I bring you my latest collection of eclectic links on how to travel to Greece, explore vaccine doubt, Titanic Chinese survivors, learn bank weaknesses, travel to Portugal and the Arizona desert, how companies got their names, have fun with business terms, the vaccines ARE amazing, India is reeling from the pandemic, an amazing story that took place years ago in remote Newfoundland, Canada, someone is messing with them sonic weapons again it appears, credit card beginner guide, power up credit cards, Travel Is Free website dies for real this time and lots more, enjoy the month, it is going to be May!
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TRAVEL
It appears Greece is going to open up on May 15. I hope everything goes all right but I am staying away until the pandemic is under control there. So, you Want to Fly To Greece? Here are the Non-Stop Flights from the US to Greece. It has been many years since I have seen so many flights from/to Athens!
When this is finished…it will be AMAZING! An Exclusive Look at James Turrell’s Roden Crater. In the Arizona desert, James Turrell is creating one of the most ambitious artworks in American history.
I always scratch my head how they build things like this, wow! The World’s Longest Pedestrian Suspension Bridge Stretches Across the Paiva River Gorge in Portugal.
PERSONAL FINANCE
Sometimes this section just turns out to be just business stuff. Have you ever wondered how companies were named? Well, no more! List of company name etymologies.
Okay, one more. Business terms—-> Unsuck It. Hilarious, enjoy!
Passionista -Unsucked: Person who is interested in something. Usually whatever cheap trinket you’re hawking to hide the shame that’s become your life.
value proposition -Unsucked: The central, most important lie you tell your customers about your product.
Strategic Partnership – Unsucked: Sufficient fanfare about working with another company to obscure a portion of the incompetence or malfeasance of each.
Top of mind – Unsucked: Important to the douchebag speaking or their boss.
When you hear people say “this is a bubble, it is going to crash!”, you should respond with: “Give me the day and time please”. Of course then you put them on the spot and they either shut up or they will look like idiots. The correct answer is “I don’t know”. Nobody knows so focus on things you can actually control. And…Diversify!
COVID-19
When we look back decades later, we may realize what epic achievement these vaccines were! How Good Are Vaccines? Try 99.9999% Effective.
In early January, when an estimated one in 34 people in the U.S. were infected, one could have expected inoculated people to have about a one in 700 chance of contracting Covid. Now that cases are down to less than one in 100, vaccinated people are even safer. Keep in mind, too, that so far we’ve been talking only about infections. Vaccinated people are even less likely to actually die of Covid. And that’s where the evidence is extremely good. According to the government website tracking “breakthrough cases” in the general population, only 88 out of 87 million fully vaccinated people in the U.S. had been reported dead as of April 20, and 11 of those were unrelated to Covid. That’s a death rate of less than one in a million. [Bold font added for emphasis]
This is shocking to read by a physician in Mumbai: India’s Covid wards are like scenes from Dante’s ‘Inferno’.
There is absolutely no doubt we finally did something here to restore our nation’s credibility. We have done an outstanding job in vaccinating people! But now…it is not going to be easy. Because of people like the dude in this article: The U.S. Has the Shots It Needs, But Vaccine Doubt Is Prolonging the Pandemic. The dude saw some video from a conspiracy dude and…I guess started doing his own homework, sad lol. It is time to get innovative and cruel imho…start paying people, start requiring vaccinations to do LOTS of things normal people enjoy and, for crying out loud, get your vaccine to help yourself and help your loved ones too.
ODDZ & ENDZ
Been holding on this one for a while. It is long. And I loved it: The Lives of Others. Two women gave birth on the same day in a place called Come By Chance. They didn’t know each other, and never would. Half a century later, their children made a shocking discovery. It is an incredible story and not an easy read, you have been warned. All set in a beautiful remote part of Newfoundland, Canada…
And here we go again! There are some really big time spy weapons related activity going on you guys…the truth is out there! U.S. probing suspected directed-energy attack on government personnel in Miami. The attacks, which have caused varying symptoms including brain damage, are difficult to track and attribute with confidence due to their nature.
Well, I had no idea about them. Titanic: Searching for the “missing” Chinese survivors. There is a new documentary about them, I would love to see it.
MILES & POINTS
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If you do not see a credit card with my affiliate links, perhaps I could refer you? Contact me!
This section is about my hobby addiction of collecting frequent flyer miles and hotel points since the early 1990’s! Feel free to skip this section and parts of the next one if this is not for you.
Newbies: A good reference guide to spend some time on is this: A Beginners Guide To Credit Card Bonuses.
We bloggers get asked this a lot: Can My Spouse Check In For My Hotel Booking? Here are most of your answers.
Another good reference guide: Points Power-Ups – Credit cards that make your points more valuable.
I guess this is good…if I remember to actually do it. Maybe I do like seeing my miles/points balances go up…until they get devalued again lol: Chase Extends Pay Yourself Back Until September 30, 2021.
Register for the new Hilton Honors Promotion HERE.
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.
The hits keep coming from all directions, sad! And there goes Albertsons and Safeways…
Let’s all have a moment of silence for the Travel Is Free website, according to this tweet and its own thread. It now links to Million Mile Secrets…Sad to see it gone for ever, at least the Frugal Travel Guy website is still up…just laying there like a dead corpse. For readers who do not know, TIF was the best miles/points blog that I linked to here numerous times (only to catch grief for challenging Drew to improve his writing skills to make it even better, oh well). The site was sold to The Points Guy Inc and Drew went to work there…When The Points Guy Inc offers to buy my site I will make it a condition to keep my TBB blog site up for ever so my kids and grandkids can go back and read the amazing posts I have unloaded here for you all. Ok, that last sentence was a joke. I am laughing, you are laughing…
I think I am in agreement on most of these points: This is each bank’s biggest weakness from a travel hacking perspective.
Today it is the end of the American Airlines AAdvantage 40th Anniversary Celebration game and it has been good to me. As in winning over 30,000 AA miles and several other prizes, hooray!
I long for the old days when playing for the jersey mattered…before billionaires knowing nothing about the sport came into this and turned into an orgy of money and debts! And yes I LOVED this! Man United fans’ disdain for Glazer family led to Liverpool postponement; what happens next?
Greek Orthodox Easter was yesterday. Kids abandoned us so it was just me and the Mrs and…Lamb, oh lala!
And I leave you with this…
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TBB
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Hey Buzz-
You were right. My wife won 40k on a spin in the AA contest. Then she got another 4K. I got 40 (no k), which is all I wanted or needed to restart the 18 month clock for AA’s worst-in-class expiration policy. I hear AA is going to 1099 those miles for 2.25 cents@, so TBB a readers, I am counting on you to send in sales by AA and other 3rd party evidence that AA miles are really worth-well, let’s just say a lot less than 2.25 cents.
Buzz-No coverage on the big reopening at Disneyland? I understand as you’re probably waiting for them to crank-up Magic Mountain.
I am pretty pessimistic this morning about all the anti-vaxers blocking herd immunity. 70% won’t get it done say people in the know I talk to. This thing could be buzzing around for years (pardon the pun).
That 40k looks like will get a 1099, sending thoughts and prayers 🙂 I am hoping to go under the radar with the five account winnings spread out…
All TBB reporters are on assignment, we could not schedule anyone to cover Disney. We apologize for the omission, we promise to do better in the future.
I think it is time to start actively shunning them. Like the dude in that article. You wanna work? You want to go to a concert/movie/restaurant/fly/etc…Make it painful. And if you have direct contact with people like this guy? Lock them up! I remain hopeful they will get on board…if only the buffoon was actively telling them to do so like he did…
RIP Travel Is Free. Drew did some great deep dives.
I wonder how his AirBnB business did in the beginning of COVID. That article had so much risk, it was painful to read. Leveraging is dangerous. And then there was his adventure in the “rent-equipment-to-your-neighbor” business. Tried and tested and of course it didn’t work out (without VC funding). I appreciated most of his travel related posts. Lots of informative content.
It was just sad to not see any of his content or tools at TPG (where careers die!).
It was indeed risky but that said, he may have been able to get covid mortgage forbearance and/or sell at a profit given the current real estate market.
“Leveraging is dangerous”
Indeed…
Richard Kerr is gone too…while Mommy Points is raving about the culture and the fun people there LOL
Drew (TiF) went to TPG to further develop the TPG wallet. And 3 years later we have yet to see that wallet. What’s Drew up to?
And regarding JTGenter, was he unwilling to provide Brian Kelley with cocaine or why is he no longer with TPG?
Everybody’s fav uncle, Warren Buffet, says inflation is already here (but the Fed is of course not tracking those products) so how do you hedge against increasing inflation? And why own bonds? And the 60/40 portfolio is now the 70/30 portfolio, isn’t this the opposite of diversification?
Will catch up with replies later but…just want to point out the deranged douchie response by Robinhood to Munger’s comments…which were very mild towards RH by the way.
Fleecing own customers while blowing smoke you are with them…
Only in America…in 2021.
I’m not offering advice here but personally, I’m hedged with commodities, primarily energy equities. They did the best in the 1970s.
Bonds IMHO offer terrible risk/reward right now. Because of bond convexity lower interest rates mean you lose a greater % of your investment if/when rates rise.
the person behind #Robinhoodhelp just fits that firm perfectly 🙂
Bonds have a place. And it is not about returns…
Bond convexity Nick? What is next, durango? 🙂
I sleep soundly at night knowing….next day 1/3 of what I have is gone. Clients too. Focus on what you can control, don’t overthink it…it usually gets you into trouble…me thinks. I am no thought leader apparently ‘-)
I forget who said it but whereas treasury bills used to be risk-free interest, they’re now interest-free risk.
OMAAT posted:
Marriott Bonvoy Card Showdown: Bold Vs. Boundless
If you read this closely….the word Amex and American Express does NOT appear once.
Noticing this elsewhere. Ask them why?
TheInsider
Because they are Visa cards 🙂
Remarkably similar titles (“showdown”). Was OMAAT inspired by TPG or do the CC companies pre-approve or suggest titles and content?
OMAAT:
“Marriott Bonvoy Card Showdown: Bold Vs. Boundless”
TPG:
“Credit card showdown: Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless”
You think OMAAT is angling for a sale?
Odd. Ben wouldn’t copy a TPG headline and actually I doubt they would copy Ben. Implies a sponsored post but then you would assume it would be disclosed.
Behind all these posts…I would not be shocked to find out that there is one or two overworked ghost writers who are just pumping these salesy posts. They are very good in cut and paste and inserting affiliate links it appears.
Good morning!
The conventional measures of inflation don’t include assets
and lots of folks look only at what is measured.
Good afternoon.
Correct.
Inflation also does a bad job of measuring asset life. If I replace my phone every 3 years and not every 2 then the cost falls by 1/3rd per year.
My Easter message from yesterday is in your spam folder
#TBBon
Found it, released it. Thank you
Monday crap all over….replies will be posted…some time #tbd
Sad about Travel is Free. I’ve links to the Complete Hotel Maps pages and one has been updated within a couple days (4/28) and all seem to still be working. Labeled now as from Million Mile Secrets but Drew still has his name on them.
Been using the maps too while on my “no specific destination” road trip. Hope they don’t disappear as those are handy.
Gotta say the Hyatt Palm Springs is a nice place. 2 free nights and they comped my parking. I know I play small ball as far as this stuff goes because I am nuts and don’t care about “Aspirational” stuff. But it’s nice to save some bucks and enjoy!
That looked like a great spread on the eats, George! Gonna have a big TBB get together someday? Only Vaccinated Folks though!
TPGers probably can’t fix the rest of the pages, only the homepage smh.
U sure it is being updated? I use AwardMapper…which is not being updated but still does what I want for the most part.
Nothing wrong with the non aspirational properties. Whatever works, we are all different.
We have been having big get togethers in Ann Arbor during the Art Fair. It was virtual last year. And not sure if it going to happen this year, probably not. It is over a weekend and I usually have a big party at my house and I feed everyone pizza and wings from my blog “profits”. A great time for all….yeah, missed that too. Many old timers come. You know some of the big guns in the blog space got their first speaking gig in this DO…and then discovered how much banks pay lol.
Hiya, Yes, the Marriott page shows this at the top, and it did change during the trip I am on!
” Complete map of Marriott hotels (with award prices)
April 28, 2021 By Drew Macomber”
His Hyatt page and IHG page have not (yet) been updated though.
Well, come the day you do have another get together up there in MI, I am gonna try my darndest to come!
Looks like it is a no go for 2021. This hobby is just slowly dying and…newbies can’t wait to burn 250,000 per seat for a Basic economy ticket to Orlando 🙂
At least for me, Travel Is Free will be sorely missed. Drew had an amazing talent for ferreting out sweet spots in programs and I was horrified when he decided to join TPG. I thought JT Genter still worked there but I don’t visit TPG enough to keep up with the revolving door. I sure wish Drew would escape and rejoin us in the places where comments are allowed. Between his amazing tools, his captivating stories, and his uncanny ability to maximize value, it was always great to see what he and Carrie would serve up next. Sigh, R.I.P. Travel Is Free.
I agree with everything you wrote. Amazing talent, too bad he did not stick with it, sad!
It is what it is, we all evolve. And this hobby is becoming the former hobby of many of us…
JT Genter was fired by TPG over a year ago. He was quite candid about it, and his wife Katie still works there, at least as of this morning. I think JT ran into politics but that’s just my guess. Now he writes his great articles for publications like Forbes, while most of the mice at TPG are jumping or being thrown off the ship. Who’s sorry now?
Drew is a guy who thinks outside the box, like he could have been in the garage with Jobs and Wosniak. I looked at a lot of deals during my business life and for everyone that was a home run, there were 10 others that were just as good but had a fatal flaw, Egos at the top who thought they knew and/or could do it all (lots of those); greedy founders who stepped back from funding to keep control, then run out of money. Lots of stories in the big city and Drew may wind-up like those. But the folks with the magic are fascinating to watch.
Ben won’t sell out anytime soon. He’s making a ton of money, he’s excellent at what he does (pumping notwithstanding) and he’s developed a growing maturity and confidence. Plus, he usually turns right when he gets off the elevator.
Hey Buzz-Where should I look for med insurance if I get COVID while traveling overseas?
.
I agree with most everything Sam….especially about the deals and their flaws.
I have not actually read an article at TPG for a long time. Other than Kerr’s.
I agree about Ben not selling out for the reasons you stated. Other than the nauseating credit card shilling, the ridiculouusly unimportant aviation “news”…the rest of what he used to do so well (reviews of luxury seats/airlines and hotels) still comes but…at a much slower pace! How can his operation outpost TPG is something that is worthy of amazement for sure. But must be taaking a toll on health imho. We all should prioritize it…
No clue on the medical insurance question. AIG?
This operation’s revenue is $0 ZERO for 5 days straight…I can assure you there will be no sell out here LOL.