Rants – Ms Sparky

Rants Archive

Look who’s whining now, the “chilling effects” of Pentagon budget cuts

By Ms Sparky | Filed in GOV. CONTRACTORS, LAWSUITS, Lawsuits Against KBR, Politics, Rants

USG Contractor

The war in Iraq is over and the war in Afghanistan is winding down. The United States is inching its way out of the worst recession in history. The one industry that has continued to thrive, while everyone else has held on fearing for their future, is the defense industry. During the political divisions, or maybe diversions is a more accurate term, within both the House and Senate, the lobbyists have seen to it their fat cat clients are untouchable.

Now, the gravy train is slowly coming to a stop and a sense panic appears to be descending on the corner offices of DoD contractors everywhere.

The prospect of budget cuts is having a “chilling effect” on the defense industry and companies such as Lockheed may stop hiring and training, Stevens, chairman and chief executive of the world’s largest defense contractor, said today at a conference in Washington. ~ Automatic Pentagon Cuts Must Be Stopped, Lockheed Chief Says

I am certain I’m not the first to say this, “It is about f’ing time these companies got off the taxpayer’s teat.” Read the remainder of this entry »

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Tags: Ashton Carter, Bill Utt, DoD Contractors, DoD*, Fraud Waste and Abuse, KBR, Lockheed Martin, LOGCAP, LOGCAP III, LOGCAP IV, Pentagon, Retired General's Club

Suspected electrical fire in Afghanistan kills three U.S. Marines and injures two others

By Ms Sparky | Filed in Electrocutions/Shocks, GOV. CONTRACTORS, Politics, Rants, Ryan Maseth-US Army

SSG Ryan Maseth was electrocuted in his shower in Baghdad and died January 2, 2008

A recent fire that occurred on July 31, 2011 at Camp Lawton, Herat Province, Afghanistan killing three Marines, a K-9 and injuring two others is suspected of being caused by improperly installed electrical systems. The building where these Marines died had been recently constructed and was still under a 1-year warranty by the Afghan contractor who built it. My understanding is the investigation is still ongoing by the Defense Department and Task Force POWER. Task Force POWER, manned by TENG & Associates, is the Afghanistan version of Task Force SAFE in Iraq. These task forces were implemented by the DoD to ensure proper electrical installations in Iraq and Afghanistan after the tragic death of SSG Ryan Maseth, who was electrocuted and died in his shower in Baghdad on January 2, 2008. Is death was caused by an improperly installed electrical water pump in his building.

The issue of shoddy electrical work in Iraq and Afghanistan has been an ongoing problem. There have been several electrocution deaths of soldiers and civilians, 100′s of electrical fires killing and injuring soldiers, civilians and damaging property. The issue of shoddy electrical work has been so pervasive, the U.S. Congress has attempted to address this issue at several hearings held by the Senate Democratic Policy Committee and The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

In a recent article in the Marine Corp Times, they reported:

Three Marine Corps special operators died Sunday along with a military dog after their living quarters caught fire in western Afghanistan.

The U.S. Marines who died in this tragedy were: Read the remainder of this entry »

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Tags: Camp Lawton, Christopher M. Wrinkle, Dennis E. Kancler, House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, Patrick R. Dolphin, Senate Democratic Policy Committee, Senate DPC, SSG Ryan Maseth, Task Force POWER, Task Force SAFE, TENG, Tosca

Sex offender Patrick Rojas sues victims parents for blogging about him (Updated 11-9-2011)

By Ms Sparky | Filed in Rants, Rape, Hazing, Discrimination & Harassment

This is the face of a Level 2 Sex Offender! Patrick Rojas, 26 is suing the mother of his victim because she has been blogging about him and now he claims he can not find a job because of it.

Updated Nov. 9, 2011

From Danielle Schneider’s blog “Our story…..help” dated November 4, 2011

Today, I had a sweet victory! The blog stays as is! The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice! I am still soaking it all in. When the judge so calmly ruled, tears of relief started to fall down my face. This victory is for all the other “victims” out there that have wanted to speak up but have been unable to. We must be able to tell our stories, in particular when there is documented evidence to support the claims. I believe with all my heart, Awareness is the best prevention!

It seems you can’t wake up on a Saturday morning and relax with a cup of coffee while watching the news without being totally assaulted by the shear audacity of criminals and their attorneys.

It would appear Level 2 registered sex offender, Patrick Rojas, 26 has gotten his feelings hurt because Danielle Schneider, the mother of one of Rojas’ victims has been blogging about his crimes at her personal blog Our Story….Help. Rojas and his brother Jarius Rojas have filed suit against her, claiming her blogging about him and his has kept them from getting a job. I’m thinking he can’t get a job because he’s a registered sex offender! Who would want to work with this guy!

“The majority of the postings discuss the plaintiffs and the Rojas family and publicize many private details about the family, some of which are untrue, some of which are supposition, most of which are vengeful,” their lawsuit states.

The Rojas brothers have lost job opportunities because of the blog, the suit states.

Eric and Danielle Schneider’s daughter was sexually assaulted by Rojas in January of 2007. Rojas is the son of Eddie Rojas, former pastor of Peninsula Household of Faith Community Church in Port Orchard,WA were Schneider and her family attended. Eddie Rojas has since fled the country with his family and reportedly a warrant has been issued for his arrest for witness tampering in the sexual assault case. It is believed he knew about Patrick’s crimes and fled the country in an effort to keep three of his own daughters from being interviewed. It is believed that Eddie Rojas, his wife Kathy and 11 of their children are in the United Kingdom.

A plea agreement reduced Patrick Rojas’ charges to “Communication with minor for immoral purposes” and Rojas served only 10 days in jail and completed 9 months of treatment, according to the suit. Read the remainder of this entry »

Tags: Danielle Schneider, Eddie Rojas, Eric Schneider, Jarius Rojas, Kathy Rojas, Our Story....Help, Patrick Rojas

US Supreme Court gives Westboro Wackjobs free pass to harass fallen heroes

By Ms Sparky | Filed in A Soldiers Story, Politics, Rants

This is what these Wackjobs teach their children. They are raising a whole new generation of misguided, socially inept outcasts!

Vile, disgusting, misguided, evil. That’s just a few of the names I think of when referring to The Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Westboro is run by Fred Phelps, a washed up disbarred attorney self proclaimed voice of God who personally praises Saddam Hussein.

Westboro is most notable for the disgusting practice of protesting at the funerals of fallen soldiers, tormenting their families and adding to their already immeasurable pain by carrying signs and shouting slogans such as “Thank God For Dead Soldiers”, “Pray For More Dead Soldiers” and “Thank God For 9-11″! The people are just insane!

In response to Phelps’ protests at military funerals, President George W. Bush signed the Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act into law in May 2006. Several states have passed additional laws to protect the rights and dignity of our fallen heroes and their families at their funerals. Read the remainder of this entry »

Tags: Al Snyder, Fred Phelps, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, Westboro Baptist Church

Trafficking in Persons, DoD, DoS & DoJ – start by cleaning up your own backyard!

By Ms Sparky | Filed in Commission on Wartime Contracting (CWC), GOV. CONTRACTORS, Indictments, Convictions & Arrests, Politics, Rants, Rape, Hazing, Discrimination & Harassment, Reports & Investigations, Security Contractors, Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Violations, WikiLeaks

U.S. boosts anti-trafficking campaign

WASHINGTON – (UPI) – February 2, 2011 - U.S. agencies are launching a coordinated campaign against human trafficking, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says.

Joining other Cabinet members in an inter-agency task force Tuesday, Clinton called for “ending the practice of punishing the victims of human trafficking. For all the millions who are held in servitude, fewer than 50,000 have been officially identified as victims. Too many others are either ignored, or even worse, treated as criminals.”

Clinton said some nations will be downgraded in the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report and the United States is being included for the first time. She said foreign diplomats will be briefed on their obligations to their domestic workers and a code of conduct is being drafted for private security contractors.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said new regulations will strengthen protection for farm workers.

“We reject the proposition that it is acceptable to pursue economic gain through force, fraud, and coercion of human beings,” she said.

Attorney General Eric Holder said the Justice Department “has prosecuted more human trafficking cases than ever before.”

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said border authorities also have stepped up enforcement. (Click HERE for article)

Department of Justice Announces Launch of Human Trafficking Enhanced Enforcement Initiative

WASHINGTON – February 2, 2011 – The Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor announced today the launch of a nationwide Human Trafficking Enhanced Enforcement Initiative designed to streamline federal criminal investigations and prosecutions of human trafficking offenses.

Read the remainder of this entry »