UPDATE

Well, this will be short and sweet. As far as the moving fiasco goes; there was no legal redress there. So all I can do is collect stories about the business as they surface. Father & Son is still a company to avoid.

Oh yeah, by the way; Peter Rodino is still an ass.

Peter Rodino..YOU ARE AN ASS!

I more than anyone else recognize the right of free speech, however I find it sickening how so many can use that right to pronounce idiocy. Our political leaders are expected to display responsible, classy behavior. Sometimes they fall short.

One politician demonstrated his ability to fall way short of that expectation. Michael Jackson was acquitted of all charges! Get over it! He is gone; his memory and legacy are what the public is interested in, during this time. I can refer back to recent events of NYPD officers shooting unarmed individuals. In both cases, the officers were acquitted and concerned citizens were told to respect and abide by the decision of the juries. It would be easy to call all of those officers "MURDERERS". How fair is that? What I personally believe and what the juries believed may or may not differ, however I have to respect those decisions and GET OVER IT!

You called him a "pervert" and a "pedophile". Did you personally witnessed him committing acts of perversion? If so, why were you not in the court room? You do not know, you can only assume. So, Peter; stop being an ass; GROW UP & GET OVER IT! YOU DO NOT LOOK GOOD WITH LONG EARS AND A TAIL. HEE-HAW does not look or sound good on you.

Steve McNair: Gone Too Soon

In a week where we lost so many and are still reeling from the deaths of Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, and Michael Jackson; sports fans everywhere are mourning the loss of Steve McNair. Steve McNair came from a Division 1AA school to the NFL and made an impact as a player and a person.

Steve McNair was part of the best Super Bowl finish I had ever seen. I watched him during his career come back year after year when he was expected to retire. His exit from the Titans angered many, but Steve took it with class.

I know there will be speculation surrounding the circumstances of his death. His family will have to bear the weight of public scrutiny and the invasion of privacy that comes with it. I cannot make speculations or judgments about the circumstances of Steve McNair's demise, but I can remember him as the hero he was. With me, his legacy is set.

My condolences to his family.

What's Next for Michael Vick?

From the Criminal Justice standpoint Michael Vick has just about paid his debt to society. I wonder if PETA is going to allow him to get on with his life, or are they going to continue their ranting and raving for his head. I need to say that I was appalled at the crimes against animals committed by Vick, but I was just as shocked at the national public outcry as a result. PETA and their supporters appeared as absent and silent from outcry against crimes against humanity as they were vocal about Michael Vick's crimes against animals.

Michael Vick deserves a second chance. He has served hard time, lost millions and been publicly disgraced. Enough is enough! Players charged with sexual assault, assault and other felonies are playing. Some of their crimes are played out on sports news shows and in other forums of the media. If they are allowed to play, Michael Vick should play. The NFL Commissioner should stop trying to be such a hard__s and let him try and play again. There is no guarantee he will even be able to make a team, but he deserves the opportunity.

The comedian Steve Harvey made sense when he compared the fact NYPD has killed unarmed, innocent civilians and did not spend an hour in jail. Let the man play! As for PETA, while I commend the work you do, your high-profile antics concern me. I only hear about you when a cause is in fashion or prevalent in the media.

My donations will continue to go to the ASPCA.

Father & Son; Movers or Rip-off Artists? Part 2

Back to the Father & Son story. Unfortunately, the vague contract my friend signed gave them the legal avenue to get away with what they did. The arrival and departure times specified had a two hour window in both cases. However, this should have been figured into the estimate. It is easy to deal with hindsight; it is always 20/20 vision.

This blog is to inform consumers to read all contracts you sign carefully! If you are not certain about something; ask questions. If you do not like the answers you get; get a second opinion, even an attorney if you have to. Never take anything for granted.

I recommended Father & Son, based on my personal experience with them. I do not know if there was a management change or new regime, but the same service did not get to my friend. So, at the least, they are inconsistent; thereby unreliable. That is being kind! In my opinion, it is a little deeper than that. I advised my friend to go to the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint. I advise anyone reading this to avoid Father & Son Movers & Storage like the plague! Find a more reputable company to do your moving and storage. You may have to spend a little more, but you will not get the unwanted surprises.

I do not know how this will end, but I will keep you posted.

Same S___, Different Day

The more things change, the more they stay the same. It is an old cliche' but it remains true today. I look at the advancements made by this society, only to also recognize the reverse path that is becoming apparent, lately. With all the technical advances, we are still a little backward in our thinking. I admit that any form of discrimination is wrong, however the facts remain that the game has not equaled out to the point that affirmative action is no longer needed. In today's job market, it is still difficult to secure a job for a person of color than for the Caucasion. Now, I am not saying that affirmative action is the answer, however I have yet to see a better solution.

I would like to be able to have faith that anyone qualified could go to any company and apply for a position and get hired solely on the merits of his qualifications. Truth is, without some form of checks and balances, it is not going to happen as it should. Because of the quotas, some individuals who were discriminated against because of nationality, gender, sexual persuasion, race or religious beliefs, have an opportunity to contribute to society. Prior to affirmative action, not so much.

Mind you, I do understand the "Reverse Discrimination" argument. In pure theory it is valid. Yet, to assume that today's society has grown to the point of no longer discriminating against those who are "different" is more than a bit misguided. I would like to see the day when differences do not factor in the decision making process of hiring, but it is not here yet. Do not get it twisted, we have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.

There is still hope. Everyone has to work at it. This country is diverse, we should use that diversity to our advantage.

Father & Son; Movers or Rip-off Artists?

Normally, I do not get involved with consumer affairs, however I am breaking that tradition. In the past, I had used the services of Father & Son Movers. They are located in Essex County in New Jersey. I had a good experience with them. They gave us a reasonable estimate, the movers showed up on time and they finished on time. So, I recommended them to a couple of friends, because I believed they were capable of delivering satisfactory service. So, imagine my surprise when one of the individuals I recommended the company to told me a horror story I almost found unbelievable.

Now, this person is one of the most honest man I know. There were times during the course of our friendship I felt he was too honest, but that is another blog. My friend, (whom we will call "Frank") contacted the company and received an estimate of $545.00. This appeared reasonable to him so he agreed and signed the contract.

On the day of the move, the movers were late arriving and worked extremely slow thereby missing the contracted finishing time for the job. Frank also helped the movers, which was not in the contract. Once they had driven the last load to the destination point, they refused to unload the last of his things, unless he paid them overtime!! He argued and called the office of the movers and was told he had to pay!! Mind you, their failure to meet their deadline was not his fault.

Frank, not being the best business person, caved in and paid the movers $1058.00, $513.00 more than the original contract! So, they released his furniture and drove away laughing. I composed this blog to warn anyone in Essex and the surrounding counties not to even consider Father & Son if they need moving and/or storage services. STAY AWAY!!! Make sure you find someone, anyone else.

This story is far from over. My friend intends to pursue this as far as he has to. Hopefully, by tomorrow this story will have some sort of ending. Otherwise there will be more chapters, until there is an ending.