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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click To Play

Skyweb Express (Taxi 2000) Scrubs Website

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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)

... 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

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?

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:

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"

LTE in the Sherburne County Citizen:

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Letters to the Editor

To The Editor,

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

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

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

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

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

Mary Helen Taft

Zimmerman, MN

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


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

Rep. Mark Olson Criticizes Reporter

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

—Mark Olson, Big Lake

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


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

Rep. Mark Olson; Size Matters

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



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

Has Rep. Mark Olson Ever Read the Bible?

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

SC Times Letter:

Olson misunderstands Bible he claims to follow

By Laurel Resman, Milaca

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saint Cloud Times Says Rep. Mark Olson Should Resign

Very good editorial in the SC Times:

Our view: Olson does not belong at Capitol anymore

Times Editorial Board

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

Mark Olson's Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle

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


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

Heidi Olson Tells Her Side of the Story

Rep. Mark Olson was sentenced today...

The West Central Tribune:

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

Here's video from the courthouse in Elk River:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Personal Rapid Transit in Arizona?

Interesting blog post about Skytran at Laurels and Lances:

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

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

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

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

Michael Brodkorb Exposes Himself

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

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

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

Bicycling is a viable mode of transportation.

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

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

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

Anderson, B.
Bradley
Buesgens
Demmer
Eastlund
Emmer
Erickson
Hackbarth
Heidgerken
Holberg
Hosch (DFL)
Knoblach
Krinkie
Marquart (DFL)
Nelson, P.
Nornes
Olson
Ozment
Smith
Soderstrom
Sykora
Urdahl
Vandeveer
Wardlow
Westrom
Wilkin


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



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

Another PRT Boondoggle in Mesa, Arizona

PRT keeps popping up in places like Mesa, Arizona:

The Arizona Republic:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The cost: $225 million.

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

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

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

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

... and...

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

... and...

James said that probably won't happen.

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

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

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

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

Dear Ken:

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

Jerry Spellman

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



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

Rep. Mark Olson Sentencing Scheduled for August 16th

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

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



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

Rep. Mark Olson's Snarky Land Deal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PRT, not LRT!

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


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

ULTra PRT Partner BAA Bullies Heathrow Environmental Protestors

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



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



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



'Bullying' BAA seeks Heathrow protest injunction.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit scams worldwide.

Rep. Mark Olson's Liberal Lawyer

You may have heard the statement "There are no atheists in foxholes". In Mark Olson's case, it could be said that there are no right-wing, law & order ideologues charged with breaking the law.

Rep. Mark Olson has spent nearly all his political career excoriating liberals, but when he went shopping for a lawyer, he hired Jill Clark.

Who is Jill Clark?

From David Shove's Progressive Calendar December 12th, 2006:

Communities United Against Police Brutality

ONE OF OUR LAWYERS IS UNDER ATTACK-- THE COMMUNITY WILL FIGHT BACK!

Attorney Jill Clark has tirelessly and fearlessly defended people of color and poor people who have been targeted by the criminal justice system, especially survivors of police brutality and family members of people
killed by police. She often takes important cases free of charge, in order to create significant changes in police policies and practices. She is truly the people's lawyer.

Jill Clark also ran for Judge in Hennepin County a few years back. Among her list of endorsements, is Ember Reichgott Junge, Brian Melendez, and Dean Zimmermann,

Why are these two people smiling?

Excellent Coverage of Olson Trial in West Sherburne Tribune

Jennifer Edwards reported many of the nauseating details from Olson's trial the big city newspapers left out. Here's a particularly disgusting quote from the crybaby jailbird:

"Whenever physicality happened, it was my wife who started it," Olson claimed tearfully. "I just couldn't understand what I was doing wrong."

... here's Jennifer Edward's account of Olson's abuse of Heidi and her family:

Heidi Olson was married to Gemini Racing star Darcy Ewing, who died in an accident five years ago. Mark had been friends with the couple. They married shortly after Ewing's death and Olson moved in with Heidi and her five children. Olson said Heidi talked about divorce in the first week of their marriage.

Many of their arguments centered around the children, in particular, Shaun, Heidi's autistic 12-year old.

"Whenever anything happened with the kids, whatever they said, Heidi always took their part," Olson claimed.

Olson's strongly-held religious belief that as the man, he was head of the household, contributed to disagreements about discipline in the home.

For the most part, the couple got along fairly well through the first six to eight months of the marriage, Olson said. Once the arguing began, things peaked, then started to improve.

Heidi recalled three incidents in which Mark had been abusive to her in her testimony given Wednesday. She also admitted to striking Mark once on the chest and to stabbing holes in the drawer of an antique dresser Mark had given her for a wedding present.

In one case, she said pushed her to the floor in their bedroom and she struck her head. In another incident, he repeatedly threw Bibles at her, bruising her arm. On a third occasion, she told of an argument which led to Mark pulling a bookcase over and a phone line out of the wall.

Sunday After Church

On the incident in question, the couple had some dispute over the children. Heidi had tried for several days to talk about it. Mark avoided her until after church that Sunday, then called to talk to her and asked her out to lunch.

"I felt inspired by the sermon I had just heard to think we could work things out," he said. "Heidi said she had the children and didn't have a babysitter so she couldn't go."

He went out to the house and began measuring for an addition the couple had planned. Heidi came out of the house and asked him to leave. Mark put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her. She ended up on the ground. Mark claims Heidi pushed him and he responded. Heidi testified she did not touch Mark and he pushed her hard enough to knock her over.

Clark presented into evidence a sweater Mark was wearing that was ripped at the time of the incident. Heidi said she grabbed at his sweater as she fell and tore the garment. He became angry.

Her fear was so great after the pushing incidents she feared Mark would kill her, Heidi testified. He said she had taken everything from him and he had nothing to lose and Heidi feared he would kill her and then himself.

She went back into the house and watched as Mark drove down a dead end road into the woods and became afraid he would come back and burn the house down, she testified. She didn't call police after the incident, or any of the other incidents, because, she said, she wanted Mark to get help.

"You hope it's a one-time occurrence. You hope it won't ever happen again," she said.

... then the police got involved:

Heidi called her sister to talk and it was her sister who called police. Sherburne County Investigative Detective Phyles spoke to the couple and said Mark told him he never pushed Heidi without her coming at him with something and she had once thrown a chair at him.

Mark told the detective he had failed in self control in the face of a lot of pressure and he bore the greater responsibility as the man of the house. He denied trying to keep Heidi out of the house. He said he resisted her resistance in any physical altercation. Mark admitted to the detective Heidi did not strike him prior to the incident.

Mark told the jury he got tired of the fighting and feared for his life. He described finding their wedding album with pictures missing and the cover destroyed after the incident with the dresser and felt that it was an attack on him.

He said one of the blisses of his marriage was reading he Bible together every morning.

... reading the Bible escalated to Mark Olson throwing the Bible:

"Heidi would become enraged," he said. "I would just be reading and she called me a false prophet and slammed the Bible down on the table. Once I got angry about it and tried to show her what is felt like. I grabbed the Bible and threw it down, then I picked it up and did it again and again. I threw it at her and it hit her on the shoulder, although she did have time to put her arms up to protect herself a bit. She said, do I have a bruise now? Then she left the house. I was shaken to think she could call the police then. I began doing the very thing I abhorred."

Heidi asked Mark many times to leave the house and twice he came home to find his bags packed, he said. He quoted the Bible and cried often. Several times he was directed by Judge Alan Pendleton to answer questions posed by his attorney.

"We don't want to know what your pastor said," Pendleton told him. "Just answer the question."

"It is ok to just answer the questions," Clark said.

Mark cried when he recalled an incident during which, he said, he was sitting in the master bedroom and Heidi came in and slapped his leg.

"I curled up and held my hand over my legs. I remember thinking where are you and I thought about the footprints in the sand. That is where he was. I don't want to share this stuff It's not ok by my faith. I never reacted, never got upset. It was a principle I used with Shaun and it worked."

Mark claimed Heidi had once pushed him into a computer while he was working. He said the incident with the bookcase occurred after an argument which began in the bedroom.

"It was tippy and stood out from the wall at it I grabbed it when I was on the stairs and Heidi was above me. It fell across the stair rail. Heidi wasn't hurt. She chased me around the house after that," he said.

"After the first incident, whenever I saw something coming, I ran," he said "I shouldn't have. It just made matters worse."

...Mark Olson continued to tearfully accuse his wife of being the aggressor:

Mark's brother, Brian, testified he thought Heidi was truthful when describing the events of Nov. 12. Mark said his wife was a "..wonderful, wonderful woman, faithful and a Christian. I just couldn't understand why she was behaving like that. I didn't know what I had done."

When Heidi asked him to leave the property on Nov. 12, Mark testified he told her the property belonged to God and he was a steward of it too.

"She was very aggressive, verbally and actually pushed me," he said. "I escalated and tried to stop her. I put my hand on her shoulders and we ended up going down."

Olson began to cry again.

"I didn't want to hurt her. I just wanted it to stop. There was nothing I could do," he said.

Prosecutor Gretchen Ziehl pointed out Mark could have left in his own vehicle.

....Jennifer Edwards' post-trial report:

Rep. Mark Olson was found guilty of domestic assault with intent to cause fear in his wife and family after a three-day jury trial in Sherburne County Court House last week.

Judge Alan Pendleton presided as Olson's attorney, Jill Clark, declared Olson was a battered spouse who suffered years of abuse at the hands of his wife, Heidi, throughout their marriage.

"It was very devastating,' said Heidi. "Mark was not an abused husband. I felt like I was unofficially on trial. I couldn't defend myself, or even be present to hear the accusations made against me."

Olson, who ran for office on the claim of supporting family values, left court saying he was determined to continue his role as representative for District 16B, which includes Big Lake and Becker. He also said he wanted to reconcile with his wife.

"I would like to say publicly that I forgive Mark for what he has done to my family and me," said Heidi, who married Olson shortly after the death of her husband, Darcy Ewing, in 2002. Heidi and Darcy had five children.

Heidi's sister, Holly Rebney, called police to the family residence in Big Lake Township Sunday, Nov. 12, after Heidi called and told her Mark had pushed her to the ground three times during the course of an argument, leaving her bruised. It wasn't the first time she had made such a call, they said.

Olson was arrested in Blaine later that same evening and spent two nights in the Sherburne Co. Jail. Olson had the trial delayed a number of times because he couldn't be brought into court while the house was in session and because he changed attorneys.

Once on the witness stand, Olson blamed his wife for the entire situation, claiming she asked for a divorce in the first week of their marriage and that she started every argument and physical struggle the couple experienced throughout the marriage.

"That is simply not true," said Heidi. "In the beginning we were in a honeymoon phase. There is a good side to Mark. At the time we married I was very vulnerable. I am very grateful for my supportive sisters and all the help I received from them throughout this whole experience."

Heidi said she realized what Olson's defense would be before the case came to trial. His investigator came to her house and made a comment on her size. In court, Heidi was asked to give her height and weight.

"I had to say what I weighed and that I am 5-foot 101/2 inches tall," she said. "They said Mark was fairly small but that is not true. Mark is a carpenter who makes log furniture. He is really very strong."

Because Olson is a public figure, the trial, which was followed closely by Twin Cities media, drew plenty of attention. Photographers and reporters trespassed on Heidi's property, taking pictures of her home and revealing information, especially about her children, both wish could have been kept private.

"That was wrong. I felt violated," Heidi said. "It was scary. There was no privacy for my children. I worried about my reputation and if I would even be able to keep my job. I was afraid I would have to move away from Big Lake."

Heidi, who works as a public health nurse for Wright County and has a bachelors degree in psychology, raised her children in the Big Lake Township home built for her by Darcy.

Later in the marriage, the Olsons frequently argued over Mark's attempts to discipline Heidi's children, three of whom have already graduated from high school and attend college. The couple also disagreed over Mark's interpretation of scripture.

In her testimony, Heidi described three different incidents when Olson assaulted her. Olson denied assault in each incident and claimed Heidi assaulted him.

For her part, Heidi confessed to striking Olson once on the left shoulder during an argument. She also admitted to stabbing holes in the drawer of an antique dresser which belonged to Mark three years ago.

"I was ashamed of that," she said. "I had a commitment not to get violent with Mark. I didn't want to be angry with him like this. I went to counseling and anger management classes. It helped."

Still, Olson's tirades continued as he tried to establish himself as head of the household and insist on having things his way, she alleged. The household became volatile and Heidi several times asked Mark to leave, even packing his things for him on two occasions as the situation became more disruptive.

"I wasn't surprised by his defense but I wondered how he managed to turn this around from him abusing me to him being abused. It just didn't happen that way," Heidi said.

Still, Heidi insists she will not be bitter. She says Mark has wonderful parents and she enjoys a positive relationship with Olson's brothers. Heidi expects her divorce to be finalized next week.

The young man (motorist) who killed Darcy as he rode his bike home admitted to having a drug problem and has been attending Teen Challenge. He graduates this summer.

Heidi and her children have forgiven him and Heidi recently gave her approval to a number of radio spots he will read to encourage others struggling with drugs and alcohol to seek help.

.... Heidi has her own verdict on Mark Olson:

"Mark painted himself into a corner," said Heidi. "My kids have lost two fathers now. I do forgive Mark but I can't stay married to him. I have to use this as a learning experience for my children. I don't want to punish him."

"He does need to be held accountable for his actions though. The false allegations he has made against me are devastating to us, but we are choosing not to live in bitterness against him," Heidi said. "I hope Mark gets the help he needs for his personal problems."

I'm curious to see how this whining, wimpy, crybaby does in the next election.

Strib's Post-Trial Interviews With Rep. Mark Olson and Heidi Olson

From the Strib:

Heidi Olson, who had five children with her first husband, who died in a 2002 traffic accident, said Mark's false allegations hurt her kids most, especially her two older sons, ages 20 and 26. They were in the courtroom when he testified. She said she has talked about the trial with all of her kids, only two of whom still live at home.

"I don't allow them to mock Mark. We pray for healing. He is not healthy right now. I am careful about not being bitter, and I try to model forgiveness." She said her husband has some good qualities and a lot of potential if he's treated for his anger.

Mark Olson suggested that his wife also may need further anger counseling. "Anger ... is the hardest thing to respond to without anger," he said.

...way to go, Mark!... always put the blame on someone else...

After the jury's verdict last week, Heidi Olson issued a statement saying she forgave her husband. Told of her statement, Mark Olson said that he in turn forgave her, loved her and hoped to reconcile.

Reconcile? No way, said Heidi Olson, adding that she hopes their four-year marriage will end Thursday at a family court hearing. She said "it was odd" to see his response on television after the verdict:

He emerged from the courtroom "smiling like he had won an election, and wanted to forgive me and love me and take me back. I need to protect my family from Mark.

"I am sad about him using self-defense. That says he doesn't want to really deal with his [anger] problem," Heidi Olson said. "I am more sad than mad at him. I am just very sad."

A somber Mark Olson said, "I miss my family."

...earlier in the article, the reporter mentions that Heidi Olson also took offense at Mark Olson's attorney using her size against her. Olson still has a picture of him and Heidi's family on his campaign website. She looks shorter in the photo (see below). Did Mark tell his wife to stand in a hole?

Strib Says It's Up to You to Dump Mark Olson

Got my internet back, but not my computer... I'm borrowing a laptop.

The Star Tribune thinks Rep. Mark Olson didn't do enough to get expelled from the legislature.

Maybe the readers of Dump Mark Olson can help the Minnesota Legislature's Ethics Committee by providing more reasons to expel Rep. Mark Olson.

Already a reader has sent me an interesting story about a snarky land deal Olson was engaged in a while back (more on that later).

Of course there's the ongoing attempt to defraud investors and taxpayers with the PRT scam.

If you have anything else to add, send me an email at ken.avidor(at)gmail.com.

All correspondence will be kept confidential.

Rep. Mark Olson Guilty

I'll have more next week when I get my internet back... in the meantime, this from the AP:

Elk River, Minn. — (AP) State Rep. Mark Olson was convicted Friday of one count of misdemeanor domestic assault with the intent to cause fear and acquitted on a second misdemeanor assault charge.

The verdicts were returned by a jury of five men and one woman after about three hours of deliberations. Sentencing was set for Aug. 8.

The jury convicted Olson of domestic assault by intending to cause fear of bodily harm or death. He was acquitted of intentionally inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm.

Prosecutors alleged Olson, an eight-term Republican from Big Lake, pushed his wife down three times behind their home on Nov. 12.

Olson, 52, claimed during trial he was a battered spouse and that the Nov. 12 incident came after frequent arguments with his wife over raising her five children.

He said that in the past, she hit him several times, stabbed his favorite dresser and cut his picture off their wedding album cover with what he thought was a knife.

Olson's wife, Heidi Olson, also claimed she had been abused by her husband and feared for her life.

During closing arguments, prosecutor Gretchen Ziehl told jurors that Olson intended to scare and harm his wife when he put his hands on her and she ended up on her backside.

Ziehl rejected his theory that he was acting in self-defense.

During her closing arguments, Olson's attorney, Jill Clark, asked the jurors to find that Olson didn't intend to hurt or frighten his wife when the two argued and eventually became physical.

Olson says he won't step down... looks like he won't be expelled either...

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher said in a prepared statement that the House can punish a member who "brings the House into dishonor or disrepute," if at least two representatives submit a complaint to her.

An ethics panel could recommend disciplinary action for a vote by the full House.

Olson's trial got a mention on Wonkette.

No Internet Until Monday

For news on Rep. Mark Olson's trial, go to the Beyond Soundbites and Headlines blog

2nd Day of Rep. Mark Olson Trial

I replaced my fried DSL router with a new one... which doesn't work.... so I'm using a library computer.

A friend called to read me a Star Tribune story about Rep. Mark Olson's pre-trial hearing today.

It had some details that had me concerned that the article could prejudice prospective jury members (I heard the jury will be picked tomorrow).

So, I won't link to it.

Rep. Mark Olson's Trial Begins

I'm using a friend's computer because my DSL modem was fried by a bolt of lightning.

The Strib said Olson is going to use a "battered husband defence" at his trial tomorrow. The Strib also said God told Olson to lie to the police.

Here's a picture from Rep Mark Olson's campaign website showing him with the woman he claims abused him for two and a half years:

Watch a PRT Snake Oil Salesman Pitch PRT in California

While we're waiting for Rep. Mark Olson's trial next week, let's watch a "PRT consultant" try to sell Irvine, California some Personal Rapid Transit snake oil:



... did Irvine buy it?:



Ken Avidor exposes the Personal Rapid Transit scam.

Rep. Mark Olson Trial Scheduled for July 9th

8 AM in the morning at the Sherburne County Court in Elk River.

Comments are open.

You can also send me an e-mail at ken.avidor (at) gmail.com

UPDATE: I thought It would be a good idea to check with the court to be certain of Olson's trial date.

A DMO reader sent me an e-mail informing me that Olson sought to postpone the trial again (on the basis that he is being treated unfairly because he is a man), but the court refused Olson's request.

Jury selection begins on Monday... testimony should begin on Tuesday.