Subtract one from 50

Dumpster diving! You have got to be kidding! Your reputation and all the hard work on that article [“Free Asheville,” June 6] was quickly washed away with that wonderful choice of things to do in this beautiful area.

Dumpster diving is not a trendy thing to do; as a matter of fact, it is absolutely disgusting! In my book, food waste combined with cleaning materials, bugs, flies, rat poop etc. doesn’t make for a real good time.

As a downtown-business owner, I already deal with the vagrant (aggressive) panhandlers that run rampant in this town (partly in thanks to the inability of this city to effectively deal with them—and yes, I do read all the riveting articles about the wasteful discussions on what to do about Prichard Park). And now, because of your ridiculous suggestions, I can expect to deal with more of those Abercrombie-and-Fitch-wearing, Suburu-driving kids who already think this is a trendy thing to do. If you need food, go to one of the several downtown shelters, as we already donate food to some of them!

— Brendan Dennehy
City Bakery
Asheville

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11 thoughts on “Subtract one from 50

  1. silverman

    ahhhh, it’s so cute how all the waelthy middle-class yuppies are sacred of the ‘aggresive panahndlers”

    like the one who approached me today, and i was forced to look him in the eye and say “NO” i mean, why do i have to interact with dirty, drunk people who are obviously worse than me and dont deserve the fifty cents i would probably spend on my dog’s new hairdo.

  2. Reasondog

    Aggressive panhandlers – a few nights ago I got approached by someone asking if I could spare a sandwich. Unfortunately I had to explain to him about how I had left all my spare sandwiches at home. Then I got to hear about all the bugs who were eating him alive while he itched himself like he was “high” or whatever. Aggressive no but disturbing. Best I can say is my husband decided he would go on the late night runs to the grocery store.

  3. silverman

    i, personally, am frightened by all of the Aggressive Yuppies, and other such lame people.

    just the other night i was accosted by one while i was trying to ask for some spare change. there he is, idling in his brand-new suburu on biltmore, on his way to his tax write-off business. and when i tried to ask him for spare change, he got all freaked out and rolled up his window so he could ignore me. at first i thought he was just scared, but when he turned up his paul simon album so he couldn;’t hear me, i knew he was just being a stingy, Aggressive Yuppie.

    Asheville city council, when will you do something about these Aggressive Yuppies, and their partners in crime, the Aggressive Developer?

  4. Reasondog

    Yo silverman, if you had a job you wouldn’t have to spare change. And if you are going to panhandle, don’t walk up to people in their cars who have every right to snub you while you attempt to harass them for a buck out of laziness.

  5. I always thought that when you went through people’s trash and took things out that you were either a stalker or a hobo. I’m glad we’re giving names to every disgusting thing that people do so that they don’t feel bad about it.

  6. yo reasondog. what makes you think i dont have a job? i just spare-change for a hobby, in between my posts on this message board. i am sorry you were unable to decipher my thinly-veiled sarcasm.

    i just think its funny that people are so afraid of having to interact with ‘undesirables’ that they concoct such funny interations. “oooh, he’s aggresive’ please. whiny nutjob. like half these rich-ass yuppies have jobs? theyr’re living on social security that I am paying into out of MY paycheck. so, arent they really the lazy panhandlers?
    it isnt that hard to just say, no, and continue walking.

    oh, and rich kids who dumpster out of a sense of ‘cool’ are just stupid. they are the same folks who complain about their professional dreads not being authentic enough.

  7. adam

    I don’t see why people have a problem with someone taking what is otherwise going to a landfill. It is actually perfect timing that i saw this since tonight i just picked up a perfect onyo 6 disk cd and dvd player with speakers hanging out of a dumpster downtown and two perfect armchairs from barns and noble. People seem to have a negative connotation to anything labeled trash, but in many peoples trash and dumpsters are perfectly good and/or valuable items that people dont want to spend the time to sell or give away.

    And even as far as food, while some dumpsters are vary clearly unsanitary, I would say that a fresh, still hot dozen of donuts in a box placed in the dumpster is just as fresh a few minutes after they close as the donuts that sit in their pastry cases for a few hours.

  8. Nadd

    You think that the donated food is enough? The real food that is being given to the Cow’s,Pigs and Farm animals! The People get the dead can goods and starch! So if a single Mom who was let go from her Job and the food stamps is not enough,what is wrong if she digs for apples and greens?
    Have a Heart.

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