Another TBB post featuring the most eclectic links around the web such as identifying winning stocks, Elon Musk tragedy, Thailand tsunami survivor story, more free hotel vacations, 529 Plan ratings, bitcoin up, a professor and her students touching story, a son leaving his family to join ISIS, the best quiet Greek islands, the best photography links and of course always all of the most important developments in the crazy world of frequent flyer miles and points at the lower half of the post. Enjoy the weekend!
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This blog started way back in 2012 focusing on my crazy hobby addiction of traveling with frequent flyer miles, hotel and bank points. It has since evolved to curated posts featuring the best web content along with my commentary.
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BLOG HOUSEKEEPING
In case you missed it, I had a rare second post earlier this week on Tuesday: Stock Market Insanity, AI Institutional Collapse, Music Stars Drug Abuse, 10 Optical Illusion Destinations, Google Flights Rocks.
PERSONAL FINANCE
This is great to see: Americans Are Finally Saving Almost What They’re Supposed to for Retirement. 401(k) savings rates are just a shade below the commonly recommended 15% of income. Not maximizing such contributions is not an option with my clients. Because, if it was, they would not be clients lol. Do this at the beginning of your career. Yes, it would be hard of course. But adjust your lifestyle around it. As your income increases over the years the “pain” of contributing will decrease. And it is amazing what happens after you do this twenty years in a row consistently. Maybe this mantra by the financial adviser community has finally taken hold and this is a reason market corrections do not last that long?
The latest Morningstar 529 Ratings: The Best Plans.
Great podcast imho: Jason Zweig: Revisiting “The Intelligent Investor”. The author and Wall Street Journal columnist on Ben Graham’s enduring wisdom, Jonathan Clements’ impact, and more.
People just love talking about their stock winners. And someway somehow stay silent about all the stocks they took a disastrous beating on. Anyway, never forget: Identifying winning stocks is hard. Holding winning stocks is a nightmare.
A study of…the 20 stocks with the best total shareholder returns over the 40-year period from 1985 to 2024 found:
“The median maximum drawdown was 72% for the best group, and the median maximum drawdown duration, the time from peak to trough, was 2.9 years. The median time to return to the prior peak was 4.3 years. The median annualized abnormal returns following the bottom was 8% for the next 5 years and 12% for the next 10 years. This is based on the unrealistic assumption the stock was purchased at the low…The median stock’s recovery from its maximum drawdown is 90% of the prior peak price (par), which means it fails to return to its past high. In fact, about 54% of stocks never return to par after hitting bottom.”
SCAMS/CRYPTO/AI/TECH
Bitcoin is up again. Up Because It’s Up. The author singles out three factors that explain this:
The first factor was a policy change last year. The federal government approved the launch of new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that offer easier and more direct access to bitcoin.
The second factor was the Trump administration’s friendlier posture toward cryptocurrency.
A third factor, however, may be the most powerful driver of bitcoin’s gains: The reality—justified or not—that asset prices tend to go up when other people think they’re going to go up.
Great quote: “People are interested in bitcoin precisely because so many other people are interested in it.” – Robert Shiller.
I side with the author who concludes the article this way:
It’s for this reason that I recommend standing clear of the frenzy. Unlike real investments such as stocks, bonds and real estate, which carry intrinsic value—that is, the ability to generate income—bitcoin has nothing tangible supporting its value. It is only valuable because it’s popular. But as tulip investors learned the hard way in the spring of 1637, sentiment can shift quickly. [For the record, I have been dead wrong. I am good with it, money invested gambled is zero and I sleep well at night.]
Can you believe we are in June already? Here we go with the May 2025 Ponzi Scheme Blog Roundup. Some juicy excerpts:
Terrence Chalk aka “Dr. Cash,” 62, of Florida, was sentenced to 3 years in connection with a scheme known as Terrence Cash. Chalk marketed his scheme through wealth seminars that he held primarily at Black churches and held himself out as a man of faith. Approximately 28 investors invested approximately $4.8 million. [Some man of faith. And…Dr. Cash pushing Terrence Cash, seriously? WTF!]
Elana Cohen-Roth, 81, of California, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors on promises of returns of 10% with no risk. Cohen-Roth is a retired IRS agent. [Imagine doing this at 81 years old smh]
Ngo Thi Theu aka Madam Ngo, 30, a Vietnamese woman wanted by Interpol for her involvement a cryptocurrency scheme, was arrested in Thailand. The scheme promised monthly returns of 20% to 30% from investments in cryptocurrency and foreign exchange trading platforms. [I must admit it is hard to feel sorry for the people who believe they can earn such ridiculous returns.]
Going to drop this here: The Tragedy of Elon Musk. He not only squandered the opportunity to sensibly reform government. His antics have ruined the reputation of electric vehicles. We can go on and on about this guy but let’s move on…
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ODDZ & ENDZ
Great resource of Underrated Profitable Websites. Give it a click and I have no doubt you will find something useful. You are welcome.
What a wonderful touching read: A Professor’s Final Gift to Her Students: Her Life Savings. Cris Hassold, a professor at New College of Florida for 50 years, left a mark on her 31 favorite students. “I think about her almost every day,” one said. Full Disclosure: Got a bit emotional reading this, it could happen to you, you have been warned.
Can you imagine you are on vacation and your son vanishes? And then you find out he joined ISIS, how horrific. And then…Their son joined ISIS. Then they learned he had kids in a Syrian detention camp. Glad to see the kids are doing well.
Sometimes I feel like this blog is a black hole sucking my time and money to bring you this content #lolatme…Surreal images of known black holes in galaxies near and far.
TRAVEL
One of the most beautiful buildings in Detroit will have a Hilton Nomad hotel in the top floors hooray: Hotel operator NoMad chosen for Ford’s Michigan Central Station in Detroit.
Yeah, dodge Santorini and Mykonos. 16 of the best quiet Greek islands. Dodge the likes of Mykonos and Santorini and you won’t have to share your holiday with a cast of thousands. Here’s where to go to avoid the masses.
I am starting to think Alaska Airlines has the best management of all airlines. And now this: Ciao Italia! Alaska Airlines announces new nonstop service between Seattle and Rome.
Here is another Thailand related link. And this one will stun you: Thailand Expat & Tsunami Survivor Relives the Terror of the 2004 Koh Phi Phi Disaster. Also, beware of hungry elephants in Thailand lol.
Photography link: 2025 World Food Photography Awards Shortlist.
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This blog started with a focus on miles and points and travel. It has evolved since then. Everything below deals with the hobby of collecting frequent flyer miles and points and maximizing your travel experiences. If you are not interested, you can stop here, thank you.
MILES & POINTS
Here we go…
The hotel brand inflation continues unabated: Unscripted by Hyatt, New Upscale Collection Brand. When will this stop? Also, can we kill some brands?
The airline continues to transform: Southwest Airlines to partner with Taiwan’s China Airlines.
If you wanted to pick up some easy miles shopping online: United, American, Alaska Shopping Portal Bonuses.
Many of us have lots of Alaska Airlines miles lately due to the Amex to Hawaiian to Alaska loophole set to close at the end of the month. This is a good tutorial How to Book Flights Using Alaska Airlines Miles (2025 Guide).
Good transfer bonus: Chase Ultimate Rewards: 20% Transfer Bonus To Aeroplan (1:1.2). Will definitely consider it, have time for this as it ends 7/17/25.
This YouTuber’s weekly summary videos of all things miles & points are the best, here is the latest one as of June 5, 2025. I have become a supporter and send him $4.99 per month. Because if you don’t support what you want to keep alive the inevitable happens #hint.
TRAVEL REWARDS CREDIT CARDS
A few items before we address the elephant in the room. Yep, what Capital One Bank did to the formerly amazing Venture X card.
Good reminder: Everything You Need To Know About Amex Downgrade Rules.
And a guide on: Amex Membership Rewards Points: A Guide to Earning & Burning.
The banks are coming at us from all sides lately it appears: American Express Business Platinum Dell Credit Going Down From $400 To $150 (and more).
And I have no idea how we started with Amex when everyone wants to know my feelings towards what Capital One Bank did with the Venture X card, so here we go:
The bad news pretty much everyone is aware of by now: Capital One Announces Negative Changes to Lounge Access for Venture X Cardholders.
Or maybe this graphic will help you understand what just happened:
Frankly, I am shocked the free ride of lounge access for cardholders, up to 4 authorized users (for free) cardholders and several of our guests lasted so long. The card still has an annual fee of $395 and comes with a $300 travel credit and 10,000 Capital One miles at each anniversary. Basically, the card pays the cardholder $5 each year. And you can transfer the points out to travel partners or just pay with the miles any travel related expenses you charge to the card. And many other freebies, see below. And of course every dollar charged earns two points, simplicity is wildly underrated.
BUT the #1 draw of it was the BANG we had eating and drinking in airline lounges, including our friends and family. It was so glorious while it lasted. So, after February 1, 2026 the free lounge access benefit goes away. And it reverts to a system similar to Amex not allowing guests for free. Period. If you want to grant an authorized user lounge access it will cost $125 per year. Still lower than Amex. If this prevents the annual fee to go up and keeps the $300 travel credit and 10,000 bonus miles every year I am good…I think. I think we got very cozy with lounge access in this hobby and the overcrowding became kind of too annoying to ignore lately so this should help. Then again, maybe it is time to get off that lounge addiction at some point. It sure does not help if you try to keep your weight down lol. And Capital One needs to get going on building more lounges as the pace of openings resembles how fast my pet turtle moves (Full disclosure: I don’t have a pet turtle).
I think later this year I will have my wife apply for the Venture X so we both have it as the card still pays for itself. We mostly travel together these days anyway. Maybe this helps the transition to cash back cards as the airlines and hotels devalue to extinction? #Developing and #Reevaluating everything about this hobby lately, more in the MY ACTION and BLOG BUZZING below.
Anyway, to change the subject and banks, maybe now this bank can make a worthy effort to compete against Chase and Amex? Wells Fargo No Longer Faces Federal Reserve’s 2018 Asset Cap.
This link will be added to the CREDIT CARDS page. It deals ALL about business credit cards: The benefits of higher welcome bonuses, larger credit lines, minimal impact on personal credit scores, business specific bonus spending categories and more. And it even shows you how to apply. And, this is important, if you follow the links and apply for a business card from this page, you help support this blog, thank you in advance. I am not sure why so many people have a hangup about business credit cards. You should do what you feel comfortable with. But once you get one…you realize the ways to fly for almost free expand greatly.
Everything You Need to know about Small Business Credit Cards
NEW OFFERS:
We have many new offers all of a sudden…
The best offer is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card offering 5 free nights (up to 50,000 points each). The annual fee is $95 and the minimum spend is $5k in three months. Note that the free night certs expire in one year and they can be topped with 15,000 points per night. Read all the details about this offer and the card HERE. I have no affiliate link for this card, thank you in advance for showing an interest to apply to help this blog. This offer expires 7/16/25. I am no fan of the Marriott Bonvoy program. But, you know, this can be a free 5 night vacation, just like the IHG One Rewards Premier card offer below. Question: I believe there is a Marriott property at Machu Picchu, can a reader identify that property and whether this card will cover a stay there with this card offer? Thank you.
If you are totally allergic to paying annual fees, you can go for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card 60,000 Points + Free Night Certificate.
IHG has two new offers: 5 FREE nights (up to 60,000 points per night) for the $99 annual fee IHG One Rewards Premier credit card and 120,000 points for the no annual fee IHG One Rewards Traveler credit card. The card with the 5 free nights has a lot more bang than the no annual fee card in my humble opinion. But some are just allergic to annual fees, we are all different.
The offer with the 5 free nights: It is almost a whole week vacation, come on.
You know what to do if either IHG card fits your travel plans and want to help this blog continue to exist. Let me know if you have any questions.
And there are now a whole bunch of new decent Limited-Time Welcome Offers on Amex Delta Cards, Earn Up to 110K Miles. These offers also expire on 7/16/25. To recap:
Personal Gold: 70,000 SkyMiles after $3,000 spend in six months, waived annual fee
Personal Platinum: 90,000 SkyMiles after $4,000 spend in six months
Personal Reserve: 100,000 SkyMiles after $6,000 spend in six months
Business Gold: 90,000 SkyMiles after $6,000 spend in six months, waived annual fee
Business Platinum: 100,000 SkyMiles after $8,000 spend in six months
Business Reserve : 110,000 SkyMiles after $12,000 spend in six months
EXPIRING OFFERS:
The Capital One Business Venture X card with the ridiculous 350,000 miles Signup Bonus now expires June 9, 2025. You can earn 150,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months, and an additional 200,000 miles once you spend $200,000 in the first 6 months. All the juicy benefits from the personal Venture X apply.
The card has the same $395 annual fee as the personal Venture X card. And of course it comes with the same easy $300 annual travel credit and a 10,000 point bonus at each card anniversary. Meaning, Capital One pays us $5 to have a Venture X type card #winning. Venture X cards allow free authorized users and lounge access as well. The beauty in Capital One cards is the simplicity in just pulling it out without over thinking it (looking at you Amex with your coupon books) and just earning 2 points on everything (and 5x on flights and vacation rentals, 10x on hotels and rental cars booked in the Capital One travel portal).
Please help the small independent blogs like mine continue to exist by supporting them with your CREDIT CARD clicks, thank you!
#1 OFFER STILL PAYS FOR ITSELF:
The 75K CAPITAL ONE Venture X card has a minimum spend of $4k in the first three months. If you like simplicity and looking for one (premium) card, I highly recommend this card (and yes, I have it myself!). It has an annual fee of $395 but it comes with an easy $300 statement credit for travel booked on its own travel portal, essentially turning it into a $95 annual fee card. But wait, there is more! On each card anniversary you earn 10,000 points essentially making it FREE! Every dollar of spend earns 2 points and flights booked on the travel portal earn 5 points per dollar. You get access to Capital One and Plaza Premium airport lounges and a Priority Pass Select lounge membership and, this is important, you can add FOUR authorized users FOR FREE who can also have their own Priority Pass Select airline lounge membership and, this is BIG, they can bring in unlimited guests with their FREE Priority Pass card! You can transfer your Capital One points to up to 18 Transfer Partners. No foreign transaction fees. Free Hertz President’s Circle rental car top elite status. Cell phone protection and PRIMARY rental car coverage. Awesome seats at baseball stadiums for just 5k points each. And lots more. If you prefer, this is my personal referral link.
MAJOR UPDATE: That amazing free ride accessing all the Capital One and Priority Pass airline lounges is over with the 6/3/2025 announcement. Basically, no more free lounge visits other than primary cardholders effective 2/1/2026, please see details HERE.
Click on my TOP CREDIT CARD OFFERS to see a DETAILED explanation of the features of these cards.
Here are my three TOP CREDIT CARD OFFERS:
The 75k Capital One Venture X card.
The 75k Chase Ink Business Unlimited card.
The 75k CHASE Ink Business Cash card.
Learn more about these offers HERE.
BONUS OFFERS NOTIFICATIONS
Would you like to be automatically notified every time a card comes out with (or is about to remove) an elevated welcome offer? If yes, I highly encourage you to sign up if you haven’t yet. And when you apply for a credit card from a link in these emails you help support the blog (and you don’t have to hunt down the link in my Credit Cards page!)
Elevated Card Offer Notifications
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MY ACTION AND BLOG BUZZING
There is a lot going on, fasten your seat belts, here we go:
Burned 17,492 points to fly daughter back to Seattle from Detroit after she returns to Michigan at the end of June. Looking forward to a family reunion back in New York/New Jersey to attend my brother in law’s retirement from Ernst & Young party. I have not touched alcohol at all in 2025. Sometimes I amaze myself lol.
I shifted some business spend to my personal World of Hyatt Visa and managed to now hit 20 elite night credits, along with another Cat 1-4 Free Night Cert. I chose the 2k Next Stay Award for hitting the 20 Nights Milestone Reward. Taking a look at my upcoming reservations for the rest of the year I am set for hitting 31 elite night credits. With Thailand stays to be booked, it’s a long road to hitting 60 this year to requalify as World Of Hyatt Globalist. But I like to do hard things, it is in my DNA.
I have so many bookings to do for upcoming trips to Greece and Thailand. Both kids are joining us in Greece and so far our daughter is joining us for Thanksgiving in Thailand again. I have set up Google Flight alerts and four free PointsYeah alerts just to get a taste of this award search vendor. The only bookings I have done is booking the girls on a perfect routing to Thessaloniki, Greece from Detroit. Because the cash fare was worth it. Trying to send wife to see her mommy to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and I am getting ridiculous award alerts so far, as in 60,000 in Economy and just a few minutes ago…82,500 in Economy. While I have locked in a perfect itinerary via Turkish Airlines for $672 all in.
Sometimes I wonder why we keep collecting miles you guys. Anyway, I am going to take a different approach and just become comfortable being patient and booking at last minute. It worked out last year and hope it works again, wish me luck. And I need to finally start shredding my extreme focus of squeezing every mile/point. And becoming more comfortable with separating cash from my pocket to make my life easier and not over stress. Because I can and deserve it lol. Who knows, maybe one of these days I am even going to be ok paying for Business Class tickets. One day…
Keep getting excited with alerts that business class tickets to Thessaloniki, Greece are available with less than 80k United miles flying Swiss and every freaking time I go to book it I get the “not available any longer” error message. Every time, so frustrating.
Are we on a path to going fully cash back or what? #TBBphilosophizing
It is here again, come to Ann Arbor and help support the Greek American community: Opa! Ann Arbor Greek Festival returns with food, dance, tradition.
I have been watching Inside the NBA on TNT for ever, sad to see it go: ‘Inside the NBA’ on TNT ends with Eastern Conference finals, but its legacy lives on.
Get ready for World Cup 2026 here in the US (and Canada and Mexico), here is where we stand: 2026 World Cup: Who has qualified, and how the rest can make it. Update: Three more teams are in, welcome South Korea and first timers Uzbekistan and Jordan.
This is brilliant. Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” Sung by 331 Movies.
HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS:
75k CHASE Ink Business Cash, 75k CAPITAL ONE Venture X, 75k CHASE Ink Business Unlimited, 150k AMEX Business Platinum AND $500 statement credit, 200k CAPITAL ONE Spark Cash Plus, 5 Free Nights CHASE IHG One Rewards Premier, $1,000 Cash Back CHASE Ink Business Premier, 90k CHASE Ink Business Preferred, 75k CAPITAL ONE Venture Rewards, 120k CHASE IHG One Rewards Traveler, 80k CHASE Southwest Performance Business, 15k AMEX Blue Business Plus and many more!
Learn How To Apply HERE to support the blog. Or email me if you have any questions about any cards, I’m happy to help, thank you!
As of today, I have burned 399,648 miles/points year to date (2,027,816 in 2024) and have 4,699,061 miles/points in the bank.
Remember, you are NOT allowed to ever carry a credit card balance!
Let me leave you with this:
Some of the links are behind a paywall. You can try to read them using Archive.is.
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Feel free to contact me anytime at travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com, all feedback is very appreciated.
George
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Gold…perhaps.
Good morning Buzz, thank you sir. Gotta run, early work day, but I will certainly enjoy this post.
The boss assigned me to take attendance and marking everyone (but David) tardy!
For the reader who reached out to ask if the photo of the dude eating in Italy is Carl in his latest trip there, the answer is no. Because the real Carl is much better looking 🙂
Thanks! Being back on West Coast time means these posts do not get read until mid-morning for me. Not tardy, just time-zone challenged!
Thanks for another jam-packed bunch of great info and articles! I’ll be working my way through all weekend, off and on. I am like you in that I have a hard time generating much sympathy for those people that think/believe they can get such crazy returns from all those fraudulent scammers, but human nature, I guess.
Sounds like you and the family have some good travels coming up through the rest of the year! Good for you all. I am jazzed about the new non-stop SEA-FCO from Alaska but bummed it won’t start for dang near a year!
Always much going on in the points world and there is a new threat to the fee structure for cards in a bill or two in congress right now. That could end up being worse than any hotel or airline devaluation! We shall see what happens!
Have a great weekend!
Hello from the Library of Congress! My trip on the Metro was paid with the travel credit on the Sapphire reserve. Not the Maldives but much more useful.
I think the big change to the Venture X will be a major benefit for solo travelers. And as you point out, your significant other can get a card too with a big sign up bonus. And you get a referral.
A suspect the teeth nashing is a prediction of the change in referral income.
I’ve stayed away from Bitcoin because, like the link said, it’s not attached to any fundamental valuation anchor so I don’t have any way to estimate its value. I have a friend, a pretty smart guy, but he’s really into Bitcoin and he’s told me things like Bitcoin should be owned at *any* price, and that not investing in Bitcoin is betting against it.
I’m pretty agnostic on it, I have no idea what it will do, but it makes people do and say dumb things.
Tambo del Inka is the closest, but it’s in another town in urubamba. it’s a nice place i stayed 2 nights to aclimate instead of cuzco which is at a higher elevation. nice place to explore the area too. you still have to take the train to the park.
you can stay there with the 50k cert with a bit of luck or perhaps add a few points.
I don’t think points redemptions are what they used to be but I find I can make use of what I have every now and then. I’m finding international business class flights to be reasonable to purchase these days and would rather do that and fly the carrier I want with convenient timings and the easiest routing. Oh don’t get me started on yet another Hyatt brand. For the love of god can’t they focus on bringing some aspirational properties online right now.
Well done on going dry. It’s been 2.5 years for me. I was not a massive drinker nor do I ever really think about it or miss it. And in my dry period I have flown multiple sectors on Emirates First Class and visited their magnificent lounge in Dubai on multiple occasions and not indulged. I do mention to my husband if I am going to be tempted it will likely be Emirates that gets me off the wagon.
@ DML: Yeah, big win for solo travelers and couples who are both cardholders. Even ones with adult kids that can be ditched lol. Yeah, #1 cc seller is now gone. After the Chase compliance changes, this venture is now firmly a non profit, so sad.
@ Carl: I don’t expect that bill in Congress to get anywhere. Then again, even many in the industry (TPG, VFTW, etc.) don’t see that alarmed…so, who knows, it could slip through. Just how the debit card legislation did. We’ll see what happens. I am not hopeful about the new Alaska Airlines mileage program coming in August. But impressed with the airline’s management for sure.
@ Nick: Still waiting for that mother of all consumer bitcoin apps. Or anything…that does not revolve around fraud, ransomware, etc. And the Prez leading the pack of all these grifters pushing that shit. Or maybe I am pissed I did not get on it when it was under $10k lol.
@ucipass: Thanks for that Marriott property in MP. One of these years I need to get to MP before my feet do not allow me.
@Vicky: Thanks for making me more comfortable in paying for Business Class tickets. Not that I will start doing so with so many miles/points in the bank. It’s a start I guess 🙂 This year I just have absolutely no cravings for alcohol. Zip. None. That Greek wedding though will be the ultimate test lol.
@ David: The Greek first division schedule does not come out until mid July. Which is late. I may not make it to a game as I am going to likely have something booked. And then hope the stars align.
Bike ride ahead and the Ann Arbor Greek Festival tonight. See you next week. I am considering another Tuesday mini post.
One cc sale this month covering 2/3 of the Mailchimp monthly fee. Rough around here at TBB World Headquarters. Thinking of more layoffs ahead 🙂
These Priority Pass Devals are not unexpected but they still hurt. Lounge overcrowding is rough, but that’s only in the tiny number of lounges in the US. International lounges are for the most part pretty empty (except for my recent transit in Peru where they must hand it out like candy to Bank Cards etc). The real loser here is Priority Pass to get all that cash flow. Maybe they’ll invent some new flavors of Priority Pass they can market that is basically “oh its free lounge access but only if you’re not in the US!”
I understand your take on Bitcoin, but as someone who has done some deep dives into this, starting during COVID, I think you’re missing out on a financial revolution. Everything will go on the Blockchain. And Bitcoin is the first mover. Just look at the insanity as people in Japan are hopping onto Metaplanet instead of the zero or negative interest options they usually have available. A reasonable investor should not go all-in of course, but I made a decision a long time ago to put 10% into crypto (BTC, ETH, MSTR) as it has the chance to go 10x or more. And it already has popped. Start with a little, learn a lot, and maybe you’ll see the Revolution coming. Or maybe it goes to zero, but it sure seems like its becoming mainstream pretty fast! Not financial advice as thats your job 😉
It would be great if somehow overseas PP lounges were not included in the latest deval. But I just doubt it will happen.
Regarding Bitcoin: I would be ok with 1% assuming anyone going for it can live with it going to zero. Maybe it is a generational thing, we older folks are just not cut out for such wild volatility. I have done a lot of research and sure I am not seeing any revolution coming. But, as always, I can be wrong. I have definitely been wrong so far. I thought this train was toast after the FTX implosion. Gotta give something to it for just surviving and persevering. I have told others to take some gains and not be greedy. One told me he did and regrets it. So, do whatever you want with it and good luck 🙂
Καλημέρα from Amorgos. Naxos was a bit too touristy for my liking, so hopped on a 2 hour ferry to Amorgos for the week. Much, much slower pace here. I think this side of the island only gets 2 round trip ferries a day, so makes it tough to get in and get out (which I’ll get to experience once I decide where next is). Nice to see it didn’t make the top 16 list for quiet isles. The Meltemi is a bit stronger today than it has been the last few days in Naxos so keeping a lid on temps. Have a few hikes planned for the week and maybe head to the beach once the sun runs me off my balcony.
Congrats on going booze free, I’ve scaled back dramatically since getting an oura ring and just seeing how off baseline I am with my sleep on a sober vs non-sober basis. Booze absolutely crushes your REM sleep. Sweet spot seems to be right around a pint or a glass of wine. But you can see your heart rate working harder while you sleep still. Interesting stuff.
Yeah, Amorgos, you just don’t see mentioned at all, even among Greeks. I guess Naxos has been discovered it appears. If you were in the Greek isles in recent years, how are the crowds comparing, anyone?
I was never a drinker. But I sure enjoyed red wine. For some reason I just don’t desire it anymore. I think it just makes me so tired and would rather not feel that way. I have noticed a huge difference, I am just more energetic period.
Been looking to burn this weekend and not getting much worthy to pounce #developing
It’s actually my first time to the Greek isles. First time outside of Athens, actually. I did a month long stint in Koukaki during Covid which turned me on to the Greek life, and the itch hit on the cruise to stay longer. But at least to somewhat answer your question the hotel prices in Athens were insane when I was looking to stay a couple of nights after the cruise. No availability at the Grand Hyatt any day I ever look at, including when I’m looking to leave the isles, I think they must be in with the cruise business.
I think just watching the ferry traffic on marinetracker that the sphere of travel between Santorini and Mykonos means any spot in between is ripe to pick off vacationers looking to split up the trip between the two places. There were as many people getting off my ferry in Paros as did in Naxos, and I’m sure Ios is probably the same way at this point.
Walked down to dinner tonight and seemingly the whole town is at a bar to watch the Greek basketball championship on a TV!
It is only early June and it looks many Europeans may have changed their minds to travel to the US and instead went to Greece. Going to be even more insane after June 15.
Oh, that Greek basketball championship. With the 2 same teams for decades. Each budget of the team is more than the budget of every other team combined…several times over. A rivalry like no other, so much violence…including players. And the owners absolutely hate each other. The current owner of the green team inherited the team from his universally liked dad who was a wonderful humble and into philanthropy. His son? A cocaine freak who whenever he is at a game does shit that he would be banned from the NBA for life. Watching these 2 teams and how dominant they have become is the reason revered Greek basketball is just not the same anymore. I could go on…
If you google Olympiakos Panathinaikos basketball violence I am sure you can find something some gems
Here is the owner of the green Greek BB team that lost yesterday…check out this guy, it’s surreal:
https://www.novasports.gr/sport/mpasket/event/basket-league/article/14242579/giannakopoulos-to-pio-vromiko-protathlima/
Red team: The cleanest title in history and all Greeks know it.
Green team: The dirtiest title they won and 95% of Greeks know it.
We in Larissa don’t give a shit 🙂
Also read in the Greek press tourism is up 11% so far ytd with Chinese bookings at 50,000 daily wow.
Yeah, I noticed on the walk back they had an Olympiakos flag flying at the front of the bar next to the Greek flag. I only knew about it going on because the Euro League Final 4 was going on during my cruise and Sport24 was carrying it, looked up Olympiakos’ schedule and noticed the Greek championship was about to start too. I saw on social media Evan Fournier got ejected from the last game for making a leud jesture toward the Panathinaikos fans. lol.
got to love the passion of european sports. I’ve been to a few ice hockey games in europe and the atmosphere blows the north american hockey out of the water. likewise asian baseball vs. the mlb. i’m scarred forever going to a baseball game in the states, just a staid, boring atmosphere.
Those two teams met in the Final Four again for 3rd place…More crap happened there of course, I think it was held in Turkey. It is a pathetic spectacle as far as I am concerned.
European sports passion and huge difference with the US: I totally agree. But usually that passion can turn very violent which is uncalled for. So, when that happens, I prefer the US where you say “bad call ref” or boo LOL.
Phucking United website trying to burn…
If Singapore and Swiss flights are not available, they should NOT show up as available! Just wasted a whole hour of my day.
When I am done with these UA miles…I am out!
hello from my bed. how can u spend 17,492 points. did u prorate (or depreciate lolzor) sth?
Daughter found and booked it on the Chase travel portal. All them Chase points I spot her are ending and pretty soon I am cutting the cord for good lol.
Went on a bit of burning spree…
10 nights at the Bangkok HP Soi 1 (the new one) 50,000 Hyatt points
3 nights at the Bankok GH w/ confirmed suite upgrade 36,000 Hyatt points
Daughter’s Thailand trip is done, 60k Alaska miles flying economy (because my kids are not spoiled lol) flying Starlux outbound and Qatar inbound (got her exit row at least).
So many more bookings to do
Woke up at 2.30 am to do a mini Tuesday post. Only to be confronted with another devastating email from my 2nd cc vendor. Apparently I can not longer link directly to Amex credit cards! After the similar Chase cards change last year that led to a 40% to 50% drop in revenue…well, the end is near.
I will find out if I have to delete all the Amex cc links. I think I do and I am just not going to spend hours going back over hundreds of posts to find and delete them. Which will mean I lose all my cc links and…the third thing I loved is about to end (after concerts and running).
Maybe my next obsession is attacking retirement as I have led almost every client to it.
So…see you Friday and heads up that you may see more bloggers going out of business ahead. Including this one.
Thanks to the 2 readers for using my cc links this month. Covered 80% of the Mailchimp and WordPress techie fees. Zero coffees. Posting this at 3 am…smh.
Glad I did not spend abt 3 month blog revenue to do a blog redesign.
From a three month try because I was bored to nearing an unheard of in blog longevity 13 year run.
Any advice from bloggers how to survive this cc apocalypse please let me know.
This Friday post will be very long. I could never take time away from the quality of the content to focus on making this venture sustainable. Because it was never about money. And I never got paid for my time. Which was ok. But losing bigly due to devastating Chase and Amex cc link practices is too much to withstand.
I am kind of shocked to be honest, did not expect this from Amex too so soon…
Killed all direct Amex cc links. Wish I had an intern…
65% of the Friday blog post is in the draft. And, I am biased, I think it is one of the very best posts. Like I said, I am biased…
My blog is my drug, send in the Marines to liberate me lol.
Oh, I think milesfeed.com may have called it quits. What was the other aggregator?