Soon I will return to my regularly scheduled blogging, but for those who could not tune into the streaming golf match yesterday (The Match: TPOL vs. Contreras, Stream Live This AM) due to blackout restrictions in their local market, I would like to share the results. Up 2 strokes with 2 holes left, TPOL took to the tee box and hit a less than impressive drive. The next shot went OB. Even with the recovery off of a wedge onto the green, the match was tied up going into the final hole. With the pressure mounting, TPOL had a collapse. The driver went straight into the air. The next shot was errant right. The shot after that went into a bunker.
Never before has there been so much hype for a golf match. Reminiscent of Tiger vs. Phil, The Match, presented by nobody, is happening this morning at the Rio Mar Golf Club. Caesars gives TPOL 5 to 1 odds to win and does not expect Contreras to last more than 11 holes. The event can be live-streamed using your favorite streaming service. May TPOL win!
I’ve shirked my blogging duties to train like Rocky V.
Like many others, I have been receiving numerous offers from Amex including one for 150k for the Business Platinum (see Targeted: 150k Amex Platinum Biz Offer). Six days ago, I received one for 90k for the Business Gold Card. I went to apply using the link in the email and now it shows that the offer is no longer available. I know we’re supposed to get on these offers quickly, but six days? It might be worth calling and finding out if it’s still available. Perhaps it’s time to go after the Platinum offer before that disappears too.
There’s a GDPR compliance pop-up when you enter my website. “We collect cookies. Anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law.” I am adding another opt-in form that says, “TPOL is not a feel-good, nice guy blogger. Read posts at your own risk. Leave comments at your own peril.”
Lately, I’ve been receiving criticism for my writing (see AA Refund!…7-20 Business Days & Blog Roast OMAAT: Starting Posts with Ouch, Wow, Uh Oh, Wild, Major, Whoa). Some of the readers are new and do not understand my irreverence or my sense of humor. Others keep coming back for more thinking that this time I’m going to be different. These readers do not understand my unwillingness to conform to the prototypical travel blog. I write about what I want when I want and how I want. I assumed that deviating from the cookie-cutter script of travel blogging e.g., apply for this credit card, check out 50 pictures of this airplane seat, would be refreshing. For some it is. For others, it isn’t. Those that are displeased think that there should be a blogger code of conduct whereby I have to be more sensitive about what I write because they believe it affects humanity (see Mario’s comments in Hyatt Regency Miami: You’re Not Staying Here Anyway). I disagree. This isn’t an authoritarian blogging community. This is a casual, free speech, wholly independent travel blog. Come, talk shit, and enjoy. If you’re too brittle, hit the back button now.
Changing my tag line from ‘living doesn’t have to suck’ to ‘zero ducks given’.
I have been in Puerto Rico for basically 18 months straight. I only left to go to terrible Miami, Mario’s favorite city, for two days. In need of a change of scenery, I finally sent in my application for those 1 euro restoration houses posted all over CNN. I’m not going to tell you what locale of Italy interests me because I don’t want the Festivus crew showing up. In the words of the maestro, “If you’re thinking of getting a place there, don’t bother. There’s really nothing available.” If I actually receive a response from the city, I will blog about the process and create yet another Trip Report. Most can only dream of an ocean view home in the Caribbean and a villa in Italy. For TPOL, it might become a reality.
Don’t book tickets using vouchers if there is even a 0.00001% chance that you may cancel. After fighting with American Airlines, they finally agreed to refund the value of my voucher (see Another Day, Another Fight With American Airlines). In AA fashion, they said that the refund would be processed in 7-20 business days, just in time to go nowhere.
The stupidity is over as Puerto Rico is getting rid of the mask mandate*. Technically, it’s only for those who are fully vaccinated. Those who aren’t can also run around naked and take their chances with the Delta variant (see Doom & Gloom: COVID Is Still Here). It’s a move that’s long overdue as the CDC has already said that those fully vaccinated don’t need to wear masks. While I may get infected as no vaccine is 100% effective, it’s a risk I’ll gladly take here and around the world. It’s time to test the efficacy of this vaccine firsthand.
Of course, the measure isn’t effective immediately. There’s a chance for a super spreader event this 4th of July. COVID knows this which is why pragmatic progress can’t begin until July 5th.
Where was my freedom last 4th of July when I was on a deserted island with a mask mandate?
*Subject to change on the whim of government impulse.
Remember when TPOL cancelled the trip to Vegas (see No Vegas for TPOL). Part of that trip was a flight on AA. Despite cancelling within 24 hours of booking my basic economy ticket, AA refused to issue a refund. I called customer service and after an hour and fifteen minutes, I was told that nothing could be done. I took to Twitter and they wrote, “We see a fare difference of $25.60 was paid, after applying the voucher to issue this ticket. You’re given the prompt of no credit, as you’ve purchased a Basic Economy ticket. This is non-refundable, and non-changeable, so currently there’s no value on it to rebook. To hop on board again, you’ll need to purchase a new ticket.”
I persisted and wrote that it was cancelled within 24 hours and that I was entitled to my money back. Finally, someone looked into it and responded.
Of course, now the fare has gone up for the flight that Ms. TPOL was going to take. Thank you AA for your prompt attention in this matter. Please continue to enjoy your government bailout.
Half the year is done! This month included posts from years past, churning approvals making it feel like years past, and a reminder that life still isn’t back to normal.
The novelty of saying I golfed in an exotic locale is no longer reason enough to golf in those locations. If the course is not up to international standards, it is worth skipping.
The solution is not social distancing, nor is it wearing masks 24/7. The solution is certainly not another lockdown. The solution is vaccines, both globally and locally.
I was watching the Suns playoff game and was almost tricked into believing that life is back to normal. The stands are packed, CP3 is still selfish, and the Clippers still suck. Then I switch the channel and see that Sydney is back on lockdown, SE Asia has new restrictions, and the continent of Africa is being pummeled by a third wave.
Is it 2019 or 2020? My answer is 2020, specifically February. At that time everything seemed normal only because we were ignorant to the truth of what was really going down. Back then I gave a warning and was slammed by morons who thought this was all fake (see Travel Or Stay Inside? TPOL’s Thoughts on Coronavirus). As someone who comes from a house of learned doctors, TPOL MD, once again, has to weigh in.
America
America was winning the fight against COVID with the availability of vaccines. However, the rate of vaccinations has slowed down while the infection rate will soon go up due to the loosening of restrictions and the influx of the delta variant. At this point, I could not tolerate another lockdown nor am I willing to wear a mask for eternity (see Another Useless Puerto Rico Lockdown). Unfortunately, due to vaccine hesitancy, I am guessing that the hospitalization rate will increase and we’ll be back to talks of bending the curve.
World
While idiots are peddling conspiracy theories about vaccines, the rest of the world is begging for help. Entitled rich countries still don’t understand that this hell will not end until the world is vaccinated. And the variants won’t stop until the world gets ahead of the spread. It’s not the time to complain about how I can’t travel internationally. It’s time to unite and solve this with a global effort.
What’s the point?
Things may seem like they’re normal in the United States, but it’s an illusion. Doom and gloom will soon return unless there is the same urgency from 2020 to eradicate this virus. The solution is not social distancing, nor is it wearing masks 24/7. The solution is certainly not another lockdown. The solution is vaccines, both globally and locally.
