Derek Balling
derekballing.com
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."
Just fire up AppleTV. Watch it as many times as you like.
December 24, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I _NEEDED_ that Canada bit to be done with the Game of Thrones meme image. In a visceral way.

So….
December 23, 2025 at 11:05 PM
I've never understood why journalists can't simply "release the story themselves". Certainly they can't use any CBS-owned video (because that's copyrighted) but it seems like they could *write and publish* an independent story based on their own inteviews and knowledge gained.
December 22, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I've lost track of how many people I've sent to this page in the last couple weeks. So many people truly don't understand it. And the fact that there are actual legislators who just want to repeal it entirely, rather than attempt to fix its (as you say) actual problems, is terrifying.
Hello! You've Been Referred Here Because You're Wrong About Section 230 Of The Communications Decency Act
Hello! Someone has referred you to this post because you’ve said something quite wrong about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. I apologize if it feels a bit cold and rude to resp…
www.techdirt.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:59 PM
I honestly don't know if it's streaming anywhere. I just went looking for it myself and couldn't find it in any of the places I'd've expected it.

IFC's been through so many reorgs/acquisitions in the last 20 years that I'm not even sure they know they own it to put it somewhere visible for the 40th
December 19, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Selfish plug for my wife’s work… she did a special for IFC for the 20th anniversary that interviews rock stars about Tap, and those interviews are amazing.

www.imdb.com/title/tt0433...
Spinal Tap Goes to 20 (TV Movie 2004) ⭐ 6.4 | Documentary, Comedy, Music
25m
www.imdb.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:53 AM
"Largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America".

LOL.

Her Majesty's Royal Navy During The Falklands War has entered the chat.
December 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
You need a Senate supermajority, not just a majority, and that's not (generally) "in the cards" under any of the midterm models.
December 17, 2025 at 9:40 PM
The only court Herr Orange seems to pay even a little attention to is SCOTUS so they might be taking it on the premise of shutting him down on that front.
December 14, 2025 at 11:25 PM
There’s no reason to believe SCOTUS is going to radically misinterpret 14A to end birthright citizenship.
December 14, 2025 at 5:17 PM
The thing with civil rights is you can’t just take them away from everyone without violating the constitution. You can do it for individuals, through Due Process.

If you don’t like that this is a civil right, I direct you to Article V for how to make it not be a civil right anymore. Good luck. LOL
December 14, 2025 at 3:37 AM
There’s a difference between preemptive restrictions and reactive restrictions.

Gun control is preemptive, assuming that people can’t be allowed to exercise their rights. There’s already plenty of rules for reactive restrictions, for when you demonstrate that you can’t be trusted with a gun.
December 14, 2025 at 3:31 AM
I’ve spent more than my share of time at a range, thanks, and I’m not saying “everyone should have a gun” (nice strawman though)… I think it’s not the place of the government to violate the 2nd amendment and preemptively decide who can and can’t have what.
December 14, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Still not sure why you’re so fixated on the NRA, when I don’t even support them. You seem a little obsessed.
December 14, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Did he tell you that when you chatted? Oh, right, you’re just making shit up because that’s what serves your own personal preferences.

In fact colonial Americans could own fucking artillery (cannons) so maybe pick up a history book or something.
December 14, 2025 at 2:24 AM
The point is that you’re assuming I pay fealty to the NRA or hold it in some esteem or something, and that’s just not the case.

But Don Pardo will tell you what your consolation prizes are…
December 14, 2025 at 2:15 AM