Weekends.Are.So.Slow
TRAVEL
Nature is Awesome. It is!
Weird and wacky festivals around the world. Garlic, oranges, buns, radishes, even celebrating donkey birthdays, they are all here!
11 of the most badass hikes in the world. Yep, this one is going to Evernote for future reference!
I present to you the seat being tested at Ryan Air!
MILES/POINTS
Points Summary wrote ” Using British Airways Avios to Book Airfare Deal Destinations from Los Angeles“. Handy list to have!
Isn’t anyone who is NOT a Platinum at Accor Hotels?
Deltareallysucks.com Yes, it exists:-) Site does not appear to get updated. But still worth for a few laughs for items such as “Delta kills kitten, offers owner $50” (HT to Ken).
ON MY MIND
I had a wonderful time at the 2013 Ann Arbor Art Fair DO. Small gathering of friends who are getting together for many years now, no ticket fees, no charity raffles, no sponsors and certainly no Nightline TV crews! Just exchange of knowledge and mutual inspirations to keep going to squeeze as much value as we can from anywhere for travel:-)
A few things heard over the weekend:
“I had orgasms over mistake fares”
“I never booked anything that was NOT a Saver award”
“I started with Northwest and Bud Light and now I am up to Singapore Air and Dom Perignon”
Thanks for all the positive comments about my blog, I am quite surprised. And the two people who spoke to the group about my blog, well, what can I say? Your check is in the mail:-) Most common phrase I heard about TBB: “Keep em honest”. I hope I get to keep my eyebrows in the process too lol.
I was going to do one more day of my Norway trip report. Yep, ran out of time. Again.
ODDZ & ENDZ
Wake me up, this is not really happening, is it?
BLOG BUZZ
View from the Wing had a rant about, well, the TSA…again. Makes my rants appear so so tame! He finishes the rant with “TSA has never caught a terrorist”. Ok Gary, we must also state that no bomb has blown up on TSA reign either! The fact that the TSA is there, maybe perhaps, you just need to consider that TSA may had something to do this? Since you completely turned on Skypesos when the Colbert cameras started rolling, I wonder if there will be a TV segment on TSA would you also change your tune, huh? You may be an expert in frequent flyer miles (who admitted on national TV you let miles expire, OMG!!!) but what makes you an expert in homeland security really? Maybe TSA has broken up plots we don’t know? Who knows really (other than NSA lol)?
Frugal Travel Guy (the blog) had a story titled “How to Make a 5-Tier Wedding Cake During a Monsoon in Africa” by an FTG Contributor (why some are named at the top and some at the bottom I always wondered!) I kept on reading and reading and reading and then the pics of the oven and that piece of work they called cake was a bit much. Do these contributors get paid by word? I can write a novel about such exciting events in my life involving my family (how I tricked them all for a bike ride to the nearby park only to make them pedal non stop around the city..in the dark…and daughter in tears having a clearly traumatic experience and scarred for life). But of course I won’t do that to you. And no cakes from me either, sheeesh! I just found this particular story over the top…I better stop there before I piss off yet another blogger. I have created a quite large angry band of anti angry TBB bloggers already:-)
Noob Traveler has a new site design and asked for feedback. Opening “Hey my Noobs”. If I was a noob I would find it insulting:-)
This TBB post had the BEST comments since starting my blog! Very educational exchanges explaining how the affiliate links work and the inherent conflicts of interest in the system. I also lay it all out what I am going through. No fancy talk here folks. We lay it all out. And as long as I have not “sold out” you can not accuse me for, well, selling out lol. You can accuse TBB for many things but assaulting you with links and ads is NOT one of them. And it continues…
Welcome!
First again after TBB as usual ;0
You need to develop that persistence to succeed in life;-)
Top 5?
You are now consistently in the Top 5!
We like weird festivals. Here in Georgia at the Peach Festival they serve “the world’s largest peach cobbler.”
sure sounds weird:-)
Is TBB defending the TSA. Thats kind of sickening.
Lol. I want my water bottles back and my eye contact liquid and my toothpaste. I am NOT defending TSA, they sure have their issues. I am just tired of the constant beating they get on Libertarian rants.
Fact: No bombs have gone off on a plane. It should be pointed out when another blogger beats up on TSA (yes they do make an easy target!)
We like wacky festivals. Here in Georgia they have the Peach Festival where they serve “the world’s largest peach cobbler.”
Did you see the photos of NY Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan running with the bulls in Pamplona? It is awesome!
He should have just tried running away from the Dallas Cowboy line instead. Could have been killed doing that, though…
I heard he did the Pamplona bull run but I have not seen photos. Would love to have seen a bull named Tebow sticking him lol. Yeah Rex Ryan is quite a character. I like how he always speaks his mind. But that Tebow move will haunt him for ever;-)
Rick (the PERSON) uses his once a week post (on THE BLOG) not to offer any sage wisdom, or plumbling tips, but to ask his readers to research hotels for him. And to solicit trades for AA upgrade certificates.
I’d never want to trade for upgrade certificates that have been publicly advertised on a blog that AA provides sponsorship/prizes to. That’s just too easy for AA to track down.
Rick (the person) phonin’ in (the blog) after cashin’ out. Must be where he gets all that cash for the world series of poker!!
Glad you liked the post and continue to read FTG. Back in the good old days, we quite often asked for help and happy readers were glad to share their experiences. I’ve never been to Biloxi and would appreciate tips, kinda like George did with his recent request for tips on Banff?
As you bring up the money thing, maybe you should start a blog and add affiliate links? It can pay quite well you know, if you well, actually do the work and quit complaining.
I wonder if it is something personal?
I think I am excused after I pump out the Daily Buzz posts and refusing to jump in (so far) into the affiliate link circus to ask for travel help:-)
Until when does Rick (the person) need to do the once a week posts for FTG (the blog)? Typical arrangement is two years? Just wondering.
So…do FTG contributors get paid by word or by posts (regardless of length)? I usually like Kendra’s stories;they are a little different than most travel stories. But that one was a bit too much. Nothing personal, just expressing what’s in my mind as always.
Just got Banff Springs welcome email: $12 resort fee and $25 daily self parking fee, ouch!
Per Word? Per Post? How About per Click or Accepted card app? (IB would have writers falling all over themselves) Maybe per comment? Or Ultimately Per TBB “Angry” comment?
Lots of potential models aren’t there?
I volunteer my site for the “per comment” model…Oh yeeeeaaaaahhhhh lol.
ALL comments, no censoring allowed! TBB is no TSA to control freedom:-)
The TSA takes credit for EVERYTHING. It’s just not credible to think they’ve foiled a bunch of plots that we’ve never heard about. If you want to disagree with TSA criticisms do so with REAL arguments not SECRET arguments. VERY disappointed in TBB, very poor showing.
Lol, see my comment above. I have not seen ANY blogger speak a kind word about TSA, not one! I think the beating they take non stop is a bit too much in the travel blogging community. Yeah, they inconvenience me and get on my nerves too. But I do not think that TSA is at the top of our problems list to warrant such beatings…over and over like GL does with the same frequency as he does them “Top 5” or “Top 10” posts, hehe.
Fact: No bomb has gone off in a plane in 12 years. Maybe, just maybe, TSA had something to do with it? Maybe the deter factor played a role? Just wondering out loud:-)
“I have not seen ANY blogger speak a kind word about TSA, not one!”
TBB, did you even read the post you referenced but refused to link to? Without a link your readers are expected to ‘take your word for it’ but you don’t offer a reasonable take on the piece at all.
It’s titled “In Which I Defend and Congratulate the TSA”
“And yet — in a true measure of fairness — it bears pointing out that the TSA really does appear to be at least trying to make the right decisions for passengers and for security.”
And VFTW then lists a bunch of things they’re trying to do right, sometimes boxed in and shut down by political forces.
Right after saying ‘the TSA has never caught a terrorists’ comes the big BUT that you don’t mention, “But they do seem to be trying, even if ‘we’ won’t always let them do a better job than they’re currently doing.”
Maybe TBB should revisit its linking policy. Let readers click on a story that’s being criticized and see whether TBB is offering a fair rendition or not.
emailyourdoginstead@bentoffers.com
LOVE IT!
Yeah I read it. In a supposedly positive post for TSA he still takes them out to the wood shed. I don’t buy it as much as I don’t buy the recent love for Skypesos:-)
As far as linking goes, I am too lazy. I think every single one of my readers knows VFTW. If not they can google it, no arrows needed. In the years I read that blog I am sick & tired of the crap TSA takes on it. Even in “positive” posts you can FEEL the contempt towards it and, in general, government institutions. Wonder how he feels about NTSB:-)
And always remember: Entertainment;-)
“You’re sick and tired of…” and then remind us “Entertainment”… Cognitive dissonance much?
Yeah full of it. Blogging does that to you lol
Yet another thumbs down on the TSA defense. No bombs went off before the TSA either. The TSAs only and sole purpose is to control freedom.
TBB you seem to be a sucker for photoshopped images, fake media events and general mainstream news. Think outside the box and don’t be a gullible fool.
“The TSAs only and sole purpose is to control freedom.” Same for roads, I guess, because they limit where you drive….
Seriously, what alternative are you proposing ? Should everyone carry their own guns on board?
Before anyone takes me seriously about the roads comment, I was just trying to say somethign equally stupid as the quote.
You forgot that I have more experience in stupidity, so I will bring you down to my level and beat you with my experience 😉
You remind of a condescending pr1ck who posts on MMS and I have thought that for a long time. Same tone. Same attitude towards others. You can shove your “assspirational travel” BS alongside your head which is buried you know where.
Why do you us smiley faces with your psychotic rants? I would love to know what things in life you do like. Tell us, show us a kinder, gentler you. Go ahead fella.
Well I am not going to attack a mellowed question like that, so letting the “psychotic” remark go. A typical answer from me would have been a counter-attack but here is a smiley 🙂
Lots of things to like and love, there is pleasure all around.
Love and peace, big fellah.
AgendaGuy: “No bombs went off before the TSA either”. What, really?? I guess human bombs don’t count??
“The TSA only and sole purpose is to control freedom” – That is way.over.the.top
Yeah I am a sucker for lots of things. Hope you are not related to that guy in my gym who walks around the track wearing a black Tshirt “911 did not happen” 🙂
Ah I see. Thought a reference to some “conspiracy”/”911” would be the reply (honestly did) 🙂 I am not going there. Just wanted you to think outside the box and not fall for false pretenses that the media shoves. This may be the wrong platform to discuss about specifics.
I like to keep politics and religion out of public forums too:-)
No you dont. You pepper us with your anti libertarian slant. 🙂 Chalk up a psychotic smiley for me now
Sometimes on Twitter I go off a little bit I admit. But in the blog I have kept a lot more quiet than I thought. Did you know that i think GW Bush was one of the worst presidents ever? Well, now you know;-)
Wikipedia’s entry for psychotic smiley has my picture on it;-)
Re: San Fermin
Sometimes the bulls fall down and when they get up they are disoriented. In that picture, that bull is facing the route backwards, that’s why there is a ton of runners behind it.The people in the green shirts are handlers and try to get get the bull to run in the right direction. You probably can’t see it, but there are probably handlers and other runners behind the bull trying to get it to run in the correct direction.
This is great feedback, thank you. Yeah, that pic just looked…wrong!
The TSA is a dog and pony show that was created after 911 to give the traveling public back its confidence to travel again. All the airlines needed bailouts to survive after 911, nobody traveled for about 2 years. The REAL improvements to passenger safety occurred onboard. Cockpit doors that were made to easily collapse or break down (on case of accident) were replaced with bulletproof Kelvar doors (possibly making escape from cockpit in crash more difficult). If a hijacker was to get into cockpit he will be greeted by a pilot with a gun and another with a cockpit crash ax. More importantly the procedure in the cabin was accommodate the hijacker if he showed a weapon and to let him into the cockpit. No more. Now the f/a keeps them out at all cost/ encourages help from pax for assistance (this is new too) and f/a’s are trained to defend the door (throw hot coffee in his face, hit over the head with a wine bottle, kick him in the jewels).
Now SKY MARSHALS I have a real gripe there. I remember working a flight out of LAS and while 2 SKY MARSHALS sat in first class enjoying the meal and trying to pick up the hot f/a working up there. Something they all do. While I was in the back getting pinned to the rear exit by a drunk Hells Angel who I refused to serve liquor. 4 of them were boarded drunk by LAS agent, gee thanks. I used my wit to get out of that, but if the 4 of them pounced on me the Sky Marshals would of been oblivious. I am not giving any gov’t secrets here, they stick out like a sore thumb always sitting in the first and last row, aisle of first class. Always hitting on the hot F/A ( i know it’s hard to find lately) always oblivious to what goes on in coach. Always complaining how they hate their boring job (making 80 K)(they just sit in F/C and eat and watch movies, thats it). Terrorist know this and that they are on every flight in and out of DCA. It is a terrible waste of money.
I hear you about the sky marshalls, I have spotted them before too. Just imagine if we could make 80k to fly first class AND earn miles too…sign me up pronto:-)
Great insider feedback, thanks!
FTG — the blog not the angry — goes a step beyond a mere “10 Best Credit Cards” list with… the THIRTY best (ka-ching).
And.. ugh… it’s a SERIES so we get this thing dribbling out over the course of 30 friggin’ posts. FTG (the person) .. if you have an ounce of love left for the activity and community, please pen an open letter to FTG (the blog) to STOP THE MADNESS!
I could understand the top 15 to show which blog rules them all…but top 30 is indeed unbelievable! Then again, we are talking about FTG (the blog).
Once upon a time, there was a great young blogger named Ariana. And then…
When it comes to the content of my top two favorite blogs, TBB is…WTFless (you know, as in speechless)…
I am waiting now for the Top 50 credit cards post. Anyone, anyone?
Oh by the way, I know this is coming: I am not angry, yawn:-)
Love it, love it. Keep it up FTG. Way to go Ariana. Go ahead sell those cards. Don’t give a crap about the jealous angries here 🙂 Just “disclose” though. That’s all we care and all your sins are washed.
Right TBB? 😉
There *is* still a young great blogger named Ariana. Thumbs up.
I have loved this hobby and community for more than twelve years now and am truly sorry to see the way it has changed. The offers are not nearly as generous, mistake fares gone underground, the attitude is more self serving than in the past, and of course, we now have the “angries”
I’ll still play on a personal level, but the blog decisions are no longer mine, and I’ve moved on in life. Their names are Carter and Sophia.
And Howie and Ariana will do a great job with FTG.
First, love the name Sophia:-)
I agree with what you wrote Rick. I do not agree with the “angries” term that somehow stuck; I think it is totally inappropriate and…well, we went around that issue to oblivion before and we agreed to disagree.
But one thing stood out:
“The attitude is more self serving” – YES IT IS. And, in my own humble personal opinion as always, FTG (the blog) is the primary reason for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FTG led the way in aggressive marketing and….I can go on but I won’t.
I hope Howie and Ariana will do a great job with FTG. It just won’t be with worthy content if “Top 30 Credit Cards” posts is an indication! Like we said previously, there will always be people eating in McDonalds and it won’t change the food there.
I find it interesting that Ariana saves her best content for her own blog!
Enjoy this phase of your life. Don’t read blogs too much and especially mine (never really cared about the hits anyway!), especially after such “Top 30 Credit Cards” gems.
Top 30 is the New Top 10…Self-serving indeed!!!
TBB
never angry, always reviewing blogs
Well you sound angry 🙂 And I don’t know why. Did they promise that they will sell inferior offers (as in a better offer is available at the moment and not historically) or not disclose that they earn commission? What is your agenda? 😉
Glad you’re not giving my performance review, George.
Ariana: Yeah, you should be glad:-) I don’t do well in corporate environments. I did several years and felt my blood was being sucked out of me. Told boss to stick up the review up you know where and quit. Best move I ever made…I kept my sanity:-)
Did you approve the Top 30 credit cards post or was it a corporate suit decision? I think such posts DEFINE aggressive marketing and most people despise such practices…I certainly do!
AgendaGuy: I am never angry. Post like the Top 30 mess with my brain chemical imbalance (has been a little off balance since the day I was born) and I was hoping to see less. So, instead of top 10 we get Top 30. WTF!!!! My agenda to lift this community up to raise the quality of blogging practices is NOT working..Top 10 to Top 30! So am I fighting a losing battle or what man? I have a dream: To have bloggers contribute useful information to their readers and EARN their living by their content instead of carpet bombing, err, I mean marketing. Then again, how many hamburgers has MCD sold again?
In a few days I am out of Dodge, Need a break from this scene before I lose my mind completely.
IB is really not as corporate as you’d imagine, which is why I left my actual corporate job for this gig. The only workplace hazard is the occasional TBB post. 😉
That is true. IB has not messed with Flyer Talk much and I do give them credit for that.
Been following the blog scene for many years. FTG (the blog) used to be my favorite blog. It has been a complete 360 in the last several years. Just.too.much.selling for my taste, nothing personal.
TBB, to my amazement, got 100% positive feeback in the Flyer Talk Art Fair DO. Well, that is not correct actually. There was one blogger who somehow disappeared after he met me in the first session..I really don’t know why:-)
If TBB did not say something about this huge leap (from Top 10 to Top 30) I would lose all my credibility. And credibility IS my most valuable asset;-)
Top 30…why stop there, go for Top 40 next time.
Oh Ariana. You and Rick were my favorite bloggers at one (different) time…then you got FGTized. It is like Delta buying Northwest! Delta making tons of money, can’t stand their practices and final product.
Just.too.much.selling
I predict Ink Plus will be Top 2:-)
Not sure what you mean with FTGized. All my FTG posts are about points, travel and/or deals. I’ve had links maybe 3 times and two of those times they were not affiliates.
P.S. If you’re looking for guest posts, I know a great young blogger who is up for it. Only thing is, she demands full editorial control for the next 30 days. Deal? 🙂
FTGized: It is a process that MONEY comes FIRST and not the Reader. It includes very poor disclosure practices (never disclosing the $$ relationship in the body of a post, always following the letter of the law and banishing disclosures in a place where nobody will see them). It includes many posts with too many affiliate cc links (got a tiny bit better since you came aboard and then…bang! Top 30 post pops up!). It includes ridiculously lazy features such as “Churning Challenges” that is basically a cut and paste lazy job and has been caught with Inferior advice many times (just because a more advantageous offer for FTG-not reader-existed). Generally weak content aiming for newbies who just don’t know any better and not much focus on taking care of them AND educating them. In other words, the site has lost credibility and you have a very tough job of gaining it back. No doubt about your blogging skills, you know I always loved PointChaser! Wish you best of luck as always. Maybe it is time for a complete redo? How about renaming the site “Frugal Travel Gal”? It is still FTG:-) Everything I stated here is my own opinion only and has nothing to do (obviously) with commercial success of an online venture (obviously, I am definitely NOT qualified lol). I just always operated on a fiduciary mode (taking care of client/reader and NOT on sales mode) and thought if you do the right thing for client/reader the commercial success will follow eventually. But it will NEVER be the size of the Commercial success of operating in an aggressive sales manner. FTG defines “aggressive sales” manner imho.
My 2 cents. I never mean any harm and never take things personally. I just like to use my blog (non commercial up to now at least!) as an avenue to keep my therapist bills down. Been around the block in this hobby/addiction and like to, you know, speak my mind while having no boss behind me to “direct” me:-) Independence AND credibility are my most valuable assets lol.
I am not following you on the “full editorial control for the next 30 days”? I like your PointChaser stuff. TBB may add links to PointChaser but it would take amazing FTG posts to do that for FTG:-) I am open to discuss, email me. Hope it is not a Top 40 post lol.
Cheers
Just pulling your leg, George. Trying to get FTG a break for the next month, with the Top 30 series coming up and all.
A few comments/observations. First of all, FrequentMiler gets a free pass because he’s on BoardingArea. There is absolutely no way if he’d stayed solo like say MileValue he’d have Chase and Amex links. So you have two choices buddy – go with BoardingArea or merge into another big blog like MMS or TPG (doubt they’d take you lol) or fuggedaboutit. One of the absolutely saddest lows of the low of blogging now is clowns like MileValue doing sucky posts about Chase cards trying to impress their BentOffers affiliates that they are worthy of the links! It’s actually sadder than the real pimping. And of course it’s getting harder not easier. BentOffes will laugh out loud when you try and get signed up with the content of this site. You’ve got zero, zero, zero chance of getting approved as a stand-alone site, so you may as well quit hinting/talking about it.
The next point is why do all bloggers feel the need to publish so often? It never used to be like this. I can remember back in the day Gary would go days if not weeks without a post. Of course now that traffic drives cc referrals, he can’t go a couple of hours without a post. It’s nauseating. So George why do you feel the need to post every day? I mean if it’s too much “work” just do less of it right? Either you are *working* towards a pay-day (which I’d say is never coming unless you do some major u-turning) or you have a hobby that is taking too much of your time and the answer to that is just have it take less of your time. That’s an easy fix. Blogging has become like CNN or FoxNews, it’s more about being constantly in your face 24/7 rather than actually only posting when something interesting came up.
Ah well, the one good thing about the Google reader death is it gave me a good chance to completely cull my list of blogs. I am back down to less than 20 blogs I am tracking, so much less repetition and noise. First2Board didn’t make the cut and I cut out most of BoardingArea. TBB makes the cut, but if you don’t have anything much to say, I am happier to live without the post.
Thank you for taking the time to comment! I always enjoyed and appreciate your perspective. And TBB making the cut is a huge honor for me, thank you:-)
I am getting it now, I think you are right on!
Initial (and totally unrealistic) theme of TBB was to have the ONE blog post everyone should read that caught all the MUST reads from blogs AND FT/MP. Well, that quickly got out of hand and it was clearly unsustainable! So TBB had a redo and it now aims to do a Daily Buzz post featuring an ECLECTIC journey through the Travel Miles/Points blogosphere and adding my veteran (and sometimes incendiary) perspective about what’s happening. I like doing it but at times it DOES become too much time consuming/exhausting. So I really need to think hard where TBB goes from here and I will use my time off to do exactly that!
I like totally unrealistic crazy goals so when I try to reach them I accomplish the bulk of them:-) You think I have zero chance to become the next MMS or TPG or FTG? Zero? I like being challenged you know. Ok, who am I kidding? I totally agree:-)
If I stop the daily BUZZ posts what will be the third edition of TBB? I am open to ideas.
To all: I am open to all ideas!
Thank you very much for this comment, really!