TravelBloggerBuzz

An eclectic journey through the Travel Miles/Points blogosphere

Best of Web: Longest Kayak Journey, World Borders Map by Age, Taxes Fun Facts, Cartier Kings, Ice Rescue

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We bring you the Best of Web links: the longest kayak journey, a world borders map by age, laugh with tax fun facts, cry with Cartier kings and how to save yourself in ice rescue after falling in it!

TBB Blog Mission: To Entertain. Educate. Inspire. In That Order!

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As always, click on the headline to be taken to the original source. Sometimes I insert my incendiary comments on article excerpts between [brackets].

If you enjoy my blog, please pass it on to someone you care about so they can enjoy it too. If you don’t enjoy it and still read or troll the comments, you have issues, please seek help.

Thanks to all readers who have been supporting the site with your credit card, Amazon shopping and donation clicks, greatly appreciated.

 

UPDATE: The new Amex Hilton cards sign-up bonuses have been announced. Heads up…you will see a tremendous number of posts by bloggers selling these cards! Please give your clicks to blogs you want to support and help them keep going. Yes, that includes mine. Thank you.

 

From Nazi Germany to Australia: The Incredible True Story of History’s Longest Kayak Journey

I am amazed by what this guy did! I am even more amazed I had never heard of him. You are in for a treat…what a crazy adventure!

With Germany in tatters, his small business bankrupt, Oskar Speck got into his kayak in 1932 for what would become an epic, seven-and-a-half-year paddle—30,000 miles, packed with hero’s welcomes and near-death escapes, all the way to Australia. But as Speck battled sharks, hostile locals, and malaria, Hitler rose to power and W.W. II began. This is the story of Speck’s voyage, an adventure nearly lost to history.

oskar speck

Map: All of the World’s Borders by Age

This will blow you away. Click on the map on the link above, it gets WAY more detailed. And check out the video to see how crazily Europe’s borders have changed.

I love bringing you cool stuff like this! But I can’t keep doing it AND losing money at it, come on, I am not THAT stupid. Shut up Ingy 🙂

Map: All of the World's Borders by Age

50 Fun Facts About Taxes

Yes, these are pretty fun. You will be entertained and educated. A few examples:

 

New York levies an 8 cent tax on each sliced or toasted bagels! [ WTF!]

Texas charges a $5 per customer fee on each strip club pole. [Get out!]

The easiest form, the 1040EZ, has thirty-three pages of instructions. [Lol]

For each $100 that the IRS collects, it costs them just thirty-nine cents. While you might hate them, tell me what other agency runs with such efficiency? The answer is probably none. [True, true]

In 2009, you got $250 as a stimulus check and it was HUGE news. [Lol]

Cartier Kings

I had no idea about the Cartier glasses. How horribly sad this is! I was angry when I finished reading this (HT:A.L.)

How designer sunglasses have come to represent status and violence in Detroit.

Spencer Shapiro supplies Cartier glasses for the Doughboyz.

What To Do If You Fall Through Ice

Other blogs try to monetize their readers non stop. I want to save your life one day #nojoke. Must click if you live in a cold area!

And I leave you with this…

Check out my updated blog lists: Blogs I Love, Blogs I Like, Blogs To Ignore

TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com

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Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

 

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Comments

  1. Laura says

    Hilton cards announced and open for applications. Already approved for Aspire! And I tried using your links but couldn’t find the New Hilton cards. Sorry.

    • TravelBloggerBuzz says

      Laura: Welcome here! How did you find my blog? I am trying to determine if my Reddit ad is making any impact…maybe you are one of the 14 clicks it has produced 🙂

      There are many regulars here inn the comments. And once in a while a bot named ScottCastle pops in first 🙂

      Beware of the blog troll here, name is Ingy. Founder of Frugal Travel Guy, the first blog that showed the way how to sell credit cards. Which probably goes together with the beginning of the end for this hobby, sad!

      In other news, I found a Word document of my trip report to Tahiti more than 15 years ago. No digital cameras back then. Free baby, been doing this longer than what these “experts” bloggers have been on Planet earth without diapers…

      In other depressing news….the shit coming out of Washington DC is just depressing…shut the damn thing down and you all go to hell….how about we storm the place, who is with me? Oh….you are all busy applying for the Amex Hilton cards I see…please wait until I get my links, they are coming…hopefully…#mylastgasp I need to refill my coffee. Freeeeee.

      • Laura says

        Not from reddit, sorry. Occasional longtime lurker. Sorry about the missing signup- I wasn’t saying that to taunt you, just to let you know that you have supporters who try, but can’t always wait. I know $ is better, but I tried. 🙂

        • TBBTheDude says

          I expect these signup bonuses to be around. Actually, I think Amex may raise them if the initial response is not as strong as they expected.

          I think the support is down as my target reader is just having to deal with the bank restrictions mess…The dinero is in the newbies, ask TPG 🙂

  3. TravelBloggerBuzz says

    I just checked the action on my links…

    Another zero day

    and now the Reddit ad has cost me $33.06 for just 14 clicks my way…WTF am I doing here?

    And then you Laura tell me you went direct…What’s the rush? There is no deadline with these offers….they will be around for a while it appears.

    The affiliate links are not out yet. When the Titan blogs come out screaming you know they are out there. And then it takes a little while after that for me to get them…hopefully a few hours.

    I was very disappointed with the Aspire signup bonus, so weeeeeeak for a premium card! It leads me to believe that Hilton may introduce an uberDiamond elite level…there will be way too many Elites out there.

    I am trying to determine the sequence to get the cards in my household. I am definitely going to get the Aspire cards. And not renew the CSR. Wondering if I should take a shot on the Ascend to see if I get the bonus….And now we have the Business cards too which is 5/24 friendly….Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

    This site has sold just one card this month. It is pretty pathetic. Hopefully these Amex Hilton cards change that…

    In the meantime TPG is going to kill the Amex airline credit route to airline gift cards, Amex Rewards Team is on it. These guys keep ruining this hobby…

    Thanks for the support Laura and getting Gold here!

  4. TravelBloggerBuzz says

    Same ghost writer? Just wait until the Amex Hilton links come out…I predict they will post within 5 minutes again!

    Emirates Saves the Airbus A380 With Big New Order – View From The Wing

    Just 13 minutes later:

    Whoa: Emirates Orders Up To 36 More A380s, Keeps Production Alive – One Mile at a Time

    In between, TPG keeps working the newbie market to get them hooked on credit cards…

    TPG Reader 2018 Travel Goals: First Award Flight – The Points Guy

    I need to move on with my day…

  6. Ingy says

    “If you don’t enjoy blogging, are angry and jealous, but continue to whine everyday about other bloggers getting all the clicks while you only can muster one in a month, you have issues, please seek help”

    OR:

    Quit whining

    OR

    Quit blogging

    Here’s hoping you have another great Trump Bump day 😉

    PS; She still is not your president!!!!!

    • Sam says

      Ingy-

      Hey, the Buzz said you had the first blog that showed the way how to sell credit cards. Kind words, honoring an industry pioneer.

      But it’s fake news. You weren’t the first or even close were you?

      Don’t despair, though. You likely were and remain a central motivation for the good Buzzer to interupt his successfull business dealings to throw a spotlight on the schlockery of travel blogging.

      ******************************************************************************
      In other matters, the Bitcoin thing didn’t work out. Anyone know where I can find an afforable, two bedroom apartment with good Wifi?

      Must have basement.

  8. phil says

    Was Laura trying to be the first ever person to be approved for the Hilton Asspire card? Does she think they are serial numbered… I don’t get the fuss on these cards am I missing something?

    Why did you go reddit churning for advertising? Sure there are probably some noobs there but really those are the “regulars” of the hobby, conversions ($$$) are made on the backs of the uninformed looking for quick spoonfed information. You think TPG caught a house in the Hamptons by reddit? Breaking: No he didn’t he got a cute dog and spoonfed noobies on FB with their 200 data points to target ads.

    Best of luck in Hilton slanging and keep up the good but unpaid work.l I was happy to see you finally gave up on the crap they sell as coffee at Starbucks.

  9. TBBTheDude says

    Yeah, I don’t understand the rush to get the new Amex Hilton cards.

    I went to reddit for advertising just to check it out and see what can come out of it. I target the experienced hobbyist….I agree it is NOT the reader that will flood me with dinero.

    Definitely agree on your assessment with TPG and newbies…that is where the dinero is.

    I was not going to Starbucks for the coffee quality. It just opened way earlier than other hangouts. But I got tired of the shitty music and no phucking heat, I mean, freezing when you are next to the fireplace, come on! New hangout is McDonalds, they open at 6 am,the coffee is a little better (but still bad) but the place is WARM!

  10. NATASHA says

    George, I plan to apply for the new cards with your links :). But not yet..maybe in April as i want to use them for a free night next april at the Hotel Coronado.

    • Ingy says

      Here’s a perfect reply for Natasha.

      Don’t wait! I’ll probably lose my links by then, or have quit blogging as my wife made me 😉

      Apply Now!

    • TravelBloggerBuzz says

      I have been doing that for a very long time, it is my routine. By 8 am I am waaaaay ahead. Panera worked well for many years, then it was Starbucks and now I am shifting to McD’s 🙂

  13. Ingy says

    San , first with links in the travel hacking hobby. Dansdeals has them in a more general category.

    Made lots of friends. Got lots of people started that were afraid to try applying for cards, and hopefully thousands that got to see places they never would have seen. And interesting only one said their credit problems were the bloggers fault. Saw him last year and he apologized. Realized it was his personal responsibility.

    Not one single regret and still love sticking it to George Hypocratipolous every now and then.

    • Sam says

      Ingy-

      Mostly, I don’t blame the bloggers. Inside every card-issuing bank, there’s someone with a spreadsheet showing how the bank makes money even giving away huge bonus miles and fat commissions to bloggers. And way over on the right side of those spreadsheets are the folks paying 25% interest.

      I see the bloggers like the guys in the street in front of the casino handing out passes for a free lunch to get the suckers in, telling them to bet on 9 as it’s the hot number today.

      And like the guys who back in the day put folks into variable rate mortgages that in many cases blew up in their face. You remember those, don’t you?

  14. Ludicrous says

    We all knew ‘personal responsibility’ was coming…

    First to sell out…and leave so many conversions on the table for others, so sad.

    We are sure people who got tricked to get into the game and then pummeled to debt for years….they are just dying to reach out. Me thinks they still live at their parents’ basements only affording the monthly minimum payment #legacy

  15. Anonymous says

    Does Ingy (short for Ingrate) get a house in the Hamptons like TPG?
    Does Ingy make the bank that Lucky or Leff makes? Every year?!

    Ingrate, there’s more than enough evidence that you sold out too soon. Nothing worse than being a sell-out, except the sell-out who minimized his take. That’s just sad.

    Bonus Q: How many rich sane people troll niche blogs?!
    A: But he’s so presidential!

    • Travelinguy says

      Anonymous;
      Better to sell too soon than too late.
      Or, as the saying goes,
      “bulls make money
      bears make money, but
      pigs get slaughtered”

      • TBBtheDude says

        I agree with Anonymous…the voice of reason!

        Travelinguy: We are not talking about a stock. Or bitcoin stuff. We are talking about a blog in the beginning stages of mass credit card marketing he could hsve held out so easily by mailing it in…or pay a few ghost writers crumbs…just ask the other Titans.

        I swear Mommy Points is orgasming with the new Amex Hilton Business affiliate link!
        Which finally made it here in my site!

  16. Sam says

    Ingy-

    Did you really have card links before Gleff and Randy’s other kids?

    If so, you do deserve a nod. I’ll tell ‘em to make sure the flag on that horse says “First with links, first to sell.”

  17. Ingy says

    Love you guys.

    Was Ingy a young wall street guy that understood tech? NO
    Was this a deal a gift from the Gods, that let me retire at 62? YES
    Does Ingy deal with competition? NO
    Does Ingy deal with compliance issues? NO
    Did Ingy sell just as a wave of competitors entered the market? Hell YES
    Does Ingy have all he’ll need and more? YUP
    Does Ingy want a house in the Hamptons NO F’in way

    So keep shovelin the shi_ , and I’ll keep collecting the returns on the pile, month after month after month.

    I like that. “Better to soon than too late”

    Tell us George, what’s it feel like to be too late? One conversion this month???? Wow!!!!!

    • Anonymous says

      Ahh we all remember that quotable phrase, “Better to soon than too late.”
      As well its partner, “Better two soon than to late.”

      I know, Ingrate, there’s more stupid things than you misusing quotes and grammar.
      Like selling waaaay before the peak. Or voting for an ignorant grifter.

      BTW, I retired much earlier than you, and without any conversion income.
      But I have a brain. That works.

      • Ingy says

        Anon: yawn. Sorry not to be of perfect spelling. I feel so ashamed. Almost as bad as if your hero Hillary (I mean George) spells “have” “hsve” in a comment above.

        Congrats on your retirement.

  18. Ingy says

    Oh and Anon, your 2016 vote certainly puts into question if you really do have a brain. Just sayin’

    And she is still not your president!!

    Did I spell that right?

    MAGA

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