TBB Mission: To Entertain, Educate and Inspire. Aim to at least do one well!
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TRAVEL
20 Award-Winning Action Photos from the 2013 Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. Some of these have been featured here before but here are a few new awesome ones:
Climbing Yosemite, Time Lapse Montage. Found at The Adventure Blog. Stunning is an understatement!
Dubai. In Fog.
Forbidden Ways in the Azores, Portugal. At Vagabondish.
15 Super Thin Buildings. By The World Geography. These are totally cool to look at, probably not the best to be inside them!
Ultimate Airline Resource Guide. By Johnny Jet. Great reference!
Just in case you missed it, British Airways will start flying 787s from London Heathrow to Austin, Texas.
MILES/POINTS
Vanilla Reloadables by The Frequent Miler. Killer content. No pimping. Any questions?
View from the Wing wrote “Earning Miles for Paying Taxes – Without Big Fees“. Nice comprehensive post on the subject.
Loyalty Traveler has the 2013 World Travel Awards Europe Hotel Winners Out of curiosity, I took a look at the hotels in Greece and can proudly report that I have not visited any of them (no hotel points available, I swear, had absolutely nothing to do with this!)
ON MY MIND
The new client is now on board. Trying to find a suitable date to meet after they do the homework I assigned them. First meeting is an all day meeting. I ask them so many questions we are all spent at the end of the day. But it is so necessary to build a great foundation in a relationship and advise properly. If a financial advisor just asks a few questions and then the questions turn to what to do with your money…well, not a good sign!
TBB will have to change a bit as the current pace of blog reviewing is just too intense! I think I will delete many blogs from my Feedly list and give up on them as they have not made it on TBB for a very long time, most never!
So, bear with me, until I figure it out. Maybe when I get this new super nice couple in good shape maybe I could get back to the same pace of blog reviewing. Or I will become very eclectic of what shows up here and not bother with many posts that usually make it here. Frankly, I am getting a bit tired dishing out constructive criticism on blogs that keep selling credit cards, they are NOT going away! You probably are too… #developing
Does anyone have a recommendation of some device that I can talk into it (say, while I am driving or waiting during one of my kids’ activities) and then I can plug it in with a USB and have all my spoken material in a digital format? (MS Word?, text? etc.).
I barely make it through the day every day so when friends talk to me about monetizing I roll my eyes as I just won’t do it because so many other items I have are of higher priority. One day if I do not fold like a cheap suit I will look into it. Still not sure where I am going…and the beat goes on.
I burned 13,500 British Airways Avios & $7.50 for one way Detroit to New York for wife and kids over Christmas. Still need to book the return, availability issue presently, it will open up.
ODDZ & ENDZ
I had a thought (dangerous indeed!). I posted yesterday about that dude who bought a sponsored tweet to rant on British Airways. And today I see the story everywhere. Coincidence? This was a typical TBB deep thought by the way. #justsaying
The 20 Big Questions in Science. Cool stuff like “Why is there stuff?”
BLOG BUZZ
Milevalue trying to squeeze a few more in at the last moment! – “Hurry, 30,000 Starpoint Sign Up Bonus on SPG Cards Ends Today at 5 PM ET“. Then it is followed up by a post on how to find nonstop award space on AA and no mention how you can score 50k miles with just one Citibank card.
Mainstream blogger Lee Abbamonte – ” Today is the Last Day to Get 30,000 Bonus Starpoints”
The Points Guy just amazes me…” Top 25 Travel Credit Cards With The Lowest Bonus Minimum Spending Requirements”. Seriously?
Deals We Like finally finished the SPG series! Started out with “This is just a quick reminder that the limited time 30,000 point bonus for both the personal and business Starwood American Express credit card is ending tonight.” Excuse moi? We needed yet another reminder? Well, at least it was quick this time…
There was some drama between Gary Leff and MrPickles. I wrote about this issue back in June.
Every time I start the blog I say to myself I will not write about Delta Points. But I just can’t. Yesterday DP wrote about how to get an overpriced mediocre massage at some outfit in the Detroit airport (no wonder the previous one closed as their massages sucked!). And something about a carry on and its size and stuff.
And to leave you with this funny pic. This is #winning
First!
Ariel Castro, 53, was found dead hanging in his cell around 9:20 p.m. Tuesday at the Correctional Reception Center ……………………………………………………………………..I ate ribs with that dude!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oq1A25LF04
I bet he is in mourning now too for losing the one reason he became relevant 🙂 Still, one of the all time best of becoming famous!
4th?
I plead the Fifth with a Fifth of Beethoven.
Quote of the day at TPG in the comments by Steve:
“How Am I Going To Survive 21 Hours In Coach?”
If the past few blog posts are any indication, I’m pretty sure the answer lies somewhere in an SPG Amex or Amex Platinum affiliate link
Considering how hard they’ve been pushed, I’d be shocked if their capabilities where anything short of curing cancer
That’s awesome! Waiting for the next version of these cards to do stuff like: dishes, laundry, mow lawn, etc.
I am definitely the first person posting live from Etihad First Class flying somewhere over Iraq en route to IAD. Good morning folks! (Etihad F continues to rock BTW, even though everything about their ground product absolutely sucks)
Ok, good to know. Will this trip report also take 1 year to hammer out? I suggest that you just insert your latest pictures from Maldives with more or less same the old text. The area doesnt change that much….. assuming that global warming hasn’t had more impact lately.
Been enjoying the pics from Etihad in the air! Also think you should start a “Maldives” exclusive blog and hammer the Platinum Amex and Ink cards lol
Nice idea! I think I am the only one in this community that actually goes to the Maldives and does something other than works out how to not spend any money. Another amazing trip, including the entertainment of watching other points kids trying to avoid doing anything other than saying they’ve “been there and done that”
What about Mr FancyPants, Gary from VFTW?
It will take much more than one year
VFTW vs Mr.P: LOL! They charged money for an event promising to share secrets with 600 others and now that someone shared on its not kosher :p
So.Much.Drama in the blogosphere. I am not going to these anymore and pay a ticket for socializing. I read all the blogs and then I wait for Mr.Pickles to spill any Secrets lol.
Who wants to spend all that time to bother going to the Maldives anyway? Oh, unless you’re a blogger desperate for content?
He paid for those “secrets”. Nuff said.
2 women in The City during the after Christmas sales, with credit cards. I don’t think they are concerned with not having a way to get back to Michigan.
Wife needs to get back to work on Jan 2nd. Thinking of having kids fly alone back in the weekend as school starts Jan 6th. Get them to grow up flying alone!
TPG is really really tall. He’s like 6’7″. I wouldn’t want to fly coach either. The 100+ comments deserve to be chiding him for the 742nd post in the past 60 days comparing the amazing value of two fairly pedestrian Amex products, not the drama of flying to South Africa in the back of the bus. Next question: why does Wandering Aramean troll the comments of so many blogs, picking fights? He doesn’t pimp credit cards but he’s kind of a jerk.
Actually, if you see HikerT’s post above, I did in fact chide him in that post about the SPG Amex and Amex Platinum 🙂
As I have in previous posts
He just chose not to censor this one
TBB has been safe of WA’s comments for some reason but he has challenged me in other blogs 🙂
But, I must admit, I agree for the most part on the things he usually picks on!
Why an all day meeting? What secrets will be revealed?
Ok, how old are you and what does your financial picture look like and what does it need to look like X years away at retirement?
Here’s the percentage of your income that needs to be saved and invested in broad-based low cost mutual funds (an allocation of stocks vs bonds that varies based on your current financial situation and how close you are to retirement). **Done.**
Is it really that much more complicated???
Everyone needs to justify their fees. Maybe this is the way TBB justifies his. Seems to be working for him, I wouldnt mess with success.
Or maybe they need to decide if they’re going to live in a wee apartment or in a 4,000-sq-foot home with three acres that have to be mowed (by someone else!). And maybe they have or foresee some horrendous medical bills for some chronic problem(s). Golf club memberships? Cruising? Housing and feeding the adult kids? I’m guessing you’re NOT in your 50s and facing some truly scary facts!!
If you do not have a FULL (comprehensive) understanding of the client, their current situation and their goals, you are just not doing it right. Everything is built from the ground up starting with building a great foundation. If you knew what I ask you will be shocked. Definitely not your typical ”
Here’s the percentage of your income that needs to be saved and invested in broad-based low cost mutual funds (an allocation of stocks vs bonds that varies based on your current financial situation and how close you are to retirement).”
This one is a few steps above the scale in complexity as there is a big inheritance involved with several moving parts.
I can go on but need to answer the other comments and move on 🙂
Good to see DeltaPoints.com will remain firmly as one of your MUST READ each day blogs!
Good to see that TBB is the first thing you read in the morning!!!
It is a must read because it amazes me how you come up with this stuff. And you blatant selling every day. Thank you. Two back links I see, because one is just not enough 🙂
CRAP – you made me smile again and it has NOT been 6 months… grrrr…. 😉
You may be safe today as that DL elite post was halfway decent…but we still have about 7 hrs to go. Waiting… lol
When I am driving and don’t have time to write, I voice dictate notes into Evernote on my iPhone. It’s not a perfect dictation, but usually good enough to get my point onto paper. Then Evernote will sync to my computer automatically over the Internet and the note will be on my computer by the time I have a chance to sit down and write. Works very well for me, because most of my ideas come at inconvenient times detached from technology.
If you want more depth on a few productivity tools I use, I did write about them for my company blog last year: http://www.threedeepmarketing.com/2012/10/18/productivity-tools-for-business-blogging/.
Last, I know I rarely make the round up, but would love to be kept on your list :).
I bookmarked the article to read later. I use Evernote and probably use less than 10% of what it can do. Had no idea it can do this!
Ok, you stay on my list;-)
Dragon Naturally Speaking is a great program that does a great job ‘transcribing’ your words! Not hard to use, not horribly expensive.
Dragon Naturally Speaking is software right? Can I use it in my phone? I was looking for something on the go when I had a brilliant thought to dictate it…Happens sometimes lol.
Dragon is software and it has an app for phones. It may be good, but I hear that the native voice to text in iPhone and Android is just as good. Plus, you can use that to feed other apps.
“The Points Guy just amazes me…” Top 25 Travel Credit Cards With The Lowest Bonus Minimum Spending Requirements”. Seriously?”
Actually he’s not serious. Because there were 28 cards in the post. C’mon TBB, you know the golden rule about “Top XX cards” posts
For fun, I should feature a link to the first cc post that keeps the number of links the same as the headline lol.
Ok, something is up – either the Ink Plus payout just increased, the Ink Bold payout decreased, or something along those lines
Because I don’t ever remember a filler post done by any mainstream blogger that had one but not the other
And today, within a span of a couple of hours, both Gary and MP had filler posts that had the Ink Plus in it but no mention of the Ink Bold.
That wasn’t by accident. Maybe if it was one of them, you can chalk it up to it being a one-off. But there’s no way 2 bloggers who bend over backwards to pimp both cards would have filler posts only including one of them…. by coincidence
I had the same exact thought!
Nah, it must be to hit the overall Q3 numbers.
To all competing to be first through fifth, are you all doing it to piss off Paul? Lol!
I am starting a petition to name Denver International Airport after the late John Denver.
Good luck Sir!
I’m sorry this is not travel related but………..I’m just reading how Valerie Harper the old bat actress is going to be on Dancing with the Stars. Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago she on the covers of all the Tabloid type (People, US, ect.) magazines, saying that she was going to die soon from Brain Cancer. Dam those doctors are good………… I knew it was B.S., what kind of narcissist goes on a publicity tour when they are terminally ill. I hope she falls and breaks an ankle while dancing…..Why am i so angry, i watched my Mom die from it very very bravely.
I had to google Valerie Harper. Can’t say I knew who she was!
I don’t get out much!
Send them back on the train. Or at least book the train as the fall back plan and if you cancel (fee free) before the train leaves, you get all your points back.
I can let them fly alone now, son is old enough to take care of daughter. But no way I will let them ride the train alone! Wife must be back to work on Jan 2nd, just one seat it should be easy to get eventually. Or do 3 separate reservations, get them one by one…Looking for 3 at a time is the problem I think. Busy day, people returning home after New Years.
Having them learn to fly alone is a good experience for them. Teaches them independence and self-sufficiency. Be careful of the “unaccompanied minor” fees though. Some airlines charge more than others and some require it. My four are grown, but they are all great travelers and all studied or lived abroad at one point or another. Good for them!
My son has flown that route alone many times and AA has made some good money from us on the “unacompanied minor” fees. He is almost 16 and I think he can do fine unacompanied without the fee and take care of his little sister. I agree stuff like this teaches them independence and self-sufficiency. I want to send him as an exchange student but he does not want to go. But he went on a People to People three week trip to Australia last year. And he has been in away camps. So, if we have to do this, I will definitely do it and let them…”swim”!
Wow, I am impressed that you would take a whole day to discuss financial things with your clients. I had one “free consulting/financial” hour with the financial planner at my bank, but unfortunately, I did not learn anything new from that meeting except about the fee(s) that they would charge. Just from reading on how you treated the other older couple and your thoughtfulness, you really look out for your customers. Thanks.
Oh yeah, the free consulting at the bank. Don’t get me started. There is nothing free in my industry which does attract amazing numbers of charlatans, thieves and just plain bad professionals. There are huge conflicts of interest built into the system!.
To properly advise someone you need to have a comprehensive holistic view! You need to learn what makes them tick,what they are really looking to accomplish. Some don’t even know. Financial planning is not an event, its’ a process. Most in this business will not do this hard time consuming leg work…they just want to get to the money because that is where the money is!
I can go on for ever…but I need to finish the next blog post and try to hit my bed by midnight!