» Rants Ms Sparky

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

Posted on: August 15th, 2011 at 8:18 am — by Ms Sparky

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 rest of the story here…)

Posted in Electrocutions/Shocks, GOV. CONTRACTORS, Politics, Rants, Ryan Maseth-US Army. 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. 7 Comments »

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

Posted on: March 5th, 2011 at 12:57 pm — by Ms Sparky

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 rest of the story here…)

Posted in Rants, Rape, Hazing, Discrimination & Harassment. Tags: Danielle Schneider, Eddie Rojas, Eric Schneider, Jarius Rojas, Kathy Rojas, Our Story....Help, Patrick Rojas. 39 Comments »

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

Posted on: March 3rd, 2011 at 11:12 am — by Ms Sparky

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 rest of the story here…)

Posted in A Soldiers Story, Politics, Rants. Tags: Al Snyder, Fred Phelps, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, Westboro Baptist Church. 10 Comments »

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

Posted on: February 7th, 2011 at 8:52 am — by Ms Sparky

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 rest of the story here…)

How in the Hell did that happen? We’ll tell you! Wrapping up 2010

Posted on: January 6th, 2011 at 6:53 pm — by Ms Sparky

This is the Ms Sparky version of "The Happy Dance"! ("I can see you smiling!")

Because I refuse to blog about celebrities, the latest iPhone Apps, religion, every whack job loser who walks the face of the earth or conspiracy theories (even though I have a few) my reader pool is somewhat limited. And that’s fine, because I am only interested in reaching those people who are interested in defense contractor fraud and abuses, their victims, the heroes who push for new legislation to protect soldiers and civilians and the incompetence of the Pentagon to oversee these contractors.

In January 2010 we published our 2008 & 2009 blog statistics to show how much MsSparky.com had grown in the previous two years. In the big scheme of “all things blog” these stats were not phenomenal, but we were pleased. MsSparky.com had gone from 500,000 hits in 2008 to over 4.7 million hits in 2009. That is a 940% increase in traffic to MsSparky.com. Woo Hoo! (Happy Dance!)

But what about 2010? I had to pick a goal to work towards. Another 940% increase seemed too optimistic. Being the conservative I am and having no idea what an attainable goal should be, I arbitrarily chose a 500% increase and damn if we didn’t almost make it. (Happy Dance!) MsSparky.com racked up an amazing 20,197,850 (yes, that’s million) hits for 2010. That is a 428% increase in traffic from 2009 to 2010 and a whopping 3,878% (yes, that’s thousand) increase from 2008 to 2010! (Read the rest of the story here…)

Posted in GOV. CONTRACTORS, Miscellaneous, Rants. Tags: Arms Dealer, Bruce Diggs, Danger Zone Jobs, Forseti, Keven L. Barnes, LOGCAP 4 Jobs, Ms Sparky, MsSparky.com, Pam Baragona. 7 Comments »

The Grinch has stolen Christmas dinner for some Fluor employees in Afghanistan (updated 12/25/2010)

Posted on: December 18th, 2010 at 6:41 am — by Ms Sparky

I have had several complaints from around Afghanistan that by the time many American expats from Fluor were allowed to go to the Dining Facility (DFAC) at 4pm on Thanksgiving Day there was little to no food left. Some were issued Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s) for their Thanksgiving dinner, some just opted out of any meal all together.

I was told supply trucks from Pakistan may have been delayed around Thanksgiving and not all the food was delivered to the DFAC’s in time for the Thanksgiving feast. I suppose this could be true. I know trucks delivering food in Iraq were delay or destroyed due to attacks on convoys. It could also be poor planning on the part of the DFAC contractors. Americans tend to pig out at Thanksgiving and it’s possible the contractor just didn’t make enough food.

Either way, hard working, dedicated, American expats who are in Afghanistan to support their families and support the troops DID NOT get a well deserved Thanksgiving dinner.

Now let talk about Christmas Dinner. That’s a little different story for American Expats employed by Fluor at Camp Marmal in Afghanistan. Camp Marmal is located in Northern Afghanistan near the borders of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

According to Wikipedia, the camp hosts the staff of the German Armed Forces in Afghanistan, Regional Command North of the ISAF, as well as the Quick Reaction Force (QRF). There could be others as well.

There are three Dining Facilities (DFACs) at Camp Marmal, a German DFAC, a Norwegian DFAC and an American DFAC.

According to my sources, members of the Afghan Army has been invited to dine with US Military personnel in the American DFAC on Christmas Day. Due to the increased number of invited guests, the American Expats who are employed by Fluor and possibly other companies have already been told they WILL NOT be allowed to have Christmas dinner in the DFAC on Christmas Day at all. As a matter of fact it would appear, another Holiday meal of MRE’s are in their future. I also have reports that Fluor management is telling the employees to just keep quiet about it or go home to the States and have dinner.

I can’t even imagine how demoralizing this is for those hard working dedicated Americans at Camp Marmal. They are away from their families and now the have been sucker punched by the very people they are there to support? Which officer came up with this hair brain idea? Could you not have invited the Afghan Army to dinner on some other day? Like Meatloaf Day or something? Why Christmas? Do Afghan Muslims celebrate Christmas?

Unconfirmed reports state, in the spirit of Christmas generosity, the German’s at Camp Marmal have extended a Christmas Dinner invitation to the approximately 100 Americans who have been ousted by their own on one of the Holiest of Christian holidays.

I have contacted Fluor Corporate for a statement for this post, to date they have decline to respond.

I am attempting to contact Major General Hans Werner Fritz who is reported to be the commander of RC-North as well as leader of the German ISAF contingent and his deputy commander U.S. Army Colonel Sean Mulholland for statements as well. If anyone has contact information for these two or other base commanders, I would appreciate it if you sent them.

I can’t even describe how this total lack of regard for these hard working Americans disturbs me. Please share your personal Fluor experiences on this Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner issue. Did you run out of food? Was your dinner awesome? Are Americans being “uninvited” at other camps?

I’m sure Fluor management at Camp Marmal who are implementing this policy will spend more time trying to ferret out and punish whistleblowers than trying to get their people a Christmas dinner. I guess that will just add to the story if CNN or FOX picks it up.

I am so sorry you are being treated this way. This is the season of giving and generosity. And as an electrician who worked in Iraq for two years, I think this treatment would directly reflect my attitude and personal commitment to the decision maker and those who support this ridiculous mandate. “I’m sorry, no parts!”

Merry Christmas

Ms Sparky

Updated December 21, 2010: I just heard Christmas Dinner appears to be back on for Fluor expats at Camp Marmal. official notice has gone out at Camp Marmal. Breakfast will be served for expats until 830 and then they are not allowed back into the DFAC until 1345 for dinner, same as Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving though the Afghan commander was late for dinner so they never got to actually enter until after 1500 and nothing was left. I sent another email to Fluor Corporate for a statement on this matter and they have again declined to respond. Please let me know how Christmas Dinner goes so I can update the people who really care about you! ~ Ms Sparky

Updated December 25, 2010: I hadn’t planned on working on Christmas Day but I just got word the Fluor employees at Camp Marmal in Afghanistan were allowed into the DFAC and received their much deserved Christmas dinner. This makes me very happy. To whoever made the decision that allowed this to happen….thank you! Merry Christmas! ~Ms Sparky

Posted in GOV. CONTRACTORS, LOGCAP-Fluor, Rants. Tags: Afghanistan, Camp Marmal, Christmas, Christmas 2010, Col. Sean Mulholland, Fluor*, Maj. Gen. Hans Werner Fritz. 47 Comments »

Timing is everything….

Posted on: December 8th, 2010 at 7:25 pm — by Forseti

U.S. State Department Hilariously Announces ‘World Press Freedom Day’

Ken Layne – Wonkette – December 7, 2010 – The United States, which is currently engaged in a complete war against some weird guy with a website, is going to host “World Press Freedom Day,” the Department of State announced today. They’re all especially excited about protecting the flow of digital news, which is why Washington is “concerned about the determination of some governments to censor and silence individuals, and to restrict the free flow of information.” LOL. This is the same Department of State (and Justice Department and Pentagon and CIA and NATO and PayPal) trying everything to cut off WikiLeaks’ access to the Internet and its own money. Washington is also, at this moment, planning to extradite Julian Assange if it can figure out what the Swedes want. Where is Sweden, anyway?

From the official announcement:

The theme for next year’s commemoration will be 21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers. The United States places technology and innovation at the forefront of its diplomatic and development efforts. New media has empowered citizens around the world to report on their circumstances, express opinions on world events, and exchange information in environments sometimes hostile to such exercises of individuals’ right to freedom of expression. At the same time, we are concerned about the determination of some governments to censor and silence individuals, and to restrict the free flow of information. We mark events such as World Press Freedom Day in the context of our enduring commitment to support and expand press freedom and the free flow of information in this digital age.

[U.S. Department of State]

(Click HERE for original article)