TODAY'S READ
Covid-19 Death Toll, Hyatt Suites, Business Travel Shot, More Stimulus Checks
We bring you more on the awful Covid-19 death toll, check out the best Hyatt suites, how business travel is shot, get ready for more stimulus checks, visit Ukraine and some remote island near Antarctica and Munich and Cyprus, more details on my next trip, the best Covid-19 coverage, we look at birds and we have so much that will keep you busy for at least a week. No fluffy clickbait repeated BS that is camouflage to get you to click on affiliate links….and maybe that is why my blog conversions totally suck but I like it when I look in the mirror and that is worthy for me to continue blogging…I guess.
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BLOG ANNOUNCEMENT
For the month of August I am not going to set myself a target posting date/time. I will post at least once a week for sure, perhaps more if I have the time and I have something worthy to say because I always respect your time and this blog never posted clickbait crap! It means, you will have to come here every day so I can increase the page view hits so I can make more money from ads…oh wait, I do not have any ads!
For time-sensitive content that can not wait until next the next post, I will be adding it here and add NEW in the front of it.
There is a lot to unpack here. Enjoy learning and having fun with these carefully curated links and always eclectic commentary. 🙂
Appreciate you passing a link to my blog to someone you love if you think they will enjoy it as much as you.
And please wear a mask, thank you!
COVID-19
What a horrific number! Over 150,000 preventable deaths in the US, what an ongoing tragedy smh! 150,000 Americans have died from Covid-19. Here’s why that staggering loss of life can’t be ignored.
If two large planes crashed every day in the US, killing everyone on board, the nation would be despondent.
If the US suffered a loss of life on the scale of the 9/11 attacks — 50 times over — the tragedy would be incomprehensible.
First, let’s acknowledge this fact: Record numbers of coronavirus cases in every global region: Reuters tally. Even in countries that have done a great job in dealing with the pandemic, like Australia, Japan and even Hong Kong. Just goes to show you how darn contagious this phucking virus is! Even Vietnam is battling a new outbreak after months of having no confirmed cases, wow!
Remember when we had 15 cases and very soon it would go to zero? US hits 4 million cases of COVID-19: A look at the milestones and setbacks.
Must read: Anthony Fauci Explains Why the US Still Hasn’t Beaten Covid. When I say something is must read I mean it!
We are proceeding in full blast mode with the vaccine trials. But, again, come down! A COVID-19 Vaccine Reality Check is in order.
A vaccine, when it is available, will mark only the beginning of a long, slow ramp down. And how long that ramp down takes will depend on the efficacy of a vaccine, the success in delivering hundreds of millions of doses, and the willingness of people to get it at all. It is awful to contemplate the suffering still ahead. It is easier to think about the promise of a vaccine.
Are you as confused about the different types of tests available? Antigens, antibodies and on and on? This article will help. And it also details the testing in Michigan as well: What COVID-19 test is best? Who pays in Michigan? What you need to know. Aim for a morecular/PCR test to see if you are currently infected. Aim for an antibody/serology test to see if you were infected. I should probably do one of them antibody tests to see if my brief three to four day period in late February when I was not feeling well had anything to do with this virus. The article has a link to all the testing sites in Michigan.
Another significant development in the past week was that the Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, whose nickname is “Bat Woman”, finally broke her silence. And this is a must read imho. Trump ‘owes us an apology’. Chinese scientist at the center of COVID-19 origin theories speaks out. To get the complete transcript of the answers she gave to questions posed by Science magazine, please see this HERE. You should read both and draw your own conclusions.
Speaking about confusion…how about all you hear about the virus in the air and how it spreads by droplets and possibly by aerosols too…I mean, it is enough to get you depressed trying to figure out how to best protect ourselves. Well, I think this article helped me to be less confused and maybe it helps you too. Why the COVID-19 Debate Between Aerosols and Droplets Matters Less Than You Think.
Well, in normal times I could drive to Canada in about half an hour. Not anymore, borders are closed, we are not wanted anywhere these days it appears. The writer moved to Canada and writes about his experience living there: Canada Got Better. The United States Got Trump. What if we had handled the pandemic like, well, every other country…smh. Just to give you an idea what you will read, no Karens there it appears!
The next morning, I had a meeting at the local hotel. A checkpoint had been placed in the parking lot. My temperature was taken before I could enter the building. After my meeting, I ran some of the errands that had accumulated during our 14 days in quarantine. People wore masks in all interior spaces, and often outdoors, too. I asked a clerk at the town supermarket whether the requirement had caused any trouble. She seemed surprised by the question: “It says so right on the door.”
I really like following Andy Slavitt @ASlavitt on Twitter to stay ahead of the pandemic. He does these daily update tweet storms that I think it is required reading. I really liked the one from July 26 starting with “We can virtually eliminate the virus any time we decide to.“
MILES & POINTS
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Good research on these: The most Incredible Hyatt suites bookable with points worldwide.
Remember the things we did to get to that Elite status so we can have its benefits? Like free breakfasts buffets lol. Hotels Nix Mints and Breakfast Buffets. Hand Sanitizer, Anyone? Hotel capacity in the US was down to 22% in April. So, all the hotels are scrambling to survive now…Maybe the top elites get premium hand sanitizer at check in? 🙂
Hotels are also rethinking what guests value most. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reimagine every single amenity, and everything is up for grabs,” Professor Dev said. “The hospitality business has to be taken apart like a puzzle and put together in a new way.”
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card for 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points is available with my links, thank you for supporting this blog.
TRAVEL
You may have seen posts about some study that predicted travel will not recover until 2024. Always take these studies with several grains of salt. Nobody knows…
The Middle Seat column at the Wall Street Journal is certainly influential. And this is the latest post: What Travel Will Look Like After Coronavirus. WSJ is behind a paywall, sorry about that. You see this theme forming of much less business travel which is going to challenge the legacy airlines a lot more than the leisure travel focused airlines like Spirit and yes, Southwest. Of course it all depends on the virus and when a vaccine and/or effective therapies finally emerge. I am starting to wonder if we get down to two legacy airlines if the situation does not improve or, heaven forbid, the second wave makes this first wave look really small!
Most foresee a lasting decline in business travel, but think leisure travel will bounce back robustly. That means airlines and hotels will have to change their business plans, being unable to rely as much on rich revenue from corporate travelers. Expect higher ticket prices and room rates for vacationers to cover the costs with fewer high-dollar customers to subsidize bargain-seekers.
“The airline industry is going to have to examine its business plan,” says Robert Crandall, former chief executive of American Airlines. “You are never going to see the volume of business travel that you’ve seen in the past.”
He estimates one-third to one-half of business travel will go away. More meetings will take place electronically. Trips once thought necessary will be seen as superfluous. “Everybody who depends on business travel is going to have to rethink their game plan,” Mr. Crandall says.
Your must read of the day, wow! Occupy Mezhyhirya: Squatting the Mansion of Ukraine’s Ex-President. Remember the ridiculously pompous estate of the former Ukraine President Yanukovych who fled to Russia? We go inside with The Bohemian Blog who also gets to interview the “unofficial” caretaker of the estate whose name is, please sit down, Petro! Great history lesson as well and there is just something about this Pedro Petro dude…
Well, I had never heard of South Georgia island before: An abandoned British Island reclaimed by nature. With no permanent residents and millions of animals, South Georgia island is one of the world’s most biodiverse places. Yet, few Brits have ever heard of it.
Marooned in the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina and Antarctica, the glaciated peaks and billowing tundra grasses of South Georgia cast a dramatic scene. Though the crescent-shaped island is technically a British Overseas Territory, it’s also claimed by Argentina and is so remote and hard to get to that many people in the United Kingdom have never even heard of it. There’s no airport, so the only access is by boat from Tierra del Fuego or the Falkland Islands, a journey of at least two days and nights across some of the roughest seas in the world.
Amazing pictures: Silence of Munich.
Turkey invaded Northern Cyprus in 1974. Residents fled suddenly. Some cities just stayed abandoned since then: Nearly 50 Years On, a Forbidden Seaside Ghost Town is about to Re-Open.
PERSONAL FINANCE
I don’t know why anyone bothers with what happens in the stock market on a daily basis, what a waste! This is pretty funny: Just Another Day.
I blogged before here how we will start seeing horrific examples of rampant fraud in these economy stimulating programs, expect more! Florida man arrested after he used COVID-19 relief funds to buy Lamborghini, officials say.
As we are gearing up for another stimulating round: How Americans Used Their Stimulus Checks.
CURRENT EVENTS/POLITICS
This is from the German publication Der Spiegel: Trump’s Handling of the Coronavirus Could Cost Him Presidency. Well, if you are a Trump fan you will not like it, no surprise!
I really enjoyed reading this: Statement by Jeff Bezos to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary.
Maybe this is the reason nobody likes him smh.
I mean, what else can you say? I guess RIP and condolences to his family #don’tbestupid And don’t take innocents you infect with you!!!
ODDZ & ENDZ
If Trumps win the election, this may come handy, save it! The best (& worst) countries for raising a family. Click to enlarge! They sure are laughing at us now, sad lol.
Wow! Watch thousands of wildebeest cross a river during great migration in Tanzania.
Amazing video of the amazing shape-shifting of the Magnificent Riflebird male as he displays to a female.
I really enjoyed reading about The Other Women in Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Harvard Law Class of 1959.
There are some really creepy people involved in yoga. This article is about the founder of the Yoga to the People chain. Who was also a disciple of that other infamous creep who started Bikram yoga. Yikes! ‘He Knew Everything’: Fear, Control, and Manipulation at Yoga to the People.
Loved this one: Your Brain in Love. What is this about? We’ve evolved three distinct brain systems for mating and reproduction: sex drive; feelings of romantic love; feelings of deep attachment. Like I said, fascinating read!
Also really enjoyed this one too! Exclusive: How Carlos Ghosn Escaped Japan, According to the Ex-Green Beret Who Snuck Him Out. Loved learning more about how the escape happened. This is going to become a movie for sure one day! Oh, the Japanese legal system is a joke.
What a sweet story, good to see some people still have ethics! US lottery jackpot shared after 1992 handshake.
If you don’t laugh with this, get help please.
Fun read about arranged marriages among Muslims in the Middle East and elsewhere. E-rranged Marriages. Would you have ever known that Tinder is crazy popular in…Saudi Arabia?
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.
BREAKING NEWS: I managed to burn some hotel points for a very short road trip to the Michigan Upper Peninsula. Will be visiting Ironwood to check out Porcupine Mountains, Houghton Lake to drive around Keweenau Peninsula and Marquette to check out Pictured Rocks. It may will affect my posting schedule next week. I managed to finally get rid of my Wyndham Rewards points and used a Radisson Rewards Points & Cash rate because there was no way I was going to burn 57,000 points per night at a Country Inn property lol. Also one night at a Holiday Inn Express paying cash…for now as it was not available on IHG Rewards points. But I will be checking to see if that changes. Looking forward to getting the hell out and seeing some new places!
The Points Guy took down the comments section. And they assured readers it was not a business decision…LOL! Some blogger got really upset it appears. And some blogger likes to post old blog posts others write and just change the date, smh.
It is getting harder and harder to do this MS thing you guys…Bummer: GiftCards.com now limits Visa Gift Cards to $250 loads.
A recent DansDeals post had, please sit down, 137 credit card affiliate links in it. Yeah…137, easily broke the world record, wow!
So next week who knows what happens in my blog. I appreciate you reading what I post here, thank you.
And I leave you with this…
TBB
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Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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By: TravelBloggerBuzz
Title: Covid-19 Death Toll, Hyatt Suites, Business Travel Shot, More Stimulus Checks
Sourced From: travelbloggerbuzz.com/covid-19-death-toll-hyatt-suites-business-travel-shot-more-stimulus-checks/
Published Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2020 22:30:15 +0000
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