From Triumph to Tragedy, in a Matter of Minutes

[wolf]

I ended up stuck late at work tonight. The TV was on, and it was quite excitedly announced that the West Virginia Miners had been located and that most of them had survived.

I was, however, quite saddended to learn just now that initial reports had the numbers reversed ... that 12 miners were found dead and one alive.

From FoxNews

Eleven of Twelve Missing Coal Miners Believed to Be Alive Found Dead

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

TALLMANSVILLE, W.Va. — Family members learned early Wednesday that 11 of the 12 coal miners who were initially thought to have survived an explosion in a coal mine have died.

Families learned of the deaths from mine officials more than three hours after Gov. Joe Manchin said he had been told 12 of the miners survived the disaster. The sole survivor of the disaster was hospitalized, a doctor said.

International Coal Group Chief Executive Officer Ben Hatfield told the families that only one miner, Randal McCloy, had survived the explosion.

Hatfield told the families gathered at the Sago Baptist Church that "there had been a lack of communication, that what we were told was wrong and that only one survived," said John Groves, whose brother Jerry Groves was one of the trapped miners.

At that point, chaos broke out in the church and a fight started.

If the situation weren't so sad, the last line would be a lot funnier.

One of my friends was directly involved with the successful rescue mission at the Quecreek mine incident in Western Pennsylvania. Because of his experiences there, it's quite likely that he was requested to go (or will soon go) to this town to provide support services for the rescue workers.

My condolences to the miners and their families. The likelihood of dying on the job is one that always exists for them, even if lessened by modern techniques and equipment.

[Trilby]

My daily newspaper has "THEY'RE ALIVE!" printed big as life on the front page.

What a blow to the families.

[Kitsune]

From a copy of the Tampa Tribune I snagged before they were replaced, this morning:

""I got scared a lot of times, but I couldn't give up," [Charlotte Weaver] said. "We have an 11-year-old son, and I couldn't go home and tell him, 'Daddy wasn't coming home.'""

Damn. What a miserable Wednesday morning.

[wolf]

I stayed up much later than I should have, and ended up watching the mining company exec deal with the press. The reporters were varying shades of vicious, as you would expect them to be in the face of this kind of an event. The exec was just barely controlling his emotion, and his verging on tears statement "this is the worse day of my life" only goaded the reporters into a fresh round of attacks. He was pretty good, and consistently declined to point specific blame while accepting responsibility for the misinformation.

The event, though, underlines one of the rules of managing that kind of a disaster scene, which is maintain secure communications and only release confirmed information.

One of the family members was screaming about how she'd sue. I expect the lawyers are already on the ground, offering their condolences.

[xoxoxoBruce]

And business cards.

[Beestie]

My grandfather's first job after Ellis Island processing in 1913 was a coal miner in West Virginia. He fell victim to Black Lung disease when my mother was but six. She spoke proudly of her father and of her uncles who labored proudly in the hills of West Virginia to provide for her and her sisters.

Decent, hardworking people.

I tucked my six-year old son and five-year old daughter into bed last night humbled and grateful for the sacrifices made by others for the benefit of those who were to follow.

[richlevy]

Nice quote from here.

The federal government levied a larger fine — $550,000 — for the 2004 Super Bowl showing of Janet Jackson's breast than it did for the 2001 deaths of 13 Alabama miners in one of the deadliest mine disasters in a quarter-century. And the $435,000 fine against mine operator Jim Walter Resources was cut by a judge to $3,000. (Related: Fines may not bring compliance)

This makes perfect sense when you consider that the moral outrage of a core constituancy was at stake in the Jackson affair.

This article is interesting.

President Bush's choice to oversee coal mines said Tuesday that safety laws are "adequate" and that problems result from mine operators that ignore safety regulations.

Stickler would replace David Lauriski, a former Utah mining company executive who ran the safety agency during Bush's first term and resigned in November 2004.

David Dye has been the acting chairman since Nov 2004.

[Elspode]

Bare breasts pose a far greater danger overall than do unsafe mining conditions. After all, bare breasts send the message that sex is not shameful or evil, resulting in more sex acts, resulting in more unwanted pregnancies, resulting in more abortions and therefore more potential deaths.

You just have to learn how to look at these things properly. Its a "big picture" sort of thing.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Bare breasts pose a far greater danger overall than do unsafe mining conditions. After all, bare breasts send the message that sex is not shameful or evil, resulting in more sex acts, resulting in more unwanted pregnancies, resulting in more abortions and therefore more potential deaths.

You just have to learn how to look at these things properly. Its a "big picture" sort of thing.

Thank you for showing me the light.

[Elspode]

I'm thinking of trying to obtain a position as a NeoCon translator...

[dar512]

Perhaps it's partly a difference in the source of the money? How much money does the mine make each year and how much money does the Super Bowl make each year?

Though $3,000 does seem a slap on the wrist.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Not how much the Super Bowl makes, how much the network makes.