TBB Mission: To Entertain, Educate and Inspire. Aim to at least do one well!
If you like what you see here, please let others know by passing them a link to my blog, thank you!
TRAVEL
Santorini. Sunset. Best. 18 Pictures. Been here twice, one in my wild college years and then for my honeymoon. It has been downhill ever since my friends. You know I am kidding 😉
Ladakh Travel:9 Memories of Deep Himalayan India. By Uncornered Market. Wow, I really liked this! (HT to Travel Junkette)
49 photos from National Geographic Traveler Photography Contest. WOW!!! I had a hard time to pick just two!
Spaceship Cloud in the Argentinian Andes Foothills. By Jeffsetter. Wow, it does not look real!
Fog Rolls Over Long Range Mountains in Lark Harbor Newfoundland. This just looks so totally freaky, never seen anything like this.
MILES/POINTS
Inside United’s Secret Club for Top Fliers. By the Wall Street Journal. You can dream about GS.
Mighty Travels is looking for bloggers. Another aggregator it appears. I need to invent a TBB bot to go out and collect stuff and instantly import it to a blog post in WordPress and then I can do my thing. I can dream.
Travel is Free (is not) somehow was the first one who came up with the new IHG Rewards Pointbreaks list that is not even live yet! Best hotel redemption in the planet, period! Just 5k IHG Rewards points gets you a night. But this one is very underwhelming. Just two Intercontinentals, seriously?
The US Air non affiliate credit card is much better than the US Air affiliate offer. Actually, I prefer that the affiliate offer would not be mentioned at all because it may confuse people. It is 1.37 am now and not going to take the time to find my previous post about this. Please proceed to the comments and show (again!) how true this is.
ON MY MIND
The pace will really slow down starting next week. This week was fun but higher priorities in life will prevail. I hope you have enjoyed the entertainment provided here as much as we (me) have enjoyed dishing it out 🙂 This is a work in progress. I am making it up as I go along. “It takes a toll but I like it”. But I certainly need to give me some time to devote to more important things. Now if I had you know what I could do this (throw in a few yawns for fun too!) full time and start working on different projects to make more money so I can hire ghost writers (Drew?) to provide content so I can do conferences and crank up the media PR activities and pretty soon I will have ghost travelers, ghost credit card applicants, ghost dogs…ok, forgot where I was going…which happens with me all the time. Oh I need another insult to inspire me some more! Loved all the insults thrown at me, you know you hit a nerve when others insult you with: Angry (pfft!), outcast of society (not just me, all of you!), pisser and moaner, woman hater (this one I still don’t get) and clown (so so proud of this one!).
Wife and daughter in Paris. Radisson Blu Le Metropolitan is quite disappointing to them, so small feels like a jail cell. My wife is just too shy to pursue that darn upgrade. I am a lot more persistent. Its only redeeming asset: Perfect location. Which was my wife’s primary criterion! Readers, I am so afraid I am checking the Chase Ink Plus (Numero Uno!) account activity every 15 minutes!
Truly sad day yesterday. I had to return the Mercedes Benz I drove for 5 months. Did a short survey, paid me $200 in cash and got me on a cab ride home. I love living in a University town (except football Saturdays when traffic and parking situation can totally suck!).
Breaking News: I got a perk at Klout! Some organic ready to read coctails. Looks good actually.
ODDZ & ENDZ
Red, White and Steel. By Grantland. “The greatest photo shoot in history!”. If you are into US soccer and its history you MUST read this. If you do not laugh hysterically there is something wrong with you! I just can’t stop laughing, one of the funniest articles I have ever read! It will makes sense only if you know these USA soccer team players. Here is an excerpt:
Actual caption: “Originally from Argentina, Pablo Mastroeni plays defense but not in his Roberto Cavalli turquoise-studded shirt, $1,138, and linen pants, $350. At Roberto Cavalli boutiques.”
Corrected caption: [Speechless.]
Super-corrected caption: [Still speechless.]
Ultra-corrected caption: “Originally from the planet Fldapz, three clicks from the Frebulon system, Pable Mastroeni dons the customary garb of the Fldapzese warrior caste while impregnating a bench for some reason.”
The Butterfly Effect. Wow, what a picture. Words can not begin to describe. This is inspiring!
German fisherman caught world record 515 pound Atlantic Halibut
25 Things That Were Totally Normal in 1999. By BuzzFeed. Oh wow, hard to believe it was just 14 years ago we used to do these things!
BLOG BUZZ
When I saw Milevalue‘s title “Will You Marry Me?” I honestly thought it was a clever marriage proposal. When I started reading I quickly realized it was yet another attempt to push more financial products. Click (away).
Million Mile Secrets always used to be excited in the Friday interviews. Apparently not anymore. One day, one day.
World Wanderlusting has this title: “Inside Look at the Starwood Preferred Guest Program”. I am holding it…It continues “With a sexy bonus on Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express, it’s definitely worth taking a look at the card. The offer expires on September 3rd, 2013. Now is the best time of year to look at getting this card.” [ bolding NOT mine] Ok, I can’t be holding anymore, I am laughing. What else will my eye sockets see to sell this merchandise? Inside look, sexy bonus and bold fonts, geesh! Reminds me of some dude in college who was selling weed in parties. Oh those were the glory days of TBB. Now he is just a middle aged dude sitting behind a computer completely anonymous pissing and moaning to the world being so angry and hating women so much, a true society outcast. Maybe but I am darn proud of it. Hiya! One final moan: This blog should be better titled CreditCardlusting, not seeing much of the world in it.
PERSONAL FINANCE
I am doing an experiment. Some financially related stuff. Do u like or not like? I am really wavering whether to add my other life in this (what clearly has been so far) hobby of mine. I mean, it is already taking more time than I ever imagined…Please let me know your thoughts.
Debt is evil.
On an unrelated note, Hitler learns of the NASDAQ stock market closing. I know some readers of mine are laughing. Disclosure: Yes, Hitler. It’s a parody. No intent to hurt anyone. If you can’t stand to see Hitler (what a psycho) maybe this is not for you. You have been warned.
If you wanted to learn more about the fiduciary vs sales culture, here is a nice article. “Why Wall Street, Insurers Don’t Want Fiduciary Duty“. Been fighting FOR this for years!
Set up a foreign transaction alert email for that Ink!
It will tell you exactly where and how much was spent, minutes after the transaction goes through! Very useful when I was in UK/France, as it also does the foreign currency conversion for you.
Thanks, I am on it! I can’t sleep. I am afraid, very afraid 🙂
well, you will save the forex at least. whopee!
Hey, that’s at least something;-)
Also, that US photo shoot is epic. WTF were they thinking?
Crazy to think that Beasley and Donovan are still holding their own, 12 years later.
Yeah…what a riot this piece is. Cobi Jones and Beasley are probably my favorite US players. And that wild guy with the hair, looked like a surfer dude from California, forgot his name. Mastroyeni:”Impregnating the bench”. Probably the best line…ever:-)
George –
Definitely insert your “other life” into the blog. It’s YOUR blog! I also find it interesting, entertaining (?), and insightful.
Love the pictures. Sad AdSense didn’t work out for you.
Not sure what that look is on your daughter’s face but I’d be scared too. Maybe it’s determination.
hope she doesnt see the blondie on the right of the picture. my gut tells me blondie is not one to emulate…
err, left
OMG, just noticed the blonde on the left, wow. What a shot, the pose, the hair, the bags!
Priceless.
I have no doubt my cutie said: ” Hey mom, take a picture of me and lets mess with dad”…no doubt!
Yeah but is it inspiring and educating? 😉
Thanks for the kind words!
I am messing with you all…My girls excel in…window shopping:-)
Maybe the ‘fee-only-planning for dudes with bad credit but lotsa miles’ could be a revenue stream for TBB… (Ducks) :p
Thinking of adding a button each time they click on my affiliate ads to apply to have a huge popup screen saying “If you ever pay a penny on interest TBB will confiscate your miles and banish you forever in applying for another earning credit card. Capiche?” …or something like that:-)
Mighty Travels says “get a wider audience with our 100k social media subscribers and 10,000 monthly blog readers ”
I have 40,000 unique monthly visitors (ie 4x that much) and 1k social media subscribers (ie 99% less).
Seems, erm, an interesting dichotomy.
Yeah, you are right. Those numbers seemed not to to make much sense. I just found it interesting that there appears to be another aggregator. Running one of these sites must be excellent for the ones running it. Well, we’ll see what happens. Everything should be judged on content. #watching
I simply have to clarify something. I said Travelbloggerbuzz( the blog)=disrespect for women, specifically in the comment section. I didn’t say George. My suggestion was to reign in men trolls, that’s all. I don’t know George personally and would not make such an assumption, especially in how he treats his wife and daughter. Santorini pic is nice.
Thanks for the clarification. I will take it as an apology then, accepted:-)
TBB does not censor. Nothing to reign. Wide open. People can express themselves. If someone wants to look bad, not my problem. You can NOT be out there reigning things online, it’s a losing battle. Focus on your content, develop a voice and relationships. Let some things go…ok, I am repeating myself.
I love Santorini too. Getting way too commercial these days!
Last piece of advice (is free): Start adding some pictures to your blog. You’re welcome;-)
Thanks for posting a picture of my favorite Louis Vuitton location! 🙂
We have seen your pictures and we are not surprised;-)
I much prefer the Louis Vuitton location near the Spanish Steps of Roma. Capisce? Maybe they will be able to get a bag like the one Oprah was denied. Only $38,000, seems like money spent wisely and put to good use.
Whenever I see LV I think of Las Vegas. I have a family pic in the Spanish steps, I should dig it up when my kids were much younger. It is one of the 6 pics I actually look good!
OK without a doubt, the best (ok & the only) good thing on TBB and it is really good:
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The “Louis Vuitton” photo!
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The look from “little TBB” is priceless. Also the flip of the hair from blonde in left of the shot is 95% as priceless!
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First time I have ever smiled at TBB – an amazing day. I will be back in 6 months for smile #2.
I know you’ll be back here much sooner.
After 51 minutes: 2 page views
After 144 minutes: 2 page views
You were right.
Using hidemyars.com, really? U should try StatCounters, it rocks! You are welcome. Smile!
Well I am so happy you smiled at least once. You should do that more often…if you can. The pic was designed to entertain and I had not even noticed the blond flipping her hair! Priceless indeed.
I have at least a hundred pictures now and I just picked the one I knew was going to generate more laughs. I even got YOU to smile! Mission accomplished. High Five?
First time you smiled here? That is so so sad. It appears you lack a sense of humor?
If I made this comment on your blog you would delete it faster than you can say “Delta Amex”!
You are always welcome here by the way, just take it easy on those emails, you know what I mean.
>>>>>>>>> I will be back in 6 months for smile #2.
Really? On August 18 between 3.26 pm and 9.33 pm I can see how many hits I have from your IP. Based on that number it is going to take much less than 6 months to come back here…more like 6 hours (minutes?)
I may not be that up on computer geek stuff but I am learning fast. StatCounter plugin rocks.
Maybe I should do a giveaway and have readers guess how many hits I have in that time period above from DP? And give away some crap…
Oh shoot got to do AA lounge pass drawing. Thanks for the reminder, always appreciate your help. Can’t wait to read the DP content next week, all that stuff you are researching in the Delta Points Lab, you do have one right?
Entertainment. For Free. TBB (it rhymes)
Wow I understand most, like ABC, are the std TBB reader (and missed the point of 1x smile each 6 months) but thought TBB would see it (guess not).
You bet I will be back to check up on TBB and as you know there will be NO more such emails again (gotta keep checking as everyone on the staff needs to work right)!
What???
Ok, no more emails please, thank you!
You ‘ll be back (with Arnold accent).
Cheers!
“My girls excel in…window shopping:-)
Hmmmm, and is that because you told them you’d report the card(s) STOLEN if the total(s) got too high?! You ARE a wise money manager, after all! {wink}
I have many pictures now and I just picked that one to generate more laughs. I have no doubt my daughter asked her mommy to do it to mess with me. She has some of my quirky humor genes:-)
No worries, they don’t buy. Unless they are in deep deep, and I do mean, deep discounts. We value experiences more:-)
Debt is not necessarily evil. If you manufacture $X of spend each month you can manufacture $X of 0% debt assuming your credit lines are north of $X and you would pay the cost of manufactured spend regardless. Of course, have a HELOC as a backup for liquidity. I prefer this route vs. paying 4% on my HELOC. For example, buy $2.5K of no fee Chase Visa GCs every month and pay your balance with them. The more Chase cards the merrier. .
P.S. Insert Chase affiliate links here. 😀
Brilliant, why didn’t I think of that before? Maybe I should do post on this soon, finally learn how to do those nifty pics & arrows everywhere and blast them all over my site 34 times. At the end, I will add “I may earn a small commission if you click on any of my links, you do not have to but I sure appreciate it if you use my links” [this last part is in tiny italic font]
The pictures in Santorini, Greece, are awesome! I understand the “shaking feeling” when I see/come close to the LV store 🙂 Thanks.
You too? 🙂
Photos of Ladakh look amazing. I am hoping to go there next year. The remote mountain valleys of Lahaul and Spiti seem right up my alley:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahaul_and_Spiti_district