Get Your Grump on Thursdays - Was (What's chapping my @ss today?)

[s_curran]

So there has been a murder and attack in south Boston recently. The perp is believed to be a guy who lives down in the projects. He has a long history, he was arrested recently (same day as the murder) for stabbing a girl about 10 times, punching another in the face. It is also believed that he picked up a girl, beat her in her apartment, drove her to atms, killed her and left her in Roxbury. She lived and was taken about a block away from my house.

On top of all this, This guy attacked another girl, someone I went to school with and in my old place of residence, she was knocked out cold and was able to get his wallet. The guy never got arrested, police just looked the other way. So now, he gets a demotion, just a damn demotion to a standard officer, from a detective. This is insane, and beyond that, they have not announced who killed this girl, leaving lots of people nervous, its been 2 weeks.

[spopepro]

I've lost bike motivation again. Had 3 years recovering from being hit bad by a car, finally worked up the guts to start again, got doored in Jan. Found out my clavicle never healed (guess it's somewhat common for distal fractures. Who knew? Not me, maybe it would have been a nice thing for my orthopedist to share?). Will need surgery. But, no, have to wait, because ortho through medical plan isn't real confident (needs at least 1cm of bone to set a screw, I have maaaaybe 1cm exact), so I really need to talk to another ortho just to know what the hell is going on.

So... back in bike limbo. Can't really train for anything, and another year pretty much lost and looking like it's going to drag on through next year. Hard to see the point of trying right now...

[maunahaole]

Sounds like business as usual for the BPD.

[s_curran]

Sounds like business as usual for the BPD.

Yeah, they really dont do anything there supposed to unless the victim or witness really forces them too, and even then...

[ldamelio]

Local bureaucrats opposed to cross races. At the moment, the ongoing situation in Gloucester and the inattentive, shortsighted douche in their City Council. I am concerned that the races won't happen at all or the course will be eviscerated and lose the things that make it special. As it is, much of Gloucester is on the fine line between quaint and trashy at the moment. Keep driving tourism away (the fishing industry is largely gone) and there will be nothing. All this because the grass takes three weeks to regrow in October after the remediation is done by the promoters.
In Baltimore, there was opposition to use of Druid Hill park last year. As far as I can tell, that area of town is bombed out and the only other things going on in that park the other 364 days are rape and murder. What is it about cycling that brings out this kind of senseless opposition in areas that could use the tourism ? Cutting off their noses to spite their faces. Effing idiots.

[Britishbane]

As far as I can tell, that area of town is bombed out and the only other things going on in that park the other 364 days are rape and murder. What is it about cycling that brings out this kind of senseless opposition in areas that could use the tourism ? Cutting off their noses to spite their faces. Effing idiots.

Understatement of the century. B'more looks like a scary place to this middling CX'er. I was super concerned with where I ended up parking at last years race (down by the basketball and tennis courts for those familiar) and apparently with some justification. Just a few cars down eRichie's guys were burgled.

[burgess1108]

Understatement of the century. B'more looks like a scary place to this middling CX'er. I was super concerned with where I ended up parking at last years race (down by the basketball and tennis courts for those familiar) and apparently with some justification. Just a few cars down eRichie's guys were burgled.

If I never set foot in B'more again, it'll be fine with me. "Charm City" is a complete shithole and on about the same trajectory as Detroit.

[chasea]

While my grandfather left me set for life, he left my step father executor of his estate with regard to my brother and myself. We were to inherit a seven figures and 4 properties. In 2006, when all was said and done, I got about 6K, my brother maybe 10K. Everything was invested into family businesses that were later sold to fund other family members' retirements. Funds were shifted into other bank accounts that bore my name; but I had no knowledge of or access to, and eventually drained. As you can imagine, no one speaks to each other. Its all gone, and its not even worth the money to sue.

Anyway, I got smashed to bits by a van on a bike ride. I'm not the litigious type; and I'd rather this whole ordeal have not happened. My life has been put on hold, and I'm experiencing ebbs and flows pain and suffering that apparently have value. Can you believe it? My animal instincts, while I was laying in the middle of Kent and Grand, told me that it hurt least when no one touched me; and that rather get on a stretcher, I should probably find somewhere where I could lie in the least painful position until I died. There's a number for this. The fact that I had multiple injuries, which were addressed in order of severity, meant that I'll likely have lifelong effects to battle. Apparently there's a number for this as well.

I don't believe it. And I cannot stress how completely this disgusts me. A bodega clerk had the audacity to call me lucky.

So here I sit, anticipating a number arriving in a matter of months to years, and no one has ever taught me a thing about finances. All I know is that, while I can be hauled to jail for not paying taxes, banks and large corporations can report record profits every quarter while paying nothing and facing no penalty. Is this upsetting? Yes. Predictable? Absolutely.

So what am I to do? Put faith in the one thing I know to be true; that greed will always win, and the haves will continue to profit while the have-nots toil to stay right at the poverty line? I mean, the stock market is essentially legalized gambling. People fucking other people over seems like a safe bet. Or am I to stand my ground, spend according to my beliefs, and watch it all disappear until I'm right back where I am now?

This, all of this, humanity disgusts me.

[chasea]

Also, why are guns considered more sacred than vaginas, with regard to the laws set up to protect them?

[chasea]

Hey, I'm not done.

I'm getting fucking fat. And going broke. And its impossible to get a decent salad in this neighborhood. And the new Nick Cave album just isn't that great.

Is there a limit to these posts?

[zetroc]

Also, why are guns considered more sacred than vaginas, with regard to the laws set up to protect them?

Men wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Were they written today, we'd likely see vastly different versions.

edit: Agreed on Push the Sky Away - some tracks are completely skippable. Others, though, I can listen to on repeat for hours. See: Higgs Boson Blues, Jubilee Street, We No Who U R.

[j44ke]

I was going to complain about putting a screwdriver through my fingernail when I knew that was exactly what was going to happen when I put the edge of the blade on the seam in the plastic part I was trying to pry away from the metal part I was holding in my hand but did it anyway on the slight chance it wouldn't happen but it did and now I have a nice 5mm wide slit in the nail but it isn't bleeding or hurting which is what happens with stupid puncture wounds and means it will probably hurt later and maybe get infected because there was a nice load of grit and chain oil on the screwdriver tip which is also why it likely slipped and I wish that I had just taken 2 more seconds to pause and use my brain but I didn't but then Chase just posted and I remember that he's all broken to pieces so a hole in my fingernail really isn't all that bad so I'd just like to say thanks Chase I am going to go get a bandaid now and finish working on my bike and yes my tetanus shot is up to date from the last time something like this happened.

[chasea]

I was going to complain about putting a screwdriver through my fingernail when I knew that was exactly what was going to happen when I put the edge of the blade on the seam in the plastic part I was trying to pry away from the metal part I was holding in my hand but did it anyway on the slight chance it wouldn't happen but it did and now I have a nice 5mm wide slit in the nail but it isn't bleeding or hurting which is what happens with stupid puncture wounds and means it will probably hurt later and maybe get infected because there was a nice load of grit and chain oil on the screwdriver tip which is also why it likely slipped and I wish that I had just taken 2 more seconds to pause and use my brain but I didn't but then Chase just posted and I remember that he's all broken to pieces so a hole in my fingernail really isn't all that bad so I'd just like to say thanks Chase I am going to go get a bandaid now and finish working on my bike and yes my tetanus shot is up to date from the last time something like this happened.

I'll be fine. Just bitchin'.

[rowdyhillrambler]

I built some handrails and a couple of chandeliers for a house which i was supposed to install a couple of weeks ago. The house had not been closed on, and the new owners of the house asked me to hold off on installing them until they got there furniture in, so they wouldn't have to maneuver around them. "okay," is what i said. I haven't heard from them until today.

"We are going to have our furniture moved in by 6:00, are you going to come over and install the handrails tonight?" She asked me at 2:00. "No," I say. She asked, " why not, don't you work at night?" "You said you would as soon as we moved our stuff". I told her i do not work at night, "why?" to which i simply replied. "i ride my bicycle at 3:00, everyday and i am not working past that", she was dumbfounded. She has already paid, i may just go dump them in their yard in the morning.

Peoples expectations. She doesn't know today, but she will tomorrow. I do not give a shit.. Treat me like you want to be treated, or Luddism will ensue.

[Brandon White]

I was going to come here to complain about losing a day of work due to poor internet service here, that I was down and out for 2 days with something I ate (or drank), which seems to happen at least once/trip down here now, and the swill they call beer. They all pale in comparison to Chase as usual. I'll do a few pushups if I can muster the energy.

On the brighter side, my brother-in-law scored 1.5 liters of a homebrew pale ale. There may be hope for this country yet.

[maunahaole]

Will someone please produce a swimming pool or ocean for chase to go float his pasty fat white semi-mobile ass in for a while before he drags us all into his pit of despair?

[Tom]

OK, I'll start. Where to start?

- Every time I start wanting to complain about something, anything, I realize that relatively speaking I have nothing to complain about and I'm not sure I like that. I don't want to look around and see I'm hurting worse than everybody, I just want the others I know to have things go just a little easier for them.
- F-ing people that do sloppy work and tell me to get stuffed when I gently (yeah...) admonish them for it and don't straighten out so now I have to waste time reacting to their inattention and I'm plenty busy with my own work. It's gonna be a real good day. They better know enough to keep their mouths shut.
- Standard of sobriety in Fulton County, according to the sheriff. The deal with the man on his bicycle killed by the driver where the sheriff bent over backwards to apologize for the driver and I started the letter war in the local paper? Guess what - driver last week busted for DWAI, pills, after flattening a mailbox and continuing on... 911 called, sheriff's deputy sees driver unable to hold his lane, crossing center and white line. Sheriff when asked for comment says driver was 'obviously sober' in the fatal. Apparently the standard is that if you're not hitting stationary objects you're not impaired. When's the election?

[Shoogs]

When I can sleep in, I can't. When I can't sleep in, I can.

Your sht is all heavy, I just wanted to be well rested before a 24hr race...

[Jonathan]

I got a groupon today for $10 of gas for $4. My wife got a groupon for private pole dancing lessons and aerial yoga. I bought mine, why won't she buy hers? Grumpy.

[Brandon White]

I miss "home". I'm tired of spending at least one month of the year down here in this deteriorating fantasy land and blowing my vacation sitting around. The remote beaches are nice but getting to them takes what seems to be countless hours of white knuckle road trips on roads that we would deem unfit for driving (a gravel or dirt road would be far better than a potholed pathway). Riding here is pretty much impossible. Running anywhere safe now requires me to go to a park nearby, but requires driving 2 kms away which by car can take anywhere from 15 - 50 minutes.

The only thing that cheered me up while on "vacation" was planning another Asheville trip for next month.