Abolishthis.

$450 for a PEN?!

Anyone who would travel with a $450 pen has too much superfluous coin to be upset when said pen goes missing.

Give him credit for being a good judge of Pensworth.

Look. In theory, the TSA is a good idea. But you have to do it right.

1) Privatize it with professional security companies. Hell, with the amount of soldiers that are coming back from overseas, it's a perfect fit.

2) Stop with the random searches and profile. Period.

3) Stop with the nude-o-scopes. Metal detectors worked for years. I don't want uncalibrated x-ray machines built by the lowest bidding government contractor.

I'm sick of hearing these stories of kids and people dying of leukemia getting enhanced patdowns.

dookdookdook: TSA agent charged in theft of $450 pen

Walker: In other news....A $450 PEN????????????

Scruffinator: $450 for a PEN?!

you guys think if the pen wasn't $450 that this union worker would have even been disciplined?
Think about it, unless some rich asshole gets effected by unions these union thugs will always be around to grope our kids and let terrorists in.

TSA should never have been allowed to be unionized.

tonguedepressor: Give him credit for being a good judge of Pensworth.

BTW, as a former 8.5 yr. TSA screener, there's no way this guy isn't guilty.

Walker: In other news....A $450 PEN????????????

Scruffinator: $450 for a PEN?!

namegoeshere: Anyone who would travel with a $450 pen has too much superfluous coin to be upset when said pen goes missing.


yeah basically this guys

Inconsolable.

/hotter than Friday

The day I stole your pen was the most important day of your life. But for me? It was Tuesday.

Idiot deserved their pen taken for paying $450 on a writing utensil. I wouldn't have any sympathy for someone who bought a $4000 pair of underwear or other audacious prices for everyday items that can be practically had for pennies.

DNRTA yet, but this pisses me off.

On our way to Brazil last year, we went through the security gate in Chicago and because of AA's farkery, we missed our connection flight to Miami. Out of the blue, I decided to check our carry-on luggage as we waited for another flight. Lo and behold, my son's portable DVD player was missing. I had to track back halfway through the goddamn airport, back to the security checkpoint.

Sure enough, the DVD player was under the desk at the gate. The farking TSA agent who handed back to me didn't apologize, or even looked at me. He looked downright disappointed that I had returned for it.

They hire these farking derelict, illiterate low-lifes and put them in charge of security at our airports.

fark YOU TSA!

Whoops left out "stolen, either" at the end of that last sentence.

FTA:"Finders keepers doesn't apply when you are a public servant and have the public's trust," Leljedal said.

Wait... The public trusts the TSA?

Well, he did say he found it in a cabinet... that cant be 'stealing' can it?

trouzourt: you guys think if the pen wasn't $450 that this union worker would have even been disciplined?
Think about it, unless some rich asshole gets effected by unions these union thugs will always be around to grope our kids and let terrorists in.

TSA should never have been allowed to be unionized.

You know, all that BS aside(I'm not in the mood to get into it), a $450 pen is just asinine. I'm poor, so there's that, but it's still friggin; stupid.

tonguedepressor: tonguedepressor: Give him credit for being a good judge of Pensworth.

BTW, as a former 8.5 yr. TSA screener, there's no way this guy isn't guilty.

Former? Did you really quit?

LessO2: tonguedepressor: tonguedepressor: Give him credit for being a good judge of Pensworth.

BTW, as a former 8.5 yr. TSA screener, there's no way this guy isn't guilty.

Former? Did you really quit?

yeah I did.

dookdookdook: tonguedepressor: BTW, as a former 8.5 yr. TSA screener, there's no way this guy isn't guilty.

Ever grope anyone hot?

Yep. No women though, unfortunately.

tonguedepressor: yeah I did.

Why?

tonguedepressor: yeah I did.

Kudos!

/I had you tagged as "TSA employee", gotta go prepend "former" to that...

LessO2: tonguedepressor: yeah I did.

Why?

Seems like a rhetorical question coming from you.

I was tired of the monotony...tired of the hypocrisy...burnt out by the ineptitude and inane, blatant senselessness.

But the real reason?

Your promise of a month of TF.

What? You forgot?

While I despise the TSA, give the guy a break..... "TSA officials said an announcement was made that the pen had been left behind but no one returned to claim it."

therealpope: While I despise the TSA, give the guy a break..... "TSA officials said an announcement was made that the pen had been left behind but no one returned to claim it."

They made an announcement, which means it was turned in by another screener which means it was put into a 'pen' NPI.

This guy lifted it either from the staying pen or by volunteering to bring it down at the end of the day.

Toussain Puddie, ftw.

tonguedepressor: LessO2: tonguedepressor: yeah I did.

Why?

Seems like a rhetorical question coming from you.

I was tired of the monotony...tired of the hypocrisy...burnt out by the ineptitude and inane, blatant senselessness.

But the real reason?

Your promise of a month of TF.

What? You forgot?

Well, I'll say good for you on doing it for yourself. I've heard a lot of stories about what it's like on the inside and seen with my own eyes the ineptitude that regularly comes out. If your experience was half as frustrating as the wholly meaningless conversation I had with an FSD over the behavior of a three-striper one time, I completely understand.

And not to belittle you, but honestly, I can't, for the life of me, figure out how people could put up with the work climate, split shifts, attitude and, frankly, doing these intimate pat-downs of people. If I were to be doing a "resolution patdown," I'd have offered my letter of resignation before the passenger left the CP.

Did I really promise the TF thing? (Really don't know).

Despite your incredulous responses this theft is deeply concerning to me, after all my pen is expensive.

I use Pigma Micron almost exclusively. I did once steal a pen from the TSA tray. It was originally stolen from the Ritz Carlton. Best ballpoint I've ever used.

Aulus: Expensive pen? Link (new window)

I tried one of these babies out at a pen shop last year. It was farking awesome, wrote like a dream. Too bad it is waaay out of my budget.

Oh dear lord. I knew I had a Visconti pen... I didn't realize just how expensive they were since I got it as a gift. And of course, I've hauled it around to at least two different schools loose in my backpack at different points. I only took it out recently because I ran it out of ink.

/Older Van Gogh model

Must of been one of those rare Samurai pens. Unbreakable. lmpervious to everything but water.

LessO2: tonguedepressor: LessO2: tonguedepressor: yeah I did.

Why?

Seems like a rhetorical question coming from you.

I was tired of the monotony...tired of the hypocrisy...burnt out by the ineptitude and inane, blatant senselessness.

But the real reason?

Your promise of a month of TF.

What? You forgot?

Well, I'll say good for you on doing it for yourself. I've heard a lot of stories about what it's like on the inside and seen with my own eyes the ineptitude that regularly comes out. If your experience was half as frustrating as the wholly meaningless conversation I had with an FSD over the behavior of a three-striper one time, I completely understand.

And not to belittle you, but honestly, I can't, for the life of me, figure out how people could put up with the work climate, split shifts, attitude and, frankly, doing these intimate pat-downs of people. If I were to be doing a "resolution patdown," I'd have offered my letter of resignation before the passenger left the CP.

Did I really promise the TF thing? (Really don't know).

You actually wasted your time talking to an FSD? You'd have been better off complaining to the car rental clerk, at least you would've been spared the 9/11 repeat threat, the safety and security first, the many tiered security levels speech.

Politicians, one and all.

I'll let you use your discretion about the TF memo.

"My pen!!!"

namegoeshere: Anyone who would travel with a $450 pen has too much superfluous coin to be upset when said pen goes missing.

I bought my Mont Blanc ($220 for mine) 12 years ago as a present to me for getting my first job in the game industry. Still carry it everywhere.

LessO2: tonguedepressor: LessO2: tonguedepressor: yeah I did.

Why?

Seems like a rhetorical question coming from you.

I was tired of the monotony...tired of the hypocrisy...burnt out by the ineptitude and inane, blatant senselessness.

But the real reason?

Your promise of a month of TF.

What? You forgot?

Well, I'll say good for you on doing it for yourself. I've heard a lot of stories about what it's like on the inside and seen with my own eyes the ineptitude that regularly comes out. If your experience was half as frustrating as the wholly meaningless conversation I had with an FSD over the behavior of a three-striper one time, I completely understand.

And not to belittle you, but honestly, I can't, for the life of me, figure out how people could put up with the work climate, split shifts, attitude and, frankly, doing these intimate pat-downs of people. If I were to be doing a "resolution patdown," I'd have offered my letter of resignation before the passenger left the CP.

Did I really promise the TF thing? (Really don't know).

You know, the job wasn't that bad. After eight and .5 yrs I can count on one hand the number of confrontational or out of conscientious objection problematic passengers I encountered.

Ok, maybe two hands, but still, not a bad run.

As far as the res. pd, it was always, always, always awkward but no different from a cop or prison guard plus I had a much friendlier demeanor than those guys and so did my passengers.

namegoeshere: Anyone who would travel with a $450 pen has too much superfluous coin to be upset when said pen goes missing.

By this logic I could steal your car (or computer or other object of value) and you would have no right to be upset about it as long as, in my estimation, you paid more for it than one needs to pay for said item.

The bigger issue: a $450 pen and flying frontier? Wtf?

dookdookdook: TSA agent charged in theft of $450 pen

I declare this thread to be about which kind of pen is the most awesomest of all.



According to GIS...

Oh god. I accidently take pens from people/places several times a year.

I have ones I have no idea where they came from. Rarely have I considered hunting down the own and returning it, because I presume pens are usually of nominal monetary value. This seems a bit unfair, was it obviously jewel encrusted or something that one could determine it was worth a lot more?

I found a $250 Cross Fountain pen once.

Just lying in the street. I had OCD and picked up shait all the time.

I didn't even know it was something speical until I emptied my pockets two days later.

What a $450 pen may look like (crappy??)



What a $0.25 pen may look like (and it opens bike locks)

Why would any human own a $450 pen?

Why pay $300 for a mattress set when you could snag a free one out of the dumpster behind that cheap hotel downtown?
Why spend $6 on some hamburger for your family, when you could survive just fine on some beans?
Why would someone invest in an original Picasso when the same image is available on a cheap poster?

Also, for all you broke-ass idiots that wouldn't spend over 67 cents on a pen, I bet a bunch of you "invested" over $450 last year on some weed and liquor or whatnot. The point is, the guy spent his own money on something he liked, whether that makes sense to you or not. Then Mr. Homeland Security swipes the pen and blames the fact that the guy didn't hear the announcement from 450 miles away at 30,000 feet.

Does anyone really need a billion dollar rocket? Does anyone need a 60,000 dollar car?

/Strawman

life imprisonment

trouzourt: dookdookdook: TSA agent charged in theft of $450 pen

Walker: In other news....A $450 PEN????????????

Scruffinator: $450 for a PEN?!

you guys think if the pen wasn't $450 that this union worker would have even been disciplined?
Think about it, unless some rich asshole gets effected by unions these union thugs will always be around to grope our kids and let terrorists in.

TSA should never have been allowed to be unionized.

OTOH, do you think if it had been a 50 cent pen from Staples, the union worker would have bothered to steal it? There are really two lessons here:

1. TSA is worthless and needs to go.

2. Regardless whether you want or need a $450 pen, you should be smart enough not to TRAVEL with it through a TSA screening point.

octopied: Oh god. I accidently take pens from people/places several times a year.

I have ones I have no idea where they came from. Rarely have I considered hunting down the own and returning it, because I presume pens are usually of nominal monetary value. This seems a bit unfair, was it obviously jewel encrusted or something that one could determine it was worth a lot more?

THIS

FTFA: Officials filed charges against Toussain Puddie, 30

dookdookdook: D_Evans45: I wouldn't have any sympathy for someone who bought a $4000 pair of underwear or other audacious prices for everyday items that can be practically had for pennies.

Now to be fair, the pens that can be had for "pennies" (i.e. the plastic ones with the cheap cap that are like a buck for a bag of 20) are intolerable. I refuse to use anything junkier than a Pilot G2, and usually use a G-2 Limited, which is normally like $10/each, but I got a few of on clearance at shopko for $3. It has a metal case but isn't too fancy. Anything more seems unnecessarily fancy for regular use, though (and too expensive). I prefer my pens to have a utilitarian feel to them. I've also tried various kinds of drawing pens as well, but they really don't work as well for writing as for drawing, even though the line quality is superior.

/csb

Oh yeah, baby! Those Pilot G2s are sweeeet!!! I have 8 of them in various colors and always plenty of refills. AND I keep an eye on it when I get the "can I borrow your pen?" jazz. Been a few try to keep it, I ask for it back.

If I was filthy rich, I would pay $450 for a pen. Was it a Mont Blanc?

drtfa

Oh, and THE TSA SUCKS!

jbuist: Toss a firearm, or even a flare gun, into your luggage and not only can you lock it, but you MUST lock it.

Here's a guide.

First, they have universal keys for that.

Second, all you need is a ballpoint pen, one that costs about $450, and you can unzip any piece of luggage locked by loopholes through a dual zipper. Just put the tip of the pen in the teeth of the tracks of the zipper and apply moderate pressure until it is partially inserted into the bag, then run the pen tip along the tracks: the zipper will open up in front of the pen tip. You can then close the zipper by running the dual-slider back and forth once or twice fully along the tracks.

It should not matter how much the pen costs, the real point is that someone lost their job over a pen,.

Umm, they lost their job because they helped themselves to something that wasn't theirs in the first place?

drtfa

jackandwater: Umm, they lost their job because they helped themselves to something that wasn't theirs in the first place?

drtfa

I have to sympathize with their mentality. The TSA people see people throw away shiat all day, then they see the shiat hauled to the dumpster. You can't blame them for thinking, "why not rescue this item from the dumpster?"

It's like the employee at a hotdog stand who eats a hot dog on his way to throw away a tray of hotdogs. Sure it's stealing. But it's not stealing stealing.

thenateman: jackandwater: Umm, they lost their job because they helped themselves to something that wasn't theirs in the first place?

drtfa

I have to sympathize with their mentality. The TSA people see people throw away shiat all day, then they see the shiat hauled to the dumpster. You can't blame them for thinking, "why not rescue this item from the dumpster?"

It's like the employee at a hotdog stand who eats a hot dog on his way to throw away a tray of hotdogs. Sure it's stealing. But it's not stealing stealing.

Except that hot dog stands don't place barricades up and force you to empty your pockets and bags, walk through a line and then scramble to get everything together or miss a flight.

I posit the TSA is causing these lost items.

Ed Finnerty: thenateman: jackandwater: Umm, they lost their job because they helped themselves to something that wasn't theirs in the first place?

drtfa

I have to sympathize with their mentality. The TSA people see people throw away shiat all day, then they see the shiat hauled to the dumpster. You can't blame them for thinking, "why not rescue this item from the dumpster?"

It's like the employee at a hotdog stand who eats a hot dog on his way to throw away a tray of hotdogs. Sure it's stealing. But it's not stealing stealing.

Except that hot dog stands don't place barricades up and force you to empty your pockets and bags, walk through a line and then scramble to get everything together or miss a flight.

I posit the TSA is causing these lost items.

I agree with your position, and as proof I'd submit that more items are lost at the security checkpoint than any other place in the airport.

But from the employee's point of view, they're not causing anything to happen. They're doing stuff they're told to do.

When they see stuff thrown away all day, every day, you can't blame them for going "yoink!"

CSB time: I was flying back from Hawaii. They had a lady outside the airport checking tickets and asking you to throw away your cigarette lighter. I looked in the trash can and there were at least 20 disposable lighters. I looked at the lady and thought, "this is a lady who always has a lighter."

In hindsight, I assumed she'd take lighters out of the trash can and I had no problem with that. Would it be worse if she took a $450 lighter? I'd say no, unless the owner reported it stolen.

/TFA's TSA agent mistook lost property for abandoned property
//That's the risk you take when you break the rules

For once, the offender was arrested.

Good for them.

thenateman: Ed Finnerty: thenateman: jackandwater: Umm, they lost their job because they helped themselves to something that wasn't theirs in the first place?

drtfa

I have to sympathize with their mentality. The TSA people see people throw away shiat all day, then they see the shiat hauled to the dumpster. You can't blame them for thinking, "why not rescue this item from the dumpster?"

It's like the employee at a hotdog stand who eats a hot dog on his way to throw away a tray of hotdogs. Sure it's stealing. But it's not stealing stealing.

Except that hot dog stands don't place barricades up and force you to empty your pockets and bags, walk through a line and then scramble to get everything together or miss a flight.

I posit the TSA is causing these lost items.

I agree with your position, and as proof I'd submit that more items are lost at the security checkpoint than any other place in the airport.

But from the employee's point of view, they're not causing anything to happen. They're doing stuff they're told to do.

When they see stuff thrown away all day, every day, you can't blame them for going "yoink!"

CSB time: I was flying back from Hawaii. They had a lady outside the airport checking tickets and asking you to throw away your cigarette lighter. I looked in the trash can and there were at least 20 disposable lighters. I looked at the lady and thought, "this is a lady who always has a lighter."

In hindsight, I assumed she'd take lighters out of the trash can and I had no problem with that. Would it be worse if she took a $450 lighter? I'd say no, unless the owner reported it stolen.

/TFA's TSA agent mistook lost property for abandoned property
//That's the risk you take when you break the rules

people with the power to say *leave that piece of property behind, or you're not getting through this checkpoint, son* should not be taking jack shiat for their personal use. I can't believe you don't understand the reason why this is so.

Uchiha_Cycliste: RandomExcess: It should not matter how much the pen costs, the real point is that someone lost their job over a pen,.

Wouldn't it be a little fairer to say someone lost their job over being a damned dirty thief?

Or better yet, someone isnt getting arrested for being a damned dirty thief?

relcec: people with the power to say *leave that piece of property behind, or you're not getting through this checkpoint, son* should not be taking jack shiat for their personal use. I can't believe you don't understand the reason why this is so.

And the employees tasked with throwing away mountains of cigarette lighters think it's no problem to grab a cigarette lighter before throwing it in the dumpster. Just like the hotdog stand employee will occasionally eat a hot dog on his way to throwing away a tray of hotdogs. I'm not saying the employees are doing the right thing in terms of company policy, but I can't believe you don't understand why people would behave that way.

Uchiha_Cycliste: RandomExcess: It should not matter how much the pen costs, the real point is that someone lost their job over a pen,.

Wouldn't it be a little fairer to say someone lost their job over being a damned dirty thief?

Yes.

Of course, the person who's pen was stolen lost their pen over being a goddamn showoff who just HAD to take a $450 pen through a security checkpoint instead of leaving it at his/her office and using a cheaper pen on the plane.

There's a legal term called "victim precipitation" which I think should apply in situations like these. Don't want expensive items taken from you? Don't bring them to places known for casual theft.

Gyrfalcon: There's a legal term called "victim precipitation" which I think should apply in situations like these. Don't want expensive items taken from you? Don't bring them to places known for casual theft.

Does this apply to women wearing miniskirts?

dookdookdook: D_Evans45: I wouldn't have any sympathy for someone who bought a $4000 pair of underwear or other audacious prices for everyday items that can be practically had for pennies.

Now to be fair, the pens that can be had for "pennies" (i.e. the plastic ones with the cheap cap that are like a buck for a bag of 20) are intolerable. I refuse to use anything junkier than a Pilot G2, and usually use a G-2 Limited, which is normally like $10/each, but I got a few of on clearance at shopko for $3. It has a metal case but isn't too fancy. Anything more seems unnecessarily fancy for regular use, though (and too expensive). I prefer my pens to have a utilitarian feel to them. I've also tried various kinds of drawing pens as well, but they really don't work as well for writing as for drawing, even though the line quality is superior.

/csb

Interestingly enough, a montblanc rollerball refill will fit into a Pilot G2 pro or limited. You just have to trim off a tiny bit of the plastic end cap. Best writing pens I have.

/Well, except for the non-working $400 Montblanc I found languishing in a wastebasket at the Post Office and sent in to Montblanc for a $35.00 fix.
//css

thenateman: relcec: people with the power to say *leave that piece of property behind, or you're not getting through this checkpoint, son* should not be taking jack shiat for their personal use. I can't believe you don't understand the reason why this is so.

And the employees tasked with throwing away mountains of cigarette lighters think it's no problem to grab a cigarette lighter before throwing it in the dumpster. Just like the hotdog stand employee will occasionally eat a hot dog on his way to throwing away a tray of hotdogs. I'm not saying the employees are doing the right thing in terms of company policy, but I can't believe you don't understand why people would behave that way.

I don't give a shiat if someone steals from their company. I give a shiat if someone abuses the authority they were granted by the government to steal.
and this wasn't the night shift cleaning ladies taking something that was about to go into the dumpster.

UNAUTHORIZED FINGER: That's one mighty pen.

Gyrfalcon: Uchiha_Cycliste: RandomExcess: It should not matter how much the pen costs, the real point is that someone lost their job over a pen,.

Wouldn't it be a little fairer to say someone lost their job over being a damned dirty thief?

Yes.

Of course, the person who's pen was stolen lost their pen over being a goddamn showoff who just HAD to take a $450 pen through a security checkpoint instead of leaving it at his/her office and using a cheaper pen on the plane.

There's a legal term called "victim precipitation" which I think should apply in situations like these. Don't want expensive items taken from you? Don't bring them to places known for casual theft.

that's such an obnoxious theory.

Scruffinator: You know, all that BS aside(I'm not in the mood to get into it), a $450 pen is just asinine. I'm poor, so there's that, but it's still friggin; stupid.

Oh you've never known someone who was into pens then... There are pens that sell for way more than that.

What I want to know is, how does someone get a cop to look into the pen (watch, jewelry, laptop computer, briefcase of cash, or anything else) that was left behind at a TSA checkpoint? Cops usually (IME) would be like 'tough shiat', and not do anything. But no... this cop not only goes to see that it's still not sitting in a checkpoint bin but investigates including watching security cam footage... How does someone get a cop to do that? And then when he figures out a TSA employee who kept the left behind pen there is an arrest and charges? Did this particular cop have a desire to arrest a TSA employee or something? plus this TSA employee must not have been well liked...

Thepengoeswhere,jpg

MattyFridays: Look. In theory, the TSA is a good idea. But you have to do it right.

1) Privatize it with professional security companies. Hell, with the amount of soldiers that are coming back from overseas, it's a perfect fit.

2) Stop with the random searches and profile. Period.

3) Stop with the nude-o-scopes. Metal detectors worked for years. I don't want uncalibrated x-ray machines built by the lowest bidding government contractor.

I'm sick of hearing these stories of kids and people dying of leukemia getting enhanced patdowns.

Dont know how random they are. Traveled Wednesday. Plenty people around and the one who was selected for the pat down was the 300 lb guy with the dead left eye who looked like a final boss in HalfLife. Yeah, I'd say they picked the right guy to scrutinize. He was white as well. Creepy doesn't discriminate.

The system works. If old geezers or little bald sick kids were given a pass, it'd be the families of those folks who would be targeted for blackmail. Put the bomb in grannies diaper or we kill the family type stuff. I despise the system but think it has to be this way. Actually I think there should be military posted at the airports constantly as it was after 9-11. This Norway thing is not going to stop. One person armed wins against 100 unarmed more often than not if history is any teacher. Airports with all their scanning security are wide open to an old fashioned assault.

Hide your chickens: Why would any human own a $450 pen?

Because you buy it once, it always works, and you use it forever. So it's expensive.

Good to know that people who buy nice stuff rank lower than TSA thieves on the Fark totem pole. Was curious.

Oh and I never leave my stuff until it's in the machine being pulled through and xrayed. They try to push me along and I say no, thank you, I will wait until my items are in the machine. It's happened a couple of times and they don't argue because they know why I'm saying it and it puts them on the defensive.

Am I the only one that thinks the real travisty in this article is that a sheriff was sent to look for a rich dudes lost pen. I think he probably had better things to be doing.

incendium: Am I the only one that thinks the real travisty in this article is that a sheriff was sent to look for a rich dudes lost pen. I think he probably had better things to be doing.

because this thief will only prey upon this one rich dude during his 30 year career? this is probably one of the most likely places where the majority of us are likely to be victims of crime. I only wish they took all this shiat seriously.

Softens_hands_while_you_do_the_dishes: The system works. If old geezers or little bald sick kids were given a pass, it'd be the families of those folks who would be targeted for blackmail. Put the bomb in grannies diaper or we kill the family type stuff. I despise the system but think it has to be this way. Actually I think there should be military posted at the airports constantly as it was after 9-11. This Norway thing is not going to stop. One person armed wins against 100 unarmed more often than not if history is any teacher. Airports with all their scanning security are wide open to an old fashioned assault.

The system doesn't work, it's theater as proven by its own internal testing. Here's something that works, don't live under a government that goes around bombing and impoverishing people all the world and interfering with their affairs. See, that way there aren't so many people desperate to strike back at random people they think are responsible for the government that hurt them.

But government uses terrorism to benefit itself. It encourages it, sponsors it, aids it, taunts people into doing it, and allows it when it wants to grow in power.

I farking hate TSA as much as anybody else, but to be fair to fired TSA guy, I would myself have no idea that a pen could be worth 450 dollars, and might have just confused it for any other pen and stuck it in my pocket. the real asshole here is a guy who decides he needs a 450 dollar pen.

Daniels: Hide your chickens: Why would any human own a $450 pen?

Because you buy it once, it always works, and you use it forever. So it's expensive.

Good to know that people who buy nice stuff rank lower than TSA thieves on the Fark totem pole. Was curious.

There are pens that cost much less that do the same. Just buy the occasional refill. Anything with a metal case and a well enough built mechanism is fine.

Farkers have a problem with people who buy overly opulent stuff they can't really afford. There's a point where you go way beyond nice into the realm of excessive, and in a lot of farker's estimations (mine as well) the world of fountain pen freaks is one of those places. I appreciate nice stuff, but I also don't like to spend more then I have to. Good design doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg.

It reminds me of the $400 corkscrew. Some company made a corkscrew that was $200 base, $400 for the special edition with magnesium plating or whatever. Made it look neat. It was essentially the same lever design corkscrew with the knife that you can buy at the dollar store. Better metal and I'm sure the grip was ergonomically perfected or whatever, but the basic design of that implement was perfected long ago, and there was perhaps some added life over a $1 model, but not much over a $15 model. In short, the extra couple hundred didn't actually add any value, so buying one would have been an unnecessary and opulent luxury. If you buy those and can't really afford it, you deserve to be judged. And if you buy a $450 pen and can't afford to replace it, you shouldn't be buying $450 pens. They're an unnecessary extravagance, so unless you got it as a gift, you really aren't in a position to whine.

That said, I'm fine with this guy getting canned. People in a position of trust who violate that deserve as much punishment as they can get. And I don't begrudge the guy trying to get his pen back- I would too. Whether or not he can replace it, it's still a nice item that he may be attached to.

"The actions of this former employee in no way reflect the dedication and professionalism of our workforce as a whole."

Well, that's bulls**t. And a really pathetic 'whistling past the graveyard' statement to boot. Nothing to see here folks. Move along...

Rick Case owns a bunch a car dealerships in Florida but to spend $450 for a single pen is just assinine. Hey Rick, I can save you $425 Link (new window) $25/dozen and writes just as well

//Now we know why car dealerships never budge on prices when you buy a car. The owners need to buy stupid stuff like $450 pens

Atomic_Cockroach: namegoeshere: Anyone who would travel with a $450 pen has too much superfluous coin to be upset when said pen goes missing.

By this logic I could steal your car (or computer or other object of value) and you would have no right to be upset about it as long as, in my estimation, you paid more for it than one needs to pay for said item.

If I left my overpriced item in the tray at the screening checkpoint, and then only much later said, "Hmmm... I wonder where that got to" and then had my daughter try to track it down for me, yeah, you could walk away with it and thumb your nose at me and I would pretty much have no one but myself to blame.

This doesn't work for the car, so... If I left it running with the keys in it in a bad neighborhood while I did something for a few hours, and then wen't back and said, "Hmmm.. I thought I parked it right here..."

therealpope: While I despise the TSA, give the guy a break..... "TSA officials said an announcement was made that the pen had been left behind but no one returned to claim it."

So? That doesn't mean you get to keep it. It goes to the airport lost+found office, not somebody's pocket.

trouzourt: TSA should never have been allowed to be unionized.

Why? It lets all the parasites quit at once. I would think that it would make it easier to get rid of them. All we have to do now is cause a few alpha types to strike and it can be like the air traffic controllers all over again.

/Just got a complete pat down last week.

APPROVES

cptjeff: Daniels: Hide your chickens: Why would any human own a $450 pen?

Because you buy it once, it always works, and you use it forever. So it's expensive.

Good to know that people who buy nice stuff rank lower than TSA thieves on the Fark totem pole. Was curious.

There are pens that cost much less that do the same. Just buy the occasional refill. Anything with a metal case and a well enough built mechanism is fine.

Farkers have a problem with people who buy overly opulent stuff they can't really afford. There's a point where you go way beyond nice into the realm of excessive, and in a lot of farker's estimations (mine as well) the world of fountain pen freaks is one of those places. I appreciate nice stuff, but I also don't like to spend more then I have to. Good design doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg.

It reminds me of the $400 corkscrew. Some company made a corkscrew that was $200 base, $400 for the special edition with magnesium plating or whatever. Made it look neat. It was essentially the same lever design corkscrew with the knife that you can buy at the dollar store. Better metal and I'm sure the grip was ergonomically perfected or whatever, but the basic design of that implement was perfected long ago, and there was perhaps some added life over a $1 model, but not much over a $15 model. In short, the extra couple hundred didn't actually add any value, so buying one would have been an unnecessary and opulent luxury. If you buy those and can't really afford it, you deserve to be judged. And if you buy a $450 pen and can't afford to replace it, you shouldn't be buying $450 pens. They're an unnecessary extravagance, so unless you got it as a gift, you really aren't in a position to whine.

That said, I'm fine with this guy getting canned. People in a position of trust who violate that deserve as much punishment as they can get. And I don't begrudge the guy trying to get his pen back- I would too. Whether or not he can replace it, it's still a nice item that he may be attached to.

THIS

No matter what it was, it should have gone into the "Lost and Found", not into someone else's pocket or other place where they could spirit it to the destination of their desire.

I don't know of $450 Mont Blancs that are not fountain pens. I don't know about car dealers from Florida, but I'm not going to take what is basically an uncorked ink bottle onto a vehicle that goes through several air pressure iterations from point A to point B. There's always that 1-in-some number chance that you'll end up with a shirt-full, or carry-on full or suitcase-full of mostly permanent inky blackness. NOT SMART.

Secondly, the TSA agent is a thieving bastard, sorry, alleged thieving bastard, BUT...if I ever did go through air port security with a $450 pen I'd damn sure know where it was at all times. Last I recall they don't use large UHaul boxes at the security check-point, I can't fathom how a person who'd invest in a pen like this would overlook it in that little plastic basket they give you.

Oh, I use SARASA or G2 fillers in a maple screw-top pen I bought locally. Nice and cheap at the same time.

cptjeff: Farkers have a problem with people who buy overly opulent stuff they can't really afford. There's a point where you go way beyond nice into the realm of excessive, and in a lot of farker's estimations (mine as well) the world of fountain pen freaks is one of those places. I appreciate nice stuff, but I also don't like to spend more then I have to. Good design doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg.

It doesn't... however, dude owns a car dealership... which means he uses a pen all the time. It's basically part of his uniform. I'm guessing he can afford it.

Daniels: cptjeff: Farkers have a problem with people who buy overly opulent stuff they can't really afford. There's a point where you go way beyond nice into the realm of excessive, and in a lot of farker's estimations (mine as well) the world of fountain pen freaks is one of those places. I appreciate nice stuff, but I also don't like to spend more then I have to. Good design doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg.

It doesn't... however, dude owns a car dealership... which means he uses a pen all the time. It's basically part of his uniform. I'm guessing he can afford it.

It wasn't just the $450 pen. If he really loves pens, go for it. More has been spent on less.

It's the $450 pen that he cares so little for that he didn't keep track of it at the security checkpoint, and didn't even notice it missing until much later. Then he asked his daughter to track it down, and threw a fit when someone stole the pen he abandoned.

If I had a $450 small thing in my pocket, you bet I'd be keeping track of it.

Many of you on here are unrighteously judgmental and passing this innocent man as guilty without examining the facts. Rick Case needs to drop the charges. He and all the others who are angry at the TSA need to separate their bitter feelings toward the TSA and judge this case apart from this bias. Just because they hate TSA does not mean they should rob Mr. Puddie of his innocence. It is quite obvious no theft occurred here. Mr. Puddie simply took the pen not knowing the value or the owner. There was no intent to deprive the owner of the property. Upon learning there was an owner, the pen was returned. The driving force behind Mr. Case and the other accusers is their hate for the TSA. They believe everyone who works or has worked as a TSA is a criminal. This is paramount to saying every cop, every teacher, every mayor, every doctor, etc is a criminal. Mr. Case and others need to look at the case for what it is and see that Toussain Puddie is innocent and remove their anger at the TSA in judging the case properly.


I read this piece from the Orlando Sentinel.

"In a written statement forwarded by his attorney, Puddie said Friday that he was not the agent who screened Case and was never told about the missing pen. He saw the pen in a cabinet about five hours after Case went through the checkpoint.



"When interviewed by BSO about the pen, I didn't deny anything because it was not my intention to steal any property from anyone," Puddie said. "Had Mr. Case been screened by me, this would not have happened because I always make sure that passengers have their property before leaving the screening area and if they [leave an item behind] I turn it in to management," he said. "

source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com...


You have all right to be angry at the TSA, but why not judge this specific case:

Mr. Puddie picked up a pen, which he did not know belonged to someone. He did not search Rick Case's bag nor was he the one screening Rick Case. He simply found a pen and took it, thinking it was a stray pen. Have you ever picked up a coin off the floor? Did you take the coin, thinking it was a stray coin? Did a poor little kid come crying for the coin? Did you give it back to the poor little kid, upon learning the coin belonged to the kid? Would you call yourself a thief for doing that? I don't think you would call yourself a thief for picking up something, especially a pen, that you did not know was of any value to anyone at that moment. Well, this is the case of the Rick Case pen. Do not let your hate for TSA be the reason why you are convicting everyone who works as a TSA agent.

"Under Florida law, the crime of grand theft requires proof of a taking with the intent to steal. So a person who takes possession of an item with the good faith belief in the right to the property lacks the requisite intent to commit grand theft. As a result, a well-founded belief in one's right to allegedly stolen property constitutes a complete defense to the crime of grand theft."

Basically, Puddie had to have known the item belonged to someone and was not just lying around unwanted for it to be considered theft. Based on the story, he thought it was a stray item, and upon learning it was not, returned the item.


STOP letting your hate and bias for TSA cloud the judgment of this specific. READ THE FACTS!!! AND READ WHAT CONSTITUTES THEFT.