Sometimes Vague Language is Better

Sometimes vague language is better because it expresses the truth that things are unclear or unsettled. This is why poets will often use metaphors and contradictory language; it is a meaningful inarticulateness. Vague language is the appropriate vessel for speaking from a position of uncertainty.

If you value what’s fun, what’s interesting, what’s curious, what’s creative—those concepts have imprecise edges. Applying these terms always involves dealing with fuzz and unclarity. But you should feel uncertain when you’re in unknown territory. Fuzzy values are appropriate when you don’t yet know everything about what’s important. They encourage exploration, because they don’t have sharp edges. Fuzzy values build in an open-minded attitude.

The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else’s Game
C. Thi Nguyen

Intuition and Intellect – Ingmar Bergman Quote

Intuition, says Ingmar Bergman, is the essence of creativity and the foundation of his unparalleled success as a film maker.

”I make all my decisions on intuition,” said the 62-year-old Swedish director. ”But then, I must know why I made that decision. I throw a spear into the darkness. That is intuition. Then I must send an army into the darkness to find the spear. That is intellect.”

In a rare public appearance, Mr. Bergman spoke today of success and failure, creativity and laziness to drama students at Southern Methodist University. A Lazy Man at Heart

”I’m very, very lazy,” conceded Mr. Bergman. ”I love to sit in a chair and look out the window and do nothing. Writing is boring, very boring, and it takes so much patience.”

”You feel that this is going to be the best scene ever made and you want to protect it from others,” he added. But the magic dissipates and is replaced by tedium when it comes time to write, a task Mr. Bergman clearly disdains despite his success at it.

May 8, 1981

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/08/movies/ingmar-bergman-confides-in-students.html

Ryan Gosling – Gen Z Slang – Dialogue

@jeremylynch If Hollywood movies used Gen Z slang 😂 #ProjectHailMary ♬ original sound – JeremyLynch

Google AI:

“No cap” is a popular slang phrase meaning “no lie,” “for real,” or “truthfully,” used to emphasize that a statement is genuine or serious. Originating in Atlanta-based hip-hop and African American Vernacular English (AAVE), it spread to mainstream usage in the late 2010s to denote sincerity.Key Aspects of “No Cap”:Definition: “Cap” means a lie or exaggeration; therefore, “no cap” means the opposite—telling the truth.Usage: It is frequently added to the end of a statement for emphasis, e.g., “That food was great, no cap”.Origins: Rooted in early 2010s Southern hip-hop, often associated with rapper “NoCap” (Kobe Vidal Crawford Jr.), who is an American rapper known for his emotional style.

Lively Up Yourself – Bob Marley & The Wailers – Live At The Rainbow Theatre, London / 1977

via Google AI:

“Lively Up Yourself” by Bob Marley & The Wailers is a celebratory reggae anthem urging listeners to shake off negativity, energize their spirits, and embrace joy through dance and music. It encourages a vibrant, active, and positive life, serving as an invitation to “wake up” and dance (“skank”), freeing oneself from stress.

Lively up yourself and don’t be no drag
Lively up yourself, oh, Reggae is another bag
Lively up yourself and don’t say no
Lively up yourself, ’cause I said so

You, what you gon’ do?

You rock so, you rock so
Like you never did before
You dip so, you dip so
Till you can dip through my door
You skank so, you skank so, oh yeah

What you got that I don’t know?
I’m trying to wonder, wonder why you
Wonder, wonder why you act so (lively up yourself)
And don’t be no drag
Lively up yourself, oh, Reggae is another bag
(Lively up yourself)

(Lively up yourself) oh, keep livening up your woman in the evening time
And take it, take it, take it, take it
(Lively up yourself) I wanna be lively myself
Got no socks and no shirt (lively up yourself) I gotta lively up myself
(Lively up yourself)
(Lively up yourself) your woman in the morning time
(Lively up yourself) your woman in the evening too, now
Now! (lively up yourself)
(Lively up yourself)

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natty_Dread#Content

War Crimes in the News

DETROW: That’s what the press secretary says. The Pentagon has repeatedly said, the United States does not deliberately target civilians, and yet the president is talking about attacking a desalination plant. Would that be a war crime?

RONA: Absolutely, Scott, both under international law and U.S. law. We have a War Crimes Act that prohibits precisely this kind of thing. It would also be a violation of laws against terrorism. It’s prohibited to engage in attacks in armed conflict where the primary purpose is to spread terror among the civilian population. If you’re targeting a desalination plant, then that would be an act of terrorism.

DETROW: Help us understand a little bit more just ’cause I think you cannot overexplain this enough, right? Like, here’s an example. In the early days of the war, it seems like the United States accidentally bombed a girls school. What is the difference between something like that and deliberately attacking civilian infrastructure like a desalination plant?

RONA: So the difference is that even though one might have been mistaken and the other intentional, under U.S. law, both intentional and mistaken attacks that aren’t pursuant to due diligence can be war crimes.

https://www.npr.org/2026/04/01/nx-s1-5766235/who-is-held-accountable-if-a-war-crime-is-committed-in-iran

No Kings Protest – March 28, 2026

In big cities and small towns across the world, protesters gathered for thousands of rallies against President Trump and his policies and actions, with the self-stated goal of fighting dictatorship.
…

Chicagoans gathered at Grant Park, where Saira Bensett, 60, a retired zoological worker, described the turnout as cathartic.

“When I watch the news it’s often too much — the emotions I feel make me feel like I’m alone,” she said. “So I wanted to be here to feel like I’m not by myself.”

A Show of Defiance Across the Nation
It’s the third time that the coalition behind the “No Kings” movement has organized events to protest President Trump and his policies. In the United States, more than 3,000 demonstrations were planned.

Roses are Free – Ween – Live from Bonnaroo 2002

Take a piece of tinsel and put it on the tree
Cut a slab of melon and pretend that you still love me
Carve out a pumpkin and rely on your destiny
Get in your car and cruise the land of the brave and free

But don’t forget to understand exactly what you put on the tree
Don’t believe the florist when he tells you that the roses are free

Take a wrinkled raisin and do with it what you will
Push it into third if you know you’re gonna climb a hill
Eat plenty of lasagna ’til you know that you’ve had your fill
Resist all the urges that make you wanna go out and kill

But don’t forget to understand exactly what you put on the tree
Don’t believe the florist when he tells you that the roses are free

Throw that pumpkin at the tree
Unless you think that pumpkin holds your destiny
Cast it off into the sea
Bake that pie and eat it with me

Reddit discussion:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ween/comments/sbeyb1/daily_song_discussion_85_roses_are_free/

Studio Version
From the comments:
@timusowski3065
12 years ago
Lots of solid advice in this song! Thanks, Ween!

Phish Cover

This Day on Slashdot – March 23

2011 Apple Removes Gay Cure App From App Store 917
2010 US Lawmakers Eyeing National ID Card 826
2008 Network Solutions Suspends Site of Anti-Islam Film 874
2005 When Would You Accept DRM? 1288
2004 The Unhappy World of IT Professionals 981

Re: The Unhappy World of IT Professionals

npistentis writes
“According to an article on ZDNet.com, only 1 in 7 IT professionals rate themselves as “very happy” with their chosen profession- which stands in stark contrast to one in three hairdressers, plumbers and chefs, and one in four florists. But then again, very few plumbers have to deal with users who consistently download BonziBuddy, blindly click on suspicious email attachments and use their cd trays as cupholders.”
Of course, it should be noted that by and large IT professionals earn more money then most other jobs – which I suppose is once again a warning of money != happiness.

La Plaza Marketplace – Aurora Colorado – March 21, 2026

15200 E Colfax Ave Aurora, CO 80011
https://www.laplazacolorado.com/mercado

Where Community Comes Together
At La Plaza Colorado, we bring together food, culture, and community in one vibrant destination. Explore 24 unique food kitchens serving authentic flavors, shop unique local vendors, enjoy live entertainment, and let the kids play in our three-story playground and arcade. Whether you’re here to eat, shop, or connect, La Plaza offers something for everyone.