We get you the latest on the dining service about Amtrak cabins, the weird story about the Dearborn Hyatt, visit the Wagah border to watch a show, hacking ISIS, introducing the Starbucks Index, a chilling story about a serial killer, what to do with an old Android phone, photos from two Stan countries, managed to run a marathon…over the weekend and more! Enjoy this blog for freeeeeeee!
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Welcome back, hope your weekend was great!
I will be making an announcement here on October 1st on the next evolution of the blog. Since starting my blog back in November 2012 (which is decades in blog time!) I always stuck with the blog mission you see above and I would like to reiterate here that this was always a curating type of blog. As time went by (and any type of commercial “success” eluded me lol) I have been cutting down on the number of blogs I follow. When I started it was over 750 blogs I followed in Feedly. Several evolutions under my belt and we are down to “only” 119. More nimble, more eclectic and oh wait, I don’t have time to deal with Blogs To Ignore list, they earned it!
Not much happens over the weekend in the blogs. Traffic goes considerably down so content on Mondays is lighter than usual.
Going to miss this by Amtrak. One of my most memorable trips involved riding in an Amtrak cabin from Chicago to Los Angeles to Seattle. We really enjoyed the dining car service! And all that was for almost free thanks to travel hacking. And then credit card pumping bloggers killed that deal too, sad! Amtrak Quietly Ends Its Beloved Dining Car Service.
This is more relevant to Michigan readers. Remember the huge Hyatt by Fairlane mall in Dearborn? Second biggest in the state in number of rooms after the Renaissance Marriott! Which closed as it got really old and Hyatt told them to take a hike. And then a mysterious Chinese guy from Canada bought it, renamed it The Edward hotel and tried to make it a go. And then boom, it closed suddenly in December 2018 as it was clear the dude was not spending what was required to keep it in code. And then this about the dude, wow! Future of still-closed old Dearborn Hyatt is now up to Canadian court.
He is accused of masterminding a $200-million fraud and money-laundering scheme. Canadian authorities claim that Gong purchased the Dearborn hotel with proceeds from the alleged fraud, which took the form of a pyramid scheme that involved Canadian-made health supplements such as seal oil and anti-smog pills, and the sale of what turned out to be nearly worthless stock certificates. The alleged victims were mostly investors in China.
We have all seen this before. And then GlobalGaz went to see it live: Visiting The Wagah Border Ceremony From Pakistan And India. Checkout the badass special forces soldiers:
Incredible story in the Los Angeles Times: A Texas Ranger got a prolific serial killer to talk. This is how. Reading about this serial killer killing up to 93 women will turn your stomach like it did mine!
Another amazing story, this one at NPR. How the US hacked ISIS. They are intentionally getting some of this information out now.
I still have a Samsung Note 5, one of these days I will upgrade 🙂 I had no idea I could do some of these things with it! 20 great uses for an old Android device.
Great photos from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan!
This will bring tears to your beautiful eyes. Cousins who were believed to have died are reunited 75 years after surviving the Holocaust. Thanks Facebook!
We all know about the BigMac price index. Now we have the Starbucks Index! I typed this from a Starbucks actually lol!
Looks like my favorite travel rewards credit card just got devalued, thanks bloggers!
I logged in 26 miles this weekend, 10 on Saturday and 16 on Sunday. I am slowing down intentionally to find a comfortable pace I could someway somehow keep up for the whole 26.2 miles! I am getting very excited that the day of my first full marathon is now about 3 weeks away, it has been a life long dream of mine!
For the record, I gave up on the NFL and the Detroit Lions two years ago, I had enough.
I see that my Greek high school had another reunion, the fourth to date. I have missed every one. Some have aged well and some are not recognizable lol, wow! Hope I make the next one. It would help if they set it way in advance and not just give a two week notice!
I have burned 524,105 miles and points year to date. Current balance is still about 3.8 million. Gone are the days I burned over 1 million year after year, sad!
I think it is pretty clear by the way Internet Brands has run FlyerTalk and Frugal Travel Guy….that if you sell or work for these guys you are doing it on the very cheap and the end is certain (or a slow painful death to be more precise lol).
And I leave you with this…
TBB
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Thoughts and Prayers for Scott
On to the news.
Mommy Points has a long post explaining that she is giving up her annual Disney pass. I thought that was the happiest place on earth?
Seems to be about money.
Me-I’d rather be happy than rich.
But really, I’d rather be both happy and rich.
Which brings me to the upcoming Chicago Seminars for points and miles fans. A lot of people don’t know that these seminars were founded by chief TBB troll Ingy, the once and now again Frugal Travel Guy.
And as I recall, when Ingy started and ran the seminars, they were inexpensive (read frugal), somewhat informative and a lot of fun. And a good excuse to get out of the house for a weekend-“Honey, it’s continuing professional education. We get two credits for each session we attend”. Sort of like when the tv camera focused on two hammered guys at a Baltimore Ravens game, each with a T shirt that said “My wife thinks I’m at Promise Keepers”.
Those were the days-no Facebook groups, no reddit. Find a deal and whack it for weeks or months. I remember when Ingy found a couple of bankers with a well known bank who didn’t mind issuing new debit card accounts with a 25,000 mile bonus. Over and over.
Then there was the time he came up with a scheme to get everyone to the Super Bowl on miles and points. Oh well, that was a lousy game anyway.
So if any of you are going to the seminars this year, think back to those days, look around, and ask yourself “Why”?
I went to one of the Chicago seminars quite a few years ago. I think it was about the time they started to get less informal and inexpensive so I probably missed the best years. It was OK, I picked up some nuggets and had some good conversations. But I haven’t had any desire to go back with what I hear about it these days.
Sam on a roll today!
Oh, on the SunTrust deal Ingy blogged about. I bet you that lead to LOTS of conversions eventually. Poor bank employees, they all got fired, thanks Ingy!
I remember that. Stopped reading FTG after that. You have to draw a line somewhere.
Ah, the old Hyatt Dearborn. At one time, it was possible to snag a room there for ~$80, and because their club lounge was always closed (for renovations etc.), get an additional 2500 points per stay, on top of points for the room, as well as a G bonus of 1000. Nearly re-qualified for Diamond one year based on “stays” at this Hyatt – just check-in, go up to the room and grab the free toothpaste, and be on your way with over 4000 points and a stay credit in your pocket.
Everything is shit now.
Hyatt used to have the best promo…forgot the acronym for it now since it’s been so long!
Wait, are you doing the Columbus marathon? A friend of mine is doing that one in three weeks.
Detroit!
Busy this morning! Wow.
Really interesting links too!
My Pixel gave up the ghost. It was replaced under Google Fi warranty with a pixel XL. Pixels get the first Android roll out so it is up-to-date.
Buzz-
I just realized that your big announcement on October 1- that’s tomorrow. Tuesday.
You’re going back to posting 4 days a week! Wow-that’s the spirit.
Wow! Busy (and great) comment section this morning! Plus gobs of good articles. I like hearing about “the old days” in miles and points and wish I had been paying attention back then. But things are as they are and heading off in a week for Europe in first/Business and not out of pocket more than basically spare change! I still enjoy this hobby! Maybe because I travel only 2-3 times a year?
Hoping for as good news as can be had tomorrow, George!
Damn it, a typo is going to make me do a post tomorrow! Meant to say Wednesday!
Deleted another blog in Feedly, now down to 118. Don’t have time for Travel Is Free Drew interviewing other TPG writers!
As the drought continues I am at peace wirh my decision. As I am beginnng to taper my Marathon training before the race…it is about time to taper TBB again after 7 years!
P.S. This blogger has never blogged anything that led to anyone losing their jobs…unlike Ingy!
Good luck on your first marathon George.
Some advice from an ex Clydesdale Marathoner. Strongly resist the temptation to have a “fast” pace the first 10 miles. You’ll have a ton of adrenaline in your blood and “feel” like you can maintain but resist. You do not want a DNF published by your name.
Also there is no such thing as too much Vaseline. Grease up baby..
Thanks a lot for the advice, much appreciated!