PRT is Bogus-Dump Mark Olson

NEW BLOG - The Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle

2009-10-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

Mark Olson is no longer in the MN legislature, but his boondoggle lives on...

Read the latest, goofy PRT news at The Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle blog.

It's Final: Rep. Mark Olson Dumped

2008-11-05T14:32:00.000-08:00

Right-wing bloggger and Michele Bachmann fan Andy Aplikowski:

Officially disgraceful Republican Mark Olson is guilty of another indiscretion of abusing a great woman. Yep, he cost Allison Krueger and the Republicans a State Senate seat. He and his band of self obsessed people in SD16 decided they would run a write in campaign with absolutely no chance of winning.

Well guess what, Olson got a lowsy 316 stinking votes. But that’s not the problem, the Republican on the ballot, Allison Krueger, lost by just 89 votes.

Triple A's rant about Olson continues...

Yes, that’s right. Mark Olson and his buddies up in SD16 caused the Republican candidate to lose. I hope they are excommunicated from all ties to the Republican party. I hope Mark Olson never shows his face at a Republican event, and if he has the nerve, and I am there, I will not be responsible for my actions. (no violence on my part, but oh boy there will be one hell of a scene)

I hope you are proud of yourselves, Olson, Wilson, and crew. Your little collective tantrum up there is now going to cost us a ton of money next election. You took a Republican district and made it Democrat. Yes, YOU caused the Republican loss. Now we (the Republicans who understand how the Legislature really works) are going to have to spend a ton of money to knock off the Dem in 2010.

Way to go asshats, you took out one of our own.

Payback is a bitch, but don’t worry, you have yours coming soon.

Whew!

I will leave this blog up in case he runs again.

The Dump Mark Olson Blog Going Back Into Mothballs

2008-09-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

Since the Ithaca Podcar Conference flopped and Rep. Mark Olson's write-in campaign is heading toward likely defeat in November, I'm not going to be wasting time following the pathetic antics of Rep. Mark Olson or his pals the Personal Rapid Transit pod people anymore.

I've closed the comments again so I don't have to bother removing the comments of PRT trolls.

If readers have some really important tips they can still contact me at my g-mail account on my profile like PRT booster Larry Fabian did recently:

Lawrence Fabian to me

How was the Ithaca conference a "bust"?

See the NYT piece on LIRR worker abuse? Like them union types, Mr. Ken?

Lawrence J. Fabian
Trans.21 Boston
www.airfront.us

Yeah, right Larry... let's replace the Long Island Railroad with automated non-union pods... I can really see that happening.

As for the puff piece in the Metro section of the NY Times... we've seen those before... the Jetsons meme, Morgantown, the vague descriptions of studies and projects here and there:

“I think all of the major players were at the conference with their ears wide open,” Mr. Roberts said. “They said they are very interested and looking forward to learning more.”

His group, Connect Ithaca, is now working on the next step: applying for a $75,000 grant from the State Energy Research and Development Authority to study how a pod car system could reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled in Ithaca. Mayor Carolyn K. Peterson said city officials would wait for the study’s findings before going any further.

Connect Ithaca's website is still down... and Connect Ithaca wants $75,000 of the taxpayers' money for a study?... New York could save the taxpayers that money and just download the PDF of the study of PRT that New Jersey wasted money on last year.

Or maybe they can just go and take a look at the PRT going into the DestiNY Mall in Syracuse:

A transportation network that includes monorail and a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system will connect the complex to Hancock International Airport, the Inter-Modal Transportation Center, DestiNY USA and beyond.

..where else did I read that there is going to be a PRT at the DestiNY Mall?... oh yeah, Wikipedia.

No matter how many times Rep. Mark Olson or his "Jetsonesque" pod-transit scheme flops, they will always be in the news... how may chances do these guys get?

Podcar Conference a Bust

2008-09-17T11:30:00.001-07:00

The Pod People have been hyping their silly conference for months. The Catherine Burke opinion piece in the LA Times was the opening shot in what I thought would be a barrage of publicity. I'm sure they also expected to see some national publicity come out about the conference.

In the last few days... (crickets).

The Connect Ithaca web site is still down.

There was some very silly local TV news reports on the conference:

A notable absence from the conference was would-be PRT vendor Taxi 2000/Skyweb Express... not even mentioned on the vendor page.

Olson still links to Skyweb Express on his campaign website.

Here's Olson and the Taxi 2000 pod back in the days when both were riding high in the media spotlight:

Olson Files Paperwork for Write-in Campaign

2008-09-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

MPR reports that Olson has filed with the the Secretary of State’s office for a write-in campaign.

H/T MN Publius .

Is PRT also an Environmental Regulation-Busting Tool?

2008-09-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

The invasion of Ithaca, New York by PRT pod people continues (scroll down)... but this post is about the ongoing invasion by pod people in Alameda, CA.

I've documented how PRT has been used by anti-transit, road warriors like Rep. Mark Olson to block and delay funding for conventional transit, particularly commuter and light rail transit. Now, PRT is being used to bamboozle citizens in Alameda into scrapping Measure A, a ballot initiative aimed to regulate development.

Marc Albert in the Alameda Sun:

SunCal is scheduled to present more fleshed-out plans to city officials Sept. 19. The public, invited to weigh the merits of two potential scenarios, one with 4,000 units, the other with 6,000, continue to be alternately wowed by futuristic amenities including proposals for a solar power plant and monorail, yet dismissive of both options for running afoul of the city's anti-growth statute, Measure A.

The 1972 ballot initiative regulates lot size and forbids construction of housing units that would accommodate more than two families. The developer has put forward two potential options, both of which would require a ballot initiative, likely in 2009, that would waive Measure A at least at Alameda Point.

Instead of offering a real solution to the transportation needs of the people who move into those additional 2,000 units, Suncal offers an imaginary, snake-oil solution - PRT... CLEVER!!!

Suncal made it's case to the Alameda City Council on September 10th:

Traffic jams and empty storefronts were two of the main concerns of the City Council and the community at Wednesday's special meeting focused primarily on developer SunCal's latest concept for the former Navy base.

SunCal's 6,200-plus residential unit proposal included self-described "visionary" features: a possible "solar farm" to generate energy and heat; a Bus Rapid Transit system to encourage public transit use and ease traffic; and a Jetson-like Personal Rapid Transit system, which would shuttle people in small computerized electrical vehicles on an elevated roadway to transit hubs.

When pressed by Councilmember Doug DeHaan, the SunCal consultant conceded that the overhead roadway with the computerized vehicles may not be viable, but should it work out, it would be extended throughout the island. Developers in years past had extolled the virtues of a ski-lift-like gondola that would transport people back and forth across the estuary, and another proposal called for a BART system to do the same task underwater. Neither idea made it past the dream stage.

But, the fate of Suncal's project at Alameda Point may be already sealed by the collapse of Lehman Brothers:

Lehman invested heavily over the last few years in California's real-estate market through its financing of Irvine-based SunCal Companies.

The firm wrote down its investment in SunCal from $2.2 billion to $1.6 billion earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported.

UPDATE: Suncal denies they are in trouble.

Here's Suncal's presentation at the Alameda City Council September 10th:

Debbie Cook Does Not Appear at the Ithaca Podcar Conference

2008-09-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

Looks like Congressional candidate Debbie Cook will not appear at the Podcar Conference as the Podcar website claimed.

The current program says the following:

Video Message from Debbie Cook, Mayor of Huntington Beach and candidate for US Congress (D)

Why the "(D)" after her name It should not matter to a supposedly non-political group what party she belongs to. But matter it does since the Pod people are sweating that Republicans will be out of power in January and it is the anti-transit, right-wing fringe that Rep. Mark Olson comes from that supported PRT in Minnesota.

But, Gus Ayer was there... Gus from last year's Podcar conference:

Local TV News Coverage of Wacky Podcar Conference

2008-09-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hilarious... a bunch of Swedes and a local developer peddling PRT snake oil with a wacky "bubble and beams" CGI video. The developer Frost Travis predicts that Ithaca will be covered in bubbles and beams in ten years.... interesting that the website for Connect Ithaca website is down... is Jake Roberts still working for Connect Ithaca?

The Ithaca Podcar Conference

2008-09-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

Mark Olson's pals, the PRT Pod People are having a conference in Ithaca, NY this week. Get ready for more PRT hype like the Catherine Burke commentary in the LA Times and the Star Tribune sparking yet another Treehugger blog post about the pods and in the LA Times Bottleneck blog.

If last year's conference is any guide, the Pod People will be dissing traditional transit as much as talking about their non-existent cyberspace fantasy. Here's a video showing two of last years' Podcar Conference speakers bashing conventional transit... Ron Swenson described LRT as "parasitic".

Someone should ask Olson's old friend and legislative colleague Congresswoman Michele Bachmann whether she still supports the pods like she did in 2004.

Here are some questions I put on the Cornell Sun story's comments:

Who are the "generous sponsors" funding this Podcar Conference?

Why are traditional transit organizations not participating?

Why is a conference about the future of Ithaca's public transportation infrastructure charging citizens $90 and students $60 to attend?

Why did the Podcar Conference pick Jake Robert who has little or no expertise in transportation to host this conference? According to a recent Ithaca Journal article, Jake did a heckuva job running the Ithaca Festival (into the red).

Incidentally, Jake's Connect Ithaca website been down for days:

For laughs, watch this old KARE 11 report on PRT featuring Rep. Mark Olson....

They cut out the part where Olson declares PRT "the Microsoft of public transit"... watch it here.

Here's Olson wasting legislators time with one his failed PRT amendments:

Rep. Mark Olson Says "There is Corruption"... Where?

2008-09-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Edwards reports in the West Sherburne Tribune:

Olson says he is planning a write-in campaign in November and indicated he felt some votes were missing, uncounted from Orrock and Zimmerman.

"I'm filing the paperwork as we speak," he said Thursday. "People are very upset about how awful, how malicious their campaigning practices were. The only way to get it all out there is a continued campaign."

Olson blamed legislative leaders in St. Paul for contributing to his defeat, saying they cut him off at the knees with illegal campaign brochures.

"There is something wrong with this picture. Candidates who are brought and sold never represent the people. They represent the people who brought them," he said. "There is a cause here. there is corruption involved. Money and power are driving this. I have stood up against the influence of money more than anybody down there, Now I am paying the price."

Corruption? Really!?! I hope Olson contacts the FBI.

Public corruption is a serious problem according to the FBI:

Public corruption is one of the FBI’s top investigative priorities—behind only terrorism, espionage, and cyber crimes. Why? Because of its impact on our democracy and national security. Public corruption can affect everything from how well our borders are secured and our neighborhoods protected…to verdicts handed down in courts…to the quality of our roads and schools. And it takes a significant toll on our pocketbooks, too, siphoning off tax dollars.

Olson's PRT pod buddy Dean Zimmermann was investigated, tried and convicted of public corruption.

Speaking of PRT, there was a PRT-promoting commentary in the Star Tribune on Saturday. I left a comment about Olson and Zimmerman promoting the pods and it was removed. Here is the screenshot of the comment they removed:

I left a another comment that is still up:

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann Supported PRT

In 2004, Rep. Michele Bachmann co-sponsored legislation for PRT and promoted PRT with Rep. Mark Olson and former Minneapolis councilman Dean Zimmermann.... Does Rep. Michele Bachmann still support spending millions of taxpayers' dollars on PRT research?

While we are still on the subject of pods, check out hilarious blog post by Lyle Zapato about the podcar commentary (originally in the LA Times):

Benefits that monorail podcars have over traditional monorail trains are that when one bursts into flames, only four people will be roasted alive, and you won't be able to fit a frightened elephant inside one. Also, when they stall (and they will), you can get out and push.

Podcars are a poor mimicry of the superior Inteli-Tube pneumatic transportation system* and were designed to confuse the car-obsessed public into building more dangerous monorails.

"Olson Strikes Again!!!"

2008-09-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

Cory Ewing from the comments:

After the knowledge of his defeat, Mark retires the ideas for better government and moves onto more serious issues in the world. Like the potato chips that his wife Heidi Olson bought for the party that she threw in his honor and the honor of all the citizen's in District 16 who helped in his campaign. I don't know if these particular potato chips were of the healthy line of potato chips, but in the eyes of a man who desires nothing but to input his beliefs into the lives of others around him, these chips were NOT healthy enough for a party of his stature. Not only were they not healthy enough, but they were to be removed immediately from his sight. A little childish you ask? No. This is Mark Olson, a man who thought that a steady diet of non-salted almonds and a glass of water was enough to plenish the likes of a 10 year old Autistic boy 3 times a day. The same Mark Olson who found it necessary to weasel his way into a family directly after the tragic death of the father in that family, taking full advantage of all the amenities of a large home and family of his own that he never had til the age of 46. Not only did he show a poor attitude after a defeat Tuesday night, he most importantly forgot to thank all of those who supported him through his rather large mistakes. I guess though, when all you care about is yourself and the progressions in your own life, then what does it really matter how you treat those around you and the people you supposedly love. I would tell Mark to figure it out, but he won't, because he is a victim in this world according to his own inner thoughts. But in reality, maybe the people around him and those who keep believing in him are the actual victims.

This is very sad... Olson has obviously not learned his lesson.

UPDATE: Another comment from "Little Birdy":

As I was flying around Big Lake today I saw a woman on the side of the road trying very hard to get into her locked mini-van. As I flew closer, I noticed a man in the driver's seat. I thought to myself; "Why is she struggling so hard to get in when there is someone in the driver's seat who can just open the door for her?" So I flew closer once again and to my surprise, the man in the driver's seat was State Representative Mark Olson. Now its not everyday that you get to see a celebrity up close so I went and checked out the situation when I noticed that Mr. Olson had locked the woman who appeared to be his wife out of the vehicle and was not letting her in. Wow is all I said. Who locks a woman out of a mini-van on the side of a road? Well, I guess when you are Mark Olson, you can get away with anything. The incident lasted a little while until the woman was properly allowed into the vehicle.

Doesn't sound like Olson is adjusting well to his lame duck status.

SD 16 Republicans Dump Mark Olson

2008-09-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

SC Times:

Krueger defeats Olson in Senate 16 race... 1,708 votes to 1,437...

Olson, true to character, leaves the door open for a write-in campaign :

He hasn't decided whether there will be a write-in campaign, he said, but he wouldn't be the one to start it.

"I'm not initiating a write-in campaign, but I'm absolutely amazed how many people have brought it up to me," he said late Tuesday.

Two defeated, one more to be defeated in November:

UPDATE: Aaron Landry at MN Publius has this hilarious screenshot of Michele Bachmann's teenager pal and Olson's legislative assistant, Ryan Flugaur's comment on Brodkorb's blog:

(Cross-posted at the Dump Bachmann Blog)

Podcar Conference Marketing & Sponsorship Director Fired from his Other Job

2008-09-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ithaca Journal:

ITHACA — The Ithaca Festival faces a major deficit and a search for a director following this past June's event that saw an expansion of attractions and performers at two locations in the city.

“The festival is in debt, and the festival director was terminated, and the festival board is determined that the festival continue in 2009 and beyond. We expect to continue the mission of the festival to bring out the artist in everyone,” said Ed Marion, the president of the festival's board of directors.

According to the 2008 Executive Director Jacob Roberts, who was fired by the festival's board on July 11, the budget was approximately $300,000 and the deficit as of June was well into the six figures.

Scott Hamilton, who managed expenses for the 2008 Festival, said that the deficit handed to the board following the festival was $150,000.

Jake Robert's bio in a Podcar Conference newsletter (PDF):

Jacob Alan Roberts

By Christer Lindstrom

PODCAR CITY: ITHACA is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Jacob Alan Roberts as its Marketing & Sponsorship Director. Over the past decade, Mr. Roberts has been a tireless leader in catalyzing and inspiring the creative sectors of Syracuse and Ithaca, NY. His extensive body of work as an executive, civil servant and community volunteer has yielded transformative action in social, cultural and economic spheres that continue to bring about sensible and innovative solutions to the greater region.

Since graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in Fine Art in 1996, Jacob has committed himself to the promotion and advancement of Upstate, NY by creating a diverse portfolio of initiatives that produces results. From co-founding NGO’s that work to support the areas “creative class”, to launching a community-based fiber optic network, to spearheading the largest
gathering of “young professionals” in US history, Mr. Roberts continues to make positive impacts with his time and energy.

We are happy to welcome Jacob to the team!

What a team... Michele Bachmann, Dean Zimmermann, Mark Olson, Jacob Roberts... the PRT guys sure do a heckuva job picking people to promote their boondoggle.

Alison Kruegger's Campaign Lit

2008-09-09T06:09:00.000-07:00

Chris Kumpula posted the brochure... click to make larger.

Pre-Primary Blog Digest

2008-09-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

Lots to read in Lloydletta and Dump Bachmann.

Take a look at Allison Kruegger's non-campaign blog/web site.

Over at the Let Freedom Ring blog, Gary Gross says the following:

As a blogger, I’ve consistently written about corruption wherever it’s found. I’ve written about corruption when I found it in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. I certainly wrote about the corruption machine named John Murtha. I’ve written about Mark Foley’s acts of corruption. In fact, I won’t stop writing about corruption.

I don't think Mr. Gross has touched Rep. Mark Olson's corruption... it could be argued that Olson's arrest and conviction for abusing his wife, while a criminal offense is not what the FBI defines as public corruption.

If Gary Gross wants to find evidence of Rep. Mark Olson's public corruption, he only needs to cite Rep. Mark Olson's partnership with convicted felon Dean Zimmermann to scam Minnesota taxpayers out of millions of dollars for a bogus PRT test track. I think that fits the definition of conspiracy to defraud the government and taxpayers.

The FBI seized Zimmermann's computer, it is likely they have emails between Olson and Zimmermann and others about PRT... Olson has yet to defend, or even explain why he worked alongside Zimmermann at the Capitol, Minneapolis and elsewhere to promote the PRT boondoggle.

If Gary Gross has any lingering doubts whether PRT is a scam, he should watch this video of the chief witness in the Zimmermann investigation and trial describing how Zimmermann attempted to scam him out of $250,000 with PRT:

Group Organized to Defeat Rep. Mark Olson in the Primary?

2008-09-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

LTE in the West Sherburne Tribune:

At the recent House District 16 A/B board meeting an obnoxious, boisterous man (who identified himself as Phil Herwig) threatened the members of the BPOUs in Senate District 16. He demanded that the executive committees undo the endorsement of Mark Olson as senate candidate or he and his group would begin releasing literature designed to defeat Olson in the primary.

Does this group exist? Has anyone seen their literature? I will be happy to post their literature on this blog. Just send an email to the gmail address posted on my profile.

In another LTE, Rep. Mark Olson frames the election this way:

The event of my private mistake in 2006 has been a persistent topic. People who speak against me exercise some courage, which should be appreciated.

From the beginning, I repeatedly acknowledged my need for forgiveness from God, my wife and family and the people. I've heard many times from people and attorneys alike that, if I did not stop apologizing for what I felt I did do, I would be found guilty for what I did not do.

Regardless of requests for forgiveness, I may not receive it from some. That is well understood. People who know me, know how important honesty and a good name have always been to me, long before my political involvement.

Stop right there... Rep. Mark Olson is a politician and all politicians bend the truth... but, Rep. Mark Olson is something special when it comes to lying to his constituents. Olson promotes the PRT boondoggle which would fleece the taxpayers of millions of dollars.

Once a mistake is made, we obviously cannot change it but only strive to address it the best way possible. Sometimes that is not easy either.

... now for some denial...

It is the false and enhanced accusations that are difficult, especially when they come from other well intended honorable people and senators who never checked their facts. Please know that I persist with my need for forgiveness. I did not however throw a typewriter. I did not beat my wife nor was I convicted of it; regardless of how many senators and citizens seem to enjoy repeating it.

... like I've said before, Olson did not enter a plea at his arraignment. That was the time he should have affirmed his innocence. Too late now....

I am grateful for the benefits from these past experiences. My wife and I agree that no family should ever be treated the way we've been. With what we have been through we have a lot more to offer.

Mark Olson

Big Lake, MN

While Olson begs and whines for forgiveness for his perceived injustice, I hope that the voters of SD 16 will remember September 9th that Rep. Mark Olson has not shown compassion to other citizens caught up in the criminal justice system... EVEN INNOCENT PEOPLE ON DEATH ROW:

Was Olson's Flying Typewriter an "Urban Legend"?

2008-08-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

Lloydletta has More on the SD 16 Impromptu Meeting With Norm Coleman.

Kumpula also said that he was in a meeting with activists talking with both Mark and Heidi Olson, and Mark Olson claimed the typewriter incident was an "urban legend." The problem with that claim, is that it was covered in the press at the time.

The typewriter incident happened in Olson's first term. Contact me if you have a clipping describing that incident. Here's another clipping sent in by a faithful DMO reader of another incident of staff abuse.

The GOP Acknowledges Olson Endorsement, But Will Not Give Olson Money

2008-08-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

Lloydletta has the scoop:

I got a tip that the Republican Executive Committee voted to acknowledge the endorsement of Mark Olson, but also not spend resources on the race. I confirmed this with a member of the Executive Committee.

The executive committee member told me that the motion clearly was a negative statement about the Endorsement, since normally the Party Executive Committee does not do motions about spending on specific legislative races. This is normally the perogative of the Party Chair.

Rep. Mark Olson's Lawyer is Running for State Supreme Justice

2008-08-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

Rochelle Olson reports in the Strib:

As she filed, Clark said she had decided Tuesday morning to run. "I decided this was a good opportunity to discuss some issues with the appointment process," she said.

Clark said she is well-qualified for the job. She opposes a movement that would change how judges stand for election. She also wants to raise issues with the judicial appointment process. Clark was quick to note there are many hard-working judges, but she said some view the job as "quasi-retirement."

"No institution can long survive unless it continues to reform itself," she said.

A few comments from that article:

Clark for MN Supreme Court

Jill Clark would make an excellent judge. She has worked tirelessly her entire career to protect the constitutional rights of all Minnesotans, and has been the prime mover in many positive judicial reforms. There could not be a better candidate to promote justice in Minnesota.

Jill Clark a Supreme? LOL Ludicrous

Jill Clark never met a murder or rapist that she didn't love, honor, cherish and obey. Clark is vehemently outraged by any suggestion that the conscience-free cruds who commit violent, degrading, despicable crimes should suffer ANY legal consequences for the horrific crimes they commit.

Justice is supposed to be blind. Clark, however, by her words, defense arguments, loopy criticism of certain judges and contempt for this country's justice system, apparently believes that justice should be a process that allows perps to commit crimes with impunity with no possibility that they will be convicted and punished.

There must never be a seat on the Minnesota Supreme Court bench for Jill Clark.

Judge Jill Clark?

She has to be out of her mind. She represents gang-banging thugs like Philander Jenkins. She routinely accuses judges of impropriety, and frequently runs against judges who tell her no. She also represented Rep. Mark Olson (R-Crazytown). Birds of a feather flock together.

Terrible

Jill Clark would make a terrible judge. She is so biased against the Police there would be no such thing as an unbiased ruling from her. All her decisions would be for the dirt bag types she has represented for years. She should have been disbared years ago.

More Comments About the SD 16 Convention.

2008-08-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

Cory Ewing added this comment to his earlier comment on DMO:

I would like to add that in this special District 16 Senate election, Alison Krueger was a weak candidate from the beginning. She has just been a puppet for a powerful group in District 16 that has future aspirations of a top position in MN. She has not once made up her own mind for herself and needs to be walked through everything by this group. Having to be advised to sign a non-compete and then waffling on it because she didn't realize what she was signing is not good character of a Senate Candidate. She comes across as a very whiny individual and does not know how to handle a loss. She complained about Mark's people showing up to the nominating convention and not her's. Work harder then next time. Where were your advisors on that one Alison??? We do not need a Candidate who is running only to help out someone else's future aspirations. Dinner at the Governor's Mansion would have been nice, right Alison?

Drew Emmer left this comment at MN Publius about Kruegger:

If said “elitists” truly wanted to control the outcome in SD16 they would have made their displeasure with Mark Olson’s candidacy known BEFORE the endorsing convention. To suggest that anyone should be precluded from having an opinion about the decision of the SD16 delegates runs counter to the Constitution.

The idea that Alison Krueger was chosen by a group of aggressive party elites is patently false. The only insider that influenced Alison was Senator Betsy Wergin when she asked Alison to run. I believe much of the SD16 displeasure with Betsy’s suggestion to run Alison was that Betsy didn’t clear it with the SD16 folks first. Considering Mark Olson supporters chilly regard for Senator Wergin it’s not hard to understand why she would make her suggestion independently.

The MNGOP had nothing to do with Alison Krueger’s candidacy. Ron Carey did show up and address the endorsing convention. But the state party organization did not recruit Alison nor did they promote her candidacy.

The best possible outcome for all of us would be if Mark Olson could clear his name legally and have the whole domestic flap removed from his record. Short of that, the left will use it against him evermore.

And everyone is welcome to their opinion.

Speaking of... Michael Brodkorb and his professor sidekick had a wild radio show last week about Olson... here's a piece of it:

MN 5CD Candidate's Campaign Complains About Lack of Support from the MN GOP

2008-08-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

Andy Birkey in the Minnesota Independent:

The campaign of Barb Davis White went after the Republican National Committee and the Republican Party of Minnesota on Tuesday, criticizing the RNC’s failure to invite any African-American congressional candidates to speak at the Republican National Convention and complaining that the Minnesota GOP has been lax in supporting Davis White’s campaign. Davis White is the Republican Party’s endorsed candidate for the 5th Congressional District, which encompasses Minneapolis and several inner-ring suburbs.

And the MN GOP supports Rep. Mark Olson... watch this video and see if you can spot any reason the MN GOP would not want to support Barb White:

Cory Ewing Comments on Chris Kumpula's Assertion That Olson is Innocent

2008-08-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

Chris Kumpula wrote the following on his What the Republic Can Do blog :

"No, they chose Mark Olson with the greatest regard for Mark Olson's legal history. It's just that everyone knew that he was an innocent man. Mark Olson's legal history was in the forefront of the convention, there is no way a soul voted without regard to that history. People support Mark Olson  because he is an innocent man with extraordinary integrity. People inside the district here have tremendous respect for his integrity. Frankly, I  think his integrity was proven to folks in SD16 as he never tried to hide anything during his case. He was open and honest, and still is."

Cory Ewing has a left a comment that questions Kumpula's assertion:

 

Mark was not innocent. My mother knows he was not innocent. The court did not find him to be innocent. Mark himself, has never claimed to be innocent. Why are you making these outlandish statements Chris? You
need to get your facts straight before you go publically speaking for someone else. Figure it out.

Instead of all this 5th Grade drama, the real issue that the folks of District 16 need to worry about is:

Who is the more qualified candidate based on Credentials?

Credentials = Knowledge, Background (Politics, Personal, and
Business), Passion and Integrity

-Cory Ewing (son of Heidi Olson)

The facts support Cory Ewing... when Rep. Mark Olson was arraigned, Olson refused to plead not guilty:

"A court appointed attorney said Olson preferred not to enter a plea to the charges."

NOTE: Cory Ewing is the son of the late snowmobile racing champion Darcy Ewing who died tragically in 2002. Read a tribute to Darcy Ewing here.

Is Norm Coleman Backing Down From His Condemnation of Rep. Mark Olson?

2008-08-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

Lloydletta has the scoop:

Chris noted that Senator Norm Coleman had met with Senate District 16 leadership, and was considering backing down on his position, after hearing the full story. Chris said that Coleman told Senate District 16 Leadership that he was unaware of the full story about Mark Olson when he took the public position he did.

There is no confirmation of this from the Coleman campaign. If it's true, it would be a major flip-flop.

Lawrence Schumacher: "The Mark Olson Saga: It's Getting Ugly"

2008-08-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

Scumacher gives a good summary on his SC Times blog:

The Mark Olson saga: It's getting ugly

Senate District 16 Republican Party members' endorsement of Rep. Mark Olson earlier this month in a senate special election is causing some strife within the party and among Republicans statewide.

Go to Larry's blog for the rest and all the links.

Letter: "The Job Doesn't Need Mark, Mark Needs the Job"

2008-08-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

Funny how these private-sector loving guys like Rep. Mark Olson just can't do without that government paycheck and all the bennies....

Sherburne County Citizen:

To the editor:

The Aug. 2 letter from Mark Olson displays no remorse for his past behavior. He blames others by saying that he is the victim of "misinformation and politically malicious lies".

He judges others but is incapable of self judgment. He wants to convince us, as he has convinced his wife, that his re-election is "so important" that he must run. He sees his "eight victorious elections" as a sign of God's support. History proves that political success is not a sign of righteousness. Marks self love has led to the false pride, arrogance and ambition that will eventually undo his political career. He needs private, not public redemption.

Mark is a carpenter who, as a legislator, has participated in creating an economy in which it is difficult for a carpenter to find enough work to support a family. This, I believe, is the real driver behind Mark's need to run.

A legislator receives excellent pay for the hours worked and high quality health care and retirement benefits all paid for by the taxes that Mark claims he doesn't like. The job doesn't need Mark, Mark needs the job.

There are other good people running for this position that are more deserving.

Ron Thiessen

Becker, Mn

Anonymous Rep. Mark Olson Supporter Threatens to Shame GOP Senators With Their "Personal Behavior"

2008-08-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

An anonymous email to members of the MN GOP Senate Caucus, GOP Leadership, Senate Caucus, and "anyone else working against the SD16 endorsed candidate"fowarded to and posted on Chris Kumpala's What the Republic Can Do blog:

Senator Senjem, and Mr. Carey,

For the party of local control (at least the Republican Party once was, but it seems much of the 'Platform' gets thrown under the bus at election time) you seem to be sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. No matter Mark Olson's past - he is the endorsed candidate of SD16. He was legitimately selected by the seated Delegates and Alternates of SD16. These delegates and ONLY these delegates were selected by their neighbors to represent the areas interests in SD16. Please respect the process and SD16's wishes by graciously and cheerfully accepting Mark Olson into the Republican caucus come next year. I believe that it is the Party's responsibility to support the endorsed candidate, lest one can be REMOVED from the party. Please note your recent actions are easily deemed - not supporting the endorsed candidate Mark Olson. If you didn't notice there is some 'ire' against the Party and RINOs demonstrated at the State Convention. You may think you can get the candidates elected while ignoring the conservative base - I'm afraid you will be sorely mistaken come November. Just so we're clear here... bud out of Senate District 16. Those of us who have lived in the area know both candidates very well. We chose the best candidate and we will stand behind him. If you continue to meddle in our district, look for us in your district when you are up for re-election. We'll be watching your votes and your personal behavior for information for letters to the editor in your local papers.

Have a Great Day!

Ron, please extend my apologies to the unfortunate MNGOP fund raiser who called earlier today... I did not mean to take out my disgust at the party on him - but I must insist on directing my financial support directly to the truly 'conservative' candidates.

Signed --------

Chris Kumpala put that sentence in bold face, so I assume he's okay with snooping into elected officials "personal behavior" and shaming GOP senators and other politicians during an election. If not, Chris can correct me.

Is Rep. Mark Olson Really "an Honest Conservative With a Stellar Record"?

2008-08-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

Chris Kumpala fisks Drew Emmer's account of SD16 convention over at Chris Kumpula's What the Republic Can Do blog. This paragraph jumped out at me:

No, they chose Mark Olson with the greatest regard for Mark Olson’s legal history. It’s just that everyone knew that he was an innocent man. Mark Olson’s legal history was in the forefront of the convention, there is no way a soul voted without regard to that history. People support Mark Olson because he is an innocent man with extraordinary integrity. People inside the district here have tremendous respect for his integrity. Frankly, I think his integrity was proven to folks in SD16 as he never tried to hide anything during his case. He was open and honest, and still is.

Wow, does this remind me of similar claims by the supporters of Rep. Mark Olson's PRT pod pal Dean Zimmermann that he was innocent.

Both Olson and Zimmermann received a jury trial. Both were convicted by a juries. In both cases the juries did not convict on all charges, showing careful consideration of the evidence and a lack of bias toward the defendants. Zimmermann appealed his case to the U.S 8th Circuit Court of Appeals... the appeal was rejected unanimously. Dean Zimmermann did not appeal that ruling to the U.S Supreme Court.

Is Rep. Mark Olson appealing his conviction? I haven't heard of it. Perhaps Chris Kumapala can correct me if I'm wrong in the comments.

I want to point out that if there was a shred of evidence that Olson was innocent, I would defend him... However, Olson's supporters should be aware that concern for people wrongfully convicted is NOT part of Olson's record. Rep. Mark Olson told the Star Tribune that it was no big deal for the State of Minnesota to put innocent people to death... comparing wrongful executions to "friendly fire":

Kumpala also claims Rep. Mark Olson is...

"an honest conservative with a stellar record".

I have a question for Chris Kumpaua and other Olson supporters who claim that they and Olson want to debate his legislative record instead of his marital difficulties.... is Rep. Mark Olson's legislation and tireless work on behalf of the now moribund Taxi 2000 Corporation with convicted felon Dean Zimmermann a part of Olson's "stellar record"? Are Olson's bills to allow and encourage millions of taxpayers taxpayers dollars to be wasted on Taxi 2000's PRT boondoggle an example of fiscal conservatism?

What does David Strom think about Olson's PRT boondoggle?

Does Chris Kumpala agree with Rep. Mark Olson that the Taxi 2000 Corp. is "the Microsoft of public transit"?

I am willing to debate Rep. Mark Olson about PRT in a public forum or broadcast facility anytime before the election.

H/T Lloydletta.

Olson's Endorsement in 16 SD Exposes Rift in the Republican Party

2008-08-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

Good posts at Liberal in the Land of Conservative and MN Publius:

Gary Gross, blogger at Let Freedom Ring left this comment at MN Publius:

As a GOP activist, I recognize the endorsing convention’s right to endorse the candidate of their choice. What Michael & I did, however, was voice an opinion that this endorsing convention made a poor decision, one which we vehemently disagree with.

As for Jason Lewis, he doesn’t speak for my type of conservatism. He’s a neanderthal.

As for Michael, I’ll trust him because I’ve dealt with him over the past several years. He’s hard-hitting but he’s accurate. When he writes something, it’s accurate.

My thoughts on Mr. Landry? Methinx he’d better do better research before jumping in the ring with Michael.

Finally, Lewis talks about the elitists having it in for Rep. Olson. What’s interesting is that I’ve heard from lots of low-profile activists from across the state. They agree with Michael & I. They think that the endorsing convention got it wrong.

Are these low-profile activists elitists too? They are by Mr. Lewis’ standards. Forgive me if I’m not presuaded.

Jason Lewis is a "Neanderthal"?

Wow!

UPDATE: Lloydletta has an interesting post titled "Sen. David Senjem Disputes Kumpula's Account".

Rep. Mark Olson is the Endorsed GOP MN 16 Candidate and the GOP Supports Olson

2008-08-17T03:36:00.000-07:00

For a few days, Brodkorb hoodwinked the media and even liberal bloggers into believing that the Minnesota GOP may not support Rep. Mark Olson. Now some folks are beginning to tell us it aint so.

Hal Kimball:

No one condones domestic violence. No one. There is never an excuse, even if one's tossing a Bible.

But how can Senator Coleman play standard bearer and cheer on the Senate Republican Caucus when Coleman himself has an "unconventional marriage"?

It's more likely that all of this faux outrage is coming from Norm Coleman's campaign. It may not have originated with Senate GOP Caucus... more on that later....

A comment on Hal Kimball's post sums it up:

What’s also amazing about Norm’s position is that he knows nothing about the other candidate the republicans put up. Nobody does.

She has never run for an office before or held any kind of public position.

She is listed as an “activist” but nobody knows what she was being an activist for.

So for all Norm knows she could be a complete wacko. Whatever she stands for is good enough for Norm because he knows better than the local 150 people who took the time to attend the convention.

Think of how bad she must have been for the 150 people to say “We’ll take the wife beater”.

I thought Norm’s pitch was that you should have some record of public service before you ran for a Senate seat. I guess that only applies to people running against him.

For 18 years Olson has been the laughing stock of the house. Now all of the sudden the Republicans are shocked at the idea of him running. MDE suddenly is offended by Olson. The Senate caucus is shocked!

Where the hell have these enablers been the last 18 years?

Where was the outrage the 1st time Olson assaulted a staffer? Or the 2nd time?

What did they say when he wore a gun on the house floor?

Where was the outrage when he was the only member of both bodies to vote against bills containing things like a task force to catch child pornographers?

The list goes on and on. He for ships being able to dump bilge water in Lake Superior, He stands alone against early childhood education. Hell he’s against public education period.

No matter to these guardians of republican purity, they don’t care how he votes or how many lives he destroys with his nonsensical bills and rhetoric. Now they are offended because he finally got arrested and convicted for what he was well known for.

Your reap what you sow, and for 18 years the Republican party has stood shoulder to shoulder with Olson.

Olson better that anyone else including Norm, represents the Republican Party in SD 16 and the Republicans here aren’t going to let a bunch of RINO’s tell them who they can endorse.

Lloydletta links to Olson supporter Chris Kumpula's account of the SD 16 convention.

Chris Kumpala's blog has the pledge signed by Olson and Krueger and a link to an interesting Polinaut post about Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem's flip-flp on Olson:

The miracles of audio tape gives us some detail into Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem's thoughts on Mark Olson.

When asked about Olson's candidacy on July 22nd, Senjem said this:

"Well, we welcome Mark. I mean democracy is a wonderful thing. If people want to run for office, they have that opportunity. Mark will go through the process now, through the endorsement process. We'll see where that leads. Certainly if he emerges he's our candidate and certainly we're riding with him."

After MinnesotaDemocratsExposed raised concerns about Olson's candidacy on Wednesday, Senjem said this:

"Character and integrity in this case rise above party and process. And we felt that Mark, given his circumstances in life, specifically his conviction for spousal abuse, really didn't pass the test if you will for the kind of candidate we wanted."

Update:

Senjem just told Tim Pugmire that he hadn't thought much about Olson's candidacy at the time. He said upon further reflection, looking back at the court records and thinking through the implications of Olson actually winning led the caucus to come to the conclusion to exclude Olson.

If there's any doubt that the MN GOP stands by Rep. Mark Olson, listen to "Chris" and MN CD6 Chair Mark "Swannie" Swanson on the Jason Lewis radio show Friday:

Strib, Brodkorb, Coleman and Swiftee Tell Olson to Quit

2008-08-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

The Star Tribune's money quote:

Whatever their reasons, the GOP delegates of District 16 have put their state party -- and particularly the Norm Coleman reelection campaign -- in an awkward spot. How can Republicans fault DFL Senate candidate Al Franken for writing jokes they deem antifemale when they have put their official arms around a candidate convicted of assaulting his wife?

Brodkorb breathlessly delivers the judgement of Norm Coleman:

ST. PAUL – The following is a statement from U.S. Senator Norm Coleman regarding the Minnesota state Senate Republican Caucus’ decision not to support disgraced state Rep. Mark Olson.
“I stand firmly with the members of the Senate Republican Caucus who today announced that they will not support Mark Olson for the open Senate seat of Betsy Wergin. His endorsement by the party is a matter that is of great concern to me. In particular, given the circumstances behind Mr. Olson’s decision to not seek re-election to the Minnesota House of Representatives – a decision that I believe was the right decision – I believe the fact that he is our party’s endorsed candidate for Senate District 16 is simply unacceptable and unsupportable.

“The Senate Republican Caucus has made the appropriate decision in rejecting the candidacy of Mark Olson. I understand there are other candidates who may remain eligible to run in the September Primary, and I would hope that they continue their efforts to become our party’s standard bearer.
“In the unfortunate event that Mr. Olson succeeds in the September Primary, I would ask that our party refuse to offer any type of assistance to his campaign. While the loss of a State Senate seat is unfortunate, I join Senators Senjem, Fischbach, Gimse, Hann, Koch and Michel in the strong belief that we must maintain and uphold our beliefs that violence of any kind, whether it is in word or in deed, should not be rewarded with our party’s

Even right-wing GOP blogger Swiftee piles on in the MDE comments:

We’re Rebublicans. We expect our leadership to maintain the highest standards in their professional and personal lives.
If Olson has gotten his life together, great. He has my firm wish for success as a private citizen…but he has proved that he hasn’t learned a frickin’ thing.

If he wants to continue a career in politics, he’s going to have to go Democrat, ’cause we won’t have him.

You know this is all just a show of mock outrage when Swiftee (who actually wears a wife-beater) shares in the mock outrage (that's Swiftee giving the finger on the left.) Good 'ol GOP "Family Values"!

Comment on Rep. Mark Olson and Brodkorb's Anxious Blog Post

2008-08-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

Chris Kupala left this comment:

Mark Olson won a hefty 2 to 1 victory at the August 7th convention. His endorsement was the decision of the delegates and alternates at that convention, and no one else’s. He enjoyed very strong and encouraging support.

These continued attacks on Olson’s family issues from so long ago are most unfortunate. I think most couples go through tough times where both partners need to work hard to fix things that aren’t working. Those who don’t work at it will likely get divorced. It is certainly bad enough when it happens to us privately, but to have it made so public and have both your names dragged by a liberal-biased media through the mud would be too terrible for me to imagine. Mark and Heidi Olson have survived a great challenge to their faith and to their marriage. They have worked hard to put things back together and reconcile themselves with each other and God. I find that admirable, especially when so many viciously encouraged a bitter divorce.

What’s more, his entire case has been grossly mischaracterized by the main-line liberal media and evidently continued by blogs such as yours. The law in these “domestic assault” cases seems very much to ensure bitter confrontation and divorce. Mark Olson was lied to and mistreated by a system which currently seeks to shred families to ribbons in court proceedings designed to do just that. As was noted, Olson was acquitted of charges to inflict death or even harm to a charge of “intent to cause fear.” My understanding is that it was intent to cause fear in double jeopardy (I’ll find out) which if challenged and brought to higher courts would no-doubt be thrown-out. Olson decided not to pursue such a course. I cannot speak as to his motivations, but the shear cost of clearing his name would have been great and the restoration of his marriage was at the top of the list of priorities.

I found it interesting how the State Party (specifically the House caucus folks) threw him under the bus way before a verdict was ever found. He was and has continued to be neglected by the party (perhaps that will now change since he is endorsed) when there was little reason to do so save that it looked bad. The lack of party support may have had more to do with Olson’s refusal to march lock-step with the party “high command.” I think they had had it with one of the most conservative and competent public servants in the entire state. One thing is for certain: he is in no way the “establishment candidate.” The GOP St Paul folks no doubt dreaded to hear that he won the endorsement. They don’t seem to be too terribly fond of conservatives you know.

Mark Olson has the support of all conservatives and citizens who want to see less corruption of the system and more focus on the issues. His family issues should have never been brought to court, and he should have been acquitted of all charges. He reconciled his marriage. He apologized humbly to his district, party, and citizens. He did all of this while being constantly painted in malice as an abusive wife beater. He is no such thing. Instead, he is a man of gentle humility, patience, and servanthood, dedicated to God and his family above all. There is no better representative a district could ask for, and a great many are thrilled that he will now be going to the senate to bat for them and the issues we all care about so much.
I am surprised so many are still hung-up on what should no longer be an issue. Mark Olson is ready to run, Heidi supports him 110%, and he is as qualified as possible to do the job. If you are concerned about having him punished for the distraction the issues created, I can assure you his situation has caused more than enough pain as is. The deceptive people working his case through the legal system, the state party, and the media are as much to blame for the distraction as Mark Olson himself. This man deserves a second chance, and the people of SD16 seem to be enthusiastic to give him that chance. What better candidate could we ask for to fill Betsy Wergin’s vacant seat in SD16?

For many years, Rep. Mark Olson has lectured legislators about ethics, character and morality. Rep. Mark Olson has hoisted himself on his own petard.

I don't give a rat's ass about other people's marital problems. It's their business unless they stick their noses in other people's business... Need I point out that Olson was a a sponsor of the so-called "Marriage Amendment"?

Rather than argue the issue further, I present two pieces of evidence; Olson's campaign literature on the issue of holding legislators to a high standard and Heidi Olson's own words at Rep. Mark Olson's sentencing:

Michael Brodkorb Says Senate GOP Won't Support Olson

2008-08-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

Brodkorb is hyperventilating again on his blog about how responsible the MN GOP is for pretending to recoil in horror at the prospect of Rep. Mark Olson becoming a member of the august Minnesota Senate:

According to the statement, the Senate Republican Caucus will be not be supporting the Republican-endorsed candidate, Representative Mark Olson, in the primary election in SD 16. The Senate Republican Caucus will instead be supporting Allison Krueger. Should Olson win the election, Olson will “not be welcomed as a member” of the Senate Republican Caucus.

Total crap.

The GOP has always supported Rep. Mark Olson's one-man-wrecking-crew and they continued to do so in the House last year even as they claimed they had shunned him. This is what the politicos call "plausible deniability.

Over the last few years, too many Republican office holders, especially in Washington, were given a free pass for personal misconduct because they “voted right.” We could all recite the names. Well, it’s time we go back to holding people accountable.

But, Brodkorb won't be holding Olson accountable... not really. Brodkorb will only hold Rep. Mark Olson accountable for what has been reported in the media. Even though he doesn't support Olson's PRT boondoggle, Brodkorb doesn't include it in his list of Rep. Mark Olson's misdeeds.

Brodkorb has criticized Democrats for promoting bicycling as a mode of transportation (an efficient and popular mode of transportation), but remains mum about the totally phony concept that Rep. Mark Olson and other Republicans continue to support. There is very likely that Olson (and other GOP Pod People) were aware how bogus the Pods were even as he lobbied for the passage of his legislation back in 2004-05... legislation that would have permitted millions of taxpayer dollars to be wasted on a test track for an infeasible concept with a thirty year record of failure.

Note to Michael Brodkorb; Conspiring to rip off the goverment is a crime.

MIchael Brodkorb and Drew Emmer Are Ashamed of Rep. Mark Olson

2008-08-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

Michael Brodkorb posts about how Rep. Mark Olson has brought shame on the MN GOP.

Former Rep. Mark Olson supporter Drew Emmer provides a report on the MN GOP 16b convention:

I was at the endorsing convention. I had the privilege of nominating Alison. She’s a fine person with everything any conservative could want in a candidate. Her willingness to run on such short notice is typical of her servant attitude. She’s better off for the experience and will certainly stay engaged in the local grassroots political process.

The characterization that the Minnesota GOP endorsed Mark Olson is indeed what the left will gravitate toward. In reality SD16 endorsed Olson. More specifically, the folks in SD16 who bothered to show up for the special endorsing convention. Mark & Heidi deserve credit for winning at the endorsing game. A game they know well and executed deftly last Thursday. They rallied support from within their network of friends in and out of the district and they won.

Alison signed a pledge to not actively campaign against the endorsement. So did Mark. That’s a pretty significant commitment and definitely shows respect for the will of the delegates. I do not expect Alison to waffle on that pledge. Her integrity is far more precious to her than a senate seat. In the unlikely event that she passively wins the primary, since her name is indeed still on the ballot, well, then she has a whole new situation to deal with.

Your concerns about the ammunition provided the left because of this unusual development are credible. No doubt Mark will be attacked. The shrapnel will possibly impact the House candidates. I guess if there’s going to be a food fight there aren’t better equipped candidates than Sondra Erickson and Mary Kiffmeyer to weather the storm.

Mark Olson unfortunately did not qualify for public subsidy. In the rush to assemble delegates for the endorsing convention, he failed to raise the minimum required to activate the share of public money. That’s $15-20K he will not have in his coffers to wage battle against Democrat Lisa Fobbe.

My personal regret about the endorsing convention is not so much the outcome as the way it was conducted. Senator Betsy Wergin served SD16 honorably. She was not allowed to address the convention. She was not even allowed to be seated as a delegate even though she was a delegate! Her family and friends were not allowed to attend as guests. That’s just bush-league. Betsy deserves an apology and local leaders need to raise the bar of behavior in their ranks.

The opportunities we have to engage new people in the political process are easily wasted when well-intentioned people in positions of real or perceived power act like kindergartners fighting over paste. We all deserve better in our quest to elect effective conservatives.

...Drew adds some more detail....

Senator Wergin was not seated as a delegate. It is my understanding that she was elected a delegate at her precinct caucus. And she has been seated as a delegate at all other conventions. I’ve never heard of a delegate showing up and not being seated. I do not know why she was not seated. Perhaps someone running the show will clarify that.

There was a motion to change the rules to preclude anyone not a delegate/alternate or resident of the district or candidate family member from delivering an endorsement speech. The gal that read the motion said they wanted to “prevent party elites and politicians from unduly influencing the outcome”. It was so cool to almost be banned from this convention as I am none of the above. Unfortunately the motion failed after Mark Swanson spoke up and straightened the joint out. Would have been an honor to be banned but it just wasn’t my day I guess.

The rationale behind barring Betsy Wergin’s family and friends from attending as guests so as to see/hear her farewell address is a mystery to me. They were turned away at the door. Every “VIP” in the room was allowed to speak except Betsy.

The first ballot took about 1/2 hour to count. The second ballot was counted within 10 minutes as we were up against a mandatory 9:30pm adjournment. In fact, there was a motion to adjourn before the vote tally was rushed to the podium. But the chair decided not to recognize the motion to adjourn even though he reiterated it over the sound system. And the vote totals weren’t close to the total from the first ballot. I guess there may have been folks who left. But it didn’t look like anyone left.

Rep. Tom Hackbarth nominated Mark Olson his friend and colleague of many years. It was seconded by another guy (bearded)I couldn’t hear at all. Heidi concluded the nomination speeches by exhorting everyone to vote for Mark because he is cute. It was really charming. It’s all on tape somewhere. There were 2-3 cameras rolling. Phil Krinkie was also on stage in support. You have to give Mark credit. He rallied his people and they showed up.

But the way they treated Betsy was awful.

Olson will win the election unless someone bothers to ask some serious questions about Olson's pod scam.

Speaking of the pod scam, I found this hilarious pod parody animated GIFs on the Alameda Daily Noose blog:

Star Tribune Headline Changes on Rep. Mark Olson Article

2008-08-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Google captures the headline change from "Shunned lawmaker Mark Olson gets GOP endorsement" to "Endorsement puts Olson back in GOP's good graces"

Why the change?

MN GOP Endorses Rep Mark Olson for MN Senate 16

2008-08-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

SC Times:

PRINCETON — Republicans in Senate District 16 on Thursday endorsed Rep. Mark Olson to be their candidate in a special election this fall to replace Sen. Betsy Wergin, R-Princeton.

Olson won the endorsement against Big Lake Republican activist Alison Krueger on the second ballot, Krueger said.

“The people who liked Mark showed up,” she said afterward. “If people in the district don’t like what happened, that can still change at the primary voting booth.”

Krueger’s name will remain on a Sept. 9 primary ballot, but she said she signed a pledge at the convention not to actively campaign for the seat.

I've said it before, Olson is going to win unless the opposition exposes Olson's PRT boondoggle.

New Policy: Comments Open on Dump Mark Olson

2008-08-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

Liberal in the Land of Conservative reported on the Olsons' letters to the SC Citizen on Sunday. He's got some interesting comments from Republicans:

Anonymous said...

As a former republican BPOU chair (and a current conservative) I certify that not all conservatives are drinking the punch when it comes to politicians dressed in conservative clothing.   I wholly support Mark in his efforts to heal his family.   But in light of his transgression, he has no business in a representative role in government.   Dear fellow republicans (if you happen to be reading the liberal blogs), if you opposed Clinton when his moral indiscretions came to light, you are obligated to oppose your own side for the same. Otherwise the party of 'family values' is just talk and you are a sellout for 'fiscal values' (not that we haven't fallen down on that job too, huh?).
August 4, 2008 10:10 AM

Gary Gross said...

Betsy Wergin threw her support & organization behind Alison Krueger, which will make a significant difference.   I've met Ms. Krueger. She's an impressive candidate.

It's good that Republicans joining the effort keep Olson out of the Senate.

Dump Mark Olson has a new policy; comments are once again open. Republicans and Democrats and anyone else fed up with Olson's antics are welcome. I will, however remove all comments by the two PRT trolls Mr_Grant and ATE if they return.

Rep. Mark Olson Accuses Critics of telling "Malicious Lies"

2008-08-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Olson's has a letter in the Sherburne County Citizen that starts with a disclaimer from the editor:

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Staff writer Jennifer Edwards did attempt to reach Mr. Olson regarding the July 19 story. He did not return calls.)

... Apparently Rep. Mark Olson is peaved that the reporter failed to mention his perceived accomplishments...

This was not reported on. Nor was I interviewed for the article that was written on July 19th about my not seeking re-election.

... Olson also fires a shot at his critics...

No other candidates have had substantive interaction with me on the issues to know why my running is so important. My wife and I feel confident that when the truth is known after all the misinformation and politically malicious lies our efforts will be appreciated.

Olson gets some help from his wife Heidi in another LTE:

To The Editor:

Let's clear the air. The unexplained, questionable "fears" expressed in last week's paper by Ms. Krueger came as a surprise. I, as a woman, and Mark Olson's wife, requested that Mark run for the Senate.

I encouraged him to run because I am concerned about the times we are in as a country and trust Mark to represent me. I know where he stands and believe he can help restore fiscal stability. I don't believe that a legislator should spin like a leaf blowing in the wind, changing directions by what the polls say. I believe we need people who don't fear standing on convictions, and are able to "course correct" when necessary.

Encouraging Mark to run opens up the potential for other candidates to exploit the problems that Mark and I had two years ago. This will obviously be very painful for us. No family should have to go through what we did. The decision was not made in haste, but enough is enough.

Mark has complied with all the court requirements and more. He has repeatedly made clear his need for forgiveness, even from the Minnesota House (televised), and we both attend counseling together. There is hope for marriages.

If anyone else is tired of negative and personal attacks, please join me in support of Mark. He does not do that. Look at his voting record and ideas, and then decide. We can be controlled by those who use untrue, fear tactics without substantive evidence, or we can refuse insulting campaigns. Vote based on good ideas with a strong record to back it. Please call with support, questions or concerns. (763) 263-3500.

Heidi Olson

Big Lake, MN

Another letter writer forgives Rep. Mark Olson and urges readers to move beyond his criminal record and challenges reporters and voters to focus on Olson's legislative record:

From your article I compared the incumbent Rep. Mark Olson, and the two hopefuls, Alison Krueger and Lisa Fobbe. Based on the article, it appeared all candidates are friends of Sen. Betsy Wergin, but only one was a co-legislator, Rep. Mark Olson. All candidates want to cut costs and taxes, but only one has done so, Rep. Mark Olson. Krueger has no proposal for the high cost of gas "has yet to determine how best to represent the people when it comes to transportation policy." Rep. Mark Olson has a policy, proposed bills, and has fought for a fiscally sound transportation omnibus.

Really! Does the author of that letter think that Rep. Mark Olson's incessant promotion of the PRT boondoggle was "fiscally sound transportation"?

More Republican PRT Snake OIl

2008-08-04T18:05:00.000-07:00

From the Seattle PRT web site Get There Fast about Åke Åredal, a PRT promoter in Sweden:

In the longer term, he sees SkyCab as a Swedish green export industry. For ten years these ideas were dismissed as science fiction, but now the wind is blowing more favourably for SkyCab and other cleantech companies. In particular if they are Swedish. Michael Wood, U.S. Ambassador to Sweden as well as George W. Bush's childhood friend, sees as his major task to locate Swedish green innovators and introduce them to American venture capital. SkyCab is one of currently 48 companies on the ambassador's list.

There's no doubt that Ambassador Wood knows what Skycab is; he participated in a panel discussion with Åke Åreda.

From Åke Åreda's bio:

Dr. Åke Åredal, Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration, is the Swedish initiator of a unique, new method for urban travel, Personal Rapid Transit. Åredal is founder and owner of SkyCab AB, recently named one of WWF/GlobalFOCUS 12 foremost Climate Entrepreneurs for 2008. US Ambassador M. Wood has listed SkyCab as one of 30 "hottest" clean tech companies in Sweden. The Swedish Enterprise Federation has also listed SkyCab as one of 20 best examples of products good for the environment.

Being a doctor of philosophy gives this guy the expertise to invent a transportation system?... right. Skycab is just one of over 100 wacky concepts listed on Jerry Schneider's "gadgetbahn" website. Skycab is so loony, it even has its own musical theme and childrens' comic book (PDF)

As the Bush Administration attempts to steal scarce transit funds to pay for highways, they want Americans to invest in a bogus Swedish PRT boondoggle. At a time when the demand for transit alternatives to automobiles is at record levels, the Bush administration is tinkering with a Nixon-era concept with over thirty years of failure.

It's part of Ambassador Wood's effort to greenwash Bush:

In the past few weeks, I've been telling people in Sweden about this initiative. I tell them that I'm concerned about global warming and that we need to find clean alternatives to fossil fuels. And Swedes sometimes say to me, "Have you checked with Washington on this? Are you sure this is OK with that Texas oilman in the White House?" I can confirm that this is 100% OK with George W. Bush. Contrary to popular perceptions, the President does recognize the problem of global warming and our responsibility to act to solve it.

Nice try, Ambassador. Here's a touching story that supposed to show how close Michael Wood is to his old pal George:

Even before formally appointing Wood to serve as ambassador, Bush had tapped his friend for help in a very public way.

Wood and his wife, Judy, went to dinner in Arlington, Va. with the president and first lady Laura Bush in the week after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. (They ate Mexican, one of Bush's favorites.)

It was an important symbolic event. The nation was still in shock as people worried about the economy and their safety.

That dinner was a way to tell the American people to "get back to business as usual," Wood said.

Afterward at the White House, Bush went outside to walk the dog, and Wood had a moment to ask how he was holding up.

Bush's response, according to Wood: "I realize now what my job is. My job is to make sure this never happens again."  Wood is perhaps most famous for breaking his collarbone while mountain biking with Bush at a Secret Service compound in the Washington, D.C., area.

Mountain biking

Both former runners, Bush introduced Wood to mountain biking.

"It actually took me almost a year to get in the shape he's in," said Wood, who said even Lance Armstrong was impressed with the president's ability.
After getting in shape, Wood and the president would go for "these great, grueling mountain biking rides."

On one of them, Wood failed to notice a hole in the bottom of a drainage ditch. He hit it straight on and went headlong over the handlebars.

He landed on his shoulder, breaking his collar bone.

It got attention because the White House didn't immediately release details of the accident - and it came just a few months after intense criticism over Vice President Dick Cheney's accidental shooting of a friend while hunting.

For more laughs, here's a selection from the pod-promoting Ambasssador's observations on George W. Bush back in 2006:

The Democrats are hoping that the President is so unpopular that even if his name is not on the ballot, voters will vent their unhappiness on the Republican candidates.

I don't see if happening that way. First of all, George Bush is very good at winning elections. He is more than happy to have the Democrats run against him. Remember, in 1994 he was not supposed to beat Ann Richards, who was the incumbent, to become Governor of Texas. In 2000, he won the Republican nomination over John McCain, and then defeated Al Gore. It isn't easy to defeat an incumbent candidate, in this case, the Vice President, when the economy is relatively strong. George W. Bush did it. Then the Republicans gained seats in Congress in 2002, and in 2004, the President won against John Kerry. I don't think this year is going to be an exception. He is out there campaigning and raising funds and talking to the American people. He does those things well.

The President also has an advantage when it comes to political strategy. I think most of you have heard of Karl Rove. He's the man behind the President's victories. He did for George W. Bush what James Carville did for Bill Clinton. Carville's retired from campaigning, and the Democrats don't have anyone to match Karl Rove.

Part of what Karl Rove does is get out the money and get out the votes. I know that the amount of money that goes into elections in the U.S. strikes many people as obscene. However, our candidates rely heavily on ads placed on commercial TV and radio stations, and those are expensive. Direct mailings, polling, hiring strategists - unfortunately, it takes a lot to win an election, and it all costs money. We also view campaign contributions as one way that individuals can have an impact on the system.

Karl Rove also brings out the voters. We saw it in the last two Presidential races. This is sometimes called the "72-hour machine," the ability of the Republican Party to mobilize its supporters at the very end of the campaign and actually get them to the voting booths on Election Day.

Yeah, and we all know how that turned out. I'd say Ambassador Wood is as good at predicting the outcome of elections as he is at picking "green" technologies.

...and if there are still any questions about the political bent of most of these PRT promoters, take a look at the sticker on this PRT JPod:

Who Will Stop Rep. Mark Olson?

2008-07-24T05:04:00.000-07:00

Pam Spaulding at Pam's House Blend:

Look at the career aspirations of convicted GOP wife-beater Rep. Mark Olson -- he has quit the Minnesota House to run for state senator. Olson called his conviction for domestic assault (for shoving his wife to the ground several times) a "personal failure." He begged his House colleagues for forgiveness; no word on whether he apologized to his family.

I don't think Olson's conviction for domestic abuse will be a significant negative factor in the campaign... neither does one of the two other GOP candidates Alison Krueger.

T. W. Budig on the ECM Publications website :

I think I am the electable conservative,” said Krueger. “And the reason why, there’s an elephant in the room,” she said.

The “elephant” as Krueger sees it is the single domestic abuse charge Olson was found guilty of and one Krueger believes will dodge him through a campaign. “I think that’s what makes me more electable,” said Krueger.

“I think people will take, perhaps insensitively, take potshots at that,” she said of Olson’s criminal record. “That’s really unfortunate,” said Krueger.

He was tried, convicted, paid his debt to society etc... if you make Olson's conduct an issue, you are "insensitive".

So what else is left to stop Rep. Mark Olson from becoming Senator Mark Olson?

How about Olson's scheme with convicted felon Dean Zimmermann to scam MInnesota taxpayers for millions of dollars with an infeasible boondoggle?

Rep. Mark Olson Un-Dumps Himself and Runs for Senate

2008-07-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Crap... and I thought I could put this blog in mothballs.... Rep. Mark Olson is running for Senate seat 16.

Olson's campaign website has the following statement:

July 17th, 2008 - Thank you for visiting RepMarkOlson.com. This webpage is undergoing redesign. Please check back later for more information.

Rep. Mark Olson, PRT Promoter, Right-Wing Hypocrite Dumps Himself

2008-07-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

MN Publius:

Mark Olson is not running for reelection. Just subtracting the total time wasted on his pointless amendments and floor speeches, the 2009 legislative session should be roughly six weeks shorter. Even better, House staffers will no longer have to wear helmets while passing Olson’s office. His 16 year reign of terror is over.

Strib:

Olson said his involvement in the criminal justice system and a desire to change the process was actually one of the factors that tempted him to stay in elected office.

The Star Tribune fails to mention Rep. Mark Olson's work promoting Personal Rapid Transit (PRT).

There was a time when The pod people were very proud of Rep. Mark Olson as this Advanced Transit Association newsletter Transit Pulse (PDF) item titled "PRT HATERS" attests:

There’s a real Avid guy named Ken in Minneapolis. He can whip off some pretty wild cartoons. Check out www.roadkill.com. That’s seems to be his main occupation, but he devotes inordinate amounts of time to belittling PRT designers and promoters in the wildest of ways. (One wonders how this pays him, or is he wealthy enough to bash PRT in his leisure?) Ken Avidor thinks that all PRT promoters start with a hate-LRT premise. He sees the PRT community, including ATRA, as an anti-LRT conspiracy. That’s fine: he has a right to his opinions.

Yet he attacks people more than ideas and is ready to condemn with guilt by association. He conducts political crusades to defeat Minnesota politicians who are receptive to the benefits of PRT. Seattle-based ATRA member David Gow, having sparred with Ken on-line many times, concludes that it is pointless to debate this Minnesota activist and blogger. Gow finds Ken’s typical conversations a series of false claims about PRT, none of which he can back up, including ad hominem smears and wild conspiracy theories. Ed Anderson simply describes Avidor a madman.

Your editor called him in early July to offer a copy of the recent EU report summarizing the multi-faceted, multi-year PRT research program, with urgent recommendation for a pilot program. His first reaction was, “No, don’t send it.” Later he called my offer desperation! Under the delusion that PRT is a well-moneyed monolith, he blurted out, “You guys buy those reports.” After a further step in this very unpleasant exchange, he screamed “F#@& you!” and hung up. Nice guy, this New York transplant to Minnesota!

His original name is apparently Ken Weiner, born in Brooklyn in 1955. Check out his political thinking at dumpmarkolson.blogspot.com. The website seeks to unseat a Minnesota legislator who per Ed Anderson (who ought to know) says is currently the strongest, most articulate PRT supporter there. Many think it is best just to ignore Avidor. Others say he craves attention.

... a few issues later the editor of Transit Pulse admitted that Rep. Mark Olson may not have been the best pick to advocate for PRT at the Capitol.

According to Dick Gronning of the Minnesota group, activities are dwindling and membership is down. The Minnesota Sierra Club and other environmental groups are pro-LRT, judging their Hiawatha Line as a great success and often dismissing PRT as a right-wing conspiracy. Jeral Poskey has left Taxi 2000 and relocated back to the Silicon Valley. Taxi 2000 is busy but quite. Ed Anderson also remains quiet these days. A pro-PRT Republican legislator who bucked the Democrat landslide last month is in trouble over charges of domestic abuse.

Learn more about Rep. Mark Olson's boondoggle at the PRT is a Joke web site.

If Anyone is Still Reading....

2008-01-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

In keeping with my New Years resolution not to spend a lot of time on the internet, I'm not going to blog here anymore.

The statistics don't justify me posting and nobody is paying me to flog a dead horse for the few readers who bother to read DMO.

I probably will add one more update when Rep. Mark Olson is officially dumped at the polls.

Until then, the blog will remain as a resource for opposition research.

PRT Supporters Lose Special Election in Minnesota

2008-01-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

(Cross-posted at Dump Bachmann)

The Northfield News:

Dahle won today's special election with 55 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Ray Cox of Northfield with 42 percent and Independence Party candidate Vance Norgaard of Northfield with 2 percent.

Ray Cox claimed in a debate that there was a PRT facility in Duluth. Cox later admitted to Eva Young and PRT promoter David Gow the the facility did not exist.

Message to Rep. Mark Olson and Michele Bachmann: Being a PRT supporter doesn't win elections.

Click To Play

Daventry's PRT Promoters Want to Pave a Public Swimming Pool for a Parking Lot

2008-01-03T06:21:00.000-08:00

Daventry Today:

THERE will be no replacement outdoor pool, no refund to the townspeople who paid for it, and the former site is likely to be built on.

That was the response of Cllr Chris Over, Daventry District Council’s economic and regeneration portfolio holder, to questions asked by Daventry Town Council and the Swimming Pool Association over the future of the former outdoor pool site in Chaucer Way.

Last week the town council wrote to Daventry District Council (DDC) asking if there would be a replacement for the old outdoor pool and if not would DDC reimburse the people who paid for it the estimated current value of £2 million.

The town council also asked if the former site would remain as public open space.

The pool was filled in and the buildings demolished at the beginning of last year by DDC after the Government Office For The East Midlands (GOEM) decided not to examine the planning application on the basis that the site would remain as open public space. At the moment it is fenced off and inaccessible to the public.

Cllr Over said: “The district council is not going to provide a new indoor or outdoor pool as has previously been suggested.

“The current leisure facilities meet the needs of the community at this time, but there will be reviews as the town grows to make sure that remains the case.

“It is my understanding that there will not be a ‘reimbursement’ based on the current value of the former buildings or the land.

“The Chaucer Way site is being considered for a temporary car park, but in the long term the land will be used for the benefit of the community.

“It think it’s unlikely it will remain as open space, but would be put to good use as there are plans for new leisure and cultural facilities.”

In the past DDC has said it planned to expand the existing Chaucer Way car park over the old Outdoor Pool site to create an additional 240 spaces as a temporary measure while other car parks in the town are redeveloped.

In the longer term DDC’s own masterplan for the town’s growth indicates the outdoor pool land would be used for retail units, associated parking, and part of the marina project

... but ... but ... I thought the podcars that the DDC proposed last year were supposed to make cars and parking lots obsolete?

I remember when the PRT promoter Gary Dean Zimmermann voted to demolish two homes in my neighborhood for a parking lot (the demolition began on Earth Day). Like Zimmermann, The Daventry District Council peddles PRT-pie-in-the -the-sky-by-and-by while doing nothing about the pollution, inequity and land-use problems associated with automobile-centric urban planning.

The town council’s questions were prompted by Bob Waldock, from Daventry Swimming Pool Association, who asked the authority to find out DDC’s current plans.

Mr Waldock said: “What we want is what we’ve said all along – a brand new facility. We’re going to get a brand new town, so why can’t we get this brand new facility?

“In the short-term all the district council has to do is mow around the site and put some benches in to make it into a recreation site again.

“What we want in the long-term is for the site to remain as recreational use, and ideally for a new facility to be built so that children can learn how to swim in a safe environment before the marina and canal get built.”

Yet another example of the Personal Rapid Transit public relations gimmick used to mask the true intentions of people who want to privatize, build on and pave over everything.

Ithaca's PRT Promoters Know Better Than You

2007-12-31T12:52:00.000-08:00

On another blog, a persistent troll accused me of representing the interests of "the light rail lobby".

It's a ridiculous claim, but it gives me an opportunity to say what I stand for.

I am in favor of full and meaningful citizen participation in decisions that effect the neighborhoods they live in. That is why I volunteered to oppose the 35W Access Project.

Meaningful citizen participation requires that citizens be given the power to make decisions based on the best available information.

The PRT promoters of Ithaca seem to have another idea... no meaningful citizen participation.

This is from the local Green Cities blog:

THE GOVERNMENT: Top down approach. This is how any really major change has ever happened in the world of environmentalism. Without governmental guidance or support very little will get done in a short period of time.

And what sort of "major change" do these self-styled "green" tyrants want to force on Ithaca?

Personal Rapid Transit:

Goal 1: To engage the Cornell community in learning, discussing, and eventually approving the vision of Connect Ithaca, which includes collaborative planning for an Ithaca-wide personal rapid transity (PRT) system.

Goal 2: To outreach to the downtown Ithaca community about Connect Ithaca and work with any other parties in promoting PRT in Ithaca.

Looks like the Connect Ithaca Team is going about the business of lining up support for their top-down pod revolution. Here is a resolution passed by the Cornell Student Assembly.

And the Chair of Connect Ithaca Jacob Roberts is also going about the business of lining up support:

Ithaca is well positioned to become a beta-site for one of the first modern PRT networks in the world. Various Industry leaders, International PRT NGOs, and even other US city Mayors are already supporting Connect Ithaca and its effort to situate Ithaca, NY and Tompkins County as the testing, development and manufacturing hub of the first major North American PRT network. Very exciting, indeed!

What Jake means by "beta-site" is that Ithaca is where the PRTistas plan to work out the bugs in their ridiculous concept.

Here's Jake talking about the Podcar Conference:

Click To Play

How Old is Personal Rapid Transit?

2007-12-31T06:41:00.000-08:00

In the last post I showed a newspaper clipping that showed that J. Edward Anderson has been wasting everyone's time with his "new" and "innovative" PRT concept since the Nixon Era of the early 1970's.

A PRTista cranked up his keyboard to send me what he thought was a correction:

...PRT ideas trace back to the 1950s....

I suppose he means the sort of "futuristic" crackpot gadgetbahn ideas in this 1958 Disney movie:

... I suppose you could go back to Leonardo's sketchbooks to find a mention of PRT... hey there it is:

.... and look, there's PRT in the caves of Lascaux:

.... wow, they were working on "new" and "innovative" ideas way back then!

Personal Rapid Transit is a Nixon Era Concept

2007-12-30T08:54:00.000-08:00

For over thirty years, J. Edward Anderson and his pals have been wasting our time with PRT:

Yes, that is Nixon's face in the photo.

The CPRT's David Gow Calls Rep. Mark Olson a "Certifiable Wacko"

2007-12-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

Over at the Dump Bachmann blog, the Citizens for Personal Rapid Transit's Seattle representative David Gow ( Mr_Grant) left this comment:

May I make a strategic suggestion? You should be trying to organize a campaign to recall Slappy Olson. He seems to be the most irrelevant politician in Minnesota and a certifiable wacko, it shouldn't be that hard of a sales job.

It looks as if the CPRT has thrown Rep. Mark Olson under the bus... er ... pod.

The PRTistas were much more loyal to Dean Zimmermann. Even after Zimmermann lost his appeal on his bribery conviction, they still have his PRT plan for Minneapolis on their website.

J. Edward Anderson signed a statement of support for Dean Zimmermann calling the former Minneapolis councilman a "political prisoner".

Not very smart of the CPRT to turn their back on Rep. Mark Olson.

Rep. Mark Olson knows a few things. If the PRTistas turn their back on him, he could find the right publisher for his memoirs and tell all about how the PRT flim-flam operates. It might even become a bestseller.

Heck, I might even help him write it. 

Dump Mark Olson in BMRD's Top Seven List

2007-12-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

Dump Mark Olson is # 5 on Hal Kimball's years end list of blogs:

5. Dump Mark Olson: Avidor's work this past year on the Mark Olson domestic violence case and his PRT boondoggle have been excellent and consistent. No one is better with photoshop either! I'm looking forward to Avidor covering the Olson House race in 08.

Check out the other blogs on Hal's list.

SD 25 GOP Candidate Ray Cox Supports Rep. Mark Olson's PRT Boondoggle

2007-12-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

If anyone you know still has any doubts that PRT is anything but a scam, listen to this segment of an interview I did with the Government's chief witness in the Zimmermann corruption trial.

January 3rd is the SD 25 election.

At the Senate District 25 candidate forum December 20th, candidate Ray Cox described himself and the Independent candidate Vance Norgaard as "PRT guys".

Ray Cox was referring to "Personal Rapid Transit". PRT is an infeasible, controversial transportation concept which has been wasting the time of citizens and public officials for over 30 years. There are no working PRT systems anywhere in the world.

Cox also says there is a 1/4 mile Personal Rapid Transit demonstration project in Duluth. That is not true.

Ray Cox also said PRT has "a lot of potential" and "the State should get behind it".

Ray Cox is misinformed. PRT is a classic boondoggle. There isn't a community in Minnesota that would willingly cut down half the trees on their streets for a monorail-like structure with a view into their second-story windows.

PRT was promoted heavily in 2004 by Rep. Mark Olson (recently ejected from the House GOP Caucus) and former Minneapolis Councilman Dean Zimmermann (now serving a sentence for bribery).

Rep. Mark Olson's PRT bills inn 2004 would have allowed Duluth (or Minneapolis) to bond for PRT, but those bills never made it past the conference committee.

Rep. Margaret Kelliher said in 2004 that PRT had "junk bond status"... she was right then and she is still right. PRT is a boondoggle that has wasted hundreds of millions of dollars in cities around the world.

Even if PRT was everything its promoters claim it to be, PRT is not funded by the Federal Government as they do with conventional transportation infrastructure projects.... Minnesota taxpayers would have to pay for the ENTIRE cost of developing the technology AND building a system (if it were possible) that would cost billions of dollars just for the Metro Area alone.

I hope the voters of SD 25 elect a senator who supports proven, conventional transportation initiatives. Minnesota does not need more fiscally imprudent legislators eager to risk scarce public dollars on pie-in-the-sky concepts like PRT.

Dean Zimmermann Asked Developer for $250,000 for PRT

2007-12-22T14:29:00.000-08:00

IN this video interview for Minneapolis Confidential, developer and builder Gary Carlson talked about the trial of Rep. Mark Olson's fellow PRT associate Gary Dean Zimmermann. Carlson briefly mentions that Zimmermann asked him for $250,000 for his PRT project with the Taxi 2000 Corporation... listen:

Longer version of this video at Minneapolis Confidential.

Skytran LTE Claims PRT "... delivers the best transit service in the United States."

2007-12-20T19:25:00.000-08:00

Totally bizarre.... even for Skytran promoters who claim their "system" is cheaper to build than LRT because Skytran is built with a guideway-extruding robot:

Another smart way to go

I would like to join the IJ in thanking Supervisors Judy Arnold and Charles McGlashan for inviting Unimodal to share its vision of personal rapid transit with the citizens of Marin on Dec. 5. I also appreciated the public's insightful and at times critical questions. However, an important point went unmentioned in your editorial (Dec. 12, "Public transit and Buck Rogers").

Personal rapid transit is not in some distant future. PRT is here today. And has been for 30 years. As we noted in our presentation, the federal government built the Morgantown, W.Va., PRT system in the 1970s and it is still delivers the best transit service in the United States. Unfortunately, for political reasons, Morgantown remains the best system you've never heard of. In Europe, politics has been swept aside and a second generation of PRT is being deployed in the at London's Heathrow Airport and in Uppsala, Sweden. These systems can be ordered today.

Next generation PRT builds on these proven first- and second-generation systems and will deliver a level of service and performance unmatched by automobiles or transit. As such, Unimodal's SkyTran PRT system is the middle way to the sustainable transportation future the Earth needs today.

Because the stakes are so high, all options should be on the table for Marin, the United States and the world. Planning our future in these dangerous times is not a zero-sum game. The old and new can co-exist and work together side by side.

That would be the smart way to go.

Christopher Perkins, chief executive officer, Unimodal Systems

Chris uses the word "smart" because the proposed rail transit line the local anti-transit group Marin Citizens for Effective Transportation opposes goes by the acronym S.M.A.R.T.

Maybe Perkins is confused by the existence of PRT in "Second LIfe"?

It's interesting that PRT always seems to pop up in places where rail transit is being proposed.

Marshall Independent: "Seifert says expelling lawmaker was right thing"

2007-12-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

Column in Marshall, Minnesota's Independent by Editor Dana Yost:    

In his first year as House minority leader, state Rep. Marty Seifert has faced some tough moments.  

Tense talks over the state budget. Criticism at home from Lyon County commissioners. Telling Republican House staff workers last year before Christmas they were being laid off because the GOP had lost the majority.  

In context, that makes what he had to do this month seem not so tough — actually seem like the right thing to do.  

In a story that broke this week, Seifert and the House Republican Caucus he leads voted to expel Rep. Mark Olson, R-Big Lake, from the GOP caucus after Olson was convicted on a domestic violence charge.

  Olson had already been suspended after the case had gone to court, but the caucus took stricter action after the conviction.  

"It's never easy to tell a guy you've served in the House with for 11 years that you're expelling him," Seifert said the other day. "It's never an easy thing to do stuff like this. But this was not as hard as telling good, hard-working people they weren't going to have a job or making budget decisions. This was tough, but it wasn't the worst thing.

"  In fact, it was easy to justify.

  Olson was convicted of misdemeanor assault against his wife.

  The jury convicted him of causing his wife to fear of bodily harm after an much-publicized incident in which they collided and fell to the ground and he supposedly hit her with a Bible. The jury acquitted Olson of the more serious charge of intentionally harming or trying to harm his wife. The original charges said he knocked his wife to the ground three times.  

Olson frequently talked about how he follows the Bible and stresses the importance of family values. Seifert said the criminal conviction points to some hypocrisy the GOP caucus simply couldn't be associated with.  

"We certainly have a lot of concern in elected office — are we going to try to keep on a higher ground of ethics?" Seifert said. "If he had been acquitted, it would have been cut and dry (Olson would stay in the caucus). But he was convicted. He's going to appeal, so we put in the caveat that he could be reinstated if he's successful (with the appeal or on Election Day).

"  For now, though, Olson is a convicted wife-assaulter. That alone made Seifert upset. He said he grew up in a peaceful household and lives in one now, and doesn't understand or tolerate domestic violence no matter how angry someone gets.  

"People are bothered by the hypocrisy," Seifert said. "You can't have office-holders talking about family values and have a caucus member engage in domestic assault. It's hypocritical and feeds the cynicism people feel about politics.

"  Olson is still in the House and can still call himself a Republican, but by being booted from the Republican caucus he loses all access to staff support and other privileges.  

Seifert said Olson was angry when Seifert called him with the news, and Olson told the Twin Cities media Tuesday he will seek re-election — either as a Republican or a third-party candidate. He said he and his wife have reconciled and the issue shouldn't be as big as it is.  

Seifert disagreed.  "He may well win his seat again, but that doesn't mean I have to be part of it," Seifert said, speaking as the caucus leader.  Seifert also contrasted the GOP's expulsion of Olson with the way the U.S. Senate has waffled over Republican Sen. Larry Craig's sex-related conviction, and how the state Senate DFL caucus responded to the DWI arrest of Senate

President James Metzen on the final day of the 2007 session.  Metzen was also convicted and apologized. The DFL hasn't called for Metzen to be penalized legislatively, but has supported his treatment program.  "That might be seen as a little different than domestic violence," Seifert said. "But he could have killed somebody (while driving drunk).

But people are saying if the DFL didn't do anything to Jim Metzen, why are the Republicans doing this to Mark Olson.  "Well, we're not the Democrats ... when it comes to domestic violence, that's a big deal."  The Republicans didn't rush to judgment, Seifert said, deliberating Olson's fate over long hours and waiting until the judicial process had run its course.  

And this didn't help Olson, either: While Metzen apologized for his DWI arrest, Olson has hardly acknowledged he was wrong in the domestic assault incident, Seifert said.  "I have never seen any sense of remorse from Mark Olson on this," Seifert said. "I've served with him for 11 years and I would have expected some sort of contrition. I haven't seen that at all.

"  Seifert said the GOP has taken some heat that the expulsion could cost the party Olson's seat entirely. Or on the flip side, that it was a calculated GOP step to get rid of damaged goods and clear room for other possible candidates, including former secretary of state Mary Kiffmeyer.  

Ultimately, though, something else overrode political concerns, Seifert said.  "At some point, you have to say we've got to do what is right and take politics off the table," Seifert said. "This was right."

H/T Beyond Sound Bites and Headlines

Heathrow Terminal 5 to Open Without ULTra Personal Rapid Transit System

2007-12-18T05:25:00.000-08:00

From the BAA 2005:

On successful completion of all the milestones a year long pilot scheme will be introduced at Heathrow airport in 2008.

From the BBC on Monday:

Heathrow Airport operator BAA said the guided vehicles should be up and running in 2009.

No mention in the article or at the ULtra site why the project has been delayed a year (of course).

Mark Olson Says He will Run Again and May Appeal Verdict

2007-12-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

T.W. Budig on the ECM website:

Rep. Mark Olson plans to seek re-election, says House Republican caucus vote was academic

Thursday, 13 December 2007

Rep. Mark Olson plans to seek re-election and portrayed the recent House Republican caucus vote to permanently suspend him as academic.

“There’s really no difference between that and what they’ve already done,’ said Olson, speaking Wednesday (Dec. 12).

Indeed, Olson depicts working independently at the Minnesota Legislature — an independence resulting from his being charged with domestic assault last November — as liberating.

“(It’s) very freeing and very beneficial to have my own staff. And I’ve enjoyed working under this situation,” said Olson.

... Olson feels at peace...

“So it’s been very freeing and it’s a more peaceable way of operating down here (at the Capitol),” said Olson. “So it’s been good,” he said.

Olson was temporarily suspended from the Republican House caucus after as his arrest for domestic assault.

Olson was eventually found guilty of one count of misdemeanor domestic assault with the intention to cause fear.

Last Thursday (Dec. 6) the caucus voted to permanently remove Olson, an eight-term Republican lawmaker from Big Lake.

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, explained the vote was to clarify misunderstandings the public might have about Olson’s status with the caucus.

... But, Olson said the vote was unnecessary...

But Olson views the vote, beyond being unnecessary, as a means for the caucus to oppose his re-election.

Olson expects a number of Republican candidates to vie for the District 16B endorsement. “I think it will be healthy,” he said. “With the state (Republican) caucus involved, I think it will be unhealthy,” said Olson.

He is determined to run again for the House, explained Olson.

“ And I’m gearing up for it,” he said.

Olson believes he has support in the district.

“When I came out of jail, I had 53 contacts of support. I had five against,” said Olson. “What happened to my family was the most awful experience I’ve ever had,” he said. “It was tragic. It was wrong, and uncalled for,” said Olson.

Olson is considering appealing the court decision against him, but would not elaborate.

As for last Thursday’s caucus vote, he looks at it as an example of good coming out of bad, said Olson.

Seifert indicated Olson’s status with the caucus could be reexamined were he to be re-elected or if his conviction were overturned on appeal.

... has anyone added up what Rep. Mark Olson's legal problems have cost the taxpayers? Start with the arrest and his arraignment, then add the expense of rescheduling his trial every time he fired his lawyer. Now, he wants to appeal his misdemeanor conviction... how much is the appeal going to cost the taxpayers of Sherburne County and the State of MInnesota?

House GOP Dumps Mark Olson

2007-12-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

WCCO:

ST. PAUL (AP) ― State Rep. Mark Olson was already a Republican without a caucus last session.

Now, House Republicans have formally expelled him from their ranks.

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert says the caucus acted at a meeting last Thursday. Olson did not attend.

Olson was suspended from the caucus a year ago while his domestic assault case was pending.

In July, he was convicted of causing his wife fear of bodily harm when they ran into each other and fell down behind their home. He was sentenced to two years' probation and ordered to pay fines and court costs of almost $400. His attorney said Olson acted in self-defense in an abusive relationship.

Seifert says Olson might get back into the caucus if he overturns his conviction on appeal or wins re-election, but several other Republicans are already interested in running in the Sherburne County district.

Olson said he didn't see much difference between suspension and explusion. "It really does nothing more than give these folks license to send people out into the district to run against me," he said.

Editorial: "Transit solutions and Buck Rogers"

2007-12-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

Marin County Independent Journal

The Skytran concept is intriguing but untested; Unimodal doesn't have a working prototype, which means its claims and cost projections need to be taken for what they are - optimistic, to be kind.

... of course, the supervisor who brought in the Skytran folks, Judy Arnold is anti-rail:

McGlashan hit the nail on the head when he said in his introduction that such a system might be "pertinent" in 10 or 20 years, but that he feels it his responsibility to share what is out there.

He also said it is his job to worry about the present, which is why he is a strong supporter of Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, the proposed passenger rail system.

Arnold is an opponent of SMART, but is willing to discuss such "Maglev" concepts.

PRT has long been an effective tool for the opponents of rail transit, but it hasn't been working as well as it did in the past.

Google Sponsors Organization that Promotes Personal Rapid Transit

2007-12-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

The Advanced Transit Association (ATRA) promotes gadgetbahn (gadget transportation). The ATRA gadgetbahn mode of choice is Personal Rapid Transit (PRT).

It was recently brought to my attention that Google's corporate logo has appeared on the front page of ATRA's website indicating that Google is a sponsor of ATRA:

Jeral Poskey's LinkedIn profile says he currently works for Google:

Current: Manager, Automated Operations at Google
Past: Advisor at Message Scape
VP of Sales and Marketing at Taxi 2000
Network administrator at Danka

Why doesn't Jeral Poskey mention that he is the Chairman of the Advanced Transit Association (ATRA). on his LinkedIn profile?

(More about Jeral Poskey and other PRT promoters' LinkedIn profiles in the previous post).

To give you an idea just how bogus ATRA is, ATRA's treasurer Larry Fabian pesters me with emails... here's the most recent one:

Lawrence Fabian

[lfabian21@********]

SUBJECT: Jake Roberts

Dec 1 (1 day ago)

He's a handsome, well-dressed dude -- a hell of lot better looking than you and me.
He's head up the 30th Ithaca Festival in late May. Come on out -- you can exhibit your venom towards innovation.

I wonder how Google's stockholders would react if they knew that Google supported a bogus organization such as ATRA?

To underscore just how bogus ATRA is, Rep. Mark Olson introduced an amendment in 2006 and 2007 that required ATRA to be involved in the Central Corridor LRT Project.

From the Minnesota 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. "

The Olson amendment was voted down in 2006 with 26 yeas and 107 nays

Only two DFLers voted for Olson's silly amendment.

Here is Mark Olson introducing (and withdrawing) a similar amendment in 2007:

UPDATE: Larry Fabian has sent me another email informing me that Jeral Poskey is no longer the Chairman of ATRA. The ATRA site still says Poskey is the Chairman.

PRT Promoters' LinkedIn Profiles

2007-12-02T13:10:00.000-08:00

David Maymudes:

Summary

Current: Software Designer at Taxi 2000
Past: Development Manager at Microsoft Corp.
Software Engineer at GW Instruments

Software Designer at Taxi 2000 and Computer Software Consultant
Greater Seattle Area

I worked at Microsoft for nine years on Windows, Internet Explorer, and Media Player; I have the dubious distinction of having defined the AVI file format.   More recently, I have been working on Personal Rapid Transit, see www.gettherefast.org or www.skywebexpress.com for more information.
Specialties:

Systems programming, transportation, mathematics

Maymudes is also a member with some other PRT promoters such as Emory Bundy and Jerry Schneider in CETA which opposes LRT and commuter rail... and the Darwin-deprived think tank Discovery Institute's Cascadia Project invited David Maymudes to give a talk about PRT. More about Maymudes and PRT in this DMO post.

David Gow:

With 14 years of direct experience in nonprofit fundraising, I wish to make a transition to other areas of nonprofts, such as:

- Program officer with a private foundation or corporate foundation.
- Columnist or reporter with an online environmental news organization.
- Executive with an organization involved in innovating mass transit.
- Program development of a new Puget Sound water quality monitoring project involving school-based data collection and dissemination via the Web.

I have developed expertise in the policy side of transportation, going back to 1989, with an emphasis in the nascent area of "personal rapid transit" (PRT). I operate one of the world's leading unaffiliated websites on PRT, kinetic.seattle.wa.us/prt.html . My body of work in transportation analysis and advocacy qualifies me for community relations, spokesperson, executive staff and policy staff positions with public transit agencies and companies involved in advanced transport technology.

At present I write the online column Wiseline Institute NW Presents Mr_Blog's Left Turn (kinetic.seattle.wa.us/blog).

I also have a sideline in design and administration of websites, portfolio available at www.kinetic.seattle.wa.us/hegemony

David Gow’s Specialties:

Nonprofits: typical grants duties from prospect research through annual program design, crafting of project descriptions and budgets, proposal submission, and compliance.

Transportation: education, outreach and community relations work in the field of innovative transit systems. Contributions in that field include spokesperson duties, writing, editing and review of scholarly articles.

Now I know why he calls himself "Mr_Grant". David Gow doesn't mention that he has not one, but two blogs about me... and a few other spamming blogs.

Ed Anderson:

Chairman & CEO at Taxi 2000 Corporation
Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Anderson is still claiming he is the CEO of Taxi 2000? Here's two recent articles HERE and HERE in which he claims to be the managing director of another would-be PRT vendor called PRT International LLC (domain name prtinternational.com, but no website).

J. Edward Anderson has two other LinkedIn home pages HERE with this summary:

Long history in PRT development.
Currently organizing a group of engineers and preparing plans for building a test system.

...and another page HERE.

Jeral Poskey:

Current: Manager, Automated Operations at Google
Past: Advisor at Message Scape
VP of Sales and Marketing at Taxi 2000
Network administrator at Danka

For laughs, read this DMO post about Poskey's days peddling PRT in Minnesota

Poskey doesn't mention that he is the Chairman of the Advanced Transit Association (ATRA). There might be a very good reason for that... but, I'll leave that for the next post.

Another Green Party Personal Rapid Transit Booster

2007-12-01T05:11:00.000-08:00

An organization called "Connect Ithaca" promotes Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) in upstate New York, and they recently shared their "JPod" vision on the pages of the Cornell Daily Sun.

The Connect Ithaca Steering Committee's Chairperson is Jacob Roberts(website no longer up). In 2005, Roberts was a Green Party candidate for Mayor of Syracuse, New York – as shown in this video. However, his campaign was upstaged by a hockey mascot called Al the Ice Gorilla:

...prominent activist Jacob Roberts "must be burned that Al the Ice Gorilla's late entry into the mayoral race is garnering way more ink than Roberts' write-in campaign."

According to this article, Roberts supported the Destiny mall development:

Roberts, who is running on the Youth Empowered Sustainability (YES!) ticket, proposes partnering with Destiny, while the Greens advocate public development.

The Destiny mall was supposed to have a monorail and a PRT system for its parking lots.

Now, Jake is promoting PRT:

I have just returned from a PRT conference in Sweden and listened to EXPERTS in Global Climate Change, Peek Oil, [sic] Environmental Analysis, Solar Energy Systems, Tranportation [sic] and Urban Planning, Property Development, Citizen Advocacy and more...they all conclude that PRT is a superior solution to mass transit options like the Car, Light Rail, Heavy Rail, Buses, etc...

Readers of this blog may recall that PRT is a bogus, anti-transit scam that was heavily promoted by Gary Dean Zimmermann – who is now serving a federal prison sentence for accepting gratuities.

While Zimmermann sits in prison, his public defender has filed an appeal with the U.S. 8th Circuit Appeals Court. The judges heard oral arguments on September 24, 2007. What follows are extended excerpts from Mike Cheever, the Assistant U.S. Attorney who delivered the federal government's case against Zimmermann:

UPDATE:: As you may have noticed, the Connect Ithaca website is no longer up.

Also, from the the Podcar site, a picture of Jake "The 3rd Force" Roberts:

Rep. Ray Cox is a PRTista

2007-11-27T19:13:00.000-08:00

From Lloydletta:

Tom Neuville R, Northfield, has been appointed to a judge position. Ray Cox is planning on running for his seat.

MN House website:

NEWS RELEASE REP. COX SAYS PERSONAL RAPID TRANSIT WILL IMPROVE JOB CLIMATE (3/19/2004)

ST. PAUL - On the heels of the recent announcement that the state deficit is falling thanks to a rise in job growth, State Representative Ray Cox (R-Northfield) is co-authoring legislation that would create more new jobs, showcases Minnesota technology, and puts consumers in the driver’s seat of public transit services.

“The February budget forecast recently noted the reason for the declining deficit is an increase in new jobs,” Cox said. “The Personal Rapid Transit project will continue this trend by providing hundreds more good-paying jobs for Minnesota workers. At a time when Minnesota is looking to expand its job base and lure new business to the state, PRT already provides all the necessary ingredients: local technology, a willing community, and an eager workforce.”

Cox said Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is a very innovative automated transit system developed right here in Minnesota, and the bill he is co-authoring would provide the Duluth Transit Authority with incentives to construct a PRT safety certification facility. It operates on demand; PRT passenger vehicles wait at stations for riders, not vice versa. As designed, PRT passengers would select an empty vehicle; swipe a pre-paid card; and enjoy a private, computer-run trip that would take them non-stop to their selected destination. The computer system automatically selects the fastest, most convenient non-stop route for passengers, and would be available 24/7. In addition, unlike any other system, PRT infrastructure and vehicles are fully mass-producible and can be quickly erected on site.

Cox said there are many benefits to PRT, including its high efficiency and low pollution rate. But Cox said the most important benefit may be a new job base.

“Once I discovered how many new jobs the project could create, co-authoring this bill became a no-brainer,” Cox said. “If we don’t act to keep PRT, this system and hundreds of jobs will most likely be exported to some other state.”

 
I asked Ray Cox recently if he still supports PRT and he replied that he does.

I recently received this message from a DMO reader:

I was rooting around on Lexis Nexis for info on Taxi 2000. There's very little but there was this one recent article which I paste below. You may know about this already. I also noticed that they have no registered patents ...and only registered two trademarks (skyweb express and Minnesota PRT), the second of which has been "Abandoned".

Interesting.

Discussion About PRT

2007-11-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

They're talking about PRT on MN Speak.

Minnesota History Center's Misleading Exhibit on Transit

2007-11-25T12:25:00.000-08:00

My Uptake video about misleading exhibit at the History Center on LRT and PRT:

Click To Play

By Ken Avidor

Rising oil and gasoline prices and the collapse of the 35W bridge have made Transportation a very important issue for the next legislative session and for the 2008 election. Northstar commuter line and the Central Corridor LRT line will likely be competing with highway projects for scarce public dollars as lesser-known transit projects such as the Southwest LRT Line get into the queue.

The exhibit on transit at the Minnesota Historical Society's History Center in Saint Paul is a musty time capsule of the debate on transit from the years leading up to the completion of the Hiawatha Light Rail Line in 2004. Much of the information in the exhibit, particularly statements in the videos about Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is either wrong or misleading.

In the years leading up to when the exhibit was installed, there was some debate whether LRT was going to be successful in the Twin Cities. That debate for the most part has been settled and LRT has wide support among public officials and citizens.

The portion of exhibit about Personal Rapid Transit is even more out of date and misleading. For over 30 years PRT seemed to have support in Minnesota from members of anti-transit, pro-highway groups. PRT had no support from traditional transit groups such as Transit for Livable Communities and the Sierra Club North Star, both of which have resolutions opposing the public funding of PRT.

Perhaps the high point for PRT promoters at the Capitol was the 2004 session when a PRT bonding bill for $4 million was passed by the House only to be extinguished in a conference committee. Things went quickly downhill after that.

Late in 2004, PRT "visionary" Professor J. Edward Anderson was prevented from regaining control of the Taxi 2000 Corporation from Morrie Anderson who was also the chair of the Citizen's League's Transportation Committee at that time. The Citizens League is a Minnesota organization that has traditionaly been opposed to rail transit.

A previous CEO of Taxi 2000, Sheffer Lang 1927-2003) was a strong opponent of rail transit at the Citizens League. Lang was known for fierce attacks on transit such as this statement: "The highway sets the standard. ... Behind every single one of these [rail] initiatives is a bunch of people who are convinced... that the automobile is the curse of modern civilization”. It is very likely that the strident Citizen League comment about LRT featured in the exhibit is from Lang.

Oddly, the one quote in the Skyweb Expres exhibit attributed to Sheffer Lang describes Lang as an "engineer" and does not mention that Lang was a professor of transportation at MIT and the prominent and influential role he played in public policy on transportation in Minnesota.

In 2005, the Taxi 2000 Corporation filed a lawsuit and restraining order against J. Edward Anderson and two associates. J. Edward Anderson is still trying to find a city willing to fund a testing facility for his new PRT company PRT International LLC. A recent report in the Springfield News-Leader says Anderson Anderson is trying to bring PRT to the Ozarks

Also in 2005, One of PRT's most energetic promoters, Minneapolis Councilman Dean Zimmermann, was investigated and charged by the U.S. Attorney's office with extorting bribes from a developer. Zimmermann subsequently lost his seat on the council to Robert Lilligren, a supporter of conventional transit. Zimmermann was eventually convicted and is serving his sentence in a Federal prison camp in Littleton, Colorado.

Without Zimmermann, the remaining promoters of PRT in the Minnesota legislature are mostly Republicans opposed to rail transit. PRT has lost its support among liberal and moderate Minnesota politicians. An attempt by Rep. Mark Olson to attach a PRT amendment to a bonding bill in the Minnesota House on April 12th, 2005 was voted down 26 to 107. In the 2007 legislative session, no PRT legislation was voted on.

Five days after his re-election in 2006, Rep. Mark Olson was arrested for domestic abuse and was convicted on one misdemeanor charge of domestic abuse.

The Taxi 2000 Corporation's lawsuit against J. Edward Anderson as well as Olson and Zimmermann's troubles likely sealed PRT's fate at the Capitol, however a far more likely factor was the phenomenal success of the Hiawatha Light Rail Line... unfortunately, none of this history is in the History Center's exhibit.

More information:

Complete History Center video about PRT.

Complete History Center video about LRT.

Transit for Livable Communities resolution against public funding of PRT.

Sierra Club North Star resolution against public funding of PRT .

"Personal rapid transit spending draws fire at Capitol"- Laura McCallum's MPR report about PRT legislation in 2004

Skytran Flim-Flam in Marin County

2007-11-24T08:38:00.000-08:00

From the Novato Advance:

Maybe, but Marin County Supervisors Judy Arnold and Charles McGlashan are willing to take a look at technology designed by the southern California company UniModal Inc. that could make these traveling times a reality.

The two supervisors will host UniModal representatives as they discuss their, Sky Tran, at a community meeting Dec. 5 in the Board of Supervisors Chamber in the Civic Center from 4 to 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

“We’ll all learn together. I don’t know if this would work,” Arnold said. “I don’t know enough about it, but I want to learn more.”

Don't waste your time, Judy.

This is what the so-called inventor of Skytran Douglas J. Malewicki said about Skytran on the Skytran website:

"Aaaarrrrgghh! Ain't no such animal - yet. It is still just a concept that makes a lot of theoretical sense. It needs money to tear into it properly - a lot. Why it hasn't happened yet is mostly my fault. I detest paperwork and details. I can't see myself applying for any government energy or innovation grants because of all the bureaucratic crap that I would be stuck with. If they supplied paperwork bozos along with the grants to take care of their required paperwork, it might be more appealing. I guess I also don't want to deal with all their other silly rules either. If I want to hire all black engineers (and I know a bunch of dam good practical ones), to the exclusion of Hispanics, Women, Polaks, etc. the government won't let me. I start reading the grant application forms and rules and never finish - because I toss it all in the garbage first in disgust. Basically, I'm selfish. I prefer to think and create. I have plenty of other non-hassle projects I can be involved in to feed my brain endorphins or whatever. I am definitely not the right kind of personality to carry this project to fruition in the real world!"

That statement was removed the Skytran website, but can be viewed HERE.

Skytran claims it is less expensive to build than LRT because Skytran can be built with... get this.... robots:

The light weight per foot of the track design also allows the use of a semi-automated track forming manufacturing robot (much simpler than the Robosaurus machine) that enables a two shift crew to deploy one mile of two way track per day. This can be compared with proposed monorail trains (weighing 100,000 pounds) which require guideways costing well over $40 million per mile and many years to build.

That statement was also removed the Skytran website, but can be viewed HERE.

Skytran is perhaps the most ridiculous of the PRT schemes, which is why I call it the "Smoking Gun of PRT Absurdity".

J.Edward Anderson in Branson

2007-11-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

He's still at it... this time in Branson, Missouri.

Anderson's new company, PRT International has a domain name, but no website:

http://prtinternational.com

Registrant:

PRT International, LLC

5164 Rainier Pass NE

Fridley, MN 55421

US

Domain Name: PRTINTERNATIONAL.COM

The PDF document on the News Leader's website lists the address of PRT International as Minneapolis... in fact, it is Anderson's home in Fridley, MN.

Was Aldous Huxley a PRTista?

2007-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Really bad marketing blooper from a Vectus PRT brochure (PDF):

DAVID STROM: PRT "DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME."

2007-11-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

FROM THE TAXPAYER LEAGUE'S RADIO SHOW 1/1/2005:

I'll give you my take on this (PRT)...First, Personal Rapid Transit already exists and it's called the automobile. Now, with that said, the argument for the PRT system that exists out there is...well...this is a great way to add capacity very rapidly without...uh...since it's elevated you don't have the same problems with having to knock down houses and various other things...uh...y'know, but if you start looking at the system, the problem is there is no system. It doesn't really... I mean, part of their argument is about how it failed somewhere else, "well, it's not really what we got here"... uh...and I say, well look, let's build it in Dubai. Let's build it where they want to throw tons of money at it... if it's so great, then we'll see. If not, uh... why should we be subsidizing it?... certainly not to the tune of 600 million bucks... that's a ton of money...uh, it just doesn't make any sense to me..

Although I disagree with David Strom on many other matters I have to admit he's consistent in his opposition to transit... even bogus, gadget transit.

Click To Play

In the Dump Mark Olson Mailbox

2007-11-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

Email received yesterday:

Dear Mr. Ken,

Your ad hominem arguments against rep Mark Olson are boring. To continue to discredit PRT efforts because Mark was convicted of a misdemeanor is absurd.

In light of recent evidence of humans affecting climate change, new ways of "greener" public transport should be a universal human concern - don't you think? Does it not make your stance a mute point?

I am his nephew, and while in no way do I condone his behavior towardshis family, or support all of his political views, it would be nice to see some factual content on your site that would prove PRT to be a
'boondoggle' as you so happily assert (and you can leave the sound effects out this time).

What is your solution for a public transportation system which is economically and environmentally viable? If you can't provide some substance to the debate, you should probably shut down your website and do something else with your time.

sincerely,

Paul S. Olson

I have always said that I'd go to any public venue in Big Lake or anywhere else in the 6th District and explain exactly why PRT is infeasible and why Northstar, LRT and other real transit intiatives are a good thing.

Steve Andrews to Challenge Rep. Mark Olson

2007-11-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

Lawrence Schumacher in his SC Times Blog:

Olson's first challenger

Posted: 11/13/2007 at 5:32 PM

Big Lake resident Steve Andrews announced on Tuesday that he intends to seek the DFL Party endorsement for a House District 16B seat in next year's election.

Andrews, a vice-president of technology for Minneapolis-based Fintegra Financial Solutions and co-owner of Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating of Maple Grove with his wife, Mary, becomes the first candidate to announce a run against Rep. Mark Olson, R-Big Lake.

Andrews is a former member of the Monticello Housing & Redevelopment Authority and a St. John's University graduate.

House District 16B includes the cities of Clear Lake, Becker and Big Lake.

H/T Liberal in the Land of Conservative.

Bigpedia PRT vs Wikipedia PRT

2007-10-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

There's something called Bigpedia that uses a lot of the material from the Wikipedia PRT page... but also includes facts that PRT fanatics have kept out of the Wikipedia page including links to skeptical sites like mine and Light Rail Now's "Cyberspace" article.

Go to the Bigpedia PRT page and scroll down to "Disadvantages":

Disadvantages

Most planners say that no economically successful PRT system has been demonstrated, and there have been too many failures for a prudent person to spend public funds. Transit planners normally evaluate a new transport method as part of an intermodal network. In these cases, a PRT line may compete against a rail or bus line. When operated in an intermodal transit network, PRT may not fully realize the travel time reductions advanced by proponents, because connections to other mass-transit modes are only possible when the other vehicle arrives; a disadvantage where infrequent transit can be the weakest link in an intermodal system. Timed connections between conventional mass-transit modes, though rare, can be more efficient than PRT intermodal use.

The claims made by proponents depend on certain reasonable but nonstandard design features (see above). Many planners argue that if conservative ridership, operating expense ratios and inter-vehicle lead distances (for bus and train systems) are used, PRT systems are less attractive than bus and train systems.

In transit planning with standard ratios, if PRT were built in an existing high density corridor, it would be less efficient than trains. Only if additional capacity were required in a low density corridor, would it be more efficient than a bus line or automobile, since the capital costs of streets are already sunk.

Because of network effects, PRT is not fully useful until it is widespread. In this view, a small PRT system will not attract demand because it does not go to many destinations. Many people say that only a large PRT can attract sufficient demand to be self-sustaining. How it could grow from a niche to a local or metropolitan network is unclear to these persons. Growth to a national network is thought especially unlikely.

Skeptics say that PRT just idles entire vehicles, which is true. The effects of vehicular recycling at rush hours are also disputed by some transit planners, because they are simulations. Some skeptics have said that since gross capacities have to be comparable (because the same number of people are being transported in the same time), no advantage can occur. However, comparing capacity (people per hour), and capacity utilization (money per person per hour) is a fallacy.

Some experienced advocates claim that the chief problem is that PRT threatens existing livelihoods associated with cars, busses, trains and related services. Since the market in rapid transit has a limited (government) budget in each city, and existing options are the best-funded, existing options and organizations tend to win political battles. As of 2001, this may be changing, because existing options have been unable to solve traffic problems.

The claimed very high vehicle utilizations (vehicles are usually carrying passengers at full speed, rather than parked), means that there might be less need for, and investment in private vehicles, and auxiliary private services such as repair and insurance. Although these are social advantages, they directly threaten the livelihoods of many persons.

PRT systems may be as unattractive as other public transit. People cannot customize them to their tastes, and therefore rarely have anything approaching the enthusiasm shown for a new car. At Morgantown, most students use, but casually despise the transportation system, and recount stories of its failures. Some jokingly claim the term "PRT" is said to stand for "Pretty Retarded Train."

Some call PRT a prime example of a federally funded "pork barrel" project, one of many located in West Virginia due to the influence of Senator Robert Byrd.

A PRT system is said to have lower costs and automated operations. These could lead to simpler organizations and smaller staff at governmental transportation offices. This directly reduces the responsibility and authority of government officials, which in most civil service systems, reduces their pay. It does not offer much incentive to administrators to adopt it.

Many authorities say that the cost of constructing and operating the system is unlikely to be as low as claimed. Some systems (such as Morgantown) have had much higher costs than planned (Morgantown has to use steam heat to keep its tracks free of snow). Any new technology has to climb a learning curve, and for every new system, promoters must make speculative claims when asserting low construction and operating costs. Historically, costs are underestimated on transit projects and demand overestimated. Further, methods of recovering unplanned cost overruns can cause political and public strife.

The neighbors of such a system could oppose unsightly towers holding an elevated rail system, as well as the guideway itself. New infrastructure is hard to build, particularly without the support of the community.

Dan Severson is Rep. Mark Olson's New PRT Pod Partner

2007-10-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

Lawrence Schumacher reports in today's SC Times:

"[Rep. Dan] Severson and Rep. Mark Olson, R-Big Lake, called for new approaches to funding and for studying transportation alternatives, such as a system of elevated rails on which small pods travel a fixed route, known as Personal Rapid Transit."

Rep. Dan Severson R-Sauk Rapids is on the Transportation and Transit Policy Subcommittee and the Transportation Finance Division. I look forward to seeing what kind of legislation Severson cooks up with Rep. Mark Olson.

More Letters Against Pods in Daventry

2007-10-17T20:41:00.001-07:00

Good letter in the Daventry Express:

http://www.daventrytoday.co.uk/letters/Straight-out-of-Springfield.3387864.jp

Straight out of Springfield

This whole 'pod' scheme rings a bell to me. I think DDC has been watching too many episodes of the Simpsons. Episode 71 to be exact, entitled 'Marge Vs. the Monorail'.

The plot focuses around the town of Springfield buying a monorail from a conman, which ends in disaster! By the looks of the size of these pods, you won't fit in them with any shopping and if you have a buggy you can forget it! Does this also mean that the Daventry Dart drivers will be out of a job?

I agree with the recent letters in the Gusher – the pods will just get wrecked by the rogue kids of Daventry.

It's about time they stopped skipping with the pixies and thought about a bowling complex, cinema or something similar for families and teenagers alike to do in their spare time. Let's face it, there's nothing else to do in this town!

The pods are just another thing to add onto the 'list of stupidity' by the council alongside a marina with no canal. If it has the money for the pods why doesn't it have the money to build the canal? It's about time it started asking the residents what they would like, instead of trying to get on the 'global map'. We may be on the map as Cllr Millar states, but it will be as a laughing stock, not for anything great.

T Nairn
Braunston Road
Daventry

Anti-Strib Throws Rep. Mark Olson's PRT Pod Under the Bus

2007-10-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

"Kermit" in the right-wing blog Anti-Strib:

Earlier today Avidor requested a post and further discussion on PRT, Personal Rapid Transit. We learned that Tracy's wife the LME was in favor, while Tracy himself favored expanding or improving bus service.

... It will be interesting to see if Rep. Mark Olson gets any support from Republicans in the next election for his PRT boondoggle.

PRTista Phil Krinkie, "Pit Bull" (Against LRT)

2007-10-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

From a February 2, 2000 City Pages article:

To streetcar fans like Gov. Jesse Ventura and MNDoT commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg, Krinkie has come to resemble a political pit bull with his teeth in his prey's pants leg--an indefatigable yapper who is still fighting a battle many believe he lost long ago.

... Krinkie was furious...

This, Krinkie figured, was the smoking gun. In late September he along with Rep. Tom Workman (R-Chanhassen) and Rep. Carol Molnau (R-Chaska), held a press conference denouncing what he called a cover-up. Though opponents, namely gubernatorial spokesman John Wodele, have referred to the trio as "a small group of disgruntled legislators," the three are not exactly back-benchers: Krinkie chairs the House's State Government Finance committee, Workman the Transportation committee, and Molnau the Transportation Finance committee; in other words, together they control the three panels most likely to consider light-rail funding.

Since then Krinkie has taken to framing the issue in the language of Watergate: "I'm saying [to MNDoT], 'What did you know and when did you know it?'"

.... Krinkie was relentless...

At MNDoT, the mere mention of Krinkie's name is enough to invoke exasperated sighs. "He's received a lot of information," contends engineer Winter, who says staffers have provided plenty of paperwork and spent hours talking to Krinkie. "He's looking for this piece of information that clearly indicates that the department misled the Legislature," Winter maintains, "and it doesn't exist."

Winter adds that Krinkie's crusade has been frustrating for MNDoT staff. "We want to move ahead and it seems like we spend a lot of time rehashing these issues that have been settled, at least in our mind." Krinkie, meanwhile, suggests that he's not about to relent: "The next lawsuit," he announces, "may be with regard to the fact that the department has willfully withheld public data."

That was then.. and now?

Krinkie in an opinion piece in the Saint Paul Legal Ledger (HERE) about Molnau's choice to pick the highest bidder on the replacement for the collapsed 35W bridge, Krinkie sneaks in a jab at the HIawatha LRT:

Let's revisit just how this term "best value" slipped into the state government lexicon? It began with another large transportation project in the Twin Cities --- the Hiawatha light rail line. In order to fast track the construction of the states first light rail line, MnDOT wanted to use the "design-build" process. Under the design-build method, one contractor is selected to do both the engineering design and the actual construction of the project. Under extreme pressure in 2001 to speed the construction of the Hiawatha LRT project, MnDOT was exempted from following the standard procedure of awarding bids to the lowest qualified bidder.

Incidentally, Elwyn Tinklenberg's campaign has informed me that he will make Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's support for PRT an issue in the next election.

Phil Krinkie who like Bachmann has also promoted PRT has even allowed fellow PRTista Rep. Mark Olson to use his name on a recent fundraiser:

Daventry Politicos and Media Promote Pods That Citizens Didn't Ask For

2007-10-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

The Daventry Express:

Pods prove a huge hit

By Alice Dyer

MORE than a 1,000 people visited an event to get a glimpse of Daventry's possible future.

The event, which ended on Friday, showcased Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicles, which ran along the cycle path in Eastern Way.

Chris Millar, leader of Daventry District Council, said: “The showcase was a success. Most people, especially the younger ones, loved the concept.

“It was a great success in raising the profile for what Daventry is working to achieve and it’s alerted people to the positives before us.”

Members of the public, local school pupils, businesses, organisations and media from across the world all visited the site to see the driverless vehicles in action and some were given a ride in them.

If plans are given the go-ahead, an £80 million project could be launched to install a state-of-the-art PRT system across Daventry to replace the existing bus network.

It is hoped the scheme will ease congestion and save parking spaces with the town’s population set to increases to 40,000 by 2021.

Cllr Millar added: “The next stage will be looking towards the pilot scheme [which would run from the town centre to Middlemore] in two years time and getting the funding for it.”

... another letter dismissive of Cllr Millar's pod proposal:

Make more of what we have

AS TWO long-serving members of the Grange Residents' Association, we are becoming increasingly concerned with the health and welfare of council leader Chris Millar.

He appears to be suffering from delusions if he believes that the Daventry people share his vision of what we want for the future.

He also appears to be suffering with amnesia, as the promises he made to this estate about investment have been forgotten.
Thereby, the reason for this letter asks one question.

If this vision for Daventry's future, which nobody appears to want, can be achieved with investment, why can't reality come first?

Invest now in what you've got. Bring this estate, and others, up to the 21st century standard we, the people of Daventry, deserve.

Ann Smith (chairman) and M J Coomber (secretary)
Grange Residents' Association

The same old story... Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Duluth, Austin, Denver, Cincinnati, Seattle... citizens ask for a little improvement in their living conditions and the politicians like Rep. Mark Olson, Dean Zimmermann, Phil Krinkie and Michele Bachmann tell them to wait for pods in the sky by and by.

Daventry District Council Promoted PRT While Neglecting Neighborhoods

2007-10-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

Alice Dyer in the Daventry Express:

Decay of 'forgotten' estate

WHILE the rest of the town seems to be heading for prosperity, residents living on a Daventry estate feel they have been forgotten.

As Daventry District Council continues to reveal ambitious plans for the future, including state-of-the-art transport systems, new homes, shops and 21st century facilities, residents say The Grange has been left to fall apart.

Ann Smith, chairman of the Grange Residents’ Association, said: “The estates have been left to go into disrepair. Some parts of The Grange look like a slum.

“The council wants the people of Daventry to be proud of the town they live in, but how can they when it’s like this? It’s like a dumping area now and it’s a mess.”

The Daventry Express visited the estate this week with Mrs Smith and Daventry district councillor Colin Poole to see the worst affected areas.

The whole estate is showing signs of serious neglect with broken paving slabs, vast amounts of weeds, broken benches, damage to the children’s play area, inadequate lighting, bushes growing over walkways and litter.

Walls have been smashed, tiles are falling off walkways and garage doors are hanging off. There is graffiti, boarded up windows and doors, broken fences and glass and children’s toys, furniture and other household items which have been dumped in the street.

Mrs Smith said: “I’m angry – we should not have to live in this squalor.

Don't worry, Mrs. Smith you're going to have your pod in the sky by and by.

Pod-Pushing "Dysfunctional" Daventry Disrict Council Reponds to Criticism

2007-10-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Chris Millar, leader of Daventry District Council defends his promotion of Personal Rapid Transit in his LTE in the Daventry Express:

"Be positive about Pods"

IT IS pleasing to note the positive worldwide interest created in Daventry by our recent Transport Conference and Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) Showcase event.

This can only be good news for Daventry district with respect to future investment prospects both from the private and public sectors.

The concept of PRT in a town environment is very futuristic and I can, therefore, understand the concerns of some to its potential future role in Daventry.

However, the fact remains that future transport provision is an important aspect of our planning for growth alongside affordable housing, retail, education provision, jobs, leisure etc.

It is vital that we improve in the longer term public transport across both the town and district.

There are, in my mind, two options to 'tempt' individuals out of their car.
One is to 'tax' them out via higher fuel prices, car tax, congestion charging and high car parking charges.
Or secondly, and certainly far more challenging, is to provide a viable alternative transport option to the car – hence our interest in the concept of PRT.

If a viable, environmentally friendly option was available then I personally would have no problem with the current high costs of motoring!

Cllr Chris Millar
Leader
Daventry District Council

But, the controversy won't go away...

Today's article in the Daventry Express:

'Get off our backs and give us a chance'

By Alice Dyer

DAVENTRY Town Council has hit back at claims it is 'dysfunctional'.
The comments were made in last week’s Daventry Express by Chris Millar, leader of Daventry District Council, following the shock resignation of town mayor Alan Gauton.

He also said there must be something ‘rotten at the core’ of the body, and called for council members to stop squabbling and start serving the public.

Lynne Taylor, town council leader said Cllr’s Millar’s comments were ‘totally unfounded’ and ‘inappropriate’

“To seek to denigrate a public authority and its members without any direct knowledge of the manner in which it conducts its business is improper,” she said.

Mr Gauton quit his role as mayor and chairman of the council because he was unhappy with how the authority was being run.

His departure followed a

string of councillors and staff members quitting the authority.

Cllr Taylor admitted the town council had suffered problems recently, but added Daventry was being served by a ‘dynamic’ mix of people dedicated to serving the public.

“So Daventry District Council get off our backs. Give us a chance to show what we can do for the people of Daventry,” she said.

The town council, which currently has five empty seats, was set up four years ago to look after services like hanging baskets, Christmas lights, the war memorial and allotments. It receives more than £300,000 a year of taxpayers’ money.

....hmmmm.... I wonder if any of that money was spent hosting the PRT pod people conference?

and what did the resignation letter of the former Mayor of Davantry say about the District Council?

"It would appear to be dominated by a self-interest group. This cannot be right, or in the best interests of our community and the people of Daventry."

Letters to the Editor About Personal Rapid Transit in Daventry

2007-10-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

Letters About the Daventry Council's plans for PRT in the Daventry Express:

Pod scheme is up in the air

It will be interesting to see how close the test track along Eastern Way for the proposed new transport system comes to reality.
A brief investigation will show that from a safety standpoint any new PRT system will have to be completely separate from existing pedestrian and vehicle routes.

The potential supplier's own web site states that where the track passes over roads there has to be 5.7 metres of headroom and for pedestrian transit 2.5 metres of headroom.

They also estimate that in an urban environment, such as Daventry, over 90 per cent of the system will have to be elevated. So if the system gets approval, much of it including the stations, will be almost 20 feet up in the air!

How much of the test track will be at this level?

Allan Simmonds
Drayton

Living in Disneyland?

I wonder if the people of Daventry share the enthusiasm of the council for the proposed PRT system reported last week.
At an estimated cost of £80 million, which will be inevitably optimistic, the comment "the officers in Daventry have the will and motivation to try something that has never been tried before" raises questions about the council's expertise and judgement.

Coming on top of the proposed marina and canal link, would we be wrong in asking whether the councillors are spending too much time on 'Disneyland' dreams instead of concentrating on the town and county management?

It would also be interesting to hear from them where the funds are coming from for the project; the recent conference and the consultancy firm instructed. Personally, I have considerable doubts about the practicalities of the scheme anyway.

G. Pearse
Highlands Drive,
Daventry

Town is world leader already

Daventry needn't worry about this new pod travel system – as it is already a leader! Leader of the highest petrol prices that is!
For the last four or five months the petrol prices at all garages in Daventry have stayed the same – they do not compete.

The petrol price has gone down everywhere else but Daventry! In the last month I have found petrol in Devon, Somerset, Essex and central London considerably cheaper (up to 5p a litre less) – surprising as the latter two are supposed to be more expensive to live in! Even petrol on the motorway services is the same as Daventry's or cheaper.

Why are we allowing ourselves to be ripped off?
Lets see some competition between the local garages!
G Bottomley
Elder Drive
Daventry

Tackle the real issues

Well done Daventry District Council, yet another brilliant idea...not!
Pods – well at least the kids will have something to do surfing, shooting, burning and wrecking the pods as they go round.

If there's £80 million on offer why not develop something for them to do, bin these crazy ideas and stop this town going completely down the toilet.

There is too much housing, too many people and so very little to do. I've lived in this town for 39 years and watched it slowly be destroyed by the local council who don't have the town's real population at heart. No police, broken roads, run-down estates, feral kids – these are the issues that need addressing not some hare-brained scheme like pods.
Wake up and smell the coffee DDC.

Name and address
supplied

Nice idea but wrong scheme

I have no wish to run down everything Daventry District Council comes up with and indeed it should be applauded for its forward thinking because, like it or not, oil will run out eventually and we must look for alternative soloutions to the car as we know it.
But I have to say I can not really see the pod as a realistic answer because if you think about it a horse and cart, although a lot slower, would be a better form of transport taking you closer to your home and using or causing very little carbon emission.

The pod system is bound to fail while there are still cars giving the public door-to-door conection and if you try to stop the entrance of cars to our shopping centre, people will simply go else where thus killing the town centre.

Leslie Weatherley
Via email

PRT, what a joke.

PRTistas Eating Their Own

2007-10-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

The Mayor of Fountain Valley California in the Cyburbia Forum:

Hi,

My name is Gus Ayer, and I'm a City Council member in the fair city of Fountain Valley, California, currently taking my turn in the largely ceremonial position as Mayor.

Recently, I've been working with the Swedish Institute for Sustainable Transportation, which has been working to rescue the concept of Personal Rapid Transit from the clutches of crackpots, ideologues and anti-transit nutjobs. They recently sponsored the PodCar City conference in Uppsala, which I attended and spoke at, and their new Kompass group will help cities interested in new transit solutions to find a common direction.

From the comments of a PRTista's Daily Kos Diary in response to MnRaindog:

I've read your comments in DK history, and I can really appreciate your disdain for Bachman, but PRT as public transit doesn't rely on batshit crazy Republicans. The Swedish Institute for Sustainable Transportation, that has inspired me, is working to reclaim a valid idea form the wingnuts and crackpots.

Congratulations, Gus you're an honorary member of the Pod Squad:

UPDATE: The Daily Kos Diary posts by "Aeolus" on the Podcar Conference have apparently been removed.

Vectus PRT is a Joke

2007-10-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

Vectus is the reincarnation of the defunct Raytheon PRT project... with no headroom for passengers!!!

Click To Play

Skyweb Express (Taxi 2000) Scrubs Website

2007-10-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

The new Taxi 2000 website is all videos, simulations and a rehash of the usual phony claims. Missing are names of people involved in the bogus PRT enterprise. Catch a glimpse of the old website in this video:

Rep. Mark Olson is Poster Boy for Minnesota NOW

2007-10-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

From a recent Minnesota NOW Political Action Committee mailing:

REPRESENTATIVE OLSON CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC ASSAULT!

Representative Mark Olson, District 16B, was convicted of domestic assault in July 2007. The assault against his wife occurred in November 2006, yet Representative Olson maintained he was the battered spouse and he refused to step down from the Legislature. With the conviction, it is hoped that the House Ethics Committee will review Representative Olson’s actions and ask him to resign from the Legislature.

The personal IS political! How can a representative who assaults his wife have any credibility on domestic violence issues? At least 13 women and 11 children were murdered in Minnesota as a result of domestic violence in 2004. In Minnesota, domestic violence crime victims account for over 25% of all crime victims. Minnesotans deserve better representation on this issue than can be given by Mark Olson! The MN NOW PAC demands that Mark Olson resign from the Legislature.

Sweep Out the Convicts!

Daventry Mayor Quits After City Hosts Personal Rapid Transit Conference

2007-10-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

Last week the news from the English town of Daventry was:

A UNIQUE public transport system costing around £80million could make Daventry a world leader of innovation, a conference was told this week.

More than 100 representatives from around the globe were in town this week for the much-anticipated Daventry Transport Confer-ence 2007, where talks were given and debates were held over the potential benefits of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) and other related transport technology.

Ian Vincent, Daventry District Council's head of paid service, told the conference yesterday (Wednesday): "We have an extensive growth agenda and we want to demonstrate to the world that we can lead on something as innovative as a PRT system.

"We want people to be proud of the town they live in. It will have attributes that it doesn't have now and we want to be at the leading edge of town development in this country."

This week the news from Daventry is:

The mayor of Daventry has controversially quit his role as the town's civic head.

...and why did the mayor quit?

During the last year the town council has slowly descended into turmoil, with dozens of councillors quitting.
One described the authority as a 'group of people effectively at war', and numerous reports have leaked out about infighting, in-crowds and bitterness between councillors.

The council currently has five empty seats.

In August town clerk Mrs Paddan quit her job and all four administrative staff at the authority handed in their notice a week later.

Chris Millar, leader of Daventry District Council, said: "It's very disappointing news and the town council is becoming a Whitehall farce.

"Individuals need to take a look at themselves, stop squabbling and start serving the public. There must be something rotten at the core of this body.

"The fact that the latest victim is the mayor shows everyone it is very dysfunctional."

...is the PRT Pod Curse at work in Daventry too?.

Editorial Calls on Minnesota Women to "Clean House" of Rep. Mark Olson

2007-10-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

by Shannon Drury in the Minnesota Women's Press

Women of Minnesota, it's time to clean House.

Last July, Rep. Mark Olson (R-Big Lake) was convicted of one count of misdemeanor domestic assault with the intent to cause fear. Sherburne County District Judge Alan Pendleton sentenced him to two years' probation and required Olson pay $400 in fines as well as court costs for repeatedly pushing down his wife Heidi during an argument.

That seems like a pretty light sentence, you say. A person convicted of a domestic assault charge ought to draw a stricter punishment, you think to yourself, and you're not alone. In December 2006, not long after the charges against Olson were filed, Gov. Tim Pawlenty was quoted by Minnesota Public Radio: "If it turns out that he's found guilty or pleads guilty to the conduct alleged, then it's just not appropriate for him to be serving in the Legislature." (Fun tip: At MPR's website you can hear this tough talk for yourself.)

So what happened? Nothing. Olson won't quit. Last fall his Republican caucus dumped him, but no one in the party has made another peep about wanting him to resign.

You don't need to be a state officer of a national feminist organization (as I am) to hear this news and want to puke. You don't need to be a victim of domestic assault and/or know someone who is (as most of us do) to feel repulsed. You just need to give a damn about the people of Minnesota to know instinctively that Mark Olson has got to go.

Would a representative convicted of real estate fraud be allowed to serve in a body that determined the laws governing such transactions? If dear Gov. Pawlenty, heaven forbid, had a file full of speeding tickets, would we want him wielding his veto power over a bill that would put such repeat offenders in prison?

The budgets of women's shelters and domestic abuse education programs are determined by the Legislature. Should Mark Olson be allowed to have a vote when such a bill comes before him? Would you trust him with that kind of power?

It wasn't that long ago that a friend admitted to me that the breakup of her long-term relationship was caused by her partner's abuse. "Some feminist I am," she said, laughing bitterly. My response then was that it's not anti-feminist to be abused; abuse can and does happen to anyone. Victims aren't defined by their class, race, gender, sexual orientation, or even political orientation. "It's feminist to leave," I said, and I still believe that now.

For all the endless hand-wringing over what is and isn't feminist (lipstick? "Sex and the City?" hot pink iPods? heterosexuality?), let's all agree on one thing: It's feminist to speak up and speak out. Even a hater like Ann Coulter enjoys the right to press charges against a partner who beats her up, and she has a hundred years of feminists to thank for the privilege.

The home can be a dangerous place. In my last column, I wrote about the little hairline fractures that develop in one housewife, and the devastating consequences of going too long without help. Reactions among my readers ranged from support ("you nailed it") to admiration ("that was so brave") to embarrassment (one woman told me she was "shocked by the nakedness of your despair"). It shouldn't be surprising news that hurt exists, but that's America. It takes disaster to elicit change.

Yet for every single woman who speaks up, hundreds of her sisters remain silent. And why not? Put yourself in the Crocs of a housewife, radical or no, sitting in her living room one evening last summer as she watches Don Shelby deliver the news of Mark Olson's conviction. As part of the story she sees Olson report that he'll remain in the Minnesota Legislature, and the Republican leadership will let him. She has to move the ice pack from the bruise on her cheek; it's getting soaked with her tears. If a public person like Mark Olson won't have to pay for his crime, how will her partner? She might just change her mind and not file that police complaint after all.

Each of us must call our legislators to demand Olson be brought before the Ethics Committee at the start of the 2008 session. (The House switchboard, at 1-800-657-3550 can assist you. Another suggestion: If you're reading this and you live in Big Lake, Becker or elsewhere in District 16B, do not hesitate for a moment. Run against him.

Men need to join women in booting Olson from the legislature. There's a history of good ol' boys at the Capitol like Steve Sviggum allowing Rep. Mark Olson to avoid responsibility for abusing his staff:

Rep. Mark Olson and the Republicans Who Support Him

2007-10-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

Curmudgeon at Pubhouse Dialogues:

It's Monday, 1 October. Convicted criminal Republican Mark Olson is still in the State Legislature. Heck, he's even held a fundraiser for his re-election.

How is it that this criminal Republican hasn't gotten a condemnation, especially since condemnation is one thing the Republicans seem to love to do just now?

Oh yeah, the Law and Order crowd, the folks who flout words like 'responsibility' and 'accountability' (without bothering themselves in the slightest to bother knowing what those words actually mean) at every possible turn seem to have no problem with a wife-beater as a Legislator.   If the Republicans cannot even keep their own ranks in order, and lack the ability to do the right thing and usher Mark Olson from his seat, why should the Republicans be trusted with public office at all?   The answer is obvious: Republicans cannot be trusted with public office.

To give you an idea how much of a "Law and Order" hypocrite jailbird Olson is, he has no problem executing innocent people with the guilty:

Rep. Mark Olson Stealth Fundraiser

2007-09-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

Rep. Mark Olson's campaign web site has no mention of this fundraiser, but it showed up today as a scan from a local newspaper on the Grizzly Groundswell blog:

It claims that the following will be in attendance:

Senator Betsy Wergin

State Rep. Sondra Erickson

Rep. Bruce Anderson

Rep. Steve Drazkowski

Phil Krinkie, President of the Taxpayers League

Sue Jeffers "Republican Party Activist"

It is interesting to compare this list of Olson-supporting politicians to the list of elected officials in a similar fundraising advertisement back in 2006... are Rep. Michele Bachmann, Senator Norm Coleman and Lt. Governor Carol Molnau no longer supporting the Bible-hurling, PRT-promoting jailbird from Big Lake?

CETA's LRT Killers

2007-09-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

From a 2003 Seattle Post Intelligencer article:

Maggi Fimia, founder of the Coalition for Effective Transportation Alternatives, which is aimed at killing light rail, says her group is working to get agreement among its members on a legislative package.

It could include support for Murray's governance bill, something requiring Sound Transit to analyze alternatives to light rail, and a bill to allow for a referendum and initiative process for Sound Transit.

Fimia's group is a coalition of groups that back various alternatives to light rail, such as bus rapid transit, a monorail that runs along the freeway, MagLev technology, personal rapid transit, and a Puget Sound-wide monorail.

The PRTistas now claim that they want to "work with" LRT... yeah, right.

CETA members like PRTista Emory Bundy are still trying to kill LRT.

Mark Swanson to Run Against Mark Olson?

2007-09-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

The rumor is Rep. Mark Olson's old campaign manager and 6 CD Chair Mark Swanson will run against Rep. Mark Olson.

Swanson like Olson is a PRTista.

Another PRT Company Frog/2getthere is "failliet" (bankrupt)

2007-09-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

... and another one bites the dust:

Frog/2getthere, the company that has devised the unmanned peoplemover, is bankrupt.

Frog/2getthere also devised the guidance system for the U.K.'s ULTra and their own so-called PRT system. Frog/2getthere had another project, a driverless bus called "Parkshuttle" that went way beyond FUBAR:.

The saga of the Rotterdam ‘parkshuttle’ continues. After nearly eight years of setbacks (including the December 2005 crash), the driverless robot buses — that are supposed to bring commuters from a metro station to an office park on a two-kilometer special road — takes another blow as the company that made the buses has filed for bankruptcy.

The project has been plagued with problems from the start. The buses started driving in 1999, when already there were many technical problems. Testing was halted for nine months until a limited number of passengers were allowed to use it again. When the official test period ended in June 2000, work started on expansion of the route, which eventually lasted until December 2005, when finally the first buses started going again. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende made the first official trip, which received a lot of media attention, when five days later two buses crashed into eachother. Before the investigation into the crash could be completed, one of the buses burnt out in a garage.

Since that incident it has been rather quiet around the project. Originally the shuttle was supposed to start again in January of this year, but this has been delayed when one of the six vehicles went missing! It is now uncertain if the unmanned ‘peoplemover’ will ever go again, as the designer of the buses, Frog/2getthere, has just filed for bankruptcy.

In the meantime, the city of Rotterdam and transport company Connexxion have invested 6.2 million Euro in the ‘parkshuttle’, not including the costs of testing in the first few years starting in 1999.

Since the bankruptcy was announced a week ago, the city of Rotterdam and Connexxion are talking about the possibilities of continuing the shuttle. “The project is too important to cancel now,” said spokesperson Aart Jan van Kapel.

A decision will be made within two weeks. Connexxion and the city are dependent on Frog/2getthere, as it is the only company in the world that has made this type of system.

A preview of what to expect when ULTra debuts in 2008?

Frog/2getthere provided platforms including the guidance technology to ATS in 2001. The current ULTra's guidance system has probably not changed very much from the original FROG design.

ULTra is essentially Frog/2getthere with its dorky wheels covered up to give it a futuristic look:

Rep. Mark Olson's PRT Helping to Greeenwash Airport Expansion

2007-09-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

From the website of the No Third Runway Action Group:

"...The option, as far as we know right now, would cause the demolition of some 700 homes. This number of properties does not include the land take required for roads or other ancillary buildings that may be required for the runway. It does not take into account the realignment of the M4 airport spur."

PRT... once again helping to pave the way for more paving:

Personal Rapid Transit Greenwashing for BAA Heathrow?

2007-09-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

For thirty years, Personal Rapid Transit has been a stalking horse for anti-transit, pro-highway groups and individuals... it looks as if PRT is also being used as a greenwashing tool for airport expansion:

Rep Mark Olson at the State Fair:

2007-09-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

Liberal in the Land of Conservative:

So, the wife, the kids, and I ventured out to the State Fair yesterday to take a look around and generally have a nice time. This was my first time (Yes, I know, how pathetic!) ever attending the Fair and I must say that I enjoyed myself thoroughly. As we were making the rounds I headed into the Education Building for a look at the Education Minnesota Booth. In my wanderings I noticed that our good friend Mark "Throwing Bibles" Olson was scheduled to make an appearance at the House of Representatives Booth from 6-8pm.

I hope someone asked him about this:

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

2007-08-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-26T08:09:00.000-07:00

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?

2007-08-26T08:02:00.000-07:00

... 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

2007-08-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

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.