Another Right-Wing Blogger Stubs his Toe on Personal Rapid Transit

From the right-wing blog called Kool Aid Report:

"Eva Young and Ken Avidor Support Mass Genocide, Child Molestation and Bad Baseball Trades"

I guess that's what passes for right-wing humor these days... the desperate, nervous jibes of con-men, dripping with flop-sweat... trapped by their own con.

Why are right-wing bloggers like KAR's "Learned Foot" and Mitch "Grope-in-the-Dark" Berg so sensitive about PRT?

Perhaps its because they know that the cat is out of the bag when it comes to Representative Mark Olson and Senator Bachmann's boondoggle. They're attempting to stuff PRT down the memory hole, but that just won't work. Both Bachmann and Olson introduced PRT bills in several legislative sessions . Olson tried to attach a PRT amendment this month to HF2959, the Omnibus Capital Investment bill. Learned Foot and Mitch Berg may not be serious about PRT, but Olson and Zimmermann are still promoting their chairlifts for the masses scheme... and where is Bachmann on PRT these days? Mitch Berg and beer-sotted Learned Foot ought to find out.



Meanwhile, the PRT "Greens" are attempting to monkey-wrench LRT in Orange County just like the Zimmermann tried to do in Minneapolis.

Orange County Weekly Blog:

"Our cuddly little Greenies are fixing to discuss their big-view transportation solution: Personal Rapid Transit."

The PRT "system" they're talking about is Skytran... Skytran's promoters say that Skytran is 15 times cheaper than LRT because it can be built by a guideway-extruding robot. The inventor of Skytran also built the "Robosaurus". Read about it here:

Dump Bachmann Event In Saint Cloud April 26th

Eva and I were invited by the Saint Cloud State University College Democrats to talk about MIchele Bachmann and her Marriage Amendment. I said few words about Bachmann and Olson's PRT boondoggle.

Jim Huhtala was there and gave a short talk about why he was running for 16b. I was very impressed.

I've only met a few politicians who I felt I could support 100%. Jim Huhtala is one of them. He's articulate, progressive, smart with a lot of good old-fashioned common sense.

I hope the voters of 16b have the common sense to elect Jim Huhtala this fall.

This is funny.. in one SCSU hallway, Eva and I found this poster for the Dump Bachmann event next to a poster for... well... click on the thumbnail:

Only 2 More days...

That's right folks, only two more days before the Dump Bachmann Amendment Horror Show up in Saint Cloud. Event details From the announcement:
-----------

SCSU CollegeDemocrats Present:

The Bachmann Amendment Horror Show!

You are invited to attend a forum on the proposed Minnesota Same-Sex Marriage Amendment on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. in the Atwood Little Theatre, St. Cloud State University. 

This event is sponsored by the SCSU College Democrats and will feature two political activists: Eva Young and Ken Avidor

After the presentation, the College Democrats will meet at the Green Mill restaurant. 

Join us to discuss this important issue!

The event is free and open to the public.

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

The big topic will be Bachmann's Marriage Amendment and other theocratic horrors. I'll be on hand to answer questions about Olson and Bachmann's wacky Personal Rapid Transit boondoggle if they come up.

Here's more bad news for PRT... Portland gives failing grades
to Personal Rapid Transit.

I'm always learning new stuff about PRT. I received this e-mail today:

---------------------------
Hello,

You may be interested to know that there is a word in the Czech language spelled "prt". (The 'r' sounds like the French 'r').
The meaning, I think, you will find quite humourous, considering what you have written on your web page.
"Prt" means "fart".
Do you like it?
That's how I get to and from work. I just prt and I quickly move along. It takes about 250 prts to get to work.
My kids love this word.
Feel free to write back, if you want.

Jiri
---------------------------

Skytran - The Smoking Gun of PRT Absurdity

People often ask me for one simple, easy-to-understand example to explain why PRT is a hoax and a scam.

A lot of the people behind the Personal Rapid Transit scam are very web-savvy. Many of them are software designers. I've heard that least one of the gadgetbahners is one of those rich ex-Microsoft geeks.

So, it's not surprising that they are able to create flashy websites and use engineer jargon that reads like PRT is a genuine transportation technology. Most people are not transportation geeks like me, so It's very frustrating having to explain what "headway" and "capacity" mean. People need the obvious "smoking gun" example that shows just how ridiculous PRT is.

I've found it... it's called Skytran.

I've created an entire page on my website for Skytran...the "smoking gun" of PRT absurdity.

On that Skytran page, I mention ATRA (the Advanced Transportation Association). Mark Olson mentioned ATRA last week when he failed to attach his silly PRT amendment to HF2959, the Omnibus Capital Investment bill.

Right-Wing Blogger Continues to Have a Cow Over Cartoons

Following my report over at the Dump Bachmann Blog about Mark Olson's pathetic plea on the House floor for a Personal Rapid Transit amendment that was denounced by four representatives, including one Republican and voted down 26 to 107, the right-wing blogger, Mitch Berg stomped over to complain that he was being "lumped in" with gadgetbahners Olson, Bachmann and Zimmermann. Mitch said, "No, Avidor. I could care less about your little short-bus noodlings..."

I'm not the only cartoonist that disturbs Mitch (Talking-Points-Parrot) Berg .... he doesn't like Steve Sack either who Berg describes as "deeply dim".

Not to suggest that I'm in the same league as Steve Sack... one of the best political cartoonists in the nation (and an excellent painter too)... I just want make the point that it is a sign of desperation when fundies, flakes and political hacks go after cartoonists
:
"Then, Harper's Weekly began to publish satirical cartoons by Thomas Nast, featuring the Tweed Ring. In one cartoon, Tweed and gang, portrayed as big-bellied vultures, stood over a body labeled "New York." The caption read "Let Us Prey." Tweed did get upset about the cartoons. 'Stop those pictures!" Tweed roared. "I don't care so much about the papers. My constituents can't read. But they can't help seeing them ... pictures!'"

Berg Blogs Against Personal Rapid Transit ...Finally

So the right-wing parrot over at Grope in the Dark has finally squawked on his blog that he doesn't like Olson & Bachmann's PRT boondoggle. I'll keep my word and from now on the parrot is gone from the Pod Squad picture. In place of the parrot is J. Edward Anderson, the guru of PRT.



Unfortunately, the parrot had to squawk a few right-wing talking points... that LRT is "engineering society" and that LRT systems "lose money". So here's the parrot, eyes wide open, parroting the tired, old, right-wing anti-LRT talking points that have become nearly as much of a joke as PRT.



It will be interesting to see if other right-wing bloggers join Mitch Berg in denouncing Olson & Bachmann's PRT boondoggle.

More Bad News for PRT and Mark Olson/Berg Has a Cow

Portland give failing grades
to Personal Rapid Transit.



Right-winger blogger Mitch Berg had a cow about being "lumped in" with the gadgetbahners in the picture above. Mitch Berg has blog called Grope in the Dark or something like that. If Mitch Berg blogs his opposition to PRT I will change the picture. If Berg continues to keep quiet about the right-wingers and their PRT boondoggle, the sleepy parrot stays right where it is.

Watch Rep. Mark Olson Promote His Silly PRT Boondoggle

Go to the House Television Archives on the House website.

House floor session - after recess
Wednesday, April 12 2006

Or if you want to go there directly, click here.

Olson tries to amend HF2959 (Dorman) Omnibus Capital Investment bill... he fails three times. The last amendment is the PRT amendment- A27.

It's about 1 hour and 38 minutes into the proceedings.

Olson looks pathetic as he pushes Personal Rapid Transit. Olson's voice rises in pitch to a nervous falsetto as he trots out all the old tired gadgetbahn selling points. He mentions the University. He rails against Parsons Brinkerhoff... the representatives heard all of that before. Representive Hausman says she's heard it all twenty years ago. Olson's PRT amendment is voted down 26 to 107.

I hope the voters of 16b watch Olson make a perfect fool of himself.

David Barton & Michele Bachmann Coming to Big Lake

That's the news from Bachmann's campaign website.

David Barton promotes fabricated quotes by the Founding Fathers about this country being a Christian Nation.

----------

David Barton to Support Senator Bachmann in the Sixth Congressional District
Contact: Jon Dean
Michele Bachmann for U.S. Congress
Phone: 612-781-2897
Cell: 612-386-9505
jon@michelebachmann.com For Immediate Release

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

BIG LAKE, MINN. (April 11th, 2006) - David Barton is coming to
Minnesota's sixth district to support Michele Bachmann in her run for U.S. Congress. The nationally known author and American historian has endorsed Senator Bachmann in her congressional race and will be speaking at the Bridgeview Assembly of God Church in Big Lake on Tuesday, April 18th. The title of his speech is "God, Government and Good Citizenship."

"I'm excited for David to come speak in the sixth district and honored by his endorsement and support," said Bachmann. "He is a fantastic and insightful writer."


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

Read more about Barton, Bachmann and Representative Mark Olson on the Edwatch website.

Olson's Silly Personal Rapid Transit Amendment

From the House Journal for the 12th of April, 2006:

Olson moved to amend H. F. No. 2959, the second engrossment, as amended, as follows:
Page 32, delete lines 15 to 17 and insert:
"(a) For design, environmental studies, and preliminary engineering in the Central Corridor Transitway, if the study and analysis requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) are met. Journal of the House - 89th Day - Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - Top of Page 6648
(b) The Metropolitan Council must approve a study and analysis of transit options, including personal rapid transit (PRT), express bus transit, and light rail transit. A published report of a recent study done of any Central Corridor Transitway transit mode may satisfy this study and analysis requirement for the listed transit option. The study and analysis must:
(1) determine the effectiveness and viability of each transit option;
(2) specifically address whether the Central Corridor Transitway would be a cost-effective and viable site for the PRT option; and
(3) contain an unbiased analysis that is not performed by any party or organization that has a conflict of interest.
(c) The Metropolitan Council must give serious unbiased and objective consideration to implementing PRT, and must ensure that consultants or other persons with expertise in PRT systems, and associated national or international organizations such as the Advanced Transit Association, are consulted and utilized at each phase of the study and analysis. "
Page 32, line 18, before " This " insert " (d) "
A roll call was requested and properly seconded.
The question was taken on the Olson amendment and the roll was called. There were 26 yeas and 107 nays as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative were:
Anderson, B.
Bradley
Buesgens
Demmer
Eastlund
Emmer
Erickson
Hackbarth
Heidgerken
Holberg
Hosch (DFL)
Knoblach
Krinkie
Marquart (DFL)
Nelson, P.
Nornes
Olson
Ozment
Smith
Soderstrom
Sykora
Urdahl
Vandeveer
Wardlow
Westrom
Wilkin

Only two DFLers voted for Olson's silly amendment. PRT is a big albatross around the Republicans' necks... just wait until Dean Zimmermann goes on trial in July.



Learn more about the PRT scam at the PRT is a Joke web site.

Olson Fails to Attach PRT Amendment to Northstar Bonding Bill

My source at the Capitol just called to let me know that Rep. Mark Olson tried to attach a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) amendment to the Northstar bonding bill. The amendment was voted down 26 to 107.

I was told that Mark Olson said he was going to try to get the Met Council to support PRT. I will try to get an audio of that.

I will have the roll call and more info on this vote later.

Your Tax Dollars Help Promote Mark Olson's PRT Boondoggle

The Living Green Expo is sponsored by the State of Minnesota.

This year the Citizens for Personal Rapid Transit (CPRT) will be at the Living Green Expo. They are not "green" at all, but an anti-transit front organization that promotes Olson's PRT boondoggle.

Last year the CPRT broke IRS law by electioneering on behalf of Dean Zimmermann and other PRT-promoting candidates. I picked up this flyer for Representative Mark Olson at a CPRT meeting in Saint Louis Park a while back:


I heard that the Dean Zimmermann was at the CPRT booth last year arguing with a transit advocate. It would be interesting if Zimmermann volunteers at the CPRT table this year.

It's outrageous that the State of Minnesota and other sponsors like Aveda and the Alliance for Sustainability are helping to give Mark Olson's boondoggle credibility during an election year.

Please complain about this...addresses and phone numbers here.



Learn more about the PRT scam at the PRT is a Joke web site.

How Many Chances Do These Personal Rapid Transit Flim-Flammers Get?

Whenever and wherever cities think about getting or improving rail transit, the PRT guys show up...this time it's Wellington, New Zealand.
----------------------

Pod people

There was quite a media splash at the weekend from promoters of an "ULTra pod" Personal Rapid Transit ( PRT ) system. They want the council to fund a $1m study towards a 6km elevated central-city loop of 4-seater electric "pods" that are claimed to offer the best aspects of both personal and public transport. They would be cheaper than taxis, more space-efficient than personal cars, and unlike trains or buses, would deliver you straight to your chosen destination without stopping along the way.

I remember being excited about these when I saw a display about them at Sydney's Powerhouse museum about 5 years ago. But since then, I've seen a lot of less appealing information about them. There's even a site called PRT is a Joke that goes so far as to claim that PRT is either a scam or a "stalking horse" for the road lobby:

"PRT proponents can say things that the highway boosters could never say, such as "people don't like to ride with strangers". This anti-transit propaganda divides and conquers the opposition to highway projects."

While I haven't studied the subject in enough detail to examine such extreme claims, the proposal certainly has a whiff of Ogdenville, North Haverbrook, and Brockway about it, and there are some real issues with PRT. For example, the promoters claim a capacity eight times that of buses and four times light rail. But this seems to be based upon the unrealistic assumptions that the pods would always be full and that they could run three seconds apart at 40km/h. If you're promoting this on the basis of not having to ride with strangers, then imagine how much more uncomfortable it would be to be stuck in a tiny pod with them than in a bus! So 2 people per pod seems like a more reasonable average. Also, running pods that close together wouldn't allow for safe stopping distances: a more sceptical analysis suggests that 15 seconds is a more realistic headway. Thus, their capacities seem to be inflated by a factor of about ten, and any advantage over more proven modes disappears....

Read more here

Another account of ULTra's flop in Wellington, NZ: "The idea of having a $50 million monorail built in Wellington has been suggested by businessmen Richard Hoag and Mark Hattersley. The overall reaction from the Regional and City Councils was, well, lukewarm at best."



Learn more about the PRT scam at the PRT is a Joke web site.

Dump Bachmann Event In Saint Cloud April 26th

The SCSU Democrats are hosting a Dump Bachmann (and Dump Mark Olson) event at SCSU on Wednesday, April 26. We'll have more information next week. Here's the flyer:

"...his tactics are worthy of the Gestapo."

The following e-mails were sent to a Green Party list. The writers are Jenny Heiser, wife of former Councilman Dean Zimmermann. David Shove, a prominent Green and PRT proponent and Amy Fink, a director with the CPRT.

Reporters should ask Rep. Mark Olson why he promotes PRT with people like this.

-----------

From: Jenny Heiser <----->
To: discuss@mngreens.org
Subject: Alternative Press ... Cavlan Campaign & Pulse Newspaper

Lydia --

There are very few people whom I personally and professionally
despise but Ken Avidor is top-most in my very short list. For what
it's worth, count me out as a contributor and reader of TC Daily. His
agenda is highly suspect and his tactics are worthy of the Gestapo.
In other words, Ken suffers from what might be called "little man's
disease."

I'm so very sorry to see that you have connected with him. But
perhaps the connection won't last for long ... every publication he's
been involved with locally: TC Reader, Southside Pride, PULSE have
severed that involvement. I understand that initially he comes off as
an intelligent, compelling personality. As someone who cares about
you, just watch your back, Lydia.

Jenny

Jenny Heiser
-----------

Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 14:37:18 -0600 (CST)
From: David Shove <----->
To: discuss@mngreens.org
Subject: Re: Alternative Press ... Cavlan Campaign & Pulse Newspaper

Ken Avidor's pro-LRT anti-PRT line gets heard all the time. The big
interests like LRT, and are threatened by PRT, and so is Avidor. Say
PRT and watch Avidor go ballistic.

I heard a well-known local source this week say LRT is not MASS
transit; that even if it had many lines thru the area, it would
handle only 3% of the commuters. 3%. That's ELITE transit.

Busses and PRT are MASS transit, this source said.

Developers want LRT for TIF and condos and eminent domain. Chains and
big boxes want LRT because 18-month construction will put small
businesses out of business, opening the land for them.

Building trades wants LRT because it costs so much more in labor
hours to build it.

Fossil fuel magnates want it, because cars will take longer to get by
all the crossings, thus using more oil and gas.

LRT creates islands of privilege - by the rare stops, land values up
as yuppies move to the new condos and cops kick "disreputable
looking" people out of their way.

Where is the balancing pro-PRT writer on the Planet?

David Shove

-----------

Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 19:21:15 EST
From: Amy Fink <----->
To: discuss@mngreens.org
Subject: Re: Transit (was: Alternative Press...)

He has another blog called PRT Skeptic. Whenever PRT comes up in any
article or letter to the editor or blog or any media anywhere in the
nation, there is Ken Avidor tossing in the same disproven arguments
against it. When someone disagrees with him, he goes into personal
attack mode. He goes after PRT like it's his full time job.

Amy Fink
-----------

Administrator Brings Reality to Wacky Wikipedia PRT Article

From Light Rail Now:

For years, Gadgetbahn zealots of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) have spread their anti-rail, anti- transit message via the Wikipedia Personal Rapid Transit entry webpage which has ranked quite high on Google searches of PRT issues.

No longer. Now, writes Ken Avidor, a Minneapolis cartoonist and creator of the PRT Is a Joke website, "A Wikipedia 'administrator' is shaking things up on the Wikipedia PRT page."

Read more here.

"Unlike my opponent, I know the earth is much older than 5000 years. "

Jim Huhtula's excellent convention speech.