Economic crisis, environmental crisis, there's bad news everywhere we turn and in Tokyo the bad news is smelly, too.

We're talking tuna. Tuna that once went for ¥20 million (US$200,000) for a 445-pound fish at the Tsukiji Fish Markets in Tokyo is going to have to get even more expensive, say the experts, or it'll simply run out because of over-fishing.

We're sensing conspiracy here. Remember that the management at Tsukiji have now strictly limited tourist access to the famous markets? Are the Japanese planning to keep all the tuna for themselves and just feed us the line that it's all been fished out?

Soon we'll only have YouTube videos like the one above of the Japanese fish market to sustain us.

Related Stories:
· Tuna's Just Too Cheap [Japan Times]
· We've Annoyed the Tsukiji Fishmongers Too Long [Jaunted]
· Tokyo Travel Guide [Jaunted]

]]> amandak 2008-10-13T01:35:43-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/12/151039/88

Who really cares if legendary guerrilla street artist Banksy has been unmasked or not? Regardless of whether we know his identity, the guy's still turning out sage social commentary in the form of both graffiti and studio art at a blistering pace in venues around the world. His latest official foray into the quasi-gallery scene is in New York, where his Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill questions the modern world's relationship with animals and the morality of factory farming. The faux pet shop in the West Village is filled with animatronic installations designed to elicit double- and triple-takes from casual viewers. In one exhibit, a pair of chicken nuggets with legs dip themselves in sauce as a rooster looks on from a doghouse, just like in real life. Another shows fish sticks swimming in a fish bowl, in an amusing take on people's strange aversion to the fishy taste of seafood. Perhaps most powerful is a pearl-adorned rabbit beautifying herself with an assortment of cosmetics in front of a vanity mirror. It's true, rabbits love makeup. If you're in the city, drop by the shop at 89 Seventh Avenue South until October 31, 2008, or view a few good photos here and a nifty video here.

[Photo: Wooster Collective]

Related Stories:
· The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill [Official Site]
· Banksy [Official Site]
· Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill Opens in New York City [Wooster Collective]
· In Pictures: Banksy's Pet Shop [BBC News]
· Banksy Coverage [Jaunted] ]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-12T15:10:39-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/12/143017/10

We're just over a month away from the release of Baz Luhrmann's latest epic film, Australia, which the country is hoping will boost its profile as a travel destination (witness this cool Aussie tourism ad). Based on the trailers, the story looks pretty interesting - Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman portray lovers caught in the turmoil of the 1930's - but the real star of the film is the land itself. In a recent interview with National Geographic Adventure magazine (not online), screenwriter Richard Flanagan talked about his childhood in Tasmania and the northern outback region that inspired him to pen the script.]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-12T14:30:17-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/12/125016/34

Parisians have a reputation for rudeness that's not entirely deserved, but the idea is pervasive enough that one group of concerned citizens decided to do something about it. The Paris Greeters are a group of volunteer tour guides who conduct special tours designed to show visitors what a friendly, welcoming, and inspiring city Paris can be. As the AP points out, the greeters are happy to speak English (or nine other languages) and specialize in attractions that off the major tourist itineraries. For example, architectural tours generally skip the Eiffel Tower in favor of the 1930s-era buildings of the Trocadéro, while those looking for authentic French cuisine will likely end up in some delightful hole-in-the-wall restaurant that flies well under the Michelin radar. The tours are free and tour guides won't accept tips, though visitors are expected to pay their transit costs. We would reckon that a cup of coffee at a side-street cafe would be appreciated as well.

[Photo: AP]

Related Stories:
· Smiling Parisians Show You Their City for Free [AP via Yahoo! News]
· Paris Greeter [Official Site]
· Tour Guide Coverage [Jaunted]]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-12T12:50:16-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/12/11522/959

Today, Sunday, October 12, 2008, marks the 516th anniversary of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus's sighting of land in the New World, on the Bahamian island of Guanahani (which he called San Salvador). By this point in our lives, we've all heard the arguments against deifying the man - he wasn't really the first European to reach the continent, his journey ushered in an era of violent colonization, you can't "discover" a place that already has a thriving native population - but for the moment let's just accept that we live in a world of contradictions and enjoy a parade on a brisk fall day. ]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-12T11:52:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/11/15859/732

The U.S. government is going forward with a plan to auction off some takeoff and landing slots at JFK, La Guardia, and Newark airports, claiming that market forces will help streamline air traffic and reduce delays. The Port Authority, which runs the airports, and several New York politicians oppose the plan, which they say is a poorly thought out experiment the administration is trying to get through before leaving office without weighing the full impact on companies and consumers. But why would the Feds want to tinker with New York area airports anyway? Because, as the AP points out, "roughly two-thirds of flight delays around the country are caused by backups at those airports." Um, sorry about that. But who's the real enemy here? Apparently, it's small planes.

Federal transportation officials say much of the reason for nationwide flight delays is that airlines have crammed too many planes -- and small planes -- onto New York runways.

Well, at least we have a scapegoat. Under an auction system, it seems like the bigger players would have a better shot at the primo slots, but nobody yet knows how this will all play out since it's never been done before. We'll keep an eye on the on-time rates after January 12, when the auction winners are announced.

[Photo: World Airport Codes]

Related Stories:
· Feds Go Forward With NYC Airport Experiment [AP via Yahoo! News]
· Airport Congestion Coverage [Jaunted]]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-11T15:08:59-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/11/141110/35

The U.S. government-owned passenger rail company known as Amtrak is finally having its moment in the sun. After more than three decades as a money-losing symbol of government waste, bureaucratic ineptitude, and U.S. consumers' overwhelming preference for car travel, Amtrak's ridership is surging, bolstered by high gas prices and a growing distaste for short-distance air travel. While we here at Jaunted HQ are wary of calling this a watershed moment for U.S. train travel, it does represent an opportunity to reacquaint people with the joys of riding the rails - and might also be a rare opportunity to bring the 1970's-era rail line into the 21st century.

After the jump, a few ideas for Amtrak that just might be crazy enough to work. ]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-11T14:11:10-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/