Trying to pick an aspirational trip to burn Bonvoy points before the deval as my first big redemption to somewhere tropical. From everything I've read, I see these as perennial recommendations: StR Maldives, StR Bora Bora, Al Maha, RC Maldives, W Maldives, RC Kapalua, and StR Bahia Beach.
Of these, the St. Regis Maldives seems to be a consistent top favorite, especially for those with plat+ status. But, based on everything I've seen on FT and various tours, the island itself looks somewhat small and unadorned compared to the sandbar-laden multi-island atolls at other properties: Anantara Veli, Lux South Ari, Finolhu Beach, or even the Conrad. The house reef and general snorkeling/diving has been reported here and on FT to be sub-par compared to other resorts (the W, Soneva Fushi, Baros). Although the breakfast is supposed to be good, I've seen very mixed reports on the other food options. The OW options are also risky since many of the base bungalows face the island and even some of the cash-upgraded sunset villas face directly into a restaurant; in contrast, nearly any bungalow at the W, Ritz, or even Le Meridien basically guarantees a private ocean view. I feel like I'd be upset being Bonvoy'd with my 500k point porch villa facing someone eating dinner or families on the beach.
Obviously the StR comes with a significant soft product advantage (eg. butler), but I'm having a hard time understanding how the hard product of the resort makes it such a universally recommended top aspirational pick compared to other resorts. I've never had the opportunity to stay at anything in the same ballpark as the StR, so there's definitely something I might be missing here.
Any input or experience would be very much appreciated! I imagine there are many others trying to hit these aspirational Marriott properties before doomsday hits, so discussion of other options might be useful too. Thanks!
I have started to see more emphasis on good MD results vs LA and I was just wondering why that is and what the results translate to in terms of a road structure? I understand the differences in results, as the LA is more of a smashing, and the MD is more of a grinding, but how do those results translate to design? What makes a material have a good LA and a bad MD, for example, or vice versa, and what are the mechanisms for abrasion supposed to represent when it comes to durability against traffic when the aggregate is below the wearing surface? And what effect is the water supposed to simulate?
Any help? I can give you the file if ya need it
I think this is a pretty good price
https://preview.redd.it/xjpm2td8wxw61.png?width=558&format=png&auto=webp&s=0e28449ac37cc000b7106eaa4509be63996a895c
Has anyone had to change their flight booked at pre-deval prices yet? I just got put on notice I may have to make a date change to a JFK>GRU flight I have booked in D1 for this summer, and I'm hoping they don't reprice me. Award rates for that route more than doubled.
https://twitter.com/KyleKulinski/status/1225179772269006849
@KyleKulinski
>WELL NOW WE FUCKING KNOW HOW BERNIE'S INTERNALS HAD HIM "COMFORTABLY" WINNING BY ABOUT 5 POINTS
https://twitter.com/KyleKulinski/status/1225180418900668416
The Iowa Results are Still Wrong @lib_crusher
>The "Bernie to Patrick/Warren to Steyer" errors arent limited to that last data dump. They were discovered last night
>>@SethYefrican: I scraped these numbers off of NYT so at first I thought I may have transformed the data incorrectly somehow, but nope. You can see the same issue on the official Iowa Dems results page. https://results.thecaucuses.org This is a legit error.
https://twitter.com/lib_crusher/status/1225185083872743424
@lib_crusher
>The "corrected" results continue to show clearly erroneous undercounts of Sanders and Warren voters. This is insane.
>>@PhilJamesson: oh dear another one in WALNUT / GRIMES / GRANT. should probably just check all the data for this specific mistake
https://twitter.com/lib_crusher/status/1225188065343410176
@Harvard4Bernie
>Blackhawk county commissioner @SchwartzForIowa released his county’s #iowacaucases results revealing inconsistencies even in the “corrected” IDP vote count.
>How many other counties are having their results falsely reported by the IDP? Every county needs to #ReleaseTheResults now
https://twitter.com/Harvard4Bernie/status/1225189173998411778
@greg06897
>CNN and jeff zeleny know reporting that it’s a “definite victory” for Pete as they talk about the new results without in any way talking about the screwups that’s have been reported
>It got a bit better later in the coverage from John King, but not much as he said it was next to impossible for Bernie to win the delegates and once again incorrectly reported the way the delegates are being tallied this year
https://twitter.com/greg06897/status/1225188461419933703
@JeremyToback
> Resistance idiots lose their damn minds for years over the vaporous joke of alleged Russian “interference...” > > Yet we are watching material election fraud unfold in real time, as they celebrate the weasel beneficiary of it. > > These people deserve our complete contempt.
https://twitter.com/JeremyToback/status/1225179888706977793
See title
UPDATE: although their radio broadcast didn't mention Yang, at least their written article does. https://www.npr.org/2020/01/13/795874596/cory-booker-drops-out-of-presidential-race
