We bring you the credit card rewards dark side, the best cruises, visit the amazing Samaria Gorge in Crete, we have a Boarding Area blog addition, the risk of dying in an awesome infographic, Mile Nerd is back and is not going back to his country, visit Bhutan and Nepal, how to get around the great firewall in China, AA continues down the path of going fully award dynamic pricing, show you how to be a better writer, Saudi king clan shows you how to cut up bodies and dispose them, why people move and lots of action in the now infamous Blog Buzz section.
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In case you missed the TBB Best of Web post this week: Prediction Psychology, Life of John Allen Chau, Crowdsourcing Justice, Crazy Harvard Professor Story, New Work 101.
Mile Nerd‘s once a month post is a must read. In this one he talks about Going Home. As in, being told to “go back to your country”. One day I am going to slow down to posting once a month…until then, enjoy my blog you guys.
If you feel comfortable telling another citizen to go back to “their” country…
Or if you think of yourself as more American than another American…
That has nothing to do with “politics.”
It’s just you being an asshole.
In the quirky space of miles and points blogging, the BIG money is in the sale of travel rewards credit cards. And of course the content is geared towards selling more travel rewards credit cards. And this is the reason you almost never see posts critical of them. Bloggers will go out of their way to talk about ANY benefit they can find (sometimes going to ridiculous lengths!) and this is why you never see them telling readers stuff like this: The Capital One hack exposes the dark side of racking up credit card rewards. Of course it does! The golden age of this hobby is past it, most people would do well with a 2% cash back card and have lots of free time to enjoy life 🙂
“The more credit cards you have, you’re increasing your attack surface,” said Benjamin Preminger, senior cyber-threat intelligence specialist at cybersecurity firm Sixgill. “You’re storing your data in more databases, so there’s a greater likelihood your information will be breached.”
As we are waiting for the last US legacy airline to also get rid of its award charts and go fully dynamic in the pricing of awards, American Airlines continues to tinker with its software in preparation for it: American Airlines AAdvantage Now Offers Heavily Discounted AAnytime Awards On AA Flights To Asia.
Just in case you travel to China, you will need to jump through some hoops how to use the internet and cell phone.
Just in case you want to take a cruise and you were confused: 12 best cruises for beginners, from budget to luxury liners.
In case hiking in Nepal and Bhutan was in your near future: Initial Impressions on Trekking in Bhutan and Nepal.
No doubt blogging has made me a better writer! Which was not the goal, I just started the blog because I was bored and was going to keep it for three months. Here we are nearing 7 years later #WOW. Anyway, this is a great article on How to Be a Better Writer.
Chilling. Like a bonesaw! No One Is Safe: How Saudi Arabia Makes Dissidents Disappear.
Some incredible photos from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster you have not seen before and I am certain they will shock you!
The Greek island of Crete has an amazing place to hike: The Samaria Gorge. On my bucket list…when The Points Guy buys me out I can go finally hike it lol. Seriously, if you are ever in Crete and you are into hiking you should just hike it!
Why People Move. Enlightening. Especially now that I had two close neighbors move out!
Well, after the Saudi Arabia piece, lets keep the theme going okay? Your Chances Of Dying Ranked By Sport and Activity. I had no idea dancing at a dance party was so dangerous you guys lol!
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.
Building to the inevitable killing of the award charts you guys: AA to eliminate close in booking fees.
It appears there is an Amex promo to transfer Membership Rewards to British Airways Avios with a 40% bonus. Oh, just booked another two one-way trips to get wife and daughter back from New York.
Year to date miles/points burning: 409,105. I need to step it up!
If you are going to make a Hyatt cash reservation, download and do it with its app to earn another 500 World of Hyatt points. Every time I read World of Hyatt it reminds me of its “Globalist” elite name and I want to shout out loud how awful that name is these days 🙂
Miles For Family is moving to Boarding Area. And it kind of sounds like Nancy has bought the blog…or are co-owners with Leana now? Good luck, this blog is a survivor.
This is a really good post on how to book ANA around the world award trip in business class. I should do that…but I will wait until this is killed as most around the world awards seem to be going in the chopping block. It makes sense…as it is tying up way too much time on the phone with reps!
There is a new weird credit card out there called BREX. New and untested. Sign up bonus of 100k which always sells better than lower numbers of course. But the kicker is this: You must tie up $100,000 in an account for your business. The other kicker is this: The Points Guy got an exclusive on it. MUCH different bang than the exclusive on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, remember that you guys? So, don’t bother with BREX ok?
Bloggers talking about stuff in a podcast. I usually don’t bother with podcasts. Because of my ear condition. But I listened to this one, some interesting stuff. Tiffany at One Mile at a Time was enthusiastic talking about travel rewards credit cards you guys.
Speaking of One Mile at a Time, in Flyertalk there was a discussion how he “made it”. Lets not forget! Oh, any idea who was this? Let me know in the comments 🙂
…the guy I know who used to take a ballpoint pen and jab it into the headphone jack to break it before complaining that it didn’t work so he could secure a voucher
I will be attending the WealthStack conference in Scottsdale, Arizona in September. Hotel is part of StashRewards so I finally became a member. Because…I just can not say no when it comes to points, I do have a problem!
I don’t do rumors here. When something is worthy and is finalized you will see it here.
Hard to believe Turkish Airlines did not get the message yet, that something is up with the phone banks lightning up 🙂 Turkish Airlines’ INSANELY Generous Star Alliance Awards Can Now Be Booked Over The Phone, But You’ll Need Luck On Your Side.
And I leave you with this…
TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com
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Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
I wonder how Mile Nerd feels about his one a month posts. I love them, but does he still get that itch to post more? On today’s edition of stuff no know one cares about: Delta leaving Narita for Haneda. And yet, we get dramatic posts!
Same with Travelisfreeeeeeeeeee. Came back with 10-15 posts and then radio silence.
I thought TravelCodex used to be on Boardingarea.
TIF is very hit-or-miss. Love the guy’s content so always happy when he does post (well, except the podcasts with the CC-pumping bloggers, which are of zero value).
I also thought TravelCodex had once been on there but who knows, my brain is an absolute fog these days.
Good morning! Thanks for all the links.
Those last four lines from MileNerd’s post ought to be on billboards.
Would love to book an ANA round-the-world award! Too bad I don’t have an extra month or two (or six) of vacation time. It’s fun to make up different dream itineraries that I’d like to do to hit a few places I’ve been wanting to see lately. My latest goes something like US-TPE-SIN-BEY-MLA-LIS-US
Status: Balls on accurate
+1
Another blog in the Ignore list goes to the trash bin to be ignored for eveh!
Delta Napkin Debacle 2.0? No, Delta Isn’t Promoting Suicide – Point Me To The Plane
smh
I’m not sure adding more CCs per se is raising your risk…once you’re in one card issuer’s system, adding more of their cards wouldn’t be any real difference would it? Of course acquiring a new card from a new issuer would increase your exposure but that ship has already sailed for most of us, aside from the oddball fringe banks. Still a bummer though that assholes do this kinda thing!
Anyway, much more of my personal data was already leaked in the Chinese hack of the Office of Personnel Management’s federal employee database so Cap1, etc is the least of my concerns unfortunately!
Crete looks awesome. That’s probably on the list for our return visit to Greece one day.
That fridge LOL!
Yeah, new cards from new issues DEFINITELY raises the risk!
AA isn’t the last legacy carrier to go revenue based, AS is. Legacy carriers are those that were in existence prior to deregulation in ’78.
Correct…if you want to be technically correct 🙂
I am surprised Alaska Airlines has managed to go it alone…I think Alaska, Hawaiian or JetBlue will not be standing alone by the end of 2020. One of them (or more) will be taken out of by one of the three real legacy airlines. 🙂 And I think that one would be Delta.
Another useless prediction by someone who is NOT a travel thought leader lol.
NO WAY TBB, the industry is already an Oligarchy…….mergers at this point will only happen to save an airline from insolvency. Since our economy is running like a well oiled machine under the great and powerful President Trump, this is highly unlikely. Perhaps it could happen if your Socialist friends get elected, this will surely send this economy/stock market into the gutter.
#HASHTAG #STROOPWAFFLE
Breaking News: I can not log into my WordPress portal. As of this time…there will be no Monday post. And this is the type of times I wish I was in Boarding Area where I did not have to deal with this techie stuff!!
Another mass shooting…
I just want to know, Mileage Update, what is the body count that will make you agree to drastic gun control now. Is it…unlimited? WTF!!!
murder has always been against the law. Im not giving up my rights in the Constitution. Not any of them. If you want the 2nd Amendment changed there is a process to change it.
I guess your answer on the body count is…infinite.
Sad!
You wanting to strip law abiding citizens is a scary idea. We should be adding rights not taking them away. If you cared about senseless deaths you’d push for a ban on alcohol and drugs.
We tried banning Alcohol. Regarding drugs, Opioids are highly regulated by the government. Still they are heavily prescribed by MDs (drug dealers) and as a result more than 1 M Americans have died. I do support Trumps effort to force China to stop the production of fentanyl.
agree
Your 2nd amendment right is infringing on my 1st amendment right to peaceful assembly in a fucking WalMart to buy school supplies for my kids to go back to school dude!
MU: Hillary warned us about this white power shit terrorizing us!
In the meantime, Mitch broke his shoulder and I did not shed a single tear…but sent him thoughts and prayers instead.
@MU
+1. There is literally NOTHING you can do to keep a crazy MF’er, hell bent on killing from killing.
On March 1, 2014, several men armed with long knives converged on a train station in Kunming, China, and stabbed 31 people to death while injuring hundreds more.
In one of the bloodiest massacres in Nigerian history, more than 500 Christians were butchered near the city of Jos by machete-wielding Muslims in March of 2010.
Osama bin Laden ultimately claimed responsibility for the hijacking of four passenger airliners by 19 terrorists that cost nearly 3,000 lives and injured another 6,000 on September 11, 2001.
That’s when Peoples Temple cult leader Jim Jones ordered 912 (mostly American) men, women, and children to drink Grape Flavor-Aid laced with cyanide and Valium.
Timothy McVeigh used fuel oil and fertilizer to build the Ryder truck bomb that exploded in front of a federal building in Oklahoma City in April of 1995. A total of 168 people perished in what was then the deadliest terror attack on American soil.
There are MANY more examples that have absolutely zero to do with guns. What you need to be thinking about TBB, is how to get rid of the crazy ass MF’ers.
Call BS! As is the “war on drugs”, another sham! I guess the answer in TBB’s question on what is the body count # it will take to change your views is…infinite.
The United States is the only industrialized democracy where this regularly happens, and there’s only one thing that separates us from other countries, and it’s access to guns. Other nations have similar news media, the same violent video games, the same mental health problems, it’s all about access to firearms, and any conversation about reducing gun violence that doesn’t include restricting access to guns is merely a distraction.
The physicist Max Planck said that science advances one funeral at a time. And this is how I look at many historical issues in society. Slavery is no longer accepted in the US, not only because of the constitution and various laws but predominantly because the old guard died. Homosexuality is more or less fully accepted, predominantly because old bigots died. And that’s slowly happening with race as well. And I think we will get there with gun regulation. Not necessarily by changing the second amendment, but rather by introducing sensible gun control. Time is on your side.
Mass shootings get the most attention, yet they are a tiny portion of the gun deaths per year. Total gun deaths are in the 12K range per year on average – NOT counting suicides. Mass shooting deaths are around 300 per year. Accidental shootings are around 2,000+ per year – which is surprising and itself a big problem suggesting poor or no training. Home invasion shootings are over 2K per year too which shocked me (I think that includes injuries and deaths though). But get this – suicides by firearm are running about 22,000 per year! Almost double the gun homicides and accidents. That’s a huge, bright, red flag that everyone is collectively ignoring.
Sources: https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/past-tolls
My point is just that it’s a multi-faceted issue and there isn’t any one magic solution. And focusing on the headline-grabbing mass shootings overlooks much larger gun related incidents.
We also should consider what are the causes of death and injury that are most likely to occur. Despite the news, the risk of being in a mass shooting incident are tiny. That’s not to diminish the loss of lives and their families. But accidental deaths average 466 deaths per day…car crashes, drug overdoses, mechanical accidents, drowning, etc. Most of those are preventable more easily than any gun control matters. But they don’t get any attention, at all, from anyone.
https://www.safetynewsalert.com/number-of-accidental-deaths-hits-new-high/
It’s not that we can’t address more than one thing at a time, but from a public policy perspective, we should know the facts and use a logical risk-management approach in determining what problems to prioritize and how to try and resolve them. (I know, we won’t do that but IMHO we should!)
And as far as guns in particular – I don’t think it’s a binary choice between either taking all guns or doing nothing, nor between only gun control vs. only talking about the underlying issues that drive the gun violence. But can we have a detailed, complex national discussion using hard data…or can we only shout sound bites and insults back and forth? (I mean “we” as in the country in general not we on this blog)
Site was down for me…consultant fixed it so busy doing tomorrow’s post:
You want data, how about this one?
https://twitter.com/keithedwards/status/1158028796773224453
This is NOT normal…we are such an outlier as we may well be in a different galaxy! It needs to be fixed.
It all starts with November 2020.
I am thinking about running for office. I would have to let the blog go though if that happens…sad!
RE: Phonetic alphabet. A former co-worker in customer service said both of these on the phone.
K as in cowboy
V as in Venus
I had to leave my desk for a while after that last one.
Lol, good one!
Thank you. Not more, bit at least I could give you a Chase card.