Derek Balling
@derekballing.com
Not Team Red. Not Team Blue. Team Not-Orange.
RPG & computer nerd. PoliSci obsessed.
Self-identify as 🇮🇪 citizen, the place I _chose_ to become a citizen.
Born and remain a 🇺🇸 citizen, for whatever _that_ is worth these days.
"I have friends everywhere."
RPG & computer nerd. PoliSci obsessed.
Self-identify as 🇮🇪 citizen, the place I _chose_ to become a citizen.
Born and remain a 🇺🇸 citizen, for whatever _that_ is worth these days.
"I have friends everywhere."
Reposted by Derek Balling
Just the president of the United States rationalizing that a Washington Post reporter was basically asking to be murdered and cut to pieces with a bone saw because of his reporting.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Just the president of the United States rationalizing that a Washington Post reporter was basically asking to be murdered and cut to pieces with a bone saw because of his reporting.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
If I have the option to place bets on whether or not Clay Higgins (or one of his friends) is in the Epstein Files, I'd take that bet.
November 18, 2025 at 9:21 PM
If I have the option to place bets on whether or not Clay Higgins (or one of his friends) is in the Epstein Files, I'd take that bet.
Reposted by Derek Balling
CEO: We need to cut costs.
Accountant: We paid you $50 million last year. You are being paid $1 million for this meeting.
CEO: Who's that in the hallway?
Accountant: That's Greg. He is the only thing keeping this company together. We pay him in nickels and Grubhub gift cards.
CEO: Fire Greg.
Accountant: We paid you $50 million last year. You are being paid $1 million for this meeting.
CEO: Who's that in the hallway?
Accountant: That's Greg. He is the only thing keeping this company together. We pay him in nickels and Grubhub gift cards.
CEO: Fire Greg.
November 17, 2025 at 10:04 PM
CEO: We need to cut costs.
Accountant: We paid you $50 million last year. You are being paid $1 million for this meeting.
CEO: Who's that in the hallway?
Accountant: That's Greg. He is the only thing keeping this company together. We pay him in nickels and Grubhub gift cards.
CEO: Fire Greg.
Accountant: We paid you $50 million last year. You are being paid $1 million for this meeting.
CEO: Who's that in the hallway?
Accountant: That's Greg. He is the only thing keeping this company together. We pay him in nickels and Grubhub gift cards.
CEO: Fire Greg.
I feel like Trump and SDNY forget how Grand Juries work. Once they’re empaneled, THEY’RE in charge, really, not the prosecutor.
They can simply say “no no no, go bring us the entire file with everyone’s name in it right now, we want to investigate them too.”
Grand Juries are dope AF yo.
They can simply say “no no no, go bring us the entire file with everyone’s name in it right now, we want to investigate them too.”
Grand Juries are dope AF yo.
November 15, 2025 at 1:56 AM
I feel like Trump and SDNY forget how Grand Juries work. Once they’re empaneled, THEY’RE in charge, really, not the prosecutor.
They can simply say “no no no, go bring us the entire file with everyone’s name in it right now, we want to investigate them too.”
Grand Juries are dope AF yo.
They can simply say “no no no, go bring us the entire file with everyone’s name in it right now, we want to investigate them too.”
Grand Juries are dope AF yo.
Reposted by Derek Balling
i’ve said this before and i remain convinced it’s true, the 2028 platform that would deliver obama 08 results is “i am gonna
bring the hammer down on the corrupt self-dealing politicians and their rich friends and there are no sacred cows id give a pass”
bring the hammer down on the corrupt self-dealing politicians and their rich friends and there are no sacred cows id give a pass”
November 13, 2025 at 2:07 PM
i’ve said this before and i remain convinced it’s true, the 2028 platform that would deliver obama 08 results is “i am gonna
bring the hammer down on the corrupt self-dealing politicians and their rich friends and there are no sacred cows id give a pass”
bring the hammer down on the corrupt self-dealing politicians and their rich friends and there are no sacred cows id give a pass”
I had a manager who wanted proof that, once per year, you had applied for and interviewed at another gig.
If you found something better, he was ecstatic for you.
If you didn't, then you knew how good you had it there.
Either way, you had a more current sense of the outside world.
If you found something better, he was ecstatic for you.
If you didn't, then you knew how good you had it there.
Either way, you had a more current sense of the outside world.
Your periodic reminder that you should look at your resume once a quarter and update it with all the cool shit you did.
And as a manger: you should make sure your folks know it’s ok to go interview and practice. Sometimes the life changing job is not your current one.
it’s ok jump.
And as a manger: you should make sure your folks know it’s ok to go interview and practice. Sometimes the life changing job is not your current one.
it’s ok jump.
November 13, 2025 at 10:59 PM
I had a manager who wanted proof that, once per year, you had applied for and interviewed at another gig.
If you found something better, he was ecstatic for you.
If you didn't, then you knew how good you had it there.
Either way, you had a more current sense of the outside world.
If you found something better, he was ecstatic for you.
If you didn't, then you knew how good you had it there.
Either way, you had a more current sense of the outside world.
LinkedIn really is missing the boat on not having an option to be like "I would never work for this company, literally ever. Do not show me their jobs again, and I hope they go out of business, pushing anyone who WOULD work for them into poverty."
Or maybe just "Ignore this company."
Or maybe just "Ignore this company."
November 5, 2025 at 5:21 AM
LinkedIn really is missing the boat on not having an option to be like "I would never work for this company, literally ever. Do not show me their jobs again, and I hope they go out of business, pushing anyone who WOULD work for them into poverty."
Or maybe just "Ignore this company."
Or maybe just "Ignore this company."
Reposted by Derek Balling
It is absolutely wild to me - and yet somehow not surprising - that of all people Curtis Silwa has the most rational approach to politics-as-profession that I've seen in a long time.
I do not think he should be mayor, but this is so much healthier of an approach to take toward a democratic election than anything we are hearing from Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo is going to leave NYC the moment he loses. Sliwa seems to truly want to stay in this great city.
November 4, 2025 at 2:15 PM
It is absolutely wild to me - and yet somehow not surprising - that of all people Curtis Silwa has the most rational approach to politics-as-profession that I've seen in a long time.
Called someone today, and my iPhone said (essentially):
"DeadPerson or LivingPerson LastName (Home)".
Made me think to myself: Am I the only person who simply can't take people out of my Contacts after they pass away?
It seems like it's just.... too "brutal" to "delete" someone you cared about.
"DeadPerson or LivingPerson LastName (Home)".
Made me think to myself: Am I the only person who simply can't take people out of my Contacts after they pass away?
It seems like it's just.... too "brutal" to "delete" someone you cared about.
November 4, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Called someone today, and my iPhone said (essentially):
"DeadPerson or LivingPerson LastName (Home)".
Made me think to myself: Am I the only person who simply can't take people out of my Contacts after they pass away?
It seems like it's just.... too "brutal" to "delete" someone you cared about.
"DeadPerson or LivingPerson LastName (Home)".
Made me think to myself: Am I the only person who simply can't take people out of my Contacts after they pass away?
It seems like it's just.... too "brutal" to "delete" someone you cared about.
Reposted by Derek Balling
Anderson Cooper: Why should people vote for you if you won’t make a deal with Germany? Do you want us to wind up like Poland?
In the 1st question of his brief interview with Mamdani. Anderson Cooper reports Trump’s strongman threats to punish NYC if the Mayoral candidate is elected, as if he gets to select where funding goes according to his whims, & then asks whether voters will find it “worth the hassle” to vote for him.
November 1, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Anderson Cooper: Why should people vote for you if you won’t make a deal with Germany? Do you want us to wind up like Poland?
Reposted by Derek Balling
GOP: burning a flag disrespects the people who fought and died for that symbol
Also GOP: hahaha the White House is ours and we'll bulldoze it if we like, just be glad we left you the other half for now
Also GOP: hahaha the White House is ours and we'll bulldoze it if we like, just be glad we left you the other half for now
October 24, 2025 at 8:52 PM
GOP: burning a flag disrespects the people who fought and died for that symbol
Also GOP: hahaha the White House is ours and we'll bulldoze it if we like, just be glad we left you the other half for now
Also GOP: hahaha the White House is ours and we'll bulldoze it if we like, just be glad we left you the other half for now
Reposted by Derek Balling
Sweeeeeeet.
Spinal Tap Concert at Stonehenge | The Final Finale
YouTube video by Spinal Tap
youtu.be
October 24, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Sweeeeeeet.
@zero-point-zero.bsky.social you misspelled Harley Davidson your profile FYI… tried to PM you but couldn’t
October 23, 2025 at 2:07 AM
@zero-point-zero.bsky.social you misspelled Harley Davidson your profile FYI… tried to PM you but couldn’t
Reposted by Derek Balling
In the audience tonight is Charlotte Bennett, one of the 13 women that Andrew Cuomo is credibly alleged to have sexually harassed while they worked in his government.
She can't speak for herself because Cuomo's lawyers have hounded her.
So I confronted him.
She can't speak for herself because Cuomo's lawyers have hounded her.
So I confronted him.
October 23, 2025 at 12:27 AM
In the audience tonight is Charlotte Bennett, one of the 13 women that Andrew Cuomo is credibly alleged to have sexually harassed while they worked in his government.
She can't speak for herself because Cuomo's lawyers have hounded her.
So I confronted him.
She can't speak for herself because Cuomo's lawyers have hounded her.
So I confronted him.
Remember that because AWS is "back up and running" doesn't mean your favorite AWS-using web site is.
Far too many sites partake of the "cheapness of AWS" without also building in the "requirement to be resilient to outage" that cloud-use needs.
They may still be recovering from their bad design.
Far too many sites partake of the "cheapness of AWS" without also building in the "requirement to be resilient to outage" that cloud-use needs.
They may still be recovering from their bad design.
October 22, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Remember that because AWS is "back up and running" doesn't mean your favorite AWS-using web site is.
Far too many sites partake of the "cheapness of AWS" without also building in the "requirement to be resilient to outage" that cloud-use needs.
They may still be recovering from their bad design.
Far too many sites partake of the "cheapness of AWS" without also building in the "requirement to be resilient to outage" that cloud-use needs.
They may still be recovering from their bad design.
Reposted by Derek Balling
Reposted by Derek Balling
"How dare you call us Nazis!" say the Hitler-loving racism enthusiasts who openly fantasize about torture, rape, and putting their political enemies in gas chambers.
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
October 15, 2025 at 2:18 PM
"How dare you call us Nazis!" say the Hitler-loving racism enthusiasts who openly fantasize about torture, rape, and putting their political enemies in gas chambers.
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
Sure, I *could* reply "STOP" to prevent all the Winsome Earle-Sears spams, dozens daily, her campaign keeps sending me begging for money, but it pleases me to just "Delete and report as spam", knowing each one costs her campaign a small amount to deliver to me.
October 14, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Sure, I *could* reply "STOP" to prevent all the Winsome Earle-Sears spams, dozens daily, her campaign keeps sending me begging for money, but it pleases me to just "Delete and report as spam", knowing each one costs her campaign a small amount to deliver to me.
Reposted by Derek Balling
It’s that time of year again
October 13, 2025 at 1:38 PM
It’s that time of year again
Reposted by Derek Balling
Courtesy of colleagues at Penn
October 12, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Courtesy of colleagues at Penn
Reposted by Derek Balling
Johnson is out of touch with reality
October 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Johnson is out of touch with reality
Reposted by Derek Balling
I thought the one where he was a Black Panther was in poor taste
Jess Waters recycling the same guy over and over to represent “former” different enemies
October 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I thought the one where he was a Black Panther was in poor taste