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| Death of a Talking Point |
| 12.21.05 (8:11 am) [edit] |
What'll ****** do NOW?Taxi 2000 v. Anderson Lawsuit Settled
(12/21) J. Edward Anderson announced today that he and Taxi 2000 Corporation have settled their differences over issues involving intellectual property, and Taxi 2000 has agreed to end its lawsuit filed against him. "Both Taxi 2000 and I will and can continue to pursue our mutual goal of the wider development and deployment of Personal Rapid Transit systems without fear of further law suits," Anderson wrote in an e-mail. The suit was filed in April of this year after Anderson, former Taxi 2000 CEO, left to form his own company, PRT International, LLC. Source
gPRT
That What? Who Cares? [12.22.05 12:12 am]
From the Do Your Own Research Files: *** clutters up some poor guy's LiveJournal post about Cabinentaxi.
Gee, What Happened to That PRT Resolution, Mr. Gow?
(Anonymous)
2005-12-22 05:30 pm UTC
ht tp: // ww w. twin cities .com/ mld/pioneerpress/news/loc al/13445077 . htm
Source Dead Link
(Whups, really sorry about that, dsign.)
gPRT
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| He LeapFROGs to the wrong conclusion |
| 12.09.05 (8:06 am) [edit] |
****** is currently obsessed with FROG. Not the amphibian, but the wayfinding system known as Free Ranging On Grid. As usual there's a very high quotient of Bizarre.
It all started when ATS announced its contract with BAA for a PRT at Heathrow Airport. It threw *** into a tizzy.
One of his main Talking Points is that PRT doesn't exist. How would he cope with the Heathrow news? What he settled on is the Egyptian River strategy: denial. Unfortunately for him, the river is flowing through his house of cards.
It goes like this: He noticed that the Dutch company FROG is mentioned in a number of places as providing its eponymously named FROG vehicle navigation and control ("navcon") system for use in ULTra.
Then he noticed that a unit of FROG, 2getthere, makes automated peoplemovers. Naturally, these APMs use the FROG navcon system.
He also keenly observes that 2gt's APMs and ATS's ULTra share some common characteristics: size, doors and four wheels (10/28/05). He erroneously concludes that ULTra must be a copy of 2gt's vehicle.
The "***clusion"? He claims ULTra and FROG are the same! (The Screed, 10/23/05)
Next he claimed that "PRT" cannot be found on the FROG website (#897863).
The ***clusion? ULTra must not be PRT. Therefore PRT must not exist, QED.
There are two problems with this "theory":
The obvious one: FROG is a navcon component, not a vehicle. Having FROG in common does not make ULTra and 2gt the same.
The second one: "PRT" is mentioned on frog.nl.
For FROG, PRT is a mode. They advertise their Cybercab APM as having a PRT mode.
There is also a third, bigger problem for ***. ATS doesn't use FROG in ULTra anymore, and hasn't for two years. ATS developed the current navcon system in-house, which has operated ULTra test vehicles for the past two years with no failures. It was this configuration of ULTra that was approved by the UK rail safety agency, and is now being prepared for installation at Heathrow Airport.
*** could have avoided jumping to yet another embarrassing, erroneous conclusion. He could have done what I did. He could have just asked them.
So to sum up:
FROG-- a company; a navigation/control system
Cybercab-- an APM with PRT mode
ULTra-- PRT; not FROG; used to use FROG; now uses a navcon system of its own design.
PRT-- exists.
Te-- a drink with jam and bread.
Which brings us back to...
"PRT Is a Joke" Is a Joke!
Details: gPRT's ULTra intel
gPRT
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| Congestion T[r]olls |
| 12.08.05 (9:22 am) [edit] |
Remember *** ******'s insistence that PRT is really a front for the Anti-Transit Boogeyman? Well it seems PRT can't win no matter which end of the transportation spectrum is doing the judging.
J.F. Scott, who regularly brightens up the transport-policy Yahoo Group with his pro-automobile views, is a new member of ATRA's tranport-innovators discussion list. He has this to say:
PRT advocates tend to neglect transport mode choice. Part of this reflects an underlying animosity to auto use, part of it reflects the idea the PRT, once in place, will be so attractive that motorists will forsake their cars to use it. When you don't like cars, you tend not to compare the the benefits they provide to their users with whatever you offer as a substitute.
Somewhere between Scott and ****** is a middle position, where PRT is seen to be combining the best features of trains and taxicabs. PRT supporters aim to attract more types of trips that previously would have been done by car. But we recognize that cars will still be the preferred mode choice for some trips (cargo, long road trips, emergencies, etc.). Individuals will calculate this choice based on their unique circumstances: not because they are selfish, or lazy, or anti-social.
gPRT
His Magic 8-Ball must be broken
You-Know-Who predicted:
the fine print in the BAA press release says that the project depends on "agreed milestones being achieved." It is highly unlikely that ULTra-as-PRT will pass these milestones. Source
Item: First BAA Milestones Met
gPRT
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| Are You Exsmearienced? |
| 12.01.05 (2:33 pm) [edit] |
"Yes it is!"
"No it isn't!"
--Monty Python
*** ******, who also calls himself "PRTSkeptic" online, hates roads. That's fine, at times they annoy me to. *** hates the Minneapolis 35W Access Project in particular. He calls it the Excess Project, which it may very well be.
But he hates everything connected to it. For instance, he even hates the project's designer, the engineering firm Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH-- they also design other things, including transit operations, but we'll ignore that for now, as *** does). That SEH was at one time working with the Taxi 2000 Corp. on its PRT program, for which it needed the services of construction engineers, became "evidence" in ***'s eyes that Taxi 2000 is part of the big bad Secret Highway Cabal. And for some time he has made the most of it, one of his Talking Points on many occasions.
Let's review ***'s logic:
The Road Conspiracy: Bad
SEH: designs roads
SEH is therefore Bad and part of the Road Conspiracy
Taxi 2000: Bad and partnered with SEH
Taxi 2000 and PRT are therefore part of the Road Conspiracy
I never said it was logical logic, anymore than his attempt to label PRT a right-wing conspiracy simply because some of its supporters are Republican.
Which was how he spent a good part of the recent Thanksgiving weekend. Getting smeared on the website of my hometown newspaper is a holiday memory I'll treasure. Some lowlights:
| Day | time | *** ****** said:
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| 11/25 | 1:58p | PRT is all about bashing rail transit.
| | 11/25 | 3:55p | There is no technology to discuss...PRT doesn't exist [ellipses in original]
| | 11/25 | 5:25p | Excuses, excuses... [ellipses in original] that's part of what PRT is about-- it gives die-hard car-lovers an excuse not to use mass transit or ride a bike
| | 11:25 | 8:05p | The PRTers can... Remove the links to LRT-haters like Emory Bundy... [ellipses in original] but you won't because PRT is just a stalking horse for the anti-LRT bunch.
| | 11/26 | 6:24a | In Minnesota, the PRT/gadgetbahning-promoti ng elected officials are right-wing theocrats
| | 11/26 | 8:51a | Democrat Jim Huhtala is running against Rep. Mark Olson in 2006 (Take a look at the picture of Jim Huhtala standing in front of the Hiawatha Light Rail... It's a clear choice for liberals. Nuff said. [man, now THAT's single-issue voting. I've since read some about Huhtala and found him a fine candidate; but ya gotta be more choosy than just a photo with a train]
| | 11/27 | 6:54a | Mr. Gow, will the CPRT which lists you as their Seattle contact ask its members to help Mark Olson's [R] campaign in 2006 like the CPRT did for Dean Zimmermann in 2005?
| | 11/27 | 11:05a | I can't find the acronym PRT on FROG's web site [oh really?]
| | 11/27 | 11:05a | I would also like to to know whether Mr. Gow personally supports PRTers Michele Bachmann [very R] and Mark Olson or... their Democratic opponents... So Mr. Gow, who do you support? [response, #898390]
| | 11/27 | 5:44p | Wow, Mr. Gow...SOME LIBERAL YOU ARE!!! Mr. Gow won't say whether or not he or the CPRT favors pro-NRA, Pro-highway, pro-war, pro-Bush, anti-abortion, anti-gay rights, pro-intelligent design Michele Bachmann and Mark Olson in the 2006 election... big surprise. That's how fanatical these PRTers are... [response, #899249]
| | 11/28 | 3:38a | So Mr. Gow, what about Bachmann? She's running for Congress... Are you supporting her or Elwyn Tinklenberg? You probably don't like Tinklenberg... Elwyn and Jesse were big boosters of the Hiawatha LRT. [ellipses in original] [response, #899799]
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Evidently, ***'s transit must fit his test of political purity, and PRT has picked up Resmuglican cooties. GOP chocolate is on PRT's peanut butter. Resmuglican green beans touched PRT Jell-o.
There were a lot more smears, vociferous ones, by two other posters, "terrorist" and "Sacs not swelled on Toad Worriers." *** claims those are not him using other identities, but come ON. ***, terrorist and Shawls not shed for Over Coats all use the exact same epithet-laden prose style.
Look closely at anything connected with *** ****** and you'll find humor and irony. In this case it is that he refuses to admit that his Light Rail Transit is itself covered in GOP and highway cooties! Not only are major Light Rail contractors like Parsons, Herzog and Kiewit also involved in highway projects, but their soft money contributions are overwhelmingly weighted toward Resmuglicans (see Finally, the experts take charge, Nov. 3).
Now I personally don't have a problem with that. They're civil engineers; it's natural they could do both road and transit projects, and they can donate to whomever they choose. My point is that it's the PRTSkeptic's litmus test, and he applies it only to PRT.
What's more, I looked up SEH's PAC contributions, and guess what? SEH gives more to Democrats! Noteworthy:$2500, 2006 cycle, James Oberstar
$3000, 2004, John Hickenlooper, Mayor of Denver
$2000, 2004, Tom Daschle
$1000, 2004, James Oberstar
In the past cycle (2004) only $750 total went to Resmuglicans.
Using *** logic, doesn't that make SEH, and therefore PRT, the "clear choice for liberals"? Let me emphasize lest I be taken out of context: I don't think transit is inherently political, in the main support crosses political lines. Again, it's ***'s litmus test. I'm only asking why he isn't consistent.
gPRT
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| PRT Field Guide |
| 11.23.05 (6:55 am) [edit] |
"So, to be part of the PRT cult, do you go through some kind of re-education process that demands you only speak of this wacky idea as if it exists? Is that how you kooks suck in more snake oil salesmen? Through deception?
...
Once again, notice how the PRT cult is always focused on road-based non solutions to mass transit." Source |
This sounds like the call of the extremely rare, wild-eyed Minnesota loon (mentalium Asteriskus). It is both fascinated by and aggressive toward that which it fears. Behavior: Attracted to vomit and bad animation. When challenged, it ruffles the few feathers on its small head and emits a high-pitched scream that extends into the ultrasonic spectrum. Markings: Black ink-like smudges and jarring primary colors on wingtips. Natural enemies include eagles, gray wolves and figments. Mating call: "bo-GUS... bo-GUS..." Often sighted in vicinity of Michele Bachmann (R-Stillwater). Conservation status: Endangered
Erratum: 11,278 visitors
gPRT
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| Our biggest fan |
| 11.15.05 (10:24 am) [edit] |
*** has visited gPRT 25 times so far this month.
Erratum: 10924 visitors
gPRT
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| We tell him, but he doesn't listen |
| 11.14.05 (10:04 am) [edit] |
An error in the Middle East Economic Digest story about the Dubai PRT project gave 1.2 km as the planned length of PRT guideway, rather than the length of the area PRT is to serve.
But that hasn't stopped *** from repeating the error:
Oct 22:A 1.2 kilometer "network" (yawn) Source
Oct. 23:Wow!!!... that works out to US $100 million for the 1.2 kilometers Source
People have tried to tell him he's wrong (comment 1), so by knowingly repeating the error he has converted the mistake into a lie. Not really a surprise.
gPRT
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| Trouble in Paree-dise |
| 11.04.05 (7:53 am) [edit] |
CNN:
Hundreds of cars torched
in French riots
Mysterious tourist from Minnesota sought for questioning
Witnesses heard chants of "death to the highway lobby," "No plus Ultra," "Transit riders do it en masse," "PRTers support Polish plumbers"
Unknown "Kenz Army" claims responsibility
Interpol perplexed by Latin pun
Blast (of warm or cool air) from the past
Remember ***'s bizarre claim that PRT doesn't have heaters or air conditioning, seemingly unable to believe it could even be possible?
Well check out the new picture at SoundPRT. Scroll down and put your cursor on the picture of the silver-gray ULTra PRT vehicle. Look under the passenger seat. Why, those look like HVAC vents, don't they!? And look at this photo of the Skyweb interior. Right there, near the floor: another vent!
*** ******'s response to this post is laughably car-based in its thinking: "passengers would get a hotfoot," he writes, because "the heater in a car needs to blast hot air not only at the passengers, but at the windscreen to keep the moisture from condensing and freezing on the surface. A vent placed only at floor level would be very uncomfortable to say the least."
As one commenter observed (comment 3), you don't need to blast hot air at PRT windows, since being able to see out is not a requirement of an automated vehicle. Merely heating the air in the vehicle to 70 or so degrees keeps passengers comfortable; the warmed air will defog the insides of the windows, and keep the outsides defrosted as well.
And why are PRT vents near the floor? Heat rises. Maybe because he can't see air, warmed or otherwise, *** doesn't believe in it.
gPRT
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| Finally, the experts take charge |
| 11.03.05 (7:29 am) [edit] |
A message from the President of the United States.
My fellow 'mericans.
I come before you this eve'nin' to announce a major new in-I-tia-tive that will change the way your gov-er-mint does bidness.
Some have crit-i-sized our Administration for some of our appointments to policy and leadership pos-I-tions.
Without admittin' any MIS-steps, liability, criminal wrongdoin', high crime or MIS-demean-er, I want to assure the 'merican People that, as Prez'dint, I accept full responsibility for mistakes that were made by Michael Brown, Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, David Safavian, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, John Bolton, Patrick Rhode, Brooks Altshuler, David Addington, Michael Chert-off, Harriet Miers, Julie Myers--well, I could go on all night.
It's in order to clean house and rebuild your trust in gov-er-mint that I announce the followin' reorganization of the highest levels of the Fed'ral gov-er-mint and the Cabinet. Startin' today, I am accepting the resignations of the Vice-Prez'dint, all appointed non-judicial Fed'ral officials and Cabinet members. Taking their places will be capable individg-als who I am selecting from a group long-underrepresented in gov-er-mint: professional cartoonists.
That's right. Cartoonists. Cartoonists have much exper-tise to offer our nation, and because they are so creative on a day-to-day basis, I know they will bring that crea-TIV-ity to the impordant job of gov-er-nance.
My first three appointments I will announce right now. For Secretary of State: Bruce Tinsley. Mr. Tinsley's Mallard Fillmore comic strip always makes me laugh. But he makes me think, too. An' that's what's impordant, because a mind- what a turrible thing it is, to waste- can't get fooled again.
For White House domestic policy advisor: Mr. *** ****** of Minneapolis, Minnehaha. He is a tireless champion of logic and common sense. He has been a staunch defender of mass transit projects in his home state of Minnehaha. Such projects are impordant sources of opportunities that help small, strugglin' businesses I care about, like Bechtel, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Ch2M Hill, Kiewit, Booz-Allen Hamilton, and Herzog Contracting.
For Secretary of Transportation: Andy Singer. He is a true artist, whose No Exit cartoon has given him the specialized technical knowledge that he can use to keep Americans moving. His skepticism toward Personal Rapid Transit, which is something I can't git my mind around, convinced me it is a lib'ral, radical enviro-mintalist scam. I have looked into his heart, and let me assure you he deserves this appointment. His critics say he hasn't done his homework, but that's what you would call an exagger-A-tion.
These have been difficult times. But I know that in the days ahead, I can count on 35% of you for support.
Thank you, and God bless 'merica and King Features Syndicate.
Erratum: 10226 visitors
gPRT
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| Milestone |
| 10.31.05 (6:52 am) [edit] |
That's milestone, not 'millstone.' A milestone is something like
"Over 10,000 visitors since July 25, 2005"
Whereas an example of a millstone is *** ******.
Erratum: 10070 visitors since July 25, 2005
gPRT
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| Never Mind The ***, Here's PRT |
| 10.22.05 (5:54 am) [edit] |
A Mr. Jonathan Rotten of the United Kingdom (actually reader Ryan Kennedy) contributes these lyrics, to the tune of everyone's favorite punk anthem (sorry, certain bad words are BLEEPed):
PRT in the UK
Rrright.... NOWWW! hahahaha,
He thinks it's the anti-christ.
He thinks it's anti-trans-iite
He thinks it's all a bunch of sh-iite.
He don't know what he wants but he knows it ain't gadgetbahn
He wanna DESTROY passer-by.
But I..... I wanna be... PRT
In the city!
PRT for the UK, it's coming sometime maybe
Get there the wrong time it don't stop the traffic line... unlike LRT
Your future dream is a beam above the street
Cos I...
I wanna beeee PRT!
In the city!
It's the only way to be!
How many ways to get where you want?
I use the best, BLEEPuse's the rest that's second best.
I use BLEEP's enemy, I use... P! R! T! cos I.....
I wanna BE... PRT
In the city!
Follow me!
Is this the ATRA?
Or is this the U.L.T.R.A.?
Or is this the T2C?
I thought it was the UK, or just....
another country.....
another council tendency
And III wanna beee....PRT!
And IIII wanna beeeeeee......PRT!
And IIIIIII wanna beeeeeee........PRT!
It's the only way to be!
And I wanna beeee gadgetist!
Get this? Employ!
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original lyrics
gPRT
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| Let's Be Disruptive! |
| 10.04.05 (8:10 am) [edit] |
One of *** ******'s Talking Points is that PRT isan excuse by pro-highway/anti-transit Republicans... to block funding for [conventional transit]. This is why, perhaps, Taxi 2000/Skyweb Corporation's leader, Ed Anderson, refers to PRT as a "disruptive technology". Source
He thinks "disruptive" means destructive. But it's been well documented, here and elsewhere, how *** doesn't understand what the term means—basically, enter the market at a low level, then move 'up.'.
And here's another example of someone who DOES understand it: National Geographic--
If prices continued to drop, solar cells might change the whole idea of energy by making it cheap and easy for individuals to gather for themselves. That's what techies call a "disruptive technology."
"Automobiles were disruptive to the horse and buggy business," [PowerLight Corp.'s] Dan Shugar says. "PCs were disruptive to the typewriter industry. We believe solar electric systems will be disruptive to the energy industry." Source: "Future Power," National Geographic, Aug. 2005
We can find a parallel in ***'s position in Google. He's been so busy cruising the internet, posting links to his own web pages in blogs and discussion forums, that if you Google "PRT," *** is in the first page of results. That is a strong 'market' position. So, PRT supporters, let's practice some disruption of our own, and move the targets of ***'s hate 'up market.' Do it by visiting these PRT-friendly sites and URLs as much as you can, every day:
:: "PRT Is a Joke" Is a Joke!
:: Skyweb Express
:: Citizens For PRT
:: ULTra
:: Councilman Dean Zimmermann
:: Dean Zimmermann Fact Sheet
:: Dean Zimmermann on Minnesota Public Radio
:: Interview with David Tilsen of Zimmermann For Justice (.rm)
:: Get There Fast Seattle PRT site
:: Get On Board! PRT Seattle PRT site
Erratum: 7004 visitors
gPRT
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| Unmasked |
| 09.30.05 (2:08 pm) [edit] |
A civil, issue-oriented reader forum, accompanying a Seattle P-I op-ed on BUS Rapid Transit, was disrupted today by a poster going by the name "Soul not sold to road warriors." "Soul"'s comments bear an intriguing similarity to those of ***:| Soul not sold, 9/30/2005 (#2481 & 2488) | Known ***-ism
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"for more on the BRT scam"
| "for more on the PRT scam"
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"VERY VERY wrong (and borderline fringe) for over three decades"
| "PRT has a solid 30-year record of failure"
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"Harkness' mad scientist / academic mayhem" | "pathetic Ed Anderson" "refers to PRT as a disruptive technology"
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"absolutely loony and cult-like PRT" | "PRT is a modern Cargo Cult"
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Well OF COURSE "Soul" is ***, all the signs are there:
:: No one mentioned PRT, he brought it up.
:: He immediately goes to the personal attack.
Erratum: 6277 visitors
gPRT
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| Framed like a picture at Aaron Brothers |
| 09.22.05 (8:34 am) [edit] |
Posted in the "Mpls" newsgroup, 9/22/2005:
It looks like US attorney, Tom Hefflefinger is attempting to frame up and assassinate the character of Minneapolis City Council Member Dean Zimmermann. Hefflefinger obtained a search warrant and was poised to move forward with a grand jury investigation on the basis of fabricated evidence that was released to the public and accompanied by a sensational mid-afternoon raid just days before the 2005 primary election.
The linchpin [sic] of the Hefflefinger's [sic] case against Zimmermann is an audio-video tape recording of Dean Zimmermann allegedly being asked what he wanted, to which Dean allegedly replied "Money, money, money." The US attorney has refused to release that audio tape. However, the date of that alleged meeting between Zimmermann and the FBI's cooperating witness coincides with the date of a well publicized birthday party for Dean Z. In an interview with Minneapolis issues list member Wizard Marks ..., Dean Zimmermann reportedly admitted saying that he wanted "Money, money, money," in response to the question, "What do you want for your birthday, Dean?" which was shouted across the room in the presence of about 100 witnesses, according to Dean Z and his wife, Jenny Heiser. Source
Update: Pulse commentator's blog debunks allegations
The Pulse
gPRT
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| And the winner is |
| 09.20.05 (8:47 am) [edit] |
Coinciding with the Emmys, we awarded the first ever Golden Polygraph, or "Polly," to The Gomezticator, a blogger who wrote about Monorail. PRT was mentioned, and so 2 days later he received an anonymous comment from *** ******. But instead of just
taking *** at face value, The Gomezticator actually did his homework, drew his own conclusions, and proceeded to rip *** a new one:
...Everything else you linked just reeks of a mean-spirited, almost fanatical hatred for the [PRT] idea.
The fact that there is a website devoted entirely to slamming the proposal at length based on two failed proposals in two cities and indiscretions involved with those proposals is more telling than anything else. I love all the mean spirited photoshops and flash. Real stand-up, mature effort there. It comes off like something out of Craigslist Rants and Raves. Why such a fervent hatred?... Your obvious fear of this system is irrational, especially if it's as unviable as you claim it to be.
What flaws were found in the Cincinnati study? Why did [*** ******] decline to mention the flaws and cite particular items in the study? Because they might have been correctible? Source
Erratum: 4773 visitors
gPRT
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| Fed up |
| 09.14.05 (1:40 pm) [edit] |
Reader "R" is tired of *** and his propaganda:
I find it weird/amusing that *** acts like PRT is some 800 lb gorilla, a dire threat to transit funding. In reality, the other transit options (LRT, Monorail, bus) run circles around PRT as far as public funding goes. He belly-aches about $625,000 planning studies, calling them outrageous wastes of money. $625,000 is a lot of money to an individual, but it is chump change to govts. Govts routinely spend tons of money on studies, some of which they never use to actually build anything.
...big states could easily fund a pilot PRT system. Even if it were a total flop, they could handle it.
He acts like PRT is derailing other transit projects left & right. In reality they just built a huge LRT line in Minneapolis for hundreds of millions of dollars. The best reaction I get when I talk to policy makers is, "That's interesting, but we need to go with existing systems. Come back when another city has a successful working system."
Erratum: 4450 visitors
gPRT
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| Puppetmaster |
| 09.13.05 (7:07 am) [edit] |
A letter to a Minneapolis newspaper bears striking similarity to a typical ****** disinformation piece.
June 3, 2005
"Investigate PRT"
by Barb Lickness
| May 27, 2005
"What About Transportation?"
by ******
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Highway expansion will be an important issue in the upcoming 6th Ward Council election.
There can be no greater contrast in Councilmember Robert Lilligren's and Councilmember Dean Zimmermann's solutions to this vital issue.
Robert Lilligren supports conventional, proven transit solutions and Dean Zimmermann wants to try an unproven and untested "system" called PRT or Personal Rapid Transit.
Robert Lilligren should not be expected to debate Dean Zimmermann on PRT. Robert Lilligren doesn't know very much about PRT, nor should he; there is not a single successful, large-scale PRT system like the one Zimmermann proposes anywhere in the world.
The Southwest Journal needs to do an investigative article explaining exactly what the PRT "system" is and whether it is feasible. It should also investigate PRT's 30-year history of failure and controversy. The article should get the opinions of transportation professionals and skeptics as well as PRT proponents.
Readers should also know that the would-be PRT vendor, Taxi 2000 Corporation is currently suing its founder and former CEO in Hennepin District Court. They should also know that outspoken opponents of light rail transit promote PRT. Readers should also know that the proponents are selling the taxpayers a "certification test facility," not a viable, full-fledged system. MnDOT has no authority to "certify" PRT. Even PRT proponents will admit that they are at least 10 years from delivering a product [sic] assuming their research and development is successful.
There is plenty to suggest that
the Citizens for Personal Rapid Transit will be promoting Zimmermann's PRT plan for the 6th Ward between now and the election. The voters of the 6th Ward need an independent and unbiased evaluation of Zimmermann's PRT plan. Without an investigative article on PRT, the electorate will no doubt be confused on this crucial issue.
Barb Lickness
Whittier
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The DFL needs to do a better job opposing highway expansion which leads to more sprawl and more suburbs and destruction of urban communities.
...
As Scott Russell pointed out in the article on MnDOT's plans for the Downtown Commons, highway expansion will likely be an important issue in the upcoming 6th Ward Council election.
Robert Lilligren should not be expected to debate Dean Zimmermann on PRT. Robert Lilligren doesn't know much about PRT and nor should he... There is not a single successful, large-scale PRT system like the one Zimmermann proposes anywhere in the world. Lilligren would look SILLY debating PRT with Zimmermann
The Citizens for Personal Rapid Transit will be promoting Zimmermann's PRT plan for the 6th Ward between now and the election. The voters of the 6th Ward need an independant and unbiased evaluation of Zimmermann's PRT plan. Without an investigative article on PRT soon, the voters will no doubt be confused on the real transportation issues that matter most to the 6th Ward.
Please contact the Star Tribune, the Southwest Journal and the Skyway News and ask for an article on PRT now.
Also, the would-be PRT vendor who would benefit from the tax breaks and subsidies in the PRT bills, Taxi 2000 Corporation is in Hennepin District Court, suing its founder and former CEO, J. Edward Anderson.
To learn more about the PRT scam:
Personal Rapid Transit - Cyberspace Dream Keeps Colliding With Reality
"The Road Less Traveled: The pros and cons of personal rapid transit. " by Troy Pieper
Minnesota PRT Skeptic Web site
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Two questions come to mind: First, who is Barb Lickness? Turns out, she ran against Zimmerman in 2001. And second, has anyone ever seen Lickness and ****** in the same place at the same time?
gPRT
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| What did *** know & when did he know it? |
| 09.12.05 (6:52 am) [edit] |
Dean Zimmerman, a pro-PRT member of the Minneapolis City Council, is being investigated by the FBI.
Regardless of whether one supports Zimmerman or his policies, the timing of the search of Zimmerman's home, 5 days before the primary election, is clearly political.
We have to remember not only that these are only accusations against Zimmerman, but also that PRT does not equal one person, as *** seems to think. PRT was invented long before Zimmerman came along. Zimmerman also supports education and the environment, but we wouldn't say his problems mean "the end of the education/environment scam in Minnesota."
A more interesting question is how *** seemed to already know about the investigation on Sept. 4. Think about it: a hack cartoonist, not working for a news organization, knowing about a criminal investigation. In fact, he was hinting as early as Aug. 23 (see "8/23/05 6:31 p.m.") that he was sitting on interesting news.1
It's rather unlikely that a cartoonist has a pipeline into the FBI. Much more likely: *** has a first or secondhand connection to a DFL2 or Resmuglican official or campaign. Politicians knowing ahead of time, and telling a hack like *** ******, helps validate suspicions of a smear.
*** associated with a smear; what are the odds of that?
Erratum: 4247 visitors
Notes
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1. The interesting news was not his accusation that Citizens for PRT violated its nonprofit status (see "H&R Blockhead," Sept. 6): *** had already gone public with that on Aug. 14.
2. Here's someone who knew: "Also Friday, Council Vice President Robert Lilligren, who faces Zimmermann in Tuesday's nonpartisan municipal primary election because the redistricting placed the two incumbents in the same ward, said he was interviewed by [FBI Special Agent David] Kukura." Source
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gPRT
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| Project Balatro #4: Black & white and red-in-the-face all over |
| 09.07.05 (6:07 am) [edit] |
A number of you have written in about ***'s "politeness" hypocrisy:
"What about ***'s behavior at the Green Party debate about PRT in March 2004? *** had diverted the question and answer session into an investigation into Taxi 2000's investors. He was claiming all PRT supporters were just investors out to make loads of money off the taxpayer. Ed [Anderson, T2K designer] responded respectfully to his questions. After a while people asked to move on to other points, but *** kept rudely talking out loud about the bus system to the people around him. Finally one of the debaters on the PRT-skeptic side told him to quit disrupting her closing remarks. Then, on his way out of the building, *** came up to Ed and said in a really emotional way, with his face all contorted:
"I hate you!"
****** is some kind of black and white simpleton who thinks that if the Republicans like something, then it can't also be liked by Democrats. Apparently transportation, healthcare, schooling and all the other issues have to be owned by one side or the other, like we are all a bunch of first graders on the playground choosing teams for tag. How can anyone wonder why Bush has had such an easy time polarizing the nation. What a moron!"
Thanks "A", "M", "D" and "S"! This also helps shed some light on ***'s new attacks on the Green Party (see "H&R Blockhead," yesterday).
Erratum: 3908 visitors
gPRT
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| H&R Blockhead |
| 09.06.05 (12:22 pm) [edit] |
*** ****** got a new line of attack recently. This time the Talking Point concerns the group Citizens for Personal Rapid Transit. In a sprawling multi-part posting at LL, he writes:
The CPRT its [sic] July 2005 newsletter has encouraged its members to work for... 3 opponents of DFL candidates. Source
The Citizens for Personal Rapid Transit (CPRT) say on their website that they are a 501(c)3 Non-profit organization. In their July Newsletter they ask their membership to help several candidates for Minneapolis City Council Source
The implication of this new Talking Point is that CPRT is violating its nonprofit (aka "501(c)3") status under federal tax law.
Who are the candidates? Resmuglicans? No, they're environmentalist Greens Dean Zimmerman, Aaron Neumann and Dave Bicking. But PRT is ***'s litmus test for liberalism (see also "Litmus Test," 8.16.05), and because all three support PRT he must attack them.
*** must be counting on no one actually reading the CPRT article. Because there aren't any violations:
:: The article contains no explicit endorsement of Zimmerman's candidacy. It reads that he supports PRT, and links to his website. A request is made to help Zimmerman "line up groups for him to speak to about PRT... Please help find Dean some speaking engagements." This relates to his constituent-service work, not his reëlection campaign.
:: Similarly, the brief mention of Neumann reads, exactly, "Councilman Zimmermann also reports that Aaron Neuman, a Green Party candidate for Ward 3, is a strong PRT supporter. His website is ww w. voteneumann .org. It is time to get acquainted!" CPRT does not ask its readers to "help" Neumann.
:: This is followed by an even briefer mention of Bicking's candidacy, and the fact that he supports PRT. No one is asked to "help" Bicking either.
While IRS regs are strict, CPRT has not violated them. ***'s claim — that CPRT asked supporters to work for or help Zimmerman, Neumann and Bicking — is a fabrication. CPRT also did not contribute funds to the candidates, nor urge funds be donated to them, nor state CPRT's position toward their candidacies.
Another indication of the shoddiness of this attack is in ***'s post about a fourth candidate, St. Paul mayoral candidate Elizabeth Dickinson, who seems to have retracted a statement supporting PRT (and *** tries to get some self-congratulatory mileage out of it). But even the CPRT article on her contains no explicit endorsement, merely the quote from her website in which she stated the need to support PRT, not her candidacy.
Finally, in a post late today, *** writes that he thinks the IRS Code "seems very clear" about political activism by nonprofits. If he really thinks so — and really understood what he was reading (let's not take that for granted, though: in the post he also writes "I'm not an lawyer") — then he is being disingenuous with this new attack.
PRT and the IRS? Another ****** 'bombshell' amounting to nothing.
gPRT
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| Project Balatro #3 |
| 09.06.05 (10:59 am) [edit] |
"M" writes: "***'s wife once drew a picture of people waiting for (GASP!) the Skyride!!!" Which is a ride. In the sky. In personal-size vehicles. Do you think he suspects???
Reader "S" points out that on ***'s old Transportation Geek blog, he lists his age as 84. According to his bio, he's really 50. Old enough to grow up; or have a midlife crisis.
gPRT
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| Watch for a Stop Sign Photoshopped on Michele Bachmann's body |
| 09.03.05 (7:39 am) [edit] |
The Minnesota pedestrian safety group Safe Routes has issued a thank you to ***, and urges everyone to visit his website. Yup, all you folks be sure and check out his Michele Bachmann fetish page. Families trying to make the streets safe for their kids love ad hominem attacks, and in particular go wild for saints clutching fetuses.
Erratum: 3500 visits
gPRT
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| Project Balatro #2 |
| 09.02.05 (5:45 am) [edit] |
*** ****** frequently tsk-tsks people he doesn't like, for being "not nice" or "nasty".
We've previously written about his thang about Michele Bachmann, and his thingie over Mark Olson and chastity, not Bono. But did you know *** worked at something called Weirdo?
[***] was an alumni of PUNK magazeen [sic] and forged his style equally from Kurtzman and Crumb. [***] had some really great moments in 'Weirdo' where he and [cartoonist Peter] Bagge would draw each other beating off to gay porn. He disappeared from underground comix to become a househusband. Unfortunately, his new 'sensitive' side shows in the new stuff. But he's Weiner. Source
"Weiner" appears not to have been a former surname, but rather a monomoniker--a la "Cher"!
It also seems his early art work appeared in that journal of sustainable energy policy, Al Goldstein's Screw. (Thanks to emailer "D" for the tips.)
Seeder Weiner
Speaking of using seed in connection with one's work, see: Crop art
gPRT
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| By a whisker |
| 09.01.05 (11:26 am) [edit] |
A Google of the term "prt is a joke" today returns a little over one page of results (my preferences are set to 50 per page). And guess what. Click to the end; "'PRT Is a Joke' Is a Joke" is listed ahead of "Personal Rapid Transit is Bogus," ***'s flagship blog.
The leading skeptic of PRT skeptics leads the leading PRT skeptic—at least in the blog race.
gPRT
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| Mr. Zero Sum |
| 08.31.05 (7:15 am) [edit] |
Today *** writes,
"The price of regular at the local BP gas station is $2.99.9 a gallon. The Cheap Oil Age is gone... Americans will have to become less dependant [sic] on petroleum... fast. They will have to walk and ride bikes. They will have to take trains and buses." Source
We can't wait for ***'s new blogs, "Plug-in Electric Cars are a Joke," and "Biodiesel, Ethanol, CNG & Hydrogen-Powered Cars are Bogus."
It ain't a conspiracy pushing people to find ways to preserve their individual mobility-- it's human ingenuity. *** can't blame PRT for that. But let's hope he tries.
Errata:
We now have a motto! Dig it: "PRT Is a Joke Is a Joke" is perhaps the leading skeptic of Personal Rapid Transit skeptics.
3266 visits
gPRT
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| Avid, or just jealous? (Project Balatro #1) |
| 08.30.05 (6:37 am) [edit] |
We are proud to present, in all its glory, the first piece in the puzzle that is *** ******, anti-PRT activist unextraordinaire. It is an apt place at which to begin our group-written biography of ***, as it attempts to reconstruct the seminal event he often cites as the reason for his crusade.
But first a few words of wisdom from a big-time author:Since 1934, any number of films have used some version of this disclaimer: "The events and characters depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."...
Clearly, the "coincidence" and "fictitious" disclaimers are inadequate summaries of the truth status of many films to which they are appended. Nor do they fully protect against a defamation suit, as the makers of the World War II movie They Were Expendable were to learn when sued by Commander Robert Kelly in 1948, and as the makers of The Bell Jar learned when sued earlier this year.
But the other guise in which historical films often present themselves is not wholly satisfactory either. Here no one can be held liable... Words roll across the early frames, attributed to no one, setting the stage with an available historical past. Sometimes the claim to veracity is explicit. Truffaut's finely wrought Story of Adele H., drawn from the journal of Victor Hugo's daughter, opens: "The story (histoire) of Adele is true; it is about events that really happened and people who really existed. "Near the beginning of Roland Joffe's The Mission, we read, "The historical events represented in this story are true and happened in Paraguay and Argentina in 1758 and 1759." And not long after the opening images of The Return of Martin Guerre, an unknown voice tells the audience, "This is not a tale of adventure or imaginary fable, but a pure, true story (pas un conk aventureux ou invention fabuleuse, mais une pure et vraie histoire)." True history simply exists out there, and is as available to be drawn upon as legend.—Umberto Eco
The Yale Review, 86 (1986-87): 457-82
And now, on with the show. This piece of intel was received on super-dooper double-secret background from "R," we hope you find it instructive, as well as enlightening:
Few know the real story behind ******'s anti-PRT obsession. He claims an angry PRTer disrupted a work-shop put on by him and his wife and decided then and there to confound PRT at every turn. The truth is more interesting:
He was putting on his work-shop on transit alternatives when one J.E. Anderson spoke up to offer the alternative of PRT. He eruditely and compellingly laid out the case for PRT. He dazzled one and all with his technical expertise.
****** was smitten by the good doctor's charm and intellect. After Anderson finished, ****** offered to leave his wife and elope with Anderson on a torrid love affair. Anderson was flattered but replied that he could only have one true love, PRT.
******was enraged, he then and there decided that if he could not have Anderson, no one would, including PRT. So began his life-long vendetta against PRT.
Hell hath no fury like an ****** scorned.
The truth is out there. Follow the guideway.
Keep sending those stories! Remember when using the email link at right to replace the "AT" in the address with a "@"--an anti-spam precaution.
Erratum: 3167 visits
gPRT
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| "Project Balatro" |
| 08.29.05 (5:55 am) [edit] |
Just a quick note to let you know that submissions have been coming in on the big *** ****** investigation, which for now will go by the name Project Balatro (Latin for "fool").
Information being received is trending toward two main types-- historical reports or anecdotes about ***, and opinion about ***. While the latter are welcome, we already know what you think about *** ******. What we really need are facts about his past that we can collate and derive a life story.
So keep those stories coming! The first one will be posted soonish.
gPRT
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| Quis custodiet ipsos balatros? |
| 08.26.05 (9:08 am) [edit] |
"I also hope a reporter from the Seattle P.I. investigates these claims and other claims of PRT proponents." Source (#679)...is one of ***'s newer talking points. It makes him sound so reasonable, does it not? Just int'rested in the truth, is what he wants us to think. Too bad for him every online forum in which he's posted is also a record of his distortions, thanks to the facts posted by yours truly and others.
But by all means, let's have an investigation--of both sides. In fact, let's start now! *** has pointed the desk lamp in PRT's face for years, can he stand the same scrutiny?
Everyone out there who has stories about ***--his past and present, good or bad, happy or sad--send them to the Editor. I mean it, we're unreeling the 'scope and shoving it up there for a good, long look.
What was he like as a kid, young *** Weiner (his old surname, I understand)? What's his favorite color? His favorite food? Smoker? Teatotaler? What kind of videos does he rent? Did he go to his senior prom?
Why did he move to Minnesota? Is he a dog person? A cat person? Top? Bottom? And why the fascination with air conditioning, heating, and Sen. Michele Bachmann (R-Stillwater)?
Just use the handy email link at right (you have to replace the "AT" in the address with a "@"--an anti-spam precaution). We look forward to your submissions.
Erratum: 2951 visitors
Purrfect
A reader has informed us of the possibility that anti-PRT Seattlite "serial catowner" (see "Is stuck... is stuck... is stuck," 8.24.05) is a nurse.
Here's a What If question for catowner. Suppose someone has an operable brain tumor. Would you want the surgeon to use the latest surgical tools and most up to date techniques? Or will you insist on the proven, state of the art neurosurgery c.1930?
All we are trying to do with PRT is advance the state of the art of transit. Because since when is state of the art anything immune from eventual improvement?
gPRT
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| Egg Salad on his face |
| 08.25.05 (12:17 pm) [edit] |
*** reminds me of a gag from the classic Woody Allen movie, What's Up Tiger Lily:
"At one point during the planning of a break-in, a spy unfolds a map of their quarry's residence, explaining that the man "lives here." "He lives on that small piece of paper?" questions one of the henchmen. It's that silly." Source
When *** writes about "dorky little wheels" on a scale model of a PRT vehicle, I almost expect him to ask, "how can three people ride in something so small?"
When I explain to him that a PRT vehicle has been designed with places to mount HVAC equipment, the makers know what equipment to use and how much it will weigh, he acts as though the very idea is impossible. It's as if 45-50 pounds of equipment that works in cars WON'T work in PRT, simply because it's PRT. Or he'll write that the amount of weight HVAC will add is a mystery-- 45-50 pounds suddenly becomes indeterminate!
What supernatural qualities does he ascribe to PRT that it possesses such powers? It's just engineering. Maybe to *** ****** it's one of the Black Arts.
gPRT
Flyp-Flop-ocrite
*** recently allowed that:
"If those people want to pursue PRT with their own money, that's okay with me." Source, #356
How nice of him to say--now. Too bad his PRTJ website has a page titled "Don't Invest in Bogus PRT!" (roadkillbill.com/PRT%20PigNPoke.html)
Plus, you also have to take his LTO3 about "PRT is impossible" as an attempt to discourage private investment as well.
So busy; so bossy; so concerned about what other people are doing with their own time and money (see also: "The O.C.," 7.29.05, below).
gPRT
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| Is stuck... is stuck... is stuck... |
| 08.24.05 (6:01 am) [edit] |
The Seattle P-I has given *** ****** another opportunity to make a fool of himself: they decided to publish El Rueda del Chirrido's usual Talking Points.
What more can you say? It's the usual LTO3s: misrepresentations, distortions and ad hominem attacks. He even calls journalists "gullible." Niiiiiice. The only new wrinkle was his strange claim that the contractor Short Elliott Hendrickson is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. Well, Olsen is a very Minnesota surname.
But the byproduct of this battle was that the feedback forum accompanying his propaganda became a flame war almost from the get-go. This was unfortunate, because most people wanting to educate themselves about PRT would surely have been put off.
There was one amusing sidenote. A poster named "serialcatowner" tscott@s...net couldn't distinguish between PRT and a cable gondola.
Erratum: 2701 visits
gPRT
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| His Tonearm is Stuck |
| 08.19.05 (7:57 am) [edit] |
Good day PRT world! Our buddy *** is at it again, clogging up a Seattle P-I feedback forum with his usual catechism of Talking Points.
Like an "anti-PRT insurgent" (they hate us for our ondemand, nonstop service!), he is doing his best to snipe at a pro-PRT guest editorial.
Fortunately, his 'best' is the same old disinfo, LTO3. It's all there. The TPs:"PRT is a scam"
"a PRT fanatic disrupted a workshop my wife and I were conducting"
"PRT is all about spreading disinformation about conventional transit."
"Taxi 2000/Skyweb is mired in a lawsuit against its founder"
"I written [sic] to the editors... and asked them to assign an investigative reporter to find what exactly PRT is, who is promoting it and why. I suggest other readers... do likewise."
The links to long-since-debunked propaganda:"Personal Rapid Transit – Cyberspace Dream Keeps Colliding With Reality"
"The Road Less Traveled: The pros and cons of personal rapid transit." by Troy Pieper
...blah blah blah dee blah. You get the idea. *** is fond of calling PRT a "waste of time." Seems like he's the waste of time, no contest.
We're getting into it pretty good; and here he said wasn't going to talk to me anymore (Comment 3).
Erratum: 2457 visitors
Update (16:25 PDT): I thought the thread was nearing an end, but then he threw us an amusing little sinker (#381). I think I got the bat on it pretty well...
gPRT
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| In what year does he think he is living? |
| 08.16.05 (7:49 am) [edit] |
This morning *** hunkered down at his PC and posted the following:
The Minnesota High Tech Association has a list of exhibitors at the Wonders of Technology Pavilion at the 2005 Minnesota State Fair [link] . Skyweb/Taxi 2000 isn't on the list.
Is PRT going to be a no-show at the fair this year? Source
Maybe. Maybe not. Is he saying appearing at the fair last year but not this year signals trouble in the PRT world? It might, except that T2K didn't take the Skyweb prototype to the fair last year--that was two years ago. And folks loved it. You know: the average people who want better transit-- *** calls them transit bashers.
But I bet they know what year this is.
gPRT
Litmus test
What appears to be ***'s first full post as a cub reporter at the LL blog is merely a retread of some of his same-old same-old talking points.
There are two added twists--new targets: David Morris, a Minnesota progressive who is part of the ILSR progressive think tank and the New Rules Project, and Air America. Why? Because you're only a real progressive if *** says you are. But Morris supports PRT. So the slip of test paper on which *** has written "Morris" turns Stalking-Horse Red instead of Liberal Blue.
It's not the first time: *** has also attacked your Editor for my support of PRT, lumping me in with Tom DeLay and his ilk. Me!--a liberal Dem, Kucinich Kid, Deaniac and leftist blogger.
Give me a break; who does *** think he is? I've been on the Left as long as I can remember--in the 3rd grade I was for McGovern, while all the thuggish schoolboy-patriots in my class were for Tricky Dick. I worked for whip-smart John B. Anderson when America was falling in love with empty-headed Reagan. Jim McDermott is my Congressman, and I want him there for the rest of time.
Why is Air America in ***'s crosshairs? Answer: Morris has a weekly segment1 on the Wendy Wilde Show, airing mornings on the Minnesota Air Am affiliate. Which must mean "Tricky ***" doesn't consider Air America truly liberal, either.2
So to sum up: you've got someone who attacks progressives and a liberal radio network. Now what do you usually call such a person? Certainly not progressive. Or liberal.
Notes
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1. Tuesdays at 9:10 CT
2. Attacking Air Am appears to be a developing thread at LL.
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gPRT
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| He's not at home when Mr. Context comes a-knocking |
| 08.16.05 (7:10 am) [edit] |
In case you hadn't noticed, *** ****** loves to quote people out of context, such as the recent Ryan Kennedy Incident (8/13). An especially funny example was the time *** excerpted a purely academic discussion about deceleration and braking in PRT. Clearly out of his depth, he appears not to understand that the quotes he portrays as endorsements of PRT passengers pulling g's like fighter pilots are actually criticisms.
Or how about his talking point that PRT designer Ed Anderson calls PRT "disruptive technology." *** wants you to think Anderson means 'disrupting mass transit' to benefit highway interests. In fact the term comes from economics: meaning to challenge dominant technology, either by filling an unmet need, or by starting small and moving 'up-market' by means of performance improvements.
Isn't it strange (or maybe not) how *** twists and distorts in attempting to sully PRT, but ignores PRT supporters when they write things like:
:: "PRT is an essential technology in a Sustainable World!" -Andrew Euston, Planning and Community Development, HUD
:: "The European Union... views PRT as an important part of the Kyoto Protocol effort." -Cities21
:: "PRT is transit that is accessible, fast, affordable and safe--an additional tool for getting more people out of their cars." -SoundPRT
:: "I would use my bicycle or walk more often, if the streets were safe for anything other than SUVs." -Bob Dunning, President of ATRA (Advanced Transit Association)
:: "A much less used street is much more desirable to pedestrians and local inhabitants. The realistic goal of PRT is to turn entire cities into something like the historical centers of many European cities: paved streets with very sparse vehicle movement... low noise and pollution, a safer and more pleasant environment for the pedestrians and the kids." -Transport-Innovators List 8/15/2005
gPRT
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| 08.13.05 (8:22 am) [edit] |
Having this week revealed his interest in Victorian sexual attitudes, *** ****** now turns his Magoo-like scrutiny toward humor, and passing judgement on what is and isn't funny.
Yesterday the pitbull of propriety, the one who envisions Sen. Bachmann as a dominatrix and winos throwing up on transit riders, bit down hard on two passages posted in Yahoo Groups, and wouldn't let go.
He quotes Alaska's Ryan Kennedy:
"I [expletive] hate my car. Lousy piece of [expletive]. I'd gladly put a bullet in the back of its head, [then] dump it in a lime-filled ditch, piss on it, then walk away with fond memories of the event."
Does *** put this out hoping you'll be shocked? Odd, since *** himself hates cars too.
Again quoting Kennedy:
"He gets on the bus. There is one black person. At the next stop he gets off. All of a sudden, girls drop their trench-coats clad in skimpy dresses, silver platters of drinks and hors de vours suddenly appear. Music starts, everyone smiling and laughing. Then at the next stop a black guy gets on the bus, everything disappears. Girls jump back in their trench-coats.
"That's what it would take to get me on the bus: girls, booze, good food and good company. In that order."
Gosh, what was that? Some sort of private tape from a therapy session? A trial transcript? No, it was just Kennedy trying to come up with a humorous way to advertise PRT. It reminds the Editor of a skit from Saturday Night Live, In Living Color or, more recently, Mad TV. And in fact Kennedy does refer to Eddie Murphy's classic "White Like Me" skit from SNL as inspiration. But *** doesn't include this in his post, because that would provide accurate context.
*** feels Kennedy's words are—actually he doesn't say exactly how HE feels. He just thinks they will shock you. (He also won't tell readers about Kennedy's words when they won't shock, such as this thoughtful post about the full personal cost of using transit.)
In case his readers still aren't convinced, *** makes one further attempt at playing the shock card. He compares Kennedy's words to the new Paul Provenza/Penn Jillette film The Aristocrats, in which the greatest comics working today take turns interpreting an incredibly dirty joke that has been told backstage for years.
Here's what that lowbrow gutter publication Salon.com says about The Aristocrats;
"...exhilarating documentary about the genesis and continual evolution of one very dirty joke, is less about free speech than about the freedom of speech. And viewing it as a manifesto only detracts from its indelicate, yet delicately calibrated, brilliance." Source
Strange that *** would not like such a celebration of free expression, since he himself makes his living as a supposed artist.
And in doing so *** aligns himself with that one-man Blue Code, the hydroencephalic right-wing pundit Michael Medved, who says of The Aristocrats: "What we're seeing here is a desperate attempt to get attention for a project by outraging people"--an amazing quote, because *** is also desperately seeking attention by trying to outrage people.
Yup, that's *** ******. He's Minnesota's own Savonarola, a mad transit monk who's taken a vow of humorlessness.
gPRT
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| Well, OK. But he'd better not dance |
| 08.12.05 (6:07 am) [edit] |
TV producers sue, say show idea was stolen:
"ABC, Simon Cowell and producer Fremantle Media have been sued for allegedly stealing the idea for a show that will appear on ABC later this year.
Two Minneapolis-based producers claim in a suit filed in Los Angeles yesterday that Cowell & Co. ripped off their idea—and name—for a show called the "Million Dollar Idea" that would reward creators of new products or businesses." Source
Minneapolis?! I bet *** was going to be one of the judges. He would tell the contestants that their inventions and businesses are impossible, and that "there's already an older, proven product that does that. How dare you try and compete with it! What a pathetic waste of time. You're going nowhere."
And O the catch phrase possibilities!
Regis had "Is that your final answer?" Ann Robinson was "You are the weakest link. Good-bye." Ozzie Osbourne's was "@$#!$" Trump: "Ya fired."
It's hard to settle on just one catch phrase for ***. The obvious one is "BO-GUS!" But why be obvious?
:: "What a joke!"
:: "___ basher!"
:: "Cabal!"
:: "Stalking horse!"
:: "Gadgetbahn!"
:: "Extremist!"
:: "If your head were to be Photoshopped onto someone else's body, what body would that be?"
:: "Bbbbl bbbll wooo woooo lala lala lala"
Erratum: 1604 visitors
gPRT
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| Blogger Embarassed in PRT Mix-Up |
| 08.11.05 (6:30 am) [edit] |
*** ******'s current interest in Rep. Mark Olson, religion, sexuality, and whatever they have to do with mass transit brings this exciting news:
Aug. 11 (Holy Christ News Net)— A two-day blog offensive against Presbyterian Rapture Theology and State Rep. Mark Olson (R-Big Lake) was cleared up when the sinner, a Minneapolis-area transit activist, acknowledged that he had meant to criticize another PRT, Personal Rapid Transit, and got confused.
"I was confused," said the activist, who gave his name.
The teapot-tempest began Aug. 10, when the activist quoted 1st Corinthians Ch. 7 as support for his belief that Rep. Olson should cruise for women on trains or buses. "At the time I wrote that, I did not know that that part of Corinthians was actually about the problem of herds of sheep blocking roads in the Corinth metropolitan area, and not about confirmed bachelors at all," said the activist. "Although some kind of mass transit system like LRT, Lutheran Rapid Transit, could have given Corinthians an alternative to herd-jams, so they could leave their chariots at home."
But despite the clarification, the activist still had plenty to question about Presbyterian Rapture Theology. The activist stated, "This elevated form of rapture is bogus! People rising up into the air would be able to see into people's bedroom windows. Ask people in your congregations if they want all the trees on their street cut down, so as not to block ascensions."
He also said that full immersion baptism is "a complete, pathetic waste of time."
"Catholic, 'sprinkle' baptism is a proven, dependable mode of baptism," the activist said. "Full immersion wastes water. It creates a drowning hazard. How do you know the last baptizee didn't pee in the pool? And, uh, it's promoted by beverage companies, who have given large sums of cash to church supply companies."
When asked for proof, he gave reporters the subject line of an e-mail, "Re: Our plan to use up all water on the planet & make everyone drink Snapple." He said he did not have the original message with him.
"I doubt many churches will want to purchase huge baptism pool systems, since the water isn't even heated," he said, holding up an illustrated brochure from the GolgothSpa Pool Company. "Show me where they've installed water heaters in these photos."
Erratum:
This blog has had 1324 visits
gPRT
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| Kitchen Fire |
| 08.08.05 (11:14 am) [edit] |
It's often said those who can't stand the heat should get out of the kitchen. In *** ******'s case not only can he not stand the heat (reacting badly to anything he perceives as a personal attack), but he stays in the kitchen (by continuing to dish out abuse at others). In fact, he's setting fire to the restaurant:
:: *** has attacked your Editor: "your voice most likely carries all the tell-tale inflections of a raving crack-pot." This immediately after writing "If you and I lived in England I could sue you for slander and defamation and I'd win." He won't even respond to me anymore (Source, Comment 3).
:: Has attacked a dead man, A. Sheffer Lang, former board member of T2K.
:: Is fascinated with State Senator Michele Bachmann (previously documented) as though she were a bright, shiny object.
Now he's Photoshopping State Rep. Mark Olson's head on Queen Victoria's body, all because two years ago Olson said he thought "Some sex education encourages touching and intimacy. [Young women] need to protect their purity" (emphasis, Source). In addition, *** adds to the smear by asking "So what does Rep. Mark Olson know about "ladies"?", pairing this insinuating question with the data that Olson used to be a "log home builder" (as in Log Cabin Republican? Just asking.) and is unmarried.
Maybe *** missed this part of history class, but Victorian sexual repression, if that's what he's trying to smear Olson with, was about the era, not the monarch. And it was probably all propaganda anyway: promiscuity, drug abuse (such as opium dens) and other illicit activities were probably as widespread then as today. Even the Queen herself had a dalliance, the Scotsman John Brown, although that may never have been consummated--
Hold on, I've lost track: is *** smearing Olson as: a Puritan; a closet case; a bachelor; a constitutional monarch; or poorly educated in British history?
*** ******. He's all about the luv.
Learn more at gPRT
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| Projectionist has broken spool |
| 08.08.05 (7:20 am) [edit] |
If you were trying to stop a new invention, what would be your points of attack? Feasibility? Safety? Affordability? Politics?
*** ****** has tried all these, and failed. But over the weekend his private campaign against PRT took perhaps its most bizarre turn yet: now *** is attempting to link PRT to right-wing moralism.
The opening for his attack comes in the form of a two-year old Conservative Tourette's-influenced statement by Minnesota State Rep. Mark Olson, in favor of abstinence-only education curriculum:
"A woman's modesty is her natural protection. Some sex education encourages touching and intimacy. They need to protect their purity."
Olson expressed fear that young women who are taught to safely enjoy their sexuality will become insatiable sexual monsters. "It leads young ladies to be very free with their bodies," he said. "They will be harmed permanently for life. Some people believe that a young woman can grow up and have sex with hundreds and hundreds of men and it's no big deal." Source
Let me interject something here. I have no problem with Biblically-dictated right-wing morality, it's just not for me. As long as those who believe in it use it to live their own lives, as their personal choice and without foisting it upon others, that's fine. More power to 'em.
Clearly, Rep. Olson's personal beliefs have found their way into the public policy process. That is wrong, and I think most people would disagree with that aspect of this issue--maybe even a majority in the district that elected Olson. But maybe not. But even if Olson is merely reflecting the beliefs of his constituents, having those beliefs in law is also wrong.
But this doesn't mean *** is right, for two reasons.
1. Objectively, Olson's ultimate goal, mitigating harmful behavior by female minors that could cause permanent or long term emotional and/or physical harm, is good [1]. Liberals interested in family planning, HIV and STD prevention, etc. would agree with Olson's ends, if not the means. *** seems to be saying that he thinks this is weird.
2. What does PRT, a transit technology, have to do with underage sex, sex education, or sexuality of any kind? The answer is nothing: Mark Olson just happens also to be a PRT supporter. *** is using that age-old trick, guilt by association--Olson believes X; Olson supports Y. Therefore X=Y.
When one looks back at ***'s statements, it's obvious how he attempts to tar PRT using sexual, deviant, anti-social, and even violent imagery. He's the one who has:
:: Tried to say that people call PRT "ménage á trois transit" (he's the only one, see August 1). Can you imagine a child Googling PRT for science class reading that? "Mommy, what's a ménage á trois?
:: Said that people riding elevated transit would get "a clear view into... bedroom windows," as though no one owns curtains. Or lives downhill of roads, or other homes, or below taller buildings...
:: Shocked viewers who think they are going to see a legitimate PRT simulation, instead he shows them a poorly animated cartoon of a stereotypical wino throwing up on a family. Is *** saying such things don't happen on transit now? Is he saying it's OK as long as it happens on a train or bus? Is he not compassionate toward alcoholics? Does he even know what he's saying?
:: Photoshopped a female legislator's head onto the body of a dominatrix.
:: Claimed terrorists would use PRT to send bombs, even though his primary target, the T2K Corp., has engineered a Go button that would make sending unattended packages impossible. Is *** saying trains and buses are immune from this danger?
*** has written that PRT supporters are "fearmongers." Sounds like classic projection to me.
Erratum: 967 visits
Ya know, I should try ***'s old trick and end every post with a link to myself. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.
gPRT
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Notes
1. I don't think anyone who isn't currently incarcerated or in costly therapy, or ought to be, truly believes sex with hundreds and hundreds of partners is "fine," as Olson said "some people believe." That has got to be hyperbole, i.e., not to be taken literally.
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| He Makes You Discuss PRT |
| 08.05.05 (9:46 am) [edit] |
PRTJJ has a compadre--at least in the ***-mocking department. Check out some of the bon mots lobbed in blogger triple_a's Residual Forces.
Triple_a's blog entry isn't about PRT, PRT isn't even mentioned. The subject is a small group of people who staged a lame media event to show-up Sen. Bachmann.
*** shows up with one of his usual cut & paste posting jobs, and HE brings up the subject of PRT. See? The poor guy MUST talk about PRT, it's like he just can't help it.
This time *** is repeating his tired, disproven, LTO3 claims about the T2K v. Anderson lawsuit and last spring's Minnesota PRT bond proposal.
So triple_a responds: "I am against the boon doggle [sic] of mass transit as a congestion solution."
***, regurgitating a talking point: "PRT is NOT transit. Groups that lobby for transit do not support PRT: ...tlcminnesota.org/Events/2004/Legislatu re/No%20public%20funding %20for%20PRT.pdf"
But being a self-identified transit-opponent and right-winger doesn't make triple_a stupid, he manages to see right through ***'s empty logic as easily as a kindergartner would: "It is transit. Its [sic] in the name for bleeps sake."
PS: In case you forgot-- *** hates it when I don't mention his name, so I don't.
Erratum: 825 visits
gPRT
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| Opposites attract? |
| 08.04.05 (1:31 pm) [edit] |
***'s web pages and bloggings exhibit an ongoing fascination for Minnesota State Senator Michele Bachmann. It seems to go beyond mere political differences. Gee, I wonder how that got started?
St. Paul, MN
Present Day
Legislative Assistant: Senator Bachmann, you have a phone call.
Sen. Michele Bachmann (R-Stillwater): Take a message, I'm on my way to a snowflake baby christening.
LA: But it's you-know-who.
SMB: What, again? Tell him I can't talk right now.
LA: But he says he knows you're here.
SMB: How?
LA: Just a sec. Hello, Mr. ******? The senator wants to know how you know she's- Uh huh. Uh huh. Oh. Please hold. He says to say he's watching you, he's always watching you.
SMB: Great. OK, fine, gimme. [takes phone] Hello, ***? Where are you? Across the street... oh. Look, I don't know why you're calling. I told you, it's over between us. There's just no future for a neocon like me and a-- whatever it is you are-- like you. Mary Matalin? Trust me, you're no James Carville. I 'm sorry, that was unfair, I just felt like hurting you; I don't know why.
Yes, I saw your Michele Worship Web Page. Yes, it was lovely, very sweet, but I- let me finish. I can't be with you because of your jealousy.
Don't give me that crap, I know you've been two-timing me with that councilwoman in Rochester. Not to mention Farheen Hakeem!
Dean Zimmerman???!!! He means nothing to me! Jeez, all I did was have one conference call and a couple of committee briefings and you have to get all bent out of shape.
Greens aren't even my type! They have no power, what kind of aphrodisiac is no power? It just isn't sexy. Oh pooh-bear, you do so have power, you're an internationally reknowned- nationally reknowned- regionally- all over the- southern part of the state! Oh, stop it with your self pity!
Look, I'm hanging up. Really. No, I really have to go. No. Don't; don't cry. I can't stand it when- I'm going! Good bye!
Well. At least that's over, once and for-
LA: Senator, capitol security is on the other line. They say *** is across the street. They say... he's holding a boom box over his head. They say we can probably see him out our window.
SMB: [opens window] Is that In Your Eyes?
LA: Someone's got a boyfriend!
SMB: Shut up! I... I think I love him!
gPRT
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| More PRT Google fun |
| 08.02.05 (6:31 am) [edit] |
Last Friday I noted that, Googled a certain way, PRTJ et al is a miniscule 1.5% of hits when looking up PRT. This runs contrary to claims by *** and his follower that they are "kicking PRT keyword butt on google, yahoo, msn, wiki,everywhere."
Today I thought I'd share a slightly simpler method to show the insignificance of PRTJ--but one that's still a lot of fun.
:: Google PRT, excluding mentions of PRTJ as much as possible: about 31,300 hits
:: Google PRTJ: about 132 hits
:: PRTJ again, this time excluding self-references (mentions on ***'s own web domains): about 90 hits
Under this method, we find ***'s PRTJ is mentioned on the web at a frequency 0.29% (90÷31,300) that of PRT. Or expressed another way, Personal Rapid Transit is mentioned 348 times more often than PRTJ.
There. Wasn't that fun?
I'm still trying to figure out a way to filter out the hundreds of times that *** has posted his own URL on other people's web sites and blogs.
Errata: 626 visits
Google shows only 8 pages linking directly to PRTJ.
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| An Army of One |
| 08.01.05 (5:52 am) [edit] |
In his anti-PRT story "Let's Get Real About Personal Rapid Transit" (2003) at the website of Light Rail Now, the indomitable *** attached the following caption to a photo of a PRT vehicle (emphasis):
"SkyWeb Express/Taxi2000 version of PRT would carry passengers in tiny 3-person pods - leading detractors to christen the system "ménage à trois transit"."
Oh really? Let's Google that! How odd: that caption is the only hit. I guess that makes it "detractor," singular.
Erratum: 568 hits.
gPRT
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| The O.C. |
| 07.29.05 (5:42 am) [edit] |
*** doesn't just oversee the PRTJ website and The *Blog, he's also busy telling other people what they should (and shouldn't) have on their pages (especially if it means more mentions of him and his quality work). It's almost like he can't help it--
:: "Click on the "news" link on these websites for the latest PRT news. Anything about the Taxi 2000 vs J. Edward Anderson lawsuit?"[1]
:: "For once you are right... Are you the only PRT website that's mentioned the lawsuit? Did I miss any others? How about a follow up on... the Pioneer Press article you linked to (but did not discuss)?"
:: "what's the deal with your Google News Search? Why does it exclude the LRN website and my website?"
:: "You should have a disclaimer saying so[2] on your Google search button. (Source, plus comments 3 and 4)
:: "That's really interesting... you should explain what you mean by this on your web site."
:: "All the usual boasting about their non-existing system... the flashy animation [ellipses included]" (Source, plus comments)
:: "The PRTers... don't even want to spell my name for fear that someone will do a Google search on me and my PRT skeptic web site."
(Source, Background)
:: "we are kicking PRT keyword butt on google, yahoo, msn, wiki,everywhere." Source
He does love his Google linkage points. One sure hopes that *** never Googles PRT, and then repeats it while excluding links to his pages. One further hopes that he never calculates that the hit-differential is about 1.5% (the difference between this and | |
