HadesNL

I'm just beginning to see a roaring waterfall (IRS/health-mental sanity/biased readers)with a canoe (Omaat)without a peddle (all the things discussed here)going down the river at the point of no return(losing credability/transparency). Interpret it as an allegory but as others have mentioned what is the Omaat brand (and Omaat himself) at the moment?
- only travel F, Business blah but i take it for the team
- look at me i can fly cheap so can you
- you get laid more often with 20+ creditcards
- creditscore / get more debt but at least hump an F seat
- churn and burn, it's just like vegas slots
- how the modern man should live
- sassy lifestyle and housewives of Atlanta
- coming of age and maturity
- many guest writers (some worse/better) each pro/contra a topic
- tripreports proudly boasting F on every A380
- reaching out to contacts to get the latest in celebrity airline scoops
- being recognized as a critic and getting improved service
- diversify your investmens in airline points
- who needs the destination, flying a metal tube is the destination
- champagne vs champagne, it makes you look rich
- up next..... Not in this post, not in the next one, no the next next next one finally the review

I admit i was a total fanboy in the beginning because the reviews were detailed about every aspect for a travel blog, i feel it has changed to a lifestyle blog to now a blog with a shizofrenic identity crisis.

gpapadop

As long as conversions are coming in and are increasing....who cares? Hey everyone, start by getting a CSP card NOW, click

TOMFORD

So what is this rolling stone thing I keep hearing? Does anyone have the link to the article/interview involving ben?

84fiero

See post #430 in this thread, Astrophsx was kind enough to provide a download link to the issue...forget offhand what page Ben's article is on but scroll through to the article titled "Up In the Air"

TOMFORD

Oh god, too much to read. As a proud American I'll proudly resort to reading the few lines of people's reaction here.

nsx

It wasn't the world's greatest idea to call his activities "The Hobby". That rubs the IRS's nose in it.

Idiots who can put you in prison are dangerous idiots. Sooner or later there is one person smart enough to understand your scheme, and any idiot can take it from there.

sharris503

I'm sure the new Chase rules are hurting the bottom line. It was time for OMAAT and BA to bring in more newbies.

jubbing

ITT - Half the people hate Ben yet continue to read his blog, half the people find him amusing yet read his blog. K.

Wollstonecraft

I read that article and actually found it quite sad. Notice that he is drinking throughout in various episodes - I thought he had mentioned on the blog that he "only drank while flying" but this is obviously not true. He seems incredibly lonely, too.

I have been struck for a while at how clueless he seems about the world. The rare political commentary (gee, people here are poor and/or oppressed?) and the situation in Barcelona show a shocking awareness of anything going on in the world.

He seems like someone who is destined for some sort of crisis eventually. Hopefully, being a "millionaire" will help provide him this resources he needs to get through it.

I feel sorry for him, and don't want to be an enabler. I stopped reading the blog and unsubscribed from his RSS feed. My one experience with PointsPros was pretty awful, too, so I'll just let his world go.

Kagehitokiri

ben has blogged that he spends and that he doesnt say 'free'/'cheap'
his earned airline status is not 'cheap' nor is buying miles 'cheap'

Astrophsx

He flew the reporter to several countries and must have given the impression he is traveling free and trying not to get caught. Right or wrong Ben has not put out anything correcting the information and has posted images of himself smiling while posing with the magazine stating: "Well this is sort of surreal. Who knew they let nerds in rollingstone?"

Maybe the answer to this is to fly reporters in premium class seats around the world and make it seem like travel hacking is something that actually exists? If I was the reporter I would think this whole type of lifestyle of becoming a millionaire through a blog and traveling first class "for free" is surreal.

Regardless, getting into Rolling Stone is a big milestone for him.

Kagehitokiri

he can only be blamed so much for RS
but sure i will agree i wonder how he dealt with writer

im differentiating between blogs on free/manufactured as well as FTG/TPG/MMS
some here seem to put ben's blog in multiple (conflicting) blog 'categories'

skunker

Which is funny because the article specifically states that he paid for the ORD-HKG CX flight using miles. What it doesn't say is how he earned those miles.

84fiero

You're right he is clear about not saying in the blog that travel is "free", but he does use the word cheap a lot with regard to fares, purchasing miles, etc: (And I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that adjective in many of the instances, relatively speaking)

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/?s=cheap

And as noted above, Ben certainly hasn't attempted to correct the article's characterizations, FWIW.

HadesNL

That's actually my interpretation indeed. I understand America's need and posibilities of creditcard posts, but as it doesnt apply to me though i skip it to get to the his core business namely the reviews.


You would guess that living in hotels full time he could churn out an endless stream of reviews of all different properties of radisson/SPG/Hyatts over the world. I didnt count it actually but has he done many unique new "or for his audience usefull" hotels to review since living in hotels fulltime? I glanced over it to see for example if he ever made it to the grand Hyatt Yogyakarta or the ANA crown plaza Hiroshima - and mr gpapadop would properly give me a tap on shoulder saying "nothing less then Park Hyatt's or Crown Plaza's with a club"