QE2 to begin makeover into floating hotel
The plans to turn the storied ocean liner the Queen Elizabeth 2 into a floating Jumeirah hotel are moving ahead — with a course correction. Earlier this month, the company behind the project, QE2 Holdings, announced plans to go ahead with the project but to move the QE2 from Dubai to a city in East Asia, most likely Hong Kong or Singapore. The company said it would invest $100 million in remaking the QE2 into a 400-room luxury hotel, with seven restaurants, a cinema and shopping mall. The floating hotel could open as early as winter 2014, with room rates starting around $400.
NEW YORK TIMES
'Star-Spangled Banner' to visit D.C. in 2014
In 2014, Francis Scott Key's handwritten lyrics to the "Star-Spangled Banner" will be lent to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., for its 200th birthday. The rare document, kept at the Maryland Historical Society, will be displayed next to the flag that Key saw and was inspired by during the bombardment of Baltimore's Ft. McHenry on Sept. 14, 1814.
DETROIT FREE PRESS
Vonage app allows for free calls and more
The Vonage Mobile app allows for free calling, text messaging, photo sharing and video chats among people who have the app. It also lets users make low-cost international calls to those who don't have the app. The free app is available for Android, iOS iPhone, iPod and iPad.
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Tickets are going fast for Lady Liberty
If you're planning to see Lady Liberty up close on Ellis Island this summer, you should call soon. A few tickets are still available in July and August to climb inside the statue, and they must be purchased in advance through www. statuecruises.com or 1-877-523-9849. (About 3,000 people a day are allowed to climb into the pedestal; the crown is limited to 315 people per day.)
(allentown) MORNING CALL
