Let’s go on a wild ride with some advice on how to be part of the solution (or at least not part of the problem), visit Bora Bora, learn of a new seminar targeting newbies to sell them more credit cards, learn of the changes at Kimpton Hotels’ loyalty program, see the Top 25 Credit Cards, welcome friends to the Ann Arbor Art Fair DO this weekend, check out some Soviet bases and Banksy art.
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Mile Nerd with some good life advice “Making Your Voice Heard” which I agree with, especially with ” This goes for everything. I’m talking about an all-purpose way of life. If you don’t like something, STOP SUPPORTING IT. That should be common sense, but there’s way too many complainers who don’t actually do anything. Are you tired of ruthless, bow-tie wearing dorks who kill every deal? Then STOP READING THEIR BLOG. Sick of Kim Kardashian? Hmm…maybe you should QUIT WATCHING HER SHOW. An employee was rude to you? Oh, I don’t know…LEAVE A NEGATIVE REVIEW. Or maybe TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE. My point is simple. If you don’t like something, take some action. Stop being part of the problem.” Here at TBB we definitely do NOT like these blogs! And stop signing up for their seminars too!
Lenticular Travel has the best pictures in the blogosphere, nobody comes close. Here are some more pictures from Bora Bora (again):
Looks like the credit card sales bloggers at Frugal Travel Guy (the blog) are tired of letting credit card conversions go to other credit card bloggers so they decided to do their own credit card rookie bootcamp seminar. Only 100 people so they can keep it small and “hold conversations”. Lol, sure sounds like they are copying the successful practices by the Saverocity folks. No word if a Chase Bank employee will be on site to approve the credit card apps. I hear a presentation on Avios was nixed as the British Airways credit card does not pay as much as it used to so expect lots of Chase Ink Bold product to be pushed out the door.
Before anyone asks, I will not be signing up lol. I recommend the seminars by Saverocity and the intimate non commercial Flyertalk local gatherings here. Or just ask in the comments. And, guess what, we don’t have a minimum quota of credit cards to sell to you okay? Who knows, maybe they can convince a newbie couple to go for 14 credit cards in the same day…yikes! “Apply for all 7 cards credit cards on the same day….Because you’re married, both you and your spouse should apply for the same cards to receive double the rewards!”
I added WorldWanderlusting in the Blogs I Ignore. Been meaning to do it for a long time but the latest pump piece on the Barclays Arrival card surpassed my tolerance threshold. This card has been sold here so much it is darn ridiculous. This got me over the edge to add it to the list…so welcome! But that was not the worse blog post of the past two days. It was by Milevalue pumping the Citi Hilton Reserve card…yikes!
Hack My Trip blogs about the revamped Kimpton Loyalty Program: “Kimpton Revamps Loyalty Program: Karma Rewards”
Mile Nerd updates his Top 25 Credit Cards. No affiliate links so who are you going to trust huh? Tell every other blogger with a moronic Top 10 credit card post that you will not be buying from them because the credit cards drive their content completely…so there!
Looking forward to meeting everyone at the Ann Arbor Art Fair DO this weekend. Read posts #1-3 to learn about it.
Do I have to say something about the Malaysian Airlines flight? Or seeing the four little kids in the Gaza beach blown up? It’s a cruel world, try to make it better, not much else to say. Okay, here is one thing. Out of all these airlines in the world, why do two of the most unusual and bizarre aviation disasters happen to….Malaysian Airlines. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mrs. TBB is Malaysian and is supposed to fly them next month. I am starting to wonder if this airline can survive now. Kind of surreal this is happening when they can’t even find the other one. Okay, now there. I am heartbroken for everyone touched by this, how can you not be? Okay…that’s it. And I don’t trust the powers involved here blaming…the other party. Unbelievable!
I haven’t booked any hotel yet for my Hong Kong trip in October! I have 5 nights. I can use wife’s free night at the Intercontinental but do not want to splurge with my IHG points there. How is the Sheraton Hong Kong Towers as it seems very reasonable on points? I do not need luxury hotels this time, one night in the IC will be enough I think. Thinking may be time to try this Airbnb thing? Or Priceline again. I don’t want to use my precious Hyatt points. #Developing always…
A Rare Look At The Abandoned Military Bases Of The USSR. Some cool pictures of the chaos…
Banksy is one of the today’s most prolific artists yet his identity remains unknown. Best known for his satirical street art
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Unbeatable first
Hah hah. Finally had my nasty little revenge on my fellow readers. Wow, what a day. May be i am sensing something big. May be buy a lottery?
We bow to your excellency Kumar! Your life is now complete? lol
Bridesmaid yet again.
Getting to be a habit now, come on!
First!
Whoa, not First! I will now begin to read the post. Lol.
I should find a way to send the commenters an electric shock if they post “First” without reading the post first hehe
Third.
Third gets a medal too!
Well nuts! I’m finally up after midnight and all I have to show for it is seventh place.
Looks like the Saverocity people are spending way too much time in the Forum so I expect them to slack here….it’s okay…my feelings are not hurt ::-)
Is that Gleff in his airline PJs?
Hahaha!
I do not take pictures of others and post them here without their written consent 🙂
I didn’t realize Lenticular Travel was posting again…he kinda stopped there for a while and I thought maybe the blog had gone dormant. Great pics, as usual.
Saw someone post this to Facebook the other day and had a chuckle when I saw the “first”.
http://www.collegehumor.com/post/6976988/internet-commenters-in-day-to-day-life
I miss college
You totally should go to the credit card rookie bootcamp. Someone needs to save the rookies from the credit card pushers! And the discussions would be a lot more entertaining with you there!
Those pictures from Bora Bora are amazing! I recommend everyone click on the link to see the rest of the pictures.
If I go they will call Security.
The ones who go thinking they will get the best non biased advice there are deserving of what they will get.
Catching up from the airport before we board our flight. Cheerful TSA employees which is a good start. Can’t believe the number of passengers carrying the hard-to-miss, bright pink, VooDoo Donuts boxes. Could those donuts get even better after going through the X-ray machine? Next stop, Detroit. Good night, all.
I think I will pass on those donuts, especially after they got the Xray treatment. Beautiful weather here!
Umm…what, George?!?
Could explain why Georve is hopping from one foot to the other, missing a pee and all…
Damn typos….the word pass came out as….ass
LOL
Great post. Nice balance. Thanks.
Thank you, appreciated.
” bow-tie wearing dorks” LOL. How things have changed from 2012-2013 :). Unfortunately for me, this happened quite late in your hobby life cycle here and I did exactly what you mentioned, I quit reading and coming to your blog completely.
But I knew I’d come back.
One of these days, Mile Nerd will post a video of flogging himself. It is getting that ridiculous with these credit card salesguys salesguysing 24/7
They are all in a race not to get dropped and lose the golden goose or egg or whatever came first.
Yeah, it has been quite a change since those days back in 2012-2013 😉
So I need to pick up a couple flat screen tvs.
Best Price and free 2-day shipping is on Amazon – check!
Walk over to Staples buy some Amazon GC with Ink to get 5pts per $1 spent – check!
Visit TBB and enjoy today’s content – check!
Click on his Amazon link through – check!
Hopefully he gets enough $ for a couple of cold ones this weekend – check!
Thank you for your blog, I hope the link through worked even if I paid with GCs (shouldn’t matter, right?).
Cheers,
PedroNY
It should not matter so THANK YOU!
Readers who place such big orders with the TBB Amazon link have priority…as in I can email you when I post publish so you can finally be First LOL.
Seriously, thank you very much, greatly appreciated. And great lead up to the TBB Amazon link, this is the way to do it!
Buzz, You have to let this credit card obsession go my friend. We all get it. You don’t like blogs that solicit credit cards. Take your own advice and don’t read them, don’t talk about them. Just assume they don’t exist. Why not pick on some other world tragedy like ambulance chasing attorneys? The successful commercial bloggers (and I am sorry you never stepped up to show them all how to do it, and were able to rake it in like they do) are not going to stop because you don’t like them. BTW didn’t most of your miles and points come from credit card signups?
You got the Mrs back to work and are off Obamacare. The kids are doing well and your soccer tournament was a hit around the world. Life is good, Quit wasting your breath on something you can’t change. Pump that Amazon and RoboForm link like there is no tomorrow and you’ll catch the next big windfall.
Disagree, strongly.
I’m willing to bet the amount of a conversion that TBB has kept some people from supporting these snake-oil salespeople.
And that’s worth it, to me.
I think TBB was instrumental in my decision to question ethics on credit card signups. I may have come to the same conclusion myself, but at the least it would have taken me longer to ask those questions of myself.
+1
PedroNY
If your only definition of success is “raking it in”, I think it is pointless arguing with you.
I am reminded of one of the responses George had given to my comment from which i could easily understand that he is not against credit cards or signup bonuses. He is just against those pumpers who use the readers as tools to pump cards to make more money. There is a big difference. It is easier said than done about pumping affiliate links. How many so called travel blogs dont have CC affiliate links – i can think of only TBB, Mile nerd and Lazy Travellers. Not even saverocity (who of course does with the best interests of readers in mind). Even that i came to know only after frequenting TBB. And how do you think blogs survive? How can they grow? Why should George spend so much time to “educate” us about the evils of clicking those affiliate links when he has a full time job and family to look after. I think it is the child like passion in him that is making him do what he is doing and i will support him 100% in the way i can. Please dont hit that hard and kill that. Ok – if George stops posting against these pumpers, tell me one popular person in the travel blogging who will be willing to do this in the most entertaining way possible. Zero. So, what happens to the newbies who are continued to be gang raped by other self interested bloggers who just happen to stumble upon here and has a chance to come out of the gang rape? I hope, wish and pray that George continues to write more so that we all are constantly reminded about the day in – day out evil that is there outside. I feel it takes time even for intelligent people for this to sink in their minds – it is like a therapy – you got to keep doing it for some time so that it sinks to your mind not to click those links ever in your life. I think that is what George is doing. If at all some one must quit, it is those gang rapers who should and not George. Without rebels in any system, the evils of the system are not known to the common man. George is one of those great rebels.
Kumar (from No. 42? :)) there are a ton of travel bloggers out there, most of which don’t even know of the CC pushing scam. What George talk about is the scam operated by points and miles bloggers. Tiny fraction of the market!
@Oliver2002 – i was also talking about them only as these pumpers are the major bloggers out there. Banks dont care about the lesser known ones. By the way, pardon my ignorance – i dont understand what you mean by “from no. 42?”.
Google ‘kumars from no. 42’ and you shall know! 🙂
Cool :):)
Kumar wrote, “So, what happens to the newbies who are continued to be gang raped by other self interested bloggers who just happen to stumble upon here and has a chance to come out of the gang rape?”
Gang rape. Wow.
Look in the mirror, people.
@Anonymous/9:36AM
What a condescending pr1ck. If it weren’t for Buzz, and a couple of other evangelists, this scene would be a hell lot worse than what it is already today.
Why not ask for regulation instead of calling out TBB?
SMH.
But who will save the newbies from being mauled by such crap like “you can sign up for seven cards in the same day”…even when you enter your info only looking for cash back cards huh? Even if one person clicks away from credit card pumping factories is a contribution to world peace and to improving humanity. World does not need more bank bitches doing what they are told to pump day in and day out. I have many who emailed me who have thanked me for steering them away and making them understand the impact this credit card affiliate system has unleashed into our hobby. I care about the hobby, these pumpers primarily care about their own pockets first. Besides, they are so busy pumping away and following orders to keep up with the real hobby anyway…,so expert miles/points advice my big fat greek behind!
I know nothing about ambulance chasing attorneys so why pick on them? I like to pick on miles/points “experts” who are truly credit card sales experts…it’s more fun!
Stepped up? Hahahaha. More like stepped down to follow orders from marketing assholes? That is not me dude.
Most of my miles came from credit card churning….I see you guys blog a lot about this lately…huh?
Mrs has always worked we just got much better health care insurance, she loves working at Ford! Never got on Obamacare but good to have the option available as some clients have benefited. Kids are doing great, World Cup was awesome. Life is great. I blog what comes to my mind, no bank or affiliate marketing company asshole needs to see it or approve it. Thank you for the pumping advice, sure don’t know how to do it but I prefer doing it my own way. I love Robo Form, the best software I have ever used. You should try it and you can go direct, hell if I care. Oooooh….I always wonder how to get the next big windfall…You never learn how others can think differently.
Thanks for taking the time to comment Anonymous1 😉
@Anonymous That was my comment and what has it got to do with George? I have freedom to express my thought as a reader. No one is paying me anything to write here. I dont want to add anything more as you will continue to find fault in every word i write, try to link some way with George, and make it worse. Your intentions are clearly visible.
Wished some people did not hide behind their keyboards 🙂
Apply for the Citi Hilton Reserve card, hurrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
Ok, got you as to who was hiding, George 🙂 🙂
@ Anonymous 2: Thank you. It is worth it to me too!
@ Matt: Thanks, appreciate that.
@ PedroNY: +1 to you and to Matt 🙂
@ The Common Man: It is. It’s from a sales/marketing culture where “conversions” and $$$ is all that matters to define success. I don’t operate that way and I am not starving either….incredible how that works sometimes 🙂
@ Kumar: Thanks a lot. Just had lunch with Drew and his wife and you came up, we like you and your support! I always thought of myself as a rebel. Back in college I walked into my Intermediate Accounting class with long hair, leather jacket, earring and long hair. The professor almost fainted. I got the only A in the class #winning. I am not sure I would go as far as to call them gang rapers…some may take this to be a little harsh. I think it is funny and I may be called a coward for that as I know you are paraphrasing. For the record, TBB is against rape, gang rapes and all forms of rape okay? The pumpers have surrendered self expression and are complying with orders and just sell product. I was never against true expertise. And I was never against affiliate links…just don’t like how they drive the content of blogs these days. Besides, I have been around a long time and I can tell who is a true expert or not. I just keep TBB because it is my own therapy actually 🙂 Thanks again.
Oliver2002: True!
@ AgendaGuy: I shake my head these days I have the strongest neck muscles in the whole nation lol.
Really nice of you guys to remember me during your talk. I was there for work till yesterday. I would have made it to the DO had i not booked the ticket for flying home this week. Would have loved to meet you again and see the wonderful pair of Drew and his wife in person – only had i known about the event last month. I usually book tickets one month in advance and i dont get refunds for my flight cancellations. I would love to help humanity in whatever way i can and so all guys whom i trust and who are doing a good cause always have my support.
By the way, George, cant stop controlling my laughter imagining you in that dress – no wonder your professor almost fainted. Haha. And, agree – gang rapers might be bit harsh. Whatever I call them, they just dont care about the readers. All they are bothered about is about their coffins.
I leave you with just one cool lecture on the word **** by one of the great rebel that i admire who gained so much of world popularity in the 1980s. Hope you enjoy it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mlq90acT45s
That video….LOL….I am on the floor laughing….uncontrollably…thank you!
The word is coffers you schmuck. Regarding your comment about being “maybe a bit harsh”; maybe? really maybe?
The fact that we all have to share oxygen on this planet with you is a disgrace. Bash pushy bloggers and call out bullshit posts but get some perspective you idiot.
Hehe. Thanks for your kind words. I don’t care what you think. If you can’t understand the paraphrase, better grow up. I don’t want to add anything more.
George – please delete my comment if you feel it is out of place.
If I delete it would that make me a censor?
If I let it stand would that make me a coward?
I am not responsible for what people comment on my blog, this is not North Korea.
All I know is…
“what matters is conversions” LOL
The teacher was scared of you, hence the A, George. But wait a minute this was EMU… isn’t it an entry requirement to look weird to even enter Ypsi at night?
Ypsi is really under rated. Unless you are talking the Wal Mart area at night!
Never forget I stumbled into a country western dance bar about 25 years ago on the outskirts of Ypsi. WTF was that doing there!
When I was in a college and pledging a fraternity they took us in a van blindfolded and unloaded us into this strip joint called “Legs” in Ypsilanti. OMG, I have not seen an uglier collection of legs and real characters in one place…And we had to….I am too embarrassed to type it…I still have nightmares about that traumatic experience!
TBB wrote about kumar “you came up, we like you and your support!”
You read and are responding to him likening pushing credit cards to the gang rape of readers.
And you responded with an encouraging comment, rather than calling him out.
Get out of your bubble and look in the mirror, dude.
@Hiding behind mask sir – i see the words resembling tone of a “big” blogger. Not sure. May be George can confirm.
Weak…so weak…no coward anymore, is this all the best you can do?
Anyway…I am still laughing from that video Kumar posted..
OMAT SUCKS!!!!!! I’m pissed. I do not usually read this site, but I saw other blogs reference his article on ” MH17 hits close to home” Why? because you saw the MH17 aircraft? F.U. Lucky!, You have no idea what it is like for an airline accident to hit close to home. You somehow wrote a post making this tragedy ABOUT YOU . I am so pissed right now after reading what he wrote, George. Maybe someday, in private, I will tell you about the night TWA 800 went down 18 years ago, I was there in OPS with my friends, the 42 TWA crew members on board that were lost. Yes, 42, (3) full 747 crews, 2 of which were deadheading, many bringing along their spouses for the trip. And about all the funerals and the surviving children, about working along with grievance counselors to help the families, about volunteering to help the NTSB to put the plane pieces back together in a hanger, that event hit home! Lucky, You think you are a rock star but you are just a credit card selling douche!!!!!
Mr. Ramsey, that’s not what I got from the post. In the security line, he had a conversation with a passenger who boarded MH17. It’s not the same as working for TWA when TWA 800 went down; I didn’t read that sense of equivalency. He quoted himself from the other Malaysian mess a few months ago, “While it impacts us, I can’t even imagine how it impacts anyone that was involved directly in any way.”
That OMAAT post is personal, has NO credit card links, and provides a perspective from experience that day. It’s the kind of post I want to read – and so I did read it instead of “Many Delta schedule changes have loaded” and “Hilton HHonors points on sale” or “Can hackers control your hotel room?” Some topics don’t fit inside our personal lenses, and so we should avoid them, but I don’t think that commentary was out of line.
Adam perhaps you are right, but I see it as someone who cannot wait to tell his 40,000 readers that HE was part of this tragedy. His quote “Today, oddly, I guess I was one of those “last people” to interact with one passenger” …. maybe he could of waited a few days to post it. Adam, let’s just agree to disagree.
Relax guys, all is well, he then did the personal posts I expected…about the coming demise of the Chase Sapphire card 7% dividend….all is well, exhale!
No problem, Ramsey. Your perspective here is very different from mine.
FTU Advanced $199 or whatever it is for “secrets” or more like “look at me, I am an expert, click my credit card links, I appreciate it, blah blah blah”
or
Ann Arbor Art Fair DO surrounded by true experts who know what they are talking about as they don’t spend hours complying with affiliate marketing and bank compliance requirements and massaging credit card affiliate links while dreaming up moronic posts to insert them credit card links
What would you choose?
As TBB says…DON’T BE A TOOL. THINK!
TBB said > Mile Nerd updates his Top 25 Credit Cards. No affiliate links so who are you going to trust huh?
When you click on the subject heading, there’s a link to the card.
TBB said > I haven’t booked any hotel yet for my Hong Kong trip in October! I have 5 nights. I can use wife’s free night at the Intercontinental but do not want to splurge with my IHG points there. How is the Sheraton Hong Kong Towers as it seems very reasonable on points? I do not need luxury hotels this time, one night in the IC will be enough I think. Thinking may be time to try this Airbnb thing? Or Priceline again. I don’t want to use my precious Hyatt points. #Developing always…
We’ll be right behind you, so keep us/me posted. #ThirdWorldProblems
FYI, we stayed at the Sheraton and negotiated (cough) and upgrade to a view room of the harbor for USD $25 per night four years ago. YMMV.
So you liked the Sheraton? How is the location? If I do it there for 4 nights I gotta go for the fifth night free…which leaves me the IC free night cert for later but…really really want to spend it in IC Hong Kong…yeah a really classy problem to have haha
I think using the word ‘rape” in the conext of any of this is just bad taste.
I also don’t agree with those who accuse a blogger of being a ‘Crecit Card Whore”. I think of it more like a girlfriend experience-first we have a drink, tell me how your work is going, we get to know each other. Then you can go over and fill out that application.
Yeah probably the choice of word was indeed a bad one…let’s not get carried away and veer from the real topic of the discussion now.
Right at this minute I am distraught. I just don’t know what will happen with that 7% dividend on my CSP card. I see VFTW, OMAAT and DWL all copy each other and ponder about this huge predicament…and serve their links for the 5th millionth time…
whores?….you be the judge….I just…blog about blogs around here 🙂
The Sheraton is a block away from the IC. If you get a harbor, or is that harbour view, the block won’t matter. We looked out of the window and watched the light show at night. In the morning, we’d open the blinds and look at all the ferry action.
I’ll take your unused free night cert and combine them with the 2 I have. 😉
Good to know, thanks. Waiting to see next Pointbreaks hoping for a miracle. Then looking into Priceline options before I pull the trigger. I am sure we can use the free night cert unless your proposal makes me go very enthusiastic 🙂
If Hamas didn’t launch rockets from the beach there wouldn’t be dead kids on the beach!
http://online.wsj.com/articles/thane-rosenbaum-civilian-casualties-in-gaza-1405970362