There were a lot of credit card articles on Lonely Planet this week so I figured it’s a good time to talk about them. I’ve purchased a few credit cards from Capital One although I currently one I use the most is the Savor One card because it’s free and gives me 3% back on restaurants and grocery stores, which I got to a lot in Mexico.

I’ve also used a couple of airline credit cards (Delta and Southwest) and racked up the points before cancelling them after one year. Obviously I don’t have enough money to afford a Chase Sapphire Reserve or AMEX Platinum but I have plenty of friends who own travel credit cards.

Do you have any travel credit cards? Are you worried about what Venice, Italy has become? Do you have any summer road trip plans? What are your favorite songs to sing at karaoke? Who will the English Premier League this season? Describe the coolest bathroom you have ever seen. Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Anyways...onto Flakes.

Flakes

Nebraska Football: What The Heck Happened To The 2021 Recruiting Class? | Football | Corn Nation

Nebraska signed 20 high school prospects in 2021. Eight of them are already gone. One of them never even showed up (Branson Yager.) Of the remaining 11, only seven have ever played in a game (Ervin, Rollins, Prochazka, Lutovsky, Buckley, Buford, Bretz) and of those players, only four of them have started a game (Ervin, Prochazka, Lutovsky, Buford). What gives here?

2023 Nebraska Football Position Preview: The Wide Receivers | Football | Corn Nation

At the end of the season last year, only one thing from the receiving core was certain, Trey Palmer was gone (please come back). Nebraska’s new record setter was a high-powered basketball star, one and done. The only shining constant in a group that was a Forest Gump-esque box of chocolates.

‘The O-Line Coach I’ve Been Waiting For’: Linemen Chasing Donovan Raiola’s Standard | Football | Hail Varsity

Donovan Raiola is a man of few words. He speaks directly and simply in his limited time in front of local media. Having successfully dodged a appearance in front of cameras las fall, Raiola made a long-awaited media appearance when he was retained by head coach Matt Rhule. The offensive line coach’s message between that January appearance and this fall camp remains the same. Raise the standard and continue improving.

Husker Volleyball Opens Preseason Practice with Two-a-Day | Volleyball | Hail Varsity

The Huskers have three weeks to prepare for the season-opener against Utah State on Aug. 25 and a lot to squeeze into that time as Coach John Cook looks to solidify his lineup on a team with several freshman pushing for immediate playing time. Fortunately, the entire freshman class enrolling early and the extra practices that came with the team’s trip to Brazil provided the coaches to do a lot of installation and teaching in the spring, allowing the team to hit the ground running on day one of fall practice.

Tom Shatel: John Cook Has a Plan For How Big Ten Volleyball Will Work in a Coast-to-Coast League | Volleyball | Omaha World-Herald

“If we get to 20 teams, it makes it a hell of a lot easier to do what I wanted to do when we first came in the Big Ten. Go to two divisions,” Cook said. “Everybody says we got to have a (post-season conference) tournament so we can potentially have another champion. With two divisions, you have two (division) champions play for a championship.”

Amie Just: Nebraska Volleyball’s Freshmen Are a ‘Rare’ Group With Championship Goals | Volleyball | Lincoln Journal Star

They’re a force to be reckoned with. The Journal Star caught up with all five freshmen at Nebraska volleyball’s media days. Here’s how they’ve adjusted to college life and what they expect for the future.

Jeff Sims Named to Davey O’Brien Award Watch List | Football | Huskers.com

Last season, Sims threw for 1,115 yards and five touchdowns in seven starts while rushing for 288 yards. In 2021, Sims started six games and passed for 1,468 yards and 21 touchdowns with 372 rushing yards. As a freshman in 2020, Sims started 10 games and accumulated 1,881 passing yards, 492 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns.

Huskers Open Exhibition Play With 2-1 Victory | Soccer | Huskers.com

The Nebraska soccer team scored two goals in the second half to defeat the South Dakota State Jackrabbits by a score of 2-1 on Tuesday night at Barbara Hibner Stadium. NU’s offense shone through, as the Huskers outshot SDSU by a margin of 13-6, including a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal. Nebraska continues exhibition play at home against Oklahoma on Friday at 7:05 p.m.

Travel

Best Credit Cards For Airline Lounge Access in 2023 | Travel | Lonely Planet

A credit card with airline lounge access is a great way to improve your travel experience. Many of these cards also offer priority boarding privileges which can help you get on the plane faster and avoid long lines at the gate. Furthermore, you’ll earn bonus points on flights, which can be used towards free flights or upgrades in the future. With annual fees ranging from $95-$695, there’s a card for every budget.

Best Credit Cards With Adventure Travel | Travel | Lonely Planet

Adventure travelers need a credit card that earns lots of points on travel and offers flexible redemption options and travel protections at a reasonable annual fee. This way, you’ll earn lots of points and get the best value for your redemptions regardless of booking a last-minute trip or planning well in advance. The best adventure travel cards also provide a variety of travel insurance inclusions, offering exceptional savings for adventure travelers.

Best Credit Cards For Road Trips | Travel | Lonely Planet

The right credit card will even provide comprehensive travel insurance, so you’re covered in an emergency. If you’re renting a car, you’ll want a credit card that offers primary rental car insurance. You won’t have to purchase extra insurance from the rental agency or file a claim with your insurance company in case of an accident. If you’re road-tripping abroad, you’ll want a card that waives foreign transaction fees so you don’t pay up to 3% on your road trip purchases.

Best Credit Cards For Hotels | Travel | Lonely Planet

The best travel credit cards provide exclusive benefits and rewards to cardholders, often elevating you to VIP status when traveling. The perk lists range from early check-in and extended to check-out times, complimentary breakfast and free upgrades, and coveted free nights. Your ascent to VIP has never been easier to obtain with the best hotel credit cards, making getaways that much more enjoyable.

Best Credit Cards For Traveling With Kids | Travel | Lonely Planet

A good family travel credit card should provide a generous welcome bonus redeemable for flights, hotels and other travel-related purchases. It should also offer recurring benefits such as free checked bags, flight and hotel discounts and no foreign transaction fees. These features can help make your family’s vacation more affordable by reducing the cost of airfare and accommodations while abroad.

Are Americans Prepared for the REAL ID? | Travel | Travel Pulse

A new survey that asked over 2,000 Americans about the REAL ID, a new identification card that travelers will be required to have in order to travel beginning May 7, 2025 found that travelers are not prepared for the REAL ID, and have a disparate understanding of what it is and when it will be necessary to have one.

How Costa Rica is Leading the Way in Sustainable Tourism | Travel | Travel Pulse

Sustainability is not only a practice in Costa Rica but a way of life. Responsible tourism is found in every region of the country, permeates government policies even in different administrations, and is embraced by citizens and visitors, making the country one of the most sustainable destinations in the Americas.

UNESCO Says Venice Is in Danger as a Destination—Should You Still Visit? | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

“Venice is a victim of its own popularity,” says Matt Berna, president of the Americas for Intrepid Travel, which publishes a Not Hot List to encourage travelers away from over-visited areas. “On any given day, tourists outnumber the shrinking residents… With the record temperatures, wildfires, and escalation of climate change seen this summer, there is even more urgency to save one of the most popular and fragile tourist destinations.”

What Happens If You Don’t Put Your Phone Into Airplane Mode? | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

“The industry has had several reports over the years linking mobile phone use with system malfunctions, and whilst systems have improved, the industry regulators take a cautious view because of the safety implications,” a spokesperson from the Flight Tech team of an international airline said in a statement. “Mobile phone signals can interfere with aircraft navigational and landing guidance systems.”

This New Zealand City Is Hiring Americans — and There Are 3,000 Jobs to Choose From | Travel | Travel + Leisure

Currently, there are more than 3,000 job openings up for grabs in Wellington, which wannabe-expats can search online. These are in popular fields like film, tech, health, education, and more. To show off Wellington as a desirable place to work, the city is touting its low cost of living and salary-to-housing-affordability ratio.

The Protectors of a 7,000-year-old Faith | Travel | BBC

Lalish is a tiny mountain village in Kurdistan with a population of just 25. It is to the Yazidis what Mecca is to Muslims.

Want to Cope With Heatwaves? Look to Japan’s Creative Cooling Solutions | Travel | BBC

As extreme heat hammers the globe, one traveler discovers a wealth of cooling solutions, from high-tech underwear to ancient philosophies, on a journey round Japan.

Kazakhstan: A Road Trip Through the Nation’s Immense Landscapes | Travel | BBC

Photographer Yulia Denisyuk returned to the land of her birth to discover how Kazakhstan’s endless steppes and rugged mountains tell the nation’s rich story.

Last But Not Least

Some other stuff to think about and discuss in the comments.