Today will be the first of two voter registration events outside of Lottie from 4:30-7 p.m.
The event is hosted by the Messiah College Democrats and Messiah College Republicans. Besides registering students for this year's election, members from both groups will be present to answer questions.
"We'll be guiding students through the process of voting, whether they need help registering or need help filling out an absentee ballot," says Tori Bateman, the Vice President of Messiah College Democrats.
In Pennsylvania, absentee ballots must be received by November 4 to count toward the presidential election. Voting locations will be open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Election Day (November 8) as well.
This year, Pennsylvania is considered a "swing" state meaning voting could go either way.
"If students care passionately about the future of the country and which candidate is elected then they should definitely take the time to vote specifically in Pennsylvania," Bateman explains.
A recent Franklin and Marshall College poll found Clinton ahead of Trump in Pennsylvania 47% to 40%. When compared with other candidates, Clinton held a 41% lead in Pennsylvania over Trump's 38%, Libertarian Gary Johnson's 7% and Green Party nominee Jill Stein's 2%.
Bateman says it's important to remember that registering to vote does not necessarily mean registering as a republican or democrat. Anyone can register as an independent, any of the third parties, or no affiliation.
"It can be an expression of your willingness to participate in your government and the democracy we have, not necessarily a partisan statement," she says.
Voter registration forms are also available online at http://www.eac.gov/voter_resources/register_to_vote.aspx. You can find more specific PA voting information at http://www.brennancenter.org/issues/student-voting or http://www.yourvoteyourvoice.org/ .
The MC Democrats and MC Republicans will be holding another voter registration event on October 6 from 4:30-7 p.m. outside of Lottie. Registration will also be available at their various Debate Viewing Parties on September 26, October 4 and October 9. Also, be sure to check out the Facebook pages for Messiah College Republicans and Messiah College Democrats for more information about upcoming events, guest speakers and other election opportunities.
Stay tuned for an article in the Swinging Bridge magazine that profiles Clinton, Trump, Johnson and Stein coming out on September 30.


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Having a luxury custom home built exclusively for you can be overwhelming to say the least. When one must factor in not only the design, architecture, site and home building contractor selections, but also needs to secure financing and insurance for the new home construction while ensuring that all homeowner association building regulations and guidelines are adhered to, the undertaking can be enough to stop potential residents in their tracks.
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Furthermore, we aim to connect you with the resources you'll need when living in Florida. Whether you and your family are new to the area, or are Florida natives, we can help you understand what community resources and services are sure to serve your needs best. Without fail or compromise, our every effort is carried out with care and personal attention.
For all-encompassing home-building assistance, contact the area's leaders in custom new home construction. We promise high-quality connections and services that exceed your expectations.
©2018 Florida Luxury Home Builders - Do not copy. All rights reserved.


Cancer cells, like this one, grow uncannily savvy after repeated treatments, learning to resist chemotherapies, including some they've never seen before.
A few scenes from "The Death of Cancer" would slot nicely into an episode of "House of Cards," the Netflix series about Washington dirty dealings. A powerful senator sidles up to his soon-to-be ex-wife at a public gathering. His approach attracts press photographers, as he no doubt knew it would. But while he talks to his wife, he holds a piece of paper and looks directly at the man sitting beside her. The senator is Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.).
The man he is staring at in the blinding camera flashes is the director of the National Cancer Institute from 1980 to 1988, Vincent DeVita. And when the photographs are published the following day, that piece of paper in Kennedy's hand is reported to be confidential information DeVita was leaking to Kennedy about ongoing Senate hearings on cancer drug development.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), chairman of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, where the hearings are taking place, is so enraged by the alleged leak, he calls DeVita to his office for a dressing down. When Hatch leaves, Frank Silbey, the committee's chief investigator, takes over. As DeVita relates in "The Death of Cancer": "He told me he was going to leak false detrimental information about me to The New York Times and there wasn't a thing I could do about it. 'As far as I'm concerned,' he said, 'you're dead meat.'"
If cancer research seems too difficult for nonscientists and too dry for sustained interest, "The Death of Cancer" should swiftly correct that misapprehension. Written by DeVita with his daughter, science writer Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn, this is a surprising and riveting story. In this telling, cancer is not the only enemy scientists face, and perhaps not even the worst. That role goes to humans, full of self-interest, anxious for position and angling for power.
Cancer drug development was born amid vicious infighting. DeVita tells stories of National Institutes of Health doctors screaming, "This is a meat market! What a butcher shop!" when colleagues presented findings on their multi-drug — and eventually successful — approach to childhood leukemia. As chemotherapy cocktails slowly gained acceptance, physicians ignored careful drug dosage instructions and then verbally attacked when therapies failed and patients died. Surgeons seriously delayed the publication of important breast cancer research, DeVita writes, because it might cost them patients. Radiotherapists refused to participate in trials of DeVita's ultimately successful Hodgkin's disease treatment unless all the patients were treated with radiation too. In the center of this was the lumbering National Cancer Institute, a tangle of feudal fiefdoms, in which even the director's secretary played power games when DeVita took the reins in 1980. As DeVita began restructuring of the agency, an epidemiologist who "spearheaded" an NCI department called the National Toxicology Program invited him to dinner. DeVita thought the NTP bloated and misdirected. In another moment fit for "House of Cards," the epidemiologist began dinner with a threat. "Unless you play ball with me, I'll bleed the NCI to death. All your budget increases will go to us." DeVita shifted the toxicology program to another area of the NIH.
While much of this is in the past, the human barriers to cancer drug development are far from vanished. And in DeVita's telling, the largest is the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's cancer drug approval process. DeVita has long been a critic of the FDA's policies when it comes to the review of cancer therapies. It's what put him at odds with the late Sen. Kennedy, which led to the bit of political theater with the mysterious piece of paper. The FDA today has taken on so much power it has become, in effect, the "oncologist of last resort," DeVita writes, routinely regulating not only research but medical practice itself.
DeVita argues that cancer drug approval is tightly and illogically constrained, with little regard for the desperation of the patients waiting for new drugs. Under FDA rules, when a new drug is approved, it can't just be used on any cancer, or even on a single cancer, but can be used only "for a specific stage of a specific cancer." Further, patients can't use a new drug when their oncologist thinks it would most help. The patient must first try and fail other therapies on the FDA list. Failure to do so would bring the doctor criticism and would leave the patient stuck with the bill for an unapproved treatment. "The vital insight gained by using an approved drug in a different way for a different tumor has been lost," DeVita says. The trailblazing cancer discoveries, including DeVita's work that led to a successful treatment for Hodgkin's disease, would be impossible under today's FDA regulations.
At the start of each year I try to make a conscious reading resolution.
Unlike traditional New Year's resolutions, I tend to stick with my reading resolutions because, for example, reading more books in translation is a lot more pleasurable than not eating dessert after 7 p.m.
Just getting a drug trial launched, before a single patient takes a single experimental dose, can take years — 800 days for one drug, 214 from concept to clinical study. Then, the new drug is tested on the very sickest patients, many of whom have only months to live, and most of whom have taken many drugs already. Because of the nature of cancer, this presents a unique problem: Cancer cells grow uncannily savvy after repeated treatments, learning to resist chemotherapies, including some they've never seen before, by spitting foreign chemicals out of the cell, the authors explain. So evoking any response in these patients is a significant challenge. But the FDA doesn't just look for just a positive response; it wants to see improved survival, a standard, DeVita says, that set back the approval process for a colon cancer drug by two decades.
As therapies have grown more sophisticated, new drugs often aim at specific targets to stop cancer cell replication. These targeted therapies produce fewer side effects. But such drugs are often designed to work in concert with other drugs that attack different targets. Yet DeVita says the FDA demands all drugs first be tested one at a time, even when a drug is not designed to work alone, thus ensuring failure.
Should a drug prove effective in early trials, cancer patients must still wait years to gain access to it — should they live long enough. Even the most promising chemotherapy is not released to dying patients until successful completion of a multi-year approval process. When DeVita was NCI director, he found a way around this problem, releasing experimental drugs that had proved safe to desperate patients when they showed clear promise in early trials. The year before he left NCI, the FDA shut the program down. "People are dying not because drugs don't exist, but because they can't get them," DeVita writes. And earlier in the book, he states: "At this date, we are not limited by the science. We are limited by our ability to make good use of the information and treatments we already have."
When it comes to the science side of things, DeVita is a tireless optimist. "We are winning" the war on cancer, he declares. The effort launched 44 years and $100 billion ago "has been one of the most successful government programs ever." Today medical intervention cures more than 68 percent of all cancers, he says, not counting the easy ones like some of the skin cancers. The number of deaths from colon cancer has fallen nearly by half in two decades. Breast cancer mortality declined by a quarter.
To be sure some reviewers have faulted DeVita for hubris. And, inarguably, he does cast himself as a hero. But what of it? It's hard to imagine anyone fighting these battles without a heaping share of chutzpah. If the end is better treatment for cancer patients, hubris might be in order.
Battling cancer has required not only scientific cunning but determination to clamber the surprising barriers DeVita describes. We can cure cancer, DeVita says. The far thornier question remains: What can we do about human nature?
Jenni Laidman is a freelance writer.


text:
Sarah Curran
The U.S. says it might ban TikTok and now Canadians are worried
The U.S. just announced it might ban TikTok and even Canadians are getting worried.
American politicians have accused the social media app of being a threat to national security because of its ties to China.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested the possible ban during an interview with Fox News.
"With respect to Chinese apps on people's cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right too," he said.
"I don't want to get out in front of the President [Donald Trump], but it's something we're looking at."
Pompeo added that people should only download the app "if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party."
The remarks were shared after a period of heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over matters including national security, trade and technology.
The news has caused some Canadians to worry that we might soon follow suit in banning the app.
if tiktok gets banned in canada ima be pissed
— 𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗮 ✰🧃 (@hosslerlewis) July 6, 2020
People are also worried the move will mean losing access to some of their favourite TikTok stars.
What we gonna do now? I live in Canada, but I stan so many American influencers on tiktok https://t.co/6ekKJEQcIF
— :) (@bebe_muffin) July 7, 2020
Some people claimed that they would take extreme action if the app was banned.
Movinggggg too Canada if they ban TikTok
— kristallllllllll (@MontesKristall) July 7, 2020
While other people are looking at America's loss as Canada's gain.
once the US bans tiktok, Canada will solidify itself as the greatest nation
— a (@amjonar) July 7, 2020
TikTok is popular. The video-sharing app was downloaded 315 million times in the first three months of this year alone.
Kon Karampelas
13 famous celebrities in Canada on TikTok
These are some of the most followed TikTok accounts in Canada right now
Jagmeet Singh recreates viral TikTok and delights Canadians everywhere
Jagmeet Singh is calling out Netflix for not paying enough taxes
The most anticipated new satellites in the world have been deployed over Canada
Canada is now teaching young people about COVID-19 via video games
Americans switching to the Canada app store to get around impending TikTok ban
Someone made a map of Canada in the style of Super Mario

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Nessa Childers organised a seminar entitled "Shared Priorities – Dementia and Alzheimer policy in Europe and Ireland" on 17 June 2011, in Dublin, Ireland. The seminar offered a platform for policy experts from Europe and Ireland to explore ways in which to help people with dementia and their families as well as ways in which to prevent the onset of dementia.
Ms Childers focused on the EU Joint Action on Alzheimer's initiative, which was launched earlier in the year in an effort to step up cooperation and support to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care across the EU.
To examine the use of living wills.


Keep in mind the staff has been providing sales and service for almost 25 years, so many of the images are of older systems, some from manufacturers who were represented, or were contracted for service in the past who we no longer represent or intend to work with in the future as a matter of principal.
Also note that most school bus budgets have been severely restricted in the last few years and due to this schools are performing installs themselves in order to save costs, so in the last 2 years we have performed very few installs. Thus we do not have a good representation of our newest product lines in these galleries.


text:
Q: Including Django REST Framework urls returns 404 I get a 404 showing the following url patterns when I try to browse to http://localhost:8000/api/v1/api-dev/:
^api/v1/ ^api-dev/ ^login/$ [name='login']
^api/v1/ ^api-dev/ ^logout/$ [name='logout']

What's up with the whitespace and ^?
Here's the relevant code from the app.urls:
from django.conf.urls import patterns, url, include
urlpatterns = patterns('',

    url(r'^api/v1/', include('api.urls')),

)

And from the api.urls:
from django.conf.urls import patterns, url, include
from rest_framework import routers
from api.views import views

urlpatterns = patterns('',

    url(r'^api-dev/', include('rest_framework.urls', namespace='rest_framework')),

)

A: Oh, the answer is just that I'm an idiot... there is no
http://localhost:8000/api/v1/api-dev/

Only http://localhost:8000/api/v1/api-dev/login

A: Try removing the url part from both:
(r'^api/v1/', include('api.urls')),
(r'^api-dev/', include('rest_framework.urls', namespace='rest_framework')),

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
class YamlRecord
  # Every YamlRecord model is required to set it's attributes manually, with this accessor. See line 2 in
  # the Post model in app/models.
  cattr_accessor :attributes

  def initialize(params = nil, new_record = true)
    @params = params || default_params
    @new_record = new_record
    define_getters_and_setters
  end

  # Used by form_for to determine if it should point to the create or the update action.
  def new_record?
    @new_record || false
  end

  # url_for (which is what link_to uses to generate urls) calls to_param in order to determine
  # the url when you do url_for(some_instance) (rather than url_for(some_instance.id))
  def to_param
    id
  end

  def save
    # Add an id to the params hash
    assign_primary_key!

    # Merge the new data into the existing data.
    new_data = self.class.data << @params

    # Inject the new data into the YAML file.
    File.open(self.class.path_to_data, 'w' ) { |out| YAML.dump(new_data, out) }

    # No longer a new record
    @new_record = false

    # Everything succeeded, return true.
    true
  end

  def update_attributes(params)
    # Remove the old record
    self.class.data.delete_if {|d| d['id'] == id }

    # Add the new, updated record
    self.class.data << params.merge('id' => id)

    # Inject the updated data into the YAML file.
    File.open(self.class.path_to_data, 'w' ) { |out| YAML.dump(self.class.data, out) }

    # Everything succeeded, return true
    true
  end

  def id
    @params['id']
  end

  # Pass :all or 1 or "1" to find a record.
  def self.find(parameter)
    case parameter
    when :all
      find_all
    when String, Integer
      find_one(parameter)
    else
      raise "Invalid parameter given to find (#{parameter})"
    end
  end

  private

  # An array of instances.
  def self.find_all
    data.map {|result| new(result, nil) }
  end

  # Returns an instance or, nil if nothing was found
  def self.find_one(id)
    result = data.find {|d| d['id'] == id.to_i }
    result ? new(result, nil) : nil
  end

  # Defines the accessor methods for the data.
  def define_getters_and_setters
    self.class.attributes.each do |attribute|
      define_method(attribute) { @params[attribute] }
      define_method("#{attribute}=") {|value| @params[attribute] = value }
    end
  end

  # When new is called without any parameters, we have to set the defaults. If the attributes are
  # 'title' and 'body', it will return {'title' => '', 'body' => ''}.
  def default_params
    self.class.attributes.inject({}) {|hash, attribute| hash.merge(attribute => "") }
  end

  # Returns the parameters with a newly assigned auto incremented id (used for record creation).
  def assign_primary_key!
    @params.merge!(:id => self.class.data.size + 1)
  end

  # Loads the YAML file as a hash
  def self.data
    @data ||= YAML.load_file(path_to_data)
  end

  def self.path_to_data
    File.join(Rails.root, 'db', "#{self.to_s.tableize}.yml")
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Ranulph Fiennes
London to Cape Town
10,000 miles…21 countries…2 continents…in under 13 days 8 hours 48 minutes.
For 47 years the record for the fastest drive from London to Cape Town had stood unbeaten. Several teams had tried and failed to beat the blistering time of 13 days 8 hours set by Ford 'works' rally drivers Eric Jackson and Ken Chambers, but none had succeeded. Find out how Max Adventure faired below…
Thursday 28th October 2010. Automobile Association (AA) of South Africa Building, Oswald Pirow Street, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. UK TEAM SETS NEW OVERLAND WORLD RECORD! BRITISH TEAM SETS NEW LONDON TO CAPE TOWN OVERLAND WORLD RECORD! A joyous and tearful arrival for the 'MAX Adventure' team as they celebrate their achievement. On the bonnet the new world record is written in white marker. (left to right) Mac Mackenney and his brother Steve Mackenney with Chris Rawlings. A British three-man team have successfully set a new overland world record from London to Cape Town in 11 days, 14 hours and 10 minutes on Thursday 28th October 2010. The team of drivers, consisting of Mac Mackenney, his brother Steve Mackenney and close friend Chris Rawlings, did the trip in record-breaking time in their trusty Land Rover, arriving at their destination, the AA Building in Oswald Pirow, Cape Town on Thursday afternoon at 12h29pm – two days ahead of the previous record. They successfully completed the challenge after leaving the RAC Club in London's Pall Mall on Saturday 16th October and covering 16000 kilometers, travelling through 21 countries. The UK team managed to beat one of the most challenging overland driving records to date. The original record was 13 days, 8 hours and 48 minutes set by Eric Jackson in a Ford Cortina GT in 1963, and remained unbroken for almost 50 years. To break the record the team had to maintain an average of 52 kilometers per hour, 24 hours a day. For much of the time the team averaged 64 kilometers per hour, with only border issues breaking their stride. Team members took turns driving and navigating, while the third team member rested in the back of the Land Rover's fully-equipped and comfortable sleeping space. This record-breaking attempt was supported by Chevron Lubricants. The 10-year old diesel powered Discovery 2 made use of the premium brand Havoline engine oil and coolants to provide maximum fuel economy and engine protection as the vehicle battled with extreme weather conditions and continuous driving. This overland journey remains one of the most challenging modern driving adventures, taking drivers through some of the most inhospitable areas and difficult road conditions in the world. The aim of the challenge was to raise funds and awareness for the charity, 'Help for Heroes'. This charity aims to support wounded servicemen returning from war strife in Iraq and Afghanistan. PICTURE: MARK WESSELS. 28/10/2010. +27 (0)21 551 5527. +27 (0)78 222 8777. atomic7@mweb.co.za www.markwesselsphoto.com
For 47 years the record for the fastest drive from London to Cape Town had stood unbeaten. Several teams had tried and failed to beat the blistering time of 13 days 8 hours set by Ford 'works' rally drivers Eric Jackson and Ken Chambers, but none had succeeded. The reason…Africa. A continent that is known to tear itself apart on a regular basis had been in various states of unrest for over 40 years, rendering the quickest route from top to bottom untenable. Over the years, roads had improved, but the political situation had declined following the slow withdrawal of the British Empire. Where as before you were likely to receive a smart salute, today you were more likely to get stopped for hours at a border check point, or worse of all, have a gun thrust into your face!
That's not to say that Eric and Ken had it easy. Their original route was to take them from Morocco into Algeria and then a south-easterly track across Africa to Kenya, but within just a day of setting off from London they were stopped on the outskirts of Madrid, their planned route had been blocked due to a conflict between Morocco and Algeria. There was no option but to turn around and head for Italy and the ferry to Tunisia. With no time to shop for new maps, on board the ship they purchased a postcard showing the African continent with key cities on it – that would have to do!
A a publicity stunt to promote the launch of the new Ford Cortina, failure wasn't an option and with the might of the global manufacturer swinging into play, they summoned agents along the revised route to be ready for the dynamic duo. Crossing Libya, Egypt and Sudan, all was going well until they reached Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and a scheduled service stop. The dealer there gave them some stern advice, advising them not to proceed. Somali bandits (the same as those that attack ships in the Red Sea today) had moved inland to ambush passing motorists. With the stakes at Ford running high, the team had no option but to press on. Sure enough, as they approached the Kenyan border, they were ambushed. Fortunately though the glove box in the new Cortina was the perfect size to fit a couple of .38 Magnums!
13 days 8 hours and 48 minutes after leaving London the adventurous pair rolled into Cape Town. They had beaten the previous record set 11 years earlier by George Hinchcliffe by just 18 minutes!
In 2010 there was a short window when Africa seemed to be at peace, an attempt at the record was in sight. The Max Adventure team, supported by over 80 companies and with the Patronage of both Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Ranulph Fiennes set out from the RAC building in Pall Mall on a wet October night. With pledges of donations for their chosen charity, Help for Heroes, reaching Cape Town in record time became even more important to the team
The only authorised crossing from Egypt to Sudan was to travel on a ferry that traversed the length of Lake Nasser. This 250 mile crossing would take a whole 2 days, valuable time that the team could ill afford to waste and so a quicker route to Sudan had to be found. A scheduled ferry service ran from Jeddah to Suakin in Sudan across the Red Sea, but with Saudi Arabia having next to no tourist industry it took 2 years to gain permission to drive through the kingdom. Even then, the team's reconnaissance trip went wrong when on arriving at the Saudi border they were told their UK registered Land Rover Discovery could not enter on the grounds that the steering wheel was on the wrong side! Back to the drawing board and a left hooker was purchased.
With a crew of 3, driving around the clock in 4 hour shifts (drive, navigate, sleep), the Max Adventure team made good progress, reaching Jeddah, some 3,800 miles away, in 80 hours and bang on schedule. There was a delay in the ferry departing, but all in all things were looking good. Half way across the sea though there was an urgent sat-phone call from their UK Operations team, the Ethiopians had changed the rules on entering their country, with written authorisation from the British Embassy required to be presented at the border! The team had to press on though and deal with the matter when they got there.
Africa was typical Africa, poor quality roads and lengthy border crossings, but despite this the team made good progress south. Entering Ethiopia and trying to get hold of a faxed letter of authority from the Embassy cost them a valuable 4 hours and so upon arrival at the Ethiopia / Kenya border the team found that it had just closed After 30 minutes scouring the remote town they found the Customs Officer in a bar and after some gentle persuasion and a bribe of crisp US Dollars, he obliged by opening up his office and processing the team. With this delay, plus only being allowed to tackle the treacherous Marsabit road in the north of the country with 2 armed guards, they reached the Kenya / Tanzania border after it had been closed for some hours. Late at night and with the heavens raining down upon them, the team managed to persuade the pyjama clad Customs Officers on both sides to open up and let them through! It was only on reaching the next border between Tanzania and Zambia that their luck ran out. Even though Mac crept across the border to meet with the Head of Police on the other side, the answer was no and so the team had to huddle in the back of their vehicle for 8 hours catching up on some well earned sleep.
The rest of their journey was relatively uneventful, and after 10,000 miles, through 21 countries and across 2 continents, the team pulled into Cape Town, finishing at the AA of South Africa building to a rapturous welcome. Their time from London was 11 days 14 hours and 11 minutes and in doing so had earned their place in the record books and history. They were now the 6th team to set a new fastest time, ever since Humphrey Symons and Bertie Browning set the first high-speed run of 31 days 22 hours back in 1939 in a Wolsely 18/85.
Keep me updated:
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© Max Adventure 2020
info@maxadventure.co.uk


text:
Batman Quizzes
Batman Quizzes batman, Batman v Superman, DC comics, popular, superhero
Are You Batman Or Robin?
Ah, the classic superhero and his sidekick. But Robin doesn't just live in Batman's shadow, he is an integral part of this dynamic duo. So which crimefighter are you most More >>
Batman Quizzes batman, comics, superheroes
Which Batman Are You?
The caped crusader has been played on-screen by a number of famous actors. Whether it's the more lighthearted Batman of the 1960s, the colorful Batman of the 80s, or the More >>
Batman Quizzes batman, Batman v Superman, comics, superhero, superman
Are You More Batman Or Superman?
Batman and Superman are two of the most iconic characters in comic book history, but they have key differences between them. Take our quiz and find out if you're more More >>
Batman Quizzes batman, christopher nolan, dark knight, joker
Which Batman Villain Are You?
A superhero isn't very exciting without a super villain to challenge them. And Batman has definitely had some memorable rivals over the years. But which Batman villain is most like More >>
Are you Batman? Joker? One of the Villains? Lets find out with out Batman Quizzes
Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American playboy, philanthropist, and owner of Wayne Enterprises. His origin depicts Bruce Wayne as a child, after witnessing the murder of his parents Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne, he swore vengeance against criminals, an oath tempered by a sense of justice. Bruce Wayne trains himself physically and intellectually and crafts a bat-inspired persona to fight crime. Batman operates in the fictional Gotham City with assistance from various supporting characters, including his butler Alfred, police commissioner Jim Gordon, and vigilante allies such as Robin. Unlike most superheroes, Batman does not possess any inhuman superpowers. He does, however, possess a genius-level intellect, is a peerless martial artist, and his vast wealth affords him an extraordinary arsenal of weaponry and equipment. A large assortment of villains make up Batman's rogues gallery, including his archenemy, the Joker. So are you more like Batman or more like the Joker or one of the many other villains? Take our quizzes and find out!


Welcome to the RSA Contact Us directory. Please select the section, from the list below, for which your query relates to. Click the + sign to expand the relevant contact information.
Do you have an innovative Road Safety idea ?
County & City Enterprise Boards (CEBs).
The Local Enterprise Office provides advice, information and support to you in starting up or growing your business. With 31 dedicated teams across the Local Authority network in Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices offer you a wide range of experience, skills and services. The Local Enterprise Office is for people interested in starting up a new business or already in business including; entrepreneurs, early stage promoters, start-ups and small business looking to expand. They aim to promote entrepreneurship, foster business start-ups and develop existing micro and small businesses to drive job creation and to provide accessible high quality supports for your Business ideas.
Lo-Call: 1890 40 60 40 Note that the rates charged for the use of 1890 (LoCall) numbers may vary among different service providers. Use of the LoCall number can impose additional costs on mobile phone users.


text:
Shchyuchye () is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Shchyuchinskoye Rural Settlement, Liskinsky District, Voronezh Oblast, Russia. The population was 1,029 as of 2010. There are 11 streets.

Geography
Shchyuchye is located 32 km southeast of Liski (the district's administrative centre) by road. Pereyezheye is the nearest rural locality.

References

Rural localities in Liskinsky District

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Do You Need Prayer? Spiritual Guidance? Advice?
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text:
Southpointe Town Center
LL.M., Duke University School of Law (2012)
J.D., cum laude, University of Pittsburgh School of Law (2010)
M.B.A., University of Pittsburgh, Katz Graduate School of Business (2010)
B.A., Business Administration, Washington and Jefferson College (2007)
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
W. Taylor Frankovitch
Taylor Frankovitch focuses his work in the areas of energy, commercial law, real estate and litigation. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Taylor earned his Master of Laws degree from the Duke University School of Law, his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, and his M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, Katz Graduate School of Business. He is a member of the firm's Recruiting Committee.
Member, Bowles Rice Recruiting Committee
Former adjunct professor at Wheeling Jesuit University (2013)
Former legal intern for The Honorable Judge Nora Barry Fischer (2010)
Order of the Coif
Recipient of CALI Awards (recognition for achieving the highest grade in a particular subject):
Bowles Rice Announces Eleven Newly Elected Partners
Taking the Fright Out of Unknown NPRI Royalties Held in Suspense
Independent Oil & Gas Association of West Virginia News, March 2020
Ohio Supreme Court Issues Marketable Title Act Decision
Energy e-Alert, December 21, 2018
Washington County (PA) Bar Association
Community/Civic Activities
Washington Advisory Board, Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania
Leadership Development Initiative Class XXIII, Leadership Pittsburgh, Inc.
Volunteer, Community Impact Panel, United Way of Washington County


text:
L'Habitatge al carrer Sant Isidre, 17 és una obra noucentista de la Palma de Cervelló (Baix Llobregat) inclosa a l'Inventari del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya.

Descripció
Casa amb una façana interessant, tota arrebossada i amb elements decoratius formats per rajoles i ceràmica vidriada en alternant els colors verd, groc i ataronjat. Aquestes decoracions es troben envoltant la finestra i la porta del balcó, tot resseguint la línia marcada pel guardapols, a la línia de divisió entre la planta i el pis, a la línia de base del fals terrat i als trams de paret d'aquest.

Referències

Patrimoni monumental de la Palma de Cervelló
Edificis noucentistes del Baix Llobregat
Edificis de la Palma de Cervelló


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text:
Posts Tagged 'Armorgroup'
The Ronco Riff
Voluntary Today, Involuntary Tomorrow
Another Successful Flush by Wackenhut G4S
Will the last Ronco Consulting Corporation Employee out please close the lid ?
Posted in Afghanistan, Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Exclusive Remedy, Follow the Money, G4S, Iraq, Ronco Consulting, State Department, Taxes, Wackenut | Tagged: Armorgroup, Demining, G4S, injured war zone contractors, Landmines, Riff, Riffing, Ronco, Ronco Consulting, Ronco Consulting Corporation, State Department, Wackenhut | Leave a Comment »
Kabul Attack Underlines Importance of Embassy Security
Despite all ArmorGroup is still adverstising for this position
by Jake Wiens at POGO September 14, 2011
Armed with rockets and machine guns, a group of militants yesterday launched a sophisticated attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul from a partially constructed building about half a mile away, reports the New York Times.
The attack comes just months after two separate attacks rocked Afghanistan's capital. The first was a June attack on the famed Inter-Continental Hotel, which reportedly claimed the lives of at least 10 people. Following that attack, at least nine people were killed and dozens more were injured when Taliban militants, dressed as Afghan women, detonated car bombs at the British Council on Afghanistan's Independence Day in late August.
Although no embassy personnel were harmed during today's attack on the Embassy, the brazen midday assault, coupled with the previous attacks, is a reminder that security of the Embassy remains paramount.
Back in 2009, POGO wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to raise concerns about the State Department's management of Armor Group North America (AGNA), the contractor responsible for guarding the Embassy in Kabul.
The letter garnered international attention largely because of the "Lord of the Flies" environment depicted in photographs and videos released by POGO. But lost in much of the coverage was the threat to the Embassy's security posed by State's ineffectual oversight of AGNA.
Among the security vulnerabilities documented by POGO in 2009:
• Chronic guard turnover which, according to POGO sources, may have been as "high as 100 percent annually";
• Nearly two-thirds of the guard force could not "adequately speak English," which raised concerns that the guards could not communicate effectively if under attack; and
• Guard shortages resulted in "14-hour-day work cycles extending for as many as eight weeks in a row"
A subsequent report by the State Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) verified and expanded upon many of POGO's findings. The report, published in September 2010, found that "AGNA has been unable to maintain the number of guards or the quality level required by the contract." The OIG also found that "To manage staffing shortfalls, AGNA hired and put on duty Nepalese guards without verifiable experience, training, or background investi¬gations, which violates its contract" and that AGNA "firearms instructors qualified guards who did not actually meet the minimum qualification score on the firing range."
This July, AGNA paid $7.5 million to the U.S. government to settle a qui tam lawsuit by a former employee who alleged AGNA's performance in 2007 and 2008 put the security of the U.S. Embassy at risk.
AGNA's parent company said the settlement was made solely "to avoid costly and disruptive litigation—and that there has been no finding or admission of liability." The parent company, WSI, also stated, "At all times, the Embassy was secure."
In an attempt to replace AGNA, the State Department last September selected EOD Technology (EODT) to take over security of the Embassy. But shortly following that announcement, a report by the Senate Armed Service Committee (SASC) documented both EODT and AGNA's use of warlords with possible ties to the Taliban to staff their respective guard forces. A couple months later, EODT's offices were raided by federal agents in connection with a separate investigation into "potential export violations."
Following news of that raid, POGO Executive Director Danielle Brian argued that security of the Embassy should be an inherently governmental function, carried out by government employees rather than contractors. "If there's a better argument for making this mission an inherently governmental function, this situation is it," she said. "We've got one discredited company to be replaced by another discredited company," she added.
Following a delay, EODT was scheduled to take over from AGNA this May, a State Department spokesperson told Mother Jones magazine. But in response to a POGO query, an AGNA spokesperson confirmed that AGNA is still responsible for Embassy security and also that the Embassy was "part of the insurgent citywide attack in Kabul today."
There is no indication, at this point, that inadequate security contributed to yesterday's attack. But as the Commission on Wartime Contracting (CWC) recommended in its final report, the government should evaluate the risk of using private security contractors at each static-security site. And if it's determined that the risk is too high, the security contractors should be phased out. Yesterday's attack presents an unwelcome reminder that it may be time to reevaluate the security situation at the Embassy in Kabul.
Please read the entire article at POGO here
Posted in Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Political Watch, State Department | Tagged: AGNA, Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Kabul Embassy, Private Security Contractors, Wackenhut, WSI | 1 Comment »
ArmorGroup's Danny Fitzsimons faced charges for assault prior to being so negligently deployed
"If people start to recognise PTSD and do something about it, then at least some good has come out of this horrendous situation. Danny doesn't deserve this. He has been let down by us, the Army and he has been let down by the ArmourGroup."
A Middleton man jailed in Iraq for murdering two colleagues had been due to appear in court at home accused of assaulting an Asian man on a train.
Rochdale Online April 26, 2011
But the family of security contractor Danny Fitzsimons said it is evidence that he is suffering form post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The 31-year-old was jailed for 20 years last month after shooting ArmorGroup colleagues Paul McGuigan and Darren Hoare in Baghdad in August, 2009.
His family said the ex–paratrooper, who served eight years in the forces, was tormented by his experiences in Kosovo and Iraq and should never have been given clearance to work for the security firm.
In April the same year, Fitzsimons was convicted of a public order offence after he fired a flare gun into the air to scare off teenagers causing trouble outside his flat in Middleton.
He was due to be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court and also appear on the assault charge.
Stepmother Liz Fitzsimons said: "There were youths climbing all over the roof of the flat he lived in. He went and tried to warn them off. He just got laughed at and a lot of abuse. That's when he went back in the flat and got this flare gun.
"Any normal person not suffering from PTSD would have just phoned the police."
She said of the assault on the train: "That wasn't a racist attack. He felt threatened. There were three of them."
Mrs Fitzsimons said the offences would not have happened if Danny had received support for his condition.
She said: "I feel very strongly that we have let him down because we did not know the severity of his illness. If we had known, we would have helped him so much. He is now in an Iraqi jail not getting treatment for PTSD. There is treatment available, but not in Iraq."
She stressed the family's sadness that two men had lost their lives but said: "If people start to recognise PTSD and do something about it, then at least some good has come out of this horrendous situation. Danny doesn't deserve this. He has been let down by us, the Army and he has been let down by the ArmourGroup."
Please see the original here
Posted in Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Exclusive Remedy, G4S, Iraq, Melt Down, PTSD and TBI | Tagged: Armorgroup, Assault Charges, Danny Fitzsimons, Darren Hoare, Defense Base Act Exclusive Remedy, G4S, Paul McGuigan, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, ptsd | 1 Comment »
ArmorGroup Security Guard Danny Fitzsimons escapes Death Penalty on PTSD diagnoses
Posted by defensebaseactcomp on February 28, 2011
Danny Fitzsimons avoids death penalty and lawyers press for reduced sentence to be served in UK
Clive Stafford Smith, Reprieve's director, said: "If G4S had done the proper checks and risk assessments when Danny applied to work with them, they would have quickly seen that he was suffering from serious PTSD, a consequence of loyally serving his country.
People with PTSD can have "heightened levels of physiological arousal," such as elevated heart rates even though they are not in real danger, Baldwin said.
"Because they feel unsafe, they're more likely to be triggered into a defense state that might get them out of a traumatic experience that isn't really happening," he said.
"During this type of event, you think that your life or others' lives are in danger," Baldwin said. "You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening." from Learning to Live Again
The Guardian UK Monday February 28, 2011 12:50 GMT
Danny Fitzsimons leaves the Iraqi court where he received a 20-year jail sentence for murder. Immunity for foreign contractors was lifted in 2009. Photograph: Karim Kadim/AP
A British former soldier has been jailed for 20 years by the supreme court of Iraq for the murder of two fellow security contractors, becoming the first westerner to be convicted in the country since the 2003 invasion.
The family of 31-year-old Danny Fitzsimons expressed relief that he had escaped the death penalty and asked Iraqi authorities and the UK government to ensure his safety in prison. Defence lawyers indicated they would try to get the term reduced.
Before his conviction and sentencing in a hearing lasting less than 30 minutes, there had been talks over whether he could be transferred to a British prison. Fitzsimons's family and campaigners fear for his safety if he is moved outside Baghdad's Green Zone to the city's Rusafa prison.
Fitzsimons, from Middleton, Manchester, was accused of shooting fellow Briton Paul McGuigan and Australian Darren Hoare in Baghdad, colleagues with the UK security firm ArmorGroup, part of G4S, after an argument in the Green Zone in August 2009. He was also accused of wounding an Iraqi guard while fleeing. The incident happened within 36 hours of his arrival in the city. He had worked in the country before.
Fitzsimons admitted shooting the men but claimed it was in self-defence. The colleagues had been out drinking and the other two tried to kill him during an altercation, he said. Fitzsimons claimed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Please read the entire story here
Posted in Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Exclusive Remedy, Iraq, Melt Down, PTSD and TBI | Tagged: Armorgroup, Danny Fitzsimons, Darren Hoare, G4S, Iraqi Jurisdiction, Paul McGuigan, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, ptsd | 6 Comments »
ArmorGroup Security Contractor Danny Fitzsimons Must Wait To Hear Death Sentence Verdict
Iraqi judges presiding over the trial of a British security contractor accused of murdering two colleagues have adjourned proceedings once again
According to Fitzsimons' legal team, the request for more reports is a sign the judges are taking the issue of PTSD seriously.
Ursula Errington, Sky News correspondent
The adjournment in the trial of Danny Fitzsimons was called so judges could consider more evidence relating to the former paratrooper's psychological state.
Mr Fitzsimons admits shooting former Royal Marine Paul McGuigan and Australian ex-airman Darren Hoare in August 2009 after the three private security contractors had been on a whisky-drinking binge.
But he says he did only so in self-defence after the two men attacked him.
He also maintains he suffers from severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.
He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter with diminished responsibility, but not guilty to murder.
Judges will reconvene on February 28 after ordering further reports on how traumatic experiences may have effected him.
The 30-year-old, from Rochdale, is the first Westerner to be tried in Iraq since immunity for foreign security workers was lifted in 2009.
If convicted of murder he could face the death penalty.
His legal team are likely to appeal to Iraqi authorities to allow him to serve any prison sentence back in the UK.
Fitzsimons believes "(I'm) a dead man" if he is moved from his cell inside the Green Zone to Baghdad's Russaffa prison.
As a former British soldier turned private security contractor, he thinks he may be a target for other inmates.
Posted in Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Exclusive Remedy, G4S, PTSD and TBI | Tagged: Armorgroup, Danny Fitzsimons, Darren Hoare, G4S, Paul McGuigan, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, ptsd | Leave a Comment »
Danny Fitzsimons to be sentenced but for ArmorGroup it is business as usual
Danny Fitzsimons
In only a matter of hours , barring further delays, Danny Fitzsimons will face sentencing for shooting and killing Darren Hoare and Paul McGuigan in ArmorGroup's living quarters in the Green Zone. A possible death sentence
The first Contractor to be tried in the Iraqi Courts under Iraqi Jurisdiction.
Lucky for ArmorGroup.
Under Iraqi Jurisdiction there was no formal inquiry into who armed a man with several psychiatric diagnoses, a criminal record, pending weapons charges, known drug and alcohol problems, who was fired from two other security companies and was considered to be a problem among his peers.
Under US or UK law ArmorGroup would bear some responsibility for arming a man this whacked. Maybe even be considered accessory to the murders.
Negligence of this nature occurs as a matter of rule with some Contract Companies. Like Armorgroup did, just under bid the contract so you can win it. The solution then is to under staff, over work, refuse to provide the necessary equipment that was contracted for, and put any warm body in place without vetting them to ensure that they are who and what they claim to be.
Darren Hoare
How many accidents, injuries, and deaths have occurred due to negligence of this nature?
We will never know. Very few incidents are publicized.
Contractors with psychiatric meltdowns are spirited away and promoted or dumped on their families. The victims of the melt downs are paid to keep them from filing a Defense Base Act Claim.
Deaths and Injuries of many foreigners are never filed on because they and their families do not know they are due benefits. Defense Base Act Claim filings are the only numbers kept.
All accidents in the warzones are the fault of no one due to the DBA's Exclusive Remedy and dead men tell few tales when no real unbiased investigation is required.
There has been a very vocal outcry from the families and friends of Paul McGuigan and to a lesser extent Darren Hoare regarding what a bad man Danny Fitzsimons is and how they cannot wait to see him hung. We get these comments on our blogs as well as witness them in recent media coverage.
But there is an odd abscence of them laying any blame where it us undoubtedly deserved upon the negligence of ArmorGroup for arming Danny Fitzsimons and putting their loved ones in his path.
Confidentiality?
Darren Hoare and Paul McGuigan paid for this negligence with their lives.
The families of all involved have paid dearly and always will.
Danny Fitzsimons will soon pay for his actions, as well as every wrong done by every Contractor to the Iraqi people.
Danny Fitzsimons is to the Iraqi's what Raymond Davis is the Pakistani's.
Danny Fitzsimons is Blackwater in their eyes.
Armorgroup continues to guard the US Embassy in Kabul despite having the low bid contract "taken away".
Posted in Armorgroup, Blackwater, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Defense Base Act Law and Procedure, Exclusive Remedy, Iraq, Melt Down, PTSD and TBI, State Department | Tagged: Armorgroup, Blackwater, Danny Fitzsimons, Danny Fitzsimons sentencing, Darren Hoare, Defense Base Act, Exclusive Remedy, Iraqi Jurisdiction, Paul McGuigan, Raymond Davis | Leave a Comment »
ArmorGroup Still Guarding Kabul Embassy Despite Losing Contract
ArmorGroup caused an international scandal and lost its State Department contract. Why's the company still protecting one of America's most dangerous diplomatic outposts?
"We've got one discredited company to be replaced by another discredited company."
By Daniel Schulman at Mother Jones
More than a year has passed since the State Department decided to drop its contract with the security firm protecting the US embassy in Kabul, following an international scandal featuring drunken debauchery fit for a Van Wilder flick. But the company that introduced the world to vodka butt-shots is still on the job—and it doesn't seem to have plans to stand down anytime soon. Long after the expiration of its initial contract, in fact, ArmorGroup North America is currently hiring more guards to protect the Kabul embassy.
The firm sparked controversy in September 2009, when a Washington-based watchdog group sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton highlighting a list of violations by the company, from a chronic guard shortage to the hiring of personnel who couldn't speak English and would be unable to communicate with their colleagues in an emergency. But the most shocking charges concerned what the Project on Government Oversight called a "Lord of the Flies environment"—hazing and wild partying depicted in a series of graphic photographs showing members of the Kabul embassy security force drunk, half-naked, and engaged in an array of NSFW behavior.
Embassygate tainted not just ArmorGroup North America (AGNA) and its parent company, the security conglomerate G4S, but the State Department, too, leading to investigations by Congress and State's inspector general. In the years leading up to the scandal, it turned out, the State Department had repeatedly found fault with the company's performance—at one point stating in an internal memo that "the security of the US Embassy in Kabul is in jeopardy" as a result—but failed to fire AGNA. A former high-level AGNA employee also came forward to say that he'd warned the State Department about "lewd, aberrant, and sexually deviant behavior" by the company's recruits more than two years before this conduct made global headlines. Again, no action was taken.
In December 2009, deeply embarrassed by the controversy, the State Department said it planned to axe AGNA once its contract came up for renewal that summer. But when that time came, the agency ended up extending the firm's contract for another six months while it brought in another security provider. "Because the current KESF [Kabul Embassy Security Force] contract can only be extended through December 30th, we must have the company on the ground and operating by then," a spokesman for the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security told Mother Jones last summer.
In late September, the agency selected the Tennessee-based firm EOD Technology to take over the contract. But December 30 came and went with no changing of the guards. And AGNA apparently believed it was staying put, at least for a while. In mid-January, the company posted a job ad on Careerbuilder noting that it was "recruiting Protective Security Specialists to provide security to the U.S. Embassy in, Kabul, Afghanistan."
A spokeswoman for AGNA, Susan Pitcher, confirmed that the firm is still protecting the embassy, but declined to comment further, citing a State Department policy about contractors speaking to reporters. EODT also declined to comment. But a Diplomatic Security spokesman told Mother Jones that the transition has been delayed. Now, he said, the handover won't happen until May. "In order to provide EODT with adequate time to make an orderly transition, it has been given 120 days from the end of AGNA's contract," the spokesman said.
Sources familiar with the security force contract questioned whether the delay has anything to do with the transition process; one suggested that the State Department may merely be stalling after unwittingly selecting a replacement for AGNA that also has a controversial background.
In October, a week after the agency chose EODT for the job, the Senate Armed Services Committee, which has conducted a years-long investigation into private security firms in Afghanistan, released a report leveling serious allegations at both EODT and AGNA. It accused the companies of relying on local warlords to staff their guard forces—strongmen with unclear allegiances and possible Taliban ties. In one case, according to the report, EODT hired a group of Afghans who had recently been fired by ArmorGroup for "providing sensitive security information to…a Taliban-affiliated warlord." (In response, EODT claimed that "all leaders which EODT utilized were made known to the US military at every stage of mobilization." AGNA countered that it only relied on Afghans who had been recommended by special operations troops.)
Making matters worse for EODT, federal agents raided its offices in early December in connection with an investigation into potential export violations involving the transit of weapons or other military-grade materials. The company has said it is cooperating with the investigation and has denied any wrongdoing. "We obviously would not have been selected for some of the sensitive and important projects we handle for our country around the world had we not been thoroughly investigated before and found to be trustworthy," the firm said in a statement. A State Department official said the agency was unaware the company was the subject of a federal investigation until stories about the raid appeared in the press, and insisted the probe "has not held up the transition."
For Danielle Brian, the executive director of the Project on Government Oversight, the fact that the State Department handed the embassy job to a company saddled with its own serious baggage illustrates the flawed logic of placing contractors in roles that she believes should be performed by US government personnel. "If there's a better argument for making this mission an inherently governmental function, this situation is it," she says. "We've got one discredited company to be replaced by another discredited company."
Posted in Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, State Department | Tagged: Armorgroup, EODT, Kabul Embassy, State Department | Leave a Comment »
ArmorGroup Security Contractor Danny Fitzsimons Trial
Posted by defensebaseactcomp on January 23, 2011
We ask again why ArmorGroup is not on trial for endangering the lives of everyone they exposed to an armed Danny Fitzsimons
Paul McGuigan and Darren Hoare are dead because of ArmorGroup's negligence in failing to Vet a mentally ill employee with a pending weapons charge in England, previous convictions, and known alcohol and drug problems.
And who paid the families of the dead? The Defense Base Act Exclusive Remedy relieved ArmorGroup of responsibility despite negligence but the DBA does not pay when alcohol is involved.
Danny Fitzsimons discharged from Army with PTSD
Danny Fitzsimons: The War Inside Your Head
"Upon arrival, he was given an M4 rifle, a pistol and a bullet-proof vest which he set down in his room before meeting with an old friend he had made during a previous tour in Iraq, where he worked with three different firms before joining ArmorGroup.
Fitzsimons and his friend, another ArmorGroup security guard who was identified only as Kevin, bought two bottles of whiskey before settling in Kevin's trailer in Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone to chat over drinks."
Daniel Fitzsimons denies murder of two colleagues in Iraq
British security contractor Daniel Fitzsimons tells Baghdad court he is guilty of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility
British security contractor accused of murdering two colleagues in Iraq has given his first courtroom account of the drunken night that has left him facing a possible death sentence.
Daniel Fitzsimons, a former paratrooper, told a criminal court in Baghdad today that he was not guilty of murdering Briton Paul McGuigan and Australian Darren Hoare in August 2009, but was guilty of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility, after he responded to taunts from both men.
Fitzsimons claims he was watching a DVD with a colleague from his army days, Kevin Milson, when McGuigan joined them. Fitzsimons had returned to Baghdad just over 24 hours earlier, following two previous tours with other security companies. He said he did not know McGuigan, but claimed intra-military tensions soon played out between them.
"Paul was with the marines and I was with the Parachute Regiment and as everyone knows there is rivalry between the two," he said. "He started to insult me and insulted two friends of mine who had died in Iraq. I punched him in the nose and said 'come on, fight me'."
Fitzsimons's testimony was similar to an account he gave to the Guardian in March last year. He claims to have been provoked, first in Milson's room and then, later, in his own cabin, where he had returned to use the internet.
"I had been on the internet for an hour and then slept and then my door crashed in," he said. "I saw Paul McGuigan and the Australian man, Darren Hoare. They kicked me in the face with their sandals. They wanted to kill me. It was shameful for a soldier.
"Paul took my M4 [assault rifle] from beside my bed and pointed it at me. He said 'I am going to kill you'. I raised my pistol and shouted to Paul twice to put down his weapon, but he did not respond. Then I made my decision, as an old soldier, as a trained soldier, I shot him twice in the chest and a third time in his face as he fell.
"The Australian then tried to fight me for the pistol. He went for the trigger and tried to turn the pistol to my neck. He was shouting that he was going to kill me. He was much bigger than me. I pulled the trigger and put two, maybe three bullets in his chest."
Fitzsimons had been diagnosed in Britain with post-traumatic stress disorder, but the Iraqi court is yet to decide whether that will be used in his defence. Iraqi medical experts have twice found that Fitzsimons was suffering no particular emotional disorder at the time of the killings.
The judge, Ali Yousef, questioned Fitzsimons on forensic evidence prepared for a coroner, which said powder burns were absent from Hoare's body, not supporting Fitzsimons's account of a close contact struggle during which fatal shots were fired from a short range.
Fitzsimons said: "I think the evidence was manipulated by the security company. The crime scene was changed."
Salam Abdul Kareem, a lawyer for the victims' families, urged the court to hand down the maximum sentence, which is death by hanging, or life imprisonment. "He did not stop shooting until all 14 bullets were finished," he said.
McGuigan's relatives and former fiancee in Britain have strongly challenged Fitzsimons's version of events, claiming McGuigan was executed.
The case was adjourned until 20 February, when a verdict is expected. Please see the original here
Posted in Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Exclusive Remedy, G4S, Iraq, Melt Down, PTSD and TBI, State Department | Tagged: Armorgroup, ArmorGroup Vetting Employees, Contractor Casualties, Danny Fitzsimons, Darren Hoare, G4S, Kevin Milson, Mental Health, Paul McGuigan, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, ptsd, Schizophrenia | 9 Comments »
Danny Fitzsimons, ArmorGroup, Murder Trial Updates
Posted by defensebaseactcomp on December 29, 2010
Danny Fitzsimons was hired by ArmorGroup to carry a gun despite having been diagnosed with PTSD, being in trouble with the law, and posting on Facebook about "The War Inside His Head". ArmorGroup should be on trial here too.
SINAN SALAHEDDIN AP at SFGate
The trial of a British security contractor charged with killing two of his colleagues last year opened Wednesday in Baghdad with testimony from a guard who said the contractor shot him.
Danny Fitzsimons, who attended the hearing, is the first Western contractor on trial in an Iraqi court since a 2009 U.S.-Iraqi security agreement lifted immunity for foreign contractors.
Iraq pressed hard for foreign contractors to be accountable for their actions after armed contractors employed by the North Carolina-based Blackwater Worldwide, now known as Xe, opened fire at a Baghdad intersection in September 2007, killing 17 civilians.
Fitzsimons is charged with two counts of premeditated murder in the deaths of two contractors, a British and an Australian, during an argument last year inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone. He is also charged with an attempted murder of an Iraqi guard working for a British security firm.
Fitzsimons could receive the death penalty if convicted.
The trial opened with a testimony of the Iraqi guard who claims Fitzsimons shot him in the leg.
Arkan Mahdi Saleh, an Iraqi guard at the security firm ArmorGroup that also employed the defendant and the two slain men, told a three-judge panel that he saw Fitzsimons with a pistol before he was shot.
"I was standing at a guard post when I heard some movements behind me," said the 33-year old Saleh. "When I turned back to check, I saw Fitzsimons with a pistol in his hand and aiming at me," Saleh, identifying the defendant as the man who shot him.
Two other witnesses took the stand on Wednesday, confirming much of Saleh's account of the shooting. One said he saw Saleh lying wounded on the ground.
Fitzsimons appeared in court clean shaven, wearing a beige shirt, jeans and sneakers. He stood behind a wooden fence with two security guards closely watching him.
After hearing the eyewitness testify, the defendant asked a judge for permission to speak. The request was refused.
"I got a lot to say," Fitzsimons told his lawyer, Tariq Harb, after the court adjourned and the guards were handcuffing him for the trip to prison.
One of the judges, presiding over the 45-minute hearing, read written testimonies of three foreign security contractors who have left Iraq since the fatal incident.
None of the three testified to witnessing Fitzsimons shoot his two colleagues and the Iraqi guard. They wrote in their statement they saw the group of three foreign contractors drinking and quarreling inside one of the caravans where they lived. Please see the original here
From the Huffington PostMurder Trial for British Contractor Opens in Iraq
BAGHDAD — The trial of a British security contractor charged with killing two of his colleagues in Iraq last year has opened in Baghdad.
Danny Fitzsimons is the first Westerner to go on trial in an Iraqi court since a 2009 U.S.-Iraqi security agreement lifted immunity for foreign contractors. Fitzsimons attended Wednesday's hearing.
He has been charged with shooting and killing two contractors – a British and an Australian national – during a June 2009 argument inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone and then wounding an Iraqi while fleeing.
All three men were working for the British security firm ArmorGroup Iraq.
The trail was adjourned until Jan. 23.
See Also at the Burnley Express
The trial of a security contractor from Manchester charged with killing two of his colleagues in Iraq last year has opened in Baghdad.
Danny Fitzsimons, from Middleton, Manchester, is the first Westerner to go on trial in an Iraqi court since a 2009 US-Iraqi security agreement lifted immunity for foreign contractors.
He was at Wednesday's hearing which adjourned the trial until January 23.
He has been charged with shooting and killing two contractors — a British and an Australian — during an argument inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone in June last year and then wounding an Iraqi while fleeing.
Posted in Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Exclusive Remedy, G4S, Iraq, Melt Down, PTSD and TBI | Tagged: Armorgroup, Baghdad, Danny Fitzsimons, G4S, Iraq, Murder Trial, ptsd | Leave a Comment »
Congratulations and Special Thanks to MsSparky
All of us at Defense Base Act Comp would like to Thank MsSparky for her tireless efforts and her support of injured contractors. We look forward to the next thousand posts!!
Ms Sparky's one thousandth (1000th) blog post
Oh my! 1000 published blog posts! Who would have figured after 30 months of investigative blogging I would still be at it. 1000 published posts is a huge accomplishment for any blogger. I'm very proud of this milestone!
One would think I would have run out of things to write about regarding Defense contracting fraud and Pentagon incompetence, but it just keeps spewing forth. It's like the Defense Departments very own "Old Faithful" geyser of crap! It just keeps blowing! I have to thank companies like Fluor, Dyncorp, CSA, SBH, Blackwater, ArmorGroup, Agility and mostly….(tearing up) KBR for making stupid management decisions that always give me something to write about. I will be forever grateful (sniff sniff).
I couldn't have met this milestone without the support of my friends and family, my regular readers, guest writers, other collaborating bloggers, published authors, investigative reporters, super sleuths, whistle blowers, attorneys, concerned citizens, former and current defense contractor employees, widows, spouses, parents and most importantly………
I have to say, this has been a most amazing journey with the most interesting twists and turns along the way. Blogging at MsSparky.com is not like any 9-5 job I've ever had. I can't really plan my day. I may THINK I know what I'm going to be doing after I get that first cup of coffee, but then reality sets in when I open my email and there's some little (or big) gem of information. I just get all excited like a kid on Christmas morning! 2010 has been an interesting year because the majority of my work has been unpublished and behind the scenes. It doesn't pay much in dollars, but I think this is the most rewarding and satisfying job I have every had!
One of the hardest, but most rewarding parts of this job is watching victims prevail as they doggedly pursue justice not only for themselves but for others. I've watched victims overcome tragedy and turn their pain and grief into something positive for those still suffering. I'm in constant awe of the strength and determination of the human spirit.
Without a doubt, the very best part of this job are the friends I've made along way. Some, I've never met in person. Some, I never will, but friends just the same. I am truly blessed!
Thank you for the FIRST 1000 MsSparky.com posts! Please see the original with comments here
Posted in Afghanistan, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Iraq, KBR, Political Watch | Tagged: AGNA, Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Corruption, Contractor Oversight, Dyncorp, injured contractors, KBR, MsSparky | 2 Comments »
Federal Judge Denies Defendants ArmorGroup's and Wackenhut's Motions to Dismiss False Claims Act Whistleblower Lawsuit Involving Fraudulent Practices at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul
According to Debra S. Katz, counsel for Mr. Gordon, "this is an important victory for conscientious employees, like Mr. Gordon, who blow the whistle on fraudulent practices by defense contractors and wind up then paying the ultimate price. The court's decision today makes clear that such employees can bring federal claims under the False Claims Act to obtain redress."
Debra S. Katz and Lisa Banks, attorneys at Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, along with Janet Goldstein and Robert Vogel at Vogel, Slade & Goldstein, LLP, represent James Gordon.
Judge Cacheris' opinion is available at http://www.kmblegal.com/2010/08/27/court-denies-summary-judgment-in-false-claims-act-whistleblower-retaliation-suit-by-kmb-client-james-gordon-against-afghanistan-defense-contractor-armorgroup/.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ — Judge James Cacheris of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has denied Defendants ArmorGroup North America ("AGNA"), ArmorGroup International, Wackenhut Services, Inc., and Cornelius Medley's motions to dismiss whistleblower James Gordon's lawsuit brought under the False Claims Act.
On September 9, 2009, Mr. Gordon, former Director of Operations of AGNA, filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit under the False Claims Act in United States District Court for the District of Columbia, charging that ArmorGroup management retaliated against him for whistleblowing, internally and to the United States Department of State ("DoS"), about illegalities committed by ArmorGroup in the performance of AGNA's contracts with the United States to provide security services at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan and at the U.S. Naval base in Bahrain.
The Complaint charges that during Mr. Gordon's seven-month tenure as Director of Operations, he investigated, attempted to stop, and reported to DoS a myriad of serious violations committed by ArmorGroup, including:
Severely understaffing the guard force necessary to protect the U.S. Embassy;
Allowing AGNA managers and employees to frequent brothels notorious for housing trafficked women in violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act;
Endangering the safety of the guard force during transport to and from the Embassy by attempting to substitute company-owned subpar, refurbished vehicles from Iraq rather than purchasing armored escort vehicles as promised to DoS;
Knowingly using funds to procure cheap counterfeit goods from a company in Lebanon owned by the wife of AGNA's Logistics Manager; and
Engaging in practices to maximize profit from the contract with reckless disregard for the safety and security of the guard force, the U.S. Embassy, and its personnel
In his Memorandum Opinion (August 27, 2010), Judge Cacheris noted that "Plaintiff alleges and Defendants offer no facts to dispute that Defendants … began to try to constructively discharge [Mr. Gordon] by 'making [his] working conditions intolerable.'" Judge Cacheris further noted that "Plaintiff alleges, and Defendants have not offered any evidence refuting the fact, that [Defendant] Medley excluded Plaintiff from management meetings, shunned him, and relegated him to a position of persona non grata in the office" and that "Medley made clear to Plaintiff by his behavior, and to other staff members by his direct boasts, that his priority was to force Gordon to quit." In denying Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, Judge Cacheris concluded that "there is a genuine issue of material fact regarding the continued nature and duration of the allegedly illegal acts Plaintiff was requested and required to participate in." The parties will now proceed into the discovery phase of the litigation.
Posted in Afghanistan, Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, False Claims Act, G4S, State Department, Wackenut, Whistleblower | Tagged: AGNA, Armorgroup, ArmorGroup North American, Debra Katz, Dept of State, False Claims Act, G4S, Michael O'Connell, US Embassy in Kabul, Wackenhut, Whistleblower | Leave a Comment »
Danny Fitzsimons from Death Row in Iraq: Left to rot
UPDATE: His murder trial was scheduled to begin at Baghdad's Central Criminal Court on Wednesday (Aug 4) but was adjourned again while psychiatric tests are carried out on the defendant. A new trial date is expected in mid-September, a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said.
Danny Fitzsimons, once a member of the Parachute Regiment – a hero. Now he sits in a cell on Iraq's Death Row facing death by hanging.
Editor's note: G4S and Armorgroup have accepted no responsibility, nor will they be prosecuted for so negligently arming a man as mentally ill as Mr. Fitzsimons. Negligence that resulted in the deaths of two men, one seriously injured, children orphaned, women widowed, and families bereft. Negligence that doomed Mr Fitzsimons to this hell as well as he did by his own hand.
Mirror.co.uk News
Soldier-turned-mercenary Danny Fitzsimons is awaiting trial in Baghdad for shooting dead two men and wounding a third.
But speaking exclusively to the Sunday Mirror, he insists he is the victim of a terrible injustice and begs the Government to secure his release and bring him home.
He says he killed his victims in self-defence as he battled terrible mental trauma from the nine years he spent serving in Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan.
Fitzsimons, 30, from Middleton, Manchester, says: "I know my actions that night have caused a lot of pain to the relatives of the dead men. To their families and children I am truly sorry. I believe I need to be in a mental hospital in Britain and not in an inhumane dungeon in Baghdad. Many ex-soldiers like me are left to fight our demons alone.
"I stand little chance of a fair trial in Iraq and the psychiatric assessment here was a joke. Bring me home and let me get the help I so desperately need. I chose my life and stand by it but I don't believe I deserve to be left to rot. Please don't let me hang in Iraq."
Fitzsimons shares his cockroachand rat-infested cell at Karadat Maryam police station with 17 other prisoners.
He says: "I'm being fed by some of my jail mates. Without them I would not have proper food or be able to take water.
"They don't let us in the yard for air or sun and it's like living in an oven in the cell. It is overrun with cockroaches and rats and filth."
Fitzsimons was in Iraq as a military contractor working for British private security firm ArmorGroup, who he says took him on without carrying out a full medical assessment. Had the truth emerged, they would have found out he was discharged from 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment after being diagnosed with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.
He also had alcohol problems and was facing criminal charges for brandishing a flare gun at children outside his flat in Middleton. On his third visit to Iraq, last August, he was drinking with two fellow mercenaries when a row started. Fitzsimons says he punched Scottish ex-Royal Marine Paul McGuigan, 37, before the two made up. But he says later that night Paul and the second man, Australian father-ofthree Darren Hoare, also 37, attacked him. He says: "The two men came into my room with clear intention of doing me harm and attacked me in my bed in a drunken rage." He says they threatened to kill him with an M4 assault rifle and he shot them three times with a Glock pistol. As he fled he shot an Iraqi security guard in the leg. He says: "I did exactly what I've been trained to do since 1996. I acted in self-defence to save my life."
Paul's fiancée Nicola Prestage disagrees, saying it was "an unprovoked attack". Fitzsimons, who has been locked up for a year, is due to go before a judge on Wednesday for a trial date to be set. Iraqi doctors are assessing his mental health.
Clive Stafford Smith, of Human rights charity Reprieve, said: "It is unfathomable ArmorGroup would dispatch him and arm him in a war zone without proper screening."
A spokesman for ArmorGroup admitted Fitzsimons' screening was not completed in line with their procedures but added: "We received two separate medical documents which certified that Mr Fitzsimons was fit to work in Iraq. It has subsequently come to light that the most recent of those documents was forged – we have reason to believe it was forged by Mr Fitzsimons."
Posted in Armorgroup, Civilian Contractors, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Exclusive Remedy, Follow the Money, Interviews with Injured War Zone Contractors, Melt Down, Political Watch, PTSD and TBI | Tagged: Armorgroup, Civilian Casualties, Danny Fitzsimons, Darren Hoare, G4S, Paul McGuigan, ptsd | 3 Comments »
Armorgroup Security Guard, David Hughes, killed by roadside bomb
Massive roadside bomb killed North Wales security man in Iraq ( May 2009)
Apr 21 2010 by Eryl Crump,
A MASSIVE roadside bomb that killed an ex-soldier in Iraq was big enough to destroy a tank.
David Hughes, 31, died instantly alongside two Iraqi colleagues when their armoured vehicle was targeted by insurgents in the Al Hillah region, south of Baghdad, last May.
The former Queen's Dragoon Guards was working for a civilian company providing protective security to American construction workers in the war-torn country when the incident happened.
Recording a verdict of unlawful killing at an inquest yesterday, North west Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said someone hiding alongside the dirt road had triggered the bomb.
He said: "In effect David Hughes was murdered by someone hiding in the fields or drainage ditches. By whom we cannot say.
"We are hearing more about deaths of this sort on a daily basis and dozens of similar inquests will be held throughout the country for the foreseeable future. It is probably something politicians might like to look at."
Mr Jones added he considered the equipment issued to David and his colleagues was probably of a higher standard than similar equipment issued to British soldiers. "But this bomb caused a huge explosion and was capable of penetrating the armour plating of a battle tank," he said.
David, from Cae Mur, Caernarfon, spent more than 12 years in the Army but left in 2007. He worked for private security company G4S Secure Solutions in Afghanistan before transferring to the company's Armorgroup business in Iraq.
Colleague Chris Powell, from Burton-on-Trent, told the hearing at Caernarfon they were escorting three Americans from Al Hillah to Baghdad.
Former Paratrooper Mr Powell said: "There were five Toyota Landcruisers in the convoy. These are armour plated and we were all armed. David was travelling as lead scout in the first vehicle. His job was to report anything he thought suspicious.
"There was no target indicator, just two schoolgirls walking about 150 yards ahead of us. As we came to a bend the vehicles slowed and then there was a massive explosion."
Fearing an ambush Mr Powell called for help from his colleagues and US military forces. He escorted the Americans to a safer area before returning to the scene.
He said the vehicle had been blown off the road into a field. One of the Iraqis was found on the road and another near the vehicle. David was found inside the vehicle.
"The explosion hit the right hand side of the vehicle and David, sitting on that side, took the full force of the blast," he added.
They saw no one who could have activated the bomb and they did not stay in the area after the bodies had been airlifted to a Baghdad hospital.
Christopher Beese, of G4S Risk Management Ltd, said the bomb had penetrated the armour plating and exploded inside the vehicle.
He suggested the high explosive used may have been from unexploded bombs or shells fired by American forces during the war in Iraq. "These devices are relatively easy to make, but while rudimentary are highly effective," he said.
Hundreds of David's former Army colleagues and friends attended his funeral in Caernarfon. His heartbroken girlfriend Mim Bradshaw, a 23-year-old nurse, described David as her "mister perfect".
His brother Andrew said: "We'll never forget him. My wife Karon and I had our first child last summer just a few days before his birthday. We have named him David Sean in his honour."
Another brother, Darren, added: "He joined up in 1996. Since then he's been everywhere on exercises and operations. He was in the peacekeeping force in Bosnia and with Nato in Kosovo."
Security guard dies in Iraq blast
Posted in Armorgroup, Contractor Casualties and Missing | Tagged: Armorgroup, Civilian Contractor, Contractor Casualty, David Hughes, G4S, Iraq | 2 Comments »
Trial adjourned of former soldier, Danny Fitzsimons, accused of murder in Iraq
Posted by defensebaseactcomp on April 7, 2010
Danny Fitzsimons to undergo psychiatric tests after being charged with killing two fellow security contractors in Baghdad
See Also at BBC News
British former soldier's Iraq murder trial adjourned
The trial of a British security guard accused of murdering two colleagues in Iraq has been adjourned for two months for psychiatric assessments.
The trial of a British security contractor accused of murdering two colleagues in Iraq has been adjourned for two months so he can undergo psychiatric tests.
Former paratrooper Danny Fitzsimons, 29, is charged with shooting dead fellow ArmorGroup employees Paul McGuigan and Darren Hoare, both 37, in Baghdad's green zone in August last year.
Fitzsimons, who could face the death penalty if he is convicted, appeared at the central criminal court in Baghdad for a pre-trial hearing today.
Reprieve, a legal charity supporting Fitzsimons, said his case was adjourned until 13 June, apparently so he could be examined by a psychiatric team at Baghdad's Al Rashad psychiatric hospital.
In a detailed account of the killings given to the Guardian earlier this month, Fitzsimons admitted shooting both men dead but insisted he acted in self-defence.
Fitzsimons said he shot McGuigan, a former Royal Marine from Innerleithen in Scotland, three times when McGuigan allegedly pointed an assault rifle at him.
He said Hoare, from Australia, was killed during a fight that followed. All three men had been contracted to work as guards for ArmorGroup, a British security company.
Fitzsimons – who faces two counts of murder and one of the attempted murder of an Iraqi guard – and his lawyers claim he acted in self-defence and was suffering from chronic post-traumatic stress disorder after a previous tour of Iraq and service in the military in the former Yugoslavia.
His lawyers, who are aware of his admission to the Guardian, claim he should never have been allowed to work for a security company given his condition and record. This defence is disputed by relatives of McGuigan, who say Fitzsimons is trying to escape justice by concocting a story of a drunken fight when none occurred.
Fitzsimons has admitted his recollection was at points "blotchy" because of heavy drinking and claimed McGuigan and Hoare had been harassing him throughout the evening.
Fitzsimons said in a statement issued through Reprieve: "I miss my family very much but I'm grateful for the support I have been getting from home, particularly from my former comrades who know a bit about what we all went through. I know that this has been a tragedy and hurt a lot of people besides myself."
He is understood to be the first westerner facing trial on murder charges in Iraq since an agreement giving foreign workers immunity was lifted.
The shootings took place in the early hours of 9 August last year, within 36 hours of Fitzsimons's arrival in Baghdad to work for ArmorGroup.
It emerged after the killings that Fitzsimons had a conviction for firearms offences and was facing a possible jail term in Britain for firing a flare gun to scare off children on 1 April last year.
His family said he had suffered from alcoholism and depression and was a damaged individual who should never have been given a job as an armed security guard in Iraq.
They fear his mental state has deteriorated while awaiting trial, and are appealing for him to be allowed to serve any sentence he is given in Britain. Original here
Posted in Armorgroup, Contractor Casualties and Missing, Exclusive Remedy, Melt Down | Tagged: Armorgroup, Civilian Contractor, Danny Fitzsimons, Darren Hoare, Defense Base Act, Exclusive Remedy, Iraq, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, ptsd | Leave a Comment »


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