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 saying…. In the 18th Century, a bunch of under-equipped civilians went to war with the greatest military power on earth for a whole lot less than what the Federal Government is doing to its subjects now.
January 17, 2026 at 8:05 PM
Just saying…. In the 18th Century, a bunch of under-equipped civilians went to war with the greatest military power on earth for a whole lot less than what the Federal Government is doing to its subjects now.
I’ve been working on this ChatGPT model for the past several months, asking it to calculate the odds of being 1930s Germany, or an “illiberal middle ground”, or “constitutional guard rails hold up and course-correct”.
Current likelihood: 34%, 66%, 0%
Current likelihood: 34%, 66%, 0%
January 16, 2026 at 1:52 AM
I’ve been working on this ChatGPT model for the past several months, asking it to calculate the odds of being 1930s Germany, or an “illiberal middle ground”, or “constitutional guard rails hold up and course-correct”.
Current likelihood: 34%, 66%, 0%
Current likelihood: 34%, 66%, 0%
The proper response to “show me your proof of citizenship” is “fuck all the way off”.
That level of defiance against tyrannical orders should be proof enough of your being a natural born citizen.
That level of defiance against tyrannical orders should be proof enough of your being a natural born citizen.
January 16, 2026 at 1:08 AM
The proper response to “show me your proof of citizenship” is “fuck all the way off”.
That level of defiance against tyrannical orders should be proof enough of your being a natural born citizen.
That level of defiance against tyrannical orders should be proof enough of your being a natural born citizen.
Really need to watch Inglourious Basterds again.
January 15, 2026 at 3:34 AM
Really need to watch Inglourious Basterds again.
Saw that Emo Phillips is back out on tour. Look, Emo was never really _my_ thing, but I'm so ridiculously happy that there's enough people out there that he IS their thing that he's still able to book tours. Great to see a quirky oddball comic playing the long game like that.
January 12, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Saw that Emo Phillips is back out on tour. Look, Emo was never really _my_ thing, but I'm so ridiculously happy that there's enough people out there that he IS their thing that he's still able to book tours. Great to see a quirky oddball comic playing the long game like that.
Reposted by Derek Balling
Orphaned
Cartoon by Nick Anderson
Cartoon by Nick Anderson
January 10, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Orphaned
Cartoon by Nick Anderson
Cartoon by Nick Anderson
Reposted by Derek Balling
Mayor Jacob Frey: “To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis.”
January 7, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Mayor Jacob Frey: “To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis.”
Reposted by Derek Balling
An irony long lamented by the singer:
Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman says POTUS doesn't realize he's "the person who I’m screaming about in the song on all three counts"
consequence.net/2025/08/john...
Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman says POTUS doesn't realize he's "the person who I’m screaming about in the song on all three counts"
consequence.net/2025/08/john...
John Fogerty Says It's "Hilarious" Trump Still Misses the Irony of Playing "Fortunate Son" at His Rallies
Creedence Clearwater Revival singer John Fogerty says Donald Trump's continued misunderstanding of the lyrics to "Fortunate Son" is "hilarious."
consequence.net
January 3, 2026 at 8:51 PM
An irony long lamented by the singer:
Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman says POTUS doesn't realize he's "the person who I’m screaming about in the song on all three counts"
consequence.net/2025/08/john...
Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman says POTUS doesn't realize he's "the person who I’m screaming about in the song on all three counts"
consequence.net/2025/08/john...
Colombia requested an emergency session of the UN Security Council, which will inevitably show how useless the UN structural design is, when the US vetoes any action against the US for the US's international criming.
January 3, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Colombia requested an emergency session of the UN Security Council, which will inevitably show how useless the UN structural design is, when the US vetoes any action against the US for the US's international criming.
If Denmark doesn't look at Venezuela as a warning sign and immediately fully deploy defense forces on Greenland, then they are naive fools.
January 3, 2026 at 7:56 PM
If Denmark doesn't look at Venezuela as a warning sign and immediately fully deploy defense forces on Greenland, then they are naive fools.
Well, sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit. :-(
RIP.
RIP.
Isiah Whitlock Jr., ‘The Wire’ and ‘Veep’ Actor, Dies at 71
He appeared in several films for Spike Lee, including '25th Hour,' 'BlacKkKlansman' and 'Da 5 Bloods.'
www.hollywoodreporter.com
December 30, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Well, sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit. :-(
RIP.
RIP.
@theonion.com how were y'all managing to create AI Slop in 2009?
Where're this girl's legs at, my dudes?
Where're this girl's legs at, my dudes?
December 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
@theonion.com how were y'all managing to create AI Slop in 2009?
Where're this girl's legs at, my dudes?
Where're this girl's legs at, my dudes?
Whoever programmed Apple Music is a Bad Bad Person.
“Play Christmas Music” has Whamageddon in heavy rotation (heard it three times in an hour)
That’s not AI…. That’s an intentional hateful act.
“Play Christmas Music” has Whamageddon in heavy rotation (heard it three times in an hour)
That’s not AI…. That’s an intentional hateful act.
December 25, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Whoever programmed Apple Music is a Bad Bad Person.
“Play Christmas Music” has Whamageddon in heavy rotation (heard it three times in an hour)
That’s not AI…. That’s an intentional hateful act.
“Play Christmas Music” has Whamageddon in heavy rotation (heard it three times in an hour)
That’s not AI…. That’s an intentional hateful act.
Fun fact: Any National Guard soldier who obeys an order to deploy in a US city is - prima facie - obeying an illegal order. SCOTUS has ruled, and there is no higher authority on the matter of that illegality.
December 24, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Fun fact: Any National Guard soldier who obeys an order to deploy in a US city is - prima facie - obeying an illegal order. SCOTUS has ruled, and there is no higher authority on the matter of that illegality.
“What’s that?”
“An atom bomb.”
IYKYK
“An atom bomb.”
IYKYK
December 24, 2025 at 4:25 AM
“What’s that?”
“An atom bomb.”
IYKYK
“An atom bomb.”
IYKYK
Reposted by Derek Balling
All of these bootlegged copies of the 60 Minutes segment flooding my feed (saying, ‘Watch it quick! Before it disappears!’) makes me feel like I’m in the Soviet Union and just got some black market foreign newspaper I need to hide under a floorboard in my house.
This is where America is now
This is where America is now
December 23, 2025 at 1:58 AM
All of these bootlegged copies of the 60 Minutes segment flooding my feed (saying, ‘Watch it quick! Before it disappears!’) makes me feel like I’m in the Soviet Union and just got some black market foreign newspaper I need to hide under a floorboard in my house.
This is where America is now
This is where America is now
My town is enacting a ban on gas-fuel leafblowers in favor of electric. OK, fine. Today my gutter cleaning people came by and they used their blowers to melt the frozen-ice-leaves in the gutter. That won't be possible next winter because the electric ones don't actively heat the air.
December 17, 2025 at 3:46 PM
My town is enacting a ban on gas-fuel leafblowers in favor of electric. OK, fine. Today my gutter cleaning people came by and they used their blowers to melt the frozen-ice-leaves in the gutter. That won't be possible next winter because the electric ones don't actively heat the air.
I want to start a charitable organization whose purpose is (1) obtain cases of books that are "banned" from public libraries, and then (2) sit in front of those libraries in vans giving the books away for free to whoever wants them.
Anything the powers that be DON'T want you to read, you should.
Anything the powers that be DON'T want you to read, you should.
December 16, 2025 at 12:38 PM
I want to start a charitable organization whose purpose is (1) obtain cases of books that are "banned" from public libraries, and then (2) sit in front of those libraries in vans giving the books away for free to whoever wants them.
Anything the powers that be DON'T want you to read, you should.
Anything the powers that be DON'T want you to read, you should.
I don’t know which will be more of a nutpunch - losing Rob Reiner or having to hear Herr Orange shit-talk him after he finds out he’s passed.
December 15, 2025 at 2:37 AM
I don’t know which will be more of a nutpunch - losing Rob Reiner or having to hear Herr Orange shit-talk him after he finds out he’s passed.
Watching the trailer for "Knight of the Seven Kingdoms", all I can think is "didn't Heath Ledger do this role already in 'A Knight's Tale'?" Why are we rebooting perfection.
December 8, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Watching the trailer for "Knight of the Seven Kingdoms", all I can think is "didn't Heath Ledger do this role already in 'A Knight's Tale'?" Why are we rebooting perfection.
Fuck yeah! Glad to see this finally found a home!
RoboCop statue rises in Detroit: ‘Big, beautiful, bronze piece of art’
A 15-year quest ends with a monument, drawing crowds and nostalgia as Detroit embraces its cult-film past
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Fuck yeah! Glad to see this finally found a home!
