Letter to the Editor Denounces "Mark Olson's Tyrannical World"

LTE in the Sherburne County Citizen:

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Letters to the Editor

To The Editor,

This letter is in reference to the article, "Family Dynamics Prove Destructive" by Bob Grawey, which appeared on the front page of the Star News, Aug. 15.

In this interview with Heidi Olson, estranged wife of recently convicted Rep. Mark Olson (R), Heidi made a revealing contention. She indicated that Mark Olson conducts his family life much like he conducts his politics...with a complete lack of diplomacy and compromise.

Mark Olson has to be in charge and in control, even if the family suffers as a result. Apparently in Mark Olson's tyrannical world, everyone from family to constituents are there just to nod their empty little heads in support of Mark Olson; much like those bobble headed plastic dolls. I wonder what part of that set-in-stone, mindset Rep. Mark Olson thinks falls the description of "representative"?

At what point did we begin to allow politicians like Mark Olson become the niggardly, narrow, invasive voice in our head instead of a spokesperson on behalf of the people? And why do we still allow it?

Good for Heidi for having the courage to put the welfare of her children first. Do we the people have the same pluck and prudence?

Mary Helen Taft

Zimmerman, MN

Why did J. Edward Anderson, CEO of the Taxi 2000 Corporation choose this "niggardly, narrow, invasive voice" to promote Personal Rapid Transit (PRT)?


Ken Avidor blogs about the "niggardly, narrow, invasive voices" that promote Personal Rapid Transit (PRT)

Rep. Mark Olson Criticizes Reporter

Rep. Mark Olson's LTE in the Star News:

Rep. Olson: It has been a devastating time but faith, memories can help heal
 
This has been a terribly grievous and devastating time for our family, but we still have so much to be thankful for. We have our faith and a lot of wonderful memories that can help us heal.

...Olson talks about a family he married into as his own... a family he abused!!!



With respect to last week’s article by Mr. Bob Grawey, the trial that I wish could have been avoided is now over.

...Olson could have avoided the trial by pleading guilty.

This article presents quite a different picture than what was presented in the trial. Regardless of any accuracies or inaccuracies in this article, I will not re-engage in another public trial, which like the last one is designed to destroy our wonderful family even more.

Before publishing last week’s article, Mr. Grawey contacted me for an interview about issues other than the trial. He then wrote an article about everything but the issues that I was contacted about.

—Mark Olson, Big Lake

My sources in Sherburne County tell me Olson and his supporters intend to sling mud at Heidi right up to Election Day.


Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transport and Personal Rapid Transit (PRT)

Rep. Mark Olson; Size Matters

A video visit to Rep Mark Olson's campaign web site:



Ken Avidor blogs about the liars who promote Personal Rapid Transit (PRT).

Has Rep. Mark Olson Ever Read the Bible?

... or does he just throw it at people?

SC Times Letter:

Olson misunderstands Bible he claims to follow

By Laurel Resman, Milaca

District 16B Rep. Mark Olson was recently convicted of domestic assault with intent to cause fear. I am a devout born again Christian, and it disturbs me that Olson makes excuses for his self-indulgent actions and his abusive behavior under the guise of being the head of a Christian household.

The Bible does not give free reign to the husband to dominate and intimidate his wife. Rather, the Bible enjoins us to, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21).

The Bible also goes on to instruct the husband, "Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy" (Ephesians 5:25).

Further, in regard to children, fatherhood is not an excuse to rule with an iron fist and absolute oppression. Rather fathers are commanded: "Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4).

Olson has used the Bible to belittle and subjugate his wife and children. He erroneously acts upon the distorted belief that a wife's submission to her husband means that the husband has every right to forcibly, if not brutally, force his will in all things.

Olson makes a mockery of Christianity and the Bible, which reminds us that, "Love does not insist on its own way and it is not self-seeking" (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Saint Cloud Times Says Rep. Mark Olson Should Resign

Very good editorial in the SC Times:

Our view: Olson does not belong at Capitol anymore

Times Editorial Board

He continues to claim he committed no crime despite a jury's conviction and a judge's sentence. He's repeatedly said "no" to a not-so-subtle request from leaders of his (former) political party to resign. Not to mention he wouldn't even talk issues with this editorial board in his last election bid.

Clearly, District 16B House Rep. Mark Olson is a denial machine. So we make this request in the wake of his criminal conviction and recent sentencing for causing his wife fear of bodily harm: Resign your legislative seat immediately.

Presuming yet another denial, we make this request of District 16B voters: Do not re-elect him, should he seek a ninth term in November 2008.
Why our formal call for his immediate resignation supplanted with a nonendorsement in an election 14 months away?

Well, just from the perspective of legislative representation, we believe Olson no longer embodies an effective approach, especially for a fast-growing district such as 16B, the geographic heart of Sherburne County.
While he once held some appeal as a "maverick" legislator, he's really yielded few tangible results considering he's served the district since 1992. And now that he's lost the support of his own party, he's truly become a nonfactor in Minnesota's two-party system.

Really, though, Olson should resign because of his obsession with denial.
The news coverage of the entire domestic abuse case involving he and his wife, Heidi, consistently shows a man who never even offers the slightest hint he did something wrong. He doesn't seem to understand that physical reactions in emotional situations are the textbook definition of abuse and assault. Not to mention such responses are criminal.

Indeed, aside from his unsubstantiated claims of him being the victim, he seems most upset by how the whole situation put his family in the spotlight.

Funny. If he was so concerned about the impact on his family, why did he adopt legal strategies that included multiple delays for trial dates? Or why is he talking about keeping the court case alive through appeals?
Such actions seem only destined to contribute to more public attention on family matters, not less.

But we digress. Ultimately, Olson and his wife, Heidi, who is seeking a divorce, clearly had a troubled four-year marriage.
That in itself is sad, but not a crime. However, the judicial system determined Olson did commit a crime, one certainly serious enough to warrant his immediate resignation.

Assuming he doesn't offer it, district voters must elect someone else come next November. They need a strong, credible voice grounded in reality.
Olson doesn't meet that standard at any level any more.

Not only did Olson abuse his wife, he abused his staff and he abuses the legislature with his idiotic rants and endless blatherings.

Will Olson and his right-wing allies continue to abuse the taxpayers of MInnesota by insisting they subsidize Olson's multi-million dollar, totally ridiculous PRT boondoggle?



H/T Blue man in a Red district.
Ken Avidor blogs about the crackpots and scoundrels that promote Personal Rapid Transit and other gadgetbahn scams.

Mark Olson's Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle

Jailbirds Rep. Mark Olson and Dean Zimmermann are featured in this video:


Ken Avidor makes videos about Personal Rapid Transit and other gadgetbahn scams.

Heidi Olson Tells Her Side of the Story

Rep. Mark Olson was sentenced today...

The West Central Tribune:

ELK RIVER, Minn. (AP) - State Rep. Mark Olson was sentenced to two years on probation and must pay nearly $400 in fines and court costs but will not have to serve jail time for his misdemeanor domestic assault conviction, a judge said Thursday. Sherburne County District Judge Alan Pendleton also stayed a 90-day jail sentence.

Here's video from the courthouse in Elk River:

Heidi Olson Challenges Rep. Mark Olson's Allegations of Abuse

Heidi Olson at last gets to tell her side of the story to Bob Grawey in the Star News.

The popular board game Monopoly turned out to be the breaking point for Rep. Mark Olson and his wife, Heidi. The game was meant as an occasion for Olson to bond with Heidi’s 13-year-old son who has autism. Instead, it turned into the event that ultimately led to Olson’s arrest and trial for domestic assault.

How could a simple board game lead to such a devastating end? Answers can be found in looking closer at family dynamics that led to the Nov. 12, 2006, incident in which Heidi says Olson threw her to the ground three times.

.... because Rep. Mark Olson is way into rules:

Even though marriage started out on a happy note for the couple, it did not take long for things to sour. For Olson, a first-time marriage at 48 years old included being a parent for the first time to five children, one of them with autism.

Coupled with these dynamics, Heidi says Olson’s biblical interpretation of Scripture became a major source of contention in their home and marriage.

Heidi maintains Olson’s biblical interpretation of the man being the head of the home meant that Olson has total control of everything in the home, and that her role was to merely support whatever decisions he made.

The biggest conflict, she says, was about parenting issues, discipline in particular. She adds that Olson did not feel she responded quickly enough or hard enough in disciplining her kids.

“My opinions regarding raising children, or how I felt something should be done, were not going to be listened to,” Heidi says. “He had an idea of how it should be done, and he really wanted it to be done that way.”

At first Heidi went along with the way Olson wanted things, but when she saw how harsh things became, she says she wanted to regroup and tell him his ideas of running a family and a  marriage were not working for her. He would not concede, though.

“He saw any input I wanted to have on disciplining my own children—my biological children—as being disrespectful to him,” Heidi says.

Olson conducted family life much like politics, Heidi contends. She says the politician, husband and father saw issues as black or white, right or wrong. But politics did not work in a blended family situation, she says  in which diplomacy and compromise was needed.

Olson’s harsh disposition was particularly egregious concerning Heidi’s autistic son. When the boy would make a mistake about something, Heidi says Olson would not overlook the error even though it might be petty.

Such was the case when Olson was playing Monopoly with the 13-year-old.

“My  son with autism had paid the wrong price for a hotel,” Heidi recalls, “and because Mark deals with everything as either right or wrong, he had to correct him on the price of the hotel. It became an issue and I received a call from my son saying ‘Mark just won’t let it go. I don’t know what to do.’”

Heidi instructed her son to  stop playing the game and go to his room and read a book, or he could apologize for paying the wrong price and continue playing the game. The boy apologized and continued playing, but apparently Olson would not let it go.

“My son started hitting himself because he became so frustrated with Mark, and he thought Mark was harassing him,” Heidi says. “So he started hitting himself in the head, and hitting at Mark.”

Several days passed since the incident, and whenever Heidi tried talking to Olson about how her son needed to be handled, he refused to talk about it.

“These kinds of kids have a quicker breaking point than most other kids,” Heidi explains. “You just don’t harass them about stuff that isn’t a big deal. You learn how to talk to them.”

... but she soon learned that Rep. Mark Olson has a quicker breaking point Olson’s arrest:

Heidi was still upset that Olson would not discuss the Monopoly game incident with her, and days later when he arrived at the house to take measurements for a new garage, she told him to leave. When he tried to enter the house, she stood in the doorway blocking his entry, refusing to move. Heidi says he then threw her to the ground and jumped on top of her.

“I did not scuffle with him,” Heidi claims. “I stood there with my arms crossed. His sweater did get ripped, though, when I tried to grab hold of something as he threw me down.”

It was this same incident that Olson allegedly said, “You’ve taken everything from me. I have nothing to lose,” according to Heidi.

Heidi says Olson was referring to his belief that she had not allowed him to be the head of the house he believed was his biblical right.

The physical conflict worsened. Olson threw Heidi down a second time, and after yet another show of force from Olson sent her to the floor, Heidi felt she had to escape.

“The third time he threw me to the ground, and when he started saying he “didn’t have anything to lose” and “come over here and let me finish you off,” then I became afraid of him,” Heidi says.

She ran back into the house to get away from him, according to her account of the physical assault. This incident was the basis for court proceedings conjecture during Olson’s trial, detailing a marriage that had gone bad.

Rather than calling 911, though, Heidi called her sisters and Olson’s brother. Heidi was afraid Olson might take his own life after driving down a path leading into the woods, particularly after saying he had nothing to lose.

While Olson’s brother tried talking to him, one of Heidi’s sisters called 911. It was the fourth separate occasion Olson had forcefully thrown Heidi down She says, though, that he never hit her.

Through all the marital conflicts, Heidi says she and Olson sought marriage counseling three times and pastoral counseling twice. She also asked for help from both of the couple’s families in attempts to get answers to their marital issues.

...Heidi considers herself a political scapegoat...

When Olson was arrested and standing trial for two counts of misdemeanor domestic assault, Heidi says things became even more unbearable. She feels Olson’s efforts to save his political career hinged on making her seem like the abuser instead of the victim.

“The trial was really all about vilifying me to get Mark off,” Heidi claims.

What hurt Heidi and her children the most, though, she claims, was Olson’s allegations that her autistic son  abused him, and that he was afraid of the 13-year-old boy.

“How far do you need to go to save your job?” Heidi states. “Who do you need to sacrifice?”

The marriage to Olson and the trial that ensued was hard on Heidi’s five children as well. Heidi says her two youngest kids are in counseling because of the ordeal.

... the story ends with Heidi's strugle with divorce and forgiveness...

Even though the couple’s divorce is imminent, Olson has stated publicly that he wants to reconcile their marriage. But Heidi will have nothing to do with the notion.

“He totally crossed the line at the trial when he said I have the potential to kill him in his sleep,” Heidi says, and that he was afraid. I would never reconcile with Mark.”

Though Heidi says she still loves Olson and will miss some things about him, she will not put herself or her children through another hurtful or abusive situation.

Questioned about her public claim of forgiveness for Olson, Heidi admits she is still working on it.

“I can forgive him, but it doesn’t mean I have to invite him back into my home,” Heidi says. “Forgiveness for me means letting go of the need to punish him. It’s going to be more of a journey than an event.”

... Heidi Olson and her family seem like nice people. Too nice to be subjected to Rep. Mark Olson's abuse. But, there are a lot of nice people out there who have to put up with Rep. Mark Olson's abuse... like elected representatives who will have to figure out a way to keep the Minnesota's bridges from falling down and killing people. How easy will that be with Rep. MArk Olson ranting about Global Warming and Personal Rapid Transit?

It doesn't look like the Republicans will be able to kick Olson out of the legislature in the next session.... unless nice people... people who know about Rep. Mark Olson's promotion of PRT and other snarky activities come forward and tell their stories too.

If you have a story, the comments are open and my e-mail address is up at the top.

Ken Avidor blogs about Rep. Mark Olson, Personal Rapid Transit and other snary stuff.

Personal Rapid Transit in Arizona?

Interesting blog post about Skytran at Laurels and Lances:

To include PRT as a focal point of the analysis is simply ludicrous. PRT systems are not designed for mass transit, period. They are incapable of handling large passenger loads and are more suited for places like universities and large company complexes with many buildings spread out over hundreds of acres.

Wild and unsubstantiated claims on the SkyTran website such as SkyTran being able to "totally eliminate commuter congestion in any city" is literally false advertising and a complete misrepresentation of the product. Another claim of "SkyTran can END road congestion, car accidents and automobile air pollution" also state the impossible.

Where are the actual studies proving these claims? Not in-house computer projections or "what we believe" press releases but the actual independently conducted case study that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that SkyTran will totally eliminate 100% of the traffic congestion in any city? I already know the answer, there isn't any such study.

Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit in Arizona and elsewhere.

Michael Brodkorb Exposes Himself

Last week, Republican Party consultant Michael Brodkorb (Minnesota Democrats Exposed) was all over the internet last week warning Democrats not to engage in finger-pointing in the wake of the 35W Bridge collapse. Brodkorb now joins the chorus of mouth-breathers who are scapegoating Congressman Jim Oberstar for his advocacy for bicycling:

What do you think? Should we be focused on bike trails or highways?  In my opinion, it's all about priorities. In the aftermath of the 35-W bridge collapse, I think the public will be closely monitoring state spending and watching how politicians spend the taxpayers' money.  What should come first?  More bike trails or highways?

Nevermind that one of the first people on the scene of the bridge collapse was a bicyclist. (Listen to him tell how he rescued victims).

Bicycling is a viable mode of transportation.

If MDE wants make an issue out of a ridiculous mode of transportation, he need not look further than that perennial time-waster beloved by the right-wing of his own party "Personal Rapid Transit" (PRT).

For over thirty years, the Minnesota Legislature dinked around with PRT. In recent years, PRT lost the support of most DFLers and the cult has only a few acolytes remaining among extremists in the MN GOP (Michele Bachmann, Mark Olson) and the lunatic fringe in the Green Party (Dean Zimmermann, Michael Cavlan)

Michael Brodkorb claims he doesn't know anything about PRT. I suggest he ask The Taxpayers League's President Phil Krinkie who told me he was an ardent supporter of PRT in 2006. Here's a list of representatives who voted for one of Rep. Mark Olson's PRT amendments voted down 26 to 107 on April 12, 2006:

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


And Michael Brodkorb can see for himself what a joke PRT is in this You Tube video featuring the Bible-hurling Rep. Mark Olson:



Ken Avidor blogs about Bible-hurling Republicans who promote Personal Rapid Transit.

Another PRT Boondoggle in Mesa, Arizona

PRT keeps popping up in places like Mesa, Arizona:

The Arizona Republic:

'Jetsons'-like SkyTran system is 'pipe dream'

Jerry Spellman thinks it's about time Mesa met the future.

"The future," as seen in generations of TV shows and comic books, is a time when people whisk around modernistic cities in modernistic conveyances without having to worry about traffic jams and bus or train schedules. The future is clean, energy-efficient and cheap. Spellman thinks the future should be now.

That's why the Mesa resident has spent the past decade serving without pay as the Arizona coordinator for Unimodal, a California company promoting a transit system called SkyTran.

"The technology is here. We're finally at the point where we can actually demonstrate it," Spellman said. He believes Mesa would be a great place for that because the city is not yet locked in to its long-range transit options.

Spellman is waiting for Mesa's official answer to a proposal SkyTran floated this spring to build a 25-mile line between the light-rail terminus on Main Street and Williams Gateway Airport in southeast Mesa.

The cost: $225 million.

SkyTran figured Mesa could kick in $150 million from its share of regional transportation funds, and SkyTran would dig up the rest from transit-oriented lines of credit. Spellman said the money is but a fraction of what it would cost to lay light rail along that same route.

... and the reason Skytran promoters give for being cheaper than LRT? They say... and I'm not kidding... Skytran uses a guideway-extruding robot.... and what do the professionals say?

Kyle Jones, chairman of the City Council's transportation and infrastructure committee, said the idea is more "pipe dream" than reality.

"We're always willing to take a look," Jones said. "But . . . we just can't expend money for something that's an unknown. They'll partner with us for a test deal? We just can't gamble with funds that way. People criticize us enough already."

... and...

Mike James, Mesa's senior transportation planner, said SkyTran "is an idea on the Internet, but that's about the only place it exists."

... and...

James said that probably won't happen.

"We're really focusing in on what the federal government would call proven technologies," James said.

And as far as personal transportation, he said, "We as a city already have a good personal transportation system in our road network."

I would like to hear Rep. Mark Olson explain why he thought investing millions of taxpayers' dollars in his "pipe dream" was a good idea when repairs to the existing transportation infrastructure were in desperate need of funding.

UPDATE: I contacted Jerry Spellman yesterday and requested he verify that Skytran received a grant from US DOT. This is his reply:

Dear Ken:

Who are you? What are your affiliations? And why do you want these"documents or links?" Aren't you the guy that keeps posting BS aboutSkyTran on Wikipedia? If you are, go FYS. If not, let's talk about it. SkyTran, as a private enterprise, owes nothing to you. I suggest that you contact either USDOT and/or NASA for the information you seek.

Jerry Spellman

I did a search and this is the only thing I found.



Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit and other gadgetbahn boondoggles like Skytran.

Rep. Mark Olson Sentencing Scheduled for August 16th

... but I may not be able to post the sentence until the 17th.

Until then, let's watch a video of Rep. Mark Olson promoting his favorite transportation boondoggle:



Ken Avidor blogs about convicted criminals who promote Personal Rapid Transit.

Rep. Mark Olson's Snarky Land Deal

In response to the collapse of the 35W bridge, the Governor says he may hold a special session to pass a gas tax.

If the last session is any guide, that obnoxious, bible-hurling, gadgetbahning nutjob from Big Lake will be wasting everyone's time with endless rants about "character" and the "founding Fathers".

It sounds like the DFL is content to let Olson hang like a rotting, stinking albatross around the GOP neck until election 2008.

ECM's Tim Budig reports that Republicans may lodge an ethics complaint against Olson. Olson's misdemeanor is not enough to deprive him of his seat in the House.

If House Minority Leader Marty Seifert really wants to get rid of Olson, he should look around for more stuff besides Olson's minor conviction for terrorizing his wife. First there's Zimmermann and Olson's attempt to fleece taxpayers with their Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) scam...

... and there's this snarky land deal Olson was involved in.

Back in 2003, Olson signed a purchase agreement for a property in Oak Park. The agreement was contingent on the buyer establishing that the lot was 20 acres and the buyer (Olson) could build on it.

Apparently, the problem was most of the property was swampy. So the owner it seems, found a surveyor who was able to come up with a property line agreeable to Mark Olson's specifications.

The guy on the other side of the property wasn't too happy about the new property line and the dispute landed in court.

Rep. Mark Olson who would rather throw a Bible than read it, obviously follows the Republican Ten Commandments... especially the Tenth Republican Commandment:

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods. Hell, no. Just go in and take it."

Green Party PRTista David Shove Uses Bridge Tragedy to Bash Central Corridor LRT

When someone posted a Pioneer Press story about improvements needed to make the Washington Avenue bridge strong enough to support the Central Corridor LRT line, Green Party PRTista David Shove chimed in with this post:

PRT pods weigh MUCH less (1500 lbs I recall) and so would require NO bridge upgrade.

LRT - the more it costs, the more the contractors and building trades love

it. It's all about taking the money and running.

PRT, not LRT!

David Shove is also an outspoken supporter of convicted felon, Dean Zimmermann.


Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit and other gadgetbahn scams.

ULTra PRT Partner BAA Bullies Heathrow Environmental Protestors

BAA promotes its phony ULTra PRT project as "environmental"....



"the PRT vehicles will emit no pollutants into the airport environment, they will use less energy and overall emit far less greenhouse gases than other forms of transport, and they will be much quieter, important to the local community.



.... BAA does not seem so caring of the environment or local communities as they they claim... from The Guardian:



'Bullying' BAA seeks Heathrow protest injunction.

The Heathrow operator, BAA, will today seek "the mother of all injunctions" at the high court to prevent thousands of people affiliated to environmental organisations from attending a protest at the airport.

BAA wants to ban the Camp for Climate Action demonstration planned at Heathrow from August 14 to 21.

The company says it wants to "protect the airport and the safety of passengers and staff against the planned direct action by environmental activists".

But environmental groups accuse BAA of "corporate bullying" designed to shut down peaceful protest.

"They are trying to bully over 5 million people who are critical of their plans to massively increase their output of greenhouse gases," said Joss Garman of the anti-aviation group Plane Stupid, one of the groups named in the BAA court action.

The injunction application, seen by the Guardian, seeks to impose bans on people travelling on the Piccadilly line on the London Underground, on mainline trains and on motorways.

The London mayor, Ken Livingstone, has accused BAA of being "out of their skull" and paving the way for hardcore protesters to invade the climate action camp.

John Stewart, the chairman of the Heathrow anti-noise and anti-expansion organisation Hacan, said: "This is the mother of all injunctions.

"The aviation executives who dreamed up this one should be spending their time and money reducing the huge impact of aviation on the climate and local communities, instead of trying to put legal shackles on people who want to protest peacefully."

Heathrow has been targeted by climate change campaigners as the government prepares to start the formal process of building a third runway. The runway proposal is backed by ministers, airlines and business leaders but opposed by local residents and green activists, who say expansion will contravene environmental policy.

Like I always say... PRT is usually promoted where there is a plan for highway expansion... the same apparently is true for airport expansion.


Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit scams worldwide.