Pod People Invading Ithaca Next Week

[Avidor]

Ithaca Journal:

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080910/NEWS01/809100306

Ithaca Times:

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20114256&BRD=1395&PAG=461&dept_id=546876&rfi=6

The Podcar or "Personal Rapid Transit" guys invaded Minnesota back in 2004. The 3 elected officials who promoted it the most were MN Senator (now Congresswoman) Michele Bachmann, Rep. Mark Olson and former Mpls Councilman Dean Zimmermann.

Rep. Michele Bachmann became a national joke after she kissed George Bush at the 2007 State of the Union.

Zimmermann was convicted of bribery in 2006 and was just released from Federal prison.

Rep. Mark Olson was arrested and convicted of domestic abuse, expelled from the House GOP Caucus and lost the primary for MN Senate District 16 last night.

Scandal and controversy follows the pod people everywhere... the Podcar Marketing & Sponsorship Director Jacob Roberts was recently fired from his other job - director of a festival after he ran up a six-figure deficit:

http://dumpmarkolson.blogspot.com/2008/09/podcar-conference-marketing-sponsorship.html

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

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

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

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

Jake also ran for Mayor of Syracuse as a Green... his campaign was upstaged by a hockey mascot called Al the Ice Gorilla:

http://greenpartygonebad.blogspot.com/2007/10/former-green-party-politico-peddling.html

I hope someone videotapes Jake's pod presentation at the State Theater and puts it on You Tube:

http://www.stateofithaca.com/podcar/index.html

http://www.podcar.org/ithacaconference/