Two Weeks to Voting Day

I have to admit, I haven't been paying a lot of attention to the Ontario election so far. Perhaps, and you may want to have your pitchforks and torches handy, it's because I'm generally satisfied with what the McGuinty government has done over the last eight years.

Investment in the auto makers, the HST, all-day kindergarten, green energy -- while unpopular with some, are policies that will benefit Ontario significantly in the long run.

There are certainly things I could find fault with: chiefly the incompetent management of several of the province's programs, agencies and commissions. But these problems often had their origins in the Harris years; the Liberals' fault lay mainly in not dealing with them sooner. But then, they had a huge mess to clean up.

However, I'm not going to expend time and energy critiquing, or even poking fun at Tim Hudak and the Conservatives.

I really don't have to: Rob Ford and the American Tea Partiers are doing a pretty good job undermining Hudak's credibility on his promise to cut taxes and balance the budget without cutting programs.

I'm just going to state the fundamental reason why I'm opposed to conservative political ideology and leave it at that.

It comes down to the difference between a "taxpayer" and a "citizen":

A taxpayer sees his or her condition as a victim of government. Taxes are a form of confiscation and so the best thing politicians can do is cut them. Always. Conservatives thus appeal to narrow self-interest. But I don't object just on moral grounds. This narrow self-interest is also short-sighted, because as every business person knows, you can't starve an enterprise to greatness; you have to spend money to make money.

A citizen, on the other hand, sees his- or herself as part of a community and a larger society. Taxes are a form of investment, a contribution to our social capital that pays future dividends in the form of a better and more prosperous future for all. Citizens recognize the need for taxes to rise when the situation warrants.

Of the three major parties contesting the election, I see Dalton McGuinty's Liberals as the party most aligned with this vision of Ontario as one comprised of citizens, working together, contributing to a better future for all.

I have to say something about Andrea Horwath and her New Democrats. I've supported the New Democrats most of my life, but I'm disappointed that Horwath has chosen to go fishing in the same anti-tax waters as Hudak: promising to remove the HST from home heating and reduce gasoline taxes. Progressive people should not be anti-tax, particularly taxes that contribute to combatting the effects of climate change.

So, I'm going to leave it there. I welcome your comments.

You can now follow me on Twitter: @AeneasLane

Chase Marriott Rewards VISA Fail

I mentioned in Part 2 of the annual Points and Miles update that Marriott Rewards was a program I hadn't paid much attention to in the past. But about six weeks ago, I received an offer in the mail of a free night and 15K points if I signed up for the $75 annual fee Chase Marriott Rewards VISA card. Since Marriott was also running a "stay twice; earn a free night" promotion, I was planning to direct my hotel stays this fall toward Marriott, even though they are usually more expensive than most of their competitors.

Well, not everything has gone according to plan.

I completed the application form and mailed it away back in early August and waited. It's always been my experience in applying for credit cards in the past to receive the card in 2-3 weeks, sometimes in as little as 10 days.

After about a month, in early September, I received a phone message from Chase. I followed the instructions to return the call, only to be misdirected several times through their automated system. I finally just pressed "0" and spoke to a customer service representative to explain that I had been asked to contact them about my credit card application.

The CSR said she needed to know my date of birth. I'm pretty sure it was on the original application, but whatever. I provided it and was told to expect my card in 5-7 business days.

Two weeks later, I received a letter in the mail stating that if I wished to complete my application for its credit card, I should call Chase at the number provided. I decided I wouldn't.

Now, it's not just a matter of pique. Or that I didn't want to waste time wading through an automatic phone system and waiting on hold. There's a larger motive at play.

All of us, in our role as customers, are forced to interact with large and distant corporations – cable, cell, and internet companies, airlines, insurers, and banks – electronically, through call centres and/or the internet. And when we have a question, concern, or problem, the experience is always time-consuming, usually frustrating, and often unfair.

Thus, I've come to appreciate the companies that get it right: that never or seldom make errors, whose customer service is easily accessible, and whose CSR's are trained and empowered to resolve issues quickly to my satisfaction. In my experience, American Express is a good example.

So when even the mere application process with Chase was problematic, even if those problems were minor, I asked myself: "What is my experience likely to be if I have a disputed charge on my card?" And I wasn't reassured by the answer.

So that's the reason I'm giving up on the Chase Marriott Rewards VISA card. Sometimes the points just aren't worth the aggravation.

You can now follow me on Twitter: @AeneasLane

Dessert Cocktails

Sipping a glass of port or icewine is a great way to end a fine meal with friends. And it's hard to beat a boozy coffee on a cold winter's night (We'll get to that in a future post). But there's a delicious alternative you might not have considered: the dessert cocktail. Sweet, and usually creamy, they're more than just a layered shooter.

The following examples are all original creations; I've even given them literary (that's debatable) names. They're best served in a Martini- or Margarita-style glass.

Curious George

• 1½ oz. white rum
  
• 1 oz. crème de bananes
  
• 1 oz. dark crème de cacao
  
• 1 oz. half and half cream (10% M.F.)
  
• crushed ice
  

Crème de bananes and crème de cacao aren't actually creamy: they're clear, strongly-flavoured, but fairly low-alcohol liqueurs, intended to add flavour to cocktails. Crème de cacao comes in both dark brown and colourless varieties; they taste the same. You'll find them at the liquor store, alongside the triple sec and apricot brandy. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake sharply for 30 seconds and strain into your cocktail glass.

The Man in the Yellow Hat

• 1½ oz. white rum
  
• 1 oz. crème de bananes
  
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
  
• 1 oz. half and half cream (10% M.F.)
  
• crushed ice
  

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake sharply for 30 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass.

The Albino Monk

Named for the character Silas, in The Da Vinci Code, because its hazelnut flavour is reminiscent of the liqueur, Frangelico, which comes in a monk-shaped bottle. And yet it's snowy white, like the self-flagellating friar. It's also perfect for the lactose intolerant because it contains no dairy.

• 1 oz. Coffeemate, Hazelnut flavour
  
• 1 oz. vodka
  
• 1 oz. white crème de cacao
  
• crushed ice
  

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake sharply for 30 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass.

These cocktails are made from "scratch" in the sense that they require you to combine cream with various liqueurs. Of course, there are many premixed creamy liqueurs available that come in a range of flavours. Check their websites for ways to serve them as an ingredient in desserts or dessert cocktails.

Since next month is October, in the spirit of Oktoberfest, I'll take a look at some beers for the cooler days (and nights) of autumn.

You can now follow me on Twitter: @AeneasLane

Points and Miles: Annual Update, Part 2

Last fall, in Points 4: Double-dipping, I described how you can often earn points in at least two different programs for any transaction (My personal record is a quintuple dip). The principles I outlined still apply, but as I mentioned in Part 1, the specific example I gave of converting points earned with the Club Sobeys MasterCard to Aeroplan miles is no longer valid.

The reasons for joining multiple airline and hotel rewards programs that I explained in Points 5: U.S. Airline Frequent Flier Programs still pertain. So does my opinion about the value of Points.com. Personally, I don't use Points.com to track the balances in my programs any more. I've found another free site, AwardWallet, which is easier to use, works faster, and is more accurate. It will even keep track of flight, hotel, and car rental reservations for me, which I've found very useful. It doesn't allow me to swap points the way Points.com does, so I still use the latter occasionally.

I don't have the Amex Starwood Preferred Guest card anymore, so I'm not earning SPG Starpoints the way I described in Points 6: Starwood Preferred Guest Program. But, if I want to, I can convert Amex Membership Rewards to Starpoints. All the virtues of the SPG program remain. Ben Schlappig, who writes the One Mile at a Time blog, recently explained the best ways to realize the value of Starpoints in this piece on travelsort.

Since the beginning of the year, I've also collected a fair number of Club Carlson (formerly goldpoints plus) points. You can read about that and my legendary quintuple dip in this post from back in May. I'm hoping to pull off something similar this fall. I'll let you know if it works out.

Marriott Rewards was a program I hadn't paid much attention to in the past. There hadn't been many Marriott properties in Canada, and I generally find Marriott's rates higher, both for paid stays and points redemptions. But recently a number of reasonably-priced Fairfield Inns have opened in Canada that compete with Hilton and Intercontinental in the Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express space. Currently, there's also a stay twice, earn a free night offer and a 15K sign-up bonus for a $75 annual fee Chase VISA card that have me planning some Marriott stays this fall. And speaking of Hilton, a double points offer this summer meant our week in D.C. earned a nice bunch of points in a program that also had not been a focus for me in the past.

As I described in Points 7: Priority Club, this is where my hobby/obsession began about seven years ago, and it remains a favourite program for its ease of earning points (lots of bonus opportunities) and plentiful locations. I mentioned that there wasn't a way Canadians could earn PCR points with a credit card, but that will change this November when Capital One will launch $120 annual fee and no-fee versions of a PCR MasterCard. You can be sure I'll be signing up and letting you know which is the better value, depending on your circumstances.

If you want to know more about points and miles collecting and how to get the most out of redemptions, check out the resources in Points 9: The End of the Trail.

And one final point: unless you're able to pay your credit card balances in full each month, the interest you pay will far exceed the value of any points or miles you earn.

You can now follow me on Twitter: @AeneasLane

Points and Miles: September

This is the first monthly summary of the best travel rewards points and miles offers that come my way. Look for it the first Thursday of each month. Now that the busy summer travel season is winding down, we're starting to see more lucrative offers from the airlines and hotel chains. The sputtering economy is also contributing to this.

Delta Airlines has a code, good through December 31, for up to 2,500 SkyMiles and 40% off a Hertz rental. And, also to December 31, beginning with your second stay, you'll receive thousands of bonus SkyMiles for stays at Marriott hotels. You must set your earnings preference to SkyMiles in your Marriott Rewards account.

Until September 18, you can earn as many as 5,000 bonus miles when you convert points from several hotel programs to Aeroplan. All the details are here. Purchases at Home Hardware earn double Aeroplan miles until September 10. And Air Canada will join the major U.S. carriers in charging $25 for the first checked bag, starting October 11.

The big news on the airline mile front is the annual "Grand Slam" promotion from U.S. Airways. Various activities earn hits. Hits earn Dividend Miles, as many as 110,000, if you earn the maximum 40 hits. Registration is open now. Play begins September 14 and continues until November 14. And until September 15, you can earn a 100% bonus on purchased or gifted Dividend Miles, up to 50,000 miles. This also counts as a "hit" if you do it on September 14 or 15.

Starwood Preferred Guest members can earn double the usual points (triple if the stay includes a Thursday or Sunday night) for stays through December 18 at Sheraton, Westin, and other hotels in the Starwood family. Registration is required via this link. And SPG members save 35% and get a free continental breakfast for city weekend getaways, until December 30.

Until November 3, register to get 4X ChoicePrivileges points for stays at Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, EconoLodge, etc.).

Here's a code for 15% off at budget chain Red Roof Inn, valid during September for those over 50.

It can sometimes make sense to purchase hotel points to redeem for a reward. For example, you may be only a few points shy of the number needed, or the room rate may be greater than the cost of the points. Until September 30, receive a 20% bonus when purchasing Hyatt Gold Passport points: 1,200 for US$24.

Points.com is not usually a good deal when swapping points among your programs, but until September 15, some swaps earn a 15% bonus, which softens the blow a little. Even with the poor exchange rates Points.com offers, there are times when it's worthwhile: you may have "orphan" points in a program that could provide some value somewhere else, or a swap into a program could count as activity to extend the life of your points in a program. And a swap into U.S. Airways counts as a "hit" for the Grand Slam promotion.

And finally, I don't think PETRO-POINTS have a lot of value (I buy gas at Esso to get Aeroplan miles), but until October 31, when you buy a coffee and swipe your PETRO-POINTS card, you could win free gas for a year.

You can now follow me on Twitter: @AeneasLane

Points and Miles: Annual Update, Part 1

As promised, here is the first part of an update to last fall's series on collecting travel reward points and miles. I've highlighted changes and provided links to the original posts.

In Points 1: Canada's Favourite Points Programs, I said that, unlike many points experts who advise you to focus on one program, I take the opposite view. All points and miles have potential value, so I believe in signing up for almost any program, focusing on several, and taking a patient, long-term approach. If like me, you want to collect with the goal of travel, you have to be prepared to play the long game.

Start with a credit card, preferably no-fee or that waives the fee for the first year, that gives you a nice sign-up bonus and 1-2 points per dollar of spending. Add additional cards as better opportunities present themselves and cancel cards you no longer need. Keep several different cards, though: that gives you flexibility. Within a year or two, you'll have enough points for a holiday. Within five years, you can build a large enough portfolio of points and miles to pick and choose your vacation opportunities.

The advice I gave in Points 2, about how to earn Aeroplan miles with a no-fee credit card, no longer applies. Shortly afterwards, Bank of Montreal suddenly changed the terms of its Club Sobeys MasterCard, so that Club Sobeys points earned by spending on the card were no longer eligible for conversion to Aeroplan miles. I described the whole sorry fiasco in Points 8: BMO Club Sobeys MasterCard Snafu. There is one revision to that post: I was allowed to autoconvert the enrolment bonus points. But as I said, this is no way to build loyalty: I cancelled the card. Club Sobeys points earned by shopping at Sobeys can still be converted to Aeroplan miles.

There have been some changes to what I wrote in Points 3: Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Card. Sign-up bonuses have gotten bigger and smaller, and waiving of the annual fee for the first year has come and gone. All the other advantages of the Starwood program and the American Express card still pertain, but best check the details if you're thinking of applying.

I did cancel the SPG Amex after the first year, but did not go with the BMO Club Sobeys MasterCard as my main spending card (for the reason I described above). Instead, American Express offered me its new Gold Rewards card. This card has an annual fee of $150, waived for the first year. I received 15K Membership Reward points as an enrolment bonus and earn 2 points per dollar for spending on gas, groceries, drug store, and travel. All other purchases earn 1 point. This is a "hybrid" card: points can be used for travel booked through American Express; redeemed for merchandise; or converted to points with Air Canada, Delta, British Airways, Hilton Hotels, Starwood (Sheraton, Westin, etc.), Priority Club (Holiday Inn, etc.), and other travel partners, at various conversion rates. Since Aeroplan and British Airways have recently devalued their award charts, and Continental is leaving the program with its takeover by United Airlines, the value of Membership Rewards points is decreasing. Unless there are significant enhancements to the value of the card, I won't be paying $150 to renew it next year.

I'll conclude this update in Part 2, next Tuesday.

You can now follow me on Twitter: @AeneasLane

Happy New Year

The equinox may still be three weeks away, but the approaching Labour Day weekend marks the end of summer for most of us. For forty-six years, as student and teacher, the resumption of school was the annual milestone that marked the beginning of a "new year" for me. It's impossible to shake that feeling.

And so, I've decided to make some changes to the blog, minor ones, but I hope for the better.

It's now a year and a half old and has had more than 7,300 visits. Lately, the cocktail, and especially the travel and points, posts have proven very popular. So I've decided to continue with a "drinks" post, once a month, on the third Thursday. Look for posts on Dessert Cocktails, Boozy Coffees, and Winter Beers in the coming months.

Last September, after a dinner party conversation with friends about my travel points and miles obsession, I undertook to explain in a post the basics of collecting and redeeming loyalty rewards. That turned into a nine-part series (starting here). In the year since, I've posted what I thought were travel and points offers that might be of value to my readers. I began with a quarterly/seasonal summary, but soon found that there were so many offers out there that I was posting almost monthly. And so, I'm going to continue with a monthly roundup, the first Thursday. (This month's will be next Thursday)

Also, some things have changed since I wrote that series of posts from last fall. Some point-offering credit cards are gone; new ones have arrived. Some programs have changed, and I've revised my thinking on some things. Later this month, I'll revisit last year's posts and update you on the changes and what I've learned since then.

Of course I'll still blog about whatever's on my mind, whenever I feel the urge. That's why I started 500 Words in the first place. For those of you who indulge my headwashing with patience and good humour, my heartfelt thanks.

Enjoy the last of summer. All the summer cocktail recipes are accessible, right there on the left side under the months of June, July, and August. See you next week.