Gumphus
@gumphus.bsky.social
Midwest US attorney. “What can be said at all, can be said clearly.”
Every re-skeet is an emphatic and carefully-researched endorsement of the poster’s views, actions, and childhood misdeeds.
Every re-skeet is an emphatic and carefully-researched endorsement of the poster’s views, actions, and childhood misdeeds.
New article!
open.substack.com/pub/gumphus/...
open.substack.com/pub/gumphus/...
A Partial Defense of Singerism Against its Worthy Adversaries
On the Sublime Art of Bullet-Biting
open.substack.com
June 24, 2025 at 2:33 PM
New article!
open.substack.com/pub/gumphus/...
open.substack.com/pub/gumphus/...
An Attorney’s Guide to Semantics, Part 2
Man’s Search for Meanings
open.substack.com
June 8, 2025 at 3:47 AM
My latest article is set loose on the world! Subscribe to the Blog of Gumphus for more every week!
gumphus.substack.com/p/sense-cert...
gumphus.substack.com/p/sense-cert...
Sense-Certainty and Cocktails
A dialogue
gumphus.substack.com
April 13, 2025 at 8:19 PM
My latest article is set loose on the world! Subscribe to the Blog of Gumphus for more every week!
gumphus.substack.com/p/sense-cert...
gumphus.substack.com/p/sense-cert...
My latest blog post is out! I talk about what meanings aren’t, what they might be - and why it matters!
open.substack.com/pub/gumphus/...
open.substack.com/pub/gumphus/...
An Attorney's Guide to Semantics
Or in other words: How to Mean What You Say
open.substack.com
April 8, 2025 at 5:10 PM
My latest blog post is out! I talk about what meanings aren’t, what they might be - and why it matters!
open.substack.com/pub/gumphus/...
open.substack.com/pub/gumphus/...
I've written an article on the philosophy of semantics - please check it out! gumphus.substack.com/p/misuses-of...
Misuses of Meaning
A communist, a bishop, and Sam Harris walk into a bar...
gumphus.substack.com
March 31, 2025 at 1:24 AM
I've written an article on the philosophy of semantics - please check it out! gumphus.substack.com/p/misuses-of...
I know there were a lot of reasons to remember the name - luck, skill, concentrated power of will, etc.
But I’ve forgotten it anyways. Not sure I ever knew it
But I’ve forgotten it anyways. Not sure I ever knew it
February 17, 2025 at 1:12 PM
I know there were a lot of reasons to remember the name - luck, skill, concentrated power of will, etc.
But I’ve forgotten it anyways. Not sure I ever knew it
But I’ve forgotten it anyways. Not sure I ever knew it
Reposted by Gumphus
John Fetterman’s a disgrace to the oaf community. He does not represent America’s lumbering buffoons, ham-fisted galoots, or men whose heavy footsteps are soundtracked by a tuba.
January 26, 2025 at 6:47 AM
John Fetterman’s a disgrace to the oaf community. He does not represent America’s lumbering buffoons, ham-fisted galoots, or men whose heavy footsteps are soundtracked by a tuba.
Reposted by Gumphus
There is far more money to be made in housing than rocket launches. The reason there is no Elon Musk of housing is that it is several orders of magnitude harder than rockets.
November 22, 2024 at 3:02 PM
There is far more money to be made in housing than rocket launches. The reason there is no Elon Musk of housing is that it is several orders of magnitude harder than rockets.
*politician who really likes Mariokart*
“Mariokart will be protected in Oklahoma schools. We are ending ‘not Mariokart’ as a state sponsored videogame.”
“Mariokart will be protected in Oklahoma schools. We are ending ‘not Mariokart’ as a state sponsored videogame.”
November 22, 2024 at 3:31 PM
*politician who really likes Mariokart*
“Mariokart will be protected in Oklahoma schools. We are ending ‘not Mariokart’ as a state sponsored videogame.”
“Mariokart will be protected in Oklahoma schools. We are ending ‘not Mariokart’ as a state sponsored videogame.”
Reposted by Gumphus
Atheism isn’t a religion, and it’s never been promoted in any public school in Oklahoma or any other state.
What Walters wants to end is secularism, the option to believe or not believe in whatever you want while at school.
What Walters wants to end is secularism, the option to believe or not believe in whatever you want while at school.
November 17, 2024 at 2:15 PM
Atheism isn’t a religion, and it’s never been promoted in any public school in Oklahoma or any other state.
What Walters wants to end is secularism, the option to believe or not believe in whatever you want while at school.
What Walters wants to end is secularism, the option to believe or not believe in whatever you want while at school.
“Breaking with norms?”
Very tired of how headlines keep using tender, loving language to refer to Trump, as though he is a little rascal but really a good kid when you get to know him
We need to see more headlines like “Trump neglects to check whether nominees threaten national security”
Very tired of how headlines keep using tender, loving language to refer to Trump, as though he is a little rascal but really a good kid when you get to know him
We need to see more headlines like “Trump neglects to check whether nominees threaten national security”
The Trump transition team is breaking with norms in selecting Cabinet picks
FBI background checks and ethics agreements are a standard part of vetting cabinet nominees. But, so far, the Trump transition is going its own way.
www.npr.org
November 22, 2024 at 3:18 PM
“Breaking with norms?”
Very tired of how headlines keep using tender, loving language to refer to Trump, as though he is a little rascal but really a good kid when you get to know him
We need to see more headlines like “Trump neglects to check whether nominees threaten national security”
Very tired of how headlines keep using tender, loving language to refer to Trump, as though he is a little rascal but really a good kid when you get to know him
We need to see more headlines like “Trump neglects to check whether nominees threaten national security”
Reposted by Gumphus
this is like something a character in Animal Farm would say, and every 6th grader in the classroom would understand why it's wrong www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/o...
November 19, 2024 at 2:06 PM
this is like something a character in Animal Farm would say, and every 6th grader in the classroom would understand why it's wrong www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/o...
Trump announces pick for Nuclear Regulatory Commission - an outsider with “unorthodox” and “controversial” views
November 19, 2024 at 3:47 PM
Trump announces pick for Nuclear Regulatory Commission - an outsider with “unorthodox” and “controversial” views
PSA: please use a clean surface when taking X, you don’t want an infection
I just took X off of my phone
November 18, 2024 at 8:45 PM
PSA: please use a clean surface when taking X, you don’t want an infection
Reposted by Gumphus
making the new guy do drugs to make sure he isn't a cop
November 17, 2024 at 4:35 PM
making the new guy do drugs to make sure he isn't a cop
breaking: in a 5-4 ruling, the US Supreme Court has held that defecting in the prisoner’s dilemma is “every person’s right” and “basically fine, not a big deal”
November 17, 2024 at 4:31 PM
breaking: in a 5-4 ruling, the US Supreme Court has held that defecting in the prisoner’s dilemma is “every person’s right” and “basically fine, not a big deal”
My two cents on the “echo chambers” thing - dialogue can benefit from disagreement, but disagreement does not in and of itself lead to good dialogue.
Perfectly sensible to block someone if they’re annoying, stupid, or simply a bad person. The devil does just fine without devil’s advocates
1/2
Perfectly sensible to block someone if they’re annoying, stupid, or simply a bad person. The devil does just fine without devil’s advocates
1/2
November 17, 2024 at 4:12 PM
My two cents on the “echo chambers” thing - dialogue can benefit from disagreement, but disagreement does not in and of itself lead to good dialogue.
Perfectly sensible to block someone if they’re annoying, stupid, or simply a bad person. The devil does just fine without devil’s advocates
1/2
Perfectly sensible to block someone if they’re annoying, stupid, or simply a bad person. The devil does just fine without devil’s advocates
1/2
“Trolling” strikes me as a very mild way to put it, like it’s a prank
“with the campaign of systematically sacking and burning the countryside, Genghis Khan is trolling Europe and the principle that people shouldn’t be lit on fire, and it could have devastating consequences.”
“with the campaign of systematically sacking and burning the countryside, Genghis Khan is trolling Europe and the principle that people shouldn’t be lit on fire, and it could have devastating consequences.”
Palm Beach state prosecutor Dave Aronberg: With the Matt Gaetz pick, Trump is trolling the DOJ and the rule of law, and it could have devastating consequences.
Trump Trolls the DOJ and the Rule of Law by Nominating Gaetz
Will Senate Republicans allow this to stand?
meidasnews.com
November 17, 2024 at 2:36 PM
“Trolling” strikes me as a very mild way to put it, like it’s a prank
“with the campaign of systematically sacking and burning the countryside, Genghis Khan is trolling Europe and the principle that people shouldn’t be lit on fire, and it could have devastating consequences.”
“with the campaign of systematically sacking and burning the countryside, Genghis Khan is trolling Europe and the principle that people shouldn’t be lit on fire, and it could have devastating consequences.”
Politics is just applied ethics. Ethics is just applied epistemology. Epistemology is just applied philosophy of language. And philosophy of language is just applied - well, what it’s applying depends on what you mean by “philosophy of language”
November 16, 2024 at 9:03 PM
Politics is just applied ethics. Ethics is just applied epistemology. Epistemology is just applied philosophy of language. And philosophy of language is just applied - well, what it’s applying depends on what you mean by “philosophy of language”
Reposted by Gumphus
Somewhere during the last week I passed 10,000 subscribers, reflecting a big post-election surge. I get the sense that people want coverage that doesn't hedge in calling bad things bad.
You can sign up for free.
donmoynihan.substack.com
You can sign up for free.
donmoynihan.substack.com
Can We Still Govern? | Don Moynihan | Substack
improving the quality of government, public policy, reducing administrative burdens. Click to read "Can We Still Govern?", by Don Moynihan, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers...
donmoynihan.substack.com
November 16, 2024 at 8:20 PM
Somewhere during the last week I passed 10,000 subscribers, reflecting a big post-election surge. I get the sense that people want coverage that doesn't hedge in calling bad things bad.
You can sign up for free.
donmoynihan.substack.com
You can sign up for free.
donmoynihan.substack.com
Do other aromatics inspire the same vitriol, or just onions? If I use scallions, is a divorce still necessary? Maybe just a separation. But we stay together. For the kids
Not to be judgemental or too personal with a stranger and with all due apologies to the sacred sacraments of the most Holy Church but I think your wife should divorce you
You know bluesky has made it to the big leagues when we are getting takes like this.
Onions are the secret ingredient I use to make my wife think I am good at cooking
Onions are the secret ingredient I use to make my wife think I am good at cooking
November 16, 2024 at 8:28 PM
Do other aromatics inspire the same vitriol, or just onions? If I use scallions, is a divorce still necessary? Maybe just a separation. But we stay together. For the kids
www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/o...
We need to develop a collective understanding of why liberal values are what they are. If we hold them as axiomatic, we rob ourselves of the ability to argue for them.
We can’t hold these truths to be self-evident - because they obviously aren’t!
We need to develop a collective understanding of why liberal values are what they are. If we hold them as axiomatic, we rob ourselves of the ability to argue for them.
We can’t hold these truths to be self-evident - because they obviously aren’t!
Opinion | This Is the Dark, Unspoken Promise of Trump’s Return
Liberal democracy offers moral constraints without problem-solving. Populism offers problem-solving without moral constraints.
www.nytimes.com
November 16, 2024 at 8:11 PM
www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/o...
We need to develop a collective understanding of why liberal values are what they are. If we hold them as axiomatic, we rob ourselves of the ability to argue for them.
We can’t hold these truths to be self-evident - because they obviously aren’t!
We need to develop a collective understanding of why liberal values are what they are. If we hold them as axiomatic, we rob ourselves of the ability to argue for them.
We can’t hold these truths to be self-evident - because they obviously aren’t!