One of my shortest blog posts today, just not much I found worthy to share here.
TRAVEL
The Croatian Island Mali Losinj – Home of Skver, Free Beer and Art. Another incredible post by Yomadic. This is what you get when you combine experimental contemporary art in a shipyard. Wow, just wow!
Google’s Project Loon. Shot with Google Glass. Great video with awesome music. By Stuck in Customs. And this incredible pic shot from a helicopter:
Rapid Travel Chai went to Saudi Arabia. Based on the pictures…I won’t be going there anytime soon. But interesting nevertheless:-)
MILES/POINTS
Was it just me or all of you who got excited by Frequent Milers’ latest blog post? “A new card to rule them all“. Reading it was a bit of a step down from the initial excitement envisioning the return of visits to Office Depot:-) Ambitious? Yes. Do I like it better than Walla.by? Yes. It comes down to execution of course and raising enough dough again. And I just love to see Ann Arbor startup scene getting more publicity. There are some really sharp minds living in Ann Arbor, Michigan;-)
BLOG BUZZ
Has there a day gone by since I started TBB that Frugal Travel Guy and Delta Points blogs have NOT offered a link that will benefit THEM? I frankly do not remember. And has there been a more hideous headline other than the one offered by Delta Points in the wee hours of the promo ending, it went something like this “PROCRASTINATORS, Only Hours remaining…”. In my own humble opinion as always. And yes that WAS in all CAPS!
After seeing One Mile at a Time pushing the Club Carlson affiliate link suddenly….and The Points Guy and then of course the Frugal Travel Guy…it dawned on me that there must be a special going on or something! Falling suddenly in love with a card that has been around for so long…what else can you say folks?
Again, I am getting tired of commenting on every post I see about you know what. I think it has become very obvious what is going on. You are all smart and you can figure it out. I can’t be ranting about them…so much material that I could be doing this 24/7! I will single out the most egregious examples from now on…to keep my sanity:-)
ON MY MIND
Talking with a soccer teammate who longs to take his family of four to Europe I confessed my hobby. And it gave me an idea about the blog. I now need to find time to do it…always the most difficult part!
I actually found out a few things about affiliate links today. At this rate, all you guys would have no more cards to churn…so go ahead. One thing you learn around here is to wait….and wait….and wait for things to appear or be done!
ODDZ & ENDZ
Shadows can be amazing: 30 Optical Illusions that will blow your mind. By Blog of Francesco Mugnai
8 Amazing Supermoon photographs. By Seriously For Real?
Just because you needed a laugh:
Good evening! Love your photos! Not to mention I am back again on top again. 🙂
congrats Jeff
We are back on track with Jeff making the first comment!
Congratulations George. Eight months since you started ranting, and it appears you are starting to understand that some blogs have moved passed the hobby stage and are commercial for profit operations!!!
They pass on information to their readers just like newspapers, magazines, radio, tv and other commercial enterprises and get PAID for advertising. If readership numbers and ad revenue are profitable, the blog will continue.
You can rant for the rest of your life, and your readers can join you, but it ain’t gonna change the business model buddy. If blog readership is increasing, they are doing something right for their readers and that is all that matters.
Some people love Duck Dynasty and others think it is the dumbest show on TV. The producers could care less about the non viewers. It is just that simple.
Trolling early old fat bald grump? Can you tell idiots like pgary who claim that blogs are just to help people travel for free? I don’t think the readers here care that it is a business now either. They are now making sure that those who are abusing the system get pointed out and hopefully make other readers/newbies aware on who to give their money since now there are several choices to pick from between all you used car salesmen.
For example I tell my friends not to give any money to FTG and hopefully they tell their friends. I couldn’t care less how much money you are making. If we can not add to the bottom line, there is a job well done 🙂
Right. Everyone should just let shady business practices go because nothing can change the almighty points and miles blog business model. With that in mind, people should stop complaining about the government and politics, because it’s not going to change anything. That’s a message for the kids… “hey, just give up, because you’re not going to change anything”.
I think George seems to be hitting a nerve with you. Don’t be so sensitive and relax with the ad hominems. Maybe if you addressed the criticism, instead of calling everyone “haters” and “angries” (which last time I checked was not a good tactic for winning arguments unless your name is Lil Wayne), your blog might be doing even better.
Well Rick I know very well that some blogs have moved past the hobby stage, duh!!!
And thanks for giving us a lesson on how blogs work. This is kindergarten stuff, come on!
You can do a business with integrity or not. Your business practices totally disgust me, that’s all buddy, you know I don’t mince words. I wouldn’t buy anything from you because I am certain by now that YOU benefit more than me. Heck, I think you will try to find a way to sell a last meal to the guy about to be electrocuted! In other words, you (and several other bloggers) are not TRUST worthy of offering decent advice. In my own humble opinion ONLY.
By the way, I never heard of Duck Dynasty but it sure sounds like total crap. You appeal to your audience, no doubt it has been very profitable to you. But, you know, commercial success can be done another way, a lot more constructive and full of integrity. Actually, I don’t give a da*n about your commercial success, your blog remains a giant joke. In my own opinion only again.
And thank you very much for commenting on my blog. Didn’t you say you were going to give a $50 dollar Marriott gift card for each time you could not stay away and made a comment? If that was true I would be rich by now lol.
If you took all the time to troll FT and here and actually spent it on writing some good blog posts maybe I would feel differently. Let me guess, the churning challenge will have the Club Carlson card tomorrow?:-)
Go and enjoy the Fairmonts dude!
And at some point George, you will actually graduate from kindergarten and quit bitching about stuff you ain’t gonna change with your high and mighty save the world attitude. Glad to see that I can raise your ire.
BTW, here is some more kindergarten for you: You will not be getting affiliate links no matter how many times you allude to that thought. No bank in their right mind is going to pay you to tear down their products and the system they have in place that is profitable for them.
And as far as your reference to “disgusting” practices in the last six years I have yet to receive one single complaint from somebody that used my links. The only ones complaining are here on the angries forum and on the Ft angries forum and my guess on the attitude has been aired before.
Our mail is still 99% positive, readership still strong and I believe FTG will live long and prosper without me.
Legacy? Oh George get real. It is a miles and points blog i started as a hobby that turned into a business and i sold it because i didnt want a business at my stage in life. There is no legacy George.
As far as staying say from your blog, why should I? You don’t censor comments. I can say what I want about your den of angries. Get used to it. I may as a hobby, actually activate the website. Tabloid Blogger Buzz. What fun I can have with that one. A blog bitching about a blog bitching about travel blogs
I think it is obvious who is in kindergarten…
Here we go again…dismissing any arguments you do not agree with labels such as “angries” blah blah blah.
I do not have a problem with banks. I do have a problem with bloggers pretending to be helping friends and family travel for “free” and dispensing BAD advice to their readers while benefiting themselves foremost!
It will be funny if you start Tabloid Blogger Buzz. Will you allow me to guest blog in it?
I also think censoring comments is equivalent to that part of Korea. And FTG (the blog…ALWAYS referring to the blog) is a master of this practice. How do YOU feel Ariana feels when she writes that anyone can provide a link in comments and then someone deletes Gary Leff’s link?
I know where you are (if you are still there) and you spending time trolling on my site is completely ridiculous. Stop taking everything so personally dude! As long as your picture and you write at FTG….you will be FTG. Deflecting responsibility so conveniently is a copout.
The above is ALL MY OWN OPINION.
I need to say this every time I write FTG:-)
if you think a blog is giving bad advice, don’t read. it and send your credit card applications elsewhere. I’m not deflecting anything George, just standing up to the Nameless faceless bullies on your blog. Harsvon3 excepted. he seems like a pretty smart guy and asks a legitimate question I’ll get an answer for.
If IB feels like censoring a comment that is their choice and their decision. Just as you make the decisions here, they make the decisions there. As far as the deletion of a comment regarding a Gary Leff comment, I was not involved in the decision and my personal opinion is irrelevant. I have shared nothing with Ariana about their decision.
Why is it ridiculous for me to troll your site when your obviously troll FTG? Are you suggesting I shouldn’t read your site? You mean like you don’t want it to be available to me??
Moves are being made to remove my handle as FTG. I will contribute as Rick, as I have been for months as long as I’d like to.
So sorry you can’t Make the distinction between me the person and FTG the blog. Buti guess for you and some of your readers that is all first grade level stuff
I only read FTG blog to fuilfill the TBB blog’s mission. And thank you for the material over the past 8 months, I appreciate it.
I do not troll your site. FTG censors so why would I spend my time commenting there?
As you know, TBB offers constructive criticism (some call it rants, others call it angry rants, others call it simply…satire) to many blogs and only YOU are the one who takes everything so personally and goes on angry rants? Why do you think you are above everything and we should all just shut up when we (legitimately imho) criticize a business?
I never ever suggested you do not read my site. But based on how you react to things, perhaps it would be better for you to stop reading blogs and trolling on FT. It would be healthier. I am concerned about your well being. You should be enjoying retirement instead of getting angry fighting “angries”? 🙂
See comments below about distinguishing between FTG the blog and FTG Rick the blogger.
such anger 9:02 am?
two more angry replies and the blog posts with links, sometimes not the best offer, will keep on coming.
in case you forgot:
1. I’m not bald
2. I don’t own the blog. I’m speaking for myself.
3. Pgary gets paid as well.
as an ex blog owner, it is almost comical to watch. And I wonder, who is getting under who’s skin? 🙂
Rick, the only comical thing (in my own opinion only) is to see how far down the drain the blog carrying your handle “The Frugal Travel Guy” goes down to. Apparently, you don’t give a crap about your legacy now that you got paid. Your savings grace is the Chicago Seminars and for you to take a dig at FTU because they are in bed with “industry insiders” was so so lame.
What is also comical is that you can never stay away from responding online.
Thanks for posting here as Rick I and you are welcome for all the backlinks my blog offers to the blog you no longer own:-)
I applaud you for at least finally owning up to the shady business practices by admitting that you will still keep pushing inferior offers. Honesty is all we ask for.
And my reply wasn’t angry. Regardless of your recent antagonism, I still think you’re probably a pretty nice guy.
I am not admitting to any shady practices nor suggesting IB is involved either. let me try to clarify this for you. I don’t choose the links in the FTG blog. I haven’t for the last 18 months.
That’s a weird reply if I’ve ever seen one. Rick, if you don’t choose the links, and “the editorial policy of IB is to run the best offer” as you said here on May 30, who does? For example, to whom should one point out that FTG’s Hotel Cards should have / is missing an 80K Priority Club link, which, going by the comments, it used to have? Is anyone in charge, or is it just IB selectively placing content out there?
In other news, in light of the “newest” card being promoted, I’m having difficulty convincing my wife that we should get the Carlson card because, frankly, there aren’t that many good Carlson properties in the places we’ll visit in the next 18 months. (I laughed a bit at Adriana’s inclusion of the Radisson Maceio in Pajucara just now at FTG. If one wants to see Brazil’s infamous inequality up close and in-person, that’s a good candidate hotel. Walk five blocks to the beach and it’s gorgeous. Walk five blocks elsewhere and it’s extremely rough third world poverty. It’s common in Brazil to see walls around apartments with barbed/razor wire or broken glass on top. Only in Maceio have I see walls with both. The homicide rate in Alagoas in 2010 (of which Maceio is the capital) was also the highest of any state in Brazil, and it’s the most under-developed state. The jangadas are fun, though.)
The world is too troubled right now to read travel blogs. Back to work.
let me try one more time, I write my posts independent of the others on FTG. I’m not getting the Club Carlson card, but that doesn’t mean other writers won’t promote it. I sold the blog 18 months ago. At some point in time my handle will revert back to Ingy and maybe your confusion will end.
i unsubscribed to ftg years ago when he went on rants as to how dare banks ask him and his lovely katybug questions about their spending habits before extending him credit. as i have said before, and as the above rants reflect, there is a difference between frugality, and being what we call in yiddish a schnorrer.
if ftg (like other blogs) is truly a business enterprise, there should be a disclaimer on every page – ‘this is a self-motivated business. there is no separation between editorial and advertising.’ To claim you are like a journalist is bs, as you clearly know nothing about the ethics of journalism. i wish you and katybug continued success as schnorrers.
never claimed to be a journalist. I was a travel hacker turned blogger turned back to travel hacker.
Journalist? Not
honeychild,
‘They pass on information to their readers just like newspapers, magazines, radio, tv and other commercial enterprises and get PAID for advertising. If readership numbers and ad revenue are profitable, the blog will continue.’
I haven’t really cared for the Delta Points blog for some time since it seems he went through all his tricks and tips fairly quick and now just writes filler as an excuse to have a post every day and push affiliate links down his readers’ throats. But lately, it seems he has gotten worse – example, yesterday the details of the final Delta/Virgin Atlantic deal come out. As the “Delta” blogger, you think that would be something DP covers – nope, let’s review an airport hotel that has nothing to do with Delta instead of covering actual Delta news. He seemed to find the time last week to crown about the Chase Ink cards a number of times (which also has nothing to do with Delta), but cannot talk about the Delta things in a timely manner. It is really a surprise to me that people outside of his family find his blog helpful in anyway. His material and writing style really are not that great anyway. Ok, rant over (but not angry!). 🙂
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment Greg. You are definitely not angry:-)
@Greg – been on vacation for about a month in Sweden. Hard to cover it all. BTW, the Virgin deal is such OLD news. If I hit on it, the Angry’s (oh not you) would say EVERY BLOG HAS THIS 100x times get over it. If not, then this from you. BTW, I also find it very funny I was the FIRST to post about the KILLER 55k/20k RDM/MQM AMEX BIZ PLAT (not my link) and keep posting again and again about it as it is stunning yet no one of the Angry’s say – wow give that deal a rest or even say good at ya for blogging it. Ah well. Readership is growing like crazy so all good at Delta Points!
Apologies to all: This comment was in my Spam folder which is currently approaching monumental proportions. I was looking for it in the Pending folder when Rene pointed out to me that I may be censoring his comments:-) Took me a while to figure it out how to find it and approve it.
TBB
drowning in spam and loving this akismet plugin that is so good at catching it!
Rick used to be a mortgage broker. After reading how he is washing his hands of his blog and defending his business ethics, I would wonder, if I was a customer of his, did I get the best deal?
Wrong again. I was a mortgage banker not broker with full underwriting and servicing authority. I appreciate the fact that you all need somebody to be angry at. I understand that. you all could have done the same thing, start a blog, get lucky for being in it at the right time in the right place with a little knowledge about credit. Go ahead, be angry.
Let me try again for you. It is not my blog. It belongs to a company called Internet Brands. I sold it on January 20, 2012. They make the decisions on what gets posted. They make the decisions on what links are put in and what business practices they employ. After eight months of reading, “you, you you” at some point I hope you get it. Frugal Travel Guy is owned and operated by a corporation. And your personal attacks on me are getting just a bit tiresome.
Shall we try again class: ” Frugal Travel Guy is and has been owned and operated by a corporation since January 2012″
This appears in the front page of your site:
“Credit Card Travel” for Free Airline Miles and Hotel Points Maximize Your Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses with a Free Credit Card Review. I’ve had over 95 credit cards approvals, and still receive the sign up bonuses I apply for. My 16 years in mortgage banking, credit counseling and years of personal experience churning credit cards, can help you achieve your travel goals, while you still protect your credit. Start by dropping by the Rookie Tips and Frequently Asked Questions page and following the suggestions listed. Then drop me a note at: rick@frugaltravelguy.com
And all the info in the FTG “About” page about, well, YOU:
http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/about-frugal-travel-guy
Why don’t you make it clear about this: Frugal Travel Guy is and has been owned and operated by a corporation since January 2012″ so your readers do not get confused as so many apparently are.
Then again FTG’s disclosure practices were ______ (momentarily reverted to PG 13 tabloid levels)
And thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the traffic you direct to my site, I sure appreciate it:-)
I just got about $350 in Fairmont Gift cards and have almost another $200 plus in other certs. I will have some meals in your honor when I get there. And yesterday I booked Mrs. TBB a spa session (frugally free of course).
I suggest you a visit to the spa, it was voted the best in North America so you can relax and not get so angry/cranky.
ALL OF THE ABOVE IS MY OWN OPINION ONLY!
Rick wants to have his cake and eat it too…. If anyone disagrees with the blog, he can just say that is Internet Brands fault, even though he holds the masthead.
Of course, why is the site’s disclaimer written in the first person, rather than as “Internet Brands”? Sure seems written to imply that “Frugal Travel Guy”, i.e. (from the about page) Rick, is the arbitrator of the blog.
George I’m not at Banff. We got turned away because of the floods and came home early. I never made it into the park. That’s why my warnings.
I see your point about About You and the personal disclosures. I’ll bring them up with IB tomorrow and try to get an answer for harvson as well. Another example of my not controlling the site.
Oh shoot really? Sorry man that sucks. I posted a question in the Fairmont FT thread and they told me that you can get to BF, it just takes longer.
I hope in a month things would be cleared up. I am watching the developments. I feel bad for you and this unfortunate timing.
I genuinely cannot believe that FTG’s DEFENSE is that he sold out. Astonishing.
Rick, that comment is so disingenuous on so many levels, it makes me want to puke. Your name is plastered over “their” blog. It’s your alter ego, yet you claim you have no responsibility for content?
If you had an iota of integrity, you’d stop posting, change your handle, remove your picture and let “Internet Brands” do what they do best – pimp affiliate links that are the best (for them, not their ignorant readers).
And as George points out, you, er, sorry, “them” still have YOUR personal “about me” information up – which if not legally fraudulent, is certainly shady.
That you were a mortgage banker explains everything…
“The most important thing in life is to be a quitter. You can’t make change anyways, so don’t waste you’re time trying”
– The Frugal Travel Politician
Change has indeed taken place. I personally have gotten several co-workers who used to use FTG/TPG links to now use FM or Gary’s links
A lot of would-be FTG clickers are now giving their dough elsewhere
And that is certainly your right and your choice. I applaud you for proactively making Your decisions based on what works best for you. That’s how the free market works.
Mr. Ingersoll
First I would like to say than you for your contributions to the travel hacking community over the years. Personally I have benefited from your advice in the past and I appreciate it. However, I think you demean yourself when you respond to complaints with insulting language. I also wish you would stop using the term “angries.” I’m not angry. I am, however, troubled. I think I am not alone and I don’t think you should dismiss these concerns as rantings by a bunch of “angries.” It troubles me that blogs that I once found to contain valuable information, and still do in the archives, have turned in to a commercial for credit cards. But the commercial they have become is not like a banner ad on a website or a commercial on TV. Those, most people realize are commercials and take the advertising with a grain of salt. Blogs are different and people trust blogs. I’m troubled by the endless pushing of credit cards not because I think content is boring, which it is, but because I think newbies are at risk of getting in over their head if they take what they read on a blog at face value. Not enough attention is given to the amount of organization that is needed to juggle multiple cards at once without missing a payment. Not to mention the fact that there are many people who caanot use a credit card responsibly. It is one of our most important assets.
Scott
And please excuse any typos Im using my iPhone.
Scott I appreciate your point of view and concerns. I agree that the space is over saturated with blogs talking about credit cards. there are two reasons.
in October of 2010, the world woke up to affiliate commissions and we went from two blogs talking about it to over 40. some less qualified to dispense advice than others
secondly, the game has changed to almost exclusively credit card deals and bloggers (all of them) are looking for content.
in regards to our concerns re people getting over their heads, yes it can happen. every year I question face to face 200-250 hackers about that issue. only one in the last four years suggested that applying for cards may have hurt their credit. and of the 10-40 emails per day, I don’t recall hearing tales of woe. the travel hacking community appears to be a more reonsible lot. and remember, we recommend this activity to people that have already proven they have good credit.
thanks again for your comments and questions. very refreshing
Scott, that was a beautiful comment, thank you! I am not seeing any angries around here, you?
@Rick: >>>>>>I don’t recall hearing tales of woe
Of course, did you think you would have people proudly talking about their money screwups??? They are ashamed and they want to hide under a rock because of the embarrassment of getting in over their heads! Some are still trying to crawl out of the holes they dug themselves into. No doubt in my mind that a large enough group of these people exist (which of course makes it profitable enough for the banks to continue offering the high signing bonuses) and, undoubtedly they got in to this mess because they were encouraged by some blogger to churn four or five cards at once to travel for “free”. But, then again, why do the bloggers care as long as they made their sales right?
Anyway, pointless to go on and on about this as we have done it before:-)
That gave me an idea about a blog post actually:-)
well your readers have nothing to be shy about. they are all nameless faceless except for a few enligthened anyway. how come I haven’t seen any horror stories from your brave band of faceless directed at FTG or any other blog for that matter?
your argument is strictly “here say”
You missed my point entirely…never mind.
no George. I hit it right on the head. even the cowards with complete anonymity can’t say they got led down the wrong path. two reasons George
1. they knew better before they applied for too many cards
2. they have “personal accountability”
>>>>>>>no George. I hit it right on the head.
I am Superman!
>>>>>>even the cowards with complete anonymity
WTF!
>>>>>>“personal accountability”
and capitalism
blah blah blah
Great post, Scott. I agree 100%.
When I first started in this game only 7 months ago, the blogs were all a blur and it was hard to differentiate between FTG and TPG, between Gary and Lucky, between Mommy Points and Deal Mommy, between Points Summary and Travel Summary, between Frequent Miler and Mile Value. Blog names were too similar, advice in the whole points and miles arena was the much same, and only those with unusual names like Wandering Aramean, Miles Professor, Saverocity or Travel Blogger Buzz and a few others stood out a bit in my mind. [Note to potential blog starters – pick a very unique name!]
Thanks to TBB and the comments here, and some threads on FT, I now have a much better idea of who to read and who to trust, whose affiliate deals to click on and whose advice to avoid. I can now scan Twitter and just skip over many links that are simply not worth my time.
I imagine there are many newbies who are still reeled in by FTG, but there are also many who are wising up. Using the positive comments and emails FTG/Rick/IB may get is not the best measure for where the reach does not go! For all of those who take time to engage and/or comment, many, many do not. Some of them just go away.
I am not an angry or a hater. I am just a not-so-newbie who prefers integrity and who is wising up.
Thanks TWA44. Part of TBB’s mission is to educate. And based on your comment it has been working:-)
There has been an 80k Priority Club Visa out there for a very long time. But no affiliate link. And almost every blogger does not write about it. Now you know why.
I was just thinking that Pickles top secrets are about as exciting as when Geraldo opened Al Capone’s vault……Anderson Cooper is the whitest white dude ever………Indian food goes thru me like rocket fueled Drano does this happen to everyone?…..just wondering if Buzz is related to TV icon Webster Papas…..suggestion to tv producer/star David Hasselhoff, bring back Baywatch and star Kate Upton and me in it,,,,suggestion to restaurant owners of Hooters, have the waitress’ compete in a kielbasa eating contest this 4th of July to compete with Nathan’s Coney Island….gotta run to TJ Maxx they got a great deal on Paula Deen cookware………………..Peace. Love. and Ribs
Made a slight edit to your comment and I will now tempt bloggers with too much time on their hands to accuse me of censorship lol!
All the buildup about secrets…I ignore it now, a wholelottadoaboutnothin.
Glad to hear the same thing happen to you with Indian food, thought it was just me;-)
If I had a dollar every time I heard about that Webster reference…I would not be thinking about adding affiliate links, I would have it made lol.
True story: I sat next to Kid Rock in first class on a Northwest (oh the good old pre Delta days) flight when he was married to Pamela Anderson. He was reading a magazine with Pamela in the front page. I wanted to say to him…”Niiice” but I didn’t. Very nice and low key guy actually.
Mrs TBB got me several Live Strong exercise Tshirts…$1 a piece, whatabargain!
I should have ribs soon…it’s been a while!
MV doesn’t have a relationship with Chase, so he needs to continue beating the LH mastercard to death, with his “if you spin the numbers enough, you can get it to tell you anything” analysis
For example, he says that United and LH miles are “equally useful” to go to Hawaii in Economy class
They sure are! So long as you don’t bother telling your readers that United miles can also be used on Hawaiian Airlines, which opens up a ton more options for getting there.
And Lufthansa is “more valuable than United for economy class to Europe”.
Well that’s good to know! You know what else would be good to know? That almost all cross-Atlantic flights have fuel surcharges of varying degrees limiting the options, whereas United doesn’t charge fuel surcharges on any of the dozen+ airlines that have transatlantic flights.
It’s amazing how he wasn’t propping up LH miles at the expense of downplaying United miles back when he had an affiliate relationship with the CC’s that earned United miles!
The blogger world is full of coincidences
This is exactly what I meant by making that reference;-) Thanks for elaborating about it…for a moment I thought I was going to be called angry or something:-)
Rick, I am really sad to see how you are so changed from your more happy-go-lucky days, which were just a few years ago. I mean that your “Internet personality” has changed so much, and I hope not your real personality. I used to enjoy reading about your travels and your son and daughter in law, even your diet.–all of that was fun and you seemed like a nice guy.
But I look at what you write today (and other posts on flyertalk) and you are different now. I don’t know you but I wonder why you are doing what you are doing these days? You really come across as defensive and always upset now. So this is very sad to witness.
it has mostly to do with unwarranted criticism and personal attacks leveled at me. I’m still the happy go lucky guy I always was. the space got very angry when it exploded to forty blogs with links and people realizing they missed a golden opportunity. believe me, anyone of you could have done what I did, but they didn’t. Selling the blog compounded the problem when people realized the numbers they missed were substantial.
and now a corporate owned blog’s actions still reflect on me personally. I never thought that through when selling, and several comments today brought it more to light. I will begin to correct it tomorrow.
I loved this space in the past. It helped take me around the world at prices I could afford. now based on the personal attacks, other things in my life, along with the diminished opportunities for significant savings, I’ve lost interest.
This comment war is so awesome…
someone emailed me “your comment section is better than your blog”. It hurt me deeply. I thought for a moment to go on an angry rant against him/her for but instead I thanked him/her for the input and said that I was so happy of being able to contribute positively to his/her life.
As far as being hurt deeply, come on, you know I was joking. It sure made me laugh…and took it as a challenge to improve:-)
I should get an affiliate relationship with a popcorn company and throw some links at the top of my comments each day. But for that I will have to beat Jeff who always wants to be the number 1 commenter…that would be a very tough task to accomplish lol.
GP, if you get an affiliate relationship with Johnnie Walker scotch, I will quit my job immediately and go to work for you immediately. 🙂
Popcorn, Johnnie Walker and Chase.
We are all set!
We can hire the Canadian blogger kid and get him a green card finally so he can get his own affiliations with all these fine US companies.
Lol!
I just request you guys to take pity on FTG. I think he seems depressed and doesn’t know what to do with himself. FTG is a troll and trolls are usually depressed characters best left alone. No amount of rational arguments will stop him from trolling. You have ripped him open and he has been caught red handed. Let him be.. just take your readership and clicks elsewhere. I certainly don’t waste time on reading his “content”. People still eat at McDonalds and people will still read FTG. I wish we could avoid the harm that he does to newbies but people always take advantage of others who don’t think for themselves.
Yawn
“Your most important asset is your credibility”
>>>>>>>People still eat at McDonalds and people will still read FTG
>>>>>>>“Your most important asset is your credibility”
I wish I had two spots for MVP Comment of the Day:-)
I’ll try harder next time. 🙂 What kind of swag are you giving away today? Actually, maybe Rick could send the runner up an autographed framed version of another quote…
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/product_images/338534/ftg_banner_4_with_heading_opera_house.jpg
I’m glad the day is almost over. Can’t read much more of this.
I’m also glad this discussion is ‘exploding’. It’s like a big blowout fight. People getting beaten up. In time (hopefully sooner rather than later), the only people that will be in ‘the fight’ will be people that weren’t told the fight ended. It will be like the Japanese soldiers that lived in the jungle for years after the war, because they weren’t told the war ended.
In time, the ‘discussions’ above won’t amount to anything. Eventually, this war will end.
Anyone with half a brain knows FTG sold his blog.
Anyone with half a brain knows that all the bloggers are making $$$ with their credit card links.
Anyone with half a brain ‘discounts’ a lot of what is written on travel blogs, unless there is interesting content, or in Twitter speak #InterestingContent.
1/3 of TBB mission is….entertainment.
Reading the comments today was quite entertaining.
At the end of the day…nobody will come back here as soon as a new post is up. And when this goes to second page…it is all over:-)
I now, for real, I am going to get me some sleep…seriously!
Best. Blog. Comment. War. Ever.
there are so interesting comments on this post as well
http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2013/02/state-of-the-game-manufactured-spending.html
LOL, i truly enjoyed this today.