I'm Baffled Thread

[Kenney]

How is it okay for Chris Brown to preform at the Grammys? How are people cheering for him?

You know, as horrible as what he did was, I do think people can earn a second chance. However, Brown seems to have learned nothing from his actions, and is seemingly being rewarded (after a fashion) for becoming "edgier" since commiting them. Just looking on paper, his scandal has done wondrous things for his career. The crazy thing is most of his fanbase is young females. You would think they would write him off. But I guess if you've got a six pack, make popular songs, and can dance you're a-ok.

What baffles me is people who don't read. You don't need to read a book a week, or a book a month, but I don't get having no desire to read books at all.

[Brian G]

You know, as horrible as what he did was, I do think people can earn a second chance. However, Brown seems to have learned nothing from his actions, and is seemingly being rewarded (after a fashion) for becoming "edgier" since commiting them. Just looking on paper, his scandal has done wondrous things for his career. The crazy thing is most of his fanbase is young females. You would think they would write him off. But I guess if you've got a six pack, make popular songs, and can dance you're a-ok.

What baffles me is people who don't read. You don't need to read a book a week, or a book a month, but I don't get having no desire to read books at all.

Excellent points here. See to me, fame is a privilege. I think a second chance is not going to jail or being able to get a job. Still being a successful celebrity is a privilege that should have been lost.

I'm with you on the not reading thing. I don't get it.

[Jeppe]

I'm baffled by my daily/nightly commute. I work the overnight shift and take the NYC subway home around 4:00AM. I swear these people go out of their way to be crazy. What's funny is by 5:00AM they all disappear. Where do they go?

So true! I used to take the subway to Grand Central around 4:30 most weekdays when I did my MA, and there were so many crazies on the train. For some reason it was especially bad Tuesdays and Fridays.

[Kenney]

Excellent points here. See to me, fame is a privilege. I think a second chance is not going to jail or being able to get a job. Still being a successful celebrity is a privilege that should have been lost.

Not to hijack this thread too much, but while I see your point, fame isn't a privilege anymore than being popular in high school is. It's a result of being able to strike people's interest for whatever reason. Being worth it to whomever to be put in the limelight because people will pay to see or hear you. And even though people are forced down own throats (if you pay attention anyway), the power really is in the hands of the public to reject things they don't get behind. So in large part, Brown's sustained success is "our" fault. The royal our, anyways.

And like I said, I do believe in second chances. But I remember reading in The Source of Vibe magazine Brown being incredulous at the notion that Jay-Z took a stand and possibly put the kibosh on Brown performing at the BET Awards. Brown, instead of saying "I understand. I did something horrible, and to a person who Jay is close to. I need to work hard to not only regain the trust of my peers -- if that's even possible -- but to work hard to be a better man. Hopefully, I can make that happen some day." No, instead of that, Brown said something along the lines of "That shit was corny." I only remember this because, when I read that I was -- wait for it -- BAFFLED! (I brung it back)

[S. Earl]

You know, as horrible as what he did was, I do think people can earn a second chance. However, Brown seems to have learned nothing from his actions, and is seemingly being rewarded (after a fashion) for becoming "edgier" since commiting them. Just looking on paper, his scandal has done wondrous things for his career. The crazy thing is most of his fanbase is young females. You would think they would write him off. But I guess if you've got a six pack, make popular songs, and can dance you're a-ok.

What baffles me is people who don't read. You don't need to read a book a week, or a book a month, but I don't get having no desire to read books at all.

I think having a heated moment where you lose control and strike someone you love is a terrible thing, but can be possibly back tracked from with time and a lot of work (man, it all comes back to the Pym ifanboy article lately...) but when you beet a woman near death, to the point that her tooth goes through her lip and you can't recognize her face, I think there is no coming back from that. I simply can't believe he has gotten a pass for almost beating a person half his size nearly to death. It's beyond baffling, it's sickening. And don't get me started on the attention starved teens on Twitter, that's a whole nother level of what's wrong with this modern world.

On the reading front: One of my good friends, and his older sister, both claim to have never read a book that they weren't forced to for school. They don't read the paper, magazines, novels, nothing. Probably not even gawker websites. I don't know if it was because they were brought up quite well to do (we are talking one of the wealthiest families in Las Vegas) and they didn't ever feel the need to escape into books or what, but reading is totally alien to them. I bust his balls about it in a friendly way, but at the same time I kind of feel sorry for him his brain works in that manner. Not shockingly the dude wants to hit the bar everynite, most likely because he gets bored out of his mind. 

It seems like that is a life half lived to me, reading is the Jam, as we all know around here.

[Kenney]

It seems like that is a life half lived to me, reading is the Jam, as we all know around here.

Here in Baltimore during the 80s mayor Kurt Schmoke had this initiative where Baltimore was to become "The City that Reads!" I, instead, wish you were the mayor and instead had an initiative "Reading is the Jam!" 

[GrimlocksPS]

I think having a heated moment where you lose control and strike someone you love is a terrible thing, but can be possibly back tracked from with time and a lot of work (man, it all comes back to the Pym ifanboy article lately...) but when you beet a woman near death, to the point that her tooth goes through her lip and you can't recognize her face, I think there is no coming back from that. I simply can't believe he has gotten a pass for almost beating a person half his size nearly to death. It's beyond baffling, it's sickening. And don't get me started on the attention starved teens on Twitter, that's a whole nother level of what's wrong with this modern world.

On the reading front: One of my good friends, and his older sister, both claim to have never read a book that they weren't forced to for school. They don't read the paper, magazines, novels, nothing. Probably not even gawker websites. I don't know if it was because they were brought up quite well to do (we are talking one of the wealthiest families in Las Vegas) and they didn't ever feel the need to escape into books or what, but reading is totally alien to them. I bust his balls about it in a friendly way, but at the same time I kind of feel sorry for him his brain works in that manner. Not shockingly the dude wants to hit the bar everynite, most likely because he gets bored out of his mind. 

It seems like that is a life half lived to me, reading is the Jam, as we all know around here.

I know a lot of people who don't read and it Baffles me. I don't read a as much as I used too, but my wife will devour a novel in a few days.

I don't understand people who don't read or critically think. I'm not saying that in a snobby intellectual way either, I have an average intellect, it just blows my mind that people don't think more.

[the other mike]

i know reality shows are here to stay. i understand the entertainment value of schadenfreude. i get it. what baffles me is how the "stars" parley that "fame" into celebrity and earn even more money. people pay these "celebrities" to endorse products attend events and appear in their shows and periodicals. these people have NOTHING going for them outside of their infamy, yet they earn millions. insane.


-mike

[Tim H]

i know reality shows are here to stay. i understand the entertainment value of schadenfreude. i get it. what baffles me is how the "stars" parley that "fame" into celebrity and earn even more money. people pay these "celebrities" to endorse products attend events and appear in their shows and periodicals. these people have NOTHING going for them outside of their infamy, yet they earn millions. insane.


-mike

Most of the general populace think that they want to be celebrities.  Therefore, let's make anyone a celeb so that we feel like we could be one too.

 

[David]

WHAT BAFFLES YOU?

People who find Dane Cook funny.

[Jeppe]

People who find Dane Cook funny.

Even when he borrows the jokes of others he somehow makes them unfunny to me 

[S. Earl]

People who find Dane Cook funny.

I hope they still aren't out there. I like to think that humanity weathered that storm.

[Brian G]

Not to hijack this thread too much, but while I see your point, fame isn't a privilege anymore than being popular in high school is. It's a result of being able to strike people's interest for whatever reason. Being worth it to whomever to be put in the limelight because people will pay to see or hear you. And even though people are forced down own throats (if you pay attention anyway), the power really is in the hands of the public to reject things they don't get behind. So in large part, Brown's sustained success is "our" fault. The royal our, anyways.

And like I said, I do believe in second chances. But I remember reading in The Source of Vibe magazine Brown being incredulous at the notion that Jay-Z took a stand and possibly put the kibosh on Brown performing at the BET Awards. Brown, instead of saying "I understand. I did something horrible, and to a person who Jay is close to. I need to work hard to not only regain the trust of my peers -- if that's even possible -- but to work hard to be a better man. Hopefully, I can make that happen some day." No, instead of that, Brown said something along the lines of "That shit was corny." I only remember this because, when I read that I was -- wait for it -- BAFFLED! (I brung it back)

Again great points. I agree. I guess my point is I'm baffled that people allowed Brown to maintain his celebrity status. Everyone deserves a second chance, but it seems Brown never even lost a step.

[leafinsectman (Dan)]

My girlfriend has an interesting method for cleaning up…she basically just starts throwing stuff in the garbage.

Last week (true story) I cut myself and was looking for a band-aid in the bathroom, couldn't find them, so I asked her where they were (knowing a couple weeks ago I had just boughten a new box), she told me that she had thrown them away.  I asked why, and she told me it was because we weren't using them.

Who does that? 

I'm all for living life in the moment…but that's just baffling.   

Gotta start locking things in a safe

Be fair to yourself though. There's a couple of grand difference between a trip to the states and a trip to the
Philipines.

Less than a grand probably. It's not the cost though, I'd react the same way if her parents were in the US. Meh, I gotta learn to be a little more selfish.

I am baffled by no matter how much I organize, no matter how mindful I am about it, I ALWAYS LOSE SOCKS!  Where the FUCK do they go!?

This. But I don't the laundry. If I was the one doing that stuff I bet I'd have that shit locked down.

woman says that I remind her of Kevin Smith 

I was once told that I looked like Chow Yun Fat. I initially thought it was because I was awesome at shooting people to shit but then I realised it was one of those "all Asians look alike' thing

also, fuckin kids these days

Get off my lawn slurms!

[SDAL]

I was once told that I looked like Chow Yun Fat. I initially thought it was because I was awesome at shooting people to shit but then I realised it was one of those "all Asians look alike' thing

'S funny, you look like Tony Stark to me.

[PozrDu]

I was once told that I looked like Chow Yun Fat. I initially thought it was because I was awesome at shooting people to shit but then I realised it was one of those "all Asians look alike' thing

I got a similar thing once where someone said I look like John Lennon.
Twice in the past year, though, people have said I look like Glenn Beck.

How does that work?
I guess I'm a white guy with glasses.

[Bobgar Ornelas]

'S funny, you look like Tony Stark to me.

Tony Stark with the dick shakes 

[leafinsectman (Dan)]

'S funny, you look like Tony Stark to me.

I drink like him too!

Not really

I got a similar thing once where someone said I look like John Lennon.
Twice in the past year, though, people have said I look like Glenn Beck.

How does that work?
I guess I'm a white guy with glasses.

They're not even close to each other! Unless you're doing some shape-shifting deal.

Tony Stark with the dick shakes 

He loves getting Bakula'd up the butt

[thefreakytiki]

OK, here is another work related baffle (ask any of your waiter friends about this one)...

So if a customer asks me "Which dish is better, Entree A or Entree B?", I acommodate.  I will describe both and explain why Entee A is superior... To which they almost ALWAYS say, "I'll take Entree B."

Why even F'n bother asking me?!?!?   


The Tiki

[Tempo House]

I am baffled by English spelling ... and by stress placement in English and all that vowel reduction that follows from it. 

The former gives me many frustrating moments at dictionary.com, the latter provides my family with a lot of quality entertainment minutes every day.