more time in the virtual world than we do in “the real world.” You will find a person with a disability amongst the most valued of contributors on any forum or Internet community you visit. And other community members are still surprised when they discover their community guru is a crip. Maybe that's because they've gotten used to our physically perfect avatars, staring at them day after day when they read our posts, avatars we can accessorize in almost any way with the exception of adding the equipment that helps get us through our days.
Internet Behemoths, please hear our cries. You have worked hard with us to make your communities accessible to us in every way except one. You give us the tools to create graphical manifestations of ourselves, yet you leave out the accessories that are most important to our lives. My avatar looks a lot like me in every way but one: where is my cane?
If you truly want me to feel welcome in your community, please make me feel equal and important. I am the chick with the stick; my avatar should have a cane as well.
I love the Internet. On the Internet, folks just know you by your handle. They don't know what you look like or what issues you may have. Despite this, for several years, there has been a move to personalize the Internet experience. Many sites and forums now allow you to create an Avatar to be your physical representation online.
Yahoo, one of the largest Internet communities for decades, has a very intensive avatar-creating application. Using it, you can create an avatar that has many of your own physical features. You can adjust the shape of the face, the eye color, and the hairstyle. You can dress your Avatar in a number of different outfits, and you can add cool accessories like sunglasses, hats, skateboards, and MP3 players. But is there a single accessibility device amongst the avatar-decorating choices? No. My avatar can be riding a skateboard, but she cannot hold a cane!
1Avatar.com is a popular source for forum avatars. They have 4 pages of avatars in just the “shoes and legs” categories. But is a single one of these avatars wearing a brace or an orthotic shoe? Is there a single prosthetic leg amongst the avatar choices? Unfortunately, no. Not a leg with a disability amongst the lot.
Try doing a site search for “disabilities” at 1avatar.com. The result says: “Your search - disabilities - did not match any documents. “ You get the same results searching “cane,” “crutch,” “wheelchair,” or “hearing aid.” At http://avatars.jurko.net/ you can find x-rated avatars, but a similar search on assistive equipment comes up empty. Avatarsdb.com also comes up with no matches found when searching disability-related terms. I can choose from a dozen Simpsons-related avatars though.
Avatarist.com actually has some search results for “cane” – a few sports logos and a picture of the doctor from “House”. The Second Life store is the ONLY place I could find assistive equipment as accessory options for avatars. Unfortunately, these have to be purchased through the second life marketplace, and they are more expensive than similar fashion accessories.
Wikipedia's definition of an avatar says:
“An avatar is a computer user's representation of himself/herself or alter ego whether in the form of a three-dimensional model used in computer games, a two-dimensional icon (picture) or a one-dimensional username used on Internet forums and other communities, or a text construct found on early systems such as MUDs. It is an object representing the user”My yahoo avatars DO NOT represent me. I am “The Chick with the Stick.” For my avatar to truly represent me, I should be able to add a cane. (You can see my avatar at Laurelnev and at Laurel .)
Too bad all crips are not represented by House, M.D. Is there a female with a disability on televison? A happier character with a disability? Any TV character that might come somewhat close to being "an object representing the user?"
I found another person complaining about the same thing at Yahoo Answers. Here is the discussion:
Resolved Question: I am disabled and would like my avatar to reflect a truer image of me,how and where can I do this? including wheelchair, amputee and or nice clothingBy that reasoning, we shouldn't have goth accessories, the ability to add Asian features, or just about any options that are not plain vanilla. Can't a troll misuse an X-rated Avatar far worse than he can abuse an avatar with an assistive device?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
I have someone added on Messenger who has a wheelchair in their avatar, so I'm sure it's possible somehow.
I don't know about the amputee part though. Generally speaking, avatars that contain imagery that others might be sensitive toward are frowned upon due to the fact that trolls can get them just as easily as anyone else can.
We are about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Twenty years later, I still cannot have equal rights when it comes to my graphical representation. The world still assumes that we want to hide our disabilities, whenever possible. And that, my friends, is not always true.
Many people with disabilities spend more time in the virtual world than we do in “the real world.” You will find a person with a disability amongst the most valued of contributors on any forum or Internet community you visit. And other community members are still surprised when they discover their community guru is a crip. Maybe that's because they've gotten used to our physically perfect avatars, staring at them day after day when they read our posts, avatars we can accessorize in almost any way with the exception of adding the equipment that helps get us through our days.
Internet Behemoths, please hear our cries. You have worked hard with us to make your communities accessible to us in every way except one. You give us the tools to create graphical manifestations of ourselves, yet you leave out the accessories that are most important to our lives. My avatar looks a lot like me in every way but one: where is my cane?
If you truly want me to feel welcome in your community, please make me feel equal and important. I am the chick with the stick; my avatar should have a cane as well.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sears Warning: DO NOT buy appliances from Sears
On March, 18, I purchased a brand-new HE washer/dryer set from Sears/K-Mart. I purchased delivery and installation with the machine. On March 22, the installer team arrived, hauled away the old washer and dryer, and supposedly tested the machine. I live on an island where houses must be elevated, so my laundry room is on the 2nd floor, above the garage. Since I had been several weeks without a washer, I was very excited, and washed a load as soon as possible. Bad idea. When I went outside, I saw a large puddle of water seeping out the garage door. When I opened the door, I found a large puddle of water (approx. 3 ft in diameter), as well as a large spot of water soaked drywall on the ceiling, directly under where the new machine had been installed. I immediately called the 800 number to report the issue and the damage to my home. Sears was unable to send anyone out until Friday the 26. I specifically told them that Sears had caused significant damage to my house, and that I needed them to send their insurance adjuster. They asked me to move the machine to look for an issue. I explained that I was disabled and physically unable to move the machine, which is why I had purchased delivery and installation services.
The 26th arrived, and a Sears van arrived at my house, 45 minutes after the 2 hour window they had given me on the phone. Instead of sending any type of adjuster, Sears had sent out another team of installers. I immediately showed them the damage. They responded that they were merely installers and would not do any kind of damage report. They verbally reported that a hose had been incorrectly installed, but they were sure that a leaky hose would not cause that degree of damage. When I asked who was going to come to assess the damage to my house, they called their supervisor to try to find out. The supervisor told them no one was going to come out to assess the damage; it was my problem and I would need to file with my own insurance company. I immediately called the 800 number. I told the customer service associate that instead of sending out an adjuster or a technician, they had merely sent out installers who had done nothing to help me with my issue. The associate informed me that the 1st associate had failed to initiate a claim, and he gave me a claim number. He assured me that the installation team would report the damage when they returned from the job, and told me they would call me back with additional information. He also told me they would send the proper personnel out the following day. I asked to speak with a supervisor. I was on hold for 30-40 minutes before the associate returned to the line to say no supervisor was available.
Saturday morning, another two people arrived. These 2 individuals could barely form a coherent sentence. I asked them if they were technicians or insurance folks, and they told me that they were just installers. They spent less than 5 minutes at my house, saying there was nothing they could do. I again called the 800 number, and they assured me that I should stay home, and that a technician would come out sometime that day. The technician arrived several hours later, and told me the machine was fine, but that my drain was blocked. He told me to call a plumber to assess the hook-up, and this was clearly not a Sears issue.
After wasting an entire Saturday (the 1st Saturday that it was sunny in months), I went back to the store that sold me the machine. The store manager and sales person spent about an hour on the phone with Sears and got no where. They assured me that they would try again Monday morning, during normal business hours. He called me early Monday morning to report someone would be coming out to assess the damage later that day. About an hour later, he called me back; no one was coming out. He said that the installers had reported there had been no installation issues, (despite the fact they had told me that hoses were not properly connected the first time,) and the technician on Saturday had said that my plumbing was the issue. So, as far as Sears was concerned, the case was closed. Sears told him that they had sent 3 people out, and that was more than they needed to do to resolve my issue. I needed to have a plumber come out, at my expense, to fix whatever the issue was.
The plumber came out today, and he spent several hours assessing the issue. The plumber's diagnostics showed that there was no issue whatsoever with my drains, pipes, or plumbing. He also said that the locations of the water damage (directly below the washer) was indicative of a washing machine issue, and in fact, was no where near where the drain pipe ran. The plumber's conclusion: my hook ups could not have caused the damage, my drain was fine, and I had no leaking pipes.
So, after spending about $1000 on a new washer/dryer, I am left with damages to my house that will exceed the cost of the appliances. I am left with a plumbing bill that adds another hundred dollars plus to my costs. I have a major mold issue developing in my house as well. Sears will not do anything to help me resolve the issue in any way. I can't get the old appliances returned, and if I try to return the new ones, not only will they not refund my delivery/installation costs, but I will have to pay a restocking fee.
I went to Sears when I needed new appliances because of Sears' stellar reputation. What did I get for it? I have spent literally 4 full days trying to get the issue resolved. My health is suffering. I am left with a destroyed laundry room floor and garage ceiling, an ever worsening mold issue, and absolutely unacceptable service from Sears. I have spent over a week trying to escalate this to a corporate level, to no avail. I am highly allergic to mold, and I have a stress-exacerbated disability. I have had nothing but elevated stress since the first set of installers left. I am still without functioning laundry appliances, and instead am left with a floor that may fall through any day. When that happens, I fully expect the response to be that THAT damage is not covered under my warranty.
I will share my experiences with everyone I know--stay away from Sears at all costs. You will be left with damages that far exceed the costs of the appliances to mitigate, and Sears will flat out refuse to do anything to help you. Just because Sears assigns you a claim number, do not believe that will get you anything. Be smart--call in your own professionals before allowing Sears to let the issue get worse. They will close your case and leave you worse off than you were before choosing to give Sears your money. Instead of an appropriate and timely response, you will get migraines, large bills to "verify" what you already know, and a "We didn't do it" response from Sears, despite hiring 3rd party professionals to verify that the damage was, in fact, Sears' fault. Do not waste the hours trying to resolve it through the channels Sears' suggests like I did. Read through the "MySears.com" forums BEFORE shopping at Sears so you are spared the heartache of having to post your own story of woe, echoing all of the others on their own forum. Don't waste the time and energy trying to accelerate your concerns through either the store or through the 800 number unless you actually like headaches. Do not expect Sears to send honest representatives out to address the issue, and ask for everything they say in writing. Be aware that spending money at Sears may leave you in a worse position than you were to begin with.
Sears' old "stellar reputation"? Well, that reputation is history, as far as I can tell, and in no way represents the "new" Sears. Every thing is outsourced, and Sears will not do anything to stand behind their subcontractors work. You will get robo-calls, asking you to complete a customer service survey. At the end of the call, you will be asked if you want a call back. Do not hold your breath waiting for that call back. I am still awaiting my call-back, and as of this minute, am unable to speak to a supervisor or anyone in corporate.
I will tell you all something--I know who I WILL NOT call to address my home damages--Sears Home Improvement Services. In fact, after this experience, I will never set foot in another Sears as long as I live.
The 26th arrived, and a Sears van arrived at my house, 45 minutes after the 2 hour window they had given me on the phone. Instead of sending any type of adjuster, Sears had sent out another team of installers. I immediately showed them the damage. They responded that they were merely installers and would not do any kind of damage report. They verbally reported that a hose had been incorrectly installed, but they were sure that a leaky hose would not cause that degree of damage. When I asked who was going to come to assess the damage to my house, they called their supervisor to try to find out. The supervisor told them no one was going to come out to assess the damage; it was my problem and I would need to file with my own insurance company. I immediately called the 800 number. I told the customer service associate that instead of sending out an adjuster or a technician, they had merely sent out installers who had done nothing to help me with my issue. The associate informed me that the 1st associate had failed to initiate a claim, and he gave me a claim number. He assured me that the installation team would report the damage when they returned from the job, and told me they would call me back with additional information. He also told me they would send the proper personnel out the following day. I asked to speak with a supervisor. I was on hold for 30-40 minutes before the associate returned to the line to say no supervisor was available.
Saturday morning, another two people arrived. These 2 individuals could barely form a coherent sentence. I asked them if they were technicians or insurance folks, and they told me that they were just installers. They spent less than 5 minutes at my house, saying there was nothing they could do. I again called the 800 number, and they assured me that I should stay home, and that a technician would come out sometime that day. The technician arrived several hours later, and told me the machine was fine, but that my drain was blocked. He told me to call a plumber to assess the hook-up, and this was clearly not a Sears issue.
After wasting an entire Saturday (the 1st Saturday that it was sunny in months), I went back to the store that sold me the machine. The store manager and sales person spent about an hour on the phone with Sears and got no where. They assured me that they would try again Monday morning, during normal business hours. He called me early Monday morning to report someone would be coming out to assess the damage later that day. About an hour later, he called me back; no one was coming out. He said that the installers had reported there had been no installation issues, (despite the fact they had told me that hoses were not properly connected the first time,) and the technician on Saturday had said that my plumbing was the issue. So, as far as Sears was concerned, the case was closed. Sears told him that they had sent 3 people out, and that was more than they needed to do to resolve my issue. I needed to have a plumber come out, at my expense, to fix whatever the issue was.
The plumber came out today, and he spent several hours assessing the issue. The plumber's diagnostics showed that there was no issue whatsoever with my drains, pipes, or plumbing. He also said that the locations of the water damage (directly below the washer) was indicative of a washing machine issue, and in fact, was no where near where the drain pipe ran. The plumber's conclusion: my hook ups could not have caused the damage, my drain was fine, and I had no leaking pipes.
So, after spending about $1000 on a new washer/dryer, I am left with damages to my house that will exceed the cost of the appliances. I am left with a plumbing bill that adds another hundred dollars plus to my costs. I have a major mold issue developing in my house as well. Sears will not do anything to help me resolve the issue in any way. I can't get the old appliances returned, and if I try to return the new ones, not only will they not refund my delivery/installation costs, but I will have to pay a restocking fee.
I went to Sears when I needed new appliances because of Sears' stellar reputation. What did I get for it? I have spent literally 4 full days trying to get the issue resolved. My health is suffering. I am left with a destroyed laundry room floor and garage ceiling, an ever worsening mold issue, and absolutely unacceptable service from Sears. I have spent over a week trying to escalate this to a corporate level, to no avail. I am highly allergic to mold, and I have a stress-exacerbated disability. I have had nothing but elevated stress since the first set of installers left. I am still without functioning laundry appliances, and instead am left with a floor that may fall through any day. When that happens, I fully expect the response to be that THAT damage is not covered under my warranty.
I will share my experiences with everyone I know--stay away from Sears at all costs. You will be left with damages that far exceed the costs of the appliances to mitigate, and Sears will flat out refuse to do anything to help you. Just because Sears assigns you a claim number, do not believe that will get you anything. Be smart--call in your own professionals before allowing Sears to let the issue get worse. They will close your case and leave you worse off than you were before choosing to give Sears your money. Instead of an appropriate and timely response, you will get migraines, large bills to "verify" what you already know, and a "We didn't do it" response from Sears, despite hiring 3rd party professionals to verify that the damage was, in fact, Sears' fault. Do not waste the hours trying to resolve it through the channels Sears' suggests like I did. Read through the "MySears.com" forums BEFORE shopping at Sears so you are spared the heartache of having to post your own story of woe, echoing all of the others on their own forum. Don't waste the time and energy trying to accelerate your concerns through either the store or through the 800 number unless you actually like headaches. Do not expect Sears to send honest representatives out to address the issue, and ask for everything they say in writing. Be aware that spending money at Sears may leave you in a worse position than you were to begin with.
Sears' old "stellar reputation"? Well, that reputation is history, as far as I can tell, and in no way represents the "new" Sears. Every thing is outsourced, and Sears will not do anything to stand behind their subcontractors work. You will get robo-calls, asking you to complete a customer service survey. At the end of the call, you will be asked if you want a call back. Do not hold your breath waiting for that call back. I am still awaiting my call-back, and as of this minute, am unable to speak to a supervisor or anyone in corporate.
I will tell you all something--I know who I WILL NOT call to address my home damages--Sears Home Improvement Services. In fact, after this experience, I will never set foot in another Sears as long as I live.
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