Hal Duncan
@halduncan.com
Writer, editor, gardener--sometimes even in that order.
Queer. He/thon, but mainly just cause thon's a guid Scots pronoun fur aebdy, whitever thur gender.
Contact: hal AT halduncan DOT com
Queer. He/thon, but mainly just cause thon's a guid Scots pronoun fur aebdy, whitever thur gender.
Contact: hal AT halduncan DOT com
Pinned
Hal Duncan
@halduncan.com
· May 7
your intermittent reminder that the left/right axis is a spatial metaphor, not a reality, that the "centre" is not in fact a moderate middle ground but rather the *centre of power & privilege* protected by the vulgarly overt antisocialists operating on behalf of the polite paternalist antisocialists
nobody's saying it's crazy though, they're saying it's cowardice and complicity, and correctly identifying the vapid careerism of neoliberal cunts thinking only of their own position at the centre of power & privilege doesn't make them any less unconscionable in their ruling class priorities
People are waving around 50/50 polling on abolish ICE and in the same poll Trump’s is like 30 points under water on affordability. It’s not at all crazy for professional politicians to think there’s a bigger advantage in talking about the latter!
January 22, 2026 at 7:03 AM
nobody's saying it's crazy though, they're saying it's cowardice and complicity, and correctly identifying the vapid careerism of neoliberal cunts thinking only of their own position at the centre of power & privilege doesn't make them any less unconscionable in their ruling class priorities
Reposted by Hal Duncan
Respectfully, look at this fucking bullshit that we’re dealing with, not a single person here has “taken the bait.” We have born witness as little kids are used as bait and neighbors are kidnapped on our streets. A mad dipshit is going to invoke the Insurrection Act regardless and you are blaming us
Violence only helps Trump & may provide him an excuse to further trample our rights by invoking the Insurrection Act.
January 22, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Respectfully, look at this fucking bullshit that we’re dealing with, not a single person here has “taken the bait.” We have born witness as little kids are used as bait and neighbors are kidnapped on our streets. A mad dipshit is going to invoke the Insurrection Act regardless and you are blaming us
it's not anti-law enforcement opposing lawless agents of state terror. saying you want to stop the lawless agents of state terror, abolish the agency that's been turned into a lawless force of state terror, and in fact bring the terrorists to justice is a fairly solid "we want law & order" position.
To quote one source:
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, it’s not going away.”
prospect.org/2026/01/21/j...
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, it’s not going away.”
prospect.org/2026/01/21/j...
Jeffries Won’t Whip Vote Against ICE Funding - The American Prospect
While the House Democratic leader announced personal opposition to a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, he won’t pressure his colleagues to do the same.
prospect.org
January 22, 2026 at 2:11 AM
it's not anti-law enforcement opposing lawless agents of state terror. saying you want to stop the lawless agents of state terror, abolish the agency that's been turned into a lawless force of state terror, and in fact bring the terrorists to justice is a fairly solid "we want law & order" position.
Reposted by Hal Duncan
This is why I always emphasize that "the media just likes Trump for clicks and ratings" is not accurate. The Jeffrey Epstein scandal is the worst in political history and instead of sensationalizing it, they repeatedly minimize it and downplay it despite massive public interest
public perception says mainstream media is sensationalist, lusts for scandal, will make anything up to sell papers and get clicks etc.,
and then this particular president does like 10 scandals a day and mainstream media insists on describing his actions in the most uninteresting way possible
and then this particular president does like 10 scandals a day and mainstream media insists on describing his actions in the most uninteresting way possible
Right on cue, here are the push alerts from the 3 major newspapers lmao
January 21, 2026 at 5:03 PM
This is why I always emphasize that "the media just likes Trump for clicks and ratings" is not accurate. The Jeffrey Epstein scandal is the worst in political history and instead of sensationalizing it, they repeatedly minimize it and downplay it despite massive public interest
Reposted by Hal Duncan
"The train? Pulled off on a spur in the warming grass, it was old, yes, and welded tight with rust, but it looked like a titanic magnet that had collected to itself, from locomotive boneyards across three continents, drive shafts, flywheels, smoke stacks, and hand-me-down second-rate nightmares."
January 21, 2026 at 5:44 PM
"The train? Pulled off on a spur in the warming grass, it was old, yes, and welded tight with rust, but it looked like a titanic magnet that had collected to itself, from locomotive boneyards across three continents, drive shafts, flywheels, smoke stacks, and hand-me-down second-rate nightmares."
Reposted by Hal Duncan
Gary Larson: In my cartoon I invented Cow Tools as a cautionary tale
Cows: At long last, we have created the Cow Tools from classic newspaper comic Cow Tools
Cows: At long last, we have created the Cow Tools from classic newspaper comic Cow Tools
January 19, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Gary Larson: In my cartoon I invented Cow Tools as a cautionary tale
Cows: At long last, we have created the Cow Tools from classic newspaper comic Cow Tools
Cows: At long last, we have created the Cow Tools from classic newspaper comic Cow Tools
big screaming cowboy energy
January 21, 2026 at 8:08 AM
big screaming cowboy energy
I remember it as having some folksy cracker barrel wisdom about how that there science malarkey is all very well but you gots to have faith too, with the magical library bit at the end being about how right that was, but my memory's shite to be fair
As I recall, Interstellar is about a simple dirt farmer during the Great Depression who makes some really bad decisions and eventually gets trapped in a magical library that lets him throw books at his daughter. Am I misremembering?
January 21, 2026 at 7:37 AM
I remember it as having some folksy cracker barrel wisdom about how that there science malarkey is all very well but you gots to have faith too, with the magical library bit at the end being about how right that was, but my memory's shite to be fair
I watched one episode of a Thai BL with AI subtitles on iQIYI and it was gibberish, only realised it was AI because they were so bad I looked at the subtitles dropdown in bafflement
The translation of subtitles is really complex. You’ve got to ensure that the individual sections make sense cause there’s only so much that fits on the screen in each scene. And word choice is critical - something that AI regularly messes up. This won’t go well.
Netflix has confirmed plans ramp up AI use with subtitle localization and advertisement creation for its subscribers in 2026. https://bit.ly/3NwBgRo
January 21, 2026 at 6:53 AM
I watched one episode of a Thai BL with AI subtitles on iQIYI and it was gibberish, only realised it was AI because they were so bad I looked at the subtitles dropdown in bafflement
Reposted by Hal Duncan
The translation of subtitles is really complex. You’ve got to ensure that the individual sections make sense cause there’s only so much that fits on the screen in each scene. And word choice is critical - something that AI regularly messes up. This won’t go well.
Netflix has confirmed plans ramp up AI use with subtitle localization and advertisement creation for its subscribers in 2026. https://bit.ly/3NwBgRo
January 21, 2026 at 6:24 AM
The translation of subtitles is really complex. You’ve got to ensure that the individual sections make sense cause there’s only so much that fits on the screen in each scene. And word choice is critical - something that AI regularly messes up. This won’t go well.
Is Thatcher dead yet web page but for Trump and more advanced for the age of smartphones, why isn’t this already a thing?
OMG there should be an app that lets you know.
January 21, 2026 at 6:46 AM
Is Thatcher dead yet web page but for Trump and more advanced for the age of smartphones, why isn’t this already a thing?
And also possibly currently located in the icy waters of the North Atlantic 🤞
January 21, 2026 at 5:55 AM
And also possibly currently located in the icy waters of the North Atlantic 🤞
*Benoit Blanc voice*
So ah put it to yooou that nobody saw the President *leave* the plane...
because the President wasn't onnnn the plane *to begin with*!
Not since somewheyah ovah the icy cold of the Atlantic!
So ah put it to yooou that nobody saw the President *leave* the plane...
because the President wasn't onnnn the plane *to begin with*!
Not since somewheyah ovah the icy cold of the Atlantic!
So what I’m getting from this is no independent reporter can currently confirm if the President is alive. Is that correct?
January 21, 2026 at 5:50 AM
*Benoit Blanc voice*
So ah put it to yooou that nobody saw the President *leave* the plane...
because the President wasn't onnnn the plane *to begin with*!
Not since somewheyah ovah the icy cold of the Atlantic!
So ah put it to yooou that nobody saw the President *leave* the plane...
because the President wasn't onnnn the plane *to begin with*!
Not since somewheyah ovah the icy cold of the Atlantic!
Reposted by Hal Duncan
If we all start going "That isn't Donald Trump, that's clearly a body double" I bet we can make everyone in the White House lose their minds within a week. But we have to _commit_ to it.
January 21, 2026 at 4:58 AM
If we all start going "That isn't Donald Trump, that's clearly a body double" I bet we can make everyone in the White House lose their minds within a week. But we have to _commit_ to it.
The *really* savvy Praetorian Guard move would be to make the second plane have an "accident" so all the investigation is focused on that and nobody ever suspects he was actually already dead, chucked out of the first plane, you'd need Benoit Blanc to solve *that* sneaky shit
Pool report timed 11:53pm:
“Pool didn’t see POTUS board replacement AF1, which is the smaller aircraft (757). Sending now as cell coverage poor inside this plane. We will be wheels up for Zurich at some point soon.”
“Pool didn’t see POTUS board replacement AF1, which is the smaller aircraft (757). Sending now as cell coverage poor inside this plane. We will be wheels up for Zurich at some point soon.”
January 21, 2026 at 5:40 AM
The *really* savvy Praetorian Guard move would be to make the second plane have an "accident" so all the investigation is focused on that and nobody ever suspects he was actually already dead, chucked out of the first plane, you'd need Benoit Blanc to solve *that* sneaky shit
you might think they didn't want the press to a close-up view of Trump getting carried off the original plane in a pair of sunglasses Weekend at Bernies style, but I choose to believe they didn't want them to see that he wasn't on the plane at all anymore, not since somewhere over the icy Atlantic
New pool report: “Pool left AF1 and was in position for President Trump to walk off. But then we were directed back on the same plane and now holding.
Two replacement planes are on tarmac.”
Two replacement planes are on tarmac.”
January 21, 2026 at 5:36 AM
you might think they didn't want the press to a close-up view of Trump getting carried off the original plane in a pair of sunglasses Weekend at Bernies style, but I choose to believe they didn't want them to see that he wasn't on the plane at all anymore, not since somewhere over the icy Atlantic
Reposted by Hal Duncan
Not betting that It or even Something has happened, but it would be very funny if it did and meanwhile the WH press corps is stuck on a flight to Switzerland.
Pool report timed 11:53pm:
“Pool didn’t see POTUS board replacement AF1, which is the smaller aircraft (757). Sending now as cell coverage poor inside this plane. We will be wheels up for Zurich at some point soon.”
“Pool didn’t see POTUS board replacement AF1, which is the smaller aircraft (757). Sending now as cell coverage poor inside this plane. We will be wheels up for Zurich at some point soon.”
January 21, 2026 at 5:27 AM
Not betting that It or even Something has happened, but it would be very funny if it did and meanwhile the WH press corps is stuck on a flight to Switzerland.
Reposted by Hal Duncan
What if he emerged fine and we were all like awwwwww then he tripped and fell down every stair and that's how it happened
January 21, 2026 at 5:11 AM
What if he emerged fine and we were all like awwwwww then he tripped and fell down every stair and that's how it happened
I hope it's just the Mad King deciding on a whim that he doesn't want to go after all, but that he'll change his mind again when the plane's only halfway home, and that he'll just keep doing that until it runs out of fuel and falls out of the sky mid-Atlantic
January 21, 2026 at 5:03 AM
I hope it's just the Mad King deciding on a whim that he doesn't want to go after all, but that he'll change his mind again when the plane's only halfway home, and that he'll just keep doing that until it runs out of fuel and falls out of the sky mid-Atlantic
Reposted by Hal Duncan
This is why calling them weird creeps was so effective, not just to damage the leadership psychologically, but to make it extremely socially embarrassing to be a known supporter of them in the general public. The point is to make society at large view them as they are, not the force they wish to be.
New polling data shows that it's getting increasingly embarrassing to identify as a Republican, and some Trump voters are slinking away and pretending it never happened.
www.salon.com/2026/01/19/s...
www.salon.com/2026/01/19/s...
Some Trump voters are sneaking away
They'll never admit they're wrong, but polling reveals quiet GOP regret
www.salon.com
January 20, 2026 at 8:31 PM
This is why calling them weird creeps was so effective, not just to damage the leadership psychologically, but to make it extremely socially embarrassing to be a known supporter of them in the general public. The point is to make society at large view them as they are, not the force they wish to be.
*Andrew Cuomo, who asked to remain anonymous...
If they keep publishing stories like this there’s going to be a movement to amend the constitution so Mamdani can run for president.
January 21, 2026 at 4:58 AM
*Andrew Cuomo, who asked to remain anonymous...
Reposted by Hal Duncan
lol shut up loser
January 20, 2026 at 2:30 PM
lol shut up loser
Reposted by Hal Duncan
I want to emphasize that at this time the unconfirmed reports that President Trump has both arms stuck "elbow deep" in the airplane toilet are just that. We will be monitoring this story. Please be responsible about spreading news that both his arms are "as far as they can go" into the toilet hole.
January 21, 2026 at 4:07 AM
I want to emphasize that at this time the unconfirmed reports that President Trump has both arms stuck "elbow deep" in the airplane toilet are just that. We will be monitoring this story. Please be responsible about spreading news that both his arms are "as far as they can go" into the toilet hole.
Reposted by Hal Duncan
As someone who volunteers in local Democratic politics I want to once again remind the Bluesky community that the Democratic base is your friend, and LIGHT YEARS ahead of the national party leaders on literally every issue
This poll shows that 74% of Democrats support abolishing ICE, with 53% *strongly* supporting getting rid of the agency.
Any elected Democrat who wants ICE to exist is outside the mainstream of their party and the people they purport to represent.
Any elected Democrat who wants ICE to exist is outside the mainstream of their party and the people they purport to represent.
YouGov poll - In the future, would you support or oppose...
Eliminating ICE as a federal agency?
Support 42%
Oppose 45%
Reducing ICE’s size and funding
Support 48%
Oppose 37%
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/IC...
Eliminating ICE as a federal agency?
Support 42%
Oppose 45%
Reducing ICE’s size and funding
Support 48%
Oppose 37%
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/IC...
January 21, 2026 at 3:01 AM
As someone who volunteers in local Democratic politics I want to once again remind the Bluesky community that the Democratic base is your friend, and LIGHT YEARS ahead of the national party leaders on literally every issue
Reposted by Hal Duncan
“I'm glad you have enough love in your life that that response comes naturally. If anything, you should be proud of that :)”
January 20, 2026 at 3:58 PM
“I'm glad you have enough love in your life that that response comes naturally. If anything, you should be proud of that :)”