Don’t buy The Brick’s warranty Saturday, May 14 2011 

After posting this and sending the link to all offices of The Brick and submitting a complaint at the Better Business Bureau, The lady from The Brick called and offered to give me the warranty value sofa.  So within 30 days, I went and selected a new sofa and that got delivered.  Thanks for all for your visit to my blog.  I again purchased the The Brick’s warranty ;-)


By the way, here is a site that gave me ideas about The Brick’s warranty:
http://thebrickwarranty.com/complain-tips/


I bought 3 piece leather sofas [chair, lover seat, and 3 seat sofa] from The Brick on February 09, 2008 at the following location

1607 DUNDAS STREET EAST
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario L4X1L5
Phone:(905) 629-2900
Fax:(905) 219-2871
Toll Free:1 (800) 991-0202

I also purchased an extended warranty of 5 years for this product, since I’m buying the leather sofa for the first time.   The salesperson assured me that if anything goes wrong with the sofa, they will fix it or replace it.  I thought I was making a smart choice.

I am very disappointed that the product just does not match up to the claims made by The Brick’s salesman. It has been less than 3 years and already the leather changed colour as a snake skin and started to peel off like in the following photos.

Leather sofa from The BrickLeather sofa from The BrickThe Brick's leather sofaLeather sofa from The BrickLeather sofa from The Brick

We notified The Brick of this problem.   They sent a photographer to take photos.  After few days they called us and told us that our 5 year warranty does not cover the “normal wear and tear”.   I told them that I’m going to blog about this.  The woman I spoke with did not worry.  Since it looked so ugly, we put a cover to hide it.  The interesting point to  note is that at home there is no child.  All 3 adults living.  Imagine this leather sofa used in a 2 children house.  This would have been ripped in 1 year.  Right now the leather from the seat ripped off on the 3 seat sofa like in the following photos.

Leather sofa from The BrickLeather sofa from The BrickLeather sofa from The BrickLeather sofa from The Brick

First it ripped along the stitches.  As we sit more on it, it started to make it path.  We notified The Brick again.  This time they told us to take the photo and send it.  By the time we took photos and attached it in the email and sent to them, one week passed by.  Adrijana Grujic agrujic@thebrick.com confirmed that she received the photos and its under review on April 30, 2011.  Now they said that it does not look like a “fresh rip” of the leather and hence it is not covered by the 5 year so called warranty.  When I told the woman I spoke to that I’m going to complain the issue to Ministry of Consumer Services, she did not even care.  In case you are wondering what is the original look and feel of the leather sofa, look at the last 2 photos from above.  On one side you see its thick brown without any snake skin scaling.  That was how the entire sofa looked when I bought it!

I have been The Brick’s customer for number of years and this is the 2nd time that I have been so disappointed with their products.  I request that they replace my 3 piece sofa as I not only spend more then $2000 on the product but I also bought the warranty for it spending $300.

I am enclosing copy of the Receipt for proof of purchase.

Do not buy The Brick's warranty

If you notice the bill, it includes

  • Full 5yr blanket coverage
  • Construction warranty
  • Master surface coverage

Open letter to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs: Hon. Lawrence Cannon Monday, Jun 1 2009 

Dear Hon. Lawrence Cannon,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada.

You are one strong man, I had to admit. Canadian Tamils have been protesting since January across Canada to save minority Tamils from genocide in the hands of majority Sinhala led Sri Lanka.  We have protested in Vancouver, Ottawa,  Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, and many corners of Greater Toronto.  We have protested from the confinement of parks, and sidewalks, to open streets, and highway.

You are not even willing to listen to the genuine grievances of Canadian Tamils.  You have not even said a comforting words to the hunger strikers.  You have let down the very constituents that you claim to represent.  You are absolutely aware of the dire situation in Sri Lanka, still you kept your strong face away from Canadian Tamils!

Sri Lankan army has not spared even hospitals, as Defence Secratary Gotabaya Rajapakse confirmed in a news interview with Sky News, even hospitals were legitimate targets. Our family and friends were slaughtered barring independent journalist and non-government aid agencies from the so called “no-fire zone”, literally starving the Tamils.  The no-fire zone is actually a no-safe zone, as it was confirmed by satellite pictures from UN and US [UN Leaked - UNOSAT satellite imagery analysis implicates Sri Lankan Government of War Crimes, Satellite Imagery Offers Glimpse on Sri Lankan War Zone].  Sri Lanka did not even spare the hospitals inside the “no-fire zone” as it was witnessed by government official doctors.

While all these gross manslaughter of Tamils were happening, you – our Foreign Affairs minister – called “… LTTE lay down its arms“. The only force that has been fighting for the Tamils, while international countries maintained silence over genocide of Tamils had been called to lay down its arms and surrender.  The humanitarian crisis did not jolt the Conservative Canada to at least voice against Sri Lankan government.  Even world’s most busiest leader, USA President Hon. Barack Obama had taken the time to condemn Sri Lankan government’s indiscriminate shelling of Tamil civilians, but our Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Stephan Harper could only do, maintain his silence.  May be our Conservative Canada is trying to prove that it is not following the US at least in this matter.

Hon. Lawrence Cannon, as you called to lay down its arms, LTTE has done that.  Yes, they have done what you called on them for and look what had happened.  They were massacred when they surrendered [Tamil leaders 'killed as they tried to surrender', Tigers begged me to broker surrender].  Please Sir, you have not addressed the Canadian Tamil protesters, you have not voiced against the Sri Lanka, and when the Tamil leaders surrendered as you called for that, they were massacred.  What are you going to do for this war crime?  Where are you going to keep your face on this matter? Having successfully decimated the only force that was fighting for the Tamils, Sri Lankan government now embarks on ethinic cleansing in other Tamil areas as confirmed by aid agencies, which the Tamils were saying for few decades.

Please Sir, take some actions rather than words.

Thank you and looking forward not to your words, but actions.

The World Bank has found pearl in Sri Lanka: Standardization and District Quota system for education Thursday, Apr 16 2009 

To: delnaggar@worldbank.org

C c: books@worldbank.org; pic@worldbank.org; migainquiry@worldbank.org; Webmaster@ifc.org; ICSIDsecretariat@worldbank.org

Date: 2009/04/16 @ 2:30 PM [GMT-5]

Dear Sir/ Madam:

I am very much disgusted reading one of your Feature Stories: The Pearl of Great Price: promoting equitable access to education in Sri Lanka over sixty years.

It is Sri Lanka’s quota system for education that infuriated youngsters of Tamils of Sri Lanka that now has ended up as a genocide. I am very much disappointed that the whole body did not know about this.

Please see below notes for further clarifications:
The uprisings in the North were also against elected governments because if you take the North and South, the bulk of the people were highly educated. In fact, until 1970 the bulk of the university entrants were from the North, then from the South. Mrs Bandaranaike’s Government, in 1971, introduced standardisation and the district quota system in order to enhance the opportunities for the vast majority from the not-so-developed areas to enter universities.
http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca200205/20020516terrorism.htm

“The [1972] constitution also sanctioned measures that discriminated against Tamil youth in university admissions. Tamil youth were particularly irked by the “standardization” policy that Bandaranaike’s government introduced in 1973. The policy made university admissions criteria lower for Sinhalese than for Tamils.”
http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-13157.html

Hopefully, you will not build such a standardization policies in another country and ignite another civil war.

I have posted this letter on my blog at The World Bank has found pearl in Sri Lanka: Standardization and District Quota system for education.
Thank you.

Google செய்திக‌ள் Wednesday, Jul 23 2008 

To:  http://www.google.com/support/news/bin/request.py?contact_type=report_news

Date:  2008/07/23 @ 6:45 PM [GMT-5]

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am very glad to find out today that Google News is given in Tamil as well.  I am a regular visitor of Google News, and this Tamil service would be a great help for me.  Thank you.

I also noticed, with a little bit of disappointment, there is no “standard section” for Tamileelam [த‌மிழீழ‌ம்].  Tamils around the world pay quite some time to read news about  த‌மிழீழ‌ம், as we emigirated from Sri Lanka as refugees, fleeing genocide.  It would be great use, if I and fellow Tamils around the world could get the த‌மிழீழ‌ம் in the standard section when you “Personalize this page“.

I have posted this letter on my blog at Google செய்திக‌ள்.

Thank you

My Two Cents for Tamils for Justice Wednesday, Jan 23 2008 

To:   TAMILSFORJUSTICE@GMAIL.COM

Date:  2008/01/23 @ 2:21 PM [GMT-5]

Dear Mr. Bruce Fein:

I humbly thank you for taking the struggle of Tamils to the law offices of United States of America.  I read your press release TAMILS FOR JUSTICE ATTORNEY CHALLENGES FBI’S ASSESSMENT OF THE TAMIL TIGERS AND THE GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA.  I would like to point out two things. 

First, as I am sure you already know this yet my two cents, FBI noted LTTE is responsible for assassinating two world leaders.  Even though they did not specify the names, I assume they are talking about Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1993.  Rajiv Gandhi was not the leader of India when the incident happened.  He was a former Prime Minister, who lost in the last election but running again in the upcoming election. 

Second, the link to your site in your press release is incorrect.  The HTTP address should finish with .org and not .com. 

Thank you and I have posted this letter on my blog at My Two Cents for Tamils for Justice.

_______

CAPitalZ

National Post’s false report Monday, Dec 3 2007 

To: DKelly@nationapost.com, SMeurice@nationalpost.com, JKay@nationalpost.com, RRoberts@nationalpost.com

Date: 2007/12/03 @ 10:54 AM [GMT-5]

Dear Editors,

I have known National Post as a very aggressive media against our Tamil Freedom struggle. But I am not understanding why National Post intentionally manipulates facts against Tamil ethnicity struggle.

I was reading your article TOUGH STAND TAKEN ON SRI LANKA. You have mentioned “Last week, events were held around Toronto to mark Tamil Heroes’ Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the first Tamil Tigers suicide bombing.” This is totally untrue. The Maaveerar Naal or Tamil Heroes’ Day is to commemorate the first death occurred in our armed struggle to freedom, after so many ahimsa protests were brutally beaten and so many anti-Tamil riots. This death is not a suicide mission. You may read about it at From Death of the First Hero.

I have previously sent a letter pointing out similar false reporting. You can view my letter at National Post’s racism.

There are more than 1500 Tamils were arrested in Sri Lanka just for being born in the ethnicity. Sri Lanka imposes emergency law almost continuously last two decades. More over, the state terror Sri Lankan government openly violated human rights, sponsoring paramilitary and deadly military to kill Tamils and political enemies. There is no single ban against the state terror Sri Lankan government. As a Tamil, my only single question is that when will you advocate tangible actions against Sri Lanka to stop the state terrorism?

I have posted this letter on my blog at National Post’s false report.

______
CAPitalZ

This letter was read by jkay@nationalpost.com

03/12/2007 10:55 AM

This letter was read by SMeurice@nationalpost.com

03/12/2007 10:57 AM

This letter was was deleted without being read on by RRoberts@nationalpost.com

03/12/2007 10:57 AM

National Post’s racism Monday, Nov 12 2007 

To: DKelly@nationapost.com, SMeurice@nationalpost.com, JKay@nationalpost.com, RRoberts@nationalpost.com

C c: Cotler.I@parl.gc.ca

Date: 2007/11/12 @ 8:10 am [GMT-5]

Dear Editors,

After reading Irwin Cotler MP’s letter to National Post editorial, I was shocked. I knew National Post had not so great opinion about Tamils freedom struggle, but I never knew it distors facts to tarnish our struggle.

To ask a question “Why the Canadian government had not put Tamils on the terrorist list?” is a blatant racism. A prominent media editorial board cannot be this ignorant. I have no idea why National Post delibirately twists the facts to impose a bad impression of Tamils, but to even misinform of a recorded meeting is way over the line. I am disgusted how National Post seems to be working on a political agenda to support the Sri Lankan state terrorists.

I would like to demand National Post to publish an appology for misinforming a recorded meeting and tarnishing Tamils image.

I have posted this letter on my blog at National Post’s racism

Thank you

______
CAPitalZ

This letter was read by RRoberts@nationalpost.com

12/11/2007 8:11 AM

This letter was read by jkay@nationalpost.com

12/11/2007 8:11 AM

This letter was read by SMeurice@nationalpost.com

12/11/2007 8:49 AM

What was the Globe thinking? Monday, Nov 12 2007 

To:  Mckay.J@parl.gc.ca

Date:  2007/11/12 @ 8:10am [GMT-5]

Dear Sir McKay,

I have read your letter to the editor on Globe.  Thank you for understanding the real situation of Tamils in Sri Lanka.  The Sri Lankan government being a state actor has higher voice and hence it has influenced main media with its false propaganda.  The ethnic Tamils’ cry is slowly reaching the international grounds.

Thank you and hopefully there will be freedom.

I have posted this letter on my blog at What was the Globe thinking?

CFRB’s NewsTalk Thursday, Nov 8 2007 

To: john.moore@cfrb.com

Date: 2007/11/09 @ 8:10 am [GMT-5]

Dear John,

I agree with your argument that “Desperation is no excuse for murder and mayhem”. But how can a tiny minority in a tiny island could do better when the state crushed their peaceful democratic efforts, as what Mandela and Gandhi did, in 1953, 1958, 1977, and 1983 with iron hand? [1]

Unlike in China (after Tienanmen square) or recent Myanmar, the international community did not react. As a result, the state terror went into high gears. Further, Canada is now home to more than 250000; most came here as political refugees, fearing Sri Lanka’s oppression.

LTTE is not the cause of the mayhem but it’s the product of state terrorism. When Tamils realized that none is willing to help, they started to build their own armed movement. If Gandhi could free India without ‘terrorism’, then why not Americans could not free themselves without being called ‘terrorist’ by UK?

If every country believes in negotiations, we all do not have to have military.

Tamil struggle to live free has started after the British left Sri Lanka in 1948. Sri Lanka was ruled by two kingdoms before the colonial powers took control and it was British who amalgamated the two administrations. When they left, they left it at the hands of Sinhalese majority. We have tried all peaceful protests, but they were met with state terrorism.

Tamils resorted to arms liberation as the last option. If the international community has the courage to force Sri Lanka to offer an acceptable political package, say as the province of Quebec, the bloodshed will stop.

I have posted this on my blog at CFRB’s NewsTalk

[1]
http://www.tamilnation.org/books/Eelam/satchi.htm
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=20798
http://www.sangam.org/2007/04/DeJure_State.php?uid=2322

______
CAPitalZ

This letter was read by John Moore on

Fri, Nov 09, 2007 8:10:03 AM

Bloomberg’s false statistics Friday, Nov 2 2007 

To:  chall24@bloomberg.net

C c:  bloomberg@bloomberg.net

Date:  2007/11/02 @ 12:12 pm [GMT-5]

Dear Camilla Hall,

I have read your article titled Tamil Tiger Political Chief Thamilchelvan Killed on Bloomberg.  You have mentioned “…Tamils, who make up about 8.5 percent of the South Asian nation’s 20 million people”.  I am wondering where you have got your statistics from.

The official statistic that Government of Sri Lanka uses was taken on 1981.  Due to ethnic conflict, there was no statistics were taken in North East areas of Sri Lanka.  The statistic notes 12.7 Sri Lankan Tamils and 5.5 Indian Tamils [1].  It is based on this statistics 22 Tamil member of parliaments were elected as the quota system is what in use in Sri Lankan electoral process.  If you are not using the official statistic that even the Sri Lankan government uses, then how credible your news source?

I have posted this letter on my blog at Bloomberg’s falls statistics.

Thank you

______
CAPitalZ

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