JAKARTA WELCOMES ITS FIRST TUNE HOTEL

Value branded hotel chain continues its expansion in Indonesia

  

Jakarta, 3 September 2012 – Tune Hotels, the global branded value hotel chain, continues to expand in Indonesia with the opening of its latest hotel in Pasar Baru, Jakarta. Tune Hotel Pasar Baru would represent the global brand’s third property in Indonesia, (following Tune Hotel Kuta and Legian in Bali) and the first hotel in central Jakarta, offering world-class accommodation at extremely affordable rates, providing the essentials for a good night’s sleep. Tune Hotel Pasar Baru has 168 rooms in total, 125 Doubles, 42 Twin-sharing and a special needs room. The opening of Tune Hotel Pasar Baru was attended by popular Indonesian celebrities Nicholas Saputra and Izabel Jahja.

 

The expansion of the Tune Hotel brand in Indonesia is spurred by the country’s strong economy, rising number of tourists and favorable business environment. Jakarta is one of the largest cities in the world and ranked third after Bali and Sulawesi recording the highest hotel room occupancy in Indonesia according to the Statistics Indonesia of the Republic Indonesia. Pasar Baru is one of Jakarta’s most popular tourist destination and its central location is also ideal for business activities. Known for its shopping experience, visitors can “go back in time” to take in the beauty of its Dutch influenced colonial and Chinese architecture of its buildings as one strolls along the coble stone streets.

 

According to Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels, “Jakarta represents a gateway for leisure travellers more often as a stop-over before continuing their journey to other popular destinations such as Bali, Medan, Yogyakarta and Surabaya. Nevertheless Jakarta also serves as a central business destination drawing frequent business travellers from the South East Asian region and domestically within Indonesia as well. Hence, the opening of Tune Hotel Pasar Baru would cater to the needs of leisure and business travellers looking for convenient, comfortable and value-for-money accommodation. “

 

Lankester added that more expansion plans are on the way for the Tune Hotel brand in Indonesia which includes Pekan Baru, Makassar, Solo, Palembang and Surabaya. The vast country of sprawling archipelago has much to offer; from natural beauty, historical heritage to cultural diversity. Moreover, statistics from the Travel and Tourism Competitive Index (TTCI) in 2011 ranks Indonesia as the thirteenth most attractive destination in the Asia-Pacific to commence travel and tourism business operations.

 

Other Tune Hotel properties in Indonesia are located in Kuta and Legian, Bali which have been a favourite among visitors to Bali. The hotels’ popularity was recognized when it was named among the Top 20 Indonesia Innovative Brands of 2011 by Indonesia’s leading marketing industry magazine, MIX. It was Tune Hotels' innovativeness to its ability to serve the practical needs of tourists by giving them the best value that garnered the attention and illustrated by Legian and Kuta hotels being ranked #3 and #7 Best Value Hotels in Bali on TripAdvisor. Tune Hotels was selected along with other global leading brands to be named on the list and the only Malaysian-originated brand.

 

Red Planet Hotels owns and operates the Tune Hotel Pasar Baru in close association with Tune Hotel and its Chief Executive Officer, Tim Hansing, said that this hotel was the first of many more to come in Indonesia from Red Planet as the Tune brand expands across the country.

 

“This is the first hotel of eight more we have under construction in Indonesia and we will have some exciting announcements about more sites we are in the midst of acquiring. We are making some significant investments in Indonesia in the budget hotel sector as we have full confidence in the potential of Indonesia and the Indonesian travel sector to grow this market” said Hansing.

 

Tune Hotels currently has eleven hotels in Malaysia, four in LondonUnited Kingdom, four in The Philippines and two in Thailand. Hotels in Malaysia are located in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, KLIA-LCCT Airport, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Johor Bahru, Kota Damansara, Bintulu, Kota Bharu, Kulim and Ipoh.

 

Hotels in Asia includes Hat Yai and Pattaya in Thailand; Angeles City, Cebu City, Ermita and Makati, Manila in The Philippines; Kuta and Legian in Bali and Pasar Baru, Jakarta in Indonesia; Westminster, Liverpool Street, Paddington and Kings Cross in London, UK. Tune Hotels has successfully pioneered a branded value hotel brand with the concept of pay-as-you-use that has become hugely popular amongst travelers from across the world. Under the concept, guests only pay for room rates with the option of adding on other amenities like towels & toiletries, air-conditioning, in-room Wifi and satellite TV service at selected hotels.

Calling on guests to stay connected with Tune Hotels via the social media networks Facebook and Twitter, Mark Lankester, says “More Tune Hotels are scheduled for opening in Asean, the UK, India and Australia, that will give our guests even more options for travel destinations. We encourage guests to stay tuned for Tune Hotels’ latest openings and promotions via Facebook and Twitter.”

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotels or www.facebook.com/TunehotelsInd and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels or www.twitter.com/TuneHotelsID

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

 

- END –

 

About Tune Hotels

 

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Group was established in 2007 with the aim of breaking down affordability barriers in various aspects of daily life – via Tune Hotels, Tune Talk and Tune Money. Tune Group seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle offering ranging from value hotel stays, personal finance solutions and affordable prepaid mobile services. Tune Group of Companies are Tune Air, Tune Hotels, Tune Money, Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Team Lotus, ASEAN Basketball League, Caterham Group, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Kuala Lumpur Education City (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

 

Since Tune Hotels was first launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2007, over 3 million guests have stayed in its properties spread across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and the United Kingdom. It now has 25 hotels available for bookings located in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, KLIA-LCCT Airport, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kota Damansara, Bintulu, Kota Bharu and Kulim in Malaysia; Kuta and Legian in Bali and Jakarta in Indonesia; Westminister, Liverpool Street, Paddington and Kings Cross in London in the United Kingdom; Angeles City, Cebu City, Ermita and Makati in Manila, The Philippines; Hatyai and Pattaya in Thailand.

 

All Tune Hotel hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-saving fans. The strategically located hotels provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and prohibits access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight. Through Tune Hotels’ ‘Less Waste, More Earth’ pay-as-you-use system of add-ons wi-fi, TV, laundered towels and other energy-consuming facilities and amenities, Tune Hotels aims to help guests conserve both their funds as well as the earth’s resources.

 

Photos are available from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

 

Media contacts:

Amanda Chong

Senior Marketing Manager – Tune Hotels

HP: +60 12 284 0004

DL: +60 3 7962 5711

Fax: +60 3 7955 5899

Email: amanda.chong@tunehotels.com

  

Photos were captured at the Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory on the Oregon State University Campus in Corvallis, Dec. 13, 2016, to accompany the feature story below: "Printing the past: 3-D archaeology and the first Americans." Article online here (and below): goo.gl/viKEZF

 

Graphics + Photo by Matt Christenson, BLM

Story by Toshio Suzuki, BLM

 

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For the first Americans, and the study of them today, it all starts with a point.

 

A sharp point fastened to a wooden shaft gave the hunter 13,000 years ago a weapon that could single-handedly spear a fish or work in numbers to take down a mammoth.

 

For a prehistoric human, these points were the difference between life and death. They were hunger-driven, handmade labors of love that took hours to craft using a cacophony of rock-on-rock cracks, thuds and shatters.

 

They have been called the first American invention, and some archaeologists now think 3-D scanning points can reveal more information about both the technology and the people.

 

The Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory at Oregon State University takes up only a few rooms on the ground floor of Waldo Hall, one of the supposedly haunted buildings on campus.

 

There are boxes of cultural history everywhere, and floor-to-ceiling wood cabinets with skinny pull-out drawers housing even more assets, but the really good stuff, evidence of the earliest known cultures in North America, lives in an 800-pound gun safe.

 

Loren Davis, anthropology professor at OSU and director of the lab, thinks 3-D scanning, printing, and publishing can circumvent the old traditions of the field, that artifacts are only to be experienced in museums and only handled by those who have a Ph.D.

 

“We are reimagining the idea of doing archaeology in a 21st century digital way,” said Davis. “We don’t do it just to make pretty pictures or print in plastic, we mostly want to capture and share it for analysis,” he added.

 

Nearby in the L-shaped lab, one of his doctoral students is preparing to scan a point that was discovered on Bureau of Land Management public lands in southeast Oregon.

 

Thousands of points have been unearthed since the 1930s in North America, the first being in eastern New Mexico near a town called Clovis. That name is now known worldwide as representing the continent’s first native people.

 

More recently, though, other peoples with distinctive points were found elsewhere, and some researchers think it means there was differing technology being made at the same time, if not pre-Clovis.

 

One such location is the Paisley Caves in southern Oregon ― one of the many archaeologically significant sites managed by the BLM.

 

The earliest stem point from Paisley Caves was scanned at Davis’ lab and a 3-D PDF was included in a 2012 multi-authored report in the journal Science.

 

Davis estimates his lab at OSU has scanned as many as 400 points, including others from BLM-managed lands in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

 

More scans would mean a bigger database for comparing points and determining what style they are.

 

“Ideally, we want to get as many artifacts scanned as possible,“ said Davis. “The BLM offers a lot of access to public data ― this is just another way of doing it.”

 

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Transforming a brittle piece of volcanic glass, by hand, into a beautiful and deadly 4-inch-long spear point is a process.

 

In one hand would be a hard shaping rock, or maybe a thick section of antler, and in the other would be the starter stone, which in addition to igneous could be jasper, chert, or any other chippable rock that creates a hide-puncturing level of sharpness.

 

After what might be hundreds of controlled strokes and rock rotations, the rough shape of a lance or spear tip would take form. Discarded shards of stone would often result in more points, or other useful tools like scrapers and needles.

 

Clovis points are distinguished by their length, bifacial leaf shape and middle channels on the bottom called flutes. Eventually the repetitive flaking of the point would stop, and the hunter would use precise pressure points to create the flute on one or each side that likely helped slot the finished product into a spear-like wooden pole.

 

The hunter was now mobile and ready to roam.

 

---

 

Prior to 3-D scanning, OSU doctoral student Sean Carroll picks up a can of Tinactin, gives it the obligatory shake, and completely covers “one of the oldest technologies in North America” with antifungal spray.

 

The talc and alcohol from the athlete’s foot remedy helps the software see even the slightest indents in the point, and it rubs right off afterwards.

 

“I want to scan all the Clovis I can get my hands on,” said Carroll, who came to OSU because of Davis’ 3-D lab and is using the medium as a big part of his dissertation.

 

Two random items, a power plug adapter and a ball of clay, are placed on each side of the fluted point to give the camera and light projector perspective. The objects create margins that force the structured light patterns to bend and capture more of the point’s surface detail.

 

Even so, like the hunter rotating the shaping rock, the archaeologist has to rotate the foam square holding the three items. Each scan takes about six seconds.

 

Carroll and Davis estimate that the learning curve for this process was about 100 hours. One hundred hours of trial and error -- and a lot of watching YouTube videos -- for a finished product that they think is indisputably worth it.

 

A completed 3-D scan of a point will have about 40,000 data points per square inch. The measurements are so precise, they can determine the difference between flake marks as thin as a piece of paper.

 

Davis says no archaeologist with a pair of calipers can come close to measuring the data obtained via 3-D, because simply, “there are some jobs that robots are really good at.”

 

“If the end game is measurements, well you could spend your whole life with a pair of calipers trying to achieve what we can do in 10 minutes,” said Davis.

 

---

 

Last year, the famous human relative nicknamed Lucy had 3-D scans of her 3.2 million year old bones published in the journal Nature.

 

In 2015, archaeologists from Harvard University completed a 3-D scan of a winged and human-headed stone bull from Mesopotamia that stands 13 feet high at the Louvre Museum.

 

And the Smithsonian Institution is currently beta testing a website dedicated to publishing 3-D models from its massive collection, including molds of President Abraham Lincoln’s face and the entire Apollo 11 command module.

 

All of these new-school efforts are based upon the old-school scientific principles of preservation and promotion.

 

Rock points, fossils, hieroglyphics -- various forms of cultural assets are susceptible to environmental conditions and not guaranteed to be around forever. Three-dimensional scanning is the most accurate way to digitally preserve these items of merit.

 

Once accurate preservation is done, there are opportunities for promoting not just science, but specific research goals.

 

In the case of the Lucy bones, scientists hope that crowdsourcing the 3-D data will help get more experts to look at the fossils and prove that the tree-dwelling ape died from a fall.

 

When it comes to comparing one specific stemmed point to an entire hard drive of scanning data, BLM archaeologist Scott Thomas thinks the work being done at the OSU lab can move archaeology to a new level.

 

“The 3-D scanning method blows anything we have done out of the water,” said Thomas.

 

That ability to compare points can lead to insights on how these hunting tools moved over geography, and even expand theories about how native groups learned new technologies.

 

“It’s going to be a really powerful tool someday -- not too far off,” said Thomas.

 

While long-term data analysis may not be the sexiest form of archaeology, holding a 3-D printed stem point is a pretty cool educational tool.

 

Davis of OSU has incorporated 3-D prints into his classes and said his students are able to make a tactile connection with artifacts that otherwise are not available.

 

“The students really enjoy these printed and digital models and often say that they are almost like the real thing,” said Davis.

 

---

 

This spring, Davis is traveling to Magadan, Russia -- aka Siberia -- to inspect and scan some points that may be linked to Clovis peoples.

 

The goal in Siberia, of course, is to further expand the 3-D database. He is specifically interested in comparing them to stems from a BLM-managed site he excavated in Idaho called Cooper’s Ferry.

 

As his student, Carroll, begins to clean up and put the scanned points into their individually labeled ziplocked bags, Davis can’t help but mention how much easier international research could be with 3-D scanning.

 

“You can share cultural resource info with people in other countries and you don’t have to come visit,” he said, adding that Russia isn’t the easiest country to enter.

 

“It’s as easy as sending an email,” Carroll agreed.

 

Davis then mentioned his 11-year-old child and how much of school curriculum these days is web-based as opposed to text-based.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with books, I’m a huge fan of books, but it’s a different way of learning,” said the archaeology professor.

 

And with that, he made another point.

 

-- by Toshio Suzuki, tsuzuki@blm.gov, @toshjohn

  

Best places to find 3-D archaeology online:

-- Sketchfab.com is one of the biggest databases on the web for 3-D models of cultural assets. Institutions and academics alike are moving priceless treasures to the digital space for all to inspect. Two examples: via the British Museum, a 7.25-ton statue of Ramesses II is available for viewing and free download; and via archaeologist Robert Selden Jr., hundreds of 3-D models are open to the public for study, including several Clovis points from the Blackwater Draw National Historic Site in New Mexico.

-- The Smithsonian Institution is bringing the best of American history to a new audience via their 3-D website (3d.si.edu). Amelia Earhart's flight suit? Check. Native American ceremonial killer whale hat? Check. Face cast of President Abraham Lincoln? Check and check -- there are two. And their biggest 3-D scan is still coming: the 184-foot-long space shuttle Discovery.

-- Visitors to Africanfossils.org can filter 3-D model searches by hominids, animals and tools, and also by date, from zero to 25 million years ago.

The sleek website, with partners like National Geographic and the National Museums of Kenya, makes it easy to download or share 3-D scans, and each item even comes with a discovery backstory and Google map pinpointing exactly where it was found.

Panorama of Milford Sound, Lake Adelaide and the Darren Mountains from Barrier Ridge, Fiordland. Lake Adelaide is about 900m below.

 

About 4 Hrs from the Gertrude valley carpark. Carry crampons/ice axe year round, high avalanche danger in winter.

I am fairly new to web based media and this is my first group posting. Feel free to 'educate' me. Thanks.

8 image stitch. 1450 x 450mm @ 300dpi.

This musical phenomenon comes to Theatr Clwyd for the first time thanks to Tip Top Productions.

 

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot. “Prologue – Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats” additional material written by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe; ”Memory” additional material written by Trevor Nunn.

 

The Jellicle Cats come out to play on one special night of the year—the night of the Jellicle Ball. One by one they tell their stories to Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, who must choose one of the Cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life. Among the candidates are the aging theatre cat, Gus; the rocker, Rum Tum Tugger; and the once-glamorous Grizabella, now but a faded memory of her former self.

 

Boasting a score that includes Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats, Mr. Mistoffelees and Memory, this compelling fable takes audiences to a fantastical world that can only exist in the theatre. Cats has been performed worldwide and translated into over 20 languages. The original West End production ran for 21 years and the original Broadway production ran for 18 years

 

For tickets and more info see:

www.tiptopproductions.co.uk/cats/1313

 

A wrecking yard (Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian English), scrapyard (Irish and British English) or junkyard (American English) is the location of a business in dismantling where wrecked or decommissioned vehicles are brought, their usable parts are sold for use in operating vehicles, while the unusable metal parts, known as scrap metal parts, are sold to metal-recycling companies.

 

Other terms include wreck yard, wrecker's yard, salvage yard, breakers yard, dismantler and scrapheap. In the United Kingdom, car salvage yards are known as car breakers, while motorcycle salvage yards are known as bike breakers. In Australia, they are often referred to as 'Wreckers'.

 

The most common type of wreck yards are automobile wreck yards, but junkyards for motorcycles, bicycles, small airplanes and boats exist too.

 

Many salvage yards operate on a local level—when an automobile is severely damaged, has malfunctioned beyond repair, or not worth the repair, the owner may sell it to a junkyard; in some cases—as when the car has become disabled in a place where derelict cars are not allowed to be left—the car owner will pay the wrecker to haul the car away.

 

Salvage yards also buy most of the wrecked, derelict and abandoned vehicles that are sold at auction from police impound storage lots,and often buy vehicles from insurance tow yards as well.

 

The salvage yard will usually tow the vehicle from the location of its purchase to the yard, but occasionally vehicles are driven in. At the salvage yard the automobiles are typically arranged in rows, often stacked on top of one another.

 

Some yards keep inventories in their offices, as to the usable parts in each car, as well as the car's location in the yard. Many yards have computerized inventory systems. About 75% of any given vehicle can be recycled and used for other goods.

 

In recent years it is becoming increasingly common to use satellite part finder services to contact multiple salvage yards from a single source.

 

In the 20th century these were call centres that charged a premium rate for calls and compiled a facsimile that was sent to various salvage yards so they could respond directly if the part was in stock. Many of these are now Web-based with requests for parts being e-mailed instantly.

© Jon Buono 2009 All rights reserved

Click "original size" for legible image

 

Introduction

In the spring of this year, representatives of the United States’ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the U.K.’s Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BRE-EAM), and the Australian Green Star rating systems initiated meetings to align their assessment tools and develop common metrics to measure CO2 equivalents from building construction. Later this summer, BRE and the French Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB) declared their joint effort to create a Pan-European assessment method. These events represent both the global adoption of the sustainable construction philosophy and the need for developing consensus among standards.

 

The ideological commitment to producing sustainable buildings is an ethical response to both global and local environmental issues. However, the criteria for “green” building evaluation among international organizations continue to evolve. To some degree, the bias for operational efficiencies of new construction over the value of existing buildings has lessened in recent years. But the importance of economic and environmental metrics to construction planning and design is only likely to increase. Given the heightened political interest in global conditions, the metrics for sustainable construction have been widely adopted by national and municipal building regulators. This suggests an amended method for the evaluation of architectural resources for conservation.

 

Ultimately advocates for building conservation must become active participants in a potentially unfamiliar analytical dialog. Scientific and engineering methods and data must, to a certain extent, be adopted by the historic preservation professional. The “conventional” wisdom of conservation practice - namely that stewardship of our historic building stock is an act of sustainability – is increasingly subject to demonstration and verification.

 

In the wake of this paradigm shift, it is appropriate to consider the net effect of sustainable construction standards in practice. To date, the “green” building movement has mostly represented an incremental change rather than a radical rethinking of the built environment (Kibert, 2004). High-performance designs must also be recognized as experiments in the trial and error process to achieve “sustainable” buildings. The development of a new generation of construction materials and systems - engineered according to standards for low environmental impacts - appears remarkably similar to the post-WWII era when architecture readily embraced experimental products with limited life-cycle testing.

 

The existence of experimental building technologies in modern movement buildings has long been identified as a conflict to preservation’s paradigm to conserve original building fabric. This debate, however, rarely addresses the design movement’s underlying focus on “performance” – an essentially non-existent concept in pre-19th century architecture. The era’s mantra of “doing more with less” resulted in more than just a compression of construction assemblies- it introduced the operational logic of industry, specifically the machine, to the art of architecture. One could argue that the very presence of rapidly-deteriorating, petroleum-based products within 20th-century buildings suggests the need for a conceptual understanding of conservation more akin to automobiles than to pre-modern architecture.

 

In recognition of the modern movement’s nascent adoption of new material technology, and yet its significant reliance on durable construction methods, this essay considers the opportunities and constraints of various models for the assessment of sustainable building.

  

Birth of the Green

The “green” building movement reflects many societal factors, not least of which are the escalation in fuel prices and the growing popular concern for global warming. The present condition represents an epic paradox of civilization: although “cheap” energy supported exponential worldwide growth and modernization, the resulting competition and demand cannot be sustained by the original fuel source. Of course this observation is not new, but we among oil-consuming economies “fell off the wagon” sometime in the last three decades.

 

At the time of the last energy crises, the concerns for nature first written by Henry David Thoreau had matured into an environmental movement within western nations. In the developing century of thought, the human role of “stewardship” found recognition and asserted that mankind’s fate is linked to that of nature; concluding there can be no competition between the two. Therefore, civilization must mitigate the long-term impact of its reliance on natural resources. The definition of “mitigation” prompted a debate of natural vs. cultural priorities. An early example was the argument of land management versus preservation, lead by Gifford Pinchot and John Muir. Overall, the parallel movements have been unified by many seminal texts and thinkers, but an ideological tug-of-war has occasionally pitted one priority against the other. Today, some of this polarity has been diminished through the recent concept of the “triple bottom line”. This more inclusive, and arguably sustainable action model, suggests equal footing for economic, environmental, and social criteria.

  

Building Impacts

Proponents of high-performance construction often quote an estimate that during a building’s lifespan, the majority of its energy expenditure is consumed by building operations. Although this estimate does not hold true for the full history of extant buildings, conservators generally agree that this pattern of consumption typifies construction of the 19th-20th centuries. The lifespan ratio is commonly differentiated as 16% initial embodied energy, 10% recurring embodied energy, and 74% building operations.

 

Initial embodied energy in buildings represents the non-renewable energy consumed in the acquisition of raw materials, their processing, manufacturing, transportation to site, and construction. The recurring embodied energy in buildings represents the non-renewable energy consumed to maintain, repair, restore, refurbish or replace materials, components or systems during the life of the building.

 

Building upon the early research of architect Richard Stein and others, the U.S. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) commissioned a landmark study (Booz, Allen, Hamilton 1979) based on an extensive analysis of U.S. building industry data. Although the data for industrial processes has not been updated since its initial compilation, the original calculations represent the prolific period of post-WWII construction.

 

In most circumstances, initial embodied energy is significantly less than the energy consumed by a building over its lifetime. Green building research has therefore focused primarily on improving efficiencies in building operations and reducing construction waste and pollution.

  

Comparison of Standards

To date, the LEED program has certified over one thousand buildings, with thousands more waiting in application. The majority of these certifications have been voluntary. Following the early adoption by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), municipalities, and some universities, LEED certification has been mandated by many facility owners and operators. Since the incorporation of the LEED standards, alternative rating systems have been developed and warrant consideration in context.

 

The U.K.’s BREEAM rating system was introduced in 1990 and has been recognized as the first environmental building assessment tool. Following the U.N.’s “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro, the international momentum for such standards grew. The non-profit U.S. Green Building Council was established in 1993 and introduced LEED in 2000. In the same year, the Canadian Building Owners and Mangers Association (BOMA) released the Green Globes rating system. It must be noted that both systems were heavily influenced by BREEAM, and in fact Green Globes grew out of a 1996 BREEAM franchise by the Canadian Standards Association. Unique to the BOMA revision, however, was their partnership with the joint U.S.-Canadian non-profit Athena Institute. Beginning in the 1990s, the institute was devoted to the research and development of material life-cycle assessment tools for new and existing building construction.

 

Today, BREEAM, LEED, and Green Globes are the most widely used of more than ten independently-authored “green” building programs developed internationally over the past 20 years. The top three have expanded their systems to other countries; Green Globes entered the U.S. market through the non-profit Green Building Initiative (GBI) in 2005 and is finalizing ANSI certification; LEED has been franchised for use by non-profit Green Building Councils in India, Brazil, and Canada.

 

By 2006, the emerging market competition for “green” standards became apparent when the GBI filed a grievance against the GSA for their endorsement and requirement of LEED certification. In response, the GSA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to operate “rating system neutral,” maintaining however that LEED is currently the “most credible rating system available to meet GSA’s needs” and will re-evaluate systems every five years.

 

It is difficult to forecast what the afore-mentioned rating system partnerships will yield. Although multiple standards allows for the intrinsic variability of the construction market (private/public, residential/ commercial/institutional), the use of variable metrics problematizes the comparison of impacts which are decidedly global in their nature.

 

Given the common roots and similar goals, the LEED and Green Globes standards are more similar than different. A 2006 comparison by the University of Minnesota identified eight generic categories common to both analyses: 1) Energy Use; 2) Water Use; 3) Pollution; 4) Material/Product Inputs; 5) Indoor Air Quality & Occupant Comfort; 6) Transport; 7) Site Ecology; and 8) Other Sustainable Design. On the surface, the Green Globes system was initially credited with providing a less expensive and more efficient means of building certification through an on-line mechanism. In some cases, however, the “yes/no” format of the web-based data system was criticized as being prone to interpretation. LEED recently-introduced version 3 has notably replaced their paper-based system with a web-based format. However in their substance, the two systems offer differing values for the conservation of existing buildings.

  

Promise of LCA

Life cycle assessment (LCA) attempts to quantify the environmental impacts of a product or service caused or necessitated by its existence. The assessment method provides a systematic view of the environmental aspects of a product from “cradle to grave.” This includes: 1) a description of the entire product’s life-cycle; 2) key environmental impacts from production and use of the product; 3) the product’s functional quality. Based on these three conditions, the LCA quantifies a product’s range of environmental impacts (Trusty, 2004).

 

In the concept of embodied energy, it was earlier noted that the energy required to operate a building over its life exceeds the energy attributed to the products used in its construction. This statement does not take into account other embodied effects such as toxic releases to water, effects during the resource extraction and manufacturing stages that greatly outweigh any releases associated with building operations. Byproducts from the manufacture of long lifespan materials, such as iron, steel, hydraulic cements, and lime, have a significant impact on global warming. As well, the extraction of iron, sand, and gravel also contribute to natural resource depletion.

 

Research conducted by the Athena Institute demonstrates the value of retaining structural and envelope systems, which on average account for half of a building’s embodied energy (Cole and Kernan, 1996). This ability for detailed itemized assessment is well suited to the modern movement’s development of core and shell construction technology.

 

For example, two scenarios of “Impact Avoidance” can be used to estimate the environmental effects that are avoided by rehabilitating a building. The minimum avoided environmental impact case involves saving only the structural system of an existing building, with the rest demolished and replaced. The avoided impacts equal the effects of 1) demolishing a structural system and 2) rebuilding a comparable structural system. This scenario is demonstrated by the curtain wall replacement project for the Lever House and in development for the United Nations secretariat tower. In both cases, the effects of demolishing the envelope are not avoided. The maximum scenario involves saving the envelope as well as the structure, with avoided impacts equal to the effects of: 1) demolishing a structural/envelope system and 2) rebuilding a comparable structural/envelope system. The rehabilitation of the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam remains one of the most comprehensive examples of this alternative to date.

 

Until recently, both the LEED and Green Globes rating systems were criticized for not rationally weighting their assessment criteria according to environmental relevance. Although some LCA inconsistencies remain, Green Globes has been credited with including explicit rating criteria for both life-cycle strategies and building durability/ adaptability. LEED, however, historically has favored specific products according to LCA impact. LEED version 3 has re-distributed the credit values of its criteria according to LCA, but there is no single criterion that explicitly evaluates the cumulative life-cycle of a construction project. For example, the “Materials and Re-use” section requires the use of rapidly renewable materials to reduce the use of long-cycle renewable materials. However, there is no allowance for evaluating the impact of using a rapidly renewable material that must be replaced 10 times more frequently than its long-cycle alternative. Notably, a consortium of university facility managers has recently decided to eliminate the installation of bamboo flooring from future projects due to its limited service life in their prior LEED projects.

  

Conclusion

“In exploring the primary general categories of 'green' or 'sustainable' design and construction (energy, durability, air quality, and environmental impacts) and the ability to develop and specify requirements and standards of performance, measurement is a critical issue. Specifically, if you can't measure it, it is difficult to set up specific requirements and standards for it.” (Smith et al., 2006)

 

The professional evolution of preservation has lead to scientific methods and technologies to physically support the conservation of historic structures and sites. In turn, measurements have been conducted to demonstrate the positive economic impact of this mission. Despite some occasional reluctance, metrics have become fundamental to practice.

 

In deference to the legitimacy of environmental concerns, one cannot address today's global condition using yesterday's individualized arguments. This has occasionally been a shortcoming of the policy statements of historic preservation leadership. In the wake of the last energy crises, the aforementioned ACHP’s substantial investment in embodied energy research was an appropriate response. However, during that same period, the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation was revised for only a narrow consideration of energy efficiency. Although the topic was addressed (primarily the weatherizing of wood sash windows), it was not sufficiently encouraged, nor have the challenges of integrating both criteria been explored.

 

During the past boom of U.S. construction, the values of conservation and building integration largely lost out to the practice of tabula rasa- which the private development community has historically preferred for project expediency. Preservation advocates can attest to the large number of buildings demolished before the end of their technical service life due to a common list of “red herrings” that may now include operational inefficiency. It is too simplistic to conclude that modern architecture is logically produced and removed from the landscape based on its original bias for experimentation and technological innovation. To offer a counterpoint, there is a fundamental difference between “shortening the replacement cycle” of our mechanical systems versus our building stock and by extension communities and architectural heritage.

 

Architectural preservation has repeatedly been argued to be an act of sustainability. In the immediate future, LCA methodology suggests a potential bridge between the preservation community’s interest in increasingly rare building materials and techniques, with the environmental principles supporting “green” building standards. But as a caution against any suggestion of a “silver bullet”, LCA expert Arnold Tukker offers the following: “It will never be possible to solve controversial discussions about products with an LCIA [life cycle inventory assessment] method that is based solely on mathematical relations between interventions and protection areas. There are simply too many uncertainties, there is too much ignorance, and they can only be overcome by all kinds of subjective, subtle, and basically value-laden choices. …”

 

Preservation and conservation advocates are tasked with addressing the present paradigm shift. Future programs and processes within both academia and the profession must acknowledge the environmental impacts of construction. Simultaneously, those forces must impart the values of social interaction and cultural enrichment inherent to architectural heritage to expand the popular definition of sustainability.

  

References

Anonymous. 2009, April 10. American National Standard 01-200XP: Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings. Public Review Draft. Green Building Initiative.

 

__________ 2008, July 30. “USGBC Lists Certification Lineup for LEED 2009.” Greener Buildings online journal.

 

__________ 2003, November. “White Paper on Sustainability.” Building Design & Construction Magazine.

 

__________ 2004. “Towards Sustainable Use of Building Stock.” Joint Workshop on Sustainable Buildings. Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development/International Energy Agency.

 

__________ 2008. “Green Building Practices and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation.” Draft edition. Pocantico Symposium. National Trust for Historic Preservation.

 

Booz, Allen, Hamilton. 1979. “Assessing the Energy Conservation Benefits of Historic Preservation: Methods and Examples.” United States Advisory Council for Historic Preservation.

 

Campagna , Barbara A. 2009, June 15. “How Changes to LEED™ Will Benefit Existing and Historic Buildings.” Preservation Architect: The Newsletter of the Historic Resources Committee. American Institute of Architects.

 

Cole, R.J. and Kernan, P.C. 1996. “Life-Cycle Energy Use in Office Buildings.” Building and Environment, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 307-317.

 

Frey, Patrice. 2007, October. “Making the Case: Historic Preservation as Sustainable Development.” Draft edition. Sustainable Preservation Research Retreat. National Trust for Historic Preservation.

 

Kibert, Charles A. 2004. “Green Buildings: An Overview of Progress.” Journal of Land Use. Vol. 19:2.

 

Smith, Timothy M., Miriam Fischlein, Sangwon Suh, Pat Huelman. 2006, September. “Green Building Rating Systems: a Comparison of the LEED and Green Globes Systems in the U.S.” University of Minnesota.

 

Trusty, Wayne. 2004. “Renovating vs. Building New: The Environmental Merits.” The Athena Institute.

yosemite falls

 

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Copyright © 2012 Neal Pritchard PhotographyThis photo may not be used in any form without prior permission. All rights reserved. All images may NOT be used on websites, blogs or in any other form of media print or web based without explicit written permission by Spool Photography

Rocky outcrop on the south west coast of western australia

 

Multi frame stitch taken with canon 5d mrk II and zeiss glass ...

 

Check out my Profile Page for more information on my images and my website and contact details

 

Copyright © 2012 Neal Pritchard Photography

This photo may not be used in any form without prior permission. All rights reserved. All images may NOT be used on websites, blogs or in any other form of media print or web based without explicit written permission by Spool Photography

A wrecking yard (Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian English), scrapyard (Irish and British English) or junkyard (American English) is the location of a business in dismantling where wrecked or decommissioned vehicles are brought, their usable parts are sold for use in operating vehicles, while the unusable metal parts, known as scrap metal parts, are sold to metal-recycling companies.

 

Other terms include wreck yard, wrecker's yard, salvage yard, breakers yard, dismantler and scrapheap. In the United Kingdom, car salvage yards are known as car breakers, while motorcycle salvage yards are known as bike breakers. In Australia, they are often referred to as 'Wreckers'.

 

The most common type of wreck yards are automobile wreck yards, but junkyards for motorcycles, bicycles, small airplanes and boats exist too.

 

Many salvage yards operate on a local level—when an automobile is severely damaged, has malfunctioned beyond repair, or not worth the repair, the owner may sell it to a junkyard; in some cases—as when the car has become disabled in a place where derelict cars are not allowed to be left—the car owner will pay the wrecker to haul the car away.

 

Salvage yards also buy most of the wrecked, derelict and abandoned vehicles that are sold at auction from police impound storage lots,and often buy vehicles from insurance tow yards as well.

 

The salvage yard will usually tow the vehicle from the location of its purchase to the yard, but occasionally vehicles are driven in. At the salvage yard the automobiles are typically arranged in rows, often stacked on top of one another.

 

Some yards keep inventories in their offices, as to the usable parts in each car, as well as the car's location in the yard. Many yards have computerized inventory systems. About 75% of any given vehicle can be recycled and used for other goods.

 

In recent years it is becoming increasingly common to use satellite part finder services to contact multiple salvage yards from a single source.

 

In the 20th century these were call centres that charged a premium rate for calls and compiled a facsimile that was sent to various salvage yards so they could respond directly if the part was in stock. Many of these are now Web-based with requests for parts being e-mailed instantly.

This image is excerpted from a U.S. GAO report:

www.gao.gov/products/GAO-22-103441

 

Preventing a Dirty Bomb: Vulnerabilities Persist in NRC's Controls for Purchases of High-Risk Radioactive Materials

A wrecking yard (Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian English), scrapyard (Irish and British English) or junkyard (American English) is the location of a business in dismantling where wrecked or decommissioned vehicles are brought, their usable parts are sold for use in operating vehicles, while the unusable metal parts, known as scrap metal parts, are sold to metal-recycling companies.

 

Other terms include wreck yard, wrecker's yard, salvage yard, breakers yard, dismantler and scrapheap. In the United Kingdom, car salvage yards are known as car breakers, while motorcycle salvage yards are known as bike breakers. In Australia, they are often referred to as 'Wreckers'.

 

The most common type of wreck yards are automobile wreck yards, but junkyards for motorcycles, bicycles, small airplanes and boats exist too.

 

Many salvage yards operate on a local level—when an automobile is severely damaged, has malfunctioned beyond repair, or not worth the repair, the owner may sell it to a junkyard; in some cases—as when the car has become disabled in a place where derelict cars are not allowed to be left—the car owner will pay the wrecker to haul the car away.

 

Salvage yards also buy most of the wrecked, derelict and abandoned vehicles that are sold at auction from police impound storage lots,and often buy vehicles from insurance tow yards as well.

 

The salvage yard will usually tow the vehicle from the location of its purchase to the yard, but occasionally vehicles are driven in. At the salvage yard the automobiles are typically arranged in rows, often stacked on top of one another.

 

Some yards keep inventories in their offices, as to the usable parts in each car, as well as the car's location in the yard. Many yards have computerized inventory systems. About 75% of any given vehicle can be recycled and used for other goods.

 

In recent years it is becoming increasingly common to use satellite part finder services to contact multiple salvage yards from a single source.

 

In the 20th century these were call centres that charged a premium rate for calls and compiled a facsimile that was sent to various salvage yards so they could respond directly if the part was in stock. Many of these are now Web-based with requests for parts being e-mailed instantly.

A wrecking yard (Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian English), scrapyard (Irish and British English) or junkyard (American English) is the location of a business in dismantling where wrecked or decommissioned vehicles are brought, their usable parts are sold for use in operating vehicles, while the unusable metal parts, known as scrap metal parts, are sold to metal-recycling companies.

 

Other terms include wreck yard, wrecker's yard, salvage yard, breakers yard, dismantler and scrapheap. In the United Kingdom, car salvage yards are known as car breakers, while motorcycle salvage yards are known as bike breakers. In Australia, they are often referred to as 'Wreckers'.

 

The most common type of wreck yards are automobile wreck yards, but junkyards for motorcycles, bicycles, small airplanes and boats exist too.

 

Many salvage yards operate on a local level—when an automobile is severely damaged, has malfunctioned beyond repair, or not worth the repair, the owner may sell it to a junkyard; in some cases—as when the car has become disabled in a place where derelict cars are not allowed to be left—the car owner will pay the wrecker to haul the car away.

 

Salvage yards also buy most of the wrecked, derelict and abandoned vehicles that are sold at auction from police impound storage lots,and often buy vehicles from insurance tow yards as well.

 

The salvage yard will usually tow the vehicle from the location of its purchase to the yard, but occasionally vehicles are driven in. At the salvage yard the automobiles are typically arranged in rows, often stacked on top of one another.

 

Some yards keep inventories in their offices, as to the usable parts in each car, as well as the car's location in the yard. Many yards have computerized inventory systems. About 75% of any given vehicle can be recycled and used for other goods.

 

In recent years it is becoming increasingly common to use satellite part finder services to contact multiple salvage yards from a single source.

 

In the 20th century these were call centres that charged a premium rate for calls and compiled a facsimile that was sent to various salvage yards so they could respond directly if the part was in stock. Many of these are now Web-based with requests for parts being e-mailed instantly.

Photo caption:

From left – Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels; Hon. Dr Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria; Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Co-Founder of Tune Group; Stuart Myerscough, Commercial Manager Australia of AirAsia X unveiling the opening price of Tune Hotel Melbourne.

  

NEWS RELEASE

 

MELBOURNE – THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY MAY HAVE JUST GOT BETTER!

Tune Hotel Melbourne opening November with A$49* launch rate

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 June 2013 - International hotel group Tune Hotels today announced the pre-opening sale of its first Australian property in Melbourne and that the city will serve as its operational headquarters for the Australia and New Zealand region.

 

The announcement was made here today by Mark Lankester, the Group CEO of Tune Hotels in the presence of the visiting Premier of Victoria, Honourable Dr Denis Napthine. Also present was Co-Founder of Tune Group, who is also Group CEO of AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne at 609 Swanston Street, Carlton is conveniently located next to the University of Melbourne, just two streets away from popular Lygon Street and minutes to Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD). The 225-room property will open for customers on 1 November 2013.

 

To celebrate its arrival, Tune Hotel Melbourne is offering an attractive room rate from just A$49* (US$46 / RM157) per night. The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

Bookings can be made from 18 June until 28 June 2013 for stays between 1 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to availability of rooms. A total of 1,000 rooms will be made available at that price.

 

Dr Napthine said: “Melbourne’s new Tune Hotel would open its doors in Melbourne’s CBD in November to coincide with Victoria’s world-famous Spring Racing Carnival.”

 

Dr Napthine also welcomed the decision by Tune Hotels to set up its Australia and New Zealand Operational Headquarters in Melbourne. “Together, the investment is expected to create up to 100 jobs.”

 

The Premier is currently leading around 300 Victorian businesses and 450 delegates on a Super Trade Mission to South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur is the mission’s first stop before moving on to other key Asean cities – Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Hanoi, among others.

 

In a recent ranking of the world's "most liveable" cities, Melbourne took the number one spot for the second year running. The city was awarded perfect marks for education, healthcare, and infrastructure by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

 

As Australia’s events capital, Melbourne boasts a rich calendar of theatre, sporting and cultural events. Blockbuster annual events include the Australian Open Tennis Championship, Formula One Grand Prix, Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and more.

 

Melbourne is a romantic, stylish, cosmopolitan city with a European feel and hidden city laneways and arcades for visitors to discover hidden treasures, cafes, boutiques, bars and restaurants. The city is also the gourmet capital of Australia with award-winning chefs and a diverse cuisine with unique settings, provincial specialties and world class wine regions within easy access of the city.

 

A range of diverse travel experiences are available within easy reach of Melbourne in regional Victoria. Whether it’s skiing the Victorian Alps, reclining on picture postcard beaches, sampling award-winning wines or unwinding in luxurious day spas, regional Victoria is replete with immersive experiences year-round.

 

To add to the celebration, long-haul low cost airline AirAsia X is also running a joint promotion where a one-way flight seat from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne is going from as low as RM329**. Guests have until 23 June 2013 to make a booking for travel between 15 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to the availability of seats. Also on offer are Fly Thru services from Jakarta-Melbourne (from IDR 1,459,000** one-way) and Bangkok-Melbourne (from THB 5,890** one-way), allowing guests to seamlessly connect via Kuala Lumpur.

 

Guests who would like to travel with extra comfort may also fly on AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed seats from as low as RM2, 299** from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Premium Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Duvet. For more information and flight bookings, please visit airasia.com.

 

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said: “AirAsia X had been serving the Melbourne route for more than four years now and it is one of our best-selling. I am very pleased that Tune Hotels will now have its presence in Melbourne to give visitors to this wonderful city a truly compelling accommodation alternative. We are sure the Australian market will welcome and embrace Tune Hotels just as they did AirAsia X.”

 

Commenting on Melbourne as Tune Hotels’ Operational HQ for Australia and New Zealand, Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “We are very excited about Tune Hotel Melbourne as it marks our growing brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne will be the location for our HQ overseeing Australia and New Zealand operations, working in conjunction with the corporate office in Kuala Lumpur. Given our long term plans for the region, the Australia and New Zealand HQ will be staffed relevantly to oversee and provide central support to Tune Hotels’ properties in Australia and New Zealand.”

 

“And to celebrate in true Tune Hotels style, we’re offering travellers one of the lowest room rates seen in central Melbourne for years. Tune Hotels is all about offering a great night’s sleep at a great price. Tune Hotel Melbourne will serve domestic business and leisure travellers and visitors from abroad who are looking for great comfort just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD without paying the usual exorbitant rates,” added Lankester.

 

The basic room rate at Tune Hotel Melbourne is already inclusive of air-conditioning and and/or heating. For an additional A$10, guests will get a pair of towels and toiletry kits and enjoy high-speed wireless broadband and Foxtel TV entertainment.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne features an indoor courtyard, a recreational lounge, a restaurant, café/ convenience store, luggage storage, self-service launderette and computer kiosks. It is also equipped with a basement car park, something unusual for city centre hotels in Australia.

 

The hotel is just two streets away from Lygon Street, more famously known as Little Italy. The central business district, Melbourne Central Train Station and QV Melbourne; one of Melbourne's finest retail, dining and entertainment precincts, is only two tram stops away.

 

Tune Hotels provides international-class high-quality accommodation which focuses on key essentials but minus the generally underused facilities found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums. By doing away with these costly and high-maintenance facilities, Tune Hotels is able to pass on savings to its guests in the form of super low room rates. Its pay-as-you-use concept lets travellers choose and pay only for amenities that they require to keep costs down, reduce waste and save energy.

 

All Tune hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star beds and powerful hot showers. The strategically located hotels provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, extensive CCTV systems, and no access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight for extra security.

 

The group has received almost five million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. Tune Hotels has one hotel in India, 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, and four each in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. The company is set to open another property in Japan this year while future projects are planned in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsAUS and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

  

* Rooms at promotional rates are limited and subject to availability. Promotional rates are limited to double rooms, exclude peak periods, available only on specific dates and only for bookings made via www.tunehotels.com. Advertised rate includes GST and is for room only (excludes comfort package (WiFi, Towel & toiletries and TV) and all optional add-ons). Bookings that are made at the promotional price are strictly non-refundable or changeable. Booking period is 18 June 2013 - 28 June 2013, or until promotional rooms are sold out. Stay period is 1 Nov 2013 to 31 March 2014. No additional charges for booking payments made using PayPal. Additional charges may apply for online bookings paid using credit and debit cards. All amounts are in Australian dollars unless stated otherwise. Refer to www.tunehotels.com for other applicable terms and conditions.

 

** Promo fares include airport taxes and fees (all-in fares). Flights and fares are subject to availability and are for one-way travel only.

  

-ENDS-

About Tune Hotels & Tune Group

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity. All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security. The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

About AirAsia X Berhad

AirAsia X is the low-cost, long-haul affiliate carrier of the AirAsia Group that currently flies to destinations in China, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Nepal and the Middle East. The airline currently serves 14 destinations across Asia (Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Kathmandu), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and the Middle East (Jeddah) with flights to an additional destination, namely Busan, commencing in July 2013. AirAsia X operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A330-300s, each with a seat configuration of 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 Economy seats. The airline has carried over 9 million guests since it commenced long-haul in 2007. Our vision is to further solidify our position as the global leader in low-cost, long-haul aviation and create the first global multi-hub low-cost carrier network along with other carriers of the AirAsia Group.

 

More photos can be downloaded from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

Media enquiries:

 

MALAYSIA & INTERNATIONAL

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 3153638

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

 

AUSTRALIA

Brenton Gibbs

Tel: +61 (0)419 828 440

Email: brenton@crookgroup.com.au

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

AHMEDABAD OPENING MARKS TUNE HOTELS’ ENTRY INTO INDIA

 

Presents new green ideas; Rs 599 per night introductory rate

  

NEW DELHI, 3 May 2013 – Award-winning international hotel chain, Tune Hotels, is all set to welcome its first guests in India with the opening of the 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad this month.

 

“We look forward to offering travellers to Ahmedabad an unbeatable proposition that combines great savings with a great comfortable stay and in a location that is annexed to the newest Shopping Mall in Ahmedabad. Our business model is designed to take care of the needs of travellers in India looking for great comfort without paying exorbitant rates,” said Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.

 

“Ahmedabad is an amazingly vibrant city in the fast growing state of Gujarat and we are looking to welcome both business and leisure travellers. We are very excited about this hotel as it marks our brand’s very first entry into India’s very exciting hospitality market. The Tune Hotel Ahmedabad aims to serve both domestic travellers and visitors from abroad, especially members of the large non-resident Indian (NRI) community from Gujarat settled in places like the US, Britain and the Gulf, who may already have had prior knowledge of the brand in the five countries we are already present in” he said.

 

To celebrate the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, online bookings are now accepted with attractive all-inclusive room charges that start from as low as 599 Indian rupees (US$11 / RM34 / Bt330 / Rp108,000). Guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and bookings can be made from 3 May 2013 until 10 May 2013, subject to availability of rooms. The rate is available on a first come, first served basis, for stay period starting 15 May 2013 until 30 September 2013.

 

The arrival of Tune Hotels in India will also introduce new green ideas to hotel stay.

 

“We at Tune Hotels pursue a conscious policy of being environmental-friendly by optimising use of available resources, reduction of waste and by introducing processes that save on energy consumption. And our guests have endorsed our operations that encourage lifestyles that protect the environment,” Lankester said.

 

“As part of our business philosophy, we strive to remain locally-relevant in each and every community that we’re in, and this includes being responsible towards the local environment. We invite our guests in India to celebrate with us the introduction of new green concepts.”

 

The 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, annexed to the newly developed 4D Square Mall in the city’s Motera area, is well positioned on the main thoroughfare to the state capital of Gandhinagar and a stone’s throw away from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel cricket stadium.

 

Providing world-standard, high quality accommodation by focusing on key essentials but minus the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, Tune Hotels keeps its operating costs low and savings are passed on to guests in the form of super low rates.

 

Aside from its standard single and double rooms, Tune Hotels will be introducing family rooms that can accommodate between four to six people in order to meet the needs of the Indian guests, especially in the wedding market.

 

“In addition to larger room varieties, we have also made other adjustments in our offerings to serve our Indian guests better including more expansive food and beverage availability within the hotel. With a view to the huge wedding market in India, the hotel is able to cater to the needs for major banquet facilities for that total wedding experience. In fact, we’ve taken bookings for our very first wedding entourage already!” said Lankester.

 

Apart from properties in major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai –Tune Hotels is focusing on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities along with hotels in the tourist triangle destinations of Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. Tune Hotels will have five to six hotels in Gujarat as part of our 20 planned hotels across India in the next three years.

 

Commenting on the prospects for Tune Hotels in India, Lankester said: “India’s domestic hospitality market in total is huge and the major international brands all have a focus on the country. We see strong growth in both business and tourist segments as the domestic economy remains resilient. India’s middle class is expanding and rising disposable incomes have boosted travel. We are in a good position to offer quality affordable accommodation to these travel groups.”

 

Tune Hotels has received over four million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. With the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, there will be 29 Tune Hotels in operation globally. The rest are 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, four in the Philippines, four in Thailand and four in Indonesia.

 

By the end of 2013, Tune Hotels will have operating hotels in eight countries. Apart from India the company is set to open properties in Japan and Australia this year. Future projects are also coming up in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels’ Indian expansion signifies growing economic relations between India and Malaysia, which has emerged as India’s key partner in Southeast Asia. Companies and business people are increasingly benefitting from these expanded business links and two-way flow of investment and people continues to rise. India-Malaysia trade hit a record high of $13.5 billion in 2012, a 7.3 per cent growth over 2011, while tourist traffic also continues to remain strong between the two countries.

 

Tourist arrivals between the two countries have been on the rise with Malaysia being among India’s top 10 sources of tourism, while India was Malaysia's sixth biggest source of tourists in 2012.

 

The opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad comes as Asia’s largest low-cost carrier AirAsia plans to launch its domestic airline services in India in a new venture.

 

“We see this as a great boost for not only travel between Malaysia and India, but adding further attraction to increasing travel within India. Like AirAsia, we pride ourselves on being a customer-focussed brand,” Lankester said.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsIndia and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

   

AHMEDABAD FACTS & ATTRACTIONS:

 

Bhadra Fort – Situated in the walled city area of Ahmedabad, its significance was established in 1411 the year Sultan Ahmad Shah established Ahmedabad as the capital of Gujarat Sultanate. The fort was built on the East Bank of the Sabarmati River and in 2012, a joint initiative between the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Archeological Survey of India was signed to restore and redevelop to the fort to its former glory.

 

AutoWorld Museum – Featuring the largest collection of vintage automobiles in India, the AutoWorld Museum is located in Ahmedabad. The museum was founded by the Pranlal Bhogilal family and features cars, motorcycles and jeeps by marque carmakers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler-Chrysler and many more.

 

Sidi Sayed Mosque, Lal Darwaja – The mosque of Sidi Sayed is one of the most prominent mosques in Ahmedabad. Constructed in the year 1573, the mosque has gained worldwide recognition for it's intrincate artistic splendour.

 

Kankaria Lake – The Kankaria Lakefront development offers its visitors a myriad of activities and attractions apart from the gorgeous and serene view. Along the lake's 2.3km circumference, visitors can treat themselves to water sports & rides, visit the Balloon Safari, Kankaria Zoo, Kid City and a host of other attractions.

 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial - This is one of the most important buildings in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. It is a museum as well as an exhibition center, dedicated to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

 

Akshardham Temple – The temple in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat is one of the largest Temples in the state. The monument that enshrines the 2.1 metre gold-leafed Murti of Lord Swaminarayan is the focal point of the temple. The monument itself, which is 30 meters in height was build with 6 thousand tonnes of Pink Sandstone and is largely heralded as an architectural masterpiece.

 

Sabarmati Ashram – This ashram is widely known as the Gandhi Ashram, in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who spent 12 years of his life here. Located at the base of the Sabarmati river, the Ashram is recognised as a monument of national significance due to the role the place had played for the Independence of India.

  

- END –

  

About Tune Hotels

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity.

 

All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security.

 

The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

Photos are available from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

For media enquiries please contact:

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 315 3638

Fax: +603 7955 5899

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

   

Q & A with Mark Lankester

Group CEO, Tune Hotels

 

Q: Where does the environment figure in Tune Hotels’ business philosophy?

A: For us at Tune Hotels, being environment-friendly is not a slogan. Using resources in a way that reduces waste and promotes healthy lifestyles is built in our daily operations whether it is saving energy or minimising waste. As a value hotel chain we by nature consume less resources. Shorn of the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, we are promoting a more sustainable form of travel.

 

Q: What specific examples of green steps can you provide?

A: To give you an example of our energy conservation ways, we have a pay-as-you-use air-conditioning system programmed into guest keycards. Ceiling fans are a standard feature in our hotel rooms so guests have a choice not to use air-conditioning. And those who do need air-conditioning have it by agreeing to a small charge. Hallway air-conditioners in our hotels are set on a timer system so they turn on in alternate sequence to conserve power. We also actively use energy-efficient bulbs wherever we can. In developing new projects, we will look at how green standards can be incorporated in the location, size and building methods. Recycling containers are provided at all our hotels.

 

Q: How will Tune Hotels execute its green initiatives in India?

A: As part of our green initiatives, we encourage people to make smarter choices about the use of resources. Most people in India consider wastefulness as something bad. There is already a level of awareness about environmental degradation and how resources must be used better. People listen to arguments in favour of protecting the environment. Therefore, it is important for the hospitality industry to take its corporate social responsibility seriously.

 

Just recently the government of Delhi asked the city’s five-star hotels to conserve water and set up waste treatment plants. In our messages we are going to highlight why sustainable travel is important and how our guests can be part of our environment-friendly practices. Our properties do not feature swimming pools so most of our efforts will be directed at efficient use of water in rooms, laundry and energy efficient practices.

 

Q: These days it is not uncommon to see hotels putting up instructions for guests on towel and linen use. What are Tune Hotels’ practices in this regard?

A: This is an important area for any hotel to show what it can do to check water pollution. Laundry operation involves significant use of detergents, chemicals, water and electricity. By seeking the cooperation of our guests we can considerably reduce water use. Most people who stay at home are happy not to change bathroom towels and their bed linen every single day. Surely they can be encouraged to do the same during hotel stays. Tune Hotels reduces water consumption and the flow of laundry effluents into the environment by providing towels, if required for a small charge.

 

Q: How does Tune Hotels set green standards?

A: When we develop our hotels we invest in systems and technologies that are compatible with our green standards. Then we invest in our staff training and customer education so that we benefit from our environmental efforts. We always look at new technological developments in the hospitality industry so that we can improve our response to environmental issues.

 

We are keen to work with government bodies, academia, community and industry associations to promote green practices in travel. We strongly believe that environmental concerns should go mainstream in the hospitality business.

 

- ENDS -

 

Taking advantage of the powerful android engine in it, I downloaded a working frogger app onto the controller unit, using the touch screen to move frogger about

 

The controller runs MaxTime traffic signal software in the background regardless of what other app(s) are running.

 

It is a traffic controller by nature, and although has Google Android brain in it, it can only run smaller file size apps. Larger games crash or will not open. It is not designed to run games, even if it can!

 

The ability to download apps opens the door for traffic signal manufacturers to develop web based software that can be downloaded directly to the controller without a laptop or extra cabinet equipment.

I had a little bit of a medical scare here in Seattle today. While my plane was landing, I experienced a violent "popping" sensation behind my right eye followed by excruciating pain. The pain became a little more bearable after I landed, but it was still very uncomfortable. Thinking I had a brain aneurysm, I drove myself to the nearest hospital. The emergency room was full. I prepared myself for a very long wait, but was surprised when they called my name after just a few minutes. I was initially excited about skipping the line, but then it dawned on me that skipping the line at the ER isn't quite the same as skipping the line at Disney World. Mickey Mouse doesn't triage.

 

Also fearing that I had a brain aneurysm, the doctors ordered this CT Scan you see here. Although afraid of what it would show, I was secretly proud that Dr. Google and I came to the same potential diagnosis as the real docs. Thanks Google!

 

After a ten minute wait which seemed like fifteen, the doctor came into my room with a smile on his face. I was expecting him to say, "Michael I've got good news. We're going to be naming a disease after you." Instead he said, "You know how babies often cry when they're on a descending plane?" I already knew the rest of what he was going to say. To make a long story short, I was experiencing severe sinus pressure from the altitude change... and I'm a baby.

 

I can't tell you how I got my hands on this picture, because I don't want to get anybody in trouble, but there's a funny story behind it. (Hint: It involves Print-Screen, Web Based Mail and a little distraction.)

NEWS RELEASE

 

AHMEDABAD OPENING MARKS TUNE HOTELS’ ENTRY INTO INDIA

 

Presents new green ideas; Rs 599 per night introductory rate

  

NEW DELHI, 3 May 2013 – Award-winning international hotel chain, Tune Hotels, is all set to welcome its first guests in India with the opening of the 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad this month.

 

“We look forward to offering travellers to Ahmedabad an unbeatable proposition that combines great savings with a great comfortable stay and in a location that is annexed to the newest Shopping Mall in Ahmedabad. Our business model is designed to take care of the needs of travellers in India looking for great comfort without paying exorbitant rates,” said Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.

 

“Ahmedabad is an amazingly vibrant city in the fast growing state of Gujarat and we are looking to welcome both business and leisure travellers. We are very excited about this hotel as it marks our brand’s very first entry into India’s very exciting hospitality market. The Tune Hotel Ahmedabad aims to serve both domestic travellers and visitors from abroad, especially members of the large non-resident Indian (NRI) community from Gujarat settled in places like the US, Britain and the Gulf, who may already have had prior knowledge of the brand in the five countries we are already present in” he said.

 

To celebrate the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, online bookings are now accepted with attractive all-inclusive room charges that start from as low as 599 Indian rupees (US$11 / RM34 / Bt330 / Rp108,000). Guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and bookings can be made from 3 May 2013 until 10 May 2013, subject to availability of rooms. The rate is available on a first come, first served basis, for stay period starting 15 May 2013 until 30 September 2013.

 

The arrival of Tune Hotels in India will also introduce new green ideas to hotel stay.

 

“We at Tune Hotels pursue a conscious policy of being environmental-friendly by optimising use of available resources, reduction of waste and by introducing processes that save on energy consumption. And our guests have endorsed our operations that encourage lifestyles that protect the environment,” Lankester said.

 

“As part of our business philosophy, we strive to remain locally-relevant in each and every community that we’re in, and this includes being responsible towards the local environment. We invite our guests in India to celebrate with us the introduction of new green concepts.”

 

The 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, annexed to the newly developed 4D Square Mall in the city’s Motera area, is well positioned on the main thoroughfare to the state capital of Gandhinagar and a stone’s throw away from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel cricket stadium.

 

Providing world-standard, high quality accommodation by focusing on key essentials but minus the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, Tune Hotels keeps its operating costs low and savings are passed on to guests in the form of super low rates.

 

Aside from its standard single and double rooms, Tune Hotels will be introducing family rooms that can accommodate between four to six people in order to meet the needs of the Indian guests, especially in the wedding market.

 

“In addition to larger room varieties, we have also made other adjustments in our offerings to serve our Indian guests better including more expansive food and beverage availability within the hotel. With a view to the huge wedding market in India, the hotel is able to cater to the needs for major banquet facilities for that total wedding experience. In fact, we’ve taken bookings for our very first wedding entourage already!” said Lankester.

 

Apart from properties in major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai –Tune Hotels is focusing on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities along with hotels in the tourist triangle destinations of Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. Tune Hotels will have five to six hotels in Gujarat as part of our 20 planned hotels across India in the next three years.

 

Commenting on the prospects for Tune Hotels in India, Lankester said: “India’s domestic hospitality market in total is huge and the major international brands all have a focus on the country. We see strong growth in both business and tourist segments as the domestic economy remains resilient. India’s middle class is expanding and rising disposable incomes have boosted travel. We are in a good position to offer quality affordable accommodation to these travel groups.”

 

Tune Hotels has received over four million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. With the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, there will be 29 Tune Hotels in operation globally. The rest are 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, four in the Philippines, four in Thailand and four in Indonesia.

 

By the end of 2013, Tune Hotels will have operating hotels in eight countries. Apart from India the company is set to open properties in Japan and Australia this year. Future projects are also coming up in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels’ Indian expansion signifies growing economic relations between India and Malaysia, which has emerged as India’s key partner in Southeast Asia. Companies and business people are increasingly benefitting from these expanded business links and two-way flow of investment and people continues to rise. India-Malaysia trade hit a record high of $13.5 billion in 2012, a 7.3 per cent growth over 2011, while tourist traffic also continues to remain strong between the two countries.

 

Tourist arrivals between the two countries have been on the rise with Malaysia being among India’s top 10 sources of tourism, while India was Malaysia's sixth biggest source of tourists in 2012.

 

The opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad comes as Asia’s largest low-cost carrier AirAsia plans to launch its domestic airline services in India in a new venture.

 

“We see this as a great boost for not only travel between Malaysia and India, but adding further attraction to increasing travel within India. Like AirAsia, we pride ourselves on being a customer-focussed brand,” Lankester said.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsIndia and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

   

AHMEDABAD FACTS & ATTRACTIONS:

 

Bhadra Fort – Situated in the walled city area of Ahmedabad, its significance was established in 1411 the year Sultan Ahmad Shah established Ahmedabad as the capital of Gujarat Sultanate. The fort was built on the East Bank of the Sabarmati River and in 2012, a joint initiative between the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Archeological Survey of India was signed to restore and redevelop to the fort to its former glory.

 

AutoWorld Museum – Featuring the largest collection of vintage automobiles in India, the AutoWorld Museum is located in Ahmedabad. The museum was founded by the Pranlal Bhogilal family and features cars, motorcycles and jeeps by marque carmakers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler-Chrysler and many more.

 

Sidi Sayed Mosque, Lal Darwaja – The mosque of Sidi Sayed is one of the most prominent mosques in Ahmedabad. Constructed in the year 1573, the mosque has gained worldwide recognition for it's intrincate artistic splendour.

 

Kankaria Lake – The Kankaria Lakefront development offers its visitors a myriad of activities and attractions apart from the gorgeous and serene view. Along the lake's 2.3km circumference, visitors can treat themselves to water sports & rides, visit the Balloon Safari, Kankaria Zoo, Kid City and a host of other attractions.

 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial - This is one of the most important buildings in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. It is a museum as well as an exhibition center, dedicated to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

 

Akshardham Temple – The temple in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat is one of the largest Temples in the state. The monument that enshrines the 2.1 metre gold-leafed Murti of Lord Swaminarayan is the focal point of the temple. The monument itself, which is 30 meters in height was build with 6 thousand tonnes of Pink Sandstone and is largely heralded as an architectural masterpiece.

 

Sabarmati Ashram – This ashram is widely known as the Gandhi Ashram, in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who spent 12 years of his life here. Located at the base of the Sabarmati river, the Ashram is recognised as a monument of national significance due to the role the place had played for the Independence of India.

  

- END –

  

About Tune Hotels

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity.

 

All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security.

 

The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

Photos are available from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

For media enquiries please contact:

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 315 3638

Fax: +603 7955 5899

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

   

Q & A with Mark Lankester

Group CEO, Tune Hotels

 

Q: Where does the environment figure in Tune Hotels’ business philosophy?

A: For us at Tune Hotels, being environment-friendly is not a slogan. Using resources in a way that reduces waste and promotes healthy lifestyles is built in our daily operations whether it is saving energy or minimising waste. As a value hotel chain we by nature consume less resources. Shorn of the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, we are promoting a more sustainable form of travel.

 

Q: What specific examples of green steps can you provide?

A: To give you an example of our energy conservation ways, we have a pay-as-you-use air-conditioning system programmed into guest keycards. Ceiling fans are a standard feature in our hotel rooms so guests have a choice not to use air-conditioning. And those who do need air-conditioning have it by agreeing to a small charge. Hallway air-conditioners in our hotels are set on a timer system so they turn on in alternate sequence to conserve power. We also actively use energy-efficient bulbs wherever we can. In developing new projects, we will look at how green standards can be incorporated in the location, size and building methods. Recycling containers are provided at all our hotels.

 

Q: How will Tune Hotels execute its green initiatives in India?

A: As part of our green initiatives, we encourage people to make smarter choices about the use of resources. Most people in India consider wastefulness as something bad. There is already a level of awareness about environmental degradation and how resources must be used better. People listen to arguments in favour of protecting the environment. Therefore, it is important for the hospitality industry to take its corporate social responsibility seriously.

 

Just recently the government of Delhi asked the city’s five-star hotels to conserve water and set up waste treatment plants. In our messages we are going to highlight why sustainable travel is important and how our guests can be part of our environment-friendly practices. Our properties do not feature swimming pools so most of our efforts will be directed at efficient use of water in rooms, laundry and energy efficient practices.

 

Q: These days it is not uncommon to see hotels putting up instructions for guests on towel and linen use. What are Tune Hotels’ practices in this regard?

A: This is an important area for any hotel to show what it can do to check water pollution. Laundry operation involves significant use of detergents, chemicals, water and electricity. By seeking the cooperation of our guests we can considerably reduce water use. Most people who stay at home are happy not to change bathroom towels and their bed linen every single day. Surely they can be encouraged to do the same during hotel stays. Tune Hotels reduces water consumption and the flow of laundry effluents into the environment by providing towels, if required for a small charge.

 

Q: How does Tune Hotels set green standards?

A: When we develop our hotels we invest in systems and technologies that are compatible with our green standards. Then we invest in our staff training and customer education so that we benefit from our environmental efforts. We always look at new technological developments in the hospitality industry so that we can improve our response to environmental issues.

 

We are keen to work with government bodies, academia, community and industry associations to promote green practices in travel. We strongly believe that environmental concerns should go mainstream in the hospitality business.

 

- ENDS -

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

AHMEDABAD OPENING MARKS TUNE HOTELS’ ENTRY INTO INDIA

 

Presents new green ideas; Rs 599 per night introductory rate

  

NEW DELHI, 3 May 2013 – Award-winning international hotel chain, Tune Hotels, is all set to welcome its first guests in India with the opening of the 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad this month.

 

“We look forward to offering travellers to Ahmedabad an unbeatable proposition that combines great savings with a great comfortable stay and in a location that is annexed to the newest Shopping Mall in Ahmedabad. Our business model is designed to take care of the needs of travellers in India looking for great comfort without paying exorbitant rates,” said Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.

 

“Ahmedabad is an amazingly vibrant city in the fast growing state of Gujarat and we are looking to welcome both business and leisure travellers. We are very excited about this hotel as it marks our brand’s very first entry into India’s very exciting hospitality market. The Tune Hotel Ahmedabad aims to serve both domestic travellers and visitors from abroad, especially members of the large non-resident Indian (NRI) community from Gujarat settled in places like the US, Britain and the Gulf, who may already have had prior knowledge of the brand in the five countries we are already present in” he said.

 

To celebrate the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, online bookings are now accepted with attractive all-inclusive room charges that start from as low as 599 Indian rupees (US$11 / RM34 / Bt330 / Rp108,000). Guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and bookings can be made from 3 May 2013 until 10 May 2013, subject to availability of rooms. The rate is available on a first come, first served basis, for stay period starting 15 May 2013 until 30 September 2013.

 

The arrival of Tune Hotels in India will also introduce new green ideas to hotel stay.

 

“We at Tune Hotels pursue a conscious policy of being environmental-friendly by optimising use of available resources, reduction of waste and by introducing processes that save on energy consumption. And our guests have endorsed our operations that encourage lifestyles that protect the environment,” Lankester said.

 

“As part of our business philosophy, we strive to remain locally-relevant in each and every community that we’re in, and this includes being responsible towards the local environment. We invite our guests in India to celebrate with us the introduction of new green concepts.”

 

The 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, annexed to the newly developed 4D Square Mall in the city’s Motera area, is well positioned on the main thoroughfare to the state capital of Gandhinagar and a stone’s throw away from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel cricket stadium.

 

Providing world-standard, high quality accommodation by focusing on key essentials but minus the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, Tune Hotels keeps its operating costs low and savings are passed on to guests in the form of super low rates.

 

Aside from its standard single and double rooms, Tune Hotels will be introducing family rooms that can accommodate between four to six people in order to meet the needs of the Indian guests, especially in the wedding market.

 

“In addition to larger room varieties, we have also made other adjustments in our offerings to serve our Indian guests better including more expansive food and beverage availability within the hotel. With a view to the huge wedding market in India, the hotel is able to cater to the needs for major banquet facilities for that total wedding experience. In fact, we’ve taken bookings for our very first wedding entourage already!” said Lankester.

 

Apart from properties in major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai –Tune Hotels is focusing on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities along with hotels in the tourist triangle destinations of Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. Tune Hotels will have five to six hotels in Gujarat as part of our 20 planned hotels across India in the next three years.

 

Commenting on the prospects for Tune Hotels in India, Lankester said: “India’s domestic hospitality market in total is huge and the major international brands all have a focus on the country. We see strong growth in both business and tourist segments as the domestic economy remains resilient. India’s middle class is expanding and rising disposable incomes have boosted travel. We are in a good position to offer quality affordable accommodation to these travel groups.”

 

Tune Hotels has received over four million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. With the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, there will be 29 Tune Hotels in operation globally. The rest are 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, four in the Philippines, four in Thailand and four in Indonesia.

 

By the end of 2013, Tune Hotels will have operating hotels in eight countries. Apart from India the company is set to open properties in Japan and Australia this year. Future projects are also coming up in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels’ Indian expansion signifies growing economic relations between India and Malaysia, which has emerged as India’s key partner in Southeast Asia. Companies and business people are increasingly benefitting from these expanded business links and two-way flow of investment and people continues to rise. India-Malaysia trade hit a record high of $13.5 billion in 2012, a 7.3 per cent growth over 2011, while tourist traffic also continues to remain strong between the two countries.

 

Tourist arrivals between the two countries have been on the rise with Malaysia being among India’s top 10 sources of tourism, while India was Malaysia's sixth biggest source of tourists in 2012.

 

The opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad comes as Asia’s largest low-cost carrier AirAsia plans to launch its domestic airline services in India in a new venture.

 

“We see this as a great boost for not only travel between Malaysia and India, but adding further attraction to increasing travel within India. Like AirAsia, we pride ourselves on being a customer-focussed brand,” Lankester said.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsIndia and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

   

AHMEDABAD FACTS & ATTRACTIONS:

 

Bhadra Fort – Situated in the walled city area of Ahmedabad, its significance was established in 1411 the year Sultan Ahmad Shah established Ahmedabad as the capital of Gujarat Sultanate. The fort was built on the East Bank of the Sabarmati River and in 2012, a joint initiative between the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Archeological Survey of India was signed to restore and redevelop to the fort to its former glory.

 

AutoWorld Museum – Featuring the largest collection of vintage automobiles in India, the AutoWorld Museum is located in Ahmedabad. The museum was founded by the Pranlal Bhogilal family and features cars, motorcycles and jeeps by marque carmakers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler-Chrysler and many more.

 

Sidi Sayed Mosque, Lal Darwaja – The mosque of Sidi Sayed is one of the most prominent mosques in Ahmedabad. Constructed in the year 1573, the mosque has gained worldwide recognition for it's intrincate artistic splendour.

 

Kankaria Lake – The Kankaria Lakefront development offers its visitors a myriad of activities and attractions apart from the gorgeous and serene view. Along the lake's 2.3km circumference, visitors can treat themselves to water sports & rides, visit the Balloon Safari, Kankaria Zoo, Kid City and a host of other attractions.

 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial - This is one of the most important buildings in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. It is a museum as well as an exhibition center, dedicated to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

 

Akshardham Temple – The temple in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat is one of the largest Temples in the state. The monument that enshrines the 2.1 metre gold-leafed Murti of Lord Swaminarayan is the focal point of the temple. The monument itself, which is 30 meters in height was build with 6 thousand tonnes of Pink Sandstone and is largely heralded as an architectural masterpiece.

 

Sabarmati Ashram – This ashram is widely known as the Gandhi Ashram, in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who spent 12 years of his life here. Located at the base of the Sabarmati river, the Ashram is recognised as a monument of national significance due to the role the place had played for the Independence of India.

  

- END –

  

About Tune Hotels

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity.

 

All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security.

 

The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

Photos are available from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

For media enquiries please contact:

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 315 3638

Fax: +603 7955 5899

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

   

Q & A with Mark Lankester

Group CEO, Tune Hotels

 

Q: Where does the environment figure in Tune Hotels’ business philosophy?

A: For us at Tune Hotels, being environment-friendly is not a slogan. Using resources in a way that reduces waste and promotes healthy lifestyles is built in our daily operations whether it is saving energy or minimising waste. As a value hotel chain we by nature consume less resources. Shorn of the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, we are promoting a more sustainable form of travel.

 

Q: What specific examples of green steps can you provide?

A: To give you an example of our energy conservation ways, we have a pay-as-you-use air-conditioning system programmed into guest keycards. Ceiling fans are a standard feature in our hotel rooms so guests have a choice not to use air-conditioning. And those who do need air-conditioning have it by agreeing to a small charge. Hallway air-conditioners in our hotels are set on a timer system so they turn on in alternate sequence to conserve power. We also actively use energy-efficient bulbs wherever we can. In developing new projects, we will look at how green standards can be incorporated in the location, size and building methods. Recycling containers are provided at all our hotels.

 

Q: How will Tune Hotels execute its green initiatives in India?

A: As part of our green initiatives, we encourage people to make smarter choices about the use of resources. Most people in India consider wastefulness as something bad. There is already a level of awareness about environmental degradation and how resources must be used better. People listen to arguments in favour of protecting the environment. Therefore, it is important for the hospitality industry to take its corporate social responsibility seriously.

 

Just recently the government of Delhi asked the city’s five-star hotels to conserve water and set up waste treatment plants. In our messages we are going to highlight why sustainable travel is important and how our guests can be part of our environment-friendly practices. Our properties do not feature swimming pools so most of our efforts will be directed at efficient use of water in rooms, laundry and energy efficient practices.

 

Q: These days it is not uncommon to see hotels putting up instructions for guests on towel and linen use. What are Tune Hotels’ practices in this regard?

A: This is an important area for any hotel to show what it can do to check water pollution. Laundry operation involves significant use of detergents, chemicals, water and electricity. By seeking the cooperation of our guests we can considerably reduce water use. Most people who stay at home are happy not to change bathroom towels and their bed linen every single day. Surely they can be encouraged to do the same during hotel stays. Tune Hotels reduces water consumption and the flow of laundry effluents into the environment by providing towels, if required for a small charge.

 

Q: How does Tune Hotels set green standards?

A: When we develop our hotels we invest in systems and technologies that are compatible with our green standards. Then we invest in our staff training and customer education so that we benefit from our environmental efforts. We always look at new technological developments in the hospitality industry so that we can improve our response to environmental issues.

 

We are keen to work with government bodies, academia, community and industry associations to promote green practices in travel. We strongly believe that environmental concerns should go mainstream in the hospitality business.

 

- ENDS -

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

AHMEDABAD OPENING MARKS TUNE HOTELS’ ENTRY INTO INDIA

 

Presents new green ideas; Rs 599 per night introductory rate

  

NEW DELHI, 3 May 2013 – Award-winning international hotel chain, Tune Hotels, is all set to welcome its first guests in India with the opening of the 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad this month.

 

“We look forward to offering travellers to Ahmedabad an unbeatable proposition that combines great savings with a great comfortable stay and in a location that is annexed to the newest Shopping Mall in Ahmedabad. Our business model is designed to take care of the needs of travellers in India looking for great comfort without paying exorbitant rates,” said Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.

 

“Ahmedabad is an amazingly vibrant city in the fast growing state of Gujarat and we are looking to welcome both business and leisure travellers. We are very excited about this hotel as it marks our brand’s very first entry into India’s very exciting hospitality market. The Tune Hotel Ahmedabad aims to serve both domestic travellers and visitors from abroad, especially members of the large non-resident Indian (NRI) community from Gujarat settled in places like the US, Britain and the Gulf, who may already have had prior knowledge of the brand in the five countries we are already present in” he said.

 

To celebrate the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, online bookings are now accepted with attractive all-inclusive room charges that start from as low as 599 Indian rupees (US$11 / RM34 / Bt330 / Rp108,000). Guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and bookings can be made from 3 May 2013 until 10 May 2013, subject to availability of rooms. The rate is available on a first come, first served basis, for stay period starting 15 May 2013 until 30 September 2013.

 

The arrival of Tune Hotels in India will also introduce new green ideas to hotel stay.

 

“We at Tune Hotels pursue a conscious policy of being environmental-friendly by optimising use of available resources, reduction of waste and by introducing processes that save on energy consumption. And our guests have endorsed our operations that encourage lifestyles that protect the environment,” Lankester said.

 

“As part of our business philosophy, we strive to remain locally-relevant in each and every community that we’re in, and this includes being responsible towards the local environment. We invite our guests in India to celebrate with us the introduction of new green concepts.”

 

The 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, annexed to the newly developed 4D Square Mall in the city’s Motera area, is well positioned on the main thoroughfare to the state capital of Gandhinagar and a stone’s throw away from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel cricket stadium.

 

Providing world-standard, high quality accommodation by focusing on key essentials but minus the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, Tune Hotels keeps its operating costs low and savings are passed on to guests in the form of super low rates.

 

Aside from its standard single and double rooms, Tune Hotels will be introducing family rooms that can accommodate between four to six people in order to meet the needs of the Indian guests, especially in the wedding market.

 

“In addition to larger room varieties, we have also made other adjustments in our offerings to serve our Indian guests better including more expansive food and beverage availability within the hotel. With a view to the huge wedding market in India, the hotel is able to cater to the needs for major banquet facilities for that total wedding experience. In fact, we’ve taken bookings for our very first wedding entourage already!” said Lankester.

 

Apart from properties in major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai –Tune Hotels is focusing on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities along with hotels in the tourist triangle destinations of Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. Tune Hotels will have five to six hotels in Gujarat as part of our 20 planned hotels across India in the next three years.

 

Commenting on the prospects for Tune Hotels in India, Lankester said: “India’s domestic hospitality market in total is huge and the major international brands all have a focus on the country. We see strong growth in both business and tourist segments as the domestic economy remains resilient. India’s middle class is expanding and rising disposable incomes have boosted travel. We are in a good position to offer quality affordable accommodation to these travel groups.”

 

Tune Hotels has received over four million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. With the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, there will be 29 Tune Hotels in operation globally. The rest are 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, four in the Philippines, four in Thailand and four in Indonesia.

 

By the end of 2013, Tune Hotels will have operating hotels in eight countries. Apart from India the company is set to open properties in Japan and Australia this year. Future projects are also coming up in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels’ Indian expansion signifies growing economic relations between India and Malaysia, which has emerged as India’s key partner in Southeast Asia. Companies and business people are increasingly benefitting from these expanded business links and two-way flow of investment and people continues to rise. India-Malaysia trade hit a record high of $13.5 billion in 2012, a 7.3 per cent growth over 2011, while tourist traffic also continues to remain strong between the two countries.

 

Tourist arrivals between the two countries have been on the rise with Malaysia being among India’s top 10 sources of tourism, while India was Malaysia's sixth biggest source of tourists in 2012.

 

The opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad comes as Asia’s largest low-cost carrier AirAsia plans to launch its domestic airline services in India in a new venture.

 

“We see this as a great boost for not only travel between Malaysia and India, but adding further attraction to increasing travel within India. Like AirAsia, we pride ourselves on being a customer-focussed brand,” Lankester said.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsIndia and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

   

AHMEDABAD FACTS & ATTRACTIONS:

 

Bhadra Fort – Situated in the walled city area of Ahmedabad, its significance was established in 1411 the year Sultan Ahmad Shah established Ahmedabad as the capital of Gujarat Sultanate. The fort was built on the East Bank of the Sabarmati River and in 2012, a joint initiative between the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Archeological Survey of India was signed to restore and redevelop to the fort to its former glory.

 

AutoWorld Museum – Featuring the largest collection of vintage automobiles in India, the AutoWorld Museum is located in Ahmedabad. The museum was founded by the Pranlal Bhogilal family and features cars, motorcycles and jeeps by marque carmakers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler-Chrysler and many more.

 

Sidi Sayed Mosque, Lal Darwaja – The mosque of Sidi Sayed is one of the most prominent mosques in Ahmedabad. Constructed in the year 1573, the mosque has gained worldwide recognition for it's intrincate artistic splendour.

 

Kankaria Lake – The Kankaria Lakefront development offers its visitors a myriad of activities and attractions apart from the gorgeous and serene view. Along the lake's 2.3km circumference, visitors can treat themselves to water sports & rides, visit the Balloon Safari, Kankaria Zoo, Kid City and a host of other attractions.

 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial - This is one of the most important buildings in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. It is a museum as well as an exhibition center, dedicated to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

 

Akshardham Temple – The temple in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat is one of the largest Temples in the state. The monument that enshrines the 2.1 metre gold-leafed Murti of Lord Swaminarayan is the focal point of the temple. The monument itself, which is 30 meters in height was build with 6 thousand tonnes of Pink Sandstone and is largely heralded as an architectural masterpiece.

 

Sabarmati Ashram – This ashram is widely known as the Gandhi Ashram, in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who spent 12 years of his life here. Located at the base of the Sabarmati river, the Ashram is recognised as a monument of national significance due to the role the place had played for the Independence of India.

  

- END –

  

About Tune Hotels

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity.

 

All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security.

 

The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

Photos are available from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

For media enquiries please contact:

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 315 3638

Fax: +603 7955 5899

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

   

Q & A with Mark Lankester

Group CEO, Tune Hotels

 

Q: Where does the environment figure in Tune Hotels’ business philosophy?

A: For us at Tune Hotels, being environment-friendly is not a slogan. Using resources in a way that reduces waste and promotes healthy lifestyles is built in our daily operations whether it is saving energy or minimising waste. As a value hotel chain we by nature consume less resources. Shorn of the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, we are promoting a more sustainable form of travel.

 

Q: What specific examples of green steps can you provide?

A: To give you an example of our energy conservation ways, we have a pay-as-you-use air-conditioning system programmed into guest keycards. Ceiling fans are a standard feature in our hotel rooms so guests have a choice not to use air-conditioning. And those who do need air-conditioning have it by agreeing to a small charge. Hallway air-conditioners in our hotels are set on a timer system so they turn on in alternate sequence to conserve power. We also actively use energy-efficient bulbs wherever we can. In developing new projects, we will look at how green standards can be incorporated in the location, size and building methods. Recycling containers are provided at all our hotels.

 

Q: How will Tune Hotels execute its green initiatives in India?

A: As part of our green initiatives, we encourage people to make smarter choices about the use of resources. Most people in India consider wastefulness as something bad. There is already a level of awareness about environmental degradation and how resources must be used better. People listen to arguments in favour of protecting the environment. Therefore, it is important for the hospitality industry to take its corporate social responsibility seriously.

 

Just recently the government of Delhi asked the city’s five-star hotels to conserve water and set up waste treatment plants. In our messages we are going to highlight why sustainable travel is important and how our guests can be part of our environment-friendly practices. Our properties do not feature swimming pools so most of our efforts will be directed at efficient use of water in rooms, laundry and energy efficient practices.

 

Q: These days it is not uncommon to see hotels putting up instructions for guests on towel and linen use. What are Tune Hotels’ practices in this regard?

A: This is an important area for any hotel to show what it can do to check water pollution. Laundry operation involves significant use of detergents, chemicals, water and electricity. By seeking the cooperation of our guests we can considerably reduce water use. Most people who stay at home are happy not to change bathroom towels and their bed linen every single day. Surely they can be encouraged to do the same during hotel stays. Tune Hotels reduces water consumption and the flow of laundry effluents into the environment by providing towels, if required for a small charge.

 

Q: How does Tune Hotels set green standards?

A: When we develop our hotels we invest in systems and technologies that are compatible with our green standards. Then we invest in our staff training and customer education so that we benefit from our environmental efforts. We always look at new technological developments in the hospitality industry so that we can improve our response to environmental issues.

 

We are keen to work with government bodies, academia, community and industry associations to promote green practices in travel. We strongly believe that environmental concerns should go mainstream in the hospitality business.

 

- ENDS -

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

AHMEDABAD OPENING MARKS TUNE HOTELS’ ENTRY INTO INDIA

 

Presents new green ideas; Rs 599 per night introductory rate

  

NEW DELHI, 3 May 2013 – Award-winning international hotel chain, Tune Hotels, is all set to welcome its first guests in India with the opening of the 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad this month.

 

“We look forward to offering travellers to Ahmedabad an unbeatable proposition that combines great savings with a great comfortable stay and in a location that is annexed to the newest Shopping Mall in Ahmedabad. Our business model is designed to take care of the needs of travellers in India looking for great comfort without paying exorbitant rates,” said Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.

 

“Ahmedabad is an amazingly vibrant city in the fast growing state of Gujarat and we are looking to welcome both business and leisure travellers. We are very excited about this hotel as it marks our brand’s very first entry into India’s very exciting hospitality market. The Tune Hotel Ahmedabad aims to serve both domestic travellers and visitors from abroad, especially members of the large non-resident Indian (NRI) community from Gujarat settled in places like the US, Britain and the Gulf, who may already have had prior knowledge of the brand in the five countries we are already present in” he said.

 

To celebrate the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, online bookings are now accepted with attractive all-inclusive room charges that start from as low as 599 Indian rupees (US$11 / RM34 / Bt330 / Rp108,000). Guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and bookings can be made from 3 May 2013 until 10 May 2013, subject to availability of rooms. The rate is available on a first come, first served basis, for stay period starting 15 May 2013 until 30 September 2013.

 

The arrival of Tune Hotels in India will also introduce new green ideas to hotel stay.

 

“We at Tune Hotels pursue a conscious policy of being environmental-friendly by optimising use of available resources, reduction of waste and by introducing processes that save on energy consumption. And our guests have endorsed our operations that encourage lifestyles that protect the environment,” Lankester said.

 

“As part of our business philosophy, we strive to remain locally-relevant in each and every community that we’re in, and this includes being responsible towards the local environment. We invite our guests in India to celebrate with us the introduction of new green concepts.”

 

The 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, annexed to the newly developed 4D Square Mall in the city’s Motera area, is well positioned on the main thoroughfare to the state capital of Gandhinagar and a stone’s throw away from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel cricket stadium.

 

Providing world-standard, high quality accommodation by focusing on key essentials but minus the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, Tune Hotels keeps its operating costs low and savings are passed on to guests in the form of super low rates.

 

Aside from its standard single and double rooms, Tune Hotels will be introducing family rooms that can accommodate between four to six people in order to meet the needs of the Indian guests, especially in the wedding market.

 

“In addition to larger room varieties, we have also made other adjustments in our offerings to serve our Indian guests better including more expansive food and beverage availability within the hotel. With a view to the huge wedding market in India, the hotel is able to cater to the needs for major banquet facilities for that total wedding experience. In fact, we’ve taken bookings for our very first wedding entourage already!” said Lankester.

 

Apart from properties in major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai –Tune Hotels is focusing on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities along with hotels in the tourist triangle destinations of Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. Tune Hotels will have five to six hotels in Gujarat as part of our 20 planned hotels across India in the next three years.

 

Commenting on the prospects for Tune Hotels in India, Lankester said: “India’s domestic hospitality market in total is huge and the major international brands all have a focus on the country. We see strong growth in both business and tourist segments as the domestic economy remains resilient. India’s middle class is expanding and rising disposable incomes have boosted travel. We are in a good position to offer quality affordable accommodation to these travel groups.”

 

Tune Hotels has received over four million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. With the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, there will be 29 Tune Hotels in operation globally. The rest are 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, four in the Philippines, four in Thailand and four in Indonesia.

 

By the end of 2013, Tune Hotels will have operating hotels in eight countries. Apart from India the company is set to open properties in Japan and Australia this year. Future projects are also coming up in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels’ Indian expansion signifies growing economic relations between India and Malaysia, which has emerged as India’s key partner in Southeast Asia. Companies and business people are increasingly benefitting from these expanded business links and two-way flow of investment and people continues to rise. India-Malaysia trade hit a record high of $13.5 billion in 2012, a 7.3 per cent growth over 2011, while tourist traffic also continues to remain strong between the two countries.

 

Tourist arrivals between the two countries have been on the rise with Malaysia being among India’s top 10 sources of tourism, while India was Malaysia's sixth biggest source of tourists in 2012.

 

The opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad comes as Asia’s largest low-cost carrier AirAsia plans to launch its domestic airline services in India in a new venture.

 

“We see this as a great boost for not only travel between Malaysia and India, but adding further attraction to increasing travel within India. Like AirAsia, we pride ourselves on being a customer-focussed brand,” Lankester said.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsIndia and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

   

AHMEDABAD FACTS & ATTRACTIONS:

 

Bhadra Fort – Situated in the walled city area of Ahmedabad, its significance was established in 1411 the year Sultan Ahmad Shah established Ahmedabad as the capital of Gujarat Sultanate. The fort was built on the East Bank of the Sabarmati River and in 2012, a joint initiative between the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Archeological Survey of India was signed to restore and redevelop to the fort to its former glory.

 

AutoWorld Museum – Featuring the largest collection of vintage automobiles in India, the AutoWorld Museum is located in Ahmedabad. The museum was founded by the Pranlal Bhogilal family and features cars, motorcycles and jeeps by marque carmakers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler-Chrysler and many more.

 

Sidi Sayed Mosque, Lal Darwaja – The mosque of Sidi Sayed is one of the most prominent mosques in Ahmedabad. Constructed in the year 1573, the mosque has gained worldwide recognition for it's intrincate artistic splendour.

 

Kankaria Lake – The Kankaria Lakefront development offers its visitors a myriad of activities and attractions apart from the gorgeous and serene view. Along the lake's 2.3km circumference, visitors can treat themselves to water sports & rides, visit the Balloon Safari, Kankaria Zoo, Kid City and a host of other attractions.

 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial - This is one of the most important buildings in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. It is a museum as well as an exhibition center, dedicated to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

 

Akshardham Temple – The temple in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat is one of the largest Temples in the state. The monument that enshrines the 2.1 metre gold-leafed Murti of Lord Swaminarayan is the focal point of the temple. The monument itself, which is 30 meters in height was build with 6 thousand tonnes of Pink Sandstone and is largely heralded as an architectural masterpiece.

 

Sabarmati Ashram – This ashram is widely known as the Gandhi Ashram, in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who spent 12 years of his life here. Located at the base of the Sabarmati river, the Ashram is recognised as a monument of national significance due to the role the place had played for the Independence of India.

  

- END –

  

About Tune Hotels

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity.

 

All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security.

 

The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

Photos are available from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

For media enquiries please contact:

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 315 3638

Fax: +603 7955 5899

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

   

Q & A with Mark Lankester

Group CEO, Tune Hotels

 

Q: Where does the environment figure in Tune Hotels’ business philosophy?

A: For us at Tune Hotels, being environment-friendly is not a slogan. Using resources in a way that reduces waste and promotes healthy lifestyles is built in our daily operations whether it is saving energy or minimising waste. As a value hotel chain we by nature consume less resources. Shorn of the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, we are promoting a more sustainable form of travel.

 

Q: What specific examples of green steps can you provide?

A: To give you an example of our energy conservation ways, we have a pay-as-you-use air-conditioning system programmed into guest keycards. Ceiling fans are a standard feature in our hotel rooms so guests have a choice not to use air-conditioning. And those who do need air-conditioning have it by agreeing to a small charge. Hallway air-conditioners in our hotels are set on a timer system so they turn on in alternate sequence to conserve power. We also actively use energy-efficient bulbs wherever we can. In developing new projects, we will look at how green standards can be incorporated in the location, size and building methods. Recycling containers are provided at all our hotels.

 

Q: How will Tune Hotels execute its green initiatives in India?

A: As part of our green initiatives, we encourage people to make smarter choices about the use of resources. Most people in India consider wastefulness as something bad. There is already a level of awareness about environmental degradation and how resources must be used better. People listen to arguments in favour of protecting the environment. Therefore, it is important for the hospitality industry to take its corporate social responsibility seriously.

 

Just recently the government of Delhi asked the city’s five-star hotels to conserve water and set up waste treatment plants. In our messages we are going to highlight why sustainable travel is important and how our guests can be part of our environment-friendly practices. Our properties do not feature swimming pools so most of our efforts will be directed at efficient use of water in rooms, laundry and energy efficient practices.

 

Q: These days it is not uncommon to see hotels putting up instructions for guests on towel and linen use. What are Tune Hotels’ practices in this regard?

A: This is an important area for any hotel to show what it can do to check water pollution. Laundry operation involves significant use of detergents, chemicals, water and electricity. By seeking the cooperation of our guests we can considerably reduce water use. Most people who stay at home are happy not to change bathroom towels and their bed linen every single day. Surely they can be encouraged to do the same during hotel stays. Tune Hotels reduces water consumption and the flow of laundry effluents into the environment by providing towels, if required for a small charge.

 

Q: How does Tune Hotels set green standards?

A: When we develop our hotels we invest in systems and technologies that are compatible with our green standards. Then we invest in our staff training and customer education so that we benefit from our environmental efforts. We always look at new technological developments in the hospitality industry so that we can improve our response to environmental issues.

 

We are keen to work with government bodies, academia, community and industry associations to promote green practices in travel. We strongly believe that environmental concerns should go mainstream in the hospitality business.

 

- ENDS -

 

Dennis the Menace Fan Club was a children’s club run in association with the Beano. The club was founded in 1976 and ran until 1998 when it was replaced by the Beano Club. Application forms to join the club regularly featured in the Beano and every new member received their membership which included the badge and after 1977 a furry badge of Gnasher, Dennis’ dog. The fan club proved extremely popular and by 1988 membership had reached a million. Throughout its 22 years, total membership was around 1.25 million.

 

The image of Dennis the Menace was drawn by the beano comic artist, David Sutherland).

 

.

References:

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_the_Menace_(UK) (Dennis the Menace of the Beano – Wikipedia article).

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sutherland_(comics_artist) (David Sutherland – Beano comic artist).

 

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-11212686 (BBC News 7 September 2010 - The Beano Club comes to an end to be replaced by a web-based fan club, not quite the same….) & www.brokenfrontier.com/blog/p/detail/beano-club-closes-it...

 

forums.doyouremember.co.uk/threads/6652-Dennis-the-Menace... (A comments board with some fond memories of the Dennis the Menace Fan Club, some pics included).

  

.

Print: Lithography in 2 colours (red & black).

Finish: Laminated.

Material: Tin.

Fixer: Safety pin & plastic backing.

Size: 2 ¼” in diameter (about 55mm).

Process: Button badge.

Maker: No maker’s name or mark.

 

.

Thank you for reading.

Stuart.

 

Photos were captured at the Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory on the Oregon State University Campus in Corvallis, Dec. 13, 2016, to accompany the feature story below: "Printing the past: 3-D archaeology and the first Americans." Article online here (and below): goo.gl/viKEZF

 

Photo + Story by Toshio Suzuki, BLM

 

----------------------------------------

 

For the first Americans, and the study of them today, it all starts with a point.

 

A sharp point fastened to a wooden shaft gave the hunter 13,000 years ago a weapon that could single-handedly spear a fish or work in numbers to take down a mammoth.

 

For a prehistoric human, these points were the difference between life and death. They were hunger-driven, handmade labors of love that took hours to craft using a cacophony of rock-on-rock cracks, thuds and shatters.

 

They have been called the first American invention, and some archaeologists now think 3-D scanning points can reveal more information about both the technology and the people.

 

The Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory at Oregon State University takes up only a few rooms on the ground floor of Waldo Hall, one of the supposedly haunted buildings on campus.

 

There are boxes of cultural history everywhere, and floor-to-ceiling wood cabinets with skinny pull-out drawers housing even more assets, but the really good stuff, evidence of the earliest known cultures in North America, lives in an 800-pound gun safe.

 

Loren Davis, anthropology professor at OSU and director of the lab, thinks 3-D scanning, printing, and publishing can circumvent the old traditions of the field, that artifacts are only to be experienced in museums and only handled by those who have a Ph.D.

 

“We are reimagining the idea of doing archaeology in a 21st century digital way,” said Davis. “We don’t do it just to make pretty pictures or print in plastic, we mostly want to capture and share it for analysis,” he added.

 

Nearby in the L-shaped lab, one of his doctoral students is preparing to scan a point that was discovered on Bureau of Land Management public lands in southeast Oregon.

 

Thousands of points have been unearthed since the 1930s in North America, the first being in eastern New Mexico near a town called Clovis. That name is now known worldwide as representing the continent’s first native people.

 

More recently, though, other peoples with distinctive points were found elsewhere, and some researchers think it means there was differing technology being made at the same time, if not pre-Clovis.

 

One such location is the Paisley Caves in southern Oregon ― one of the many archaeologically significant sites managed by the BLM.

 

The earliest stem point from Paisley Caves was scanned at Davis’ lab and a 3-D PDF was included in a 2012 multi-authored report in the journal Science.

 

Davis estimates his lab at OSU has scanned as many as 400 points, including others from BLM-managed lands in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

 

More scans would mean a bigger database for comparing points and determining what style they are.

 

“Ideally, we want to get as many artifacts scanned as possible,“ said Davis. “The BLM offers a lot of access to public data ― this is just another way of doing it.”

 

---

 

Transforming a brittle piece of volcanic glass, by hand, into a beautiful and deadly 4-inch-long spear point is a process.

 

In one hand would be a hard shaping rock, or maybe a thick section of antler, and in the other would be the starter stone, which in addition to igneous could be jasper, chert, or any other chippable rock that creates a hide-puncturing level of sharpness.

 

After what might be hundreds of controlled strokes and rock rotations, the rough shape of a lance or spear tip would take form. Discarded shards of stone would often result in more points, or other useful tools like scrapers and needles.

 

Clovis points are distinguished by their length, bifacial leaf shape and middle channels on the bottom called flutes. Eventually the repetitive flaking of the point would stop, and the hunter would use precise pressure points to create the flute on one or each side that likely helped slot the finished product into a spear-like wooden pole.

 

The hunter was now mobile and ready to roam.

 

---

 

Prior to 3-D scanning, OSU doctoral student Sean Carroll picks up a can of Tinactin, gives it the obligatory shake, and completely covers “one of the oldest technologies in North America” with antifungal spray.

 

The talc and alcohol from the athlete’s foot remedy helps the software see even the slightest indents in the point, and it rubs right off afterwards.

 

“I want to scan all the Clovis I can get my hands on,” said Carroll, who came to OSU because of Davis’ 3-D lab and is using the medium as a big part of his dissertation.

 

Two random items, a power plug adapter and a ball of clay, are placed on each side of the fluted point to give the camera and light projector perspective. The objects create margins that force the structured light patterns to bend and capture more of the point’s surface detail.

 

Even so, like the hunter rotating the shaping rock, the archaeologist has to rotate the foam square holding the three items. Each scan takes about six seconds.

 

Carroll and Davis estimate that the learning curve for this process was about 100 hours. One hundred hours of trial and error -- and a lot of watching YouTube videos -- for a finished product that they think is indisputably worth it.

 

A completed 3-D scan of a point will have about 40,000 data points per square inch. The measurements are so precise, they can determine the difference between flake marks as thin as a piece of paper.

 

Davis says no archaeologist with a pair of calipers can come close to measuring the data obtained via 3-D, because simply, “there are some jobs that robots are really good at.”

 

“If the end game is measurements, well you could spend your whole life with a pair of calipers trying to achieve what we can do in 10 minutes,” said Davis.

 

---

 

Last year, the famous human relative nicknamed Lucy had 3-D scans of her 3.2 million year old bones published in the journal Nature.

 

In 2015, archaeologists from Harvard University completed a 3-D scan of a winged and human-headed stone bull from Mesopotamia that stands 13 feet high at the Louvre Museum.

 

And the Smithsonian Institution is currently beta testing a website dedicated to publishing 3-D models from its massive collection, including molds of President Abraham Lincoln’s face and the entire Apollo 11 command module.

 

All of these new-school efforts are based upon the old-school scientific principles of preservation and promotion.

 

Rock points, fossils, hieroglyphics -- various forms of cultural assets are susceptible to environmental conditions and not guaranteed to be around forever. Three-dimensional scanning is the most accurate way to digitally preserve these items of merit.

 

Once accurate preservation is done, there are opportunities for promoting not just science, but specific research goals.

 

In the case of the Lucy bones, scientists hope that crowdsourcing the 3-D data will help get more experts to look at the fossils and prove that the tree-dwelling ape died from a fall.

 

When it comes to comparing one specific stemmed point to an entire hard drive of scanning data, BLM archaeologist Scott Thomas thinks the work being done at the OSU lab can move archaeology to a new level.

 

“The 3-D scanning method blows anything we have done out of the water,” said Thomas.

 

That ability to compare points can lead to insights on how these hunting tools moved over geography, and even expand theories about how native groups learned new technologies.

 

“It’s going to be a really powerful tool someday -- not too far off,” said Thomas.

 

While long-term data analysis may not be the sexiest form of archaeology, holding a 3-D printed stem point is a pretty cool educational tool.

 

Davis of OSU has incorporated 3-D prints into his classes and said his students are able to make a tactile connection with artifacts that otherwise are not available.

 

“The students really enjoy these printed and digital models and often say that they are almost like the real thing,” said Davis.

 

---

 

This spring, Davis is traveling to Magadan, Russia -- aka Siberia -- to inspect and scan some points that may be linked to Clovis peoples.

 

The goal in Siberia, of course, is to further expand the 3-D database. He is specifically interested in comparing them to stems from a BLM-managed site he excavated in Idaho called Cooper’s Ferry.

 

As his student, Carroll, begins to clean up and put the scanned points into their individually labeled ziplocked bags, Davis can’t help but mention how much easier international research could be with 3-D scanning.

 

“You can share cultural resource info with people in other countries and you don’t have to come visit,” he said, adding that Russia isn’t the easiest country to enter.

 

“It’s as easy as sending an email,” Carroll agreed.

 

Davis then mentioned his 11-year-old child and how much of school curriculum these days is web-based as opposed to text-based.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with books, I’m a huge fan of books, but it’s a different way of learning,” said the archaeology professor.

 

And with that, he made another point.

 

-- by Toshio Suzuki, tsuzuki@blm.gov, @toshjohn

  

Best places to find 3-D archaeology online:

-- Sketchfab.com is one of the biggest databases on the web for 3-D models of cultural assets. Institutions and academics alike are moving priceless treasures to the digital space for all to inspect. Two examples: via the British Museum, a 7.25-ton statue of Ramesses II is available for viewing and free download; and via archaeologist Robert Selden Jr., hundreds of 3-D models are open to the public for study, including several Clovis points from the Blackwater Draw National Historic Site in New Mexico.

-- The Smithsonian Institution is bringing the best of American history to a new audience via their 3-D website (3d.si.edu). Amelia Earhart's flight suit? Check. Native American ceremonial killer whale hat? Check. Face cast of President Abraham Lincoln? Check and check -- there are two. And their biggest 3-D scan is still coming: the 184-foot-long space shuttle Discovery.

-- Visitors to Africanfossils.org can filter 3-D model searches by hominids, animals and tools, and also by date, from zero to 25 million years ago.

The sleek website, with partners like National Geographic and the National Museums of Kenya, makes it easy to download or share 3-D scans, and each item even comes with a discovery backstory and Google map pinpointing exactly where it was found.

Photo caption:

Speech by Hon. Dr Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria.

  

NEWS RELEASE

 

MELBOURNE – THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY MAY HAVE JUST GOT BETTER!

Tune Hotel Melbourne opening November with A$49* launch rate

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 June 2013 - International hotel group Tune Hotels today announced the pre-opening sale of its first Australian property in Melbourne and that the city will serve as its operational headquarters for the Australia and New Zealand region.

 

The announcement was made here today by Mark Lankester, the Group CEO of Tune Hotels in the presence of the visiting Premier of Victoria, Honourable Dr Denis Napthine. Also present was Co-Founder of Tune Group, who is also Group CEO of AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne at 609 Swanston Street, Carlton is conveniently located next to the University of Melbourne, just two streets away from popular Lygon Street and minutes to Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD). The 225-room property will open for customers on 1 November 2013.

 

To celebrate its arrival, Tune Hotel Melbourne is offering an attractive room rate from just A$49* (US$46 / RM157) per night. The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

Bookings can be made from 18 June until 28 June 2013 for stays between 1 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to availability of rooms. A total of 1,000 rooms will be made available at that price.

 

Dr Napthine said: “Melbourne’s new Tune Hotel would open its doors in Melbourne’s CBD in November to coincide with Victoria’s world-famous Spring Racing Carnival.”

 

Dr Napthine also welcomed the decision by Tune Hotels to set up its Australia and New Zealand Operational Headquarters in Melbourne. “Together, the investment is expected to create up to 100 jobs.”

 

The Premier is currently leading around 300 Victorian businesses and 450 delegates on a Super Trade Mission to South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur is the mission’s first stop before moving on to other key Asean cities – Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Hanoi, among others.

 

In a recent ranking of the world's "most liveable" cities, Melbourne took the number one spot for the second year running. The city was awarded perfect marks for education, healthcare, and infrastructure by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

 

As Australia’s events capital, Melbourne boasts a rich calendar of theatre, sporting and cultural events. Blockbuster annual events include the Australian Open Tennis Championship, Formula One Grand Prix, Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and more.

 

Melbourne is a romantic, stylish, cosmopolitan city with a European feel and hidden city laneways and arcades for visitors to discover hidden treasures, cafes, boutiques, bars and restaurants. The city is also the gourmet capital of Australia with award-winning chefs and a diverse cuisine with unique settings, provincial specialties and world class wine regions within easy access of the city.

 

A range of diverse travel experiences are available within easy reach of Melbourne in regional Victoria. Whether it’s skiing the Victorian Alps, reclining on picture postcard beaches, sampling award-winning wines or unwinding in luxurious day spas, regional Victoria is replete with immersive experiences year-round.

 

To add to the celebration, long-haul low cost airline AirAsia X is also running a joint promotion where a one-way flight seat from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne is going from as low as RM329**. Guests have until 23 June 2013 to make a booking for travel between 15 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to the availability of seats. Also on offer are Fly Thru services from Jakarta-Melbourne (from IDR 1,459,000** one-way) and Bangkok-Melbourne (from THB 5,890** one-way), allowing guests to seamlessly connect via Kuala Lumpur.

 

Guests who would like to travel with extra comfort may also fly on AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed seats from as low as RM2, 299** from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Premium Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Duvet. For more information and flight bookings, please visit airasia.com.

 

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said: “AirAsia X had been serving the Melbourne route for more than four years now and it is one of our best-selling. I am very pleased that Tune Hotels will now have its presence in Melbourne to give visitors to this wonderful city a truly compelling accommodation alternative. We are sure the Australian market will welcome and embrace Tune Hotels just as they did AirAsia X.”

 

Commenting on Melbourne as Tune Hotels’ Operational HQ for Australia and New Zealand, Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “We are very excited about Tune Hotel Melbourne as it marks our growing brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne will be the location for our HQ overseeing Australia and New Zealand operations, working in conjunction with the corporate office in Kuala Lumpur. Given our long term plans for the region, the Australia and New Zealand HQ will be staffed relevantly to oversee and provide central support to Tune Hotels’ properties in Australia and New Zealand.”

 

“And to celebrate in true Tune Hotels style, we’re offering travellers one of the lowest room rates seen in central Melbourne for years. Tune Hotels is all about offering a great night’s sleep at a great price. Tune Hotel Melbourne will serve domestic business and leisure travellers and visitors from abroad who are looking for great comfort just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD without paying the usual exorbitant rates,” added Lankester.

 

The basic room rate at Tune Hotel Melbourne is already inclusive of air-conditioning and and/or heating. For an additional A$10, guests will get a pair of towels and toiletry kits and enjoy high-speed wireless broadband and Foxtel TV entertainment.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne features an indoor courtyard, a recreational lounge, a restaurant, café/ convenience store, luggage storage, self-service launderette and computer kiosks. It is also equipped with a basement car park, something unusual for city centre hotels in Australia.

 

The hotel is just two streets away from Lygon Street, more famously known as Little Italy. The central business district, Melbourne Central Train Station and QV Melbourne; one of Melbourne's finest retail, dining and entertainment precincts, is only two tram stops away.

 

Tune Hotels provides international-class high-quality accommodation which focuses on key essentials but minus the generally underused facilities found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums. By doing away with these costly and high-maintenance facilities, Tune Hotels is able to pass on savings to its guests in the form of super low room rates. Its pay-as-you-use concept lets travellers choose and pay only for amenities that they require to keep costs down, reduce waste and save energy.

 

All Tune hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star beds and powerful hot showers. The strategically located hotels provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, extensive CCTV systems, and no access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight for extra security.

 

The group has received almost five million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. Tune Hotels has one hotel in India, 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, and four each in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. The company is set to open another property in Japan this year while future projects are planned in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsAUS and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

  

* Rooms at promotional rates are limited and subject to availability. Promotional rates are limited to double rooms, exclude peak periods, available only on specific dates and only for bookings made via www.tunehotels.com. Advertised rate includes GST and is for room only (excludes comfort package (WiFi, Towel & toiletries and TV) and all optional add-ons). Bookings that are made at the promotional price are strictly non-refundable or changeable. Booking period is 18 June 2013 - 28 June 2013, or until promotional rooms are sold out. Stay period is 1 Nov 2013 to 31 March 2014. No additional charges for booking payments made using PayPal. Additional charges may apply for online bookings paid using credit and debit cards. All amounts are in Australian dollars unless stated otherwise. Refer to www.tunehotels.com for other applicable terms and conditions.

 

** Promo fares include airport taxes and fees (all-in fares). Flights and fares are subject to availability and are for one-way travel only.

  

-ENDS-

About Tune Hotels & Tune Group

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity. All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security. The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

About AirAsia X Berhad

AirAsia X is the low-cost, long-haul affiliate carrier of the AirAsia Group that currently flies to destinations in China, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Nepal and the Middle East. The airline currently serves 14 destinations across Asia (Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Kathmandu), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and the Middle East (Jeddah) with flights to an additional destination, namely Busan, commencing in July 2013. AirAsia X operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A330-300s, each with a seat configuration of 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 Economy seats. The airline has carried over 9 million guests since it commenced long-haul in 2007. Our vision is to further solidify our position as the global leader in low-cost, long-haul aviation and create the first global multi-hub low-cost carrier network along with other carriers of the AirAsia Group.

 

More photos can be downloaded from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

Media enquiries:

 

MALAYSIA & INTERNATIONAL

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 3153638

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

 

AUSTRALIA

Brenton Gibbs

Tel: +61 (0)419 828 440

Email: brenton@crookgroup.com.au

 

Photo caption:

From left – Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels; Hon. Dr Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria; Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Co-Founder of Tune Group; Stuart Myerscough, Commercial Manager Australia of AirAsia X unveiling the opening price of Tune Hotel Melbourne.

  

NEWS RELEASE

 

MELBOURNE – THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY MAY HAVE JUST GOT BETTER!

Tune Hotel Melbourne opening November with A$49* launch rate

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 June 2013 - International hotel group Tune Hotels today announced the pre-opening sale of its first Australian property in Melbourne and that the city will serve as its operational headquarters for the Australia and New Zealand region.

 

The announcement was made here today by Mark Lankester, the Group CEO of Tune Hotels in the presence of the visiting Premier of Victoria, Honourable Dr Denis Napthine. Also present was Co-Founder of Tune Group, who is also Group CEO of AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne at 609 Swanston Street, Carlton is conveniently located next to the University of Melbourne, just two streets away from popular Lygon Street and minutes to Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD). The 225-room property will open for customers on 1 November 2013.

 

To celebrate its arrival, Tune Hotel Melbourne is offering an attractive room rate from just A$49* (US$46 / RM157) per night. The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

Bookings can be made from 18 June until 28 June 2013 for stays between 1 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to availability of rooms. A total of 1,000 rooms will be made available at that price.

 

Dr Napthine said: “Melbourne’s new Tune Hotel would open its doors in Melbourne’s CBD in November to coincide with Victoria’s world-famous Spring Racing Carnival.”

 

Dr Napthine also welcomed the decision by Tune Hotels to set up its Australia and New Zealand Operational Headquarters in Melbourne. “Together, the investment is expected to create up to 100 jobs.”

 

The Premier is currently leading around 300 Victorian businesses and 450 delegates on a Super Trade Mission to South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur is the mission’s first stop before moving on to other key Asean cities – Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Hanoi, among others.

 

In a recent ranking of the world's "most liveable" cities, Melbourne took the number one spot for the second year running. The city was awarded perfect marks for education, healthcare, and infrastructure by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

 

As Australia’s events capital, Melbourne boasts a rich calendar of theatre, sporting and cultural events. Blockbuster annual events include the Australian Open Tennis Championship, Formula One Grand Prix, Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and more.

 

Melbourne is a romantic, stylish, cosmopolitan city with a European feel and hidden city laneways and arcades for visitors to discover hidden treasures, cafes, boutiques, bars and restaurants. The city is also the gourmet capital of Australia with award-winning chefs and a diverse cuisine with unique settings, provincial specialties and world class wine regions within easy access of the city.

 

A range of diverse travel experiences are available within easy reach of Melbourne in regional Victoria. Whether it’s skiing the Victorian Alps, reclining on picture postcard beaches, sampling award-winning wines or unwinding in luxurious day spas, regional Victoria is replete with immersive experiences year-round.

 

To add to the celebration, long-haul low cost airline AirAsia X is also running a joint promotion where a one-way flight seat from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne is going from as low as RM329**. Guests have until 23 June 2013 to make a booking for travel between 15 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to the availability of seats. Also on offer are Fly Thru services from Jakarta-Melbourne (from IDR 1,459,000** one-way) and Bangkok-Melbourne (from THB 5,890** one-way), allowing guests to seamlessly connect via Kuala Lumpur.

 

Guests who would like to travel with extra comfort may also fly on AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed seats from as low as RM2, 299** from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Premium Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Duvet. For more information and flight bookings, please visit airasia.com.

 

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said: “AirAsia X had been serving the Melbourne route for more than four years now and it is one of our best-selling. I am very pleased that Tune Hotels will now have its presence in Melbourne to give visitors to this wonderful city a truly compelling accommodation alternative. We are sure the Australian market will welcome and embrace Tune Hotels just as they did AirAsia X.”

 

Commenting on Melbourne as Tune Hotels’ Operational HQ for Australia and New Zealand, Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “We are very excited about Tune Hotel Melbourne as it marks our growing brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne will be the location for our HQ overseeing Australia and New Zealand operations, working in conjunction with the corporate office in Kuala Lumpur. Given our long term plans for the region, the Australia and New Zealand HQ will be staffed relevantly to oversee and provide central support to Tune Hotels’ properties in Australia and New Zealand.”

 

“And to celebrate in true Tune Hotels style, we’re offering travellers one of the lowest room rates seen in central Melbourne for years. Tune Hotels is all about offering a great night’s sleep at a great price. Tune Hotel Melbourne will serve domestic business and leisure travellers and visitors from abroad who are looking for great comfort just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD without paying the usual exorbitant rates,” added Lankester.

 

The basic room rate at Tune Hotel Melbourne is already inclusive of air-conditioning and and/or heating. For an additional A$10, guests will get a pair of towels and toiletry kits and enjoy high-speed wireless broadband and Foxtel TV entertainment.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne features an indoor courtyard, a recreational lounge, a restaurant, café/ convenience store, luggage storage, self-service launderette and computer kiosks. It is also equipped with a basement car park, something unusual for city centre hotels in Australia.

 

The hotel is just two streets away from Lygon Street, more famously known as Little Italy. The central business district, Melbourne Central Train Station and QV Melbourne; one of Melbourne's finest retail, dining and entertainment precincts, is only two tram stops away.

 

Tune Hotels provides international-class high-quality accommodation which focuses on key essentials but minus the generally underused facilities found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums. By doing away with these costly and high-maintenance facilities, Tune Hotels is able to pass on savings to its guests in the form of super low room rates. Its pay-as-you-use concept lets travellers choose and pay only for amenities that they require to keep costs down, reduce waste and save energy.

 

All Tune hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star beds and powerful hot showers. The strategically located hotels provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, extensive CCTV systems, and no access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight for extra security.

 

The group has received almost five million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. Tune Hotels has one hotel in India, 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, and four each in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. The company is set to open another property in Japan this year while future projects are planned in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsAUS and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

  

* Rooms at promotional rates are limited and subject to availability. Promotional rates are limited to double rooms, exclude peak periods, available only on specific dates and only for bookings made via www.tunehotels.com. Advertised rate includes GST and is for room only (excludes comfort package (WiFi, Towel & toiletries and TV) and all optional add-ons). Bookings that are made at the promotional price are strictly non-refundable or changeable. Booking period is 18 June 2013 - 28 June 2013, or until promotional rooms are sold out. Stay period is 1 Nov 2013 to 31 March 2014. No additional charges for booking payments made using PayPal. Additional charges may apply for online bookings paid using credit and debit cards. All amounts are in Australian dollars unless stated otherwise. Refer to www.tunehotels.com for other applicable terms and conditions.

 

** Promo fares include airport taxes and fees (all-in fares). Flights and fares are subject to availability and are for one-way travel only.

  

-ENDS-

About Tune Hotels & Tune Group

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity. All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security. The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

About AirAsia X Berhad

AirAsia X is the low-cost, long-haul affiliate carrier of the AirAsia Group that currently flies to destinations in China, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Nepal and the Middle East. The airline currently serves 14 destinations across Asia (Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Kathmandu), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and the Middle East (Jeddah) with flights to an additional destination, namely Busan, commencing in July 2013. AirAsia X operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A330-300s, each with a seat configuration of 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 Economy seats. The airline has carried over 9 million guests since it commenced long-haul in 2007. Our vision is to further solidify our position as the global leader in low-cost, long-haul aviation and create the first global multi-hub low-cost carrier network along with other carriers of the AirAsia Group.

 

More photos can be downloaded from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

Media enquiries:

 

MALAYSIA & INTERNATIONAL

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 3153638

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

 

AUSTRALIA

Brenton Gibbs

Tel: +61 (0)419 828 440

Email: brenton@crookgroup.com.au

 

Boat Landing

 

Check out my Profile Page for more information on my images and my website and contact detailsCopyright © 2012 Neal Pritchard PhotographyThis photo may not be used in any form without prior permission. All rights reserved. All images may NOT be used on websites, blogs or in any other form of media print or web based without explicit written permission by Spool Photography

 

Photo caption:

Speech by Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.

  

NEWS RELEASE

 

MELBOURNE – THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY MAY HAVE JUST GOT BETTER!

Tune Hotel Melbourne opening November with A$49* launch rate

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 June 2013 - International hotel group Tune Hotels today announced the pre-opening sale of its first Australian property in Melbourne and that the city will serve as its operational headquarters for the Australia and New Zealand region.

 

The announcement was made here today by Mark Lankester, the Group CEO of Tune Hotels in the presence of the visiting Premier of Victoria, Honourable Dr Denis Napthine. Also present was Co-Founder of Tune Group, who is also Group CEO of AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne at 609 Swanston Street, Carlton is conveniently located next to the University of Melbourne, just two streets away from popular Lygon Street and minutes to Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD). The 225-room property will open for customers on 1 November 2013.

 

To celebrate its arrival, Tune Hotel Melbourne is offering an attractive room rate from just A$49* (US$46 / RM157) per night. The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

Bookings can be made from 18 June until 28 June 2013 for stays between 1 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to availability of rooms. A total of 1,000 rooms will be made available at that price.

 

Dr Napthine said: “Melbourne’s new Tune Hotel would open its doors in Melbourne’s CBD in November to coincide with Victoria’s world-famous Spring Racing Carnival.”

 

Dr Napthine also welcomed the decision by Tune Hotels to set up its Australia and New Zealand Operational Headquarters in Melbourne. “Together, the investment is expected to create up to 100 jobs.”

 

The Premier is currently leading around 300 Victorian businesses and 450 delegates on a Super Trade Mission to South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur is the mission’s first stop before moving on to other key Asean cities – Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Hanoi, among others.

 

In a recent ranking of the world's "most liveable" cities, Melbourne took the number one spot for the second year running. The city was awarded perfect marks for education, healthcare, and infrastructure by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

 

As Australia’s events capital, Melbourne boasts a rich calendar of theatre, sporting and cultural events. Blockbuster annual events include the Australian Open Tennis Championship, Formula One Grand Prix, Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and more.

 

Melbourne is a romantic, stylish, cosmopolitan city with a European feel and hidden city laneways and arcades for visitors to discover hidden treasures, cafes, boutiques, bars and restaurants. The city is also the gourmet capital of Australia with award-winning chefs and a diverse cuisine with unique settings, provincial specialties and world class wine regions within easy access of the city.

 

A range of diverse travel experiences are available within easy reach of Melbourne in regional Victoria. Whether it’s skiing the Victorian Alps, reclining on picture postcard beaches, sampling award-winning wines or unwinding in luxurious day spas, regional Victoria is replete with immersive experiences year-round.

 

To add to the celebration, long-haul low cost airline AirAsia X is also running a joint promotion where a one-way flight seat from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne is going from as low as RM329**. Guests have until 23 June 2013 to make a booking for travel between 15 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to the availability of seats. Also on offer are Fly Thru services from Jakarta-Melbourne (from IDR 1,459,000** one-way) and Bangkok-Melbourne (from THB 5,890** one-way), allowing guests to seamlessly connect via Kuala Lumpur.

 

Guests who would like to travel with extra comfort may also fly on AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed seats from as low as RM2, 299** from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Premium Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Duvet. For more information and flight bookings, please visit airasia.com.

 

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said: “AirAsia X had been serving the Melbourne route for more than four years now and it is one of our best-selling. I am very pleased that Tune Hotels will now have its presence in Melbourne to give visitors to this wonderful city a truly compelling accommodation alternative. We are sure the Australian market will welcome and embrace Tune Hotels just as they did AirAsia X.”

 

Commenting on Melbourne as Tune Hotels’ Operational HQ for Australia and New Zealand, Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “We are very excited about Tune Hotel Melbourne as it marks our growing brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne will be the location for our HQ overseeing Australia and New Zealand operations, working in conjunction with the corporate office in Kuala Lumpur. Given our long term plans for the region, the Australia and New Zealand HQ will be staffed relevantly to oversee and provide central support to Tune Hotels’ properties in Australia and New Zealand.”

 

“And to celebrate in true Tune Hotels style, we’re offering travellers one of the lowest room rates seen in central Melbourne for years. Tune Hotels is all about offering a great night’s sleep at a great price. Tune Hotel Melbourne will serve domestic business and leisure travellers and visitors from abroad who are looking for great comfort just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD without paying the usual exorbitant rates,” added Lankester.

 

The basic room rate at Tune Hotel Melbourne is already inclusive of air-conditioning and and/or heating. For an additional A$10, guests will get a pair of towels and toiletry kits and enjoy high-speed wireless broadband and Foxtel TV entertainment.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne features an indoor courtyard, a recreational lounge, a restaurant, café/ convenience store, luggage storage, self-service launderette and computer kiosks. It is also equipped with a basement car park, something unusual for city centre hotels in Australia.

 

The hotel is just two streets away from Lygon Street, more famously known as Little Italy. The central business district, Melbourne Central Train Station and QV Melbourne; one of Melbourne's finest retail, dining and entertainment precincts, is only two tram stops away.

 

Tune Hotels provides international-class high-quality accommodation which focuses on key essentials but minus the generally underused facilities found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums. By doing away with these costly and high-maintenance facilities, Tune Hotels is able to pass on savings to its guests in the form of super low room rates. Its pay-as-you-use concept lets travellers choose and pay only for amenities that they require to keep costs down, reduce waste and save energy.

 

All Tune hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star beds and powerful hot showers. The strategically located hotels provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, extensive CCTV systems, and no access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight for extra security.

 

The group has received almost five million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. Tune Hotels has one hotel in India, 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, and four each in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. The company is set to open another property in Japan this year while future projects are planned in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsAUS and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

  

* Rooms at promotional rates are limited and subject to availability. Promotional rates are limited to double rooms, exclude peak periods, available only on specific dates and only for bookings made via www.tunehotels.com. Advertised rate includes GST and is for room only (excludes comfort package (WiFi, Towel & toiletries and TV) and all optional add-ons). Bookings that are made at the promotional price are strictly non-refundable or changeable. Booking period is 18 June 2013 - 28 June 2013, or until promotional rooms are sold out. Stay period is 1 Nov 2013 to 31 March 2014. No additional charges for booking payments made using PayPal. Additional charges may apply for online bookings paid using credit and debit cards. All amounts are in Australian dollars unless stated otherwise. Refer to www.tunehotels.com for other applicable terms and conditions.

 

** Promo fares include airport taxes and fees (all-in fares). Flights and fares are subject to availability and are for one-way travel only.

  

-ENDS-

About Tune Hotels & Tune Group

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity. All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security. The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

About AirAsia X Berhad

AirAsia X is the low-cost, long-haul affiliate carrier of the AirAsia Group that currently flies to destinations in China, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Nepal and the Middle East. The airline currently serves 14 destinations across Asia (Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Kathmandu), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and the Middle East (Jeddah) with flights to an additional destination, namely Busan, commencing in July 2013. AirAsia X operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A330-300s, each with a seat configuration of 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 Economy seats. The airline has carried over 9 million guests since it commenced long-haul in 2007. Our vision is to further solidify our position as the global leader in low-cost, long-haul aviation and create the first global multi-hub low-cost carrier network along with other carriers of the AirAsia Group.

 

More photos can be downloaded from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

Media enquiries:

 

MALAYSIA & INTERNATIONAL

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 3153638

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

 

AUSTRALIA

Brenton Gibbs

Tel: +61 (0)419 828 440

Email: brenton@crookgroup.com.au

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

AHMEDABAD OPENING MARKS TUNE HOTELS’ ENTRY INTO INDIA

 

Presents new green ideas; Rs 599 per night introductory rate

  

NEW DELHI, 3 May 2013 – Award-winning international hotel chain, Tune Hotels, is all set to welcome its first guests in India with the opening of the 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad this month.

 

“We look forward to offering travellers to Ahmedabad an unbeatable proposition that combines great savings with a great comfortable stay and in a location that is annexed to the newest Shopping Mall in Ahmedabad. Our business model is designed to take care of the needs of travellers in India looking for great comfort without paying exorbitant rates,” said Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.

 

“Ahmedabad is an amazingly vibrant city in the fast growing state of Gujarat and we are looking to welcome both business and leisure travellers. We are very excited about this hotel as it marks our brand’s very first entry into India’s very exciting hospitality market. The Tune Hotel Ahmedabad aims to serve both domestic travellers and visitors from abroad, especially members of the large non-resident Indian (NRI) community from Gujarat settled in places like the US, Britain and the Gulf, who may already have had prior knowledge of the brand in the five countries we are already present in” he said.

 

To celebrate the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, online bookings are now accepted with attractive all-inclusive room charges that start from as low as 599 Indian rupees (US$11 / RM34 / Bt330 / Rp108,000). Guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and bookings can be made from 3 May 2013 until 10 May 2013, subject to availability of rooms. The rate is available on a first come, first served basis, for stay period starting 15 May 2013 until 30 September 2013.

 

The arrival of Tune Hotels in India will also introduce new green ideas to hotel stay.

 

“We at Tune Hotels pursue a conscious policy of being environmental-friendly by optimising use of available resources, reduction of waste and by introducing processes that save on energy consumption. And our guests have endorsed our operations that encourage lifestyles that protect the environment,” Lankester said.

 

“As part of our business philosophy, we strive to remain locally-relevant in each and every community that we’re in, and this includes being responsible towards the local environment. We invite our guests in India to celebrate with us the introduction of new green concepts.”

 

The 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, annexed to the newly developed 4D Square Mall in the city’s Motera area, is well positioned on the main thoroughfare to the state capital of Gandhinagar and a stone’s throw away from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel cricket stadium.

 

Providing world-standard, high quality accommodation by focusing on key essentials but minus the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, Tune Hotels keeps its operating costs low and savings are passed on to guests in the form of super low rates.

 

Aside from its standard single and double rooms, Tune Hotels will be introducing family rooms that can accommodate between four to six people in order to meet the needs of the Indian guests, especially in the wedding market.

 

“In addition to larger room varieties, we have also made other adjustments in our offerings to serve our Indian guests better including more expansive food and beverage availability within the hotel. With a view to the huge wedding market in India, the hotel is able to cater to the needs for major banquet facilities for that total wedding experience. In fact, we’ve taken bookings for our very first wedding entourage already!” said Lankester.

 

Apart from properties in major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai –Tune Hotels is focusing on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities along with hotels in the tourist triangle destinations of Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. Tune Hotels will have five to six hotels in Gujarat as part of our 20 planned hotels across India in the next three years.

 

Commenting on the prospects for Tune Hotels in India, Lankester said: “India’s domestic hospitality market in total is huge and the major international brands all have a focus on the country. We see strong growth in both business and tourist segments as the domestic economy remains resilient. India’s middle class is expanding and rising disposable incomes have boosted travel. We are in a good position to offer quality affordable accommodation to these travel groups.”

 

Tune Hotels has received over four million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. With the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, there will be 29 Tune Hotels in operation globally. The rest are 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, four in the Philippines, four in Thailand and four in Indonesia.

 

By the end of 2013, Tune Hotels will have operating hotels in eight countries. Apart from India the company is set to open properties in Japan and Australia this year. Future projects are also coming up in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels’ Indian expansion signifies growing economic relations between India and Malaysia, which has emerged as India’s key partner in Southeast Asia. Companies and business people are increasingly benefitting from these expanded business links and two-way flow of investment and people continues to rise. India-Malaysia trade hit a record high of $13.5 billion in 2012, a 7.3 per cent growth over 2011, while tourist traffic also continues to remain strong between the two countries.

 

Tourist arrivals between the two countries have been on the rise with Malaysia being among India’s top 10 sources of tourism, while India was Malaysia's sixth biggest source of tourists in 2012.

 

The opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad comes as Asia’s largest low-cost carrier AirAsia plans to launch its domestic airline services in India in a new venture.

 

“We see this as a great boost for not only travel between Malaysia and India, but adding further attraction to increasing travel within India. Like AirAsia, we pride ourselves on being a customer-focussed brand,” Lankester said.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsIndia and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

   

AHMEDABAD FACTS & ATTRACTIONS:

 

Bhadra Fort – Situated in the walled city area of Ahmedabad, its significance was established in 1411 the year Sultan Ahmad Shah established Ahmedabad as the capital of Gujarat Sultanate. The fort was built on the East Bank of the Sabarmati River and in 2012, a joint initiative between the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Archeological Survey of India was signed to restore and redevelop to the fort to its former glory.

 

AutoWorld Museum – Featuring the largest collection of vintage automobiles in India, the AutoWorld Museum is located in Ahmedabad. The museum was founded by the Pranlal Bhogilal family and features cars, motorcycles and jeeps by marque carmakers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler-Chrysler and many more.

 

Sidi Sayed Mosque, Lal Darwaja – The mosque of Sidi Sayed is one of the most prominent mosques in Ahmedabad. Constructed in the year 1573, the mosque has gained worldwide recognition for it's intrincate artistic splendour.

 

Kankaria Lake – The Kankaria Lakefront development offers its visitors a myriad of activities and attractions apart from the gorgeous and serene view. Along the lake's 2.3km circumference, visitors can treat themselves to water sports & rides, visit the Balloon Safari, Kankaria Zoo, Kid City and a host of other attractions.

 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial - This is one of the most important buildings in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. It is a museum as well as an exhibition center, dedicated to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

 

Akshardham Temple – The temple in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat is one of the largest Temples in the state. The monument that enshrines the 2.1 metre gold-leafed Murti of Lord Swaminarayan is the focal point of the temple. The monument itself, which is 30 meters in height was build with 6 thousand tonnes of Pink Sandstone and is largely heralded as an architectural masterpiece.

 

Sabarmati Ashram – This ashram is widely known as the Gandhi Ashram, in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who spent 12 years of his life here. Located at the base of the Sabarmati river, the Ashram is recognised as a monument of national significance due to the role the place had played for the Independence of India.

  

- END –

  

About Tune Hotels

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity.

 

All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security.

 

The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

Photos are available from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

For media enquiries please contact:

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 315 3638

Fax: +603 7955 5899

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

   

Q & A with Mark Lankester

Group CEO, Tune Hotels

 

Q: Where does the environment figure in Tune Hotels’ business philosophy?

A: For us at Tune Hotels, being environment-friendly is not a slogan. Using resources in a way that reduces waste and promotes healthy lifestyles is built in our daily operations whether it is saving energy or minimising waste. As a value hotel chain we by nature consume less resources. Shorn of the generally underutilised facilities commonly found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums, we are promoting a more sustainable form of travel.

 

Q: What specific examples of green steps can you provide?

A: To give you an example of our energy conservation ways, we have a pay-as-you-use air-conditioning system programmed into guest keycards. Ceiling fans are a standard feature in our hotel rooms so guests have a choice not to use air-conditioning. And those who do need air-conditioning have it by agreeing to a small charge. Hallway air-conditioners in our hotels are set on a timer system so they turn on in alternate sequence to conserve power. We also actively use energy-efficient bulbs wherever we can. In developing new projects, we will look at how green standards can be incorporated in the location, size and building methods. Recycling containers are provided at all our hotels.

 

Q: How will Tune Hotels execute its green initiatives in India?

A: As part of our green initiatives, we encourage people to make smarter choices about the use of resources. Most people in India consider wastefulness as something bad. There is already a level of awareness about environmental degradation and how resources must be used better. People listen to arguments in favour of protecting the environment. Therefore, it is important for the hospitality industry to take its corporate social responsibility seriously.

 

Just recently the government of Delhi asked the city’s five-star hotels to conserve water and set up waste treatment plants. In our messages we are going to highlight why sustainable travel is important and how our guests can be part of our environment-friendly practices. Our properties do not feature swimming pools so most of our efforts will be directed at efficient use of water in rooms, laundry and energy efficient practices.

 

Q: These days it is not uncommon to see hotels putting up instructions for guests on towel and linen use. What are Tune Hotels’ practices in this regard?

A: This is an important area for any hotel to show what it can do to check water pollution. Laundry operation involves significant use of detergents, chemicals, water and electricity. By seeking the cooperation of our guests we can considerably reduce water use. Most people who stay at home are happy not to change bathroom towels and their bed linen every single day. Surely they can be encouraged to do the same during hotel stays. Tune Hotels reduces water consumption and the flow of laundry effluents into the environment by providing towels, if required for a small charge.

 

Q: How does Tune Hotels set green standards?

A: When we develop our hotels we invest in systems and technologies that are compatible with our green standards. Then we invest in our staff training and customer education so that we benefit from our environmental efforts. We always look at new technological developments in the hospitality industry so that we can improve our response to environmental issues.

 

We are keen to work with government bodies, academia, community and industry associations to promote green practices in travel. We strongly believe that environmental concerns should go mainstream in the hospitality business.

 

- ENDS -

 

Photo caption:

From left – Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels; Hon. Dr Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria; Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Co-Founder of Tune Group; Stuart Myerscough, Commercial Manager Australia of AirAsia X during media conference.

  

NEWS RELEASE

 

MELBOURNE – THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY MAY HAVE JUST GOT BETTER!

Tune Hotel Melbourne opening November with A$49* launch rate

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 June 2013 - International hotel group Tune Hotels today announced the pre-opening sale of its first Australian property in Melbourne and that the city will serve as its operational headquarters for the Australia and New Zealand region.

 

The announcement was made here today by Mark Lankester, the Group CEO of Tune Hotels in the presence of the visiting Premier of Victoria, Honourable Dr Denis Napthine. Also present was Co-Founder of Tune Group, who is also Group CEO of AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne at 609 Swanston Street, Carlton is conveniently located next to the University of Melbourne, just two streets away from popular Lygon Street and minutes to Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD). The 225-room property will open for customers on 1 November 2013.

 

To celebrate its arrival, Tune Hotel Melbourne is offering an attractive room rate from just A$49* (US$46 / RM157) per night. The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

Bookings can be made from 18 June until 28 June 2013 for stays between 1 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to availability of rooms. A total of 1,000 rooms will be made available at that price.

 

Dr Napthine said: “Melbourne’s new Tune Hotel would open its doors in Melbourne’s CBD in November to coincide with Victoria’s world-famous Spring Racing Carnival.”

 

Dr Napthine also welcomed the decision by Tune Hotels to set up its Australia and New Zealand Operational Headquarters in Melbourne. “Together, the investment is expected to create up to 100 jobs.”

 

The Premier is currently leading around 300 Victorian businesses and 450 delegates on a Super Trade Mission to South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur is the mission’s first stop before moving on to other key Asean cities – Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Hanoi, among others.

 

In a recent ranking of the world's "most liveable" cities, Melbourne took the number one spot for the second year running. The city was awarded perfect marks for education, healthcare, and infrastructure by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

 

As Australia’s events capital, Melbourne boasts a rich calendar of theatre, sporting and cultural events. Blockbuster annual events include the Australian Open Tennis Championship, Formula One Grand Prix, Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and more.

 

Melbourne is a romantic, stylish, cosmopolitan city with a European feel and hidden city laneways and arcades for visitors to discover hidden treasures, cafes, boutiques, bars and restaurants. The city is also the gourmet capital of Australia with award-winning chefs and a diverse cuisine with unique settings, provincial specialties and world class wine regions within easy access of the city.

 

A range of diverse travel experiences are available within easy reach of Melbourne in regional Victoria. Whether it’s skiing the Victorian Alps, reclining on picture postcard beaches, sampling award-winning wines or unwinding in luxurious day spas, regional Victoria is replete with immersive experiences year-round.

 

To add to the celebration, long-haul low cost airline AirAsia X is also running a joint promotion where a one-way flight seat from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne is going from as low as RM329**. Guests have until 23 June 2013 to make a booking for travel between 15 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to the availability of seats. Also on offer are Fly Thru services from Jakarta-Melbourne (from IDR 1,459,000** one-way) and Bangkok-Melbourne (from THB 5,890** one-way), allowing guests to seamlessly connect via Kuala Lumpur.

 

Guests who would like to travel with extra comfort may also fly on AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed seats from as low as RM2, 299** from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Premium Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Duvet. For more information and flight bookings, please visit airasia.com.

 

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said: “AirAsia X had been serving the Melbourne route for more than four years now and it is one of our best-selling. I am very pleased that Tune Hotels will now have its presence in Melbourne to give visitors to this wonderful city a truly compelling accommodation alternative. We are sure the Australian market will welcome and embrace Tune Hotels just as they did AirAsia X.”

 

Commenting on Melbourne as Tune Hotels’ Operational HQ for Australia and New Zealand, Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “We are very excited about Tune Hotel Melbourne as it marks our growing brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne will be the location for our HQ overseeing Australia and New Zealand operations, working in conjunction with the corporate office in Kuala Lumpur. Given our long term plans for the region, the Australia and New Zealand HQ will be staffed relevantly to oversee and provide central support to Tune Hotels’ properties in Australia and New Zealand.”

 

“And to celebrate in true Tune Hotels style, we’re offering travellers one of the lowest room rates seen in central Melbourne for years. Tune Hotels is all about offering a great night’s sleep at a great price. Tune Hotel Melbourne will serve domestic business and leisure travellers and visitors from abroad who are looking for great comfort just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD without paying the usual exorbitant rates,” added Lankester.

 

The basic room rate at Tune Hotel Melbourne is already inclusive of air-conditioning and and/or heating. For an additional A$10, guests will get a pair of towels and toiletry kits and enjoy high-speed wireless broadband and Foxtel TV entertainment.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne features an indoor courtyard, a recreational lounge, a restaurant, café/ convenience store, luggage storage, self-service launderette and computer kiosks. It is also equipped with a basement car park, something unusual for city centre hotels in Australia.

 

The hotel is just two streets away from Lygon Street, more famously known as Little Italy. The central business district, Melbourne Central Train Station and QV Melbourne; one of Melbourne's finest retail, dining and entertainment precincts, is only two tram stops away.

 

Tune Hotels provides international-class high-quality accommodation which focuses on key essentials but minus the generally underused facilities found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums. By doing away with these costly and high-maintenance facilities, Tune Hotels is able to pass on savings to its guests in the form of super low room rates. Its pay-as-you-use concept lets travellers choose and pay only for amenities that they require to keep costs down, reduce waste and save energy.

 

All Tune hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star beds and powerful hot showers. The strategically located hotels provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, extensive CCTV systems, and no access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight for extra security.

 

The group has received almost five million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. Tune Hotels has one hotel in India, 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, and four each in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. The company is set to open another property in Japan this year while future projects are planned in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsAUS and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

  

* Rooms at promotional rates are limited and subject to availability. Promotional rates are limited to double rooms, exclude peak periods, available only on specific dates and only for bookings made via www.tunehotels.com. Advertised rate includes GST and is for room only (excludes comfort package (WiFi, Towel & toiletries and TV) and all optional add-ons). Bookings that are made at the promotional price are strictly non-refundable or changeable. Booking period is 18 June 2013 - 28 June 2013, or until promotional rooms are sold out. Stay period is 1 Nov 2013 to 31 March 2014. No additional charges for booking payments made using PayPal. Additional charges may apply for online bookings paid using credit and debit cards. All amounts are in Australian dollars unless stated otherwise. Refer to www.tunehotels.com for other applicable terms and conditions.

 

** Promo fares include airport taxes and fees (all-in fares). Flights and fares are subject to availability and are for one-way travel only.

  

-ENDS-

About Tune Hotels & Tune Group

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity. All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security. The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

About AirAsia X Berhad

AirAsia X is the low-cost, long-haul affiliate carrier of the AirAsia Group that currently flies to destinations in China, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Nepal and the Middle East. The airline currently serves 14 destinations across Asia (Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Kathmandu), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and the Middle East (Jeddah) with flights to an additional destination, namely Busan, commencing in July 2013. AirAsia X operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A330-300s, each with a seat configuration of 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 Economy seats. The airline has carried over 9 million guests since it commenced long-haul in 2007. Our vision is to further solidify our position as the global leader in low-cost, long-haul aviation and create the first global multi-hub low-cost carrier network along with other carriers of the AirAsia Group.

 

More photos can be downloaded from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

Media enquiries:

 

MALAYSIA & INTERNATIONAL

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 3153638

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

 

AUSTRALIA

Brenton Gibbs

Tel: +61 (0)419 828 440

Email: brenton@crookgroup.com.au

 

Photo caption:

From left – Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels; Hon. Dr Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria; Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Co-Founder of Tune Group; Stuart Myerscough, Commercial Manager Australia of AirAsia X unveiling the opening price of Tune Hotel Melbourne.

  

NEWS RELEASE

 

MELBOURNE – THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY MAY HAVE JUST GOT BETTER!

Tune Hotel Melbourne opening November with A$49* launch rate

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 June 2013 - International hotel group Tune Hotels today announced the pre-opening sale of its first Australian property in Melbourne and that the city will serve as its operational headquarters for the Australia and New Zealand region.

 

The announcement was made here today by Mark Lankester, the Group CEO of Tune Hotels in the presence of the visiting Premier of Victoria, Honourable Dr Denis Napthine. Also present was Co-Founder of Tune Group, who is also Group CEO of AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne at 609 Swanston Street, Carlton is conveniently located next to the University of Melbourne, just two streets away from popular Lygon Street and minutes to Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD). The 225-room property will open for customers on 1 November 2013.

 

To celebrate its arrival, Tune Hotel Melbourne is offering an attractive room rate from just A$49* (US$46 / RM157) per night. The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

Bookings can be made from 18 June until 28 June 2013 for stays between 1 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to availability of rooms. A total of 1,000 rooms will be made available at that price.

 

Dr Napthine said: “Melbourne’s new Tune Hotel would open its doors in Melbourne’s CBD in November to coincide with Victoria’s world-famous Spring Racing Carnival.”

 

Dr Napthine also welcomed the decision by Tune Hotels to set up its Australia and New Zealand Operational Headquarters in Melbourne. “Together, the investment is expected to create up to 100 jobs.”

 

The Premier is currently leading around 300 Victorian businesses and 450 delegates on a Super Trade Mission to South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur is the mission’s first stop before moving on to other key Asean cities – Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Hanoi, among others.

 

In a recent ranking of the world's "most liveable" cities, Melbourne took the number one spot for the second year running. The city was awarded perfect marks for education, healthcare, and infrastructure by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

 

As Australia’s events capital, Melbourne boasts a rich calendar of theatre, sporting and cultural events. Blockbuster annual events include the Australian Open Tennis Championship, Formula One Grand Prix, Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and more.

 

Melbourne is a romantic, stylish, cosmopolitan city with a European feel and hidden city laneways and arcades for visitors to discover hidden treasures, cafes, boutiques, bars and restaurants. The city is also the gourmet capital of Australia with award-winning chefs and a diverse cuisine with unique settings, provincial specialties and world class wine regions within easy access of the city.

 

A range of diverse travel experiences are available within easy reach of Melbourne in regional Victoria. Whether it’s skiing the Victorian Alps, reclining on picture postcard beaches, sampling award-winning wines or unwinding in luxurious day spas, regional Victoria is replete with immersive experiences year-round.

 

To add to the celebration, long-haul low cost airline AirAsia X is also running a joint promotion where a one-way flight seat from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne is going from as low as RM329**. Guests have until 23 June 2013 to make a booking for travel between 15 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to the availability of seats. Also on offer are Fly Thru services from Jakarta-Melbourne (from IDR 1,459,000** one-way) and Bangkok-Melbourne (from THB 5,890** one-way), allowing guests to seamlessly connect via Kuala Lumpur.

 

Guests who would like to travel with extra comfort may also fly on AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed seats from as low as RM2, 299** from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Premium Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Duvet. For more information and flight bookings, please visit airasia.com.

 

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said: “AirAsia X had been serving the Melbourne route for more than four years now and it is one of our best-selling. I am very pleased that Tune Hotels will now have its presence in Melbourne to give visitors to this wonderful city a truly compelling accommodation alternative. We are sure the Australian market will welcome and embrace Tune Hotels just as they did AirAsia X.”

 

Commenting on Melbourne as Tune Hotels’ Operational HQ for Australia and New Zealand, Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “We are very excited about Tune Hotel Melbourne as it marks our growing brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne will be the location for our HQ overseeing Australia and New Zealand operations, working in conjunction with the corporate office in Kuala Lumpur. Given our long term plans for the region, the Australia and New Zealand HQ will be staffed relevantly to oversee and provide central support to Tune Hotels’ properties in Australia and New Zealand.”

 

“And to celebrate in true Tune Hotels style, we’re offering travellers one of the lowest room rates seen in central Melbourne for years. Tune Hotels is all about offering a great night’s sleep at a great price. Tune Hotel Melbourne will serve domestic business and leisure travellers and visitors from abroad who are looking for great comfort just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD without paying the usual exorbitant rates,” added Lankester.

 

The basic room rate at Tune Hotel Melbourne is already inclusive of air-conditioning and and/or heating. For an additional A$10, guests will get a pair of towels and toiletry kits and enjoy high-speed wireless broadband and Foxtel TV entertainment.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne features an indoor courtyard, a recreational lounge, a restaurant, café/ convenience store, luggage storage, self-service launderette and computer kiosks. It is also equipped with a basement car park, something unusual for city centre hotels in Australia.

 

The hotel is just two streets away from Lygon Street, more famously known as Little Italy. The central business district, Melbourne Central Train Station and QV Melbourne; one of Melbourne's finest retail, dining and entertainment precincts, is only two tram stops away.

 

Tune Hotels provides international-class high-quality accommodation which focuses on key essentials but minus the generally underused facilities found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums. By doing away with these costly and high-maintenance facilities, Tune Hotels is able to pass on savings to its guests in the form of super low room rates. Its pay-as-you-use concept lets travellers choose and pay only for amenities that they require to keep costs down, reduce waste and save energy.

 

All Tune hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star beds and powerful hot showers. The strategically located hotels provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, extensive CCTV systems, and no access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight for extra security.

 

The group has received almost five million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. Tune Hotels has one hotel in India, 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, and four each in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. The company is set to open another property in Japan this year while future projects are planned in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsAUS and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

  

* Rooms at promotional rates are limited and subject to availability. Promotional rates are limited to double rooms, exclude peak periods, available only on specific dates and only for bookings made via www.tunehotels.com. Advertised rate includes GST and is for room only (excludes comfort package (WiFi, Towel & toiletries and TV) and all optional add-ons). Bookings that are made at the promotional price are strictly non-refundable or changeable. Booking period is 18 June 2013 - 28 June 2013, or until promotional rooms are sold out. Stay period is 1 Nov 2013 to 31 March 2014. No additional charges for booking payments made using PayPal. Additional charges may apply for online bookings paid using credit and debit cards. All amounts are in Australian dollars unless stated otherwise. Refer to www.tunehotels.com for other applicable terms and conditions.

 

** Promo fares include airport taxes and fees (all-in fares). Flights and fares are subject to availability and are for one-way travel only.

  

-ENDS-

About Tune Hotels & Tune Group

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity. All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security. The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

About AirAsia X Berhad

AirAsia X is the low-cost, long-haul affiliate carrier of the AirAsia Group that currently flies to destinations in China, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Nepal and the Middle East. The airline currently serves 14 destinations across Asia (Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Kathmandu), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and the Middle East (Jeddah) with flights to an additional destination, namely Busan, commencing in July 2013. AirAsia X operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A330-300s, each with a seat configuration of 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 Economy seats. The airline has carried over 9 million guests since it commenced long-haul in 2007. Our vision is to further solidify our position as the global leader in low-cost, long-haul aviation and create the first global multi-hub low-cost carrier network along with other carriers of the AirAsia Group.

 

More photos can be downloaded from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

Media enquiries:

 

MALAYSIA & INTERNATIONAL

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 3153638

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

 

AUSTRALIA

Brenton Gibbs

Tel: +61 (0)419 828 440

Email: brenton@crookgroup.com.au

 

Mobile Social Networking: Two Great Tastes

John Kemp, Franklin Reynolds - Nokia

14th October 2008

 

Introduction

 

In the 1980s, mobile telecommunications was, by some accounts, a wilderness. Along came Short Message Service (SMS). Many thought that SMS would be most useful for things like sending a message to a user saying that she had received a voicemail, and few imagined the extraordinary explosive growth of person to person short messaging. Initial growth of the service though was slow - in 1995 an average of only 0.4 messages per GSM customer per month were sent. But, by 2003, there were apparently 4.2 million active users, and "texting" had entered popular culture. Mobile phones were not perfect for SMS, but the enforced short message size and poor keyboards created an environment where a new language flourished.

 

With person-to-person calling and text messaging, the mobile environment created a powerful social networking effect.

 

By contrast with the spare interface presented to the SMS user, modern social networking sites provide sophisticated user interfaces and large numbers of graphical images and other rich media content. Such things are inevitably better handled by computers, with faster processors, relatively large screens and a full keyboard, than by mobile phones.

 

Is a "mobile social network" nowadays then simply a Web-based social network interface displayed in the Web browser of a mobile phone, or is there something more? How do we engage the still-growing number of people who are more familiar with the mobile phone than they are with the Web?

 

What's so different about mobile phones?

 

Phones, mobile and fixed, have historically been person-to-person communication channels - they have not been multicast or “publishing” type communication channels. These are substantive differences which have strongly influenced how mobile phones and the Web have been used for social networking. There are legal implications that arise from these differences such as:

 

* Who is held accountable for slander or libel?

* What constitutes protected speech?

* What are reasonable expectations for private communication?

 

Mobile phones also have obvious limitations, such as a small screen size, limited keyboard and often intermittent or poor network connectivity.

 

Increasingly, however, so-called "smart-phones" have overcome previous limitations of processing power and storage, and provide a powerful computing environment. In addition, mobile phones now provide several advantages over their larger and more stationary computing device cohorts.

 

Engagement of multiple senses.

 

Through the use of haptic technologies, the sense of touch can be applied to social networking. Currently, most interaction in social networking is through visual feedback. By using haptic feedback it is possible to provide interaction through touch. Apple's iPhone and other touch-screen phones already provide opportunities for such experimentation. A user interface combining visual interaction with tactile interaction may become both more immersive and more subtle - more socially appropriate.

 

In my pocket

 

My mobile phone is always with me. Through its GPS device, it knows quite precisely where I am. It's my music player, so it knows what music I am listening to. This presents both opportunities and challenges. Since a telephone number is a relatively good identifier - it is linked usually only to one person, there are privacy implications of supplying information linked to that identifier, such as geolocation coordinates, or listening habits. As such devices add features, the phone becomes a more complete repository for personal data linked to a single individual.

 

When worlds collide

 

As mobile devices become more full-featured, and provide a more complete user interface, there are more opportunities to immerse the user in an environment where the "real" and virtual worlds of the user are linked.

 

For example, using Semacode or similar technology it is possible for a mobile phone user to photograph a barcode placed on a real-world object, and have that photographed barcode be decoded as a URL, whose associated Web document will then be opened in the phone's Web browser. Applications such as Wikitude where the phone GPS and camera alone (without recourse to barcodes) provide an even more stunning glance at the future of augmented reality.

 

A distributed architecture for social networking?

 

In contrast to the increasingly sophisticated capabilities of mobile phones, the fundamental architecture of the Web has not changed much over the past 10 years.

 

Existing social networks usually employ a "hub and spoke" model, where the website is the hub of all activity within the network, and where there is a "client" and a "server". Since all traffic must pass through the hub, that site may become a bottleneck. Furthermore, each transaction must pass up one spoke to the hub, and then down another spoke, when the people interacting may be much closer to each other (in network terms) than either is to the hub site.

 

Mobile phones have become quite sophisticated in the features they provide, and offer serious processing power to software applications. There is the opportunity to create an architecture that distributes the load to the devices sitting in our coats and pockets, rather than solely on massively scalable Web sites. Such an architecture would require better interoperability between social networking sites and mobile devices than we have today, and should remove any dependence on an "always-on" network connection.

 

The multiple-radio capability of some phones (Bluetooth, NFC, WLAN and GSM/GPRS) allows the formation of a social "web of trust" [8] where people physically co-located can "connect" using a near-field radio, and later access each other's phones over the Internet, based on the initial connection of a local radio. This allows the trust that comes from seeing each other to be extended into the virtual world, where we often cannot see each other.

 

Conclusions

 

Mobile social networking involves more than simply replicating existing PC browser-based social networking interfaces in a mobile environment. Social networking systems could benefit from some of the context brought by the technology provided in such personal devices, but must become more aware of the social responsibility inherent in taking advantage of these features. Integrating person-to-person calling devices into a socially-networked Web is not the same thing as displaying the socially-networked Web on a mobile phone.

 

During the next three to five years industry analysts predict another billion new mobile phone users. When we bring Web-based social networking to mobile phones and these new users, it might be useful to consider that most people on the planet have much more experience with phones than the Web.

 

www.w3.org/2008/09/msnws/papers/nokia-mobile-social-netwo...

Photos were captured at the Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory on the Oregon State University Campus in Corvallis, Dec. 13, 2016, to accompany the feature story below: "Printing the past: 3-D archaeology and the first Americans." Article online here (and below): goo.gl/viKEZF

 

Photo + Story by Toshio Suzuki, BLM

 

----------------------------------------

 

For the first Americans, and the study of them today, it all starts with a point.

 

A sharp point fastened to a wooden shaft gave the hunter 13,000 years ago a weapon that could single-handedly spear a fish or work in numbers to take down a mammoth.

 

For a prehistoric human, these points were the difference between life and death. They were hunger-driven, handmade labors of love that took hours to craft using a cacophony of rock-on-rock cracks, thuds and shatters.

 

They have been called the first American invention, and some archaeologists now think 3-D scanning points can reveal more information about both the technology and the people.

 

The Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory at Oregon State University takes up only a few rooms on the ground floor of Waldo Hall, one of the supposedly haunted buildings on campus.

 

There are boxes of cultural history everywhere, and floor-to-ceiling wood cabinets with skinny pull-out drawers housing even more assets, but the really good stuff, evidence of the earliest known cultures in North America, lives in an 800-pound gun safe.

 

Loren Davis, anthropology professor at OSU and director of the lab, thinks 3-D scanning, printing, and publishing can circumvent the old traditions of the field, that artifacts are only to be experienced in museums and only handled by those who have a Ph.D.

 

“We are reimagining the idea of doing archaeology in a 21st century digital way,” said Davis. “We don’t do it just to make pretty pictures or print in plastic, we mostly want to capture and share it for analysis,” he added.

 

Nearby in the L-shaped lab, one of his doctoral students is preparing to scan a point that was discovered on Bureau of Land Management public lands in southeast Oregon.

 

Thousands of points have been unearthed since the 1930s in North America, the first being in eastern New Mexico near a town called Clovis. That name is now known worldwide as representing the continent’s first native people.

 

More recently, though, other peoples with distinctive points were found elsewhere, and some researchers think it means there was differing technology being made at the same time, if not pre-Clovis.

 

One such location is the Paisley Caves in southern Oregon ― one of the many archaeologically significant sites managed by the BLM.

 

The earliest stem point from Paisley Caves was scanned at Davis’ lab and a 3-D PDF was included in a 2012 multi-authored report in the journal Science.

 

Davis estimates his lab at OSU has scanned as many as 400 points, including others from BLM-managed lands in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

 

More scans would mean a bigger database for comparing points and determining what style they are.

 

“Ideally, we want to get as many artifacts scanned as possible,“ said Davis. “The BLM offers a lot of access to public data ― this is just another way of doing it.”

 

---

 

Transforming a brittle piece of volcanic glass, by hand, into a beautiful and deadly 4-inch-long spear point is a process.

 

In one hand would be a hard shaping rock, or maybe a thick section of antler, and in the other would be the starter stone, which in addition to igneous could be jasper, chert, or any other chippable rock that creates a hide-puncturing level of sharpness.

 

After what might be hundreds of controlled strokes and rock rotations, the rough shape of a lance or spear tip would take form. Discarded shards of stone would often result in more points, or other useful tools like scrapers and needles.

 

Clovis points are distinguished by their length, bifacial leaf shape and middle channels on the bottom called flutes. Eventually the repetitive flaking of the point would stop, and the hunter would use precise pressure points to create the flute on one or each side that likely helped slot the finished product into a spear-like wooden pole.

 

The hunter was now mobile and ready to roam.

 

---

 

Prior to 3-D scanning, OSU doctoral student Sean Carroll picks up a can of Tinactin, gives it the obligatory shake, and completely covers “one of the oldest technologies in North America” with antifungal spray.

 

The talc and alcohol from the athlete’s foot remedy helps the software see even the slightest indents in the point, and it rubs right off afterwards.

 

“I want to scan all the Clovis I can get my hands on,” said Carroll, who came to OSU because of Davis’ 3-D lab and is using the medium as a big part of his dissertation.

 

Two random items, a power plug adapter and a ball of clay, are placed on each side of the fluted point to give the camera and light projector perspective. The objects create margins that force the structured light patterns to bend and capture more of the point’s surface detail.

 

Even so, like the hunter rotating the shaping rock, the archaeologist has to rotate the foam square holding the three items. Each scan takes about six seconds.

 

Carroll and Davis estimate that the learning curve for this process was about 100 hours. One hundred hours of trial and error -- and a lot of watching YouTube videos -- for a finished product that they think is indisputably worth it.

 

A completed 3-D scan of a point will have about 40,000 data points per square inch. The measurements are so precise, they can determine the difference between flake marks as thin as a piece of paper.

 

Davis says no archaeologist with a pair of calipers can come close to measuring the data obtained via 3-D, because simply, “there are some jobs that robots are really good at.”

 

“If the end game is measurements, well you could spend your whole life with a pair of calipers trying to achieve what we can do in 10 minutes,” said Davis.

 

---

 

Last year, the famous human relative nicknamed Lucy had 3-D scans of her 3.2 million year old bones published in the journal Nature.

 

In 2015, archaeologists from Harvard University completed a 3-D scan of a winged and human-headed stone bull from Mesopotamia that stands 13 feet high at the Louvre Museum.

 

And the Smithsonian Institution is currently beta testing a website dedicated to publishing 3-D models from its massive collection, including molds of President Abraham Lincoln’s face and the entire Apollo 11 command module.

 

All of these new-school efforts are based upon the old-school scientific principles of preservation and promotion.

 

Rock points, fossils, hieroglyphics -- various forms of cultural assets are susceptible to environmental conditions and not guaranteed to be around forever. Three-dimensional scanning is the most accurate way to digitally preserve these items of merit.

 

Once accurate preservation is done, there are opportunities for promoting not just science, but specific research goals.

 

In the case of the Lucy bones, scientists hope that crowdsourcing the 3-D data will help get more experts to look at the fossils and prove that the tree-dwelling ape died from a fall.

 

When it comes to comparing one specific stemmed point to an entire hard drive of scanning data, BLM archaeologist Scott Thomas thinks the work being done at the OSU lab can move archaeology to a new level.

 

“The 3-D scanning method blows anything we have done out of the water,” said Thomas.

 

That ability to compare points can lead to insights on how these hunting tools moved over geography, and even expand theories about how native groups learned new technologies.

 

“It’s going to be a really powerful tool someday -- not too far off,” said Thomas.

 

While long-term data analysis may not be the sexiest form of archaeology, holding a 3-D printed stem point is a pretty cool educational tool.

 

Davis of OSU has incorporated 3-D prints into his classes and said his students are able to make a tactile connection with artifacts that otherwise are not available.

 

“The students really enjoy these printed and digital models and often say that they are almost like the real thing,” said Davis.

 

---

 

This spring, Davis is traveling to Magadan, Russia -- aka Siberia -- to inspect and scan some points that may be linked to Clovis peoples.

 

The goal in Siberia, of course, is to further expand the 3-D database. He is specifically interested in comparing them to stems from a BLM-managed site he excavated in Idaho called Cooper’s Ferry.

 

As his student, Carroll, begins to clean up and put the scanned points into their individually labeled ziplocked bags, Davis can’t help but mention how much easier international research could be with 3-D scanning.

 

“You can share cultural resource info with people in other countries and you don’t have to come visit,” he said, adding that Russia isn’t the easiest country to enter.

 

“It’s as easy as sending an email,” Carroll agreed.

 

Davis then mentioned his 11-year-old child and how much of school curriculum these days is web-based as opposed to text-based.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with books, I’m a huge fan of books, but it’s a different way of learning,” said the archaeology professor.

 

And with that, he made another point.

 

-- by Toshio Suzuki, tsuzuki@blm.gov, @toshjohn

  

Best places to find 3-D archaeology online:

-- Sketchfab.com is one of the biggest databases on the web for 3-D models of cultural assets. Institutions and academics alike are moving priceless treasures to the digital space for all to inspect. Two examples: via the British Museum, a 7.25-ton statue of Ramesses II is available for viewing and free download; and via archaeologist Robert Selden Jr., hundreds of 3-D models are open to the public for study, including several Clovis points from the Blackwater Draw National Historic Site in New Mexico.

-- The Smithsonian Institution is bringing the best of American history to a new audience via their 3-D website (3d.si.edu). Amelia Earhart's flight suit? Check. Native American ceremonial killer whale hat? Check. Face cast of President Abraham Lincoln? Check and check -- there are two. And their biggest 3-D scan is still coming: the 184-foot-long space shuttle Discovery.

-- Visitors to Africanfossils.org can filter 3-D model searches by hominids, animals and tools, and also by date, from zero to 25 million years ago.

The sleek website, with partners like National Geographic and the National Museums of Kenya, makes it easy to download or share 3-D scans, and each item even comes with a discovery backstory and Google map pinpointing exactly where it was found.

Photo caption:

From left – Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels; Hon. Dr Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria; Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Co-Founder of Tune Group; Stuart Myerscough, Commercial Manager Australia of AirAsia X unveiling the opening price of Tune Hotel Melbourne.

  

NEWS RELEASE

 

MELBOURNE – THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY MAY HAVE JUST GOT BETTER!

Tune Hotel Melbourne opening November with A$49* launch rate

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 June 2013 - International hotel group Tune Hotels today announced the pre-opening sale of its first Australian property in Melbourne and that the city will serve as its operational headquarters for the Australia and New Zealand region.

 

The announcement was made here today by Mark Lankester, the Group CEO of Tune Hotels in the presence of the visiting Premier of Victoria, Honourable Dr Denis Napthine. Also present was Co-Founder of Tune Group, who is also Group CEO of AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne at 609 Swanston Street, Carlton is conveniently located next to the University of Melbourne, just two streets away from popular Lygon Street and minutes to Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD). The 225-room property will open for customers on 1 November 2013.

 

To celebrate its arrival, Tune Hotel Melbourne is offering an attractive room rate from just A$49* (US$46 / RM157) per night. The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and guests have the option to choose and pay only for amenities that they require.

 

Bookings can be made from 18 June until 28 June 2013 for stays between 1 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to availability of rooms. A total of 1,000 rooms will be made available at that price.

 

Dr Napthine said: “Melbourne’s new Tune Hotel would open its doors in Melbourne’s CBD in November to coincide with Victoria’s world-famous Spring Racing Carnival.”

 

Dr Napthine also welcomed the decision by Tune Hotels to set up its Australia and New Zealand Operational Headquarters in Melbourne. “Together, the investment is expected to create up to 100 jobs.”

 

The Premier is currently leading around 300 Victorian businesses and 450 delegates on a Super Trade Mission to South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur is the mission’s first stop before moving on to other key Asean cities – Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Hanoi, among others.

 

In a recent ranking of the world's "most liveable" cities, Melbourne took the number one spot for the second year running. The city was awarded perfect marks for education, healthcare, and infrastructure by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

 

As Australia’s events capital, Melbourne boasts a rich calendar of theatre, sporting and cultural events. Blockbuster annual events include the Australian Open Tennis Championship, Formula One Grand Prix, Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and more.

 

Melbourne is a romantic, stylish, cosmopolitan city with a European feel and hidden city laneways and arcades for visitors to discover hidden treasures, cafes, boutiques, bars and restaurants. The city is also the gourmet capital of Australia with award-winning chefs and a diverse cuisine with unique settings, provincial specialties and world class wine regions within easy access of the city.

 

A range of diverse travel experiences are available within easy reach of Melbourne in regional Victoria. Whether it’s skiing the Victorian Alps, reclining on picture postcard beaches, sampling award-winning wines or unwinding in luxurious day spas, regional Victoria is replete with immersive experiences year-round.

 

To add to the celebration, long-haul low cost airline AirAsia X is also running a joint promotion where a one-way flight seat from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne is going from as low as RM329**. Guests have until 23 June 2013 to make a booking for travel between 15 November 2013 and 31 March 2014, subject to the availability of seats. Also on offer are Fly Thru services from Jakarta-Melbourne (from IDR 1,459,000** one-way) and Bangkok-Melbourne (from THB 5,890** one-way), allowing guests to seamlessly connect via Kuala Lumpur.

 

Guests who would like to travel with extra comfort may also fly on AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed seats from as low as RM2, 299** from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Premium Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Duvet. For more information and flight bookings, please visit airasia.com.

 

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said: “AirAsia X had been serving the Melbourne route for more than four years now and it is one of our best-selling. I am very pleased that Tune Hotels will now have its presence in Melbourne to give visitors to this wonderful city a truly compelling accommodation alternative. We are sure the Australian market will welcome and embrace Tune Hotels just as they did AirAsia X.”

 

Commenting on Melbourne as Tune Hotels’ Operational HQ for Australia and New Zealand, Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “We are very excited about Tune Hotel Melbourne as it marks our growing brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne will be the location for our HQ overseeing Australia and New Zealand operations, working in conjunction with the corporate office in Kuala Lumpur. Given our long term plans for the region, the Australia and New Zealand HQ will be staffed relevantly to oversee and provide central support to Tune Hotels’ properties in Australia and New Zealand.”

 

“And to celebrate in true Tune Hotels style, we’re offering travellers one of the lowest room rates seen in central Melbourne for years. Tune Hotels is all about offering a great night’s sleep at a great price. Tune Hotel Melbourne will serve domestic business and leisure travellers and visitors from abroad who are looking for great comfort just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD without paying the usual exorbitant rates,” added Lankester.

 

The basic room rate at Tune Hotel Melbourne is already inclusive of air-conditioning and and/or heating. For an additional A$10, guests will get a pair of towels and toiletry kits and enjoy high-speed wireless broadband and Foxtel TV entertainment.

 

Tune Hotel Melbourne features an indoor courtyard, a recreational lounge, a restaurant, café/ convenience store, luggage storage, self-service launderette and computer kiosks. It is also equipped with a basement car park, something unusual for city centre hotels in Australia.

 

The hotel is just two streets away from Lygon Street, more famously known as Little Italy. The central business district, Melbourne Central Train Station and QV Melbourne; one of Melbourne's finest retail, dining and entertainment precincts, is only two tram stops away.

 

Tune Hotels provides international-class high-quality accommodation which focuses on key essentials but minus the generally underused facilities found in other hotels such as swimming pools, business centres and gymnasiums. By doing away with these costly and high-maintenance facilities, Tune Hotels is able to pass on savings to its guests in the form of super low room rates. Its pay-as-you-use concept lets travellers choose and pay only for amenities that they require to keep costs down, reduce waste and save energy.

 

All Tune hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star beds and powerful hot showers. The strategically located hotels provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, extensive CCTV systems, and no access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight for extra security.

 

The group has received almost five million guests since the opening of its first hotel in Downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007. Tune Hotels has one hotel in India, 11 in Malaysia, five in the UK, and four each in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. The company is set to open another property in Japan this year while future projects are planned in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotelsAUS and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

  

* Rooms at promotional rates are limited and subject to availability. Promotional rates are limited to double rooms, exclude peak periods, available only on specific dates and only for bookings made via www.tunehotels.com. Advertised rate includes GST and is for room only (excludes comfort package (WiFi, Towel & toiletries and TV) and all optional add-ons). Bookings that are made at the promotional price are strictly non-refundable or changeable. Booking period is 18 June 2013 - 28 June 2013, or until promotional rooms are sold out. Stay period is 1 Nov 2013 to 31 March 2014. No additional charges for booking payments made using PayPal. Additional charges may apply for online bookings paid using credit and debit cards. All amounts are in Australian dollars unless stated otherwise. Refer to www.tunehotels.com for other applicable terms and conditions.

 

** Promo fares include airport taxes and fees (all-in fares). Flights and fares are subject to availability and are for one-way travel only.

  

-ENDS-

About Tune Hotels & Tune Group

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity. All Tune Hotels’ properties feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security. The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

  

About AirAsia X Berhad

AirAsia X is the low-cost, long-haul affiliate carrier of the AirAsia Group that currently flies to destinations in China, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Nepal and the Middle East. The airline currently serves 14 destinations across Asia (Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Kathmandu), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and the Middle East (Jeddah) with flights to an additional destination, namely Busan, commencing in July 2013. AirAsia X operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A330-300s, each with a seat configuration of 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 Economy seats. The airline has carried over 9 million guests since it commenced long-haul in 2007. Our vision is to further solidify our position as the global leader in low-cost, long-haul aviation and create the first global multi-hub low-cost carrier network along with other carriers of the AirAsia Group.

 

More photos can be downloaded from www.flickr.com/tunehotels.

  

Media enquiries:

 

MALAYSIA & INTERNATIONAL

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 3153638

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

 

AUSTRALIA

Brenton Gibbs

Tel: +61 (0)419 828 440

Email: brenton@crookgroup.com.au

 

  

The basics of the Visual Studio 2012 for Windows Desktop Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for writing, running and debugging your applications for different platforms.

 

Visual Studio’s help features

 

Key commands contained in the IDE’s menus and tool-bar

 

The purpose of the various kinds of windows in the Visual Studio 2012 for Windows Desktop IDE.How to create, compile and execute a simple Visual Basic app that displays text and an image

 

Introduction-Visual Studio 2012 is Microsoft’s Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for creating, running and debugging applications (also called apps) written in various .NET programming languages.This Study provides an overview of the Visual Studio 2012 IDE Shows how to create a simple Visual Basic app by dragging and dropping predefined building blocks into place.A technique known as visual app development.

 

VB6 and VB.NET Comparative Detailed StudyVisual Basic, perfect RAD ToolAnalog Clock In Visual Basic 2008/2010/.NETPhone Book Application Program In Visual Basic 2008/2010/.NET

 

IDE Overview

 

Once Visual Studio 2012 begins execution, the Start Page displaysThe Start Page contains a list of links to Visual Studio resources and web-based resourcesAt any time, you can return to the Start Page by selecting VIEW > Start Page

 

The Recent Projects section shows solutions you have been working on

 

The links in the Get Started tab provide information about the programming languages supported by Visual Studio and various learning resourcesAn Internet connection is required for the IDE to access most of this informationThe IDE also has an internal web browserGo to VIEW > Other Windows > Web Browser

 

CONTINUE READING »

 

via IngenuityDias www.ingenuitydias.com/2016/02/microsoft-visual-basic-2012...

Photos were captured at the Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory on the Oregon State University Campus in Corvallis, Dec. 13, 2016, to accompany the feature story below: "Printing the past: 3-D archaeology and the first Americans." Article online here (and below): goo.gl/viKEZF

 

Photo by Matt Christenson, BLM

Story by Toshio Suzuki, BLM

 

----------------------------------------

 

For the first Americans, and the study of them today, it all starts with a point.

 

A sharp point fastened to a wooden shaft gave the hunter 13,000 years ago a weapon that could single-handedly spear a fish or work in numbers to take down a mammoth.

 

For a prehistoric human, these points were the difference between life and death. They were hunger-driven, handmade labors of love that took hours to craft using a cacophony of rock-on-rock cracks, thuds and shatters.

 

They have been called the first American invention, and some archaeologists now think 3-D scanning points can reveal more information about both the technology and the people.

 

The Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory at Oregon State University takes up only a few rooms on the ground floor of Waldo Hall, one of the supposedly haunted buildings on campus.

 

There are boxes of cultural history everywhere, and floor-to-ceiling wood cabinets with skinny pull-out drawers housing even more assets, but the really good stuff, evidence of the earliest known cultures in North America, lives in an 800-pound gun safe.

 

Loren Davis, anthropology professor at OSU and director of the lab, thinks 3-D scanning, printing, and publishing can circumvent the old traditions of the field, that artifacts are only to be experienced in museums and only handled by those who have a Ph.D.

 

“We are reimagining the idea of doing archaeology in a 21st century digital way,” said Davis. “We don’t do it just to make pretty pictures or print in plastic, we mostly want to capture and share it for analysis,” he added.

 

Nearby in the L-shaped lab, one of his doctoral students is preparing to scan a point that was discovered on Bureau of Land Management public lands in southeast Oregon.

 

Thousands of points have been unearthed since the 1930s in North America, the first being in eastern New Mexico near a town called Clovis. That name is now known worldwide as representing the continent’s first native people.

 

More recently, though, other peoples with distinctive points were found elsewhere, and some researchers think it means there was differing technology being made at the same time, if not pre-Clovis.

 

One such location is the Paisley Caves in southern Oregon ― one of the many archaeologically significant sites managed by the BLM.

 

The earliest stem point from Paisley Caves was scanned at Davis’ lab and a 3-D PDF was included in a 2012 multi-authored report in the journal Science.

 

Davis estimates his lab at OSU has scanned as many as 400 points, including others from BLM-managed lands in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

 

More scans would mean a bigger database for comparing points and determining what style they are.

 

“Ideally, we want to get as many artifacts scanned as possible,“ said Davis. “The BLM offers a lot of access to public data ― this is just another way of doing it.”

 

---

 

Transforming a brittle piece of volcanic glass, by hand, into a beautiful and deadly 4-inch-long spear point is a process.

 

In one hand would be a hard shaping rock, or maybe a thick section of antler, and in the other would be the starter stone, which in addition to igneous could be jasper, chert, or any other chippable rock that creates a hide-puncturing level of sharpness.

 

After what might be hundreds of controlled strokes and rock rotations, the rough shape of a lance or spear tip would take form. Discarded shards of stone would often result in more points, or other useful tools like scrapers and needles.

 

Clovis points are distinguished by their length, bifacial leaf shape and middle channels on the bottom called flutes. Eventually the repetitive flaking of the point would stop, and the hunter would use precise pressure points to create the flute on one or each side that likely helped slot the finished product into a spear-like wooden pole.

 

The hunter was now mobile and ready to roam.

 

---

 

Prior to 3-D scanning, OSU doctoral student Sean Carroll picks up a can of Tinactin, gives it the obligatory shake, and completely covers “one of the oldest technologies in North America” with antifungal spray.

 

The talc and alcohol from the athlete’s foot remedy helps the software see even the slightest indents in the point, and it rubs right off afterwards.

 

“I want to scan all the Clovis I can get my hands on,” said Carroll, who came to OSU because of Davis’ 3-D lab and is using the medium as a big part of his dissertation.

 

Two random items, a power plug adapter and a ball of clay, are placed on each side of the fluted point to give the camera and light projector perspective. The objects create margins that force the structured light patterns to bend and capture more of the point’s surface detail.

 

Even so, like the hunter rotating the shaping rock, the archaeologist has to rotate the foam square holding the three items. Each scan takes about six seconds.

 

Carroll and Davis estimate that the learning curve for this process was about 100 hours. One hundred hours of trial and error -- and a lot of watching YouTube videos -- for a finished product that they think is indisputably worth it.

 

A completed 3-D scan of a point will have about 40,000 data points per square inch. The measurements are so precise, they can determine the difference between flake marks as thin as a piece of paper.

 

Davis says no archaeologist with a pair of calipers can come close to measuring the data obtained via 3-D, because simply, “there are some jobs that robots are really good at.”

 

“If the end game is measurements, well you could spend your whole life with a pair of calipers trying to achieve what we can do in 10 minutes,” said Davis.

 

---

 

Last year, the famous human relative nicknamed Lucy had 3-D scans of her 3.2 million year old bones published in the journal Nature.

 

In 2015, archaeologists from Harvard University completed a 3-D scan of a winged and human-headed stone bull from Mesopotamia that stands 13 feet high at the Louvre Museum.

 

And the Smithsonian Institution is currently beta testing a website dedicated to publishing 3-D models from its massive collection, including molds of President Abraham Lincoln’s face and the entire Apollo 11 command module.

 

All of these new-school efforts are based upon the old-school scientific principles of preservation and promotion.

 

Rock points, fossils, hieroglyphics -- various forms of cultural assets are susceptible to environmental conditions and not guaranteed to be around forever. Three-dimensional scanning is the most accurate way to digitally preserve these items of merit.

 

Once accurate preservation is done, there are opportunities for promoting not just science, but specific research goals.

 

In the case of the Lucy bones, scientists hope that crowdsourcing the 3-D data will help get more experts to look at the fossils and prove that the tree-dwelling ape died from a fall.

 

When it comes to comparing one specific stemmed point to an entire hard drive of scanning data, BLM archaeologist Scott Thomas thinks the work being done at the OSU lab can move archaeology to a new level.

 

“The 3-D scanning method blows anything we have done out of the water,” said Thomas.

 

That ability to compare points can lead to insights on how these hunting tools moved over geography, and even expand theories about how native groups learned new technologies.

 

“It’s going to be a really powerful tool someday -- not too far off,” said Thomas.

 

While long-term data analysis may not be the sexiest form of archaeology, holding a 3-D printed stem point is a pretty cool educational tool.

 

Davis of OSU has incorporated 3-D prints into his classes and said his students are able to make a tactile connection with artifacts that otherwise are not available.

 

“The students really enjoy these printed and digital models and often say that they are almost like the real thing,” said Davis.

 

---

 

This spring, Davis is traveling to Magadan, Russia -- aka Siberia -- to inspect and scan some points that may be linked to Clovis peoples.

 

The goal in Siberia, of course, is to further expand the 3-D database. He is specifically interested in comparing them to stems from a BLM-managed site he excavated in Idaho called Cooper’s Ferry.

 

As his student, Carroll, begins to clean up and put the scanned points into their individually labeled ziplocked bags, Davis can’t help but mention how much easier international research could be with 3-D scanning.

 

“You can share cultural resource info with people in other countries and you don’t have to come visit,” he said, adding that Russia isn’t the easiest country to enter.

 

“It’s as easy as sending an email,” Carroll agreed.

 

Davis then mentioned his 11-year-old child and how much of school curriculum these days is web-based as opposed to text-based.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with books, I’m a huge fan of books, but it’s a different way of learning,” said the archaeology professor.

 

And with that, he made another point.

 

-- by Toshio Suzuki, tsuzuki@blm.gov, @toshjohn

  

Best places to find 3-D archaeology online:

-- Sketchfab.com is one of the biggest databases on the web for 3-D models of cultural assets. Institutions and academics alike are moving priceless treasures to the digital space for all to inspect. Two examples: via the British Museum, a 7.25-ton statue of Ramesses II is available for viewing and free download; and via archaeologist Robert Selden Jr., hundreds of 3-D models are open to the public for study, including several Clovis points from the Blackwater Draw National Historic Site in New Mexico.

-- The Smithsonian Institution is bringing the best of American history to a new audience via their 3-D website (3d.si.edu). Amelia Earhart's flight suit? Check. Native American ceremonial killer whale hat? Check. Face cast of President Abraham Lincoln? Check and check -- there are two. And their biggest 3-D scan is still coming: the 184-foot-long space shuttle Discovery.

-- Visitors to Africanfossils.org can filter 3-D model searches by hominids, animals and tools, and also by date, from zero to 25 million years ago.

The sleek website, with partners like National Geographic and the National Museums of Kenya, makes it easy to download or share 3-D scans, and each item even comes with a discovery backstory and Google map pinpointing exactly where it was found.

Photos were captured at the Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory on the Oregon State University Campus in Corvallis, Dec. 13, 2016, to accompany the feature story below: "Printing the past: 3-D archaeology and the first Americans." Article online here (and below): goo.gl/viKEZF

 

Photo by Matt Christenson, BLM

Story by Toshio Suzuki, BLM

 

----------------------------------------

 

For the first Americans, and the study of them today, it all starts with a point.

 

A sharp point fastened to a wooden shaft gave the hunter 13,000 years ago a weapon that could single-handedly spear a fish or work in numbers to take down a mammoth.

 

For a prehistoric human, these points were the difference between life and death. They were hunger-driven, handmade labors of love that took hours to craft using a cacophony of rock-on-rock cracks, thuds and shatters.

 

They have been called the first American invention, and some archaeologists now think 3-D scanning points can reveal more information about both the technology and the people.

 

The Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory at Oregon State University takes up only a few rooms on the ground floor of Waldo Hall, one of the supposedly haunted buildings on campus.

 

There are boxes of cultural history everywhere, and floor-to-ceiling wood cabinets with skinny pull-out drawers housing even more assets, but the really good stuff, evidence of the earliest known cultures in North America, lives in an 800-pound gun safe.

 

Loren Davis, anthropology professor at OSU and director of the lab, thinks 3-D scanning, printing, and publishing can circumvent the old traditions of the field, that artifacts are only to be experienced in museums and only handled by those who have a Ph.D.

 

“We are reimagining the idea of doing archaeology in a 21st century digital way,” said Davis. “We don’t do it just to make pretty pictures or print in plastic, we mostly want to capture and share it for analysis,” he added.

 

Nearby in the L-shaped lab, one of his doctoral students is preparing to scan a point that was discovered on Bureau of Land Management public lands in southeast Oregon.

 

Thousands of points have been unearthed since the 1930s in North America, the first being in eastern New Mexico near a town called Clovis. That name is now known worldwide as representing the continent’s first native people.

 

More recently, though, other peoples with distinctive points were found elsewhere, and some researchers think it means there was differing technology being made at the same time, if not pre-Clovis.

 

One such location is the Paisley Caves in southern Oregon ― one of the many archaeologically significant sites managed by the BLM.

 

The earliest stem point from Paisley Caves was scanned at Davis’ lab and a 3-D PDF was included in a 2012 multi-authored report in the journal Science.

 

Davis estimates his lab at OSU has scanned as many as 400 points, including others from BLM-managed lands in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

 

More scans would mean a bigger database for comparing points and determining what style they are.

 

“Ideally, we want to get as many artifacts scanned as possible,“ said Davis. “The BLM offers a lot of access to public data ― this is just another way of doing it.”

 

---

 

Transforming a brittle piece of volcanic glass, by hand, into a beautiful and deadly 4-inch-long spear point is a process.

 

In one hand would be a hard shaping rock, or maybe a thick section of antler, and in the other would be the starter stone, which in addition to igneous could be jasper, chert, or any other chippable rock that creates a hide-puncturing level of sharpness.

 

After what might be hundreds of controlled strokes and rock rotations, the rough shape of a lance or spear tip would take form. Discarded shards of stone would often result in more points, or other useful tools like scrapers and needles.

 

Clovis points are distinguished by their length, bifacial leaf shape and middle channels on the bottom called flutes. Eventually the repetitive flaking of the point would stop, and the hunter would use precise pressure points to create the flute on one or each side that likely helped slot the finished product into a spear-like wooden pole.

 

The hunter was now mobile and ready to roam.

 

---

 

Prior to 3-D scanning, OSU doctoral student Sean Carroll picks up a can of Tinactin, gives it the obligatory shake, and completely covers “one of the oldest technologies in North America” with antifungal spray.

 

The talc and alcohol from the athlete’s foot remedy helps the software see even the slightest indents in the point, and it rubs right off afterwards.

 

“I want to scan all the Clovis I can get my hands on,” said Carroll, who came to OSU because of Davis’ 3-D lab and is using the medium as a big part of his dissertation.

 

Two random items, a power plug adapter and a ball of clay, are placed on each side of the fluted point to give the camera and light projector perspective. The objects create margins that force the structured light patterns to bend and capture more of the point’s surface detail.

 

Even so, like the hunter rotating the shaping rock, the archaeologist has to rotate the foam square holding the three items. Each scan takes about six seconds.

 

Carroll and Davis estimate that the learning curve for this process was about 100 hours. One hundred hours of trial and error -- and a lot of watching YouTube videos -- for a finished product that they think is indisputably worth it.

 

A completed 3-D scan of a point will have about 40,000 data points per square inch. The measurements are so precise, they can determine the difference between flake marks as thin as a piece of paper.

 

Davis says no archaeologist with a pair of calipers can come close to measuring the data obtained via 3-D, because simply, “there are some jobs that robots are really good at.”

 

“If the end game is measurements, well you could spend your whole life with a pair of calipers trying to achieve what we can do in 10 minutes,” said Davis.

 

---

 

Last year, the famous human relative nicknamed Lucy had 3-D scans of her 3.2 million year old bones published in the journal Nature.

 

In 2015, archaeologists from Harvard University completed a 3-D scan of a winged and human-headed stone bull from Mesopotamia that stands 13 feet high at the Louvre Museum.

 

And the Smithsonian Institution is currently beta testing a website dedicated to publishing 3-D models from its massive collection, including molds of President Abraham Lincoln’s face and the entire Apollo 11 command module.

 

All of these new-school efforts are based upon the old-school scientific principles of preservation and promotion.

 

Rock points, fossils, hieroglyphics -- various forms of cultural assets are susceptible to environmental conditions and not guaranteed to be around forever. Three-dimensional scanning is the most accurate way to digitally preserve these items of merit.

 

Once accurate preservation is done, there are opportunities for promoting not just science, but specific research goals.

 

In the case of the Lucy bones, scientists hope that crowdsourcing the 3-D data will help get more experts to look at the fossils and prove that the tree-dwelling ape died from a fall.

 

When it comes to comparing one specific stemmed point to an entire hard drive of scanning data, BLM archaeologist Scott Thomas thinks the work being done at the OSU lab can move archaeology to a new level.

 

“The 3-D scanning method blows anything we have done out of the water,” said Thomas.

 

That ability to compare points can lead to insights on how these hunting tools moved over geography, and even expand theories about how native groups learned new technologies.

 

“It’s going to be a really powerful tool someday -- not too far off,” said Thomas.

 

While long-term data analysis may not be the sexiest form of archaeology, holding a 3-D printed stem point is a pretty cool educational tool.

 

Davis of OSU has incorporated 3-D prints into his classes and said his students are able to make a tactile connection with artifacts that otherwise are not available.

 

“The students really enjoy these printed and digital models and often say that they are almost like the real thing,” said Davis.

 

---

 

This spring, Davis is traveling to Magadan, Russia -- aka Siberia -- to inspect and scan some points that may be linked to Clovis peoples.

 

The goal in Siberia, of course, is to further expand the 3-D database. He is specifically interested in comparing them to stems from a BLM-managed site he excavated in Idaho called Cooper’s Ferry.

 

As his student, Carroll, begins to clean up and put the scanned points into their individually labeled ziplocked bags, Davis can’t help but mention how much easier international research could be with 3-D scanning.

 

“You can share cultural resource info with people in other countries and you don’t have to come visit,” he said, adding that Russia isn’t the easiest country to enter.

 

“It’s as easy as sending an email,” Carroll agreed.

 

Davis then mentioned his 11-year-old child and how much of school curriculum these days is web-based as opposed to text-based.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with books, I’m a huge fan of books, but it’s a different way of learning,” said the archaeology professor.

 

And with that, he made another point.

 

-- by Toshio Suzuki, tsuzuki@blm.gov, @toshjohn

  

Best places to find 3-D archaeology online:

-- Sketchfab.com is one of the biggest databases on the web for 3-D models of cultural assets. Institutions and academics alike are moving priceless treasures to the digital space for all to inspect. Two examples: via the British Museum, a 7.25-ton statue of Ramesses II is available for viewing and free download; and via archaeologist Robert Selden Jr., hundreds of 3-D models are open to the public for study, including several Clovis points from the Blackwater Draw National Historic Site in New Mexico.

-- The Smithsonian Institution is bringing the best of American history to a new audience via their 3-D website (3d.si.edu). Amelia Earhart's flight suit? Check. Native American ceremonial killer whale hat? Check. Face cast of President Abraham Lincoln? Check and check -- there are two. And their biggest 3-D scan is still coming: the 184-foot-long space shuttle Discovery.

-- Visitors to Africanfossils.org can filter 3-D model searches by hominids, animals and tools, and also by date, from zero to 25 million years ago.

The sleek website, with partners like National Geographic and the National Museums of Kenya, makes it easy to download or share 3-D scans, and each item even comes with a discovery backstory and Google map pinpointing exactly where it was found.

Taken late last year the day after I saw the most amazing sunset. Trouble was the previous night I was somewhere up the side of the mountains photographing Aspens when the light changed and I was left with really no subject matter of any note to photograph at sunset.

 

The following night Luke and myself found ourselves at Mono Lake with much softer light. I had the good fortune to be photographing right alongside John Sexton and his wife, what a buzz to have one of my favorite black & white photographers photographing pretty much the same location. Although I think he had on a 180mm lens on his medium format and was shooting a particular Mono Lake Tufa where as I was looking at getting a much more broad view of the area.

 

7 image stitch as per usual taken with the canon 5d Mrk II ...

 

Cant wait to get back to California for another round soon ...

 

My Facebook Page, Blog and Website are accessible through my profile page

 

Copyright © Spool Photography.

This photo may not be used in any form without prior permission. All rights reserved. All images may NOT be used on websites, blogs or in any other form of media print or web based without explicit written permission by Spool Photography

Photos were captured at the Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory on the Oregon State University Campus in Corvallis, Dec. 13, 2016, to accompany the feature story below: "Printing the past: 3-D archaeology and the first Americans." Article online here (and below): goo.gl/viKEZF

 

Photo + Story by Toshio Suzuki, BLM

 

----------------------------------------

 

For the first Americans, and the study of them today, it all starts with a point.

 

A sharp point fastened to a wooden shaft gave the hunter 13,000 years ago a weapon that could single-handedly spear a fish or work in numbers to take down a mammoth.

 

For a prehistoric human, these points were the difference between life and death. They were hunger-driven, handmade labors of love that took hours to craft using a cacophony of rock-on-rock cracks, thuds and shatters.

 

They have been called the first American invention, and some archaeologists now think 3-D scanning points can reveal more information about both the technology and the people.

 

The Pacific Slope Archaeological Laboratory at Oregon State University takes up only a few rooms on the ground floor of Waldo Hall, one of the supposedly haunted buildings on campus.

 

There are boxes of cultural history everywhere, and floor-to-ceiling wood cabinets with skinny pull-out drawers housing even more assets, but the really good stuff, evidence of the earliest known cultures in North America, lives in an 800-pound gun safe.

 

Loren Davis, anthropology professor at OSU and director of the lab, thinks 3-D scanning, printing, and publishing can circumvent the old traditions of the field, that artifacts are only to be experienced in museums and only handled by those who have a Ph.D.

 

“We are reimagining the idea of doing archaeology in a 21st century digital way,” said Davis. “We don’t do it just to make pretty pictures or print in plastic, we mostly want to capture and share it for analysis,” he added.

 

Nearby in the L-shaped lab, one of his doctoral students is preparing to scan a point that was discovered on Bureau of Land Management public lands in southeast Oregon.

 

Thousands of points have been unearthed since the 1930s in North America, the first being in eastern New Mexico near a town called Clovis. That name is now known worldwide as representing the continent’s first native people.

 

More recently, though, other peoples with distinctive points were found elsewhere, and some researchers think it means there was differing technology being made at the same time, if not pre-Clovis.

 

One such location is the Paisley Caves in southern Oregon ― one of the many archaeologically significant sites managed by the BLM.

 

The earliest stem point from Paisley Caves was scanned at Davis’ lab and a 3-D PDF was included in a 2012 multi-authored report in the journal Science.

 

Davis estimates his lab at OSU has scanned as many as 400 points, including others from BLM-managed lands in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

 

More scans would mean a bigger database for comparing points and determining what style they are.

 

“Ideally, we want to get as many artifacts scanned as possible,“ said Davis. “The BLM offers a lot of access to public data ― this is just another way of doing it.”

 

---

 

Transforming a brittle piece of volcanic glass, by hand, into a beautiful and deadly 4-inch-long spear point is a process.

 

In one hand would be a hard shaping rock, or maybe a thick section of antler, and in the other would be the starter stone, which in addition to igneous could be jasper, chert, or any other chippable rock that creates a hide-puncturing level of sharpness.

 

After what might be hundreds of controlled strokes and rock rotations, the rough shape of a lance or spear tip would take form. Discarded shards of stone would often result in more points, or other useful tools like scrapers and needles.

 

Clovis points are distinguished by their length, bifacial leaf shape and middle channels on the bottom called flutes. Eventually the repetitive flaking of the point would stop, and the hunter would use precise pressure points to create the flute on one or each side that likely helped slot the finished product into a spear-like wooden pole.

 

The hunter was now mobile and ready to roam.

 

---

 

Prior to 3-D scanning, OSU doctoral student Sean Carroll picks up a can of Tinactin, gives it the obligatory shake, and completely covers “one of the oldest technologies in North America” with antifungal spray.

 

The talc and alcohol from the athlete’s foot remedy helps the software see even the slightest indents in the point, and it rubs right off afterwards.

 

“I want to scan all the Clovis I can get my hands on,” said Carroll, who came to OSU because of Davis’ 3-D lab and is using the medium as a big part of his dissertation.

 

Two random items, a power plug adapter and a ball of clay, are placed on each side of the fluted point to give the camera and light projector perspective. The objects create margins that force the structured light patterns to bend and capture more of the point’s surface detail.

 

Even so, like the hunter rotating the shaping rock, the archaeologist has to rotate the foam square holding the three items. Each scan takes about six seconds.

 

Carroll and Davis estimate that the learning curve for this process was about 100 hours. One hundred hours of trial and error -- and a lot of watching YouTube videos -- for a finished product that they think is indisputably worth it.

 

A completed 3-D scan of a point will have about 40,000 data points per square inch. The measurements are so precise, they can determine the difference between flake marks as thin as a piece of paper.

 

Davis says no archaeologist with a pair of calipers can come close to measuring the data obtained via 3-D, because simply, “there are some jobs that robots are really good at.”

 

“If the end game is measurements, well you could spend your whole life with a pair of calipers trying to achieve what we can do in 10 minutes,” said Davis.

 

---

 

Last year, the famous human relative nicknamed Lucy had 3-D scans of her 3.2 million year old bones published in the journal Nature.

 

In 2015, archaeologists from Harvard University completed a 3-D scan of a winged and human-headed stone bull from Mesopotamia that stands 13 feet high at the Louvre Museum.

 

And the Smithsonian Institution is currently beta testing a website dedicated to publishing 3-D models from its massive collection, including molds of President Abraham Lincoln’s face and the entire Apollo 11 command module.

 

All of these new-school efforts are based upon the old-school scientific principles of preservation and promotion.

 

Rock points, fossils, hieroglyphics -- various forms of cultural assets are susceptible to environmental conditions and not guaranteed to be around forever. Three-dimensional scanning is the most accurate way to digitally preserve these items of merit.

 

Once accurate preservation is done, there are opportunities for promoting not just science, but specific research goals.

 

In the case of the Lucy bones, scientists hope that crowdsourcing the 3-D data will help get more experts to look at the fossils and prove that the tree-dwelling ape died from a fall.

 

When it comes to comparing one specific stemmed point to an entire hard drive of scanning data, BLM archaeologist Scott Thomas thinks the work being done at the OSU lab can move archaeology to a new level.

 

“The 3-D scanning method blows anything we have done out of the water,” said Thomas.

 

That ability to compare points can lead to insights on how these hunting tools moved over geography, and even expand theories about how native groups learned new technologies.

 

“It’s going to be a really powerful tool someday -- not too far off,” said Thomas.

 

While long-term data analysis may not be the sexiest form of archaeology, holding a 3-D printed stem point is a pretty cool educational tool.

 

Davis of OSU has incorporated 3-D prints into his classes and said his students are able to make a tactile connection with artifacts that otherwise are not available.

 

“The students really enjoy these printed and digital models and often say that they are almost like the real thing,” said Davis.

 

---

 

This spring, Davis is traveling to Magadan, Russia -- aka Siberia -- to inspect and scan some points that may be linked to Clovis peoples.

 

The goal in Siberia, of course, is to further expand the 3-D database. He is specifically interested in comparing them to stems from a BLM-managed site he excavated in Idaho called Cooper’s Ferry.

 

As his student, Carroll, begins to clean up and put the scanned points into their individually labeled ziplocked bags, Davis can’t help but mention how much easier international research could be with 3-D scanning.

 

“You can share cultural resource info with people in other countries and you don’t have to come visit,” he said, adding that Russia isn’t the easiest country to enter.

 

“It’s as easy as sending an email,” Carroll agreed.

 

Davis then mentioned his 11-year-old child and how much of school curriculum these days is web-based as opposed to text-based.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with books, I’m a huge fan of books, but it’s a different way of learning,” said the archaeology professor.

 

And with that, he made another point.

 

-- by Toshio Suzuki, tsuzuki@blm.gov, @toshjohn

  

Best places to find 3-D archaeology online:

-- Sketchfab.com is one of the biggest databases on the web for 3-D models of cultural assets. Institutions and academics alike are moving priceless treasures to the digital space for all to inspect. Two examples: via the British Museum, a 7.25-ton statue of Ramesses II is available for viewing and free download; and via archaeologist Robert Selden Jr., hundreds of 3-D models are open to the public for study, including several Clovis points from the Blackwater Draw National Historic Site in New Mexico.

-- The Smithsonian Institution is bringing the best of American history to a new audience via their 3-D website (3d.si.edu). Amelia Earhart's flight suit? Check. Native American ceremonial killer whale hat? Check. Face cast of President Abraham Lincoln? Check and check -- there are two. And their biggest 3-D scan is still coming: the 184-foot-long space shuttle Discovery.

-- Visitors to Africanfossils.org can filter 3-D model searches by hominids, animals and tools, and also by date, from zero to 25 million years ago.

The sleek website, with partners like National Geographic and the National Museums of Kenya, makes it easy to download or share 3-D scans, and each item even comes with a discovery backstory and Google map pinpointing exactly where it was found.

A wrecking yard (Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian English), scrapyard (Irish and British English) or junkyard (American English) is the location of a business in dismantling where wrecked or decommissioned vehicles are brought, their usable parts are sold for use in operating vehicles, while the unusable metal parts, known as scrap metal parts, are sold to metal-recycling companies.

 

Other terms include wreck yard, wrecker's yard, salvage yard, breakers yard, dismantler and scrapheap. In the United Kingdom, car salvage yards are known as car breakers, while motorcycle salvage yards are known as bike breakers. In Australia, they are often referred to as 'Wreckers'.

 

The most common type of wreck yards are automobile wreck yards, but junkyards for motorcycles, bicycles, small airplanes and boats exist too.

 

Many salvage yards operate on a local level—when an automobile is severely damaged, has malfunctioned beyond repair, or not worth the repair, the owner may sell it to a junkyard; in some cases—as when the car has become disabled in a place where derelict cars are not allowed to be left—the car owner will pay the wrecker to haul the car away.

 

Salvage yards also buy most of the wrecked, derelict and abandoned vehicles that are sold at auction from police impound storage lots,and often buy vehicles from insurance tow yards as well.

 

The salvage yard will usually tow the vehicle from the location of its purchase to the yard, but occasionally vehicles are driven in. At the salvage yard the automobiles are typically arranged in rows, often stacked on top of one another.

 

Some yards keep inventories in their offices, as to the usable parts in each car, as well as the car's location in the yard. Many yards have computerized inventory systems. About 75% of any given vehicle can be recycled and used for other goods.

 

In recent years it is becoming increasingly common to use satellite part finder services to contact multiple salvage yards from a single source.

 

In the 20th century these were call centres that charged a premium rate for calls and compiled a facsimile that was sent to various salvage yards so they could respond directly if the part was in stock. Many of these are now Web-based with requests for parts being e-mailed instantly.

Pic: Performance by YouTube sensation Elizabeth Tan.

 

For more photos of the event, please click: www.dropbox.com/sh/c153zaj0i6dmlc1/AAAmC01NNnPqsjrCBTW4CgDYa

  

NEWS RELEASE

 

TUNE HOTELS WINNERS TAKE OVER AND PARTY AT klia2 NEW HOTEL

 

Overwhelming response to Tune Hotel klia2 since 9 May opening

 

SEPANG, 5 June 2014 – Over 200 winners descended upon the brand new Tune Hotel klia2 and enjoyed a fun-filled evening as the hotel organised a ‘Pyjama Party’ to celebrate its recent opening last weekend.

 

Ten individual winners of the Tune Hotels’ #RoomerHasIt Facebook campaign were able to invite family and friends to enjoy a further 10 complimentary double rooms for a sleepover at Tune Hotel klia2 and join in for the celebration in their sleeping garb.

 

Award-winning recording artiste and singer-songwriter Melissa Indot, YouTube sensation Elizabeth Tan and Tune Hotels’ very own Eugene See entertained with performances of their own hit songs and popular interpretations.

 

International journalists and bloggers from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia and Taiwan were also flown in courtesy of AirAsia and AirAsia X. The event was also made possible by partner-sponsors including Tune Talk Mobile Prepaid, the AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme, Doof The World Sdn Bhd and TripAdvisor, whose mascot Ollie the Owl made a special appearance.

 

Group CEO of Tune Hotels Mark Lankester said: “We are thrilled with the opening of Tune Hotel klia2 which has already received an overwhelming response and very strong forward bookings from travellers around the region. Through the #RoomerHasIt social media campaign we wanted to introduce and create further awareness of our latest design and fit-out to previous guests as well as the fantastic facilities at klia2, the world’s largest purpose-built airport for low cost carriers. There’s no better way to do that than have them immersed in the hotel itself.”

 

He said with Tune Hotel klia2, guests now have a superior accommodation option that is not only great value for money but also features improvements to its international-standard offerings. With 400 rooms, the hotel is directly connected to the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) Terminal via a covered walkway and link bridge, allowing easy and more convenient access as well as the Gateway@klia2 shopping mall. For ultimate convenience, the hotel features AirAsia self check-in kiosks in the lobby.

 

“Much has been said about the huge size of the new klia2 Terminal and it is impressively large. By hosting these winners and their guests at the Tune Hotel klia2, we want to illustrate just how convenient it is to have a great sleep or enjoy the services within the hotel while waiting for their next flight, and the convenience of strolling over to the terminal without rushing and with time on your side. Business and leisure guests as well as airline passengers on connecting flight extended waits will enjoy a totally improved experience and most importantly a very comfortable and refreshing stay, with more amenities,” said Lankester.

 

On top of that, he said, guests at Tune Hotel klia2 enjoy great connectivity to KL city and its surrounding suburbs as the klia2 Terminal boasts not only bus and taxi services but also the Express Rail Link (ERL) train service that connects to and from Kuala Lumpur Sentral. For guests arriving at or departing from the KLIA Main Terminal, they can make use of the scheduled shuttle service via the ERL that costs just RM2 one way and stroll over to the hotel via its covered link bridge.

 

“As you can see, from klia2 guests and travellers can easily connect and enjoy our hotel service network depending on their preferences and travel purpose. In the heart of KL city they will find the hugely popular Tune Hotel Downtown Kuala Lumpur that is right smack in the centre and in the surroundings we have the Tune Hotel Kota Damansara as well as the soon-to-open Tune Hotel DPulze Cyberjaya, not to mention excellent flight connectivity, direct and indirect, to key cities and destinations in Malaysia and the whole region including Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Japan and even as far as England and Scotland, all destinations where the Tune Hotels network is present,” he added.

 

Tune Hotels has innovatively transformed the guestroom experience into a modern-style accommodation featuring the all-new room design with a sleek writing table, luggage platform and a 32-inch flat screen LED TV, bringing about an improved, sophisticated but cool ambience throughout the Tune Hotel klia2.

 

To add to the guest experience and comfort, the hotel’s spacious lobby features a cool casual seating lounge with free wifi and an expansive open-air courtyard lounge, overlooked by a 24-hour restaurant and beverage centre. For guests with further transportation needs, the hotel includes a transport counter for overland transport needs and for flights, two AirAsia self check-in kiosks and klia2’s flight information displays are provided within the lobby for added convenience to hotel guests.

 

The hotel also features 167 parking bays which are conveniently located just a few steps away from the airport terminal.

 

With a projected annual capacity of 45 million passengers, the klia2 is the world's largest purpose-built terminal dedicated for low cost carriers (LCCs). The new airport commenced commercial operations on 2 May 2014.

 

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Executive Chairman respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

 

There are currently 45 Tune Hotels available for booking across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, England, Scotland, Australia, India and Japan.

 

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotels and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

 

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

  

-ENDS-

  

About Tune Hotels

Tune Hotels is part of the lifestyle business conglomerate Tune Group that was founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun. Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity. All Tune Hotels’ properties feature high-quality basics: a five-star bed, powerful hot showers and energy-conserving ceiling fans along with housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, CCTV surveillance, and 24-hour security. The Tune Group companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money, Tune Insurance, Tune Talk, the AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Caterham Group, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and the Epsom College in Malaysia.

  

Media enquiries:

Cymantha Sothiar

Mobile: +6012 315 3638

Email: cymantha@tunehotels.com

 

IID 435811 Islands Barrier Reef IM0169 Misc Dept No.A4110

 

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID ITM435811 Islands - Barrier Reef

 

Google is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence,[9] and consumer electronics. It has been referred to as "the most powerful company in the world"[10] and one of the world's most valuable brands due to its market dominance, data collection, and technological advantages in the area of artificial intelligence.[11][12][13] Its parent company Alphabet is considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.

Google was founded on September 4, 1998, by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were PhD students at Stanford University in California. Together they own about 14% of its publicly listed shares and control 56% of the stockholder voting power through super-voting stock. The company went public via an initial public offering (IPO) in 2004. In 2015, Google was reorganized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. Google is Alphabet's largest subsidiary and is a holding company for Alphabet's Internet properties and interests. Sundar Pichai was appointed CEO of Google on October 24, 2015, replacing Larry Page, who became the CEO of Alphabet. On December 3, 2019, Pichai also became the CEO of Alphabet.[14]

The company has since rapidly grown to offer a multitude of products and services beyond Google Search, many of which hold dominant market positions. These products address a wide range of use cases, including email (Gmail), navigation (Waze & Maps), cloud computing (Cloud), web browsing (Chrome), video sharing (YouTube), productivity (Workspace), operating systems (Android), cloud storage (Drive), language translation (Translate), photo storage (Photos), video calling (Meet), smart home (Nest), smartphones (Pixel), wearable technology (Pixel Watch & Fitbit), music streaming (YouTube Music), video on demand (YouTube TV), artificial intelligence (Google Assistant), machine learning APIs (TensorFlow), AI chips (TPU), and more. Discontinued Google products include gaming (Stadia), Glass,[citation needed] Google+, Reader, Play Music, Nexus, Hangouts, and Inbox by Gmail.[15][16]

Google's other ventures outside of Internet services and consumer electronics include quantum computing (Sycamore), self-driving cars (Waymo, formerly the Google Self-Driving Car Project), smart cities (Sidewalk Labs), and transformer models (Google Brain).[17]

Google and YouTube are the two most visited websites worldwide followed by Facebook and Twitter. Google is also the largest search engine, mapping and navigation application, email provider, office suite, video sharing platform, photo and cloud storage provider, mobile operating system, web browser, ML framework, and AI virtual assistant provider in the world as measured by market share. On the list of most valuable brands, Google is ranked second by Forbes[18] and fourth by Interbrand.[19] It has received significant criticism involving issues such as privacy concerns, tax avoidance, censorship, search neutrality, antitrust and abuse of its monopoly position.

In March 1999, the company moved its offices to Palo Alto, California,[52] which is home to several prominent Silicon Valley technology start-ups.[53] The next year, Google began selling advertisements associated with search keywords against Page and Brin's initial opposition toward an advertising-funded search engine.[54][22] To maintain an uncluttered page design, advertisements were solely text-based.[55] In June 2000, it was announced that Google would become the default search engine provider for Yahoo!, one of the most popular websites at the time, replacing Inktomi.

 

In 2003, after outgrowing two other locations, the company leased an office complex from Silicon Graphics, at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View, California.[59] The complex became known as the Googleplex, a play on the word googolplex, the number one followed by a googol zeroes. Three years later, Google bought the property from SGI for $319 million.[60] By that time, the name "Google" had found its way into everyday language, causing the verb "google" to be added to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary, denoted as: "to use the Google search engine to obtain information on the Internet".[61][62] The first use of the verb on television appeared in an October 2002 episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.[63]

Additionally, in 2001 Google's investors felt the need to have a strong internal management, and they agreed to hire Eric Schmidt as the chairman and CEO of Google.[49] Eric was proposed by John Doerr from Kleiner Perkins. He had been trying to find a CEO that Sergey and Larry would accept for several months, but they rejected several candidates because they wanted to retain control over the company. Michael Moritz from Sequoia Capital at one point even menaced requesting Google to immediately pay back Sequoia's $12.5m investment if they did not fulfill their promise to hire a chief executive office, which had been made verbally during investment negotiations. Eric wasn't initially enthusiastic about joining Google either, as the company's full potential hadn't yet been widely recognized at the time, and as he was occupied with his responsibilities at Novell where he was CEO. As part of him joining, Eric agreed to buy $1 million of Google preferred stocks as a way to show his commitment and to provide funds Google needed.

Google generates most of its revenues from advertising. This includes sales of apps, purchases made in-app, digital content products on Google and YouTube, Android and licensing and service fees, including fees received for Google Cloud offerings. Forty-six percent of this profit was from clicks (cost per clicks), amounting to US$109,652 million in 2017. This includes three principal methods, namely AdMob, AdSense (such as AdSense for Content, AdSense for Search, etc.) and DoubleClick AdExchange.

In addition to its own algorithms for understanding search requests, Google uses technology its acquisition of DoubleClick, to project user interest and target advertising to the search context and the user history.

In 2007, Google launched "AdSense for Mobile", taking advantage of the emerging mobile advertising market.

Google Analytics allows website owners to track where and how people use their website, for example by examining click rates for all the links on a page. Google advertisements can be placed on third-party websites in a two-part program. Google Ads allows advertisers to display their advertisements in the Google content network, through a cost-per-click scheme.[138] The sister service, Google AdSense, allows website owners to display these advertisements on their website and earn money every time ads are clicked.[139] One of the criticisms of this program is the possibility of click fraud, which occurs when a person or automated script clicks on advertisements without being interested in the product, causing the advertiser to pay money to Google unduly. Industry reports in 2006 claimed that approximately 14 to 20 percent of clicks were fraudulent or invalid.[140] Google Search Console (rebranded from Google Webmaster Tools in May 2015) allows webmasters to check the sitemap, crawl rate, and for security issues of their websites, as well as optimize their website's visibility.

Consumer services

Web-based services

Google offers Gmail for email, Google Calendar for time-management and scheduling, Google Maps for mapping, navigation and satellite imagery, Google Drive for cloud storage of files, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides for productivity, Google Photos for photo storage and sharing, Google Keep for note-taking, Google Translate for language translation, YouTube for video viewing and sharing, Google My Business for managing public business information, and Duo for social interaction. In March 2019, Google unveiled a cloud gaming service named Stadia. A job search product has also existed since before 2017, Google for Jobs is an enhanced search feature that aggregates listings from job boards and career sites.

Some Google services are not web-based. Google Earth, launched in 2005, allowed users to see high-definition satellite pictures from all over the world for free through a client software downloaded to their computers.

Software

Google develops the Android mobile operating system, as well as its smartwatch, television, car, and Internet of things-enabled smart devices variations.

It also develops the Google Chrome web browser, and Chrome OS, an operating system based on Chrome.

 

Hardware

 

In January 2010, Google released Nexus One, the first Android phone under its own brand. It spawned a number of phones and tablets under the "Nexus" branding until its eventual discontinuation in 2016, replaced by a new brand called Pixel.

In 2011, the Chromebook was introduced, which runs on Chrome OS.

In July 2013, Google introduced the Chromecast dongle, which allows users to stream content from their smartphones to televisions.

In June 2014, Google announced Google Cardboard, a simple cardboard viewer that lets user place their smartphone in a special front compartment to view virtual reality (VR) media.

Other hardware products include:

•Nest, a series of voice assistant smart speakers that can answer voice queries, play music, find information from apps (calendar, weather etc.), and control third-party smart home appliances (users can tell it to turn on the lights, for example). The Google Nest line includes the original Google Home (later succeeded by the Nest Audio), the Google Home Mini (later succeeded by the Nest Mini, the Google Home Max, the Google Home Hub (later rebranded as the Nest Hub), and the Nest Hub Max.

•Nest Wifi (originally Google Wifi), a connected set of Wi-Fi routers to simplify and extend coverage of home Wi-Fi.

 

Enterprise services

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite until October 2020) is a monthly subscription offering for organizations and businesses to get access to a collection of Google's services, including Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides, with additional administrative tools, unique domain names, and 24/7 support.

On September 24, 2012, Google launched Google for Entrepreneurs, a largely not-for-profit business incubator providing startups with co-working spaces known as Campuses, with assistance to startup founders that may include workshops, conferences, and mentorships. Presently, there are seven Campus locations: Berlin, London, Madrid, Seoul, São Paulo, Tel Aviv, and Warsaw.

On March 15, 2016, Google announced the introduction of Google Analytics 360 Suite, "a set of integrated data and marketing analytics products, designed specifically for the needs of enterprise-class marketers" which can be integrated with BigQuery on the Google Cloud Platform. Among other things, the suite is designed to help "enterprise class marketers" "see the complete customer journey", generate "useful insights", and "deliver engaging experiences to the right people". Jack Marshall of The Wall Street Journal wrote that the suite competes with existing marketing cloud offerings by companies including Adobe, Oracle, Salesforce, and IBM.

 

Internet services

In February 2010, Google announced the Google Fiber project, with experimental plans to build an ultra-high-speed broadband network for 50,000 to 500,000 customers in one or more American cities.[178][179] Following Google's corporate restructure to make Alphabet Inc. its parent company, Google Fiber was moved to Alphabet's Access division.[180][181]

In April 2015, Google announced Project Fi, a mobile virtual network operator, that combines Wi-Fi and cellular networks from different telecommunication providers in an effort to enable seamless connectivity and fast Internet signal.

 

Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, its name comes from the face book directories often given to American university students. Membership was initially limited to Harvard students, gradually expanding to other North American universities and, since 2006, anyone over 13 years old. As of July 2022, Facebook claimed 2.93 billion monthly active users,[6] and ranked third worldwide among the most visited websites as of July 2022.[7] It was the most downloaded mobile app of the 2010s.[8]

Facebook can be accessed from devices with Internet connectivity, such as personal computers, tablets and smartphones. After registering, users can create a profile revealing information about themselves. They can post text, photos and multimedia which are shared with any other users who have agreed to be their "friend" or, with different privacy settings, publicly. Users can also communicate directly with each other with Facebook Messenger, join common-interest groups, and receive notifications on the activities of their Facebook friends and the pages they follow.

The subject of numerous controversies, Facebook has often been criticized over issues such as user privacy (as with the Cambridge Analytica data scandal), political manipulation (as with the 2016 U.S. elections) and mass surveillance.[9] Posts originating from the Facebook page of Breitbart News, a media organization previously affiliated with Cambridge Analytica,[10] are currently among the most widely shared political content on Facebook.[11][12][13][14][15] Facebook has also been subject to criticism over psychological effects such as addiction and low self-esteem, and various controversies over content such as fake news, conspiracy theories, copyright infringement, and hate speech.

 

Zuckerberg built a website called "Facemash" in 2003 while attending Harvard University. The site was comparable to Hot or Not and used "photos compiled from the online face books of nine Houses, placing two next to each other at a time and asking users to choose the "hotter" person". Facemash attracted 450 visitors and 22,000 photo-views in its first four hours. The site was sent to several campus group listservs, but was shut down a few days later by Harvard administration. Zuckerberg faced expulsion and was charged with breaching security, violating copyrights and violating individual privacy. Ultimately, the charges were dropped. Zuckerberg expanded on this project that semester by creating a social study tool. He uploaded art images, each accompanied by a comments section, to a website he shared with his classmates.

A "face book" is a student directory featuring photos and personal information. In 2003, Harvard had only a paper version[ along with private online directories. Zuckerberg told The Harvard Crimson, "Everyone's been talking a lot about a universal face book within Harvard. ... I think it's kind of silly that it would take the University a couple of years to get around to it. I can do it better than they can, and I can do it in a week."[29] In January 2004, Zuckerberg coded a new website, known as "TheFacebook", inspired by a Crimson editorial about Facemash, stating, "It is clear that the technology needed to create a centralized Website is readily available ... the benefits are many." Zuckerberg met with Harvard student Eduardo Saverin, and each of them agreed to invest $1,000 ($1,435 in 2021 dollars[30]) in the site.[31] On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched "TheFacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com.

Six days after the site launched, Harvard seniors Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra accused Zuckerberg of intentionally misleading them into believing that he would help them build a social network called HarvardConnection.com. They claimed that he was instead using their ideas to build a competing product. The three complained to the Crimson and the newspaper began an investigation. They later sued Zuckerberg, settling in 2008 for 1.2 million shares (worth $300 million ($354 million in 2021 dollars[30]) at Facebook's IPO).

Membership was initially restricted to students of Harvard College. Within a month, more than half the undergraduates had registered.[36] Dustin Moskovitz, Andrew McCollum, and Chris Hughes joined Zuckerberg to help manage the growth of the website.[37] In March 2004, Facebook expanded to Columbia, Stanford and Yale.[38] It then became available to all Ivy League colleges, Boston University, NYU, MIT, and successively most universities in the United States and Canada.

In mid-2004, Napster co-founder and entrepreneur Sean Parker—an informal advisor to Zuckerberg—became company president.[41] In June 2004, the company moved to Palo Alto, California.[42] It received its first investment later that month from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. In 2005, the company dropped "the" from its name after purchasing the domain name Facebook.com for US$200,000 ($277,492 in 2021 dollars). The domain had belonged to AboutFace Corporation.

In May 2005, Accel Partners invested $12.7 million ($17.6 million in 2021 dollars) in Facebook, and Jim Breyer added $1 million ($1.39 million in 2021 dollars) of his own money. A high-school version of the site launched in September 2005. Eligibility expanded to include employees of several companies, including Apple Inc. and Microsoft.

 

Facebook was sued by the Federal Trade Commission as well as a coalition of several states for illegal monopolization and antitrust. The FTC and states sought the courts to force Facebook to sell its subsidiaries WhatsApp and Instagram.[183][184] The suits were dismissed by a federal judge on June 28, 2021, who stated that there was not enough evidence brought in the suit to determine Facebook to be a monopoly at this point, though allowed the FTC to amend its case to include additional evidence. In its amended filings in August 2021, the FTC asserted that Facebook had been a monopoly in the area of personal social networks since 2011, distinguishing Facebook's activities from social media services like TikTok that broadcast content without necessarily limiting that message to intended recipients.

In response to the proposed bill in the Australian Parliament for a News Media Bargaining Code, on February 17, 2021, Facebook blocked Australian users from sharing or viewing news content on its platform, as well as pages of some government, community, union, charity, political, and emergency services.[187] The Australian government strongly criticised the move, saying it demonstrated the "immense market power of these digital social giants".

On February 22, Facebook said it reached an agreement with the Australian government that would see news returning to Australian users in the coming days. As part of this agreement, Facebook and Google can avoid the News Media Bargaining Code adopted on February 25 if they "reach a commercial bargain with a news business outside the Code".

Facebook has been accused of removing and shadow banning content that spoke either in favor of protesting Indian farmers or against Narendra Modi's government. India-based employees of Facebook are at risk of arrest.

On February 27, 2021, Facebook announced Facebook BARS app for rappers.

On June 29, 2021, Facebook announced Bulletin, a platform for independent writers.[197][198] Unlike competitors such as Substack, Facebook would not take a cut of subscription fees of writers using that platform upon its launch, like Malcolm Gladwell and Mitch Albom. According to The Washington Post technology writer Will Oremus, the move was criticized by those who viewed it as an tactic intended by Facebook to force those competitors out of business.

In October 2021, owner Facebook, Inc. changed its company name to Meta Platforms, Inc., or simply "Meta", as it shifts its focus to building the "metaverse". This change does not affect the name of the Facebook social networking service itself, instead being similar to the creation of Alphabet as Google's parent company in 2015.

In November 2021, Facebook stated it would stop targeting ads based on data related to health, race, ethnicity, political beliefs, religion and sexual orientation. The change will occur in January and will affect all apps owned by Meta Platforms.

In February 2022, Facebook's daily active users dropped for the first time in its 18-year history. According to Facebook's parent Meta, DAUs dropped to 1.929 billion in the three months ending in December, down from 1.930 billion the previous quarter. Furthermore, the company warned that revenue growth would slow due to competition from TikTok and YouTube, as well as advertisers cutting back on spending.

Analysts predict a "death spiral" for facebook stock as users leave while ad impressions increase, as the company chases revenue.

On March 10, 2022, Facebook announced that it will temporarily ease rules to allow violent speech against 'Russian invaders'. Russia then banned all Meta services, including Instagram.

 

White Castle

Harold and Kumar aren't the only loyal customers who keep coming back to White Castle for some of those iconic sliders, and now, there is even an Impossible Slider on the menu.

Boston Market

From the rotisserie chickens to the delectable mac and cheese, Boston Market is always a great stop for a hearty meal. Here are The Best & Worst Menu Items at Boston Market.

Papa John's

Papa John's is always boasting about its better ingredients, and it seems like there are plenty of customers who continue to order these pizzas.

Little Caesars

"Pizza, pizza" has plenty of loyal fans, thanks to the "cheap and fast" vibe of the food. Speaking of pizza, do you know what the most popular pizza topping is in your state?

Starbucks

Starbucks has gathered a reputation for being the go-to place when you're in the mood for a pumpkin coffee drink once fall rolls around. And with their decadent Frappuccinos, there are plenty of sweet treats for non-coffee drinkers, too.

Quizno's

Quizno's offers up classic sandwiches, and who can resist the fresh pepper bar?

Five Guys

While Five Guys has some top-notch burgers and fries, this is a spot for peanut lovers, too. You can munch on peanuts that are available all over the restaurants while you order your meal.

Cold Stone Creamery

This ice cream shop serves up cold customized treats for whatever your heart desires, so it's basically a dream come true, right?

Sonic

Sometimes, you just want one of Sonic's frozen drinks and a burger to go along with it. Yum!

Burger King

While it may not be the most popular dining brand in the country, the King is still a top choice for many. Those Whoppers are still as tasty as ever, especially if you go for the Impossible Whopper.

Want to chow down on more juicy hamburgers? Here's where you can get The Absolute Best Burger in Every State.

KFC

The Colonel is still going strong! Who doesn't want to eat their chicken right out of a bucket?

A&W Restaurants

Yes, the root beer chain sells food! Here are The Best & Worst Menu Items at A&W.

Mrs. Fields

Those giant chocolate chip cookies that just call your name as you're walking by? They are a staple of all Mrs. Fields locations, so we don't blame you for having one now and then.

Subway

People surveyed described this sandwich shop as a "good value for money." If you're a Subway fan, you're not alone! Headed to Subway? Here's Every Subway Sandwich—Ranked for Nutrition!

McDonald's

Are you still McLovin' it? You might've expected Mickey D's to claim a spot closer to the top, but those golden fries and Big Macs seem to have some more competition.

Domino's

Domino's is hailed by fans for being well-made and a good value. With wings and yummy chocolate lava cakes to go alongside a pizza, Domino's is simply beloved.

Popeyes

Plenty of loyal Popeyes fans eat there on the reg, and we know the chicken sandwich was truly worth all the hype.

Panera

From its house-made lemonade to that tasty mac and cheese to those fresh-baked bagels, Panera has it all. No wonder it ranked so highly on YouGov's list!

Taco Bell

This taco joint rings its loyal customers' bells for being "everywhere and good quality." By the way, You'll Never Guess What Taco Bell Uses to Season Its Beef.

Chick-fil-A

Although loyal customers can't satisfy their fried chicken cravings on Sunday, Chick-fil-A still is a top spot to go when you're in the mood for a chicken sandwich and some waffle fries.

Pizza Hut

With a plethora of crusts, cheesy toppings, and grilled veggies to choose from, it's no surprise pizza lovers keep coming back to the Hut.

Arby's

For all the meat-lovers out there, Arby's is your place, especially if you're a fan of their staple, roast beef sandwiches.

Dunkin'

America actually does run on Dunkin', doesn't it? Those Munchkins are rather irresistible.

 

Cinnabon

No mall trip is ever done without a pit stop at Cinnabon for a warm, gooey, perfectly sticky cinnamon bun.

Wendy's

Ranking higher than McDonald's and Burger King is the beloved redhead! The real question is, which flavor Frosty do you get: chocolate or vanilla?

Krispy Kreme

From the affordably priced cups of caffeine to the hot-out-the-oven classic glazed doughnuts, it's easy to see why Krispy Kreme has such a devoted following.

Baskin-Robbins

Craving ice cream? Baskin Robbins comes in the first-place spot. And they have so many delicious scoop flavors!

Dairy Queen

Majority rules! Customers raved that the fast-food chain is "good quality," "never gets old," and is a "good value for money." That sounds like a winning combo to us! DQ even sold more than 175 million Blizzards the first year they introduced them in 1985—who knew?

  

Identity design for web-based retail point-of-sale system. Logo, business cards, user-interface design.

Come celebrate with the ONAC community during the ONE PDX launch event and learn more about the Oregon Native Enterprise (ONE) Program at this free event!\nThe ONE Coalition has developed a business development series utilizing the voices of our community and representing our collective wisdom in support of business development and ownership for Native American entrepreneurs across Oregon & SW Washington. We invite you to learn more about this exciting new program and the StartUpOregon Platform as it supports Economic Development opportunities by leveraging web-based technologies to expand your reach.\nONAC is dedicated to working with all members of the community to advance the educational and economic opportunities for Native Americans in Oregon and Southwest Washington. We look forward to having our partners and community advocates come together during this event. Thank you! copyright © 2018 sean dreilinger

1: part of copious mucus trail deposited by mucus gland of foot to assist movement over soft substrate.

 

Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION BELOW

Sets of OTHER SPECIES at: www.flickr.com/photos/56388191@N08/collections/

PDF available at www.researchgate.net/profile/Ian_Smith19/publications

 

Gibbula magus (Linnaeus, 1758)

 

Current taxonomy: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)

www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141790

Synonyms: Trochus magus (Linnaeus, 1758) [in Jeffreys, and Forbes & Hanley];

Meaning of name: Gibbula = [Latin] a little hump. magus = [shell resembles turban worn by] Persian wiseman/magician.

Vernacular: Turban top shell; Painted top shell; Giant top shell; Large top shell (English); Top môr mawr (Welsh); Geknobbelde tolhoren (Dutch); Peonza maga (Spanish); Zauberbuckel (German)

 

GLOSSARY below.

 

Shell description

Usually, breadth to 31mm, height to 25mm 1Gm flic.kr/p/rWEq1q , exceptionally 35mm broad and 30mm high. Shell-walls thick. Sutures deep. Whorls flat or slightly convex, each with an abrupt adapical angle, forming a markedly stepped profile 2Gm flic.kr/p/sbWzjq . Apical angle 80º – 100º. Body whorl angled about 100° at strong peripheral keel. Height about 80% of breadth . Spire small; body whorl height about 70% of shell height. Sculpture of distinct spiral ridges and narrow grooves; ridge on peripheral keel enlarged; on body whorl about seventeen ridges above keel and about twenty-five below 3Gm flic.kr/p/rhekvW . Ridges often smooth on intertidal specimens; often markedly imbricated sublittorally. Several transverse growth lines. Adapical step on each whorl has series of flexed elongate knobs that can form a cable pattern 4Gm flic.kr/p/se5Uxd , but knobs may be inconspicuous when eroded or overlain by a colour pattern 5Gm flic.kr/p/sbWwuY . Large conical umbilicus with wide comma-shaped groove leading into it 6Gm flic.kr/p/sebB3F . Aperture approximately D-shaped; about 40% of shell-height 2Gm flic.kr/p/sbWzjq . Thin, curved, palatal (outer) lip. White columellar lip is basally flat and wide with slight rounded protuberance; narrower where it overhangs umbilicus 4Gm flic.kr/p/se5Uxd . Parietal lip is a pale glaze on body whorl 4Gm flic.kr/p/se5Uxd . Adapical angle of aperture is obtuse; about 160º 2Gm flic.kr/p/sbWzjq .

External ground colour of opaque shell is matt white, often stained yellowish, greenish etc by epiphytic growths 3Gm flic.kr/p/rhekvW , and old shells may become grey as outer layer erodes to reveal interior nacre 7Gm flic.kr/p/rhegr3 . Radiating marks of various shades of red, including red-black 8Gm flic.kr/p/rUUiZD , are found on shells from southern Europe (Greek examples by A.Trifilis) flic.kr/p/7YLoPh and the English channel, but further north in Wales and Scotland the majority of some populations lack red markings. Internally, shell is glossy-white apart from matt-white band bordering lip , often with a pinkish tinge on red-patterned specimens, 8Gm flic.kr/p/rUUiZD & 9Gm flic.kr/p/sbWrDL . No internal red marks. Circular spiral operculum with many narrow coils 6Gm flic.kr/p/sebB3F , transparent horn colour, darkening with age/growth; pale opercular disc usually visible through operculum of live specimens.

 

Body description

Ground colour of dorsal surfaces of head-foot white, often faintly tinted pinkish or yellowish; overlaid with dense network of brown to purple-black 10Gm flic.kr/p/rhecgu . Large Snout ends in circular yellow tip with a vertical slit mouth with diagonal slit extensions at each end 11Gm flic.kr/p/rWMefH . Exterior surface of snout has transverse brown to purple-black lines, and distal half has dense beard of long bright blue papillae 12Gm flic.kr/p/rWMd2R & 13Gm flic.kr/p/rhe9yq . Cephalic tentacles long, translucent brownish-white, with encircling black and opaque-white jagged rings; unobtrusive, fine, longitudinal, dorsal, black line in slight dorsal groove often only partially visible; coating of dense fine setae visible under magnification. Between bases of cephalic tentacles is a pair of large cephalic lappets with varying amounts of orange or brown 13Gm flic.kr/p/rhe9yq & 14Gm flic.kr/p/rUUd6V , and edged with prominent fringe of often yellowish and blue lobes. Eye on stout peduncle at base of each cephalic tentacle; peduncle orange to dark-brown dorsally and whitish ventrally apart from bright blue terminal area that extends slightly onto dorsum; small black “pupil” in blue area near dorsal edge of truncated tip 12Gm flic.kr/p/rWMd2R & 14Gm flic.kr/p/rUUd6V . Both cephalic lappets pass over base of cephalic tentacle to connect with eye-peduncle. Large neck-lobe behind each eye. Yellowish-white to orange right neck-lobe has smooth edge and is usually curved to form complete bottle-necked siphon for exhalent water, faeces and reproductive products 11Gm flic.kr/p/rWMefH & 15Gm flic.kr/p/sebsmc ; occasionally opened-out flat 16Gm flic.kr/p/se5Hzm . Whitish to orange left neck-lobe has scalloped edge to assist filtering out of large debris from inhalent water. Ventral surface of each neck-lobe has substantial whitish cylindrical peg. Each eye-peduncle is connected to its adjacent neck lobe/epipodium by a connecting flap 17Gm flic.kr/p/se5H5y . Dorsal surface of foot white, often faintly tinted pinkish or yellowish, except peripheral border bright yellow; all overlaid with dense network of brown to purple-black 10Gm flic.kr/p/rhecgu and densely covered with whitish tubercles. Epipodium an extensive veil on each side of foot, united with neck-lobes ; on live animal usually held erect against surface of shell so its ventral surface on view and upper body concealed 10Gm flic.kr/p/rhecgu ; protection from sand abrasion by epipodium allows algae to grow on base of shell 6Gm flic.kr/p/sebB3F . Ventral surface of epipodium has many tubercles 18Gm flic.kr/p/se5GEA ; paler than dorsum of foot as brown reticulated pattern less intense, and large simply white and sulphur-yellow areas lack pattern. When epipodium from each side reaches the metapodium it becomes a free-standing erect crest that meets the other at the posterior to form a 'V'; prominent when foot extended 15Gm flic.kr/p/sebsmc , small when foot contracted 18Gm flic.kr/p/se5GEA . Each epipodium bears three translucent tawny-white or yellow epipodial tentacles with a pale longitudinal dorsal line, and sometimes indistinct pale-brown rings and reticulation 15Gm flic.kr/p/sebsmc . Each tentacle arises from a white jagged sheath with an adjacent white, spiked, sensory lobe 15Gm flic.kr/p/sebsmc & 18Gm flic.kr/p/se5GEA . Opercular lobe, not enclosing any of operculum edge, visible as pale patch through transparent operculum when animal retracted into shell 6Gm flic.kr/p/sebB3F . Sole varies yellow to white, depending on degree of compression/extension; divided by central longitudinal furrow; periphery has fringe of papillae 19Gm flic.kr/p/sebqqD . Mantle dull-yellow. Large, dull-yellow, canoe-shaped ctenidium 20Gm flic.kr/p/seehaP within mantle cavity. Fertilization external, so no penis on males.

Other images of whole animals:

21Gm flic.kr/p/sbWhRL Anterior/left view of whole animal. Source of extract 12Gm flic.kr/p/rWMd2R

22 Gm flic.kr/p/rWCV1S Dorsal view of whole animal. Source of extract 13Gm flic.kr/p/rhe9yq .

23Gm flic.kr/p/rhqxdk Dorsal view of whole animal. Source of extract 14Gm flic.kr/p/rUUd6V .

24Gm flic.kr/p/seebXp Ventral view of whole animal. Source of extract 17Gm flic.kr/p/se5H5y .

25Gm flic.kr/p/se5yqQ Posterior view of whole animal. Source of extract 18Gm flic.kr/p/se5GEA .

26Gm flic.kr/p/se5xC7 Right side view of whole animal.

  

Key identification features

 

Gibbula magus

* Opaque white shell 4Gm flic.kr/p/se5Uxd , sometimes with reddish marks 8Gm flic.kr/p/rUUiZD .

* Markedly stepped shell-profile 9Gm flic.kr/p/sbWrDL .

* Large conical umbilicus with wide comma-shaped groove leading into it 6Gm flic.kr/p/sebB3F .

* Snout has transverse brown to purple-black lines 13Gm flic.kr/p/rhe9yq , and distal half has dense beard of long bright blue papillae 12Gm flic.kr/p/rWMd2R .

* Black eye-pupil in blue area on stout peduncle 12Gm flic.kr/p/rWMd2R .

* Mainly sublittoral, but locally common at ELWS in favoured sheltered sites in Scilly Isles, Cardigan Bay, Connemara and Orkney. On stable sand, muddy-sand, maerl and gravel; sometimes on rock.

 

Similar species

 

Phorcus lineatus

* Shell, ground colour shades of buff 7Pl flic.kr/p/g3hrww , yellow 8Pl flic.kr/p/g3hsKA , brown 1Pl flic.kr/p/g3hsKJ and/or green 9Pl flic.kr/p/nz3eFr . Darker, more or less zig-zag, transverse streaks of dark-brown, -green, -grey or –reddish purple run across the whorls, parallel to growth lines.

* Shell-profile not stepped.

* Umbilicus completely sealed over by time 5mm wide, often leaving a dip in columella 4Pl flic.kr/p/g3hs4L (Occasionally narrow, open crack 5Pl flic.kr/p/nz3xm7 . Iberian specimens often have open umbilicus).

* Snout black or grey, lacks dense beard of long bright blue papillae 14Pl flic.kr/p/nPuhDb

* Black eye-pupil on red or yellow peduncle 14Pl flic.kr/p/nPuhDb

* Upper rocky shores between Isle of Wight and Llandudno, and most of Ireland.

 

Gibbula umbilicalis

* Shell always has broad red to reddish-purple bands radiating from apex across the whorls 5Gu flic.kr/p/g3iQgZ .

* Shell always has a large round umbilicus, but no wide comma-shaped groove leading into it 4Gu flic.kr/p/g3iV21 .

* Shell-profile not stepped 2Gu flic.kr/p/g3iVPG .

* Snout short, yellowish or greenish with dense transverse dark purple lines, lacks dense beard of long bight blue papillae 10Gu flic.kr/p/g3iT4d

* Middle levels of rocky shores from Kent along south and west coasts round onto north coast Scotland, with a few records on west coast of Orkney.

 

Gibbula cineraria

* Shell has grey or bluish grey bands radiating from apex across the whorls 3Gc flic.kr/p/k7Gxot .

* Umbilicus progressively narrows with age. Adult shell may have very restricted 26Gc flic.kr/p/g3ibVA or completely closed umbilicus 27Gc flic.kr/p/g3icEU , but juveniles 27Gu flic.kr/p/g3iMVW may have large round umbilicus.

* Shell profile of fully grown 15mm high G. cineraria may be like traditional bee-hive 6Gc flic.kr/p/kkVBzZ , but not stepped.

* Snout short, yellowish or brownish with transverse brown lines, lacks dense beard of long bright blue papillae 10Gc flic.kr/p/kmaPxE

 

Gibbula albida

* Opaque white shell, sometimes with reddish marks www.conchology.be/?t=66&species=Gibbula+albida .

* Stepped shell-profile.

* Some shells have umbilicus with comma-shaped groove leading into it, www.animalbase.uni-goettingen.de/zooweb/servlet/AnimalBas... but smaller than G. magus, and often closed by callus. nature22.com/estran22/mollusques/gasteropodes/gasteropode...

* Soft parts resemble G. magus; eye-pupil in blue area on peduncle, and snout has transverse brown lines but lacks dense beard of long bright blue papillae. nature22.com/estran22/mollusques/gasteropodes/gasteropode...

* Brittany southwards; not Britain.

 

Habits and ecology

Usually on stable sublittoral rough bottoms, muddy sand or gravel. In Britain and Ireland, locally common at ELWS at a few sites with fully marine salinity and shelter from wave action in Scilly Isles, Cardigan Bay, Connemara and northern Scotland. Reported shore substrates include sand (T.Pearman) flic.kr/p/obzrkf , mixed sand and stones, rocks, muddy sand, and maerl www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W1890 .

Respiration, cilia on fringed left neck-lobe vibrate to create inhalent current to large canoe-shape ctenidium within mantle cavity 20Gm flic.kr/p/seehaP . Fringe probably acts as guard against detritus and may sense poor water conditions. Cilia on right neck-lobe create exhalent current for respiratory water, ova or sperm, and faeces; bottle-neck probably increases speed of expulsion. Locomotion enabled by ditaxic direct compression waves on either side of central division on sole 19Gm flic.kr/p/sebqqD ; turning caused by different rates of wave flow on either side of central furrow. Exudes copious mucus to assist movement over soft sediment 1Gm flic.kr/p/rWEq1q . Feeds by grazing microphytes (diatoms etc) from substrate with its radula.Breeds spring and autumn (Plymouth), June (Roscoff); dates vary at different locations. External fertilization occurs as ova released individually via right neck-lobe from mantle cavity. Brief free living trochophore stage; little else known of early stages, but lack of capture in plankton nets suggests weak, or no, planktonic veliger activity.

 

Distribution and status

Shetland to Canary Islands, Mediterranean and Black Sea, not North Sea or Baltic. GBIF map www.gbif.org/species/5190299 . Common sublittorally in Britain on south and west coasts between Kent and Shetland; not North Sea or Liverpool Bay. Most of Ireland. U.K. map NBN species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000175457

.

Acknowledgements

I thank Florence Cochu, Marc Cochu and Michel Le Quément for use of their images of Gibbula albida.

 

Links and references

 

Estran 22, faune et flore de le zone de la balancement de marées en Côtes d'Armor nature22.com/estran22/mollusques/gasteropodes/gasteropode...

 

Forbes, E. & Hanley S. 1849-53. A history of the British mollusca and their shells. vol. 2 (1849), London, van Voorst. (As Trochus magus; Free pdf at archive.org/stream/historyofbritish02forb#page/522/mode/2up Use slide at base of page to select pp.522-525.)

 

Fretter, V. and Graham, A. 1962. British prosobranch molluscs. London, Ray Society.

 

Fretter, V. and Graham, A. 1977. The prosobranch molluscs of Britain and Denmark. Part 2 – Trochacea. Suppl. 3, J. Moll. Stud.

 

Graham, A. 1988. Prosobranch and pyramidellid gastropods. London.

 

Grall, J., Le Loc'h, F., Guyonnet, B. & Riera, P. 2006 Community structure and food web based on stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) analysis of a North Eastern Atlantic maerl bed Journal of Experimental Marine biology and ecology 338: 1-15 www.researchgate.net/profile/Francois_Le_Loch/publication...(15N_and_13C)_analysis_of_a_North_Eastern_Atlantic_maerl_bed/links/0fcfd500faa2d57c51000000.pdf

 

Jeffreys, J.G. 1862-69. British conchology. vol. 3 (1865). London, van Voorst. (As Trochus magus; Free pdf at archive.org/stream/britishconcholog03jeff#page/304/mode/2up . Use slide at base of page to select pp.305- 307.

 

Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. Encyclopedia of marine life of Britain and Ireland.

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/index.html

 

Current taxonomy: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)

www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141790

 

Glossary

adapical – towards the apex of the shell.

aperture – mouth of gastropod shell; outlet for head and foot.

cephalic – (adj.) of or on the head.

cilia – (pl.) vibrating linear extensions of membrane used in feeding or locomotion. (“cilium” singular).

 

ciliated – (adj.) coated with cilia.

columella - solid or hollow axial “little column” around which gastropod shell spirals; hidden inside shell, except on final whorl next to lower part of inner lip of aperture where hollow ones may end in an umbilicus or siphonal canal.

 

columellar – (adj.) of or near central axis of spiral gastropod.

columellar lip - lower (abapical) part of inner lip of aperture.

 

diatom – microscopic aquatic alga with siliceous cell-walls.

 

ctenidium – comb-like molluscan gill; usually an axis with a row of filaments either side.

 

ditaxic – (of locomotion waves on foot) double series of waves, out of phase with each other, one series on each side of central furrow on sole.

 

direct - (of locomotion waves on foot) waves travel from posterior to anterior.

 

ELWS – extreme low water spring tide (usually near March and September equinoxes).

 

height – (of gastropod shells) distance from apex of spire to base of aperture.

maerl – substrate consisting mainly of fragments of calcareous seaweed Lithothamnion calcareum.

 

mantle – sheet of tissue that secretes the shell and forms a cavity for the gill in most marine molluscs.

 

metapodium – hind part of the foot.

opercular – (adj.) of the operculum.

opercular disc – part of foot that growing operculum rotates on.

opercular lobe – extension of opercular disc round edge of part of operculum.

operculum – plate of horny conchiolin, rarely calcareous, used to close shell aperture.

papilla – (pl. papillae) small cone-shaped protrusion of flesh.

papillate – covered in papillae

periostracum – thin horny layer of chitinous material often coating shells.

plankton – animals and plants that drift in pelagic zone (main body of water).

umbilicus – cavity up axis of some gastropods, open as a hole or chink on base of shell, often sealed over.

 

setose – bearing many setae.

seta – stiff hair or bristle. (pl. setae)

suture – groove or line where whorls of gastropod shell adjoin.

 

trochophore – spherical or pear-shaped larvae that swim with aid of girdle of cilia. Stage preceding veliger, passed within gastropod egg in most spp. but free in plankton for limpets, Trochidae and Tricolia pullus.

 

veliger – shelled larva of marine gastropod or bivalve mollusc which swims by beating cilia of a velum (bilobed flap).

 

Or students will be prompted to work on computer software programs focused on enhancing reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. We primarily use the Read 180 software. However, other programs like Study Island and my own web based projects are available for students to work on.

This musical phenomenon comes to Theatr Clwyd for the first time thanks to Tip Top Productions.

 

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot. “Prologue – Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats” additional material written by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe; ”Memory” additional material written by Trevor Nunn.

 

The Jellicle Cats come out to play on one special night of the year—the night of the Jellicle Ball. One by one they tell their stories to Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, who must choose one of the Cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life. Among the candidates are the aging theatre cat, Gus; the rocker, Rum Tum Tugger; and the once-glamorous Grizabella, now but a faded memory of her former self.

 

Boasting a score that includes Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats, Mr. Mistoffelees and Memory, this compelling fable takes audiences to a fantastical world that can only exist in the theatre. Cats has been performed worldwide and translated into over 20 languages. The original West End production ran for 21 years and the original Broadway production ran for 18 years

 

For tickets and more info see:

www.tiptopproductions.co.uk/cats/1313

 

Mingle Media TV and Red Carpet Report host Cathy Kelley were invited to cover the 39th Annual Gracie Awards, (The Gracies) Honoring Exemplary Women in Media. The event was hosted by Aisha Tyler and was held in the Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

 

Get the Story from the Red Carpet Report Team, follow us on Twitter and Facebook at:

 

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About the Gracies

The Gracies recognizes exemplary programming created for women, by women, and about women in all facets of media, including radio, television, cable and new media. The awards program also encourages the realistic and multi-faceted portrayal of women in entertainment, news, features and other programs.

 

The Gracies are presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Alliance for Women that supports educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public and women in media. The Gracie Awards, established in 1975, honor programming and individuals of the highest caliber in all facets of radio, television, cable and web-based media, including news, drama, comedy, public services, documentary and sports. www.thegracies.org

 

For more of Mingle Media TV’s Red Carpet Report coverage, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook here:

 

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Follow our host Cathy Kelley : www.twitter.com/CatherineKelley