Adam1222

Whispers: this is the hobby, bub. Seems like it is for you too. Now back to pooping

zeer0

I don't think there is anything wrong with Lucky going to Turkey. It's a very popular destination right now, one of the few Americans can get to, so that's valuable info to have for readers. The grandstanding over others has been a bit much though, especially as he's traveling himself.

Adam1222

Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's right. But I also think a lot of Flyertalkers travel behaviors during the pandemic is equally shameful.

I think you raise an interesting issue, which reflects some of the divide in the comments on this post. What makes a bloggers posts "good"? I think there are several different indicia, and different people value different ones over others. Few if any blog posts will achieve all:
- entertainment value
- achieving their financial goals
-providing unique information
-providing a unique perspective
- providing relevant information
- representing socially positive behavior and/or encouraging prosocial behavior in others
​​​​​​

NWplatinum

What I have the biggest beef with Ben currently is that he is constantly yelling about quarantine, Unnecessary travel that hurts the environment, being a mask na zi (where him and ford yelled at their cab driver over it whose not even facing them, Really?) and now not being a time that one should acquire miles.

He then proceeds to go on an exotic vacation that’s unnecessary, buy these amazing mileage deals and peddle credit cards every day. So totally disregard all the things he’s been saying since lockdown. I get credit card sign up and mileage referral is how he makes money. But I would think by now he is financially independent enough to not have to peddle credit cards every day.

Now is definitely not the time to be getting people to buy miles, and sign up for credit card deals. I think a level of ethics actually enters this picture.

flyertalker28120

1.) Don't think it's warranted to call him a "mask nazi". He is not politicizing it, he proposes wearing them for scientific reasons.

2.) He does not recommend others to hoard miles at this point. He formulated that cautiously. I think it's a conservative and sensible recommendation. Miles and points are not a liquid asset (unlike a stock, you can't easily turn them back into cash). In uncertain times, it is generally less attractive to hold illiquid assets. (And you don't have many redemption options for miles at this point due to all the travel restrictions.) Furthermore, they are an asset which doesn't offer a return (unlike a stock which pays dividends or an apartment for which you can collect rent). In fact, they tend to lose real value over time due to airlines raising redemption rates.

3.) Ben needs to travel to make a living. He has a popular blog with many thousands of readers. Obviously, he needs to travel now and then. And I think they way he did it was very responsible. In fact, I think it was sort of examplary.

4.) I'm not a big fan of this CC referral business, either. But one must keep in mind the historical development. Many consumers are not willing to pay for a subscription to a site like Ben's as they did in the old days for a newspaper or magazine. However, the service Ben is providing is costly. So then, you gotta find a way to monetize the blog. And CC referral offers are--unfortunately--one of the best options in that regard.

NWplatinum

He’s not recommending people hoard miles.

But here are three posts every day to buy miles or sign up for another amazing credit card offer!

flyertalker28120

It's just how the industry works. Are you, for instance, aware that Boardingarea kicks out blogs which don't hit a certain number of CC referrals per month?

For people that are smart enough to notice, OMAAT is sensible in its advice which is sort of "miles and point redemptions are currently more difficult than in normal times; we suggest you factor that in when thinking about purchasing miles and points, when thinking about adding cards, etc."

Adam1222

I wasn't aware that aerosol droplets in a contained space only move in one direction.

​​​​​​
Being angry that Ben asked a driver to wear a mask in a pandemic spread by aerosol particles is certainly a viewpoint

bthotugigem05

This is completely false. I have never posted a CC referral link on my blog (which is a part of BoardingArea) in 8 years and haven’t been “kicked out”.

flyertalker28120

My bad. It was a FT mod who told me in real life about these alleged requirements. (No worries, I'm not gonna name and shame.)

NWplatinum

Staunchly defending Ben again, at the slightest mention of criticizing Ben. Hmmm.... I’m not angry about it. I think it’s comical for a 10 minute cab ride if the driver takes his mask off for a minute or less to demand he put it back on Immediately because we’re all gonna die of Covid otherwise. Call me crazy, but I think that’s a little bit neurotic.

Im quite certain Ben and Ford took their face masks + shields off when they were eating their food on the plane to Turkey for 30 minutes or more. And probably the passengers around them did too

Does the virus magically disappear when you eat?

Adam1222

No, dear, I'm defending science.

I agree, there is a risk involved in planes when you take your mask off of infecting other travelers. I do believe most airplanes have better air filtration systems than Ubers.

​​​​​​"There is a risk of spreading Covid while eating on a plane so we shouldn't take steps to minimize transmission anywhere else" is not a logical argument.

Your pivot does not explain why the fact that the Uber driver was "facing forward" is relevant.

Please stop accusing me of being Ben or blindly supporting everything Ben says or does. Not only is it an ad hominem response, but these are factual accusations that are demonstrably untrue.

bthotugigem05

Adam has always offered well-reasoned critiques, he’s the furthest from a blind fanboy.

ctownflyer

The banks and affiliate programs do have minimums.

Though a successful blog like Ben's is surely not at risk of deactivation due to minimums.

GUWonder

Facing each other or not, cab drivers and their passengers are sitting in a confined space in taxis and that close confinement increases the odds of getting hit by this virus and getting hit worse by this virus. It's no coincidence that there are various places in the world where taxi cab drivers are heavily over-represented in the ranks of those who have been hospitalized with Covid-19 (or worse). Taxi drivers and their passengers would both be safer from this virus when all occupants of a vehicle are masked and the windows of the vehicle remain open for the duration of being in the vehicle. The OMAAT blogger making an issue about the masks may just happen to protect the health and well-being of not only the passengers of a taxi but also the taxi drivers; and a taxi driver wearing a mask may even help the taxi driver to get or retain business that the taxi driver may not have otherwise get.