Friday, September 25, 2020

Banks Have Too Many Miles, Covid-19 Spreading Rates, FINCEN Files, Middle Class Finances

TODAY'S READ

Banks Have Too Many Miles, Covid-19 Spreading Rates, FINCEN Files, Middle Class Finances


We bring you posts about how banks have too many miles, the sad Covid-19 spreading rates, freak out with the FINCEN files, horrible middle class finances, travel to so many cool places, the best Covid-19 coverage, some advice on personal finance like stop piling up debt, pay respects to amazing Ruth Bader Ginsburg, warn you about the coming violence after the election, sign up for more promos and much more!

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I have moved the COVID-19 Section further down starting with this post. There is a LOT in this post. This is my baby, going strong for almost 8 years! You all enjoy the weekend and thanks for spending some of it reading my blog. If you are not into the frequent flyer miles/points game please feel free to skip the first section.

MILES & POINTS

HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS: 65k CitiBusiness AA, 20k Chase Freedom Flex, 130k AMEX Hilton Business & Hilton Surpass, 60k Chase United Explorer. 70k AMEX Delta Platinum Business and 60k Platinum Personal, 60k AMEX Delta Gold Business and 50k Gold Personal.Please use my Affiliate links.

If you do not see a credit card with my affiliate links, perhaps I could refer you? Contact me please, thank you!

Chase Sapphire Preferred 80,000 Points Signup Bonus with $4,000 Spend. I do not have an affiliate link for this card sadly and my referral link only offers 60k points. Which blows but hey, what’s new! Please try to find a blog you want to support and use their links! This is a flagship travel rewards credit card and this is a hell of a signup bonus. We use this card in my family as the hub of our miles/points earning addiction. It is a keeper card.

So I canceled my Athens, Greece Hilton award reservation for November as I am now definitely not going, Covid cases there are now in the 400+ a day! With that, I now have 4,219,21 miles/points in the bank. Thanks US banks!

Newbies: NEVER EVER PAY a penny of interest to the banks, ALWAYS pay off the credit card balances EVERY month!

I let you all know that we would be looking at banks offering higher sign up bonuses. And they keep on coming! Even Capital One bank got into the act and now offers 100,000 points for its Venture Rewards card.  Watch the high minimum spend! Last time this bank raised the signup bonus to 100k for this card, it was a free Caribbean cruise for us, thanks Capital One for paying for it woohoo! Update: Amex now offers 130k Hilton points for the Hilton Surpass card as well, it is raining points out there!

Check to see if you can get some miles for a targeted spend on your United cards (HT: DansDeals) Oh, Chase is offering the Mileage Explorer card with a 60k bonus! Please use my credit card links which are always open, come on!

Delta makes positive changes…you want to bet if they stick post Covid? Delta extends loyalty benefits further into 2021, offers more flexibility for award travel. Again, all these changes now are meaningless as most people are still afraid to fly. With the pandemic entering what appears a very hectic fall…I am thinking of more…road trips instead! On a similar note, I saw Southwest come out with a very short amazing promotion to get its Companion Pass…Again, in normal times this would have been awesome and I can assure you it would have never been offered in normal times lol!

Having a hard time keeping track of all the pro consumer no more fee changes in the airlines, here is a nice recap.

Excellent Radisson Rewards promotion if you happen to be traveling and one of their hotels can work for you: Earn 5,000 Bonus Points For Every Stay Until End Of Year (+ 5,000 For Using Radisson Card).

This is Delta’s presentation on again whoring its Delta Skymiles program to bail out the incredibly money sucking loser operations of its main business, you know, flying passengers on its airplanes! 🙂

Not a big change for now: Your Virgin Atlantic Miles Are Now New Virgin Points. They never expire and looking forward what they come up with to unite the “Virgin” brands, stay tuned I guess.

I mostly use United’s site to search for awards, for the record. The Best Alliance Award Search Websites & Tools.

I redeemed 88,000 CNB points for eight $100 Amazon gift cards leaving me with just 2,008 CNB points. One of the best ever premium credit cards will be canceled in the next month as it now has turned to one of the shittiest cards ever! I still have AA gift cards left 🙂 Another one bites the dust I guess…

I enjoy helping newbies, ask in the comments or email me. Beware of bloggers who give VERY self serving advice!

TRAVEL

This is a MUST click. Find out what the climate risk in six areas is at the US county you are living in or you are thinking to move to: Every Place Has Its Own Climate Risk. What Is It Where You Live? My area has three Medium, two Low and one NO risk indicators. I am staying in Ann Arbor, Michigan!

We will start seeing more and faster Covid tests enter our lives. Including airlines: United Will Be First US Airline to Test Passengers on Flights to Hawaii. It is a pilot program and let’s see how it goes. The other thing is, you know, the phucking virus is still out there…

We are thinking of doing this in Michigan. 2020, the year of the road trip sad lol. The Best Places to See Fall Foliage in the U.S.

Let’s learn more about the ridiculous wealth of that sultan dude who rules there: The Island of Borneo’s crown jewel—Brunei.

The Sultan likes cars too. No one knows how many he has. Estimates range from 5,000 to 7,000 exotic cars. There are more than 600 Rolls Royces and 500 Ferraris—including those in the ocean because many of the cars have to be pushed off the dock into the sea to make room for the newer ones.

I absolutely love the photography work of Alexey Vasilyev, here are some from the Yakutia region in Russia. It’s REALLY cold there!

Anyone been here? Shetland: an epic landscape with a Viking soul. Closer to the Faroe Islands than to Edinburgh, Scotland’s northernmost isles are home to fascinating ancient sites and a spirit of proud self-sufficiency. Starting to doubt we will ever see a Hyatt here lol.

Another amazing find imho. Ok, I am biased. But you be the judge: The Last Quiet Places.

Markarfljot River, Iceland. Photo by Peter McBride

COVID-19

While awaiting any day my daughter at the University of Michigan to message us with “I tested positive for Covid”, I want us all to make sure How We Survive the Winter. The coming months of the pandemic could be catastrophic. The U.S. still has ways to prepare. This is a must read! Best line of advice is this imho: Live like you’re contagious.

Maybe worrying about the heart was a little premature, very interesting update on this: The Core Lesson of the COVID-19 Heart Debate.

This is great shocking, updated right in front of your eyes: COVID-19 Spreading Rates.

Fantastic article on the Carnival Ruby Princess: The Carnival Cruise Ship That Spread Coronavirus Around the World. How were hundreds of infected Ruby Princess passengers allowed to disembark in Sydney and return to homes from Tasmania to Florida? So many mistakes, so many missed opportunities, so sad.

Well, before we get there, we need to get that damn vaccine! How to Vaccinate a Planet. What it will take to build the fastest inoculation program in history and defeat COVID-19.

We can honestly say that Asian countries are kicking our ass in how we are fighting the pandemic. And it is not even close. Why? This is a good comprehensive explanation: An Asian Pandemic Success Story. What SARS Taught Governments About Fighting Infectious Disease.

Oh, meanwhile in Wuhan: Nightclubs in Wuhan packed as coronavirus epicentre reports no new cases.

It had appeared that cases in the US were coming down and in Europe they were going up. And that is exactly what is happening! The new Covid-19 case surge in Europe, explained.

PERSONAL FINANCE

There was a Wall Street Journal article that went kind of viral. Wait, is it okay to say something like this in the corona era? Anyway, the article is linked to here “No Job, Loads of Debt: Covid Upends Middle-Class Family Finances”. It is behind a paywall so maybe you could find it somewhere else or something. I am going to single out some excerpts here that just stood out to me and inject my devastating commentary in [] brackets as I usually do.

In a good year, the 43-year-old lawyer and her husband, Ian Boschen, 41, together brought in about $175,000, the couple said—enough to cover the mortgage, two car leases, student loans, credit cards and assorted costs of raising two daughters in the New York City suburbs.After the coronavirus halted many foreclosures and closed courts, her work dried up. Unemployment benefits have helped, Ms. Hopkins said, but the family is running low on savings and can’t keep up with $9,000 in monthly debt payments including mortgage installments. [two car leases, student loans, credit cards…running low on savings…$9,000 in monthly debt payments—————>WTF!!!!!!! Priorities people, DO NOT DO END UP LIKE THIS!]

Before the pandemic, she and her husband together earned roughly $150,000, she said. The Denton, Texas, couple pay $4,400 a month on their mortgage, four car loans and leases, and student debt, Ms. Scott-White said. Minimum required monthly credit-card payments total about $700. The debt was manageable pre-pandemic, she said. She deferred lease payments on her Infiniti QX60 for three months and started paying again with unemployment benefits. Her husband traded in his Ford F-150 in August for a lower-cost car and reduced his original monthly payment of $820 by about $100, and his income covers the $2,100 mortgage. [$4,400 monthly mortgage payment, FOUR car loans and leases, minimum credit card payments $700 per month, Infiniti QX60!, thanks for first buying a Ford truck lol…Again, don’t go so deep in debt, LOWER your lifestyle so you can have some emergency cash because something will undoubtedly happen and SAVE for the future…yeah, right, some people are just not cut out for healthy money habits and they are the prime targets of travel rewards credit cards these bloggers sell every day to them!]

Good personal finance advice here: When To Change.

You will be hearing a lot about the FinCEN Files in the coming days/weeks/months. The FinCEN Files investigation is based on thousands of “suspicious activity reports” and other US government documents that BuzzFeed News has shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and more than 100 news organizations around the world. It offers an unprecedented view of global financial corruption, the banks enabling it, and the government agencies that fail to stop it. Prior to this reporting, very few SARs had ever been revealed. The FinCEN Files encompass more than 2,100. Here is what the investigation has uncovered: And there is  A LOT here to dig in, wow! Just as a teaser, start with this: FinCEN Files Show Criminals Moved Billions As Banks Watched.

This is just visually very cool! A 3D View: The US Cities With The Highest Economic Output.

CURRENT EVENTS/POLITICS

Well, we lost an amazing human being, RIP Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  In her own words: Advice For Living.

This is just beautiful, NPR’s Nina Totenberg’s friendship with her: A 5-Decade-Long Friendship That Began With A Phone Call.

Do you see Trump conceding to Biden? Of course not. We are entering a really dangerous era my friends, I expect wild shit to happen after the election! The Election That Could Break America. I hope I am wrong but… If the vote is close, Donald Trump could easily throw the election into chaos and subvert the result. Who will stop him?

The hypocrisy of Lindsey Graham is world class!

Totally blown away by Miami Heat’s performance in the playoffs. True TEAM and playing their hearts out every game, wow! Herro’s heroics in Game 4 made him a star and he is just a rookie, amazing! And then in the West Coast we have Dwight Howard LOL: The Sun Rises, The Sun Sets, Dwight Howard Is Exhausting And Nobody Likes Him.

So many areas that are going to shit, this one is up there! Tech Workers Are Living the American Dream—in Canada.

ODDZ & ENDZ

Probably one of the most fun reads lately in my blog: The Anatomy of Assholes. Please contain your lols 🙂 Just to give you an idea about what it is, here is the graph below. Help an independent blogger before they give up, come on!

Amazing piece of investigative journalism. The Vampire Ship. This story still roils Greece. I hope I do not get on the hit list for linking to it too! How the seizure of Europe’s largest heroin shipment created bloody fallout throughout the world—and sparked still-raging political corruption scandals in Turkey, Greece, and the Middle East. One of the guys who are probably involved owns the most famous soccer club in Greece and also bought English club Nottingham Forest too!

I have warned readers before in my blog that I think we are about to see some even crazier shit, especially after the election. Be prepared. Welcome To The ‘Turbulent Twenties’. Can you imagine Trump conceding? Exactly!

I know nothing about card games. And I am anti gambling! So when it comes to stuff like poker I really have no interest. But I somehow gave this article some time and I am glad I did. The Cheating Scandal That Ripped The Poker World Apart. If you are into poker you will enjoy this. And I don’t know, maybe, find something else to do, something healthier?

Enya broke out with that Orinoco Flow song, has remained a reclusive mystery but…Enya Is Everywhere.

Things you read and make you wanna scream Jeeeeesus! Well, maybe not in this case lol. Dude looks like him…not that I ever met Jesus woohoo! Cult leader who claims to be reincarnation of Jesus arrested in Russia. Check him out in the one minute video…surrounded by morons who are everywhere, maybe it is a human trait or something.

It’s not all bad out there: Diseases We’ve Nearly Eradicated.

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.

You are seeing lot of posts about a new credit card that is…coming. Or maybe not. X1 is the name, wake me up when someone actually has in their hands.

I am not going to bother you with targeted Amex offers, a few dollars off gift cards, airline sales and posts about buying miles so I can make money off you. If you are falling for buying miles YOU are the product!

Amazing how these cards just magically reappeared again in the blogs of credit card salesmen now that Chase gave the affiliate links back smh.! Chase Approving More Business Credit Card Applications.

Bloggers will go out of their way to make any money by jumping on referral and affiliate offers. Often from new companies who may be suspect. I don’t bother potentially harming my readers to make a buck. Which, wait a minute, it may have a direct relation my blog makes so little, sad lol! For the record, I never liked Chime and never promoted it! Is Chime Card Legitimate? They Closed My Account & Took My Money.

Thanks to the two readers who have been using my Amazon links to buy the expensive items, you know who you are. By far the best month in Amazon…which translates to a couple of credit cards sold at The Points Guy smh. Thanks also to the five readers who have used my credit card links this month. Amazingly, none were in my own family, I better correct that soon lol.

Keeping it real and once a week now, sorry for the massive posts lately. Changes likely coming when the 8 year anniversary rolls in around mid November. Unless I go from huge disappointment seeing how little I make per hour blogging to feeling something like this dude! 🙂

I always wondered about this too you guys lol.

My running injury is IT Band. When you are 53…healing is excruciatingly slow! Sucks but it is part of the running fun I guess. Just started slowly jogging this week again. One of these days this blogger will run again, I am close!

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.

The post Banks Have Too Many Miles, Covid-19 Spreading Rates, FINCEN Files, Middle Class Finances appeared first on TravelBloggerBuzz.

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By: TravelBloggerBuzz
Title: Banks Have Too Many Miles, Covid-19 Spreading Rates, FINCEN Files, Middle Class Finances
Sourced From: travelbloggerbuzz.com/banks-have-too-many-miles-covid-19-spreading-rates-fincen-files-middle-class-finances/
Published Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2020 10:30:32 +0000

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Friday, September 18, 2020

Pandemic Grief, Raining Miles and Points, Hyatt Promos, Popular YouTubers, LA Clippers LOL

TODAY'S READ

Pandemic Grief, Raining Miles and Points, Hyatt Promos, Popular YouTubers, LA Clippers LOL


We bring you content about our pandemic grief, it is now raining miles and points, new Hyatt promos, the most popular YouTubers, LA Clippers LOL, we travel to many places around the world, nice graph of the world economy, how a billionaire went broke that will shock you, the best COVID coverage, banks have lots of miles and points to unleash to us all, how to vote in each state, the devastating fires in the West and so much more.

TBB Blog Mission: To Educate. Entertain. Inspire. In That Order!

Support TBB by applying for CREDIT CARDS or visiting our LINKS or Donate

You like my blog? Send a link to someone please!

Shop & support the blog with the TBB Amazon link!

There is a LOT in this post. You all enjoy the weekend and thanks for spending some of it reading my blog.

COVID-19

Another must read Bill Gates interview, dated September 14, 2020: Bill Gates on the Pandemic: ‘You Hope It Doesn’t Stretch Past 2022. Amazing insights, read this please.

Whatever the ones “governing” do, never forget! If the US had Canada’s Covid-19 death rate, 100,000 more Americans would likely be alive today. The Spaniards holding strong and keeping us from being #1 again. Keep America Great? No thanks! But for now, the US has suffered a much worse Covid-19 outbreak and death toll than all but a handful of its developed peers. It’s a predictable, preventable catastrophe.

I think with everything going on it is maybe best to listen to this scientist to hunker down. Dr. Fauci Just Said How You’ll Most Likely Get COVID. This article puts it all together nicely and is a great read and it ends with what he is doing: As for yourself, do everything you can to prevent getting—and spreading—COVID-19 in the first place: Mask up, get tested if you think you have coronavirus, avoid crowds (and bars, and house parties), practice social distancing, only run essential errands, wash your hands regularly, disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.

As we are learning more about this virus and all realizing that it is definitely not the flu, one of the most disturbing things about it is how many they can not shake it off. They now have a name, the long-haulers: They never officially had Covid-19. Months later they’re living in hell. I think the medical community will be dealing with this virus for the rest of our lives…

Yep, this is all becoming so clear now. The Emotionally Challenging Next Phase of the Pandemic. The end of summer is a bitter reminder: America’s coronavirus ordeal won’t end when 2020 does. By the time this ends we may have all gone crazy!

Eventually, the weather will warm again, and Americans will learn to go to work and school together again. Still, the U.S. has no excuse for being ravaged by a virus that more focus and discipline could have defeated. Unlike Asian and European countries now resuming a normal life with modest precautions, Americans squandered our first opportunity to beat the virus in early 2020. The calendar shows the consequence: We’ll pay for our mistake well into the new year.

Another must read. Over this ordeal we have faced so many “facts” that contradicted each other. This article clears many of these up and it is normal, this is just a new virus and we are all learning more about it every single day: What Scientists Have—and Haven’t—Learned About the Coronavirus So Far.

Why don’t we have N95 masks yet nine months into this thing huh? Why Are N95 Masks Still So Difficult to Get? Yeah, you should be angry!

I was sad while reading this article: The Grief Americans No Longer Share. As the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks arrives, a splintered nation lacks the collective resolve it once showed.

Far from showing the common purpose evident after 9/11, America is in the grip of a “can’t do” spirit. We can’t test enough people. We can’t open our schools. We can’t return to work. Other industrialized nations have managed to defeat this pandemic. While we watch life in Europe and Asia return to something approximating normal, America is caught in a Groundhog Day loop, with a death toll every three or four days equal to that of September 11. The number of Americans killed by the coronavirus is rapidly approaching 200,000—more than the entire population of Mobile, Alabama, or Worcester, Massachusetts. That tens of thousands more Americans will die before the end of the year seems all but certain.

Maybe the CDC Director had some inner conflicts and finally decided to stick up for science and made it so painfully clear that using masks are imperative. Only to have his boss go crazy on him once again. We are trying to fight the biggest global pandemic in over 100 years and here we have the CDC Director and the President who continues to defy all sense and…just when we needed unity and message consistency to the public and we have this macabre shitshow with over 200,000 body bags.  It is PURE INSANITY!

MILES & POINTS

HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS 65k CitiBusiness AA, 20k Chase Freedom Flex, 130k AMEX Hilton Business, 60k Chase United Explorer. Please use my Affiliate links.

If you do not see a credit card with my affiliate links, perhaps I could refer you? Contact me please, thank you!

UPDATE: There are now increased offers for Amex Delta cards! 70k Delta Platinum Business and 60k Platinum Personal along with 60k Delta Gold Business and 50k Gold Personal. Click HERE.

Chase Bank is really going all out with amazing new travel rewards credit card offers. I warned here that this is coming, so here we go!

Chase Sapphire Preferred 80,000 Points Signup Bonus with $4,000 Spend. I do not have an affiliate link for this card sadly and my referral link only offers 60k points. Which blows but hey, what’s new! Please try to find a blog you want to support for what they do. This is a flagship card and this is a hell of a signup bonus. We use this card in my family as the hub of our miles/points earning addiction. It is a keeper card.

It is true that Chase will be phasing out the old and trusty Chase Freedom Card. And they have introduced the better Chase Freedom Flex card. This will be the new rotating 5x quarterly card going forward. But wait, this is not all on the earning side. You get 3x on Dining and Drugstores, 5x on Lyft through March 2022, 5x on booking travel on the Chase travel portal and of course 1x on everything else. But wait, there is more! Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. Wait, there is more! 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for signup bonus and all Mastercard World Elite benefits (such as $800 cell phone insurance). This is pretty rich for a no annual fee card.Here is a Chase Freedom Flex Complete Guide.

Like I said before, you could stick with a team of Chase cards and do well in this hobby and keep it simple. You get the Freedom Flex for the quarterly 5x categories, the Freedom Unlimited to earn 1.5x on all unbonused spend and then either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve if you travel a lot. If only Chase did not have this pesky 5/24 limitation 🙂  Yes, the new Chase Freedom Flex card IS available with my links, you can figure out how to find and apply for it, I don’t do yellow arrows, remember those? Thanks for the support of independent blogs!

Newbies: Chase’s 5/24 rule means that you can’t be approved for most Chase cards if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards (from any card issuer) within the past 24 months. Ask us questions, we are old timers in this and this site is not relied upon for commercial success by keeping banks happy ok?

Once a quarter we register for the next round of 5x categories: Q4 2020 5% Quarterly Categories: Activate, Offers & Suggestions (Freedom/Flex, Discover, Dividend, Cash+ & more).

If you will fly United soon, click HERE to see if you can earn some bonus miles. For some reason I am never targeted for this…maybe it is because I haven’t paid for a United flight in years 🙂 On a similar note, if you plan to fly United and pay for your tickets, you can earn 5x miles if you add money to your United Travel Bank account.

Register HERE for the latest IHG Rewards hotels promotion to earn double points on all stays between October 1 and December 15. If you happen to carry the IHG Rewards Visa card you also get 10,000 after you first stay (you must pay with the card!).

Speaking of hotel promotions, here is a post about them: Hotel Chains Are Offering Lots of Promotions Right Now. Other than some Hyatt promos I find the others make me zzzz. Then again, you must realize that all these bloggers make a living around all things travel and you should not definitely take them up on their advice to go out there and travel yourself to make an airline elite level or hotel higher status because, you know, Covid!

All the US legacy airlines are trying to survive after blowing billions on buying back their stock and enriching their executives for…not having any emergency funds and becoming beggars to the government again. But wait, they have the frequent flyer programs preying on us miles addicts and using them to squeeze more cash out of them to stay afloat. Here comes Delta! How Delta Looks to Leverage Rewards From Its Own Frequent Flyer Program. Some juicy details on Skymiles in this article, wow!

There are dumb promos but American Airlines offering 250 AA miles for every award flight you take in October (and only up to 2,000 miles maximum and only if you register) sure deserves an award for the DUMBEST airline promotion of the year or close smh!

 

TRAVEL

Fascinating history of a place we will likely never travel to. Last time someone tried to travel there he was killed and buried there! The American Killed by Asian Islanders Hoped to Save Their Souls.

Amazing photos! Vivid Street Scenes from Salvador, Brazil.

Let’s travel to Canada and learn about Tuna! A Tuna’s Worth. Bluefin tuna are a luxury that feeds the egos of many, the bellies of few. Inside a Canadian fishery that pursues them.

Amazingly, this is still going on. It is more like commitments that were underway and all hoping we get past Covid soon! New hotels keep springing up in Athens Greece. I am looking forward to visit sometime the new MGallery by Accor hotel in Syntagma Square!

In this post you get to learn where is the hottest place, the coldest, the driest, the most polluted, the riskiest, the most isolated, the wettest and the highest places on earth: The people living in the world’s most extreme habitats.

Fun post and, for crying out loud, STOP posting your boarding passes online! When you browse Instagram and find former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s passport number.

In Thailand…where thousands of ducks are guided to, please sit down, to clean rice paddies.

It sure has been a very strange year. People can work from home now and can not blow money on European vacations and stuff like that. Heck, here in Michigan we can’t even drive to Canada half an hour away still! So, road  trips are in and many are exploring the natural beauty of northern Michigan like we did. And…many are not just thinking about a cottage but actually pulling the trigger in a frenzy, wow! Coronavirus kept us home, igniting real estate frenzy in northern Michigan.

I saw a friend on Facebook post some pictures from Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio and I just could not believe it was Ohio! Looks great and maybe worth a road trip. Anyone visited, care to comment?

PERSONAL FINANCE

Cool graph: The $88 Trillion World Economy in One Chart.

I love this. I remember posting here about this guy years ago. And his mission is complete: The Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke . . . Is Now Officially Broke.

 

CURRENT EVENTS/POLITICS

Really good voting guide. How To Vote In Your State. I can’t wait to vote often you guys lol.

This was VERY difficult to read, you have been warned! A desperate rescue: A father’s heartbreaking attempt to save his family from a raging fire. Hope reader “Pacific Northwest” Carl is well! These photos from the fires are just devastating, wow!

I am a proud subscriber of The Atlantic. Here comes another must read: Can American Democracy Be Saved?The country is at a low point. But we may be on the cusp of an era of radical reform that repairs our broken democracy. Long article, you have been warned. At one point it said Biden should make “Make America Again” his which I think it’s great. I think the nation is right at this one of those moments we can shine or…keep sinking!

We have one more chance—in Lincoln’s words, a “last best hope”—to bring our democracy back from the dead. It will be like a complex medical rescue that requires just the right interventions, in just the right sequence, at just the right speed: amputation, transfusion, multiple-organ transplant, stabilization, rehabilitation. Each step will be very hard, and we can’t afford to get any wrong or wait another hour. Yet I’ve written myself into a state of mind that I recognize as hope. We’ve made America before. Self-government still gives us the chance. Everything is in our hands.

This is shocking! Hey, you like my clickbait opening? 🙂 Actually, I am not going to follow that up with a stupid incident accompanied by an even more stupid video so I can drive clicks to my site to make more money from ads (oh wait, I don’t have any ads). Scientific American Endorses Joe Biden. So, you think what is the big deal, yet another endorsement noone cares about and ignores. Well, this one is different. This publication has been around for 175 years and had NEVER endorsed a Presidential candidate EVER before! I don’t know you guys but maybe this spooked them?

Damn Antifa LOL! Violence in the name of Trump. This is a loooong list!

I am really enjoying the NBA playoffs this year. And watching this guy who I watched him play at the University of Michigan and NEVER thought he was good enough to play pro anywhere! And here he is, amazing! Duncan Robinson’s remarkable rise from Michigan to NBA continues.

How about them Denver Nuggets doing it again coming back from 3-1 deficits to win the series, this time against the LA Clippers. Oh, nice new sports website devoted to quality writing (wow, imagine that in a sea of clickbait bullshit!) and this was great: The Clippers Weren’t Anything Special. Oh, and that block by Adebayo will go down in ages as THE block of the year!

Oh yes, we are doomed!

I feel for all the parents of young kids doing this virtual Zoom schooling thing, here is what is like. Laugh…or cry!

ODDZ & ENDZ

I really like these monthly Index facts at Harper’s Magazine, here are the ones from October 2020. I selected a few to excerpt:

Minimum number of Colombians killed by drug cartels or paramilitary groups for failing to observe social distancing : 8 [even drug lords are taking it more seriously!]

Amount the United States has received in coronavirus-related humanitarian aid from Lithuania : $113,690 [WTF!!!]

Percentage by which the U.S. Mint has increased coin production since June in response to shortages : 65 [Hey, maybe we can help! Inside joke, stop laughing you old timers!]

One day I am going to receive an email by a reader thanking me for saving their life. #highgoals How To Survive: 5 Tips For Hikers Caught In A Wildfire.

I have not visited my own Youtube channel in years lol! Who’s the Most Popular YouTuber in Every Country?

If you have lost someone very close to you and you are grieving…you will nod your head repeatedly while reading this: Learning To Grieve. The loss of someone close to you is numbing, disorienting, disruptive. You can be happy again, but you can never be happy and the same again.

Exactly what it says: Sounds of the Forest. “We are collecting the sounds of woodlands and forests from all around the world, creating a growing soundmap bringing together aural tones and textures from the world’s woodlands.”

Amazing! Here’s What Happens Every Minute on the Internet in 2020.

One more, Comedy Wildlife Photography awards 2020 finalists.

Social distance, please! Kaudulla national park, Sri Lanka Photograph: Petr Sochman/CWPAs 2020

 

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.

Red Ventures, the company that owes The Points Guy Inc., bought CNET for $500 Million. I had thought that CNET was dead. Watch them pivot to do computer “reviews” and pump the crap out of affiliate links. This is where it is going lately with all these sites out there, CNBC Select, CNN Underscored, New York Times started it buying Wirecutter and expect more. Well, da Internet predicted I will be the next one they buy and I can assure you there will be a LOT less zeros involved bwahahaha.

Can you imagine if Chase Bank killed all affiliate fees to bloggers? We can only dream! Meanwhile, this happens when new offers come out!

The two big guns in Boarding Area are of course View From The Wing and One Mile at a Time. They likely make millions of dollars every year unleashing blog posts throughout the day every day. Many of them of course revolve around selling travel rewards credit cards and, please sit down, hideous clickbait shit that is only designed to…draw clicks with increasingly awful headlines, it reminds me of Tabloid shit. Well, obviously that shit works which I believe captures the essence of what the online world has become and…let me expand on this if you allow me…the state of the country with so many morons out there not able to think clearly and…I better stop. Oh, one more thing, it is “shocking” (pun intended, lol) that so many of their posts are so similar and come almost at the same time…THINK! And to all bloggers who link to this clickbait crap, shame on you!

So, some months ago Chase took down all the business credit card affiliate links and the worst bloggers, suddenly, just stopped selling these cards because why hurt their own pockets and benefit the readers hey? Well, Chase has brought them back and you will now start seeing glorious posts about how awesome these cards are. When you do that…you should tell them to phuck off?

Music alert! Video never released before, wow! The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (Live In Maui, 1970). Check out all the hippies…they probably have grandkids by now if they made it alive out of that era lol.

Runner down. Now just a walker recovering from the mother of all glute injuries it appears. “Live and Learn” said my coach, so true. I will not try to run through it again if I feel something coming up, so stubborn and stupid. Like the story of my blog venture lol.

And I am going to leave you with something inspiring. My blog’s conversions may suck but never ever forget what really matters in life ok? 🙂

And I leave you with this…

TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com

Follow TBB on Twitter @FlyerTalkerinA2.

You can subscribe to TBB below, winners only!

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.

The post Pandemic Grief, Raining Miles and Points, Hyatt Promos, Popular YouTubers, LA Clippers LOL appeared first on TravelBloggerBuzz.

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By: TravelBloggerBuzz
Title: Pandemic Grief, Raining Miles and Points, Hyatt Promos, Popular YouTubers, LA Clippers LOL
Sourced From: travelbloggerbuzz.com/pandemic-grief-raining-miles-and-points-hyatt-promos-popular-youtubers-la-clippers-lol/
Published Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2020 10:30:55 +0000

tbuz1


Friday, September 11, 2020

Pandemic Spiral, Latest Travel Rewards Cards, Free Travel to Hawaii, 401(k) Plan Stats, Wirecard Fraud

TODAY'S READ

Pandemic Spiral, Latest Travel Rewards Cards, Free Travel to Hawaii, 401(k) Plan Stats, Wirecard Fraud


We bring you the latest on our pandemic spiral, the latest travel rewards cards, how to travel to Hawaii for free, shocking 401(k) plan stats, the Wirecard fraud, we learn about the land of Kush in Sudan, the best Covid coverage always, sign up for some promos and check out some guides, we travel to Turkmenistan, check out the greatest beaches and so much more. No “shocking” videos, repeated credit card and buy miles sales pieces. I do what I do, je suis TBB and you read this for free! (it rhymes hey?)

TBB Blog Mission: To Educate. Entertain. Inspire. In That Order!

Support TBB by applying for CREDIT CARDS or visiting our LINKS or Donate

You like my blog? Send a link to someone please!

Shop & support the blog with the TBB Amazon link!

There is a lot in this post. You all enjoy the weekend. Stop bitching and help someone who is not as fortunate as you.

COVID-19

If you are going to read one article today, make it this one: America Is Trapped in a Pandemic Spiral.

We continue to make progress, here is the latest on the vaccine front: Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker.

Seriously, Let’s get real. No vaccine will work as if by magic, returning us to ‘normal’.

It may get awkward! What Happens If China Gets the Covid-19 Vaccine First?

I felt much better after reading this: Leader of U.S. vaccine push says he‘ll quit if politics trumps science. Then again, I fully expect the political pressure to announce a “real” vaccine to fully take place smh.

Kudos to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ! One university may have the best COVID testing operation in the U.S.—and tests students twice a week. If only others learned from it…

So many formerly called shithole countries have handled the pandemic so much better…but hey, let’s Keep America Great Again, sad lol! Senegal’s quiet COVID success: Test results in 24 hours, temperature checks at every store, no fights over masks.

We all know the industries that have been severely impacted during this pandemic. But we don’t talk much about the arts, which I think it is WAY on top of the list! COVID crisis: We need all hands on deck to save America’s arts and culture economy.

MILES & POINTS

HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS: There are now three different 65k Chase Southwest card offers and a 60k Chase United Explorer card offer. Please use my Affiliate links.

If you do not see a credit card with my affiliate links, perhaps I could refer you? Some cards I can refer are: ChaseSapphirePreferred, AmexHiltonAspire and others. Contact me please!

Travel rewards credit card signing bonuses continue to go up. The Amex Hilton Business credit card now offers 130,000 points! And the three personal 65k Southwest offers are ending September 14, hurry! You can be first using these darn links of mine! 🙂

All you wanted to know about the Chase Ultimate Rewards 2020 Guide.

These will likely not last that long but with the pandemic who the hell knows…The Best First Class & Business Class Sweet Spots For Each Program.

When we can travel freely again I will book a trip to Kauai, the only island in Hawaii I have yet to visit. Best ways to fly to Hawaii from the US mainland.

Really nice hotel promo by Hyatt coming very soon. The safest place to travel to is most likely your basement.

One of the long term staples in this hobby is the Southwest Companion Pass. Here are some tips for Applying for Southwest Cards (CP) Late in the Year: What Could Go Wrong? (Updated for 2020).

TRAVEL

State of the Hotel Industry. As of August 31, 2020. The figures are just devastating…

This is an amazing link for aviation geeks! Air attack – How California uses dozens of aircraft to battle wildfires. Must click in my own biased opinion.

Let’s travel to Turkmenistan and see some photos inside the empty Awaza resort.

An interactive map of the world’s greatest beaches.

Where Are the World’s Tallest Buildings?

When Gibraltar plays San Marino at home in soccer and…here comes an airplane take off!

Amazing photography, wow! Landscapes of Russia.

Did you know Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt? Well, now you do. Let’s learn about its Kush ancient civilization that has somehow been overlooked by history.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Some of these will make you shake your head for sure! 100 Must-Know Statistics About 401(k) Plans.

This is why we have investigative journalism. Wirecard and me: Dan McCrum on exposing a criminal enterprise. Be careful out there and support people like this, bloggers too!

Ranked: The World’s Richest Families in 2020. I think I have a great shot to make it into “The World’s Poorest Blogs in 2020”!

This will make you vomit: How To Hide A Billion Dollars: Three Techniques The Ultrarich Use To Dodge Ex-Spouses, The Taxman And Disgruntled Business Partners. South Dakota remains “hot”…

CURRENT EVENTS/POLITICS

I.Can’t.Even…5 Takeaways From ‘Rage,’ Bob Woodward’s New Book About Trump. Why would even his fans believe what he says anymore is beyond me. This guy has watched more TV in one night than I have in years!

On top of all the craziness, we have the fires in the West Coast: Shocking Photos Show The Hellish Scenes From The West Coast Wildfires. These colors…looks like the gates of hell!

Photo Credit: Brian Hayes / Reuters

ODDZ & ENDZ

Fascinating story involving eccentric con men, bunkers, technology and stuff like that: The Cold War Bunker That Became Home to a Dark-Web Empire. An eccentric Dutchman began living in a giant underground facility built by the German military—and ran a server farm beloved by cybercriminals.

Another fascinating read about the companies in the business of US elections, I had no idea, wow! The Democracy Factory. For decades, the vote-by-mail business was a sleepy industry that stayed out of the spotlight. Then came 2020.

I have bookmarked this! Storage – Save the Food Guide. You bring something back from the grocery store and you have no idea how to store it. No more! Click this link and you will be told how to do it. You know you need this as bad as you need to have thousands of miles and points to travel for freeeeeeeee! Well, apparently you are getting them but not with my links, sad!

I kept shaking my head with this one: The Eco–Yogi Slumlords of Brooklyn. How did a couple who built an empire of yoga studios and homes with “living walls” end up as pandemic villains? When I see yoga and yogi these days, my BS antenna goes way up!

What a story! The Inside Story of the $8 Million Heist From the Carnegie Library. No jail time in the end, unbelievable!

When you are really bored and wanted to play something else, something different, for hours or days on end…I got the perfect solution for you: 50 Hours of Nature Sounds to Bring You Joy and Awe.

Hilarious: When the bell door rang 20 years ago vs Today.

What, you did not laugh with the previous link? Ok, here is another one: Notes on “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” as Delivered to Axl Rose by His Editor.

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.

Some interesting observations about Long term effects of COVID on churning.

This hobby can screw up people: Ladue man used online ticketing glitch to scam American Airlines out of $160K. It is all about finding loopholes but when that crosses the line you deserve it. Another miles expert out there I guess…

I was going to report this in mid August but I kept forgetting to post! So, finally he came out with the news so I am late again to the party. Maybe I should change my blog name to Travel Late Buzz or something. God Save The Points leaves Boarding Area.

Expect my blog on Fridays. And changes coming soon. No one has clicked on my credit card links since July 30! My family does not count. It is sad and…it is what it is.

My glute injury apparently is still healing, wow! This aging thing…

And I leave you with this…

The TBB Marketing Department could use some of this talent!

TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com

Follow TBB on Twitter @FlyerTalkerinA2.

You can subscribe to TBB below, winners only!

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.

The post Pandemic Spiral, Latest Travel Rewards Cards, Free Travel to Hawaii, 401(k) Plan Stats, Wirecard Fraud appeared first on TravelBloggerBuzz.

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By: TravelBloggerBuzz
Title: Pandemic Spiral, Latest Travel Rewards Cards, Free Travel to Hawaii, 401(k) Plan Stats, Wirecard Fraud
Sourced From: travelbloggerbuzz.com/pandemic-spiral-latest-travel-rewards-cards-free-travel-to-hawaii-401k-plan-stats-wirecard-fraud/
Published Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2020 10:30:45 +0000

tbuz1


Friday, September 4, 2020

Corona Testing Mess, New Chase Flex Card, Airlines Kill Fees, Dead Office Economy

TODAY'S READ

Corona Testing Mess, New Chase Flex Card, Airlines Kill Fees, Dead Office Economy


We bring you the latest on the corona testing mess, introduce you to the new Chase Flex card, all US airlines kill fees, the dead office economy, travel to Petra, the best Covid-19 coverage, some promos to register if you are taking the risk to travel these days, ghost cruise ship tours, do not trade options for your sake, expect more violence ahead, greatest speeches in history, the amazing octopus and more!

TBB Blog Mission: To Educate. Entertain. Inspire. In That Order!

Support TBB by applying for CREDIT CARDS or visiting our LINKS or Donate

You like my blog? Send a link to someone please!

Shop & support the blog with the TBB Amazon link!

There is a lot in this post. Enjoy it during this last summer holiday weekend!

COVID-19

We continue to make progress, amid the ongoing carnage, believe it or not: A New Era of Coronavirus Testing Is About to Begin. But we have a loooong way to go in this war…

We have been dealing with a lot of shit but….hold on, this one way was a great deal with such shit! How the University of Arizona used No. 2 to solve its No. 1 problem: The coronavirus. We all know the saying “when something gives you lemons, you make lemonade”. Or however it goes. When the pandemic gives you shit, you make…ok, never mind! Hey, at this rate as we are approaching 200,000 dead (the horror, the horror!!!) anything, however shitty, if it could help we should go for it.

I plan to get my flu shot this month along with every family member! You probably should too: Get your flu shot in September — before cases start to climb.

I was surprised this had not become more public because it always made sense. As in…SHUT UP and if you can’t…speak softly! Mask Up and Shut Up!

It is pretty sad you schedule a tweet like this smh: Herman Cain, who died of COVID-19, tweets ‘the virus is not as deadly’ as believed. A reader got mad last time I posted something negative about this dude. So I am posting this to emphasize my original point #covfefe

Must read: Andy Slavitt’s September 2nd update on Twitter. As I was expecting from the current Administration…a vaccine by November 1st and…oh God, please helps us all!

This is a long and deep article all about the testing mess and the sorry state of our neglected public health system: We Can Solve the Coronavirus-Test Mess Now—If We Want To. Yep, another must read, these came later in the week, therefore they are listed a bit lower in this section, sorry about that.

This is a hell of a phucking virus indeed! We need more data on this and we will get it as time goes by. But even if this is remotely true…you know, maybe the best thing is to avoid getting in the first place! Enter travel bloggers who keep posting about how you can go to Disney World or cheap fares, SAD! COVID-19 Can Wreck Your Heart, Even if You Haven’t Had Any Symptoms. Or if you are posting about mileage runs you are just an asshole!

MILES & POINTS

HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS: There are now three different 65k Chase Southwest card offers and a 60k Chase United Explorer card offer. Please use my Affiliate links.

If you do not see a credit card you want with my affiliate links, perhaps I could refer you to it? Some cards I can refer are: ChaseSapphirePreferred, AmexHiltonAspire, AmexBlueBusinesPlus, AmexHiltonBusiness. Contact me please and thanks for your support!

These steps are positive, the “Freedom” type no annual fee credit cards from Chase are getting even better: Major Chase Freedom Revamp: Mastercard ‘Freedom Flex’ & Freedom Unlimited Will Earn 3% Dining & Drugstores, 5% Travel Bookings. I think the NEW Freedom Flex card would be a great second card for my 18 year old daughter after she handles her first card (Discover it for Students) well for several months to build her credit history/score. Here is an updated FAQ as well that clears up much uncertainty how the new Flex card will work in relation to the old Freedom card (which will likely go away in a year or so). The more I think about it, with these improvements, if you wanted to keep it simple, you can have only Chase credit cards and do pretty well. Maybe that is exactly the plan…

United usually follows Delta in everything they do. So it was fairly shocking to see them go ahead and be first in this, makes me wonder what awful thing they will do next! From a consumer perspective read this post: Guide: United Change Fees 2020 and 2021. From an airline business perspective, read this: United Ditches Domestic Change Fees… Let the Games Begin.

And then all hell broke loose as every other airline matched and tried to do one better on United, in order:

Delta eliminates domestic change fees on all but Basic Economy tickets

American Airlines Eliminates Change Fees + Changes To Basic Economy

Alaska Airlines Eliminates Change Fees Permanently

Here is a summary of the changes in the form of easy to read tables. And now here is a comprehensive guide of all fees updated as of September 1, 2020. And in the spirit of comprehensiveness, Hawaiian Airlines also killed all fees if anyone cares.

In the meantime, Southwest is saying hold my beer you guys, what is the fuss with this thing called “fees”, we have no idea what you are talking about! And…where is Jet Blue?

Accor hotels ALL program has a decent promotion, register by logging into your account HERE.

Thrifty’s “Blue Chip” Rewards Program always sucked. Now it is pretty much dead, not that anyone really cared for it anyway: Thrifty Effectively Kills Its “Blue Chip” Rewards Program.

TRAVEL

When you are travel nomads and then you find an opportunity to travel again: Flying from the US to Europe During COVID-19.

Greece tried to salvage a bit of its 2020 summer tourist season. Only to backfire with the 10x rise in Covid cases. Which has led to this: Athens hotel prices crash.

Not all travel is shut down. Inside the Lavish, Secret Vacations Celebrities Are Taking During COVID-19. If only some of you got some credit cards with my affiliate links I could do trip reports of some of my trips I could afford to take like these people. That was a joke by the way! I am laughing. As my daughter says…I always end up laughing at my own jokes woohoo.

This smart guy started doing “ghost” cruise ship tours!

For my aviation geek readers, this is for you. Plane built on Mumbai rooftop takes to the skies. A pilot built this on his own and it works!

Fascinating and one of the places I need to travel to…as soon as this little pandemic is over! Explore the Fascinating History of Petra, a Once-Lost City That’s Now a Wonder of the World.

I had no idea about this, wow! The Lovely Swiss Villas That Could Destroy An Army.

What a beautiful church without a roof, only in Greece!

I needed a pic in this post so here is one from my recent Michigan Upper Peninsula road trip.

Lake Superior. Cleanest water I have seen in the US!

PERSONAL FINANCE

There is no doubt we are seeing some strange things develop in this pandemic economy with working from home and now abandoned offices. Remote Work Is Killing the Hidden Trillion-Dollar Office Economy. This article correctly gets to the…carnage. I feel for the catering/eateries/coffee shops around the area my wife worked. I feel for the local dry cleaning place I have been going to for years, last time I visited was in March! The airlines whose business model was to…take it out on business class travelers and now scrambling to survive. Why are hotels still being built, WTF! My local Starbucks is doing fine as it has transitioned to a to go and drive through place…And we can go on and on. Be grateful for what you have and be kind to others who are not doing so well!

I really liked this: Experience Is The Best Teacher. Lessons learned when you are in your 50’s:

Money Buys Freedom Not Stuff

Live Below Your Means

Marry Well and Don’t Hassle Your Kids

Invest Early and Often

Keep Acquiring Skills and Certifications

Replace Alcohol and Junk Food with Exercise and Nature

Diversify Your Income Streams

Be Greedy When Others Are Fearful

Pay Yourself First

Do Good

For Pete’s sake, do NOT do this, WTF! This should be illegal…only in the US!

CURRENT EVENTS/POLITICS

And when you thought when they tried to convince you that the pandemic response was anything but disastrous smh. Trump used the RNC to gaslight America on Covid-19. We will see even crazier shit until the election and then…buckle up!

I have been warning you that I think we will see more violence and I even considered getting a gun. I am resisting it…because I am a lover, not a fighter. Lol. Ok, this is not a joking matter obviously. The Violence Could Get Much Worse. You know we have reached batshit crazy status when the US Prez runs on law and order and says all the shit that is happening under his watch will happen if we elect Biden. I mean, wtf to infinity. Buckle up, this is going to get more bloody and surreal in the next two months. I hope I am wrong!

Very interesting: Visualizing the State of Democracy, by Country.

We lost Georgetown college basketball coach legend John Thompson this week. This tweet by his former player Allen Iverson was the best!

ODDZ & ENDZ

We all know about I had never heard of this type of retread where you pay a lot of money to do some psychedelic drug that makes you vomit to…find yourself. No thanks, I think I’ll pass: ‘A Hail Mary’: Psychedelic Therapy Draws Veterans to Jungle Retreats.

I really enjoyed playing back some of these videos: The 100 Greatest Music Video Artists of All Time.

When you are really bored and you think about clicking on some blog post about a stupid “shocking” video…stop. Click on this instead: 35 Greatest Speeches in History.

Did you know there is a type of porn tailored to Orthodox Jews? Frum Porn it is called. You see, where would you learn stuff like that huh? The Secret, High-Risk World of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Porn. I had no idea, wow!

This creature is just amazing! Studying the creativity and intelligence of the octopus.

This video is mesmerizing. Don’t watch it under the influence of any drugs, you have been warned! Circulatory Systems.

My next pet!

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.

So, my award Singapore Airlines business class flights JFK-Frankfurt flights were canceled for this November so at the present time I have no flights to get to Greece for the 2020 Athens Marathon. Which it is still not canceled or gone virtual yet! Assuming a huge turnaround in the Covid cases in Greece it is almost certain I am not going to go. I called up Singapore Airlines and got promptly refunded and miles redeposited to my account. New expiration is June 2021 now which gives me some time to burn them again. I should be getting refunds of the taxes & fees at some point. Make sure you use a credit card you will not be canceling anytime soon for such refunds to go smoothly back in the credit card!

As I was expecting bonuses will start going bigger… Best Ever Offer: Alaska Airlines Increased To 65,000 Miles + Companion Fare After $8,000 Spend In 6 Months. Watch the tiered offer and good luck getting approved by Bank of America!

Dan of DansDeals dares to dream: Dear Airlines: Thanks For Ditching Change Fees, But Can We Rewind The Clock On Mileage Program Devaluations? And…good luck with that! Well, it appears United is lowering some awards but, I mean, does this matter at all when there is so little flying and so many airlines are basically toast without government bailouts? United Dynamically Priced Awards: NYC To Miami 5K, LA 6.5K, London 22K, And Tel Aviv 29.5K Miles Each Way.

And now the final saga of this…AA Shutdown: Citi Account Closure Letters Mailed Out This Week.

This is very important, don’t let this happen to your family if you belong 😉 Tale of a Churner / MSer Passing Away; Educate Someone on your Churning Details!

I always found this process very confusing, I wish they consolidated them all in ONE bucket (yes, that will lead to kissing goodbye to some award sweet spots) but it will really simplify our lives 🙂 How To Transfer Avios Between Programs For Free.

Why do people click on this shit is beyond me! Instead of calling this shit out, all the bloggers are kissing their asses for backlinks #BARF! Maybe if I did that too…they would throw me an HT instead of HTing “Gregg” and “Alan H.” smh.

Last week I informed you how Milevalue was bought by a credit card sales outfit. First post under new ownership is: “Why The Chase Sapphire Preferred Is My Next Credit Card”. Yeah…it is that ridiculous…

Running interrupted since last Thursday. Hamstring problem. I made a stupid decision to keep running when it first bothered me…my stubborn self again smh.

There are still numerous websites out there catering to newbies and trying to trick them to click on their affiliate travel rewards credit cards. Judging from the conversions on my site from my readers (my family does not read my blog lol) in the month of August (ZERO!), it is fairly obvious you all are affected by the bank restrictions (5/24, etc)…Then again, having to do stupid posts “XX reasons I love XYZ card” is beneath me…So, catch 22 I guess. A whole month without a single credit card sale is beyond demoralizing. In a few months I will complete Year 8 of blogging. I am coming to terms I will never become a blog Titan, so sad #theendisnear

And I leave you with this…

TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com

Follow TBB on Twitter @FlyerTalkerinA2.

You can subscribe to TBB below, winners only!

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.

The post Corona Testing Mess, New Chase Flex Card, Airlines Kill Fees, Dead Office Economy appeared first on TravelBloggerBuzz.

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By: TravelBloggerBuzz
Title: Corona Testing Mess, New Chase Flex Card, Airlines Kill Fees, Dead Office Economy
Sourced From: travelbloggerbuzz.com/corona-testing-mess-new-chase-flex-card-airlines-kill-fees-dead-office-economy/
Published Date: Fri, 04 Sep 2020 10:30:23 +0000

tbuz1