Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: WMCoolmon on October 27, 2005, 01:47:50 pm
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Today, I found an iPod. (Not a mini, nano, video, or photo, just a normal iPod)
Rather than give it to the lost and found, I instead left my name and phone number and told them to call me if anyone came looking for it.
My reasoning: I have no clue what'd happen to it if I left it with the lost and found. Either way, if the rightful owner goes to claim it, he should get it back. In the case that he doesn't, I'd rather the iPod go to me, and don't see any reason why the lost and found office should get it instead. (Of course I have no idea what happens to lost + found stuff, the people that I talked to just wanted me to give it to them.)
The woman at the office didn't seem too pleased with my decision...neither did the associate dean when he called this morning...so would it have been any better to have left it with the desk?
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Bah. Hold your ground.
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Give it to the cops. If it works like it does here, if nobody claims it within 3 or 6 months or something, it defaults back to you.
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It's no more their property than it is yours. Don't take any crap.
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I'd do what BW suggests to be honest, though I always have suspicions on how many cops claim stuff after 3 months, still I guess every job has it's perks :D
You did the right the imo WMC, it would either have ended up sitting in the lost and found for ages, or being 'claimed' by someone else. Or put a notice up on the message board or the like saying that anyone who's lost an Ipod should contact you, however, you may be swamped with people if it hasn't got any identifying marks ;)
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Hehe, hand it into the L&F, and come back when another person is on shift and 'claim it' :p
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Originally posted by Flipside
you may be swamped with people if it hasn't got any identifying marks ;)
Use the playlist ;)
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The iPod doesn't have a name? (Like "Joe's iPod")?
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Yes, it's called Gargravarr. It's undergoing a period of trial separation from its owner.
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you told people you found it? scratch out the serial number and take it to a pawn shop. :D
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I still don't understand why University administrators think they have to be judge, jury and executioner over this sort of thing these days. They have no more right to tell you what to do with it than a random stranger. If you're making an honest effort to find its original owner, you're already doing better than Lost and Found would be and I can't see how they would fault you for that. The only way you should be able to get into any trouble over this is if the original owner came looking for it and you refused to give it back. However, I also know firsthand how much a middle-level University authority figure can enjoy ****ing with students just because they can, so what morally and legally should be fine does not necessarily coencide with what your school decides you should do.
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As they say: No good deed goes unpunished!
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This is a long shot, but did you check the notes and contacts for any ID info?
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Ask your Ombudsman. I believe that is why they exist.
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Finders keepers. Schoolyard wisdom is vastly underappreciated.
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Originally posted by Ford Prefect
This is a long shot, but did you check the notes and contacts for any ID info?
Yeah. I also took it to someone I know who does have an iPod, he hooked it up to his comp and I didn't see anything on the HD itself, either. No name scratched in the back; nothing.
No name, either, apparently.
Originally posted by Inquisitor
Ask your Ombudsman. I believe that is why they exist.
Never heard of 'em. According to Wikipedia, in the US they are apparently some kind of navy personnel? But generally exist to serve as people to look into inquiries by private citizens?
I've thought about the sign thing. Never done it before, so I've been holding out in the hopes that whoever lost the iPod will call.
More developments on the associate dean front. I went into his office in the afternoon; then again later in the day. The second time, his secretary had apparently talked to him about it; she said that school rules are apparently that lost & found items are held for one year by the school; after that point in time, they are moved on to the "next step" (she seemed to start muttering here, so I'm guessing they're given or auctioned away.) She told me that in essence, I was "walking around with stolen property". (I intentionally didn't bring the iPod today to force myself to think about events). She also told me that the associate dean would be able to talk to me tomorrow.
I requested a rulebook or guidelines on lost & found property from one of the students at the counseling desk on my way from school; he said that to his knowledge, there are no written rules on it. (And redirected me to ask the lost & found office...)
I'm not feeling particularly happy with what seems to be attempts to guilt me into giving them the iPod. But OTOH, I'm not too keen on having my academic career being trashed by it, or having police officers search my residence for 'stolen property'. :wtf:
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Hold out for the written documentation--with an "effective on" date. Also, contact the police and find out what the local rules are.
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It's beginning to sound like God just tossed it to you and said, "Here, have an iPod."
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I'm curious as to why anyone would bring an empty IPod to Uni anyway?
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Because they just got it?
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Originally posted by WMCoolmon
More developments on the associate dean front. I went into his office in the afternoon; then again later in the day. The second time, his secretary had apparently talked to him about it; she said that school rules are apparently that lost & found items are held for one year by the school; after that point in time, they are moved on to the "next step" (she seemed to start muttering here, so I'm guessing they're given or auctioned away.) She told me that in essence, I was "walking around with stolen property". (I intentionally didn't bring the iPod today to force myself to think about events). She also told me that the associate dean would be able to talk to me tomorrow.
I requested a rulebook or guidelines on lost & found property from one of the students at the counseling desk on my way from school; he said that to his knowledge, there are no written rules on it. (And redirected me to ask the lost & found office...)
I'm not feeling particularly happy with what seems to be attempts to guilt me into giving them the iPod. But OTOH, I'm not too keen on having my academic career being trashed by it, or having police officers search my residence for 'stolen property'. :wtf:
I'm quite close to stepping on a soap box about schools getting overly involved in people's personal lives for no apparent reason. You're no more in posession of "stolen property" than the Lost and Found office would be, and unless they are a division of the campus police they have no more right to hold on to it for a year than you do. There is absolutely no reason for a school to have a policy on lost and found property other than to be anal about things.
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Can you even ge bog standard IPods any more? Besides, what's the point of carrying the thing around, whether you just got it or otherwise, if you don't have any music on it? Without musioc, it's an expensive plastic paperweight.
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If they just got it, they were probably going to hook it up to their computer in the very near future.
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Erg, it's got a fair amount of music; over 2000 songs or so. It's also obviously been used (the headphones have worn edges, there are a number of small scratches...)
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Anything good on it? :D
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It's mine. I lost it during a search for my long-lost great grandfather's sister's niece's brother's son (exploring the family tree and such). I would appreciate it greatly if you could send it to me as soon as possible. If there are any questions for me, WM, send me an e-mail at [email protected].
Thank you for finding it for me. The sooner you send it, the sooner that messy business with your dean will end, too.
:)
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Hold out for the written documentation--with an "effective on" date.
That's what I would advise too. They can't do anything to you if there is no officially written regulation on this issue, so you certainly won't be in the wrong to ask them to direct you to a document with this information. From what you are saying, it sounds to me like they are just making things up to try to make you to feel guilty and give it up voluntarily.
I guess you learned your lesson though. Next time, just silently keep anything you find. :D
However, I also know firsthand how much a middle-level University authority figure can enjoy ****ing with students just because they can, so what morally and legally should be fine does not necessarily coencide with what your school decides you should do.
heh, I am getting screwed over by my college's Dean's office myself at the moment for a totally different issue.
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You should also point out (if you haven't already) that you could have kept quiet about it and they would have never known you had it.
There wasn't any requirement for you to have gone through the school anyway. You could have just put up signs on campus that said "Found an iPod at such and such a location on this date. If it is yours, send me an excerpt of your playlist or some other identification mark and it will be promptly returned." and you'd have fulfilled your moral obligation. The school shouldn't have any say in the matter.
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[color=66ff00]Most people like that don't give a damn if you use that argument.
I myself would not get too attached to it or even use it. Handing it in to the Fuzz sounds like a good idea, that way you can tell them it's what you wanted to do in the first place and tell them the university tried to seize it by coercing/threatening you.
That would be hella funny. :D
If it does work out, you won't get needlessly attached to an iPod, you may actually get the iPod completely legally and you've got a clear moral conscience.
That and the police might wonder why the university is auctioning off gear that doesn't belong to them.
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There's probably some daft law saying anything left on university/private premises becomes their responsibilitly/property after xx days.
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Apple has you register the serial number on initial connect, to that users apple id. you could contact apple about a lost ipod, that is if you WANT to give it back. I know If i lost this pocket pc Im posting on, I'd be greatful and give them something for thier honesty. Not just a measely $20.
When you think about it, you do have all that music off of that thing... now its just about getting around protection...
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Trivial.