Comments on: A Jerk Late For The Plane http://arrogantjerk.com/a-jerk-late-for-the-plane/ Are you one too? Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:57:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Suzanne Melton http://arrogantjerk.com/a-jerk-late-for-the-plane/comment-page-1/#comment-239 Suzanne Melton Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:33:45 +0000 http://arrogantjerk.com/?p=30#comment-239 Unfortunately I was traveling with Kou Wei (James) Chiu when he made that bomb threat. I wasn't with him when he made the bomb threat but I was with the week he was in Seattle and I was also with him when he was arrested. This being said, I know exactly what happened. We were in Seattle for a business conference for some billing software. Before our flight we went by to visit the needle because James and another coworker wanted to see it. Because of James we missed our flight. He got us to the airport about an hour before the flight but that wasn't enough time. He dropped me and 2 of our coworkers off at the door while he went to return the rental car. We checked our luggage and another Dr that was with us checked James luggage for him in her name (which which she regrets). Our 2 coworkers (who I will not mention names) got on through security but for one reason or another James and I got delayed in a slow moving line. I thought the 3 of them had made the flight but when I got to the gate, James got there at the same time I did. The door was closing and they wouldn't reopen it. As I am at the counter trying to find another flight, James disappeared for a little bit ( I assumed he had gone to the restroom) I now know he went to make a phone call. He then returned to the counter where I was. Shortly after that 2 airport police approached us and asked to talk to James. Then they asked to talk to me. I knew nothing of this and James had told them that I didn't know about it so they said I could go. Well, I heard my name paged to return to the gate. The FBI were there wanting to talk to me. I am the one that told them that James had a bag on the plane but that he didn't check it. They then had the plane turn around. I was questioned and held for over 6 hours before I was allowed to leave. They had gotten my other 2 coworkers off the plane and they were also questioned. We were then released. I have talked to James several times since then and he has yet to apologize to me for what he put me through. My boss paid his attorney and to my knowledge he still works at that Dr's office. I left there in October after this happened in July. James isn't a bad guy, but he made a very bad decision and I think he is a bit messed up. We found out later from his wife that he is manic depressive and left his medication at home. How stupid is that for a Dr. Anyway, I thought I would respond to this point to get some of your facts straight. Oh one more thing. James does live in TN. He works at a Dr's office in Nashville and sometimes comes to our office in Memphis. Unfortunately I was traveling with Kou Wei (James) Chiu when he made that bomb threat. I wasn’t with him when he made the bomb threat but I was with the week he was in Seattle and I was also with him when he was arrested. This being said, I know exactly what happened.

We were in Seattle for a business conference for some billing software. Before our flight we went by to visit the needle because James and another coworker wanted to see it. Because of James we missed our flight. He got us to the airport about an hour before the flight but that wasn’t enough time. He dropped me and 2 of our coworkers off at the door while he went to return the rental car. We checked our luggage and another Dr that was with us checked James luggage for him in her name (which which she regrets).

Our 2 coworkers (who I will not mention names) got on through security but for one reason or another James and I got delayed in a slow moving line. I thought the 3 of them had made the flight but when I got to the gate, James got there at the same time I did. The door was closing and they wouldn’t reopen it.

As I am at the counter trying to find another flight, James disappeared for a little bit ( I assumed he had gone to the restroom) I now know he went to make a phone call. He then returned to the counter where I was. Shortly after that 2 airport police approached us and asked to talk to James. Then they asked to talk to me. I knew nothing of this and James had told them that I didn’t know about it so they said I could go.

Well, I heard my name paged to return to the gate. The FBI were there wanting to talk to me. I am the one that told them that James had a bag on the plane but that he didn’t check it. They then had the plane turn around. I was questioned and held for over 6 hours before I was allowed to leave. They had gotten my other 2 coworkers off the plane and they were also questioned. We were then released.

I have talked to James several times since then and he has yet to apologize to me for what he put me through. My boss paid his attorney and to my knowledge he still works at that Dr’s office. I left there in October after this happened in July.

James isn’t a bad guy, but he made a very bad decision and I think he is a bit messed up. We found out later from his wife that he is manic depressive and left his medication at home. How stupid is that for a Dr.

Anyway, I thought I would respond to this point to get some of your facts straight.

Oh one more thing. James does live in TN. He works at a Dr’s office in Nashville and sometimes comes to our office in Memphis.

]]> By: admin http://arrogantjerk.com/a-jerk-late-for-the-plane/comment-page-1/#comment-107 admin Sun, 16 Dec 2007 03:30:04 +0000 http://arrogantjerk.com/?p=30#comment-107 Note: This guy did not simply cause a delay, he threatened an airplane full of people with a bomb. The fact (later understood) that the bomb was not real is beside the point. It is a felony to shout 'Fire' in a crowded place, not because people will feel stupid when they realize they have been tricked, but because there can be pretty severe consequences for pulling such as stunt, including death by stampede. Even before 9/11, threatening anyone with a bomb, real or not, was a pretty big deal. In post 9/11, as we have seen, people take bomb threats pretty seriously. The mere act of calling a fake bomb threat is really no different than calling in a real one. The resulting panic is still the same, and 'Just Kidding' is not a valid legal defense once the damage is done. I did not mean to imply that his offense in this case was that a few people were delayed an hour or two. He threatened the lives of 250-or-so people. This guy did a very bad thing, and acted like a complete Arrogant Jerk. He deserves a severe punishment. Note: This guy did not simply cause a delay, he threatened an airplane full of people with a bomb. The fact (later understood) that the bomb was not real is beside the point.

It is a felony to shout ‘Fire’ in a crowded place, not because people will feel stupid when they realize they have been tricked, but because there can be pretty severe consequences for pulling such as stunt, including death by stampede.

Even before 9/11, threatening anyone with a bomb, real or not, was a pretty big deal. In post 9/11, as we have seen, people take bomb threats pretty seriously. The mere act of calling a fake bomb threat is really no different than calling in a real one. The resulting panic is still the same, and ‘Just Kidding’ is not a valid legal defense once the damage is done.

I did not mean to imply that his offense in this case was that a few people were delayed an hour or two. He threatened the lives of 250-or-so people. This guy did a very bad thing, and acted like a complete Arrogant Jerk. He deserves a severe punishment.

]]> By: Jeff http://arrogantjerk.com/a-jerk-late-for-the-plane/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Jeff Fri, 23 Nov 2007 02:20:54 +0000 http://arrogantjerk.com/?p=30#comment-104 What he did was wrong, but certainly not worthy of 10-15 years of civil suits like you suggest, and 5 years in jail. That's kneejerk thinking. A delay of a couple hours isn't that big a deal - it's happened to all of us, and nobody sues the airlines. Make the guy pay the 70 grand to the airline and spend a month or two in jail. End of story. What he did was wrong, but certainly not worthy of 10-15 years of civil suits like you suggest, and 5 years in jail. That’s kneejerk thinking. A delay of a couple hours isn’t that big a deal – it’s happened to all of us, and nobody sues the airlines. Make the guy pay the 70 grand to the airline and spend a month or two in jail. End of story.

]]> By: Mark Ryzewicz http://arrogantjerk.com/a-jerk-late-for-the-plane/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Mark Ryzewicz Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:33:52 +0000 http://arrogantjerk.com/?p=30#comment-102 Many moths later I am not 100% thrilled about having posted this in a public forum myself. My apologies to James, as much as that is possible. I am believe that those inconvenienced have long gotten over it. This kind of thing should not be condoned......but I wish James well. Many moths later I am not 100% thrilled about having posted this in a public forum myself. My apologies to James, as much as that is possible. I am believe that those inconvenienced have long gotten over it. This kind of thing should not be condoned……but I wish James well.

]]> By: Mark Ryzewicz http://arrogantjerk.com/a-jerk-late-for-the-plane/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Mark Ryzewicz Tue, 11 Sep 2007 03:18:07 +0000 http://arrogantjerk.com/?p=30#comment-100 I could not agree more with many of these statements. Most people occasionally get irritated at the airport these days, but they generally deal with it, get over it, maybe curse a bit, but then go about their business without adding to other people's inconvenience. Kou Wei caused major problems for the airline, the airport, security, and most of all, the passengers on board the flight. The "victims" should certainly have the fine money split between them in my personal opinion. I have the misfortune of actually knowing Kou Wei Chiu as we went to medical school together. He definitely had some major issues there; and far more than one person debated whether or not he should graduate (he did graduate after completing remedial work). I was in the camp that he should not have graduated at all. But knowing Kouie, I just want to point out that although Kou Wei generated a terrible experience for a lot of people (and should suffer consequences), he is something other than an arrogant jerk. He is completely clueless with some kind of bizarre disconnection between his actions and their social appropriateness rather than someone who feels entitled to special treatment. I still agree that "'Dr' is too credible" for him. I do think the person who posted this comment was very clever and funny in his or her comparison to guys who hoot and holler at ladies----but knowing Kou Wei, I also know that this clever comment is far from the sad, clueless world in which Kou Wei inhabits. As much as I feel fortunate to have not seen Kou Wei for 6 years (who everybody always called by his non-Chinese name of 'James'), I just ask that the writer of such a vilifying paragraph in a public forum get some facts straight before posting them. James probably registered his luggage under his American name--under which he always goes--rather than his Chinese name, which is what was reported in the news. James is not from Washington, he is from Tennessee (easily accessible information on the internet). All that being said, I agree with most of what was posted on this site. I just ask that someone who feels the need to post comments in a public forum directed at an individual (rather than simply--and rightfully--complaining about their own inconvenience), takes the time and has the respect to get most of their facts straight, and allow for the fact that they don't know that individual. Some crimes are too heinous to care about the individual, but I am not sure that this is one. I believe most people on that flight were horribly inconvenienced---but most probably are doing just fine right now, with nothing but an interesting story to tell from it? I could be wrong, but that is what I suspect. Maybe some individual has a different story, but in the end Kou Wei caused $70,000 of expense to NWA (per internet reports); a bad day or week to a bunch of passengers who most likely quickly got over it with minimal residual effect in their lives other than a good story.......and Kou Wei catastrophically messed up his own life for a long time (a consequence he should suffer). I would go with splitting the fine money that he should pay among the individuals effected, and I don't believe he should ever take care of patients--but comparing him to a 9/11 perpetrator or describing him as someone who feels entitled to special treatment is just not accurate. I appreciate much of the posted comment, but wanted to say that I don't agree with all of it. I could not agree more with many of these statements. Most people occasionally get irritated at the airport these days, but they generally deal with it, get over it, maybe curse a bit, but then go about their business without adding to other people’s inconvenience. Kou Wei caused major problems for the airline, the airport, security, and most of all, the passengers on board the flight. The “victims” should certainly have the fine money split between them in my personal opinion.
I have the misfortune of actually knowing Kou Wei Chiu as we went to medical school together. He definitely had some major issues there; and far more than one person debated whether or not he should graduate (he did graduate after completing remedial work). I was in the camp that he should not have graduated at all.
But knowing Kouie, I just want to point out that although Kou Wei generated a terrible experience for a lot of people (and should suffer consequences), he is something other than an arrogant jerk. He is completely clueless with some kind of bizarre disconnection between his actions and their social appropriateness rather than someone who feels entitled to special treatment. I still agree that “‘Dr’ is too credible” for him. I do think the person who posted this comment was very clever and funny in his or her comparison to guys who hoot and holler at ladies—-but knowing Kou Wei, I also know that this clever comment is far from the sad, clueless world in which Kou Wei inhabits.

As much as I feel fortunate to have not seen Kou Wei for 6 years (who everybody always called by his non-Chinese name of ‘James’), I just ask that the writer of such a vilifying paragraph in a public forum get some facts straight before posting them. James probably registered his luggage under his American name–under which he always goes–rather than his Chinese name, which is what was reported in the news. James is not from Washington, he is from Tennessee (easily accessible information on the internet).

All that being said, I agree with most of what was posted on this site. I just ask that someone who feels the need to post comments in a public forum directed at an individual (rather than simply–and rightfully–complaining about their own inconvenience), takes the time and has the respect to get most of their facts straight, and allow for the fact that they don’t know that individual. Some crimes are too heinous to care about the individual, but I am not sure that this is one.
I believe most people on that flight were horribly inconvenienced—but most probably are doing just fine right now, with nothing but an interesting story to tell from it? I could be wrong, but that is what I suspect. Maybe some individual has a different story, but in the end Kou Wei caused $70,000 of expense to NWA (per internet reports); a bad day or week to a bunch of passengers who most likely quickly got over it with minimal residual effect in their lives other than a good story…….and Kou Wei catastrophically messed up his own life for a long time (a consequence he should suffer).

I would go with splitting the fine money that he should pay among the individuals effected, and I don’t believe he should ever take care of patients–but comparing him to a 9/11 perpetrator or describing him as someone who feels entitled to special treatment is just not accurate.
I appreciate much of the posted comment, but wanted to say that I don’t agree with all of it.

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