We bring you family money dynamics, hotels losing millions, stimulus timing, nuclear weapons, travel in Europe on a luxury train or on a boat in the Netherlands or to Niue if you are out of your mind, more Amex lounges, learn about the dying bank branches, what to do when markets go crazy (read my blog), Ted Cruz gives reason 1,345,696 to confirm he is a douche bag except to the people who still vote for him, best photography and Covid-19 links, we landed another Rover in Mars hooray and much more. Enjoy the weekend!
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TOP PICKS
Top picks are not excerpted at all. I recommend you find time to read every word!
I almost skipped this. I am glad I didn’t as it is just so wild! Of course interesting family dynamics involved, no doubt. But what the financial “advisors” did not charging her loaded grandmother fees…only to get her into absolute shit that paid them fat sales commissions is disgusting. And she made them pay for it, bravo! I could make my commentary about this article a separate post and really unload onto them and what to watch out for and stuff like that but I won’t. Because, you know, tax season is going on and I already spend way too much time blogging, so here it is, enjoy!
At 93, She Waged War on JPMorgan—and Her Own Grandsons
One more time, get the vaccine so we can get back to normal please! Again: “you’re 20 times less likely to get Covid-19 with a vaccine than without”.
Let’s Clear This Up: What Does 95% Covid-19 Vaccine Efficacy Actually Mean?
This is a long excellent article about nuclear weapons in the US. You will learn a lot here like I did. Many of the places with nuclear facilities would be dead if it was not for them #hint
Why is America getting a new $100 billion nuclear weapon?
MILES & POINTS
HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS: 75k CHASE Ink Cash, 75k CHASE Ink Unlimited, 100k CHASE Ink Business Preferred, 60k CHASE Sapphire Preferred, 60k CITI Premier, 65k CITI Business AA Platinum Select, 50k CITI AA Platinum Select, 20k CHASE Freedom Flex & CHASE Freedom Unlimited, 75k AMEX Platinum, 85k AMEX Business Platinum, 50k CHASE World of Hyatt, 150k AMEX Hilton Business & Hilton Surpass (and $150 credit!), 100k AMEX Hilton Card (and $100 credit!), 150k AMEX Hilton Aspire, $250 AMEX Blue Cash Preferred, $300 AMEX Blue Cash Everyday, 140k CHASE IHG Rewards Club Premier, and many more! Please use my Affiliate links.
If you do not see a credit card with my affiliate links, perhaps I could refer you? Contact me!
Newbies: The absolute worst thing you can do in this hobby and in personal finance in general is…not pay your credit card balance in full every month. WORST.THING.EVER. FULL STOP! Stop blowing your money this way PLEASE. The way to thousands of miles and points leading to free travel begins when you STOP paying interest to the banks. Actually, the way to start building a great foundation for your financial well being and future also begins the same way.
Good reference: Best Current Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses & Offers For February, 2021. Please support blogs that do not sell you to death, thank you.
Hotels are reporting annual results and it is not pretty as expected. Hyatt lost $203 Million and Hilton lost $720 Million. If this was a normal year these companies would have taken it out on cuts in the goodies given out to rewards members. But of course it is not a normal year and instead they are doing their best to get us back into their properties. A few things that stand out is that select service brands are outperforming full service brands as expected. And Hyatt is still tiny in its footprint when compared to its competitors…I wonder if we will see an acquisition by Hyatt by June as the sector can sure use additional consolidation. Marriott had a $164 Million loss but with some financial engineering the company found about $500 Million to offset that…
Well, I guess this is positive but still…the Amex Centurion lounge expansion is slower than an average turtle’s: American Express to Open New Centurion® Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Expand Centurion Lounges in Seattle and San Francisco.
I am not sure why but IHG Rewards is consistently late in rolling out such changes way after competitors do: IHG Rewards has rolled over your elite nights from 2020.
This is a good reference chart: Airlines eliminate change fees: Quick reference chart (New: JetBlue eliminates fees).
TRAVEL
I do not think I have seen a trip report ever from this place: Neui…er, no…Neiu?…no—Niue! Yeah, yeah, that’s it. I really like the quirky writing and humor at Pacific Voyages.
They all speak English, sure, but the word for thank you is fakaaue. So if you’re in a hotel and you compliment them they will say…well—just sound it out.. Niue is a self-governing independent nation and all the citizens are also citizens of New Zealand…Since joining up with NZ a 120 years ago the population of 6,000 has dropped to 1,300. 24,000 Neuians live in New Zealand so basically all the kids skedaddle.
This train, the Venice Simplon-Orient Express looks amazing: See Europe in Luxury With This Historic Train’s Stunning New Suites and Routes. Then I saw this and it did not look as amazing 🙂
The two-night package includes one night on board the train and one night at a Belmond hotel, starting at $2,735 (£2,000) per person, based on double occupancy. For an extended stay, a six-night offer, including one night on board and five nights at Belmond Castello di Casole, starts at $7,650 (£5,589) per person or five nights at Belmond Villa San Michele at $7,440 (£5,438) per person.
This is really cool: Travel from Rotterdam to Amsterdam in 10 minutes by boat: a 4k timelapse.
Well, when I visit Bilbao I will make sure I go see this: The historic Vizcaya Bridge in Bilbao, Spain.
COVID-19
We will be studying this virus for a very long time. Why Are Covid-19 Cases Declining So Quickly in the US? Also, prepare to see/hear the word “seroprevalence” a lot more going forward.
Seroprevalence is the number of persons in a population who test positive for a specific disease based on serology specimens; often presented as a percent of the total specimens tested or as a proportion per 100,000 persons tested.
The opening scene showing a surging crowd at a funeral will haunt you! Inside Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Communities During Covid. If you can not read it, here is a link to it that escapes the paywall but it does not include the opening haunting scene…
We will see but it looks like this virus will become endemic at some point, sad! The coronavirus is here to stay — here’s what that means.
PERSONAL FINANCE
A certain failed blogger (by conversion metrics) is quoted here by the way: How the timing of your tax return could affect your third stimulus payout.
Things have been crazy for a while and it appears the level of crazy just keeps going higher. 12 Things I Remind Myself When Markets Go Crazy. Sometimes things just happen, don’t overthink it. If you wanted to play along, open a fun account and go at it. Just make sure you do not lose more than you can afford to lose. You will soon find out that it is not that easy, even in an environment that appears to be bullish to the bone. Or core. Or whatever. I am doubling down on the fundamentals and focusing on what matters.
We all knew this was happening but it still hits you in the face: Why Branch Banking is Dying in America. I recently had to go to a Chase branch to be added as a joint owner in my daughter’s new Chase Student Checking account. Weird having to schedule an appointment first but it is what is in this Covid living I guess…
CURRENT EVENTS/POLITICS
This war crimes trial is going on right now and this dude was found guilty on almost all counts, his story is shocking. I prefer this type of shocking stories than moronic sensationalized clickbait crap infesting the blogosphere, for the record. The Extraordinary Trial of the Child Soldier Who Became a Brutal Rebel Commander.
NASA made it to Mars again and I have this urge to send Ted Cruz there on a one way ticket…
Of course Ted Cruz will escape to Cancun during the mother of all emergencies in his state, same old lying sycophant scum bag! Cruz says he went on vacation amid storm ‘to be a good dad’.
ODDZ & ENDZ
Epic Twitter thread: Worst people you’ve interviewed and why. (No names.)
Amazing collection of 30 photographs that won a Pulitzer prize.
One more photography link: Sony National & Regional Photography Awards Announces Its Winners.
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.
So, after my daughter’s Southwest 80k card application was denied, we finally opened a checking account for her at Chase. Something we should have done when she was in high school but got too lazy. Deposited $5,000 in it. And then I had her call the Reconsideration line and, to make the long story short, she was approved for a $2k credit limit, yes! Phone call took about 40 minutes, not joking! I can respond to any questions in the comments. Just a few tips: Be nice, have a plan and have perseverance!
About to give up fighting with Hertz to gift son President’s Circle (they erroneously gave him Five Star status) and then did not give me back the points after a cancelation because they expired…even though they extended points expiration. What a shitshow!
I got me a cortisone injection shot, feeling okay now and I am hoping tomorrow Saturday I can walk and run without pain. #developing.
More snow but this should be the end of it for a little while at least. Sending loving support thoughts to all in the South who have been affected by the severe weather.
These posts still take too long and support clicks have gone way down so I am thinking to make them even smaller, maybe up to three items in each section. No idea. At this point, I don’t care as I have given up making minimum wage here. I am not going to be making credit card “reviews” and shocking clickbait shit several times a day for the $, it is just not me. It is what it is.
And I leave you with this… A video of me shoveling lol.
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Buzz-
A very entertaining post today. Excellent mix of info, humor and the craziness of life.
We got a partial COVID relief check last spring. That was nuts since while we’re not wealthy like you and your clients, we’re doing fine. But our 2019 income was low and Trump didn’t take the time to figure out who was really in trouble, so they just threw money out of the plane and some landed in our yard.
Same thing in December-a little more cutback ‘cuz the math changed. Meanwhile, stocks are booming and I’m wondering what your minimum account size is, but here comes another payment for us.
Back in March we figured if Trump can’t figure out who needs the money, we can. We did a little checking around, found a group that gets leftover food to hungry folks and sent them our COVID relief $$. Same in December.
Now they have come up with ways to go back and claim higher payments if you had low income in 2020, which we did since they waived RMDs in another nod to the rich.
So here’s my question: Do I pay our tax preparer more fees to figure out how to get us higher relief amounts so we can give that excess to the food bank? Or should we just estimate the higher preparer fees and give that to the food bank? Or should we just take our preparer to lunch at the food bank?
It wasn’t an interview but Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards threw a big party for Chuck Berry’s 60th birthday. Flew in celebrities, big concert, made a film, the whole deal. After it was over, Richards said “Chuck Berry was my hero until I met him”. Reminds me of business class on AA and UA.
Thanks for the links!
The localized herd immunity is a really interesting hypothesis.
The delta reserve card now has centurion access so maybe I can visit the one coming to Reagan. It would be nice if Delta had something at Dulles.
I do wonder if the Orthodox Jews are being affected with higher rates due to other factors like large families close quarters living etc similar to how the black community had higher rates here in the states and not specifically due to the funeral which was outdoors (albeit not with sufficient masks in the pics)
Cruz is a d bag but realistically what exactly does a senator do on the local level ? Not much and not anything he can’t do remotely.
I get it that people shouldn’t be traveling now but the fact is that millions are traveling and it’s up to the current admin to ban that, I’m sure many other escaped Texas as well, other then bad PR can someone explain why it was wrong ?
I agree that this is mostly an opportunity to dunk on Cruz for his collective ass-hattery, rather than the specific effect of his wasting away again in Margaritaville. But much like it’s fully appropriate to call out Gavin Newsom for yuking it up at the French Laundry while saying everyone in California can’t go to an Arby’s, maybe it’s enough to just want our elected officials to be held to, at the bare minimum, the same standard as those who got them elected – ideally, perhaps a higher standard.
Now I won’t pretend to know exactly what Cruz could do remotely that he couldn’t do in Texas. Not like he’s some big value add salting sidewalks in Houston himself. But clearly he wasn’t going to Cancun to work and only is back because he got caught. So I would think at the very least Cruz has access to a vast network of mega donors and officials in Texas that will immediately pick up his phone call to get ‘things done.’ Coordination of stakeholders is part of the job description theoretically. Again, I’m not going to say I know specifically what he could do but he is one of two statewide federally elected officials so maybe just not going on vacation during a crisis is a start.
Ted Cruz Is No Hypocrite. He’s Worse.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/ted-cruz-no-hypocrite/618060/
trying to catch up, I’ll be back
This was my fav Twitter comment in this topic.
“Ted Cruz continues to be a trailblazer as he becomes the first Hispanic person to flee FROM Texas TO Mexico because of ICE“
I want to take a moment to thank the readers who use my Amazon link. This blog brought in $1.10 yesterday and all the other bloggers are laughing at me but you know what, this is $1.10 that did not go to them! Rome was not built in a day or whatever that saying is
Ok, my left glute, commonly known as ass, is very sore today and I am going to let the snow in the walkways around my house melt, I am done shoveling.
I will respond to all the comments later today.
I am on another tax beast mode here and the “to read” pile is getting a little lengthy so I need to attack that soon before it gets away from me.
And thanks for taking the time to comment, if it was not for the comments this blog would not be around today 8+ years later.
Hey Buzz, good morning and thank you for the great post.
Good luck with the healing and have a great weekend!
@ Sam: Great points. I think speed was much favored over…who needs it. In the meantime many got it who clearly not needed. Including some of my clients. I think many like you donated it which was/is the right thing to do…I usually do client RMDs earlier in the year but I am holding off now…ya never know what slips into these multi thousand pages of law text 😉
@ DML: You keep trying to find ways to keep your Delta cards 🙂
@ Abey: The article link sums it pretty well I think abt Ted Cruz, not much to add here. I made the reference to the funeral only to say it just looks soooo bad. But the living conditions and culture are much more responsible for the large number of cases in these communities, no doubt.
@ Bill: Great analogy with Newsom and Cruz. But give Newsom some credit for divorcing that lady with the big “the best is yet to come” scream that rivaled the Howard Dean scream 🙂 Maybe he went there to take advantage of Marriott’s Bonvoy promotion? Lol.
@ David: Thank you, going to take it easy and tomorrow, see what happens.
I think Liz Cheney should invite her dad and Ted Cruz to go shooting together.
Just got approved for an Ink Unlimited through your links. First card I’ve been able to use anyone’s links for in a year. A small thanks for all your good work.
Thank you. Yours and my daughter’s apps that just came through will definitely sound an alarm over at TPG headquarters to…take me out as I am really hurting their margins now.
Lol.
Thanks for the kind words and the support, much appreciated. If those had completely stopped this blog would definitely not be still around.
Waiting for that dude DCFlyer to show his support soon…yeah, right.
I am hearing that the Houston Food Bank is a worthy organization to donate to:
https://www.houstonfoodbank.org/
Just made a donation. Please help if you can.
For all the COVID vaccine nerds, this article describes the major findings/ learning lessons in the last 50+ years that were incorporated in the design of the vaccines. The spike protein can be stabilized by adding 2 amino acids (2 prolines) which results in much better performing vaccines (discovered only 4 years ago!)
It’s a bit science heavy but here’s what I found surprising: all manufacturers except Oxford/AZ have included this important element (aka 2P) in the vaccine. It seems like a massive oversight/mistake by the scientists at Oxford.
https://cen.acs.org/pharmaceuticals/vaccines/tiny-tweak-behind-COVID-19/98/i38
And this is why taxpayers should continue to support basic research. In return trillions can be saved.
I agree on your last point. Texan politicians will not..because, you know, small government and blah blah blah. And now they are bitching about utility bills going way higher. Like CancunTed…
Just scheduled post for tomorrow at 6.30 am. With a section change, YUGE! I am going for all the Oprah readers!
Excellent reads. Don’t cross grandma!