chilean miners

[Snafu03]

had a fair bit of media coverage in the uk since day one. for all the people who often accuse the british media of only reporting on stories that involve the uk or uk citizens; does this not reinstate your faith in worldcentric journalism? or have i been blissfully unaware that one of the miners is british?

[anotheoldgit]

It is compulsive viewing, I only hope that they get everyone out.

What a plot this will make for a movie, I bet the script writers are busy at it now.

[McMouse]

I've posted on another thread that the BBC has 25 staff in Chile covering this event. It's a huge waste of money imho.

[Davethedog]

The question to answer: Is tha last miner out called Big John?

[Snafu03]

yes mcmouse, i think i read that yesterday. agree with people who say we could simply use the news feeds from chilean tv.

[anotheoldgit]

Davethedog

Waiting for the question who is 'Big John'?

I think this may have gone over some ABer's heads.

[AB Editor]

I find the constant "assessment" of the thing a bit much - while the emotional state of the miners will clearly be less than ship-shape - there is little need to constantly refer to a handy psychologist who says "It is probably dark and cold down there - so their emotional state is likely to be less than ship-shape"!

I think the attempts to "humanise" something which is already interesting show the media up as needlessly mawkish.

Two fun facts for you:

1. I heard, on BBC Radio 4, a doctor say the miners only had "minor" ailments. I thought this was quite funny.

2. It is Margaret Thatchers birthday. There is a nice irony that the first thing she'd have heard and seen today on the news is about the world's support for a group of miners.

Spare Ed

[Sqad]

Interesting view into human endurance, but has become boring and tedious due to media
saturation......in my opinion.

[Barmaid]

I don't really watch the tv or read the newspapers so I've been a bit immune to the saturation. I do find it quite exciting to watch it today simply from a human point of view and seeing the miners united with their families. An amazing human story.

But yes, I do agree about the idiotically trite comments from the PTSD expert. Although I did laugh at his comment about the complicated nature of some of the miner's lives all coming out being a "bit of a nuisance".

[andy-hughes]

This is the price we pay for 24-hour 'rolling' news - because for a lot of the time, nothing very much is happening, so when something like this occurs, they have to make the most of it, including pointless analysis of the minders' mental state based on conjecture.

That said, it is fantastic news that they are alive.

[Davethedog]

I thought AB's of a certain age would have no trouble with "Big John" just trying to bring a little levity to the situation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx59fmP7jYE

[cazzz1975]

why is the rescue attempt staggered, once they bring a minor up they dont touch the capsule for about 20/30 mins. then they send it down again. looking at the coverage, very little happens in that 20/30 min window from the capsule perspective

[Booldawg]

maybe Davinia is conducting a BB style 'interview' as they are bought up. Showing their 'best of' clips whilst occasionally gurning to camera.

I wonder if their families have made gaudy signs with the names of their loved ones on?

[carlton23]

Someone on the TV asked this morning "How will the last man secure the door of the capsule as the locking is on the outside of the cage?" Good question, can anybody give a reasonable answer?

[jubieanna]

funny you should mention BB Booldawg but my son said this morning that theyshouldve made a reality show while they were down therebut it would be a bit boring!
'day 10 still in the mine'

[cazzz1975]

I would imagine they have fitted internal latches for such an event

[carlton23]

Or a piece of string?

[cazzz1975]

an untrained minor may panic half way up the de-sent and try to open the capsule, therfore he is secured in without the knowledge of how it works. I would imagine the rescue workers are trained to operate the capsule internally before they went down.

[cazzz1975]

ascent I mean :o