We bring you the interview of Hyatt CEO, the easiest countries to visit, some brutal feedback on the TPG redesign, visit Kyoto winter wonderland, laugh at a brilliantly funny post by Personal Finance Digest, fly through the Northern Lights, recap the timeline of the Jet Blue deal, and so much more for you.
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I keep the Blog Buzz section below for worthy content that only advanced level hobbyists can understand. But screw it, this is my blog and I can do what I want. So, for the first time ever in the glorious history of TBBing, I will present a link TWICE #wow. One of the most brilliantly funny blog posts I have read lately. Hey, you make me laugh, you deserve to be here. Reward good content! Ladies and gents, here is Personal Finance Digest with “Always wanted to be a points & miles blogger? Now you can with my DIY post“. This Greek immigrant blogger stands up and starts clapping, join me!
Skift interviewed Hyatt’s CEO. Another barrage of corporate BS speak, oh dear Lord! This guy is giving the Marriott CEO a good run for most corporate BS speak. And then when he utters “empathy”….Empathy, seriously? How about some empathy for many Hyatt Diamonds now having to spend 60 freaking nights in your hotels to attain a similar (not really) elite status with the dumbest ever titles ever picked…Losing track you guys, was that Globalist or Discoverist or something? How about this? I am going to attain the Disappearist status, you don’t want my “high-end” dollars anyway. Boo!
Not sure about that but here we have another dude claiming to be the youngest person to travel to all 196 countries. And he is a banker. For Deutsche Bank. I am not joking. Article says he is also obsessed finding deals…Oh oh, I see another blog starting soon lol. Oh wait, here comes the hard sell in the end, a book for sale! I am sorry for including this, slow day!
The 23 Easiest Countries to Visit, Visa Wise. Another interesting post by Gunnar. Did I ever tell you my favorite subject while growing up as a kid was Geography? I had memorized all the world capitals when I was in second grade…or maybe third, I don’t remember. As I don’t remember many of them now…and we have had a few changes around the world since then!
This is so cool, filming the Northern Lights from inside the plane cockpit!
And now we have a “golden showers” burger. And it is topped with a pickle. The absurdity just continues…
Just a reminder: IRS begins accepting 2016 tax returns on January 23. The filing due date this year for individual income tax returns is April 18.
Your personal finance fix of the day: What 2016 Taught Us About Investing by my colleague. I need to tell him he needs to do something about the bow tie 😉 And love this quote by another colleague at the end of the article: “You should ignore all market forecasts because no one knows anything.”
Snow turns Kyoto into winter wonderland…
BLOG BUZZ
This section is for advanced level hobbyists and veteran blog readers in this quirky hobby that is turning into big business and everyone wants to be like The Points Guy. And now, it is EASY! All you need is the amazing Blogtron 3030 kit by the one and only Personal Finance Digest who introduces it to the galaxy in this superbly hilarious post: Always wanted to be a miles & points blogger? Now you can with my DIY blog post!
So now Tehran is going to start its own marathon! Hope Trump does not mess it all up. Running With Miles has applied for it. It is actually a good deal and I would be up for it if the marathon was for slow walking instead 🙂
There was a super hot JetBlue deal a few days ago. Here is a good timeline of the deal. Doctor of Credit and me were on it, all the Titans came after us. One Mile at a Time posted two hours AFTER it was declared dead, maybe staff were busy adding more credit card affiliate links to posts hey? And then wannabe bloggers HT’ed Titans. %$#%^&* Sometimes I get angry, I can’t help it, thanks for understanding 🙂
Andy the Lazy Traveler blogs from Cambodia about some credit card news you should know.
Any of you Vendoming enthusiasts care about a Best Western $70 gift card I won and about to expire in a few days? Actually I need to find it, it is in an email somewhere.
It appears The Points Guy had a site redesign. With all that staff they need something to do I guess. Anyways, the comments are just BRUTAL. This never happens here because we have only done one redesign and it was pure awesomeness. Some selected comments for your entertainment with my comments in [brackets].
CyberG: I can’t tell what’s spam and whats content, really bad 🙁
James: Jeez – roll it back. I lost my thumbs in a fishing accident, but rest assured, if I still had them, I would be pointing them down. I want to speak to the designer of this layout and ask him who hurt him as a child. [this guy should be commenting at TBB!]
Paul: …Maybe you even get more clicks/ad impressions with this model! But man, clicks aren’t everything. You built this whole brand in a way that was never “clicks first.” [What? What? What? WTF! WTF! WTF!]
Ned: Looks like the Jet Blue site! [Hmmm, maybe an exclusive Jet Blue credit card deal coming up? ]
Michael Paul: The new design is awful. Guess it goes with the content, which has become little more than a credit card pushing machine at this point. Well done for monetizing, but I liked the site (and you, Brian) better before you were bought and paid for. Too bad. [Dude, the site was sold years ago, why are you still here? I am sure Brian is crying right now…]
dk: Yea, renee’s points site is garbage, now this seems equally as painful on the eyes. hopefully TPG reverts. [One of my favorite comments woohoo!]
off the mark: I think you guys are off the mark, strategically. People who are “points guys” like to think they are beating the system – there is this feeling of satisfaction knowing you are getting “free money” via status and redemptions. They like to be in the know before and over anybody else. Because of this, the “scrappy” layout of the points websites and blogs is what makes it work – you feel like you are an insider reading some clandestine tips. This just becomes a run-of-the-mill site. I’m sure it’ll attract a different audience, but for us, we’re out. [off the mark…literally! Dude, if you are a “points guy” reading this site to beat the system I have a field to sell you in Greece (actually I do!). And dude, you may be running out of cards you can buy so you can just go to hell #lowconversion].
Hey, you come here for the Buzz…
And I leave you with this…
Check out my updated blog lists: Blogs I Love, Blogs I Like, Blogs To Ignore
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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.
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Critiquing the Deutsche Banker who claims to be the youngest to have visited all 196 countries and then immediately claiming you’d memorized all of the world capitals by the second grade?
Such hypocrisy….. for shame George, for shame!
(this is all /s btw)
I am just a horrible human being, what can I say? 🙂
Halo from Sortland, Norway!
The blog so nice, it’s linked to twice!
Why are you so angry, George?
Blogtron 3030 is great and all, but it doesn’t help me put a title on the post.
So far I have, “you’ll never believe what happens when I __________ with these 14 little known tricks.”
The title for all posts is the same: “Chase Sapphire Reserve: What You Need to Know”
Wait, wait… “Chase Sapphire Reserve: 14 Things You Need to Know NOW”
Hold on – how about “You’ll never guess what happens with your Chase Sapphire Reserve after getting these 14 Things You Need to Know NOW!”.
… and then you need to click thru 14 pages to read them all 😉
Waiting by the door for my Blogton 3030 shipment. Brings to mind waiting for the Mint shipments 🙂
God my sides hurt from laughing so hard – Blogtron 3030 – funny as hell! And true to life – the best kind of humor!
TPG is the worst type of douchebag. He would kill to have access to
the schmoozing hollywood parties. Loves pics of himself. With a dog and an expensive bag…
What is happening with people :(((
Tpg clearly started his blog to monetise it and had other sources of income before that. It’s not your next door average Joe neighbor turned blogger millionaire.
He did work on wall st after all…
Was not in the investment banking side…Just a recruiter. I am sure he is doing much better these days 🙂
And yes, I did see the Northern Lights and photograph them, but not from a plane. Saw them on January 16. Wonder if the film is from the same night. They are less easy to see than I thought. Was in Norway almost a week before I saw them. And now the weather has really turned bad so likely that was the only time.
Trip.Report?
Will give you a Free Blogtron 3030 🙂
I am serious if you are ever willing…talk to me!
DoC and you were on it? Don’t you mean Dan was on it?
From yesterday:
If there is one practice that gets me really angry (other than the non stop credit card pimping of course) is when a blog breaks out a great deal, a Titan blog writes about it and buries the HT at the very end of the post and then a wannabe Titan blogger who always reads only his idols writes about it and HTs the Titan totally missing the clue that the Titan just copied the original source extending the charade that such Titan is a thought leader, influencer or whatever bullshit term they will come up with. So, this is what Live and Let’s Fly did HTing his idol View From The Wing who wrote about the JetBlue deal that first made it on the blogs at DansDeals (and I linked to it on Twitter and in my comments). Hey, I guess I am an asshole for expressing what I am feeling. Whatever. Oh dude, two posts about Martin Luther King, seriously?
I think TBB is just referring to being on the timeline of the deal. The link also clearly states DD’s had it first.
What ScottCastle said!
DansDeals was first. DofC was on it first to let his readers know about what DD found. And then I was right after. I thought I was second. That DofC guy, does he have anything better to do? Or maybe it was one of his writers, Chuck or Sidiefan or something 🙂
And then everyone else jumped on it hours later. And then that Live & Let Fly dude writes about it because his idol VFTW wrote about it who…buried the HT at the very end of his post…and as we all know most don’t read that much so hey travel thought leader brand is enhanced.
Come to think of it, only TBB readers read it to its entirety each blog post.
Oh crap I am buried today…
Nothing about ABE and George W., those guys got the shaft.
Buzz it looks like I will be in one of the Prado Suites at the Del Mar Fairmont 2 weeks or so after you. I am guessing there are several of these, so if you cannot carve out ‘BUZZ WAS HERE’ somewhere special in the room. I will take a black light with me and that should give me all the “evidence” I need to know if we shared the same Prado Suite.
Mild Nerd said this is his favorite hotel, so I have high expectations.
Buzz please be sure to do a write up sooner than later.
Also ask the Bellman if he has pot for sale, I know in Hawaii that is the standard operational procedure.Either that way or the Shave Ice guy.
Surprised Devils Wingman didn’t do a Bet You Didn’t Know Where to Score Pot on Vacation post.
I don’t think I should be carving up stuff in hotel suites 🙂
So, is CA like Denver these days or…it’s coming?
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/104743
George, can you confirm the rumor that JetBlue only decided to honor the deal because they didn’t want Dan and his minions to pull a Southwest on them?
Hahaha…
Ingy’s mom….woohoo!
Funny funny funny, thanks everyone.
Buzz you’ll be out here, and then strokin for miles will be out here two weeks later, right? I want to grill him on the subject of stewardesses.
😀
Yeah I hear he is an expert on the subject!
tpg redesign is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad
It is!
Even a day late, I have to laugh at the Hyatt CEO. If we had played a “buzz word” drinking game with that interview, we would all be passed out on the floor by the end. Who does he think he is kidding with the “caring” and “experiences” soft expectations? If there is anything I do not want when I stay at a hotel, it is for my stay to turn into an experience.
He basically said: we live in the clouds. We care about the values of other cloudpeople. To all the people who work so we can live in the clouds (i.e.- the front line employees and Hyatt road warriors) we don’t care about you.
Newsflash Mr. Hyatt CEO: I stayed over 80 nights with you last year. I have 0 nights booked with you for this year. I did not stay at Hyatts because of the family leave policy at Hyatt HQ. When I spend 80 nights with you and now cannot even get a welcome beverage, it’s time to move on to another hotel chain.