AI Stocks Meltdown, Elon Musk’s Endgame, 28 Years Long Walk, RIP Juan Atkins Detroit Techno Godfather

ByTravelBloggerBuzz Hours Categories TBB

Another TBB post featuring the most eclectic links around the web such as the AI stocks meltdown, Elon Musk’s endgame, 28 years long walk, RIP Juan Atkins Detroit Techno Godfather, inflation all over, celebrities doing gambling ads, world chocolate masters, Magnifica Air, only the best photography links and of course always all of the most important developments in the crazy world of frequent flyer miles and points at the lower half of the post. And much more. Enjoy the weekend.

 

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

Support TBB by applying for Credit Cards or Buy Me a Coffee or click on Links

No clickbait. No ads. No algorithms. No sponsors. No AI. No paywalls.

 

This blog started way back in 2012 focusing on my crazy hobby addiction of traveling with frequent flyer miles, hotel and bank points. It has since evolved to curated posts featuring the best web content along with my commentary.

 

BLOG HOUSEKEEPING

This is truly a one man labor of love operation, enjoy it while it lasts.

 

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet” – Abraham Lincoln

 

PERSONAL FINANCE

This felt like one of those really bad days from the past. I wonder how so many younger investors who have never experienced a sustained bear market will react: Stock market today: Dow plunges 1,800 points, Nasdaq enters correction in AI trade meltdown. Do NOT believe anyone talking about where the market will go next. So many charlatans, be careful out there.

Tax planning never stops. But since people procrastinate, we see more of this type of articles this late in the year ever year. Always. What You Can Do Now to Cut Your 2026 Taxes.

There is no perfect financial plan, all we can do is create enough cushion to be able to enjoy retirement without too much stressing over money: 4 Dangerous Assumptions That Could Hurt Your Retirement Plan. Counting on strong returns, low inflation, working longer, or an inheritance? Here’s why that could cost you. 

These just in: The 2027 tax brackets are out. See what the standard deduction and SALT tax breaks will be.

Inflation Rates Around the World in 2026

Map showing inflation forecasts by country in 2026.

 

 

AI/TECH

Another site to bypass paywalls: UnWall. Information is a right, not a privilege. No account, no paywalls, no ads. Paste a link. Read. Similar to Archive.is but better I think. Definitely the interface is much better. But now both can’t do this with Wall Street Journal articles, hmmm.

This guy maybe IS the Antichrist, WTF! The Gospel according to Peter (Thiel).

The difference is that Thiel is an uber-wealthy influencer with political power. The theological thrifting by which he has sewn together his own apocalyptic vision would at one level be seen as quirky but innocent if not for the fact that he is using that vision to set himself up as a godlike judge between the saved and the damned — one might almost say a kind of Antichrist. That’s what eschatology has always done, but few apocalyptic preachers have wielded the kind of power Peter Thiel does, and he doesn’t seem to view many of us outside his circle as worthy of salvation.

Long excellent fairly well balanced video: Elon Musk’s Endgame. This guest is fantastic imho.

 

 

SCAMS/CRYPTO

Yeah every time I see a celebrity with way too much money doing a commercial for these companies I have this very strong urge to puke: Do Celebrities Endorsing Prediction Markets Not Have Enough Money Already?

What those advertisers are selling doesn’t seem to matter a great deal to many of the people doing the endorsing. After all, if everyone is constantly shilling, then it’s hard to point to any celebrity’s payday as particularly egregious. Maybe that’s why so many people agreed to be in that Polymarket ad at the same time — safety in numbers. But as durably profitable as it has been for celebrities to arbitrage their fanbase’s attention and affection, they should remember that for it to remain so, people do still have to like them. Continuing to cheerfully feed regular people into gambling’s meat grinder might not be the safest bet.

No one is safe these days. Especially writers: The Lucrative World of Literary Scams.

 

 

ODDZ & ENDZ

What a story: She Was the DEA’s Premier Crypto Detective. The Clues Led Straight to Her Own Family.

Amazing: Moving Image Archive. Search anything and sit back and look at old clips.

Did you know there is an event titled: World Chocolate Masters? Now you know, wow.

Stunning photography: Drone photo award winners: Far-out landscapes. Ship recycling. Rugs, rugs, rugs!

An old LNG carrier in the final stage of disassembly for scrap metal on the mudflats of the Bay of Bengal, just north of Chattogram, Bangladesh. Breaking a ship like this will take about a year, with a crew of 60 men using blow torches and winches to drag the larger pieces ashore for cutting into smaller pieces. The nearby BSRM smelter melts down the scrap metal from the old boats and produces rebar and rolled steel, while the more valuable non-ferrous metals are sold overseas. The brass from this ship was sold to Hyundai, the ship’s manufacturer in Korea, for use in new ships. From this LNG ship, they will collect a total of 30k tons of metal, plus 2.4k tons of aluminum and 200-300 tons of brass, copper, and stainless steel. Bangladesh has no iron mines and relies on shipbreaking for much of its iron and steel. Shipbreaking requires low wages and high demand for scrap steel. LNG boats are more valuable as they have large quantities of non-ferrous metals that fetch higher prices. Bangladesh had 160 shipbreaking yards before the June 2025 regulation requiring that all new ship purchases after that date be broken using “green methods” requiring international certifications. This forced most of the shipbreakers out of business, and now there are only 10 active shipbreaking yards. The green regulations require a US$4-5 million investment in a thick concrete slab for breaking work, a crane, and toxic liquid storage tanks, as well as higher wages and international certifications. resulting in higher operating costs. This LNG ship was purchased before the June 2025 green deadline. The world’s biggest ship-breaking areas are in Alang, India; #2 is Bangladesh; #3 is Pakistan; and they are all now subject to the same standards. This old-style ship-breaking operation is being done in a rented yard and run by Marine Safety System, but its owner, Mr. Kamal Ahamad, doesn’t want his name or the company’s name mentioned in captions. Kamal works in Bangla
It’s a mega-recycling effort: A crew of 60 men use blow torches and winches to break down a ship that had carried liquid natural gas. Tons of metal parts will be harvested to resell overseas. This photo by George Steinmetz, from the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh, is the overall winner in the 2026 Siena Drone Photo Awards contest.

 

 

TRAVEL

Latest headache for the airlines is all the false bomb threats diverting flights and resorting to emergency landings. Looks like the Russians again, let’s cut the sanctions against them then smh.

I had never heard of this guy before. But last week he was everywhere online, hmmm: After 28 Years Walking Across the Globe, He’s Almost Home. Karl Bushby has walked 31,000 miles, crossing some of the world’s harshest landscapes. He plans to reach his mother’s house in England next week. We are all running from our problems, some for a very long time lol.

I had never heard of Magnifica Air before. The airline aims to tap both those private jet travellers who want to save some money, and those first-class flyers who want to step up to something more luxurious still. Not sure if this airline will come to life, very ambitious project: Magnifica Air’s all-business approach to luxury air travel is getting ready for take off. The website sure looks cool though. And it all sounds so amazingly premiumish…

Luxury Without Limits

Enter a new era of luxury air travel, where every detail is meticulously designed to elevate your journey. At Magnifica Air, we believe luxury is synonymous with personalization, privacy, and unparalleled service. Start your journey with us and discover the art of travel redefined.

For the record, Frontier’s fare revenue per passenger in the third quarter was $67.82. Same quarter last year? $39.74, only a whopping 74% increase. So yeah, no wonder some entrepreneurs came up with Magnifica.

This Mars picture wow:

Mars is seen from orbit with an orange landscape and two prominent volcanoes on the right. Extending horizontally from the nearer volcano is a very long white cloud.

 

Follow me on Instagram and Subscribe to my YouTube channel

 

 

This blog started with a focus on miles and points and travel. It has evolved since then. Everything below deals with the hobby of collecting frequent flyer miles and points and maximizing your travel experiences. If you are not interested, you can stop here, thank you.

 

 

MILES & POINTS

So, here we go again…

Really JetBlue? Looks to me like a desperation move: JetBlue raises bag fees for third time in a year as fuel costs bite. And here is a reference post about how much each airline charges for a bag.

I always find myself in the United website for some reason: United MileagePlus Sweet Spots and Best Uses of Miles.

If I ever get back into the Citi camp again, it will be for this: How to Book Flights with EVA Air Miles … & Save Big on Lie-Flat Seats to Asia.

I need to study this and perhaps move on to a new award search tool: Best Award Search Tools: Flights, Hotels and Alerts Compared.

Lufthansa can not stop being so phucking annoying: Lufthansa Implements Mandatory TRAVEL ID Account To Complete Online Checkin. Come on!

 

 

TRAVEL REWARDS CREDIT CARDS

For ANY questions on travel rewards credit cards, contact me anytime at travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com

My Amex affiliate credit card links are back, fyi.

I think Capital One is starting to be known as THE bank that does NOT offer 1:1 transfers, come on! Capital One Adds Copa As 2:1.5 Transfer Partner – Launches With 30% Transfer Bonus.

 

 

NEW OFFERS:

Very interesting offer from Chase that is valid for just one week. Until November 11. Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless 200,000 Points + $100 Airfare Credit. Only $3k spend in the first three months for this $95 card. As of the time of this writing, this offer is not showing up on my own affiliate credit card links. When it does I am going to update my post and delete these two sentences.

This is an excellent offer by the way to haul in a boatload of Bonvoy points. Of course the past offer to earn 5 Free Nights was better. Debating now if I should go for this one. I mean, whether my wife should go for it. She is under 5/24 but not sure if she will get approved. Because she did have the Starwood SPG card many years ago. Qualifying for a Bonvoy card is spectacularly complicated if you did not know.

The 75k Citi Aadvantage Business card offer is back.

Chase now has a new World of Hyatt card to Earn Four Free Cat 1-4 Nights after $5k spend in the first three months. The SUB offers for the personal World of Hyatt have been consistently underwhelming imho.

 

 

LATEST OFFERS:

Death, taxes and new Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card offers: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards Offer Up to 90K Bonus Points.

  • Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Cardmembers: Earn 90,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points—after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Cardmembers: Earn 85,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points—after spending $2,000 within the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Cardmembers: Earn 80,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points—after spending $1,000 within the first 3 months from account opening.

 

IHG One Rewards Premier Select: Earn 210,000 points after spending $5k in the first 3 months (ENDING 11/18/26)

IHG One Rewards Business: Earn 190,000 points after spending $5k in the first 3 months (ENDING 11/18/26)

IHG One Rewards: Earn 125,000 points after spending $2k in the first 3 months (ENDING 11/18/26)

 


HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS:

75k CHASE Sapphire Preferred, 75k CHASE Ink Cash, 75k CHASE Ink Unlimited, 200k CHASE Sapphire Reserve Business, 100k CHASE Sapphire Reserve, 75k CITI AAdvantage Business, 75k CITI Strata Elite, 100k CAPITAL ONE Venture Rewards (AND $300 CREDIT), 100k CHASE Ink Business Preferred, 175k AMEX Platinum, 75k CAPITAL ONE Venture X, 115K CHASE AirCanada Aeroplan, 300k AMEX Business Platinum, 100k AMEX Gold, 200k AMEX Business Gold, 70k AMEX Hilton Honors (AND Free Night), 130k AMEX Hilton Surpass (AND Free Night), 200k AMEX Hilton Aspire, 80k CHASE United Explorer, 50k CHASE United Gateway, 50k AMEX Blue Business Plus and many more!

 

As of today, I have burned 882,287 miles/points year to date (after burning 1,893,248 miles/points in 2025  and 2,027,816 in 2024) and have 4,476,243 miles/points in the bank.

 

Reddit’s Which Credit Card Should I Get?

 

TBB’s Miles & Points RESOURCES Page

 

 

Due to credit card vendor restrictions, the only affiliate links I can place in the body of my posts are for Capital One cards. You can always email me at travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com with ANY questions.

 

Please help the small independent blogs like mine continue to exist by supporting us with your CREDIT CARD clicks, thank you!

 

 

BONUS OFFERS NOTIFICATIONS

Would you like to be automatically notified every time a card comes out with (or is about to remove) an elevated welcome offer? If yes, I highly encourage you to sign up if you haven’t yet. And when you apply for a credit card from a link in these emails you help support the blog.

Elevated Card Offer Notifications

All you have to do to receive these free notifications is:

1. Click on the link above

2. Create an account

3. Subscribe

 

 

MY ACTION AND BLOG BUZZING

I am very sad for the sudden passing of the godfather of Detroit Techno, Juan Atkins: Legendary DJ, techno music pioneer dies at 64: ‘A true visionary’. They say that the music you grew up with stays with you. I remember discovering this futuristic sound in the early to mid eighties after moving near Detroit for college. There was one local radio station with a DJ named Mr. Mojo. Who played artists way ahead of their time. And all these local kids making electronic music to stay off the streets and crack back in those days. One was Juan Atkins and I became obsessed with what he was creating. Many years later I got to meet him when many of us worked to bring the Detroit Electronic Music Festival DEMF to life in Detroit, where it all started. This festival is now called Movement with a huge worldwide fan base. Before it went totally commercial, back then we were all in it for the love of this music: Juan Atkins, Godfather of Techno, in 6 Crucial Records.

Not much going on, I have now secured both signup bonuses for my 80k Schwab Amex Platinum and my 210k Chase IHG Premier Select card. Son is based in Honolulu and is Gold elite with Alaska Airlines and is finding more uses for its miles. Therefore, he applied (of course using my link, it is a family business lol) for the 100k Alaska Airlines Atmos Summit card. Which is a no brainer. We will see if he will keep it after one year.

One of the reasons I am glad my retirement plans fell through is that I can continue putting spend on my cards for my business expenses. And of course getting to apply for business cards is much easier. Which of course did not keep me from doing it even when I was working at a company many years ago.

I am thinking to have my wife apply for the new Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, the best ever offer for 200k Marriott Bonvoy points is only good until November 11. Yeah, I am thinking to add some Bonvoy points in my arsenal, you never know.

Inching slowly towards another year of burning at least 1 million miles/points. Currently at 882,287 year to date.

I am shocked about the US election results. Very pleasantly shocked I may add. I am proud of my fellow Michiganders of course. And I never had a blue rout in Texas in the cards. Hopefully the country can move on from the guy in charge. Who can’t stop talking about asses smh.

Some photos from wife’s long way trip back to the US as she is hanging out at son’s new apartment in Honolulu these days before she returns home to Michigan next week:

Chamang, Malaysia

Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan I

Taiwan II

 

 

 

2026 SE ASIA TRIP RECAP

New additions in bold font below. I am starting to add YouTube video links, I have lots more coming. Almost nearing the end…

So to recap:

 

110,000 American Airlines miles for one way First Class from Detroit to Bangkok (via Dallas and Tokyo Haneda) flying AA and JAL Business Class

AA Flagship Lounge in DFW

AA Flagship Lounge in DFW You Tube Video

AA First Class DFW – HND

Sakura Lounge at Tokyo Haneda Airport HND

Sakura Lounge at Tokyo Haneda Airport You Tube Video

AMEX Centurion Lounge at Tokyo Haneda Airport HND

AMEX Centurion Lounge at Tokyo Haneda Airport HND Video

JAL Business Class flight from Tokyo Haneda HND to Bangkok BKK

For a trip report on the flights getting me to Bangkok please see the first comment in this post.

OR

118,500 Air Canada Aeroplan miles for one way Business Class from Detroit to Frankfurt to Munich on Lufthansa and to Bangkok on Thai Airways  [Canceled, went with AA above]

 

1 night at the StandardX Bangkok for 7,500 World of Hyatt points

Standard X Bangkok Review

StandardX Bangkok YouTube Video

10 nights at the Bangkok Hyatt Place Soi 1 for 45,000 World of Hyatt points total

Bangkok Hyatt Place Soi 1 Review

Bangkok Hyatt Place Soi 1 Room YouTube Short

Breakfast at the Hyatt Place Soi 1 YouTube Short

Bangkok’s Benjakitti Park

Bangkok Chinatown Food Tour

Strolling Chinatown YouTube Short

Padthai in Bangkok’s Chinatown Food Tour YouTube Short

Random Shots Around Bangkok

Bumrungrad Hospital Visits

9 nights at the Bangkok Hyatt Place Soi 24 for 40,500 World of Hyatt points

Bangkok Hyatt Place Soi 24 Review

Room Tour of the Hyatt Place Soi 24 YouTube Short

Breakfast at the Hyatt Place Soi 24 YouTube Short

Bangkok Coffee Culture

Bangkok Eating

At TRIBE Sky Beach Bar in Bangkok

Bangkok Cats

Final post from Bangkok until the return from Saigon

4 nights in a suite at the Saigon Park Hyatt for 80,000 World of Hyatt points

Saigon Food Tour on Motorbikes

Saigon on Motorbikes YouTube Short

Saigon Food Tour on Motorbikes YouTube Short

Roaming the Streets of Saigon, Part I

Strolling City Hall Square With Ho Chi Minh Statue YouTube Short

Saigon Skyline

Saigon Fabulous Skyline YouTube Short

Roaming the Streets of Saigon, Part II

Visiting Saigon’s Central Post Office YouTube Short

Roaming the Streets of Saigon Part III

Walking at Night in Saigon’s Cho Lon Chinatown Video

Eating around Saigon

Park Hyatt Saigon: Lam Son Suite, Front, Lobby, Main Floor

Park Hyatt Saigon Lam Son Suite Tour Video

Park Hyatt Saigon Breakfast

Breakfast Park Hyatt Saigon Video

Park Hyatt Saigon Art

Flying Vietnam Airlines and Saigon Airport

2 nights at the KROMO Bangkok, a Curio Collection by Hilton property, on AMEX The Hotel Collection booking fully utilizing Amex Business Platinum $300 credit

KROMO Hotel Part I

KROMO Hotel Part II

ICONSIAM Mall Bangkok

Final Bangkok Post

1 night at the brand new Fairmont Bangkok in a suite using my lifetime Platinum annual complimentary night cert

Fairmont Bangkok Part I

Fairmont Bangkok Part II

Fairmont Bangkok Part III

1 night at the Hilton Pattaya for 60,000 Hilton Honors points

Viral IG Reel from Hilton Pattaya Rooftop Bar

Hilton Pattaya Rooftop Bar Short Video on YouTube

Hilton Pattaya Part I

Hilton Pattaya Part II

Around Pattaya

Hilton Pattaya Breakfast

2 nights at the Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach for 30,000 World of Hyatt points in a confirmed Garden View Suite

Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach Part I: The Grounds

Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach Part II: Garden View Suite & Fitness Center

Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach Part III: Breakfast

Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach Part IV: Swimming Pools, Beach & Eating/Drinking

Roaming the Streets of Singapore, Part I

Roaming the Streets of Singapore, Part II

1 night at the Singapore Conrad Marina Bay on an Amex FHR booking mostly covered by the $300 Schwab Amex Platinum $300 credit

Singapore Conrad Marina Bay Part I: King View Room, Lobby & Main Floor, Swimming Pool

Singapore Conrad Marina Bay Part II: Breakfast

Singapore Conrad Marina Bay Breakfast Video

Singapore Wedding at St. Regis Singapore

Singapore Changi Airport SIN

Singapore Changi Airport Video: Waves

Singapore Changi Airport: Jewel Waterfall

90,000 United miles for one way Business Class Singapore to Chicago O’Hare (via San Fransisco) flying United

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in Changi Airport

United Polaris Singapore SIN to San Francisco SFO

The Club Priority Pass airport lounge in San Francisco SFO

 

 

Follow TBB on Instagram and Subscribe on YouTube

 

Check out my page listing my affiliate links HERE

Or go to Rakuten and Top Cash Back and Rove Miles and Gondola

 

 

Let me leave you with this:

Happy Shawarma Day every day from the great state of Michigan, thank you voters all over the US!

Some of the links are behind a paywall. You can try to read them using Archive.is.

 

Thank you for reading my blog. If you enjoy it please forward it to a family member or friend. Or Buy Me a Coffee, thank you!

Feel free to contact me anytime at travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com, all feedback is very appreciated.

 

You can also support the blog to help cover the costs of running it and keeping it free by donating via Paypal:

This site may receive compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. Travel Blogger Buzz and Your Best Credit Cards may receive a commission from card issuers. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not necessarily include all financial companies or all available financial offers. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.

Similar Posts

2 Comments

  1. TBB Blog Revenue Full Disclosure:

    Oct 2026:
    1 credit card sale
    66 coffees

    Nov 2026:
    1 credit card sale, mine lol
    10 coffees

    Thank you to everyone. All these go towards to offset blog costs.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *