18 Comments
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Joyce Johansen's avatar

Well done. Fascinating topic. And by the way you write GREAT newsletters!

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dj l's avatar
2dEdited

Hey, Murphy, I comment to my husband, Bill, about your GREAT newsletters, so I don't call you 'Bill'... I do know a lot of people who rename Alexa. We did so soon after a workman, who had sole custody of his daughter, bring her to our house, & she ordered some stuff, for us... haha.

Marvelous job done by the moms in TX for the father's day surprise gathering pic!!!

A friend ALWAYS repeats the name of the restaurant server, when s/he comes to the table. Then my friend repeats it when possible, & then remembers it. The place I volunteer w/ has us wear name badges so our customers see our names. It doesn't hurt to forget to take them off if we run errands after we leave...ie, go to the store, & someone will say "Hi" & use my name, then I look & see my name tag, PLUS it has the name of the place I volunteer. :-)

imo, the best link about Iran/Israel:

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/06/14/israel-iran-attack-freedom-autocracy-00406288?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication

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Paul Scott Duesterdick's avatar

Pretty well coordinated prank!

Shows how much we guys listen to our bride’s suggestions re clothing and what to wear and probably the “ I really don’t want to wear this shirt today but this jsn’t worth the disagreement so I will just wear it”

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Greg Colley's avatar

How fast did Officer Nolan clock you?

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Bill Murphy Jr.'s avatar

Not a speeding ticket! I (allegedly) took an illegal left turn out of a parking lot and (allegedly) drove about 20 feet the wrong way on a one-way street.

I would never do that normally ... but it was on a college campus, school was out, there were no other cars or people around. Just my luck I didn't notice the campus police car — I was probably one of the only people he saw that day!

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Bill Murphy Jr.'s avatar

Not a speeding ticket! I (allegedly) took an illegal left turn out of a parking lot and (allegedly) drove about 20 feet the wrong way on a one-way street.

I would never do that normally ... but it was on a college campus, school was out, there were no other cars or people around. Just my luck I didn't notice the campus police car — I was probably one of the only people he saw that day!

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dj l's avatar

Haha - when I was 16 I was driving on an Air Force base, with a friend, looking for guys in uniforms to flirt with. Driving, driving, driving, friend telling me where to go & according to the MP who pulled me over I made too many wrong turns 😮.

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Tony Tripp's avatar

Hi Bill

Thanks again for a super interesting newsletter. I love reading your newsletters

It's the highlight of my day.

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Cindy Novak's avatar

Bill, I love that I know your name and yes, it makes me more empathic to you. I always try to find out the name of the people I interact with. I want them to know they are seen and not invisible. I also say please and thank you! Not enough of that in the world now. And what happened with Officer Nolan?!

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Steve Senf's avatar

hi Bill:

I’m Steve and wanted you to know I really enjoyed your comments today. Good insight into the methods we use to identify and judge people

Thanks again.

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Douglas M. Aiken's avatar

Great newsletter today, BUT, did you beat the ticket? :-)

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Bill Murphy Jr.'s avatar

Stay tuned ... :)

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J. D.'s avatar
2dEdited

Yes, you write 'excellent' newsletters, which I read. I'm glad to know you're really a human being.

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Darrell's avatar

It is interesting that hostage negotiators always begin with names. AA meeting speakers always introduce themselves with their first name. Even AI customer service chats ask your name. Now we know why!

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MB's avatar

Interesting question about knowing who writes the newsletter. I was following someone on Medium only to discover they wrote two different newsletters using two different names. Certainly gave me pause and I've ended up not really following anymore.

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SPW's avatar

Names are important and will get more so in the future I should imagine. As a former health care worker in direct patient care, my first job was to learn the importance of making an immediate and positive impact on my patients and that was only done by calling them by “Mr., Mrs or if unsure of marital status then by both names; never by one’s first name. My next job was to introduce myself as their technologist and then to explain the exam that they would be getting if it was more involved than the standard X-ray. We were taught that by making a good impression from the beginning could head off problems in the future. Our doctors were the same. What is really disheartening to watch today is the evisceration of the VA health care system from which I retired. On top of all that, now an executive order by this “president” now allows providers in that system to deny care to Democrats and single veterans. Outrageous and completely unacceptable.

You do write good newsletters Bill. That’s why I’m still here. Oh, and your last story about the shirts really made me smile. Keep it up please.

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Rick Dowling's avatar

The most precious word to us all… is our name.

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Lisa Maniaci's avatar

Hey Bill, I think it was The Green Mile where Tom Hanks called all of the inmates by their names instead of their numbers, even though some were in there for some pretty heinous crimes. I think this was the movie (I gotta take my vitamins!) His reason is that he wanted to see the humanity in them. If that's not the movie someone please correct me because it will bother me until I know for sure.

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