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I'll help you earn free travel, but you'll have to put up with my sick sense of humor and political opinions.
Quick Grammar Quiz: Does the previous sentence imply that my political opinions are sick, or just my sense of humor?
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Tuesday, May 28, 2002
International Aid Smackdown! Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Bono are touring Africa to highlight poverty and examine international aid. Bono questions whether O'Neill gets it, and O'Neill delivers a crushing blow. Simple and compassionate, O'Neill points out that $25 million could provide clean water to the entire country. Have there really been that many more pressing and more valuable things for the country to spend last year's $300 million in loans on? Bono can't take you any farther than to realize that poverty sucks. O'Neill realizes that throwing money at the problem isn't enough, and the international aid community is too inept to solve problems even with unlimited resources.
Eugene Volokh notes a story in the National Post that the first Israeli -- and the first Jew who wants to practice his faith in space -- will take off on a Space Shuttle Columbia mission in July. First problem solved: NASA will provide kosher meals. Second problem a bit more difficult: Jews must observe the Sabbath every seven days, but Columbia will orbit the earth every ninety minutes. Does he observe the Sabbath every 10.5 hours, or... ?
If the Pennsylvania National Guard doesn't find it necessary to carry loaded weapons when patrolling airports because they don't expect anything to happen... do they really need to be there in the first place?
Apparently shooting guns off into the air is a wedding tradition in Afghanistan. It's become less of a good idea, since US forces frequently mistake this weapons fire as hostile and shoot back. They have killed wedding guests on more than one occasion. Well-intentioned though US forces may be, it's hard to imagine that this won't breed tremendous resentment among the people of Afghanistan. Sensibly, the governor of the Khost province has asked U.S. forces to check with local authorities before launching attacks.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Instapundit points out that the most popular band in Uganda has a song about the beauty of privatization. While European kleptocrats and overprivileged American college students complain about globalization, Africans are realizing that their corrupt socialist governments are standing in the way of prosperity. Ever wonder why union money backs the anti-globalization crowd? Is it because steel workers are concerned about exploitation in Africa? Or because they are afraid they might someday have to compete against a new class of entrepreneurs? It's much easier to keep the rest of the world in poverty. Anti-globalization is the modern day Jim Crow. [Okay, have at me!].
Saturday, May 25, 2002
Northwest Airlines is offering 25,000 miles if you sign up for a Worldperks Visa.
Here's the skinny:
* 5k bonus at signup
* 5k bonus if you spend $500 w/ Northwest (flights, club membership, etc) by 10/31/02
* 15k bonus if card is open and in good standing after 15 months
= 25,000 miles.
Fee for the "classic" card is $55/yr.
2 years = $110 = $0.0044/mi as long as you're purchasing $500 from Northwest in the next 5 months...
Call 1-800-360-2900 and ask for extension 2644.
Expires 7/15/02.
Note that the credit card I recommend most often for earning miles is the Starwood American Express, because points transfer 1:1 into most airline programs and you get a 5k mile bonus for transferring 20k points -- equivalent to earning 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases.
Glen Reynolds' Terms of Use are pretty darn cool. I'd say they pretty much apply to this website too. Let me add an additional disclaimer as well.
Earn up to 300 American AAdvantage miles every two weeks at OpinionPlace.com.
As you may have guessed, I'm new to this blogging experience. I'll post some useful tips as frequently as I can, to keep you coming back for more.
Check out this free software download: Miletracker. Enter your frequent flyer account information and this program will check all of your balances at the touch of a button. Never remember websites, passwords, or account numbers again.
To receive a free one-year membership in Hertz #1 Club Gold:
Visit http://www.hertz.com/ftgold
Enter Frequent Traveler Program Name: Marriott Rewards, and Promotion Code: 5238
If you aren't a member of Hilton's Frequent Guest program (HHonors), you can sign up and get automatic Gold status. Call 1-800-548-8690 and request Origin Code AAGU. This will get you point bonuses, room upgrades, and health club privileges.
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