Posted By RichC on September 14, 2022
Read an interesting Washington Post article (PDF ReaderView archive) this past week discussing Southwest Airlines “open seating policy” and challenges in landing 
preferred seating without paying a premium – although, “the only way to guarantee an early boarding position is to pay,” wrote James Bikales.
Still some of us make a game of trying to land the A and B groupings without paying the premium ticket price (yes, that would be me). Recently though, I had a conversation with a Rapid Rewards customer service representative suggesting that I try to use the Chase Business Rapid Rewards credit card to upgrade my position at the gate. She suggested that the credit card should reimburse me the EarlyBird fee “IF” there is a better seat available even when at the gate. The documentation doesn’t state this … nor could I get confirmation from the author or a couple of the quoted travel experts if this works.
The only thing the documentation says (below) is that RR Business members will be reimbursed for two EarlyBird upgrades per year (Personal Priority credit card holders are permitted 4 per year) and that Chase will reimburse those fees. I suspected the reimbursement was “only for booking online” and requesting preferred boarding positions ”before the 24-hour check-in?” The Customer Service person seemed convinced that it could also be done in person at the gate … so as long as there were positions available (and most of the time there are A1-15 slots vacant). Since I’m usually at the gate early, it might be a way to kill time and see if it works? Stay tuned.
Back to the article, another tip was to have only one member of a party pay the EarlyBird fee and “save seats” … if you really like doing that kind of thing … I don’t.
Category: Advice, Aviation, Travel |
No Comments »
Tags: air travel, airlines, booking, flights, open seating, southwest, southwestair, washington post
Posted By RichC on September 13, 2022
If you believe the number 13 makes for an unlucky day, you’ll probably point to that as an omen … but the deep, nearly 1300 points, drop in the Dow came as investors and economists were expecting an easing pace of inflation … not continued high inflation.
The CPI report indicated a 8.3% rate compared with July’s 8.5% and June’s 9.1% rates … which means we are still at four-decade inflation high. It is reminiscent of living with inflation in my early 20’s. Thankfully back then I new little about how the economy worked and owned very little, except my junkyard car and the clothes on my back. We did buy a first house, but own very little of it and assumed a 12% mortgage … which was better than the going 18% rate. It is hard to imagine financing anything at those rates?
(more…)
Category: Financial, News, Politics |
No Comments »
Tags: economy, energy, government, inflation, money printing, recession, stock market
Posted By RichC on September 13, 2022
This content is restricted.
Category: Archive, Friends, Personal, Photos, Sports, Video |
No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, baseball, building, drew, ellerie, family, house, katelyn, mud hens, ohio, oostras, toledo, whitehouse
Posted By RichC on September 12, 2022
This content is restricted.
Category: Music, Video |
No Comments »
Tags: album, barrons, dan seals, john coley, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, nights are forever, pool, summer, yardwork, youtube
Posted By RichC on September 10, 2022
We did another one of our “now regular” dinner and classic movie nights … which shockingly we are both enjoying. This one was another Cary Grant movie from 1939 called “Gunga Din,” to which I had to look up the Rudyard Kipling poem, partially read (remembering 40+ years ago in school) and emailed to Brenda.
Gunga Din by RUDYARD KIPLING
You may talk o’ gin and beer
When you’re quartered safe out ’ere,
An’ you’re sent to penny-fights an’ Aldershot it;
But when it comes to slaughter
You will do your work on water,
An’ you’ll lick the bloomin’ boots of ’im that’s got it.
Now in Injia’s sunny clime,
Where I used to spend my time
A-servin’ of ’Er Majesty the Queen,
Of all them blackfaced crew
The finest man I knew
Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din,
He was ‘Din! Din! Din!
‘You limpin’ lump o’ brick-dust, Gunga Din!
(more…)
Category: Books, History, Memories, Movies |
No Comments »
Tags: classic, gunga din, movie, poetry, rudyard kipling, school
Posted By RichC on September 9, 2022
Who likes getting sand blown in their eyes at the beach … not even crabs.
Category: Nature, Video |
No Comments »
Tags: beach, crab, friday filler, mp4, sand
Posted By RichC on September 8, 2022
The Queen of England passed away today after becoming Queen at the age of 25 in 1952. Most living under her reign have never known another ruling monarch. So now after a historic 70-year reign, her son, the former Prince of Wales, Charles III becomes Britain’s new King.
According to the UK’s DailyMail:
The Queen’s death will see Britain and her Commonwealth realms enter into a ten-day period of mourning as millions of her subjects in the UK and abroad come to terms with her passing. Her coffin will be moved to London on the royal train via Edinburgh before she lies in state in Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament for four days. Hundreds of thousands of people will be able to pay their respects.
The state funeral is expected take place at Westminster Abbey in central London on Monday, September 19, which will be attended by her bereft family as well as 2,000 heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life around the globe.
MORE
Category: History, News, Obituary |
No Comments »
Tags: britain, charles, death, elizabeth, england, king, monarchy, queen
Posted By RichC on September 8, 2022
The WSJ book reviews are a great place to find new and interesting military history books and biographies. The recent download for me is a book by Robert L. Connell highlighting several bigger than life U.S. military generals.
“Team America: The Age of Generals,” looks at often written about World War A-list leaders: Gens. Douglas MacArthur, George C. Marshall, George S. Patton and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Their extraordinary leadership and strategy led the United States to success during World War I and World War II … debatably contributing to preserving the nation and freedom we have today.
Having just started to read it, I’m not the right person to give full review, but so far it looks to be a very readable and interesting for those who enjoy non-fiction, biographical military history.
(more…)
Category: Books, History, Millitary |
No Comments »
Tags: amazon.com, biography, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, general, George C. Marshall, George S. Patton, reading, review, Robert-L.-OConnell, wsj
Posted By RichC on September 7, 2022
Considering our current iPhones are seven generations behind (iPhone 7), today’s Apple Event was watched with interest, as usual. The new iPhone14 Pro is particularly interesting and carries a higher price point … although well worth the money considering what I once spent on new computers.
Still, the pre-order date of 9/9/2022 will not likely see me in line or ordering (9/16 delivery) until reading a few reviews and compare carriers trade-up options. I sense that both Brenda and I will wait until 2023 before we upgrade … and will likely renew with Mint Mobile and buy our phones outright. Who needs a perfectly functional iPhone7 or iPhone7-plus – message me!
Category: Apple, Cellphone, Photography, Technology |
No Comments »
Tags: apple, camera, event, iphone, iphone14, pro, smartphone, watch
preferred seating without paying a premium – although, “the only way to guarantee an early boarding position is to pay,” wrote James Bikales. 
