18 Comments
User's avatar
dj l's avatar

wonder how many will say today "A penny for your thoughts!" 🙂

really, too many feud's/too many families & friends break because of money. Very sad.

The father's search --- another conversation going on elsewhere about mental health services. I worked at a state hospital, then in another state at a residential placement center for adolescents, w/ my MSSW, working as a family therapist. ie; those kids were almost always admitted thru state orders. I often had to "kind-of" threaten/cajole the family to agree to family therapy because they only wanted to see the kid as the problem, not something that they should all be involved in... Then because of "respecting individual freedom" imo things went too far, threw the baby out w/ the bath water. State hospitals, etc., shut down & the ability to admit people has become just about impossible. No easy, perfect answers...

aging - ha! only comment about that, knock on wood, since COVID emerged I've been part of a blind study doing blood testing for antibodies. Have had several done, the last one about 2 months ago. The results show your antibody levels plus show if you've ever had COVID. I had the very first vaccine, plus its booster, but none since. My antibody levels are off the charts good, & show I've never had COVID. And I'm old-ish. again, knock on wood.

Expand full comment
David Hazlett's avatar

Regarding pennies -- during my overseas assignments in the Air Force, no retail activity used pennies. All U.S. currency was airlifted overseas on Air Force cargo planes, and pennies were eliminated from these airlift missions years ago to save weight, space, and fuel. How did it work? At the point of sale, final prices were either rounded up or rounded down to the nearest nickel. It was weird the first time, but after that it was second nature.

Expand full comment
dj l's avatar

has would taxes work? always gotta tax stuff, hmmm

Expand full comment
Darrell's avatar

No sales tax on bases

Expand full comment
dj l's avatar

thanks - I was thinking in terms of if this idea was used here in order to get rid of pennies...

Expand full comment
David Hazlett's avatar

If you mean taxes writ large, I assume they would apply the same rounding protocol. If it's 3 cents or more, round up. If it's 2 cents or less, round down. Shouldn't be too difficult for taxing entities -- IRS already rounds to the nearest dollar. Regarding taxes on overseas military installations, no sales taxes.

Expand full comment
SPW's avatar

I’d go for that.

Expand full comment
Michelle Caprio's avatar

I look forward to it, but I totally understand.

Expand full comment
Tom Farrell's avatar

I look forward to Free to all Friday but I understand the demands we all have for the best use of each 24 hours.

Stay safe and well.

All the best

Expand full comment
Bill Murphy Jr.'s avatar

So far I have about 30 replies via email, probably 28 are very strongly in favor of continuing FFA Friday. I try not to run this whole thing as "majority rules," but it gives me a pretty good sense. Thanks!

Expand full comment
Rick Dowling's avatar

I could go either way on the Free’fers Bill.

Expand full comment
Darrell's avatar

I enjoy FFF with the quirky stuff I may not have seen in the news. The 1440 Digest does something like that at the end of their newsletter.

Expand full comment
N P's avatar

String favor for FFA Friday

Expand full comment
SPW's avatar

Golly Bill, all these stories look interesting. They’ll make great weekend reading when my email is mostly political money grubbing. Please keep on doing something like this. Maybe fewer or whatever but I have enjoyed Fridays a lot. But you’re the author. You’ve got the controller here.

Expand full comment
Mary A Healey's avatar

I truly enjoy your Free Friday emails and have not had an issue with the links. Please continue this practice.

Expand full comment
J. D.'s avatar

Gimme everything ya got! I say keep it. But do what's best for you...always.

Expand full comment
Mary's avatar

I love Free for All Friday and am submitting a vote to continue it ! I hope it will be possible, thanks so much !

Expand full comment
ivy chan andrade's avatar

Sometimes I don't get to it on Friday but I still like to see what's on the list. Read the penny story on NYT. Don't get WSJ so appreciate those articles.

Expand full comment