NEW BLOG - The Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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?

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!!!"

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

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

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

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

Pre-Primary Blog Digest

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?

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"?

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

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

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.

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: