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Amtrak

Amtrak Ridership Through the Roof: Time for Some New Ideas in U.S. Train Travel

October 11, 2008 at 2:11 PM | 1 Comment

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.

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St. Tropez

"Kristen" loves St. Tropez

March 14, 2008 at 2:20 PM | 2 Comments

We didn't think it was possible but St. Tropez just got a little sluttier. And no, Tara Reid wasn't involved. "Kristen" aka Ashley Alexandra Dupré aka Ashley Youmans posted photographs of her trip there last year. If you've been living under a rock you don't know that Ms. Dupré met the soon-to-be former governor for a tryst in a D.C. hotel room. In exchange for a few thousand dollars, she rode Amtrak from New York to Washington, D.C. to participate in a two-hour, um, rental.

But we're more interested in where she traveled to beside The Steamroller's pants. Last year, she wore what is clearly the obligatory wardrobe for the island--a white bikini--on a yacht in St. Tropez. Whether you're a high-priced call girl or an underpaid writer, St. Tropez is appealing. The region in Southern France actually has a few art museums, regattas, and festivals in addition to the expected celebrity fare. Maybe after Ashley's 15 minutes expire, she can head back. Just be careful Ashley, or you'll come back married to Pamela Anderson.

Related Stories:
· Pam Anderson Will Marry Anyone in St. Tropez [Jaunted]
· Spitz's Tryst [HotelChatter]

[Photo: Salon.com]