I put this blog post together before I left for a short vacation in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. It is smaller in size compared to recent posts. I am going to have to catch up when I get back and hopefully I will get to share some pics from the short vacation. So in this shorter post we bring you more on Covid-19 ventilation, all the Avios credit cards, how to get health insurance and COBRA these days, visit Alcatraz island and more!
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BLOG ANNOUNCEMENT
For the month of August I am not going to set myself a target posting date/time. I will post at least once a week for sure, perhaps more if I have the time and have something worthy to say because I always respect your time as this blog never posted clickbait crap! It means, you will have to come here every day so I can increase the page view hits so I can make more money from ads…oh wait, I do not have any ads!
I really appreciate you passing a link to my blog to someone you love if you think they will enjoy it as much as you.
And please wear a mask, thank you!
COVID-19
As we are learning more about the virus, it is becoming increasingly apparent that this is so important! We Need to Talk About Ventilation. It is complicated…add to the novelty of this weird virus and it gets to a whole another level. Very important read imho.
Very important comprehensive read putting it all together: We Thought It Was Just a Respiratory Virus. We were wrong. With probably the best explanation how the virus does its evil work.
Hopefully the maddening incompetence will end in three months: How Jared Kushner’s Secret Testing Plan “Went Poof Into Thin Air”. At this point, I am numb to this tragic shit…
Interesting, love to see more data on this! MMR Vaccine Could Invigorate the Innate Immune System to Fight COVID-19.
Another must read update from Andy Slavitt. I have been screaming we needed to do this…months ago!
MILES & POINTS
HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS: For a standard workhorse card I recommend the 60k Chase Sapphire Preferred card. For a standard premium card I recommend the 50k Chase Sapphire Reserve card. For a standard 2% cash back card I recommend the Citi Double Cash card. Available with my links.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card for 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points is available with my links, thank you for supporting this blog.
I would not recommend any of these cards if you are new to this game. The 100k number is only possible if you spend more than $23k…which is ridiculous! Which Avios Credit Card Is Best? Breaking Down the Three Chase Options. But if you are out of cards and decide any of these three cards are good for you, please support the blog as we hardly get any of them clicks these days in this pandemic new world! I still have several hundreds of thousands of Avios points and only flown British Airways a few times lol.
TRAVEL
Some great historical background on Alcatraz Island.
This is very cool. Take dash cams and pair them with a local radio station and…it feels like you are in that city!
I am in the middle of a major road trip in the Michigan UP with major hiking ahead. I just wanted to drop a picture here as I drove all across the lower part of the UP straight to Ironwood, Michigan which is right next to Wisconsin! The nature is great. The many Trump signs/dollar stores/shuttered storefronts not so much. There was a lot of wealth in these towns from mining about 100 years ago, those were the days I guess. This is the stunning Iron County Courthouse building in Crystal Falls, Michigan.
PERSONAL FINANCE
Ouch: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 in the U.S. So Far.
Some dude wrote an article how 401(k) plans are bad for you and…you won’t believe what happened next. He was interviewed and referenced so many times and now he is on the map 🙂 Anyway, yes such stance is ridiculous indeed: Does a 401(k) plan still make sense for you? It might, or might not.
This is great and so I agree with such policies, especially immigration! A progressive case for free trade, immigration, and global capital. I could excerpt so many parts but I gotta go pack you guys!
We are all trying to figure this one out these days…Why Would Anyone Own Bonds Right Now.
CURRENT EVENTS/POLITICS
With both US Presidential candidates being well in their seventies, I recently asked on Twitter what happens if one dies or becomes incapacitated before the election. And here is the answer: What Happens If A Presidential Nominee Can No Longer Run For Office? Hope this is not the year we figure this out for the first time. Then again, 2020 has been a hell of a year so…anything can happen!
John Lewis, from the grave. RIP! Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation.
President Obama’s Eulogy for John Lewis. Wow, must read. My wife just flipped the TV channel in the other room and heard “Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV”. LOL!
This made me throw up: The Man Who Made Stephen Miller.
ODDZ & ENDZ
Mile Nerd is back with his monthly post and remembers living in the 80’s.
How can this bizarre shit have so many moron followers, WOW! QAnon Has Gone Global. They are now coming out to protest in Hollywood, check out some of their signs smhtooblivion! And they are mostly young which is just beyond depressing!
How about a fun link next ok? The 50 Most Iconic Heist Movies, Ranked from Worst to Best. Which one is your favorite?
All right, let’s laugh next, love this guy bwahahahaha!
Another heart warming link involving Roger Moore.
Have been saving this pic for a while, so here it is:
BLOG BUZZ
We are now entering BLOG BUZZ, a section for advanced hobbyists and veterans of this fast imploding hobby and also a section where I go on and on about some stuff that happens in my life because it helps me feel better about myself.
Ok, here is another pic I have been holding for a while:
I had forgotten how to pack, so good to get back in it! Very excited to get all the way up North, near the Wisconsin border. Crazy short though and too much driving! Ironwood is 584 miles away, wow. When I told my mother in Greece about it she just could not believe one state can be so large!
Hope you all behave here okay?
And I leave you with this…
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Good morning!
Hope you have a great vacation!
Thanks for the ventilation link. My office is in a 1950ish hand-me-down Protestant church given to the university. It has windows that open! Every now again someone has the great idea to tear it down and build something sealed up. Grrr.
“ Facebook is extending its remote work policy to July of next year”
I’ld “work from home” in Hawaii. Or New Zealand. But if mama was cooking and cleaning my room and washing my clothes, I’ld stay home.
PLEASE DO NOT POST VACATION PICTURES OF YOURSELF……
in one of your EURO-SPEEDO micro bathing suits……………..unless you have the decency to shave that Shag Rug thick back hair of yours first.
and do not stuff the front of the bathing suit with a banana again to impress us
Silver! For the Pacific Northwest! Man! Long time since I have been able to say that!
Thanks for the surprise posting, even when on Vacation! Hike like mad and enjoy the heck out of your trip!
Some guy said some crazy shit about 401k and much, much more and now he’s destroying the economy. And he just said this:
TRUMP: I think it’s under control.
SWAN: How? A thousand Americans are dying a day.
TRUMP: They are dying that’s true. It is what it is. . . .
George–I hope that you can carve out a few days to spend in the Keewenau. The UP is not as rugged as it used to be (very few places are), but the Keewenau has changed far less than most. Its too far to drive from Houghton/Hancock every day, so find a place to rent for a couple of days (there are just a few places and they might all be occupied.). Eagle Harbor, Eagle River are good locations, as is the lighthouse at 5 mile point (if it has reopened.) There is an old campground, Sunset Bay Campground and Cabins) at 5 mile point that sits right on Lake Superior (take road towards the lake out of Ahmeek). They have 2 cabins they rent, with one right on the Lake. Very rustic, but the view and setting can’t be beat. Its been run by the same family since the 50s. Old guy that now runs it is Bill. Very few people know about the cabins, so you might get lucky. Give them a call. Also, be sure to stop at the historical center at Central Mine. Docent is retired geology prof who lives winters in Austin, TX and summers in the Keewenau. Knows everything about the area. If you’re into rock hounding, he can guide you straight. Several wonderful hikes in the Keewenau of 1-4 hour length. I’ve been going there for 50 years, and still love it.
One more thing. If you do get to the Keewenau, best lodging option with availability might be Keewenau Mountain Lodge, just outside Copper Harbor. Good place to base at for a few days while exploring the areas. Check out the website.
That Jared story with the procurement process being completely ignored, all to funnel 50 million to Trump’s pals would be a administration ending scandal any other time. Completely ignored these days. If you vote to re-elect this clown car then you have a visible character defect.
Just a quick note before I hit the bed to rise early tomorrow am to visit Pictured Rocks.
Did all day driving around Keweenau Peninsula. @msmcmotown: a bit late for the good info, we enjoyed it though. Did the usual Eagle Harbor to Copper Harbor and spent some time there….then came back the other side through Gay, Michigan and that was drive was really remote scenery! Came down through L’anse and stopped at Canyon Falls before winding up at a Country Inn in Marquette. Been enjoying this trip in the UP, never been west of the Tahquemon Falls before! I loved Porcupine Mountains hiking area, great nature and no crowds!
I am way behind, there will be another post but no idea when….hang in there.
I have not checked if my links havve them as I have higher priorities…but maybe the United and Southwest credit card new offers are available with my links too as I am seeing them getting pumped all over the place.
TPG sold to Bankrate for $20 million, not $15M as previously believed. Yeah, Ingy still sold way too early 🙂
Oh George, I got plenty. Never had to work another day, and certainly never charged clients 8/10ths of 1% to recommend ETFs and Index Funds. Now THATS a legacy!!!!.
PS Congrats Brian for being a “Successful Guy”
Rick/Ingy is alive and back! And STILL has not changed one bit. Same old arguments….zzzzzz.
Pictured Rocks was amazing!
I know you still read every post because you are bored with the other blogs.
Still trying to get writing gigs, why? Keep trying, never give up!
I am doing just fine amigo and I certainly did not develop a cocaine habit, I am actually faster than ever! Health comes first always.
Wish you well.
What’s going on with FTG?
Marinating until COVID goes away?
Ingy’s response:
You know I sold FTG and have had nothing to do with it ever since. I just collected some more money as they paid me per post so I kept calling them in the night before. Then they made me go away because they saw my deranged responses here at TBB comments, a blog I have been obsessed from day one and I just can not stop reading. I can not believe anyone is reading it, all cut and paste and not playing along to succeed based on my metrics alone. You are a loser and Trump will drain the swamp in the next four years…
https://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards/limited-time-offer-earn-100000-miles-united-club-infinite-card-club-membership-2-free-checked-bags-worldwide-4-miles-per-dollar-spent/#comment-1486292
Mailing it in. Nothing like copying and pasting a post from 2019.
It can take more work to update an old article, especially a fact-heavy one, than write something new which can be cut and pasted from a press release
Especially if you have to insert 137 affiliate links.
VFTW was known to steal LoyalyLobby’s IHG Pointbreak posts. I wonder when IHG will introduce that promo again.
He also likes to copy Spencer Howard’s award flight alert emails into posts minutes after they are sent out.
I see 65k United Explorer card offer now available with TBB’s links, help is on the way now I am back under 5/24!
Back and catching up…Will aim for a Monday post.
And listen to Steve, thanks man!
The Michigan UP is fantastic to see finally after all these years living in Michigan! One more item crossed off the bucket list…during a mega global pandemic that is too which makes it…kind of special I guess.
Thought about starting a post abt my Michigan UP trip for Wednesday…then I looked at my cc and Amazon conversions and I quickly changed my mind…more dead than TPG comments and FTG site!
So I went out and biked 16 miles…
New post tomorrow Monday. After that…who knows, keep coming back 🙂