How Many Of You Have Followed The Utah Mine Calamity ? Whaddya Think About That Owner ?

Question

If you've followed the owner's statements and news conferences I'm really interested to see your opinions on how he's handling the disaster and the media .

So far it sure seems he knows his stuff backwards and forwards .
And the best part of it all is . . . . He ain't afraid to say it !!

What do you folks think ?

Yes , that mine has over 300 violations , but that mine also ranks as one with amongst the fewest violations too . Very telling . I have yet to hear any seismologist explain the discrepancy with where the earthquake happened and where the miners really are . Huge discrepancy .

Answer 1

I think hes got balls, I watched him take on Senator Boxer, and he has been a miner for 50 years he bagan as a miner not an owner. I believe him

Answer 2

First of all, it's kind of hard not to follow it when it's pretty much in my backyard, so to speak. It's a couple of hours away, but that's not much, all things considered. Additionally, I felt something that night. I didn't note the time, since I simply assumed they were blasting at the Kennecott Copper Mine. I did wonder why they were setting off charges in the middle of the night, since they usually do it during the day, but I simply dismissed it, until I heard the next day what had happened.

Two geological stations that monitor seismic activity, one in Colorado, and the other at the University of Utah, have both stated categorically that it wasn't seismic activity which caused the collapse, but rather the other way around, with the collapse causing seismic activity. At the U. of U., they stated that all genuine earthquakes have a signature pattern on a seismograph, and that similarly, mine cave-ins have a distinctive, and different pattern. They have data from other mine collapses, and the wave pattern created by them is always the same. Additionally, all collapses cause seismic activity which is in a specific "window" of strength on the Richter scale, which is about 3.5 to 4.1. This event has all the hallmarks of a simple mine collapse. The only difference is that the owner is trying to blame it on nature.

I agree that he does know his stuff. It's hard for anyone to work in a mine for any period of time and not learn a lot about it. However, I don't understand why everyone is so damn concerned with the cause. The simple fact is that six men are trapped--whether their bodies and souls are still together is still to be discovered. Honestly, I don't care a fig about placing blame right now, and I think that Murray's eagerness to blame it on regular seismic activity is suspect. He shouldn't even be worrying about the cause right now--all efforts should be going into getting the men, or their bodies, out of there, and comforting the grieving and concerned.

Coal mining is dangerous. We have had many mining disasters in this state. Everyone cites the Willberg Mine Fire in 1984, but many people are unaware that we had a mine explosion in 1900 which killed 200 people, nearly all Greek immigrants, and another one in the 20s, which killed around 175 men, many of them sons of the Greek miners who died at the turn of the century. Our small, but now healthy, Greek community was nearly wiped out not once but twice, and there are a bunch of empty graves at the cemetary where the Greek Orthodox bury most of their dead--headstones simply noting that they died in the mines. It is the way things are when you have important natural resources buried underground.

My vote is that Murray get his butt off TV, and stop giving interviews, and keep himself at the mine, where he belongs. The miners who are attempting to rescue their friends, and the families of all the miners, not just the trapped ones, need him there to offer support, not on TV, to lay blame. Blame can come later, after things have been investigated, and the professionals have had a chance to peg the real cause. Right now, there are either men in need of rescue, or bodies in need of recovery, and that's really the only thing that matters.

Answer 3

I've been watching the owner and I guess what really stands out is how he started in the business he stated that he actually worked in the mines before owning his own company. I believe the emotion he shows when talking about the miners is sincere and his knowledge of the mines and the rescue attempts is right on. He does not want to make the same mistake that was made in the Sago mine.

Answer 4

I wouldn't want to be him, what a terrible tragedy to shoulder, regardless of the cause.

Honestly I don't think anyone has an idea of what this job must be like, until we hear of a tragedy like this, then we all wonder, why are there not escape tunnels, air vents, extra ways to get in there in a case like this.

I feel for the families, and I feel for the owner, as I am sure that man hasn't slept since this happened.

He was honest in saying it would be a week before he thought they could reach them. Wow - a week, but yet he said the honest truth.

God Bless those men and families.

Answer 5

The science still seems to point to the collapse causing the tremors, not the other way around, so it seems he's just trying to shift the blame.

On the other hand, why isn't this question in Current Events?

Answer 6

He's lying about the earthquake. The US Geological survey can differentiate between a "natural" earthquake and a cave in. And they say that it was a cave in.

He's a good capitalist, doesn't spend money on safety unless his feet are held to the fire. Wait til he gets the lawsuit and see if he can talk his way out of that.

Answer 7

Coal mining, especially in this "retreat mining" technique (whereas the supporting columns of coal are removed) is inherently dangerous...

That being said, as this particular mine has had, over 300 safety citations in recent years (or so I had heard), the owner is in a bit of a liability bind.

The fact remains, it represents the price of energy. if folks are shocked or dismayed about this, perhaps we should more strongly consider heightened conservation efforts, which could reduce demand by 20% or more.

Answer 8

I think it is a tragedy what is happening there and I pray for the best.
I am also waiting on the Lib's and Idiots to start with the " It's Bush Fault" just like they did with the bridge incident.

Answer 9

I love when the media asks questions about stuff they have no knowledge of.

HAHAHA. He just told a reporter that an answer to her question was in the writing he gave to her yesterday and then said, "Read it."

Answer 10

I like him because he is sticking it to the Monday morning quarterbacks or those who don't know what they are talking about.

I think it is about time someone stood up to the press.

I am sick and tired of the press making out every company owner as cold blooded and not caring about his workers.