ben vandgrift
@ben.vandgrift.com
recovering technologist, problem solver, gardener. coauthor of ‘clojure applied: from practice to practitioner’. currently: charlotte. soon: montevideo.
"disagree and commit" only works when the disagreement and a discussion about it happen _before_ a decision is made. if not, "disagree and commit" is just "shut up and do what you're told" with lipstick on.
October 1, 2026 at 6:51 PM
"disagree and commit" only works when the disagreement and a discussion about it happen _before_ a decision is made. if not, "disagree and commit" is just "shut up and do what you're told" with lipstick on.
this morning‘s random youtubing included the following: “if you’re judging wealth by purchasing power, you’re likely working harder and earning more while getting poorer” — @bennjordan.bsky.social
the rest of the video was interesting, but that line in particular hit pretty hard.
the rest of the video was interesting, but that line in particular hit pretty hard.
September 26, 2026 at 3:36 PM
this morning‘s random youtubing included the following: “if you’re judging wealth by purchasing power, you’re likely working harder and earning more while getting poorer” — @bennjordan.bsky.social
the rest of the video was interesting, but that line in particular hit pretty hard.
the rest of the video was interesting, but that line in particular hit pretty hard.
‘what do you do for a living?’
jet bridge operator: “i drive a hallway.”
jet bridge operator: “i drive a hallway.”
September 8, 2026 at 4:16 PM
‘what do you do for a living?’
jet bridge operator: “i drive a hallway.”
jet bridge operator: “i drive a hallway.”
oh: “i was born in the 80’s ffs. it’s a wonder i have any taste at all.”
July 9, 2026 at 3:19 AM
oh: “i was born in the 80’s ffs. it’s a wonder i have any taste at all.”
the gnawing fear that the food you cook is actually terrible but your friends are incredibly kind.
June 9, 2026 at 11:48 AM
the gnawing fear that the food you cook is actually terrible but your friends are incredibly kind.
i wish that “weekend at bernie’s” had a different title. if it were “weekend at arthur’s” or something i could make a crack about the cabinet propping up a near dead President Arthur without being sad the DNC and the media sank bernie sanders and gave us our current situation.
May 28, 2026 at 2:47 PM
i wish that “weekend at bernie’s” had a different title. if it were “weekend at arthur’s” or something i could make a crack about the cabinet propping up a near dead President Arthur without being sad the DNC and the media sank bernie sanders and gave us our current situation.
because if you allow for mail-in ballots, you don’t have the opportunity for voter intimidation. obviously.
March 26, 2026 at 5:21 PM
because if you allow for mail-in ballots, you don’t have the opportunity for voter intimidation. obviously.
“nothing has hurt the history of architecture as much as the notion that it is a history of architectural _techniques_, instead of a history of architectural _ideas_ — which took their techniques when and where they found them.” — parapheased from ‘the decline of the west’ by oswald spengler
March 19, 2026 at 9:23 AM
“nothing has hurt the history of architecture as much as the notion that it is a history of architectural _techniques_, instead of a history of architectural _ideas_ — which took their techniques when and where they found them.” — parapheased from ‘the decline of the west’ by oswald spengler
OH: “the people with the money don’t have the balls, the people with the balls don’t have the money.”
hearing that hurt me deeply in a necessary way.
hearing that hurt me deeply in a necessary way.
February 21, 2026 at 6:24 AM
OH: “the people with the money don’t have the balls, the people with the balls don’t have the money.”
hearing that hurt me deeply in a necessary way.
hearing that hurt me deeply in a necessary way.
NC people, it’s worth showing up for the primary. your choices on the non-fascist side are:
- center right big business (Roy Cooper)
- no meaningful positions (Colon)
- religion-first messaging (Quick)
- some old weathy folk
and the guy who wants to flip over a table: www.justicewithdues.org
- center right big business (Roy Cooper)
- no meaningful positions (Colon)
- religion-first messaging (Quick)
- some old weathy folk
and the guy who wants to flip over a table: www.justicewithdues.org
Dues for Congress
The official site of Justin Dues — antiestablishment, reform-focused US Senate candidate for North Carolina. Explore his Project 2030 platform to restore integrity, fight corruption, fix healthcare, p...
www.justicewithdues.org
February 13, 2026 at 3:50 PM
NC people, it’s worth showing up for the primary. your choices on the non-fascist side are:
- center right big business (Roy Cooper)
- no meaningful positions (Colon)
- religion-first messaging (Quick)
- some old weathy folk
and the guy who wants to flip over a table: www.justicewithdues.org
- center right big business (Roy Cooper)
- no meaningful positions (Colon)
- religion-first messaging (Quick)
- some old weathy folk
and the guy who wants to flip over a table: www.justicewithdues.org
i can’t unhear the _influencer accent_. the strong upward lilt at the end of a phrase, like they’re asking a question instead of making a statement. it’s most prevalent in gen z influencers, but also can be heard in many millenial content creators.
December 8, 2025 at 3:19 PM
i can’t unhear the _influencer accent_. the strong upward lilt at the end of a phrase, like they’re asking a question instead of making a statement. it’s most prevalent in gen z influencers, but also can be heard in many millenial content creators.
Reposted by ben vandgrift
If “AI” did the thing, organizations would be bragging about the outcomes instead of jawing endlessly about the tools.
October 17, 2025 at 2:07 AM
If “AI” did the thing, organizations would be bragging about the outcomes instead of jawing endlessly about the tools.
every democrat fighting for a seat in next year’s election should include ‘publishing the names and photos of every ICE agent’ in their pitch
November 21, 2025 at 12:09 AM
every democrat fighting for a seat in next year’s election should include ‘publishing the names and photos of every ICE agent’ in their pitch
felt necessary to share this with otter people
November 13, 2025 at 11:14 AM
felt necessary to share this with otter people
Reposted by ben vandgrift
This is legit why exec level in a lot of places are obsessed with copilot.
It takes their word salad and turns it into a word salad that sounds smarter (but isn't).
It takes their word salad and turns it into a word salad that sounds smarter (but isn't).
Every office has an executive tier whose emails are like:
saw on news , , can we replce complianc dept with web 3
and a worker tier whose emails are like:
Dear Jim,
First of all, I *love* this idea! Unfortunately, I spoke with Legal and identified a few issues with this approach. For starters…
saw on news , , can we replce complianc dept with web 3
and a worker tier whose emails are like:
Dear Jim,
First of all, I *love* this idea! Unfortunately, I spoke with Legal and identified a few issues with this approach. For starters…
Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.
November 13, 2025 at 9:28 AM
This is legit why exec level in a lot of places are obsessed with copilot.
It takes their word salad and turns it into a word salad that sounds smarter (but isn't).
It takes their word salad and turns it into a word salad that sounds smarter (but isn't).
hey folks: take care of your people. if you’re in a position of influence or leadership, take care of your people. if they look up to you, take care of your people. even if you think maybe they need to have some sense slapped into them from time to time, take care of your people.
November 12, 2025 at 11:18 PM
hey folks: take care of your people. if you’re in a position of influence or leadership, take care of your people. if they look up to you, take care of your people. even if you think maybe they need to have some sense slapped into them from time to time, take care of your people.
can someone please tell me how i can both:
- make the world a better place
- continue be secure in my ability to eat and sleep under cover
given:
- not born/already rich
chatGPT has been no help
- make the world a better place
- continue be secure in my ability to eat and sleep under cover
given:
- not born/already rich
chatGPT has been no help
November 8, 2025 at 1:46 AM
can someone please tell me how i can both:
- make the world a better place
- continue be secure in my ability to eat and sleep under cover
given:
- not born/already rich
chatGPT has been no help
- make the world a better place
- continue be secure in my ability to eat and sleep under cover
given:
- not born/already rich
chatGPT has been no help
Reposted by ben vandgrift
It's official! The beta release of Eloquent Ruby, 2nd edition is now on sale!
pragprog.com/titles/eruby...
pragprog.com/titles/eruby...
Eloquent Ruby, Second Edition
Write elegant Ruby code--not just correct, but idiomatic. Go beyond the vocabulary and syntax and learn to express yourself with eloquence.
pragprog.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
It's official! The beta release of Eloquent Ruby, 2nd edition is now on sale!
pragprog.com/titles/eruby...
pragprog.com/titles/eruby...
on a woodworking forum i frequent:
“good enough” is the difference between fine woodworking and “it’s fine” woodworking.
the same is true for software.
shop shelves don’t have the same rules as kitchen cabinets.
“good enough” is the difference between fine woodworking and “it’s fine” woodworking.
the same is true for software.
shop shelves don’t have the same rules as kitchen cabinets.
November 1, 2025 at 1:48 PM
on a woodworking forum i frequent:
“good enough” is the difference between fine woodworking and “it’s fine” woodworking.
the same is true for software.
shop shelves don’t have the same rules as kitchen cabinets.
“good enough” is the difference between fine woodworking and “it’s fine” woodworking.
the same is true for software.
shop shelves don’t have the same rules as kitchen cabinets.
the end of SNAP benefits, if prolonged, will risk the existence of independent grocers in rural areas, and the big chains move in.
just like smaller farms will be forced to sell to bigger companies because of the tarriffs.
and that smaller hospitals will just vanish with the changes to medicare.
just like smaller farms will be forced to sell to bigger companies because of the tarriffs.
and that smaller hospitals will just vanish with the changes to medicare.
October 28, 2025 at 6:13 PM
the end of SNAP benefits, if prolonged, will risk the existence of independent grocers in rural areas, and the big chains move in.
just like smaller farms will be forced to sell to bigger companies because of the tarriffs.
and that smaller hospitals will just vanish with the changes to medicare.
just like smaller farms will be forced to sell to bigger companies because of the tarriffs.
and that smaller hospitals will just vanish with the changes to medicare.
now would be a good time to read up on Ferdinand Marcos and the ‘communist threat’ in the Philipines in 1972.
October 8, 2025 at 2:42 PM
now would be a good time to read up on Ferdinand Marcos and the ‘communist threat’ in the Philipines in 1972.
Reposted by ben vandgrift
Reposted by ben vandgrift
Never forget and never forgive the people who voted for him. They did this to us, and they must be forced to carry the shame for the rest of their miserable lives. We warned them, and they made fun of us. They own this. They own this forever, and I will never let them forget it.
I'm so embarrassed to be an American right now. Donald Trump is a senile old codger, standing before the United Nations, reading a speech clearly written by an alt right lunatic and a bunch of oil and gas lobbyists. Well done, U.S. voters. You really fucked this one up.
September 23, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Never forget and never forgive the people who voted for him. They did this to us, and they must be forced to carry the shame for the rest of their miserable lives. We warned them, and they made fun of us. They own this. They own this forever, and I will never let them forget it.