Reading the topics and threads about members, incessantly whining about not getting their "due" elite-tier upgrades based on promos, simply amuses me. I earned my Platinum status the "hard" way -- sans promos, and only based on number of stays per membership year. Now I ask you: Does this manner of achieving said status in any way draw a delicate line between those who really deserve the status and those who are simply lucky to get it? As a member who painstakingly monitored my stays to qualify for Platinum level, I sometimes feel "robbed" by others who were "handed" the level without much effort on the consumers' part. I am tempted to join the whiners. I am tempted to complain to Starwood and demand better service. But of course, there are already enough whiners for one program like Starwood to handle. I guess I'll let others do the whining for me and see what happens...