CNn reporter blames Miners families for tragic misinfo. mistake:

[elehhhhna]

"They WANTED to believe their loved ones were alive...that's why they believed it."

Also heard: "The Miners knew the danger when they took the job" (new angle on "they volunteered"?

Anybody else just hear this spinny crap?

Welcome to America, where your problems, including mine disasters, are your own goddamned fault.

[texpatriot2004]

1. Which CNN reporter...we should complain to CNN. Do you have

a name?

[elehhhhna]

2. No-it's on in another room, but

it was a female reporter at the scene.

[Vanje]

3. asshole

I want to know the asshole's name that said this.

[wishlist]

4. Reporters need to ask why govt inspectors (Labor Dept) let mine operate

With all of the recent safety violations (cited by Labor Dept inspectors) that have been mentioned on the news you would think the reporters would be asking more about lax oversight for safety by the company and the authorities.

Even if miners' families jumped to conclusion based on a misread overheard rumor, that does not explain the 3 hour delay from the company in informing the families that there could be more fatalities.

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. Completely agree about correcting the info

It was heartbreaking to watch how it all came about. That they knew within a half hour or so that the info was not correct, they should have gone to the families and let them know that they had been located but the status was still being determined.

[Hubert Flottz]

29. I can show you why, better than I can tell ya...

Political gifts of coal magnate exceed $800,000

Larry Addington's money went mostly to panel McConnell led
Frank E. Lockwood / Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) 28feb01

WASHINGTON -- Eastern Kentucky coal magnate Larry Addington has contributed more than $800,000 to political groups and candidates over the past three years giving more money to the Republican Party last year than such corporate giants as Exxon Mobil Corp.

Most of that money $500,000 was given to the National Republican Senatorial Committee from 1998 to 2000, while U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Louisville was its chairman.

http://www.mindfully.org/Energy/Coal-Magnate-$800K-Gift.htm

Who is Sen. Mitch McConnell's wife? Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, is Mitch's wife...

Sago Mine Accident in West Virginia


Statement of U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao On the West Virginia Mine Incident

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao issued the following statement on the Sago Mine announcement in Buckhannon, W.Va.:

"Our hearts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of the 12 miners who perished in this tragedy and our hopes and prayers are with the one miner who survived. Along with them, the nation has been riveted by the heroic efforts of the mine rescue teams and others, who rushed to the scene and put their lives on the line to try and return their comrades to safety. The Mine Safety and Health Administration is launching a full investigation to determine the cause of this tragedy and will take the necessary steps to ensure that this never happens again."

http://www.msha.gov/welcome.htm

***********************

Ross to move International Coal Group headquarters to W.Va.

ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - International Coal Group Inc., headed by New York billionaire Wilbur L. Ross, plans to move its headquarters from Eastern Kentucky to Charleston, The Associated Press has learned.

Ross cited better office space, the absence of a payroll tax and the proximity to the old headquarters - Charleston is about 65 miles down Interstate 64 from Ashland, Ky. - as reasons for the move.

"We don't have any mines that are right near Ashland anyway," Ross said in a telephone interview Thursday. "The Ashland headquarters is sort of a historic accident from the days when Addington controlled the company."

The Addington family ran what was known as AEI Resources Holding Inc. Ross bought the renamed Horizon Natural Resources Co. out of bankruptcy last year to form International Coal Group.

http://www.miami.com/mld/ohio/business/709/11969372.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Coal mine reports spate of citations

CHARLESTON, W. Va. (AP) — A coal mine where 13 miners were trapped after an explosion Monday was cited 208 times for alleged safety violations in 2005, up from just 68 citations the year before.
Federal regulators' allegations against the Sago Mine included failure to dilute coal dust, which can lead to explosions, and failure to properly operate and maintain machinery, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

Ninety-six of the citations were considered "significant and substantial" by inspectors.

An official with the International Coal Group, which has owned the mine since March, said the Labor Department could have closed the mine if it were deemed unsafe

http://usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-01-02-mine-citations_x.htm

I'm betting that the secretary of labor lets the coal company off the hook! * Any takers?

**************

SOOOOOOO how does this company's history of treatment of it's "Valued" employees look?

Miners' Benefits Vanish With Bankruptcy Ruling
By JAMES DAO

Published: October 24, 2004


SMITHERS, W.Va., Oct. 22 - After 31 years, Carl Leake retired last year from the Cannelton mine near here with what he thought was a rock-solid promise of health insurance for life under his union contract. And a vital promise it was: this summer, his wife was found to have breast cancer and her treatment has cost more than $200,000.


But last month, a federal bankruptcy judge in Kentucky authorized Cannelton's owner, Horizon Natural Resources, to terminate its collective bargaining agreements with the United Mine Workers of America. And just like that, Mr. Leake's guaranteed health insurance was gone.

"I figure we could lose everything if we have to pay her bills," Mr. Leake, 61, said.

Mr. Leake is one of nearly 3,800 union coal miners and their dependents in West Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana whose company-financed health insurance vanished with a swipe of Judge William S. Howard's pen last month. The union has pledged to cover their health insurance for six months. But beyond that, many workers are facing a future with no insurance or monthly premiums they can barely afford.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/24/national/24miners.html?ex=1256270400&en=b8988ec6269744fa&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

[iamjoy]

5. Yep, That's The Republican Way

blame people for their own misfortunes.

Now, if those miners hadn't taken that dangerous, dirty work to help power our indulgent lifestyles, many of these West Virginia families would starve, and then the Conswervatives would say how lazy those people were, therefore, they deserve to be hungry and poor.

[underpants]

7. This reminds me of them saying to the National Guard

"Well you should have read the contract"

and then laughing to themselves about it.

For purely political reasons I hope that the workers of West Va. are paying attention to how they are being treated here.

[Catherine Vincent]

6. What the hell happened?

I just logged on and tuned into CNN and now they say 12 miners are dead and one survived. Last night it was the total opposite.

[ohio_liberal]

9. The company spokesweasel said it was the fault of...

cell phone miscommunication between rescue workers and the families. There's only 1 alive.

[Lex]

10. I thought the media just went with what the mining company told them

but I don't know if it's as simple as that.

Still trying to figure out what happened.

[ohio_liberal]

11. The mining company says they released nothing to the media

or to the families to suggest that all but one were alive. The company says there were inaccurate cell phone transmissions between rescue workers that were somehow picked up by the families and friends.

[bpilgrim]

15. for 3 hours they kept they withheld the truth - why?

maybe they figure this (who started the rumor) will be a GREAT distraction from the real issue - > why the fuck did they send workers into this mine after it had more than 200 safety violations in 2005 :argh:



peace

[ohio_liberal]

16. I don't know why they held onto the information for 3 hours

I think the spokesweasel said they couldn't tell the families which one was alive so they didn't say anything. Or something to that effect.

[Little Star]

32. Great Flag!

Wish I could enlarge it to see those replacement star symbols. Very clever and true!

[bpilgrim]

12. that's our M$MWs at the TOP of their GAME, again

peace

[Yavin4]

13. Yep. That's The Spin

To National Guardsmen - "You knew that you were signing up for war."

To New Orleans Residents - "You knew that you lived in a soup bowl."

To the Miners - "You knew you had a dangerous job."

[Crazy Dave]

17. BUT!!!!!!

To America:

You're all safer because of the war on terror in...uh...Iraq and you are especially safer because of super, secret, although illegal wiretapping.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[txindy]

30. That sums it up

Unfortunately.

[KamaAina]

33. To Bush**, Cheney et al.

"You knew you were committing impeachable offenses."

Sauce for the goose...

[acmejack]

14. I am for once too outraged to post!

For me it is a first, as all of you know I have certainly never hesitated to make a total ass out of myself here in the past. But this, this outrage, renders me mute with fury...

[AnneD]

23. I noticed a shift in the tone of the reporters after the first

corrected report. Families are saying the false reports can from Co spokesmen. The real question is-why were the dangers noted in the days leadin up to this not addressed. Hey you knew you were breaking the law (says the judge before fining the co).

[NVMojo]

18. a news report early this morning said family members in church had cell

phones on with contact to miners at the site and someone told them that they found all of them and the listener thought he meant found all of them alive. I can't remember where I read that ...will look ...think it was Yahoo AP story ...

[Catherine Vincent]

21. This is so sad for the families.

Last night to be relieved after waiting all that time for the good news on their loved ones, only to find out hours later your loved ones are dead. :(

[Midlodemocrat]

22. I read something similar.

That the families overheard that they had found 12 miners and were checking vitals.

I really don't blame the media for this. Obviously, the families were hoping for the best.

One of my daughter's best friends overheard a cell phone conversation the night her dad was killed; that is how she found out he was dead. It wasn't intentional, it was just a tragic misunderstanding. The person on the other end thought the child already knew.

[alarimer]

20. The reporters clearly did not do their jobs

Just another example of our lazy news media who do not even bother to check their facts.

[lesab]

24. not quite

I was actually up and glued to the tube. Here is what happened.......A company spokesman went up to the church and told the families that all twelve had been found alive. The families were jubilant and told Anderson Cooper that they were just told that all 12 were found alive. He had no reason the believe that the families were given false information. Why would the families lie? Then after a while, the families were told that they would bring the survivors to the church after they were stabilized so stay put. Then three hours later, the CEO comes into the church and says that they were unable to save them and their is only one survivor. He said that there was a call from the rescue workers that clearly stated that all twelve were alive and about twenty minutes later he got a second communication that the first communication was falty. Then he proceeded to tell them that the miners died of carbon monoxide poison.

Here is what I think. I think that the minors were found alive. Why would a trained rescue worker be wrong about that. I think that they died AFTER they were found (lack of sufficient resources to get them Out or breathing problems after the barrier was broke down????I don't know for sure. I also don't believe that they would tell the families to wait for the survivors at the church if there weren't any. Also, the hospital said that the survivor did NOT HAVE carbon monoxide poison. He was found with the other twelve so that doesn't make any sense. And my last point is that the CEO didn't say "we found them dead" he said "we were unable to save them."

[ohio_liberal]

25. Morgantown doctor says the survivor does have carbon monoxide poisoning

He's responding well to treatment though, he said. He also has a collapsed lung. I don't know what would've caused that. They said he was dehydrated and had been immobile for too long and that exacerbated his problems. Again, I don't know why this would be so.

[lesab]

28. I see that

That is ODD because last night they repeated over and over that there was no sign of carbon monoxide poison in his blood ??????????Beats me!!!!

[ohio_liberal]

36. I think the local hospital only had very limited testing abilities

The doctor at the local hospital mentioned that they had limited capabilities which is why I assume he was tranferred to Morgantown.

[dogday]

26. Please never blame the Companies

They are blameless, they are just trying to make a buck. so what if these guys get 8.00 dollars an hour to lose their lives. The are doing it for the company and in the USA, that is all that matters anymore....

[elehhhhna]

27. Yep. CEO :" Welcome the the worst day of MY life". All about him.

[951-Riverside]

31. Someone was breaking the law big time

...Intercepting cellphone calls is a big no no but I suspect this is also bullshit because as I'm aware unless its an analog phone its not possible to monitor cellphone calls.

[MrMonk]

34. Perhaps someone was monitoring the police/rescue bands.

[AnneD]

39. The NSA heard about the explosion

and was monitoring the calls for terrorist link (miner's form cells known as unions you know). OK maybe a bad joke but I am so paranoid anymore I am not surprised by any monitering. The families were lied to by the company-pure and simple. They did not have a safe work enviroment. I am just speechless that the families are 'blamed' for this. They are not stupid. They are hard working people doing a dangerous job to provide a living for their families and deserve respect not ridicule.

[ohio_liberal]

35. Kyra Phillips just saved the day

I watched her interview a mineworker attorney and she was heated! She was demanding to know who in the government is taking care of workers and why does it take a tragedy to change things. Good stuff. Hope someone has a video available soon.

[FreedomAngel82]

37. Oh brother

Ugh. Purely disgusting.

[Bake]

38. Miners KNOW it's dangerous.

They know it, believe me. But most of the time there's nothing else they can do to make a decent living -- one guy told a reporter, "There's just nothing else here in West Virginia ..."

Does that make it the miners' fault? Of course not. The mine operator has a MORAL duty to make it as safe as possible, and we all know how lax the operators are -- it's all about profit.

But miners and their families do know that it is probably the most dangerous occupation imaginable. The miners do it to support their families. I suspect most would do something else if they could.

Bake