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One Mile at a Time [OMaaT] discussions [merged]

One Mile at a Time [OMaaT] discussions [merged]

Old May 10, 2017, 10:34 am
  #3136  
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
That doesn't have the slightest semblance of sense.
Allow me to attempt to clarify then.

Telling people to NOT write on the internet about stuff they are passionate about is not only a waste of time, it has proven over and over and over again to be terrible advice.

Ben, for example, was passionate about points and flying for free. He openly coveted the business and first class lifestyle. I'm sure people told him to quit wasting his time obsessing on the Internet, get a job, stop his jealousy, grow up, etc. And yet he persisted. And now he gets to live the business and first class lifestyle that he used to openly covet.

Same thing with Perez Hilton and his obsession with drawing rudimentary genitals on the faces of celebrities.

And even if one does not get rich quick obsessing about things on the Internet, such obsessions still have utility in the form of wikipedia where 'losers who need a job' have created an open source encyclopedia. Or FlyerTalk, where a bunch of 'obsessives' 'waste their time' talking about planes and hotels and points and miles...and in doing so have created an irreplaceable resource.

Make more sense now?
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Old May 10, 2017, 10:52 am
  #3137  
 
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Anyways...

Back to the blog. It looks like my assumption was correct. Daniel has now taken at least one flight and three hotel stays for free in what seems to be the past month. He states none of what he posted are reviews. I believe that's already been debunked.

Condor invited me to join this flight to promote their new route from Frankfurt to New Orleans. While I didn’t pay for this ticket, my primary reason for taking the flight was to make people aware of the new route, not to promote their business class product. All opinions expressed below about the onboard experience are my own.

Whaaaaat? They invited you for a free international flight in business class in order to promote their product. He states that he took the free ticket in order to make people aware of the new route and "not to promote their product". Yet gives his opinion and marks it as "review" in the url. How is that not a review?

Hmmm... how does a reader know when a blogger is giving a biased review in return for payment from a company? Well I'd say taking payment in a free ticket worth $3,000+ would be step one (actually looks like it would have been $6,000+ as Daniel flew with a guest that he did not disclose). Step two would be writing things like this:

When I first laid down I was a little startled at how steep the angle felt, though it clearly wasn’t much of an issue since I feel asleep within minutes. Despite a small-looking footwell, my legs could move freely and the space didn’t really restrict me.

In his video: This could be the most useful and cool amenity kit I've ever received.

Last edited by Astrophsx; May 10, 2017 at 11:02 am
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Old May 10, 2017, 11:17 am
  #3138  
 
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Originally Posted by Astrophsx
Anyways...

Back to the blog. It looks like my assumption was correct. Daniel has now taken at least one flight and three hotel stays for free in what seems to be the past month. He states none of what he posted are reviews. I believe that's already been debunked.

Condor invited me to join this flight to promote their new route from Frankfurt to New Orleans. While I didn’t pay for this ticket, my primary reason for taking the flight was to make people aware of the new route, not to promote their business class product. All opinions expressed below about the onboard experience are my own.

Whaaaaat? They invited you for a free international flight in business class in order to promote their product. He states that he took the free ticket in order to make people aware of the new route and "not to promote their product". Yet gives his opinion and marks it as "review" in the url. How is that not a review?

Hmmm... how does a reader know when a blogger is giving a biased review in return for payment from a company? Well I'd say taking payment in a free ticket worth $3,000+ would be step one (actually looks like it would have been $6,000+ as Daniel flew with a guest that he did not disclose). Step two would be writing things like this:

When I first laid down I was a little startled at how steep the angle felt, though it clearly wasn’t much of an issue since I feel asleep within minutes. Despite a small-looking footwell, my legs could move freely and the space didn’t really restrict me.

In his video: This could be the most useful and cool amenity kit I've ever received.
Hey, it's not promoting it because...ummm...because...he said so? Weird. There isn't anything inherently wrong per se with a comp'ed review, though one tends to view them a bit skeptically...so why go to such contortions to try and claim "this hotel review isn't a hotel review but a tour"..."I just wanted you to be aware of the route", etc? It's BS on its face so why bother pretending? Whole thing is so silly.

Last edited by 84fiero; May 10, 2017 at 11:24 am
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Old May 10, 2017, 12:24 pm
  #3139  
 
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Originally Posted by 84fiero
Hey, it's not promoting it because...ummm...because...he said so? Weird. There isn't anything inherently wrong per se with a comp'ed review, though one tends to view them a bit skeptically...so why go to such contortions to try and claim "this hotel review isn't a hotel review but a tour"..."I just wanted you to be aware of the route", etc? It's BS on its face so why bother pretending? Whole thing is so silly.
It really is silly. Why go out of your way to say that the intention of the company was to give you a free product to in order for you to promote it and then say that you didn't accept the ticket(s) in order to promote the product?

When Daniel takes these free comps he states that he's not giving a review...

This post is not a review, but simply showcases...

All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been paid to say or publish anything about the resort.


Correct me if I'm wrong here, but a showcase should lack the expressed opinions of the author.

I think Daniel has been sucked into the influencer model from Instagram/Twitter/YouTube. Not something I want to see on a travel blog. He should go write for Brian Kelly.
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Old May 10, 2017, 1:40 pm
  #3140  
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I tend to agree with the dubiousness of these "non-review" reviews, it's a negative development in my opinion.
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Old May 10, 2017, 4:18 pm
  #3141  
 
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
I tend to agree with the dubiousness of these "non-review" reviews, it's a negative development in my opinion.
You have to love that comment section though... I would equate it with those kids who come in last place in soccer but still get a trophy.

Some of my favorites:

Its an advertisement, and any business need it to stay afloat.

The review was honest with comparisons for things like seat angles and privacy screens. You can get a good idea of the product from the review and its not like a glowing review.

Daniel, I loved your review because it emphasizes the positive. There are so many people out there who seem to thrive on finding the shortcomings in anything or situation.

The only person who gets everything right all the time is Tiffany. She can do no wrong.

Its a decent review of a non-premium product.
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Old May 10, 2017, 5:44 pm
  #3142  
 
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If you thought the "review" flight Daniel did was bad -- wow. Amazingly awful review of the Citi premiere card

Words can't even...
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Old May 10, 2017, 7:21 pm
  #3143  
 
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Originally Posted by Astrophsx
Daniel, I loved your review because it emphasizes the positive. There are so many people out there who seem to thrive on finding the shortcomings in anything or situation.
This one really cracked me up since Lucky is typically very nit-picky about things in his reviews even where his overall opinion of a product is generally positive.

Originally Posted by freeloader
If you thought the "review" flight Daniel did was bad -- wow. Amazingly awful review of the Citi premiere card

Words can't even...
Man that's...yeah...not sure what to say. My dog would know better than to write a pathetic post like this for such a weak card offer.

He's generally being flogged in the comments.
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Old May 10, 2017, 9:57 pm
  #3144  
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Originally Posted by Astrophsx
You have to love that comment section though... I would equate it with those kids who come in last place in soccer but still get a trophy.

Some of my favorites:

Its an advertisement, and any business need it to stay afloat.

The review was honest with comparisons for things like seat angles and privacy screens. You can get a good idea of the product from the review and its not like a glowing review.

Daniel, I loved your review because it emphasizes the positive. There are so many people out there who seem to thrive on finding the shortcomings in anything or situation.

The only person who gets everything right all the time is Tiffany. She can do no wrong.

Its a decent review of a non-premium product.
Many commentors seem to treat and speak to Daniel as though he is a child and/or special needs person. I.e.,' that's an interesting story, and you tell it SO well! Good for you and bless your heart!'
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Old May 10, 2017, 10:18 pm
  #3145  
 
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Originally Posted by kokonutz
Many commentors seem to treat and speak to Daniel as though he is a child and/or special needs person. I.e.,' that's an interesting story, and you tell it SO well! Good for you and bless your heart!'
I'm going to call him out on this one. His numbers on YouTube show that he is making around $500-1,000 a month, maybe $1,000-1,500 on a good month. His bio on states last year he averaged one flight every five days and 185,000 miles in the past 12 months.

His Instgram states that he is 100% "self-funded". It also seems he is violating FCC guidelines as he is not disclosing the sponsored trip in his posts there.
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Old May 11, 2017, 10:15 am
  #3146  
 
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And why would a non-US person have to follow FCC guidelines on Instagram?
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Old May 11, 2017, 11:33 am
  #3147  
 
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Originally Posted by mikex163
And why would a non-US person have to follow FCC guidelines on Instagram?
Who said he was a "non-US person"? I didn't think it was easy for a non-resident to obtain a US credit card.

No idea if anything changes if he is an employee or a contracted employee of a US company and provides social media links how that would work as far as the FCC.
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Old May 11, 2017, 1:49 pm
  #3148  
 
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Apparently he is a U.S. citizen as well. I stand corrected.
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Old May 11, 2017, 2:06 pm
  #3149  
 
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Originally Posted by mikex163
Apparently he is a U.S. citizen as well. I stand corrected.
Citizenship is not what subjects one to jurisdiction of the FTC. (And yes, its FTC not FCC we're talking about here.)
Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act applies to acts or practices that "(i) cause or are likely to cause reasonably foreseeable injury within the United States; or
(ii) involve material conduct occurring within the United States."
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Old May 12, 2017, 6:01 am
  #3150  
 
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Originally Posted by Adam1222
Citizenship is not what subjects one to jurisdiction of the FTC. (And yes, its FTC not FCC we're talking about here.)
Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act applies to acts or practices that "(i) cause or are likely to cause reasonably foreseeable injury within the United States; or
(ii) involve material conduct occurring within the United States."
Not being an expert on FTC rules, how is a violation handled by them? It sounds like he may be violating some rules based on what posters here are saying.
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