Rewind back to grade school when the teacher would inform the class, “If you use the pronoun ‘I’ or ‘you’ in your paper, the result is an automatic failure.” Why? Because a paper written with these personal pronouns weakens the message of the writer.
Today, I assert that smileys should be banned in all forms of communication. It is a sheepish way to make a point. Writers, bloggers, texters, and tweeters use these pubescent emojis because:
They are trying to soften the blow of their passive aggressive insult directed at someone: “Don’t take it so personally buddy, I wasn’t really criticizing you “
Smiley lets a writer say something unpopular/controversial without sounding arrogant and smug: “I can’t say I agree that Emirates has the best hard product compared to Singapore. “
Smileys mean the writer is not confident in what he or she is writing: “I don’t know if I should’ve asked for another amenities kit but I did anyway š “
Overall, smileys demonstrate that a writer lacks conviction in what he or she is saying. Instead, smiley writers pander to the public by trying to use these Super VGA graphic to sound cuddly and folksy.
Because this is an op-ed column, the prohibition of the pronoun ‘I’ is not applicable. With that I would like to make a promise, at the risk of offending emoji lovers worldwide, that I will never succumb to the new norm of tagging every comment with a smiley. Like hashtags, smileys are another unfortunate negative externality from the casual world of social media expression.
I ask others to also respect the art of writing and take the pledge to do the same regardless of the medium for communication. If blogging is regarded as the lowest form of journalism then smileys are the lowest form of expression.
Yours truly,
@TheProfessor #writingisfundamental [no smiley inserted]
A couple of days ago I called Citibank to cancel one of my AA Executive cards since the annual fee was about to come due. As a reminder, last year Citi offered a whopping 100,000 AA miles plus $250 statement credit as a signup bonus for the $450 per year AA Executive card, so many of us now have several of these cards. Before cancelling the card altogether, I asked about retention offers and was transferred to a retention specialist.The retention specialist found only one useful retention offer for this card: For 16 statement cycles, I would earn 1000 bonus miles every statement cycle in which I spend $1,000 or more. In other words, if I kept the card for one more year, I could get 12,000 bonus miles. If I kept it more than a year, I could max out the offer at 16,000 bonus miles. An extra 1000 miles a month for $450 per year? No thank you.The next part of the call was where things got interesting…I had recently read Travel with Grant’s experience in asking about retention offers on all of his Citi cards in a single phone call (found here). I thought that was a great idea so I asked the specialist if she’d mind going through all of my Citi cards to see if there were any worthwhile retention offers.– The Frequent Miler
And here’s what happened to me:
Citi AA Mastercard: 1000 bonus points per $1000 spent through November (apparently I had already been offered this last July and didn’t capitalize on it).
Citi Executive: Same offer of 1000 bonus points which I will use through April when that annual fee comes due.
Citi Hilton Reserve: This is the best one. 5000 HHonor points for 2k spend in 3 months.
Personally, I hate retention offers that take my mind off of my points strategy but it’s these little promotions that keep accounts topped up and bridge the gap between an extra night, an extra flight etc.
Now to call Chase about my Southwest Business card and copycat Grant…
Say what you want about the value of Hilton points but this retention offer makes a stay at this 3 Bedroom @ the Hilton Colombo possible.
Some trips are for partying, some are for luxury, and some are for nostalgia. This trip in January of 2010 with my parents was for one thing: food. Food is an important part of our Arabic culture so it goes without saying that we didn’t spend much time doing anything else. From Shanghai to Singapore, Langkawi to Peking, all we did was eat eat eat.
And so begins the Trip Report called Arabs in Asia.
Here’s where we went:
*I had to conquer the world of kimchi and bulgogi on my own.
Here’s what we ate:
Shanghai: Sheng jian bao. Unfortunately most of these street places have been demolished.Beijing: You guessed it, 北京烤鸭Singapore: Satay and TigerLangkawi: Arabic and Indian and everything in between.In Korea eating with friends.
Maybe you’ve noticed that over the last two days I’ve traveled the world faster than the old Headline News slogan, “Around the world in 30 minutes”…this is ThePointsOfLife.
While certain killjoys (see this post) will speculate as to my motives for over-posting, it was done for good reason. Behold the Country Count List now has links to every country I have visited (apart from those I went to as a mere tyke.)
Each country will eventually have a full complement of the following per city where applicable:
The year was 2010. The time was New Years. The weather was meh.
So we decided to pack up and leave one of the most beautiful cities in the world for a place where the weather was even worse and the people were quite strange. It’s no wonder survivor was filmed there. The name of that place: Bocas del Toro, Panama.
Things weren’t always so bleak on this trip. Actually, things started off quite nicely in Aruba.
Here is the overview of the Trip Report titled The Graduate.
And here is where we went:
A wise man once said, “International travel will teach you more about business, politics, and law than all the degrees combined.”
The second half of my MBA sent me to Asia where I quickly developed an obsession with my favorite city in the world, Shanghai, and laid the groundwork for my future travels to the region.
To quote a famous book, here’s where I went on this Trip Report:
I took advantage of my time abroad by exploring mainland China and Asia as a whole. I visited the Great Wall in Beijing, ate spicy food in Chengdu, saw the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an, was unimpressed in Nanjing, crossed the border in Shenzhen, toured the famous West Lake in Hangzhou, and even learned Kung Fu in Wudan.I gambled in Macao, visited the richest man in the world in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, had a Singapore Sling in Singapore, lounged on the beautiful beaches of Langkawi, Malaysia, partied in Hong Kong for Halloween, swam in the azure waters of Boracay, Philippines for Thanksgiving, went tubing down the river in Vang Vieng, Laos for Christmas, and ignored a terrorist threat in Bali, Indonesia for New Year’s.Did I mention I went to the Full Moon Party again?Informally put, I went here:
And did this:Good morning Vietnam!Hello floating bar Nha TrangNi Hao Hoi AnZai Jian Ha Long BaySwasdi Koh PhanghanOh no Khao SanMonkey business in ShanghaiKung Fu in WudangSoldiers in Xi’anHot pot in Chengdu$ in MacauHalloween Hong Kong with ObamaBoracay BeachT-Bird in Phi PhiFriends in PhuketFull moon part 2ZZZ in KLBored in BruneiLost in LaosOn bond in BaliHanging out in Hangzhou
I finished my MBA in 2010 from Thunderbird School of Global Management. Thunderbird provided the first truly global MBA allowing its students to globetrot while learning all the skills needed to secure a future posh lifestyle. As this is a points/travel blog, I’ll limit my analysis on the value of obtaining an MBA or any other higher level degree citing Lesson 2: A Dollar is Green of my book.
Besides being able to read the balance of my student loan bills, my MBA took me all over the world, planting the seeds for my points addiction. I probably would’ve saved myself a few hundred thousand had I read ThePointsOfLife Infomercial and applied for credit cards instead of graduate schools.
As the point of life is not only travel, I have to say that I don’t regret the collection of letters in my signature box. After all, you know what keeps me warm? That’s right, those degrees. So enough with the cynicism and onto Kanye’s Good Life.
Here is the overview for the Trip Report titled MBA in Travel & Tourism: Part I.
Where I went:
Dubai, UAE
Monterrey, Mexico
Cancun, Mexico
Acapulco, Mexico
London, England
Dublin, Ireland
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Prague, Czech Republic
Budapest, Hungary
Munich, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Rome, Italy
Vatican City
Fiumicino, Italy
Brussels, Belgium
What I learned: Finance 101: Burj Al Arab translates as Tower of the Arabs meaning I have equity.Accounting 101: 10 Tacos for $1 in Monterrey, Mexico.Advanced Entrepreneurship 501: R&R in Isla MujeresCross Cultural Communications: Dancing with the Devil in AcapulcoInternational Trade 101: Lifting antiquities in ParisBusiness Writing: How to spell ‘labour’ in LondonStatistics 400: Calculate the Guinness drunk on St. Patty’s Day in DublinMicrofinance in Amsterdam. I’ll let you figure that one out on your own.Forex 101: Cheap beer thanks to Czech’s worthless currency.Business Geography: Which side is Buda and which side is Pest?Auditing cross cultural communications in Munich, GermanyInternational Relations in Berlin, GermanyWaste Management in Rome, ItalyStreetenomics in Fiumicino, Italy
Catch up by reading the preview, The Banana Pancake Trail to Myanmar Starts This Monday, then the overview, Thailand, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Disney, Home, where the game time decision was made to leave Mongolia for good.
Getting There: Take a metered taxi. The SkyTrain is inconvenient and not worth the nominal savings.
First come the pictures, then come the words:
The mighty Sukhumvit 11Welcome to the Aloft Bangkok.The holidays in Bangkok have become a tradition.The welcome drink mojito for platinums.Aloft being aloft.A touch of Thai on the headboard.Super comfy aloft bed.Super comfy aloft shower.Super arty.Festive pillows.Singha + TwixRooftop poolIt faces the wrong way so there’s not a lot of sun.View from the room. Ready to take on Bangkok by night.Breakfast buffet to take on Bangkok by day.Yum.Until next time Aloft Bangkok!
Aloft, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, is my favorite everyday hotel chain. Aloft Bangkok is one of my favorite hotels in the world, but why?
First, the price: It costs around $100 per night, 3000 SPG points for weekend nights, or 4000 for the weekday.
Second, the location: Sukhumvit Soi 11: Right in the middle of the action in Bangkok is Sukhumvit Soi 11. Food is all around, bars as far as the eye can see, and for those too lazy to leave the hotel, there’s even an attached overpriced nightclub. If you’re coming from the airport, take a taxi to the hotel. The savings from the SkyTrain aren’t worth the hassle of changing trains and dragging your luggage down Sukhumvit.
Third, the service: There are plenty of SPG hotels in Bangkok including the stunning W Bangkok but the service of Aloft is on par with all of them. The front desk is friendly and accommodating and the bellman does his best to get you a metered taxi though that can be impossible to find.
Fourth, the pool: Bangkok is nuts. Sometimes you want to relax and do nothing. The pool is facing the wrong direction so it doesn’t get plenty of sun during most of the day.
Fifth, the gym (not pictured). If you are feeling in good enough spirits, the gym has plenty of equipment to keep you going.
Sixth, the breakfast: Platinums get an over-the-top breakfast buffet that rivals those of 4-star hotels. Well worth waking up for or passing out from.
Seventh, the welcome drink. It’s a legit delicious mojito or Long Island.
Eighth, the room. Standard Aloft room with coffee maker and infinity shower. Two essentials for stays in Bangkok.
Like this review, staying at the Aloft Bangkok is as straightforward as it gets. What you chose to do after leaving the hotel is a bit more complicated.
Now through Sunday the book with perfect reviews, Everyone’s Advice Is Wrongis available on Kindle for the obscene price of $0.00.
I only ask that you write your own candid review in return. It doesn’t have to be as great as the one below if you feel differently. Click here to buy for free.
This is a special edition of the Travel Guide as it commemorates one the most fantastic travel experiences, Rio de Janeiro Carnival. (Carnaval en Português)
Though the experience was different, the formula for what to do when I arrived in this new city remained the same: Guns & Butter.
A trip is composed of two factors: Labor And Lazy
Anything on the line (Production Possibilities Frontier for my fellow economists) is an efficient use of your time depending on your tastes and preferences.
Anything inside the line is inefficient as should be avoided.
Anything outside is aspirational but may be impossible to do given the constraints of time and resources.
The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa.
Let’s start the guide with the Carnaval Parade and I’ll explain to you via an excerpt from my book, why it requires Labor:
Nothing is more emblematic of embellishment than the Carnaval celebration in Brazil. Carnaval is a festival that takes place every year to mark the beginning of Lent. To commemorate the transition from excess to abstinence, the country hosts street parades, exclusive balls, and round-the-clock beach parties. The climax of the splurge is the Carnaval Samba Parade held in Rio de Janeiro, a competition where rival samba schools vie for the title of best school by designing their own costumes, decorating elaborate floats, and perfecting their dance choreography as part of an overall theme. It’s fair to say that it is slightly more risqué than the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Ninety thousand people watch the event live at the Sambódromo, while hundreds of thousands throughout multiple countries tune in from home. Celebrities from around the world pay top dollar for luxury suites to partake in the revelry. In fact, in 2011, three-time Super Bowl winner and fellow Michigan alum Tom Brady sat front row in a VIP box and, by all accounts, had a fantastic time.
Before going to Rio, my best friend, Michael Jeries, (hereon referred to as Mikey) and I researched parade ticket prices hoping to find great seats. To my amazement, I discovered that instead of just watching the parade, tourists can actually be in it! By corresponding with a local samba school in Rio via e-mail, writing in both Spanish and English, hoping the combination would magically translate into Portuguese, I somehow arranged for a courier to drop off the costumes at our hotel the day of the parade.
Our school’s theme was global warming, and the costumes we purchased were supposed to be Eskimos. What we received was some over-the-top outfit consisting of a skintight white gown with requisite pieces of flair along with a bunch of silver balls and feathers coming out of the head dress. Unable to make sense of the costume, we questioned if what we had purchased was authentic. Reminded of the saying “When in Rio…” Mikey and I put on our dresses and headed to the Sambódromo, hoping that we were not victims of an elaborate prank. Somehow we located our school and breathed a huge sigh of relief when we came across other participants also cloaked in this odd interpretation of Eskimo garb.
A few caipirinhas and a couple Skol beers later, we mustered the courage to dance in the middle of the Sambódromo, doing our best imitation of the samba while trying not to cost our school, Portela, the title. We also, más o menos, sang along to our school’s theme song, “Oh so agua so ao…so Portela!” Our school finished a respectable third, undoubtedly a result of our efforts.
So that’s Carnaval. Still have energy to go on? Let’s switch our focus to the other side of the spectrum, Lazy. In Rio, that can only mean one thing: the beach.
Two of the most popular beaches in the world are Copacabana and Ipanema. Ipanema is a bit nicer but a bit more expensive. It’s funny that this is the case because they are directly adjacent to one another with only a bluff of rocks keeping them apart.
Copacabana BeachIpanema BeachMore IpanemaThe Beach can still turn into Labor by day during CarnavalThe same is true by night
One thing worth mentioning as evidenced by the pictures is that Rio experiences a lot of rain during the two most popular times to visit: New Years and Carnaval.
Though the sun does come out eventually as do the interesting food vendors.
The food worth trying on the beach besides the Khaled’s treats include the grilled cheese and the fresh coconuts. Stay away from the shrimp as I’ve heard many horror stories. Furthermore be wary in Copacabana beach for obscene charges for beach chairs. Always ask before sitting down and assuming it will be cheap.
After too many days at the beach, it’s time to explore Rio by visiting the must see spots. We actually booked our sightseeing tour cleverly on the day we were departing, thereby affording us more time at the beach. This included stops at the following by level of difficulty:
Sugarloaf Mountain
Tijuca Rainforest
Christ the Redeemer
Sugarloaf Mountain
Sugarloaf is easy because it’s a cable car to the top and back. Enjoy the view and take pics.
Tijuca Forest
The amount of Labor to Lazy in exploring the forest is up to you. A driver can take you to all the nice spots for photo opportunities. Conversely, you could run, hike, bike throughout the forest. Just be sure not to get lost come nightfall as was the case for a few tourists who needed rescuing.
Tijuca waterfallClose enoughChrist the Redeemer
By far the most iconic landmark in Rio, Christ the Redeemer is worth the pilgrimage.
Capturing that perfect postcard pic makes it the most Labor intensive.The view from the top makes it worth the trouble of fighting the crowds.What I didn’t do:
I didn’t go on a Favela tour. The tour takes you through the poorest parts of Rio and gives visitors a glimpse of what life is like for the many impoverished residents of Brazil. The history, culture, and story behind favelas are worth researching and understanding. I’m torn as to whether one should sign up for a tour. On the one hand, it could be an eye-opening experience and the proceeds from the tour goes to helping those living in the favela. On the other, it seems discourteous to treat the lives of others as something of an attraction. I leave it to you to decide.
What I missed:
Going to Rio during Carnaval means sleep is not a luxury nor is time. I wasn’t able to do a few notable things that I will have to go back and try.
These include:
Hand gliding
A soccer game at Maracana Stadium
More partying at Scala Balls
A word on safety:
I had zero issues when I was in Rio. We went to the beach, the bars, and the parade and had no trouble. I will say that I was on high alert and was aware of my surroundings.
Hand glide if you have the time.See a game Maracana Stadium if you’re lucky to be there when the national team is playing.Scala BallOr just stick to street parties and bring your Mickey gloves
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