Chase

Netflix has carved a niche for itself by resurrecting many much-loved properties that have fallen by the wayside over the years. “Full House.” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” “Invader Zim.” “Rocko’s Modern Life.” Now, Netflix has dropped a new “Dark Crystal” series on us, and although it takes its time getting rolling if you stick with it, it will hook you.

“The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” is a prequel to the classic 1982 fantasy film that was directed by puppet masters Jim Henson and Frank Oz.

Like the movie, the Netflix series takes place on the distant planet Thra. At this point, the alien Skeksis have taken control of the Crystal of Truth and positioned themselves as benevolent rulers of the planet. The other races on Thra, like the elf-like Gelflings and the jibberish-spouting Podlings, serve the Skeksis, and everything seems to be peachy.

Things, of course, are not peachy. Led by The Emperor (Jason Isaacs), The Chancellor (Simon Pegg) and The General (Benedict Wong), the Skeksis are pulling some shady stuff to prolong their own lives. When Gelfling castle guard Rian (Taron Egerton) witnesses Skeksis treachery, he launches himself into the wilds of Thra on a mission to bring this malfeasance to light.

At the same time, Deet (Nathalie Emmanuel), a Gelfling animal caretaker, discovers a dark infection spreading throughout the Thra ecosystem and a mysterious symbol sends princess Brea (Anya-Taylor Joy) on a journey to unearth its meaning. Their paths cross, and they soon realize they’re all on the same mission: overthrow the Skeksis.

I have to admit, “Age of Resistance” very nearly lost me. The show certainly takes its sweet time to get through all the world-building and exposition. An awful lot of characters wander through different wilderness and village settings, and lots of scenes feature Skeksis sitting in a room and squawking at one another.

In these early episodes, the visuals and the details of the world carry “Age of Resistance” and hold your interest. The Skeksis are all ornately designed, with visual cues that help you quickly discern one vulture-like Skeksis from another. The forests are filled with interesting flora and fauna. The landscapes are broad and feature everything from castles that look like they’ve been built of jagged shards of broken glass to majestic snow-capped mountains.

My favorite detail of the “Age of Resistance” world is the pillbugs that roll themselves into balls and serves as wheels for the carriage that ferries Skeksis dignitaries around. The show is full of clever, creative details like this.

And then there’s Lore, the stone creature that lives in a secret chamber under Brea’s mother’s throne and looks like a cross between a praying mantis and one of those stone head statues on Easter Island. Lore is pretty cool. I like Lore.

The cast of voice actors also keeps things from becoming too dry. Pegg really shines as The Chamberlain, a shifty, unscrupulous backstabber. Wong also impresses as The General voice suitably booming and intimidating. Mark Strong, Mark Hamill and Helena Bonham Carter also turn in memorable performances.

It’s a good thing there’s so much creative eye candy and good voice work because the story is so leisurely paced. Then, right around episode four or five, things get interesting. Our group of protagonists realizes what is going on and what must be done. The Skeksis realize the Gelflings are wise to them, so they start making counter moves. It took a few episodes to get there, but “Age of Resistance” FINALLY hooked me.

Unfortunately, that’s also where I stopped for the night. But I’m excited to finish, and there was a good stretch of time where I didn’t even want to do so. Who could’ve predicted that?

“The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” is visually stunning, and when it hooks you, it really does so. This story makes for good family entertainment, although there are some intense, scary scenes that may give younger kids nightmares. But this show is a good doorway into the “Dark Crystal” universe, and I can’t wait to finish up the series so I can revisit the original film.

Just weeks away from its annual September event, Apple has filed several unreleased iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac model numbers with the Eurasian Economic Commission today, according to filings uncovered by MacRumors.


There appears to be over a dozen new iPhone models listed as running iOS 13, including A2111, A2160, A2161, A2215, A2216, A2217, A2218, A2219, A2220, A2221, A2223, A2296, and A2298, as well as four new Apple Watch models listed as running watchOS 6, including A2156, A2157, A2092, and A2093.

All of those iPhone models except A2296 and A2298 were previously filed in May as running iOS 12, and have now been updated to reflect that they are running iOS 13, while the Apple Watch listings have never been seen before.

As for the Mac, 11 model numbers have been filed, but all of them have either been released or were already filed in June as running macOS Mojave and have merely been updated to reflect macOS Catalina. At least one of these models could certainly be the 16-inch MacBook Pro rumored to launch this fall.


The filings do not reveal specific product names, so we cannot confirm details like whether the Apple Watch models are considered Apple Watch Series 5 models, but new models of some kind are evidently coming. Leaked assets from watchOS 6 recently revealed upcoming titanium and ceramic Apple Watch finishes.

The new iPhone and Apple Watch models will very likely be unveiled in September, while the new Macs will likely arrive in October or later.

There are also some already-released products on the list that have been filed as running Apple's latest operating systems, including various older iPhone, iPod touch, Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models.

Eurasian Economic Commission filings like these have foreshadowed the release of new Apple products on numerous occasions, including multiple iPad, iPad Pro, iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and AirPods models. The filings are legally required for any encrypted devices sold in Russia and select other countries.


This article, "Apple Files Several Unreleased Apple Watch and iPhone Models in Eurasian Database" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The top shareholder and manager of Cathay Pacific Airways condemned protests in Hong Kong and vowed to follow China's aviation regulations, after the airline suspended a second pilot on Tuesday as deepening unrest hit its operation and stock.

IDAHO FALLS – Staying home with the kids is part of many mothers’ daily grind. Though raising children can be rewarding, some women occasionally feel burnt out doing the same thing day after day.

Chynna Hansen of Idaho Falls knows how that feels. Being a mother to three boys is what she loves most, but she says it’s often an exhausting job.

“There’s a lot of pressure to be the picture-perfect mom — to be thin and make the best recipes and throw the best parties (all while) being supportive of your husband and have the best-looking children,” Hansen tells EastIdahoNews.com. “Moms who choose not to work often feel the ‘OK, but what else do you do?’ judgments coming their way.”

Two and a half years ago, Hansen decided she needed a creative outlet and started designing T-shirts.

“I come up with phrases and sell (shirts) with those phrases on them,” Hansen says. “We figured out how we might go about getting shirts printed and started selling to family and friends at first.”

Hansen ran the business out of the basement of her home initially, but through word of mouth, the idea quickly took off and eventually became an online business.

“I definitely saw a need for more options for moms when it comes to everyday clothes,” Hansen says. “As a mother, your body changes a lot. When you have a baby, (your body) is not what it was before. I went on the hunt for the perfect fitting T-shirt, and moms really responded to the words I was putting on them.”

Phrases such as “Mama Power,” “Mom Squad,” and “Raising a little gentleman” adorn her shirts. Hansen says her boys were the inspiration behind many of the phrases. Today she processes more than 1,000 orders a month through her website Littlemamashirtshop.com. Since launching her website, her inventory has grown to include tank tops, sweaters, sweat pants and ball caps.

But her company is about much more than shirts. It’s about motherhood.

“I feel passionate about defending motherhood — the joys, the sorrows, the ups and downs, the highs and lows,” Hansen says. “My tagline for my clothing business is ‘Celebrating motherhood one shirt at a time. I thought (my business) was a really cool way to tell people, without telling people, who (I am) and what (I) do because it’s printed on (my) shirt.”

Through her business, Hansen strives to show women it’s possible to achieve their dreams while being a mom at the same time. She recently started teaching mothers how to grow their own businesses from home through a series of classes.

“I’m really feeling a pull towards teaching other moms how to do what I’ve done in whatever their passion or industry is. Some of the people in our classes make earrings or baby swaddles,” says Hansen. “You really can build a successful, profitable business working three to four hours a day.”

The four week course is open to any mom who wishes to attend. The cost is $120. There isn’t currently a way to register, but Hansen says you can go to her website and sign up for her email list. More information will be sent via email soon. You can also follow the Little Mama Shirt Shop on Facebook and Instagram.

To mothers who may feel overly critical of themselves, but feel they want something more out of life, Hansen’s advice is to go for it.

“Do the thing that scares you,” she says. “As a mother, sometimes you put yourself in a box and feel like you’re only allowed to do motherhood now. But you gain so much satisfaction by working on something for yourself.”

Hansen also has some advice for those who are critical of stay-at-home moms.

“(Being a mom) is the most important job. We are raising the next generation. We’re doing the best we can, and we all have the same goal, which is to raise happy, healthy kids.”

Click here to learn more about Hansen’s business.

If you want your business featured in the Small Business Spotlight, email rett.nelson@eastidahonews.com. Please use “SBS” in the subject line.

PREVIOUS SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT SEGMENTS

Local boxing club offers youth, adults opportunity to train like an olympic athlete

Local optometrist uses vision therapy to help patients

Local antique shop with unique history has been in business for nearly 46 years

If your child struggles with math, this business can help

Notre-Dame Cathedral went up in flames on Monday in a roaring blaze that devastated the Parisian landmark, a searing loss for the city and for France. Here are five facts on the Gothic masterpiece that celebrated its 850th jubilee in 2013:

U.S. Senators on Thursday introduced a bipartisan bill to prohibit the transfer of F-35 fighter aircraft to Turkey until the U.S. government certifies that Ankara will not take delivery of a Russian S-400 air defense system, a statement on the move said.

Thanks to a stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Wyndham hotel points, my mom and I were fortunate enough to make a trip to Kauai.  We transferred our Ultimate Rewards points to United Airlines for the flights and stayed at the Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu using Wyndham points (although that’s now a Marriott hotel).

My favorite use of the rewards I earn with many of the best credit cards for travel is to vacation with family.  And what better place to relax than Hawaii?

What was particularly interesting about this specific trip though, was that it was my mom’s first experience taking part in a timeshare presentation.  It took a LOT of convincing to get her there.  But after the fact, I’m pretty sure she was happy we’d done it because we both got a free cruise around the Na Pali Coast, Kauai’s most well-known feature!

I’ll share our experience in case you’re ever presented with the opportunity to attend a timeshare presentation.

Attending a Timeshare Presentation In Hawaii

On the second day of our trip to Kauai my mom and I were wandering around downtown Koloa just perusing the shops and grabbing a bite to eat.  At some point, a man approached us asking if we’d like two free tickets for a boat tour of the Na Pali Coast.

Having attended a timeshare presentation before, I knew exactly what he was up to.  But I let him give us the spiel.  We weren’t on any strict itinerary, but I had looked at the cost of various island cruises and knew that they were pricey.  So again, I wanted to see what he had to offer to decide whether it’d be worth our time.

He eventually divulged that he was, in fact, out there to get folks to attend a timeshare presentation.  I asked him when it was, how long it would take, and what they were offering in return.  My mom and I enjoy going to open houses in our hometown, and I told her we could just pretend this was another open house – but we’d get a free cruise out of it in the end!

She was hesitant, but I signed us up anyway.  The presentation was at a nearby resort and it was scheduled to start at 9:30 am.  I figured that would give us plenty of time afterward to still enjoy our day.

What Happened During the Presentation

We decided to walk to the resort from our hotel because exercise helps when you’re faced with a potentially stressful situation. I reminded my mom that I’d done this before and that the way to survive was to politely say “no” to everything.

Notice I use the word “survive” there.  And I’m not kidding!  Sometimes you feel like you’re swimming with sharks when you’re surrounded by high-pressure salespeople.

During the presentation, they showed us a slideshow of the property and then took us on a tour to view a couple of the rooms at the resort.  I must admit, I wasn’t impressed at all.  And I couldn’t stop thinking to myself, “Why would anyone want to vacation here?”

After the tour, they broke the group up and sat us down at individual tables.  A sales rep then came over to go cover the ins and outs of purchasing a timeshare.  This is when things got a little uncomfortable.  They’d decided that they were going to target my mom and push the sale on her.  Maybe it was her age?  Whatever it was, I ended up having to intervene and basically walk her out of the room.

All in all, we spent just shy of 2 hours there but left with meal vouchers for a nearby seafood restaurant and 2 free tickets for a Na Pali Coast snorkel and sightseeing tour.

If you check prices online you can see that these sorts of tours easily cost $165+ per person.  And including the meal vouchers, we easily saved over $400! 

Was It Worth It?

Meh.  This particular presentation was more intense than others I’ve attended before.  And I feel slightly guilty for subjecting my mom to it.  But the math still works out in my opinion!  So I’d say it was a success.  I can assure you we’d forgotten all about the pushy salesman when we were cruising through the turquoise blue water watching the dolphins pass by!

Have you ever attended a timeshare presentation?  I’d love to hear about your experience below!

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BLACKFOOT — A recently uncovered 47-year-old document could decide the ultimate fate the now-defunct Blackfoot Pool.

“We just became aware of it Tuesday, checking with different people in the city — nobody knew anything about this,” Blackfoot Mayor Mark Carroll told EastIdahoNews.com.

The rediscovered document — a warranty deed from September 1971 — gave the city rights to 1.9 acres of land owned by Blackfoot School District 55 to build a new city swimming pool. The agreement stated if the land was not being used for the pool, it would revert to the school district, according to Carroll.

“The city said it would secure (federal) grant money to build an indoor pool,” Carroll says of the original agreement. “The school district would be allowed to use the pool during daytime hours as long as they scheduled it with the recreation director in the city.”

Councilman Chris Jensen says city and district personnel verified the document.

“That throws a monkey wrench into the works,” Jensen says.

City Council minutes from the fall of 1971 shows the City Council reviewed and approved the agreement before it was signed by then-Mayor Dan Daniels.

“The school district can call at any time and say, ‘We want it back,’” Jensen says. “Not only did we tell the federal government that we would maintain a pool in perpetuity (and) lose all Federal Parks and Rec funding, but we also made an agreement with the school district that we would maintain the pool in perpetuity or lose the property.”

Referring to the school district Jensen says, “They did approach the city before we found out that information and wanted to know if we could turn it into some type of rec facility that their springtime sports people could use.”

Blackfoot School District Assistant Superintendent Ryan Wilson, however, says the talks are preliminary.

“We’d had meetings with Mayor Carroll already about plans to move forward with possibilities that could happen with the facility but … we’re in the very beginning stages,” Wilson says.

He says the school district stands as a concerned party just like others in Blackfoot and is working with the city to determine the meaning of the nearly 50-year-old document.

He says the school district taking back ownership hasn’t been discussed. Wilson says what happens next is in the city’s hands, and the district is there to serve as support.

“The district certainly wouldn’t get involved until decisions get made on what the plan is,” Wilson says.

Jensen and Carroll also say the district agreed to pay 25 percent of the pool’s operational costs the first year it was open, and potentially thereafter. Carroll says after the first year, the city and district were to renegotiate, but officials aren’t sure that ever happened.

“It looked like the intent was that the school district would continue to pay a portion of the maintenance and operating costs,” Carroll says.

Jensen says the district hasn’t contributed any funds to the pool for at least 20 years. On top of that, Jensen says funds for the pool haven’t been budgeted properly for quite some time. He says no money was being saved for the pool, and the funds went to other priorities, landing the pool in the position it is now.

“In our budget, we specifically budgeted X amount of dollars for the pool. It came out of the general fund,” Jensen says. “Our last two mayors haven’t done that. They just relied on departments that didn’t spend all of the money, and we would take that and use it. Well, even that (didn’t) always happen.”

But regardless of operation, the pool needed to be revitalized, Carroll says. The last three bond attempts failed, and many parts of the pool facility are falling apart.

“The recirculation system, the filtration system, the pool lining itself needed to completely be redone,” says Carroll. “We need an infusion of between 4 and 5 million dollars to get it back to where it’s a viable pool facility.”

So now what?

“My opinion is and has always been the pool is important, we can reopen it, we could reopen it anytime. We just have to dedicate funding for it,” Jensen says. “The citizens want it.”

Jensen says there’s a “save the pool” group working on creating a recreational taxing district on the ballot this coming November.

“So even though the city has closed the pool, there’s still a push to create a pool rec district to try to convince the city to reopen it,” Jensen says. “If it passed they would have enough funding, not to repair the pool, but to operate the pool.”

Carroll says a lot has to be determined before making a final decision, and all of the options are under review.

“I sat down with our legal attorney, and he spent 10 minutes reading through the documents. We’re still trying to digest,” Carroll says. “I’m trying to schedule a meeting right now between the city and the school district to go through this, see where everybody thinks we are on it, and what we need to go forward.”

I’m leaning towards taking a family vacation to the Hyatt Ziva in Cancun, Mexico.  It’s an all-inclusive resort so it includes all meals and drinks.  I’m usually not a fan of all-inclusive resorts, but since I had a baby, I am looking for a place to relax without having to plan much.  I also want something fun for my daughter to do.  Staying in a family friendly resort means there will be kids’ activities and swimming pools!

Lots of all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean are very expensive, and this hotel can go for up to ~$800 per night!  However, Hyatt has a few hotels in the Caribbean, which means I can use points earned from the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card to stay there!  I have this credit card.  You can earn 80,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.  That’s enough for up to 3 free nights at the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva in Cancun!

Use the Best Chase Credit Card Bonus to Stay at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun

One night at the Hyatt Ziva in Cancun costs 25,000 Hyatt points.  Chase Ultimate Rewards Points can be transferred to Hyatt for free at a 1:1 ratio.  It’s easy to transfer points!  Just log into your Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and click on “Transfer to Partners”.

Almost instantaneously, the Chase points will be transferred to your Hyatt account.  Then, just log into your Hyatt account and book the hotel!

Get 1 Chase Credit Card and Earn 3 FREE Nights at the Hyatt Ziva

For a 3-night stay, you will need 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. If you don’t have 75,000 Chase points, you can apply for the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card.  You can earn 80,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards after you spend at least $5,000 in the first 3 months.  This is the highest sign-up bonus that Chase is offering!  I have this credit card and use it every month.

You’ll need to have a business to get approved for this credit card.  But you can use your name and social security number when filling out the Chase business credit card application.

You can also get the The World Of Hyatt Credit Card and earn up to 60,000 bonus points when meet minimum spending requirements.

Have you stayed at the Hyatt Ziva? Share your experience with us in the comments below!

Ferrell's, which has been at the southwest corner of Broadway and Park Avenue since 1950, will be moving. Developers have announced plans to remodel the building, which was once the downtown JC Penney store.

Ferrell’s Clothing, a downtown mainstay since 1950, is moving to 3194 S. 25th East, in the Sagewood shopping center next to Kiwi Loco, where David’s Bridal used to be. A moving sale is planned for this month.

The move itself has been in the works since Dana and Teneal Wright bought the business from Teneal’s father, Brent Tueller, in June 2018, according to an announcement from the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, which has named Ferrell’s its January 2019 Business of the Month.

At 417 W. Broadway, Ferrell’s is where the parents of countless Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts and LDS Missionaries have gone shopping for their sons. Before Ferrell’s opened there is was the JC Penny store. Dave Anderson brought the business there, and in the 1980s Tueller bought the business from him.

“I’m grateful we could buy the business from my dad so that he can retire, but it’s still a little sad,” Teneal Wright told East Idaho News in November. “All the memories (of this location) will always be close to our hearts.”

“The building has been for sale since I started working here in 2004. We just never expected it to sell very fast,” Dana Wright said. “Some developers downtown bought this building several weeks ago and they’ll be restoring it.”

“Knowing they’re not going to just demolish it and tear it down — that makes me feel better,” Teneal says. “Now we can always drive by and say ‘That’s where Ferrell’s was.’ I know they’re going to make the building beautiful and it’ll be a good thing.”

In case you're wondering what happened to David's Bridal, the Pennsylvania-based company filed for bankruptcy in November 2018. In a classic case of "pump and dump" capitalism, a private equity firm bought the company in 2012 for more than $1 billion. The high level of debt the company had to take on under the deal left it little room to invest in its digital business or marketing. It missed its first interest payment in October 2018 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection owing between $500 million and $1 billion to creditors, according to court records.

“While David’s Bridal used to be the dominant force in bridal outfitting, it gradually became less relevant,” Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail, told CNN. ”David’s Bridal is a classic case of a retailer with too much debt and a challenged business model.”

Members of the New York City Council will host a trio of hearings to grill city officials and Amazon.com about the closed-door negotiations that led to the tech giant agreeing to build its second headquarters in Queens.

POCATELLO — Idaho State University’s fall enrollment is down from last year.

The latest tally: 12,387 — 256 fewer students from last fall’s enrollment of 12,643.

The decline constitutes a 2.5 percent drop among undergraduate students and a .8 percent drop among graduate students, according to an ISU press release from Wednesday.

Despite the overall decline, ISU’s new President Kevin Satterlee pointed to several “positive indicators”:

• A 5.9 percent increase in career-technical students.
• A 12.6 percent increase in early-college students.
• A 12.8 percent increase in Idaho-resident transfer students.
• A 3.4 percent increase in undergraduate enrollment of Hispanic students.
• An 11.1 percent increase in undergraduate enrollment of American Indian students.

“We are putting in place initiatives designed to address the enrollment issues seen in this report,” Satterlee said in a prepared statement. “As those initiatives begin to take hold, we expect to see our enrollment trends move in a positive direction.”

This fall’s enrollment drop follows a growing number of students leaving ISU in recent years, contributing to what Satterlee recently dubbed a “financial crisis” at the institution.

The university’s 2017 fall headcount was down by more than 400 students from the prior year.

The exodus of hundreds of Middle Eastern students contributed to the decline. At one point, nearly 1,200 Saudi and Kuwaiti students had enrolled at ISU. Supported largely by foreign scholarship programs, these students brought in up to $20,000 per person in annual tuition, replacing income lost from previous declines in enrollment and state funding.

In 2016, the New York Times reported that steep funding cuts to a major foreign scholarship program and a cultural clash between the foreign enrollees and community members were enticing Mideast students to leave Idaho.

ISU’s enrollment woes also follow an upsurge in the number of students attending the College of Eastern Idaho, located 50 miles north of ISU, in Idaho Falls.

As of July 17, 922 students had enrolled at CEI, a 482-student increase from a year prior, according to the school’s spokesman Todd Wightman. Growth was expected to follow CEI’s changeover to a community college last year, and some leaders predict the school’s enrollment to increase by thousands more over the next five years.

This article was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on October 18, 2018. It is used here with permission.

SALT LAKE CITY | Tuesday, 09 October 2018 |

President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Wendy, along with Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Lesa, will embark on a ministry tour to South America in October.

President Donald Trump has decided on his pick for a lifetime position on the U.S. Supreme Court and will announce the nomination later on Monday, with two conservative federal appellate judges seen as the top contenders to succeed retiring long-time Justice Anthony Kennedy.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration is working to lure other motorcycle companies to the United States, following Harley-Davidson Inc's decision to shift some production for European customers overseas.

It’s rare that you ever get to see history like this. This trail takes you through one of the most well-preserved ghost towns in all of Idaho. This place may be referred to as a ghost town, but there’s nothing haunting about this place. In fact, it’s one of the most fascinating reflections of early Idaho life in existence. The town is incredibly preserved and even contains a hiking trail that allows visitors to walk through the entirety of the site. If you love Idaho history, then you most definitely need to plan a trip to the Bayhorse ghost town.

Have you visited Bayhorse ghost town before? Our state is home to a ton of trails that combine scenic views with history. Be sure to check out these 5 Hikes In Idaho That Lead To Historic Places for more great destinations!

The post This Hike Takes You To A Place Idaho’s First Residents Left Behind appeared first on Only In Your State.

Update:   The Barclaycard JetBlue credit card now comes with an even better 15,000 point sign-up bonus!

Good news for folks who collect JetBlue points!

The no-annual-fee Barclaycard JetBlue credit card now comes with 10,000 JetBlue points after you open the card and spend $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.  That’s double the most recent offer of 5,000 JetBlue points.

That said, this is NOT a good card for folks new to miles & points.  Because there are other cards that offer bigger sign-up bonuses and earn more flexible points.

Emily and I don’t earn a commission on this card, but we’ll always tell you about the best deals!

10,000 JetBlue Points for Opening the Barclaycard JetBlue Card

Link:   Barclaycard JetBlue Credit Card

Link:   My Review of the Barclaycard JetBlue Credit Card

JetBlue points are typically worth ~1.4 cents each toward flights.  So the increased 10,000 point sign-up bonus from the Barclaycard JetBlue card is worth ~$140 in JetBlue flights.

The card also comes with:

• 3 JetBlue points per $1 you spend on JetBlue purchases
• 2 JetBlue points per $1 you spend at restaurants and grocery stores
• 1 JetBlue point per $1 you spend everywhere else
• 50% discount on eligible in-flight purchases like cocktails, food, and movies
• NO annual fee

Million Mile Secrets readers love JetBlue, because of the extra legroom in coach, free snacks, free in-flight Wi-Fi, and even live TV!

Team member Scott especially likes the unlimited Cheez-It crackers.

JetBlue points also don’t expire and there are never blackout dates on award flights.

Plus, the price of JetBlue award flights are tied to the cash price of a ticket.  So when JetBlue has a sale, the award price drops, too!

Want More JetBlue Points?

Link:   Barclaycard JetBlue Plus

Link:   Barclaycard JetBlue Business Card

There are 2 other JetBlue credit cards you can open to quickly earn JetBlue points:

• Barclaycard JetBlue Plus Card – 40,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days
• Barclaycard JetBlue Small Business Card – 30,000 JetBlue points after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days

Note:  Barclaycard does NOT usually approve folks for more than a couple cards each year.  So make sure there are no other Barclaycard credit cards you’d rather have before you open the Barclaycard JetBlue cards.

Some other ways to earn JetBlue points are:

• Flying JetBlue (you’ll earn points based on the ticket price)
• Shopping at Amazon (earn 3 JetBlue points per $1)
• Travel partners such as Marriott, Rocketmiles, and Avis
• JetBlue online shopping portal
• Enrolling in the JetBlue dining program

And don’t forget, you can pool JetBlue points with your family!

Bottom Line

The Barclaycard JetBlue credit card sign-up bonus has doubled!  You’ll now earn 10,000 JetBlue points for spending $1,000 within 90 days of account opening.

Just remember, this is NOT a good card for folks new to miles & points.  Because there are other cards that offer bigger sign-up bonuses and earn more flexible points.

Emily and I don’t earn a thing for this card, but we’re committed to telling you about the best deals!

App settings that accelerate voices to 5x or more allow impatient listeners to finish hourlong episodes in minutes. ‘A presumably insane person.’

(Reuters) - The last of four prisoners who escaped through an air vent from a county jail in central Oklahoma this week was captured on Thursday, a sheriff's office said.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nearly all of New York City's millionaires would receive big tax cuts under President Donald Trump's proposed tax overhaul, while more than one-third of moderate- and middle-income families would face increases, according to a government report issued on Thursday.

Apple's special Black Friday shopping event is now live in the United States and Canada, offering customers free Apple Store gift cards worth up to $150 or CA$200 with the purchase of selected Apple products today only.


The offers are available through Apple's website and retail stores in both countries. Each customer is limited to two gift cards per product category. Refurbished products and educational store purchases do not qualify.

U.S. rebate amounts include:

- Macs: $150 (iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro sans late 2016 models)
- iPad Pro: $100
- iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4: $50
- iPhone 6s and 6s Plus: $50
- iPhone SE: $25
- Apple Watch Series 1: $25
- Apple TV: $25

The one-day promotion is also ongoing in the United Kingdom (up to £120) and elsewhere in Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Apple's offers are rather lackluster considering better Black Friday deals are available on select iPhones, iPads, and Macs from authorized resellers such as B&H Photo Video and MacMall. Moreover, many of Apple's newest products such as the iPhone 7 and MacBook Pro with Touch Bar are not eligible for the gift card promotion.

The one-day shopping event has concluded in Australia and New Zealand, where it is now Saturday local time.


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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc shares took a hit on Thursday after best-selling author Eric Van Lustbader revived concerns about food safety at the burrito chain by tweeting that his editor fell ill after eating at one of its Manhattan restaurants.

Exciting news!  This is our first installment of a new “Sweet Spot” series where we highlight the best aspects of different award charts.

I’ll discuss using Flying Blue miles for award tickets on Delta to Hawaii!  And why it’s an especially good deal for folks who collect Chase, Citi, AMEX, or Starwood points.

About Flying Blue Miles

Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program for Air France and KLM.  But you can also book award tickets on airlines in the SkyTeam Alliance, like Delta or Korean Air.

It’s easy to earn Flying Blue miles because you can transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points, Citi ThankYou points, or Starwood points, to Flying Blue.  And recently, Chase Ultimate Rewards added Flying Blue as a transfer partner too! 

All of these program points transfer to Flying Blue miles at a 1:1 ratio.

How Many Flying Blue Miles Will You Need?

Link:  Flying Blue Calculator 

Use the Flying Blue miles calculator tool to see how many miles you’ll need for your award flight.  Because Flying Blue only publishes award charts for flights originating in Europe!

Just remember to pay attention to the taxes and fuel surcharges.  Because fees for award flights operated by Delta (as opposed to Air France or KLM) are a lot less.

Using this Sweet Spot, we’ll only fly on Delta, so the fees will be minimal.

Use Fewer Miles to Hawaii With Flying Blue!

One sweet spot using Flying Blue miles is for tickets from the mainland US to Hawaii on Delta.  Especially for folks who do NOT live on the West Coast.  But I’ll give y’all on the West Coast an alternative!

For anyone who doesn’t live on the West Coast, using Flying Blue miles for Delta flights is a better deal.

For example, a round-trip flight from Atlanta to Honolulu on Delta will only cost 30,000 Flying Blue miles and ~$6 in fees.

Using American Airlines miles, you’ll pay at least 40,000 miles for a round-trip coach flight to Hawaii from the US.

And it will cost 45,000 United Airlines miles round-trip from the US to Hawaii in coach.

Delta also charges 45,000 Delta miles for round-trip coach flights from the US to Hawaii.  But I’d rather use Flying Blue miles to hop on the same Delta flight for 30,000 miles instead!

How to Book Flying Blue Award Tickets

Link:   Air France

Link:   KLM

From the Air France home page, click the “Use Your Miles” tab.  Then click “Sign In.” 

Enter your Flying Blue login information and click “Log In.”

After that, enter your flight search details.  Like departure and arrival cities, dates, number of passengers, and cabin preference.

Be sure to check the box “You are looking for a flight around these dates.”  That way you’ll be able to see a full calendar.  And choose dates that cost the fewest miles.

Select your departure and return dates from the calendar.

Then you’ll be able to see the total price of the award ticket, including fees.

From there, you’ll be able to select exactly which flights you’d like and fill in passenger details to book your tickets!

Note:   You can also book Flying Blue award tickets by calling their customer service at 800-375-8723.  But they charge a phone booking fee of ~$22 per passenger.

Or book Flying Blue tickets on the KLM website.  But I find the Air France website to be the easiest.

Folks on the West Coast Can Get to Hawaii for Even Fewer Miles

If you’re on the West Coast, you can use British Airways Avios points for cheap flights to Hawaii on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines.  Fly from cities like Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, and Anchorage.

These tickets cost 25,000 British Airways Avios points and ~$6 in fees for a round-trip flight in coach.

Need More Flying Blue Miles?

Because you can transfer points from all 4 flexible points programs to Flying Blue, there are lots of credit cards you can use to earn more Flying Blue miles.

For example, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned from the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Plus, or Ink Bold (no longer offered) cards to Flying Blue miles.

Or transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from the Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Unlimited, or Chase Ink Cash, if you also have 1 of the Chase cards mentioned above.   

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll earn 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after meeting minimum spending.  And with the Ink Plus card, you’ll earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

If you prefer earning AMEX Membership Rewards points, check out the AMEX Premier Rewards Gold card or AMEX Business Gold Rewards card.  With both cards, you can earn 25,000 AMEX Membership Rewards points after meeting the minimum spending requirements.

And if you’re looking for Citi ThankYou points, consider the Citi ThankYou Premier or Citi Prestige cards.

With the Citi ThankYou Premier card, you’ll earn 40,000 Citi ThankYou points for signing-up and meeting spending requirements.  And with the Citi Prestige card, you’ll earn 50,000 Citi ThankYou points after signing-up and completing the minimum spend.

Also, don’t forget you can transfer Starwood points to Flying Blue and get 5,000 bonus Flying Blue miles when you transfer 20,000 Starwood points!

Currently, both the AMEX Starwood personal and small business cards are offering 25,000 Starwood points after meeting minimum spending requirements.

With most of these cards, you’d earn enough miles or points from the sign-up bonus to fly round-trip to Hawaii on Delta with Flying Blue miles!

For more credit card options, check out our “Hot Deals” page.

Bottom Line

Using Flying Blue miles for award tickets to Hawaii on Delta is a great deal for lots of folks.  Especially if you don’t live on the West Coast!

Because Flying Blue award tickets from the mainland US to Hawaii cost 30,000 Flying Blue miles.  Whereas other popular programs, like Delta and United Airlines, charge 45,000 miles!

And because you can transfer points from all 4 flexible points programs to Flying Blue at a 1:1 ratio, there are lots of ways to earn Flying Blue miles.

This include credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Plus, AMEX Starwood personal and small business cards, and Citi ThankYou Premier card.

A big thanks to Million Mile Secrets reader MrBrigham for the great post suggestion!

* If you liked this post, why don’t you join the 20,000+ readers who have signed-up to receive free blog posts via email (only 1 email per day!) or in an RSS reader …because then you’ll never miss another update!