Just a short distance away from the powers-that-be in Ireland, the Joker's Chair is a memorial to one of the country's most beloved alternative comedians, Dermot Morgan, who made his career satirizing Irish politics, and rose to international fame playing Father Ted, a priest that had quite a weakness for fame and money.
A former schoolteacher from Dublin, Dermot Morgan broke into comic acting in the late 1970s. He became a household name in the late 1980s for his work on the RTÉ radio show Scrap Saturday, which satirized the Irish politics of the day on either side of the political spectrum as well as business and church leaders and policy. When the show was cancelled in 1991, there were accusations of political interference.
Morgan would score the role of Father Ted Crilly in the British Channel Four sitcom Father Ted in 1995. The sitcom lasted three series and won multiple BAFTA Awards. One of three Catholic priests exiled to an eccentric parish on an island off the west coast of Ireland, Father Crilly with his weakness for money and great desire for fame headlined a cast that included many Irish comedians throughout its run. The series became a cultural touchstone in Ireland and beyond.
Right after the final episode of the last series wrapped production, Morgan and his family hosted a dinner party at his London home. But at this party, almost 24 hours after the final scene was shot, Dermot Morgan suffered a massive heart attack and died on February 28, 1998, at age 45. At his funeral mass, two Irish Presidents, Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson, were in attendance as well as other political and church leaders, who were often the targets of his satire.
His memorial is the Joker's Chair in Merrion Square, Dublin. The joker, or jester, is the entertainer who was able to criticize the royal court. Ireland's first alternative comedian has left a legacy in the country, with his memorial just a walk away from the powers he would satirize.
IHG has just announced that they're acquiring Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants for $430 million.
Here are the highlights from IHG's press release:
- IHG has agreed to acquire Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants (“Kimpton”) for $430 million in cash.
- Kimpton is the world’s largest independent boutique hotel operator and a sophisticated food and beverage operator.
- Kimpton is a fully asset-light business that manages 62 hotels in the most attractive cities and resorts in the US with a further 16 hotels in the pipeline. It operates 71 hotel-based destination restaurants and bars.
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IHG is acquiring Kimpton hotels for $430 million. Kimpton has been shopping itself. And they’ve fetched an impressive sum considering their size and earnings. The IHG Kimpton deal is a smaller one than what some had expected — there’s been rumors of an IHG Starwood deal, and a Wyndham IHG combination. I wasn’t a big […]
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Through December 21, 2014, American Express is offering an increased sign-up bonus on their personal and business versions of the Gold Delta SkyMiles Cards.
In both cases they're offering:
-- 50,000 Delta SkyMiles if you spend $1,000 within your first three months of card membership
-- $50 statement credit if you make a Delta purchase within your first three months of card membership
The annual fee is $95, and it's waived the first year. This sign-up bonus is substantially higher than their usual sign-up bonus, which hovers around 30,000 miles upon completing minimum spend.
The post 50,000 Mile Sign-Up Bonus On Gold Delta Amex Card appeared first on One Mile at a Time.
… In some cases. And that mattters. Delta says their new program rewards their highest spending customers, but they cap mileage earning at 75,000 miles per ticket. This cap is inclusive of elite and class of service bonuses. For revenue-based earning that means Delta’s 125,000 mile a year Diamond members will not earn a single […]
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One area where I save quite a bit of money by living in hotels is with material goods. Living out of a carry-on really gives you perspective on what material goods you need and which you don't. It makes it really fun for my mom to try and go Christmas shopping for me (I tell her I really don't want anything, but that doesn't mean she'll ever listen). ;)
That being said, I know many people spend a good amount on shopping and shipping this time of year, and the costs can add up quickly. Fortunately, American Express has several ways for cardholders to save on last-minute shipping. I'm sure I'm not the only that's a procrastinator in general, so hopefully this is helpful to some of you.
ShopRunner is a membership program which offers express shipping (generally 2-day) and other benefits for a subscription fee of $8.95 per month, or $79 per year. Amex cardholders (including authorized users) receive a complimentary membership, which can be shared with two household members as well.
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I receive compensation for many links on this blog. You don’t have to use these links, but I am grateful to you if you do. American Express, Citibank, Chase, and other banks are advertising partners of this site. I do not write about all credit cards that are available — instead focusing on miles, points, […]
The post Here Are the Eight Best Credit Card Offers That Won’t Last Long appeared first on View from the Wing.
One of the most useful transfer partners of American Express Membership Rewards is British Airways Executive Club.
Through January 31, 2015, Amex Membership Rewards is offering a 40% transfer bonus to British Airways Executive Club.
The bonus is hard-coded into the transfer ratio at a rate of 1,400 Avios per 1,000 Membership Rewards points, meaning you can earn the bonus an unlimited number of times. There's no registration required.
I know a lot of people have been waiting for this promotion, given how few transfer bonuses we've seen from Membership Rewards' better transfer partners lately. Back in the day they were common, while this is the only transfer bonus we've seen from Amex to British Airways all year.
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Yesterday I wrote about the new IHG Rewards Club Set Your Sights promotion set to go live today. The bonus is now up. The IHG Rewards Club Set Your Sights promotion is structured similarly to 2013’s The Big Win and the copycat ‘Into the Nights’ from fall 2014. IHG Rewards Club clearly finds
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If Alaska Airlines were an animal, it would be this:
I lived in Seattle for 18 months, and during that time I grew to love Alaska Airlines. Okay, if I’m being honest I grew to love Alaska’s frequent flyer program, Mileage Plan. Not only is it exceptional for their same day standby and lack of ticket change fees, but they also have some amazing partner airlines you can redeem miles on, like Cathay Pacific and Emirates.
But the airline itself is bizarre. Truly bizarre. In 2012 I wrote a post entitled "Is Alaska the weirdest airline in the US?" And I still stand by that sentiment.
I flew with Alaska from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City recently – one of the routes they started as part of their “battle in Seattle” – and figured I’d share just how odd I find the experience of flying with them to be.
The post Alaska Airlines: The Airline I Love To Hate And Hate To Love appeared first on One Mile at a Time.
The American Express Platinum Cards (both business and personal) have undergone quite some changes over the past few years. We've seen them lose some benefits (particularly due to to airline mergers and their corresponding credit card partnerships), and we've also seen them add some benefits to make up for it. It seems like the Amex Business Platinum Card will soon have another benefit added.
Per an email sent out to those with the Amex Business Platinum Card, it looks like 10 complimentary Gogo inflight internet passes each calendar year will soon be a benefit.
This is presently a benefit on some corporate cards, and the way it works on them is that you simply purchase an inflight Gogo session, and then American Express reimburses you on your statement. Given that some Gogo sessions cost over $20, this has the potential to be quite a valuable benefit.
Personally, I have a Gogo Unlimited Pass, so it won't be of much use to me. But I realize for many, 10 wifi sessions per year is more than enough, and this benefit will be extremely valuable in those situations.
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The British Virgin Islands often fosters images of intrepid sailors and adventurers living their own version of a Jimmy Buffett song while sailing the seas, relentlessly drinking rum, stopping at hidden beaches, and exploring deserted islands. Standing behind the wheel with the wind whipping at your hair as the sails of your boat take you from island to island sounds wonderful to many of us. But, after imagining that scenario, we think, “That’s too expensive. It would be great, but […]
The post How to Sail the British Virgin Islands for Free appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.
I receive compensation for many links on this blog. You don’t have to use these links, but I am grateful to you if you do. American Express, Citibank, Chase, and other banks are advertising partners of this site. I do not write about all credit cards that are available — instead focusing on miles, points, […]
The post 40% Transfer Bonus from American Express to British Airways is Back, and How to Play It appeared first on View from the Wing.
The Boston Globe ran a fun story over the weekend about Bette Nash, a 79 year old US Airways flight attendant who has been flying for 57 years. That possibly makes her the longest serving active flight attendant in the world.
Here's a video of her on a Washington National to Boston flight.
The article is also well worth a read, and focuses on how the industry has fundamentally shifted since she first started flying. But most insightful is the biggest lesson she has learned from all of these years:
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American is introducing new bonus miles earning on top of the current program for purchasing premium cabin tickets. Already the AAdvantage program awards: Miles based on distance flown Bonus miles for elite frequent flyers Bonus miles for more expensive tickets In 2015 they will layer on more bonus miles for premium cabin tickets — more […]
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With the economy improved and US airlines making record profits, loyalty programs sure don’t feel quite as rewarding as they used to. Revenue versus loyalty Airlines seem to be all about rewarding revenue as opposed to loyalty. While there’s of course merit to rewarding high revenue flyers, I think there’s a risk in focusing too…
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I just signed up for another American Express Platinum card, — a Business Platinum card — and it’s going to be coming with a benefit I didn’t even know about. Here’s what American Express is saying about the benefit that will come online soon: Business Platinum Card Members will soon be able to access 10 […]
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