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☆ Vox Media announces new hosts of iconic Code Conference after Kara Swisher’s departure
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Vox Media is gearing up for its first Code Conference without Kara Swisher at the helm. The invite-only event, which attracts top technology executives and journalists, will be hosted by The Verge Editor-In-Chief Nilay Patel, Platformer founder Casey Newton and CNBC senior media and tech reporter Julia Boorstin, Vox Media told CNN on Wednesday. Swisher, the journalist who co-founded the news-making conference with reporter Walt Mossberg and hosted it for the past two decades, will still participate in the conference, albeit in a less outsized role. “This year, there will be more to discuss than ever,” Jim Bankoff, chief executive of Vox Media, told CNN. “Code will build on Kara’s legacy, and we’ll continue to evolve the conference to best serve its audience.

☆ California Could Face Cuts to Colorado River Usage Under Federal Proposal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Celeb parties, ex-presidents, and safe-deposit boxes full of jewelry: What it's like to manage a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Rebecca Goldberg has been hotel manager of The Peninsula Beverly Hills for over two years. Now, Goldberg has made her way to becoming the hotel manager of The Peninsula Beverly Hills — just a walk away from the iconic Rodeo Drive. "It's about finding a balance," she said, between new guests, regular guests, and the Beverly Hills community who come to the hotel's restaurants and spa. The front entrance of The Peninsula Beverly Hills. The Peninsula Beverly Hills bar.

The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card is still available as an upgrade from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card . You can find Priority Pass lounges and restaurants by searching for your airport on the Priority Pass website or through the Priority Pass app. Priority Pass LoungesTypically, airport lounges in the Priority Pass network are off-limits to the general public unless you have access through a membership, airline ticket, elite status, or via a paid day pass. Priority Pass Restaurants, Cafés, Spas, and MoreIn addition to airport lounges, the Priority Pass network includes restaurants and cafés at airports like Houston (IAH) and San Francisco (SFO). Credit Cards With Priority Pass Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Is Priority Pass membership automatic when you open an eligible credit card?

Sentencing Commission approved new guidelines on Wednesday that will expand federal inmates' ability to qualify for compassionate release from prison. The First Step Act, signed into law by former President Donald Trump in 2018, expanded compassionate release criteria for sick and elderly federal inmates. Requests for compassionate release then surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 7,014 motions filed in fiscal year 2020. The new compassionate release guidelines approved on Wednesday expanded the criteria for what can qualify as "extraordinary and compelling reasons" to grant compassionate release, and it will give judges more discretion to determine when a sentence reduction is warranted. Among the new categories that could make an inmate eligible for compassionate release is if he or she becomes the victim of sexual assault by a corrections officer.

☆ California Snowpack Is Among the Highest Ever Recorded
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Surveyors from the California Department of Water Resources measured a snow field in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Monday. California’s snowpack ranks as the biggest in at least 40 years, giving much needed relief to crippling drought but leaving many rural communities under threat of major flooding when the frozen bounty melts. Surveyors from the California Department of Water Resources on Monday conducted manual measurements of a snow field near Lake Tahoe, where they said the 126.5 inches was among the deepest since the hand tallies were first carried out more than a century ago. The water equivalent was 54 inches.

☆ California Governor Lifts Most Drought Restrictions on Water Use
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A flooded road in California’s Central Valley this week following winter storms. California Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted many of the state’s remaining drought restrictions, citing an unusually wet winter which has refilled most reservoirs, left the mountain snowpack at near record levels and eased, for now, fears of worsening economic malaise from the worst dry spell on record. The Democratic governor made the announcement Friday while touring flooded farm fields in the Central Valley north of Sacramento following a parade of storms which have pounded the Golden State for months. The state’s Department of Water Resources also said it would increase the amount of water it sends to cities to 75% of their allotments, up from a previous projection of 35%, this year.

☆ Gen Z Investing in Real Estate, Buying Homes Early, Learning From Millennials' Mistakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Unlike millennials before them, Gen Zers have grown up during a boom in home prices. In a 2020 survey by Gen Z Planet, a research and advisory firm, 87% of Gen Z respondents said they wanted to own a home in the future, while just 63% of millennial respondents said the same. The survey suggested that 68% of Gen Zers viewed homeownership as a way to build wealth, compared with 60% of millennials. But the ranks of Gen Z homeowners will almost certainly grow in the coming years as they scale corporate ladders and amass savings. All this new technology and information is fueling the real-estate-mogul dreams of ambitious Gen Z investors.

☆ Ritz-Carlton's new luxury cruise ship will sail in 2024 starting at $6,800 per person — see inside the 456-guest 'yacht'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

The luxury cruise market has been "off the charts," UBS analysts said in a note in October 2022. As for the Ritz cruise line itself, it's operated by the same Ritz-Carlton that operates the hotel chain, which is owned by Marriott. The outdoor infinity pool deck will have two two hot tubs. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht CollectionSource: Insider

☆ California to Transform San Quentin Prison Into Center Emphasizing Inmate Rehab
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MARIN COUNTY, Calif.—California aims to turn San Quentin State Prison, one of the country’s oldest penal facilities, into a Scandinavian-style center for inmate rehabilitation that it hopes will become a new model for incarceration in America. Gavin Newsom said Thursday the storied institution, built in 1852 on the shores of San Francisco Bay, will be renamed the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and converted to focus on providing educational programs and other help for inmates making the transition back into society.

☆ California’s Levee System Under Strain After String of Storms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Houses were inundated and vehicles submerged when the Pajaro River burst over a crumbling levee overnight Friday into Saturday. PAJARO, Calif.—When Andres Garcia was routed from his home as a child by a levee break in 1995, it was three decades after federal officials had first concluded the protection system for the Pajaro River was “inadequate.”Mr. Garcia, now 37, had to evacuate again last weekend when the still-vulnerable Monterey County levee ruptured another time, sending floodwaters gushing into this town of about 3,000 people—many of them Latino immigrants who work in the surrounding strawberry fields.

☆ In California, a Race to Capture the Water Before It Escapes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PETALUMA, Calif.—Neil McIsaac has something many other dairy farmers here don’t: a storm-runoff capture system that can provide backup water for his herd when local reservoirs go dry, as they did last year. Already, he and others involved in the project say it has proven its worth. It has captured 670,000 gallons so far this winter, enough to slake the thirst of his 700 cows for a month, Mr. McIsaac said.

☆ A look inside a $22.5 million Miami condo with insane luxury amenities
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Ray Parisi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Turnberry Ocean Club ResidencesInside the Sky Club's fitness center where the treadmills come with impressive views. Turnberry Ocean Club ResidencesOutdoor sunset lounge Turnberry Ocean Club ResidencesAlso up on 32nd floor is a so-called dog retreat where lucky pooches can take in the ocean views and relieve themselves. Turnberry Ocean Club Residences / Leo DiazThe kitchen includes three islands and comes equipped with custom Italian-made cabinetry and high-end German appliances. A rendering of one of the Turnberry Ocean Club Residences' beach front cabanas. Turnberry Ocean Club Residences

☆ I make 6 figures as an 'undercover guest' who helps resorts with bad reviews improve their game. Here's what I look for and how I stay incognito.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Annie Sherman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I check in as a guest to enjoy the property, work incognito to evaluate the service, and create a customized training program for improvement. Courtesy of Stephanie LegerI charge a flat fee per service or day depending on the client's needs. Courtesy of Stephanie LegerLeger changing wigs in the bathroom to stay undercover. Courtesy of Stephanie LegerI stay in a secret persona throughout my visit and remember my story, which changes each time. When I got to my room at one hotel, another guest was in itOnce, I checked in to a hotel and the room was occupied.

☆ The Number of ATMs Has Declined as People Rely Less on Cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Jim Carlton | Photographs Nicholas Albrecht For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The slow move toward a cashless society is helping to send the ubiquitous ATM into decline around the U.S., presenting challenges for those who still largely rely on cash. After peaking at 470,000 ATMs in the U.S. in 2019, the number of machines has declined annually over the past few years to 451,500 at the end of 2022, according to data tracked by research firm Euromonitor International. The reason: Many people quit using cash during the pandemic and haven’t gone back, said Kendrick Sands, consumer finance research manager for the London-based firm.

MarriottThe Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card has increased its welcome bonus to 125,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of card membership (offer ends 5/3/23). With an annual fee of $125, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is a little pricier than similar hotel credit cards. 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. But even without the elevated welcome bonus offer, the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex is well worth the annual fee.

☆ Long Covid disabled them. Then they met a ‘broken’ Social Security disability process
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Morgan Stephens | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

And two Congressional bills addressing the long Covid crisis — The “Covid-19 Long Haulers Act,” which would’ve collected data on long Covid patients with the goal of creating better care and treatment, and “The Care For Long Covid Act” would’ve improved research, centralized data and resources for people with Long Covid — died without making it out of committee. Disabled by long Covid since March 2020, she lives with her spouse and their 7-year-old son in Portland, Ore. “We didn’t design our life to be a single-income household.”Other long Covid patients have rearranged their finances, too. His company’s private long-term disability insurance pays a smaller percentage of the monthly benefit payout when federal disability pays a portion. “They’re not only dealing with long Covid complications, but they’re dealing with financial complications,” she said of her clients.

☆ A generation of high-profile women tech leaders have stepped aside. What’s next?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The tech industry has now lost an entire generation of trailblazing women leaders and replaced them mostly with men. And in the wake of the pandemic, women leaders in corporate America more broadly are more likely than ever to quit, according to the most recent Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org. Now that she’s departing, Big Tech is facing a new reckoning over its failure to promote and support women leaders, and what this could mean for the next generation of women in the industry. “Without women in the C-suite who have come before them, it could make this transition period tougher for next generation women leaders,” Kray said. “I think that what she achieved and what she modeled will be something that will live on beyond the fact that now we don’t have a female Big Tech CEO.”

☆ Strong Snowpack Results in a Boost to Water Supplies for California Farmers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

California farmers have largely gone without allocated water during the past three years, the driest on record in the state. California farmers, strained by years of drought, will get the highest allocation of water since 2019 for the year, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said Wednesday. Much of the water California farmers rely on comes from the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which is corralled into reservoirs when it melts off in the spring and delivered by federal and state officials to irrigate crops. They had largely gone without during the past three years, the driest on record in the state. They now stand to get at least 35% of their contracted supplies.

☆ Marriott Ceo Tony Capuano on why he's betting on yachts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMarriott Ceo Tony Capuano on why he's betting on yachtsMarriott CEO Tony Capuano walks with CNBC's Seema Mody on board the Ritz-Carlton yacht and reveals why the world's largest hotel operator continues to diversify its travel offerings

☆ I worked on a cruise ship for eight months because I wanted to travel. The low pay and exhausting schedule weren't worth it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Chris Libreros worked on a cruise ship for eight months after working in the hotel industry. So he helped me get a job in the Guest Services department, which is like the general front desk of a cruise ship. We were originally scheduled to depart from Hong Kong, but because of China's COVID restrictions, they moved the cruise ship over to Singapore. On a cruise ship, most crew don't get any days off. If someone from the US were to work on a cruise ship, they would have to expect a decrease in salary.

☆ Florida Holdouts Against Condo Termination Duel With Real-Estate Firms
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Deborah Acosta | Photos Sydney Walsh For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When Joe and Janet Dippell bought their oceanfront condo in 2008, they thought they would live there forever. The Bal Harbour, Fla., property featured its own restaurant and the Dippells’ 3,300-square-foot apartment boasted water views. But over the past two years, local developers have been trying to buy each of the Carlton Terrace’s 88 units. They plan to knock down the property and build a development where they can charge premium prices for more units.

☆ Lowriders, Stars of California Car Culture, Await the Return of Legal Cruising
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Jim Carlton | Photographs Jason Henry For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Robert Gutierrez was like a lot of California Latinos coming of age in the 1970s: He loved cruising the boulevard on weekend nights, in a 1972 tangerine Pontiac Grand Ville modified to ride low to the ground with hydraulics so it could bump up and down. On weekend nights, he joined thousands of others in processions of so-called lowrider cars, cruising back and forth along Story Road—with tunes like “Suavecito” wafting—on this city’s predominantly Latino east side.

☆ 4 luxury hospitality giants have now unveiled ultra-luxury 'yacht' cruises — see what it means to set sail with Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

The popular new cruise company now has five to 13-night itineraries into late 2024 with ports of call across Europe, the US, and Central and South AmericaThe Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection. The Ritz Carlton Yacht CollectionSource: The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Insider

You can earn Marriott points from paid stays, co-branded credit cards, or flexible points transfers. How to earn Marriott pointsEarn points from Marriott Bonvoy hotel staysThere are plenty of different ways to earn Marriott points, but let's start with the simplest: earning points on hotel stays. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 6X Marriott Bonvoy Points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy4X Marriott Bonvoy Points on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets2X Marriott Bonvoy Points on all other eligible purchases1,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points with each qualifying stayComplimentary Gold Elite statusA Free Night Award (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points) after making $15,000 in purchases per year.

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