GoT S4E2: When a Hated Character Dies

While Game of Thrones season 3 climaxed with a wedding-murder scene, The Red Wedding, season 4 more or less starts with one. In S4E2 a major character is killed at a wedding. This time, though, it's not a tragedy. Well, not for us viewers, anyway. Because the character is a truly awful person.

( Read more (episode 2 spoilers)... )

With the death of any significant character in the story there's always the question of "Whodunnit?" Especially in the world of Game of Thrones where murder is, well, a standard play in the game. In this specific episode there's only faint indication of who's responsible. More clues are presented in the next episode. I'll write about that separately.

Sober October? Oops.

Several days ago I saw memes about Sober October. "What is that?" I wondered— but not long enough to actually bother looking it up. Then I forgot about it until today when I saw it popping up again on social media.



"I wonder if I could—" I began thinking. Nope! Yesterday was October 1, and already I had two beers with dinner.



Not that I was trying, or anything, but Sober October isn't my month.

BTW, I mean in no way to diminish the efforts of people who have problems with drinking or feel they have problems with drinking they'd like to address. I have a few family members and friends who are recovering alcoholics. "Sober" means something different in that context: it means freedom from the vice of alcoholism. It means avoiding alcohol entirely out of concern that any amount of drinking could cause a return to problem drinking. I don't have a drinking problem. I drink a few times a week and stop when I get a buzz (generally around the legal limit for "sober" driving), if not sooner.

Two 2% Cashback Cards

I review all the credit cards in my portfolio every year when they reach an anniversary. That's when annual fees (AFs), if any, are charged. If cards don't make the cut, if they're not delivering enough value, I cancel them before paying an AF!

Many of the cards in my wallet over the past 10+ years have been affinity cards that pay miles or points in various frequent flyer programs. Travel cards can pay handsomely when played right. When played poorly they are honey traps that cost more than they're worth.

One way I test all my travel cards to ensure they're worth the keep is by comparing them to 2% cashback cards. I consider this the opportunity cost of using a travel card. If it doesn't earn more than a no-AF, 2% cash card, it's not worth it. You can see this analysis in all of my "What's in YOUR wallet?" posts.

This opportunity cost isn't merely theoretical. I actually have two 2% cashback cards!

Fidelity Rewards Visa

First up is Fidelity Rewards Visa card. I added this card a few years ago after I already had a 2% cashback card (see below) but wanted one with slightly better redemption terms. Also, it was Visa, so I could use it at Costco!

This card recently passed its second anniversary in my wallet. I used it less in year 2 than in its first year but still charged almost $9,000 on it over the course of 12 months. My rewards were the 2% cashback, totalling almost $180, plus about $12 oddball bonuses.

Will I keep this card for another year? Absolutely. 2% cashback on everything, no categories, no monkey business, is nothing to sneer at. And the card charges no annual fee. It's a forever card.

Citi DoubleCash

My other 2% cashback card is the Citi DoubleCash card. I'm now in my 10th year of owning this card in various forms. At first it was a Citi American Airlines MasterCard, then a Citi AA Visa. When I couldn't get Citi to keep waiving the AF or offering incentives to offset its cost, I product-changed (PC'ed) it to a Citi DoubleCash.

DoubleCash is a pretty well known card within the rewards-paying space. It's a little bit gimmicky in that you earn 1% points when you charge purchases and then another 1% when you pay for them. Also, you can only take cash back when your balance reaches $50. (The Fidelity card pays automatically at $25, which is another reason I prefer it.) But it's also a no-AF card. That makes it an excellent choice for people who have good credit and don't want to play games with optimizing the value earned on points cards.

In the past year I barely used this card. I charged just over $100 to it. That's because the Fidelity 2% card is better. Why have I kept this one, then? Two reasons. First, with no AF the cost is minimal. Second, at 10 years old it's far-and-away the longest term account in my credit portfolio. One of the factors in credit score is average age of accounts. This old card anchors that component of my score. Still, as other cards in my wallet grow in age (my second oldest is now in its 7th year) I can see giving up this card soon to free up space for something else.