Monday, October 18, 2010

Will Chilean Miners Break PACT OF SILENCE For The Right Price?

 Apparently, some of the rescued Chilean miners are willing to tell their story for the right price, despite a promise made between all 33 of them that none would reveal details about the worst of their 69-day ordeal buried underground, according to the article below. There are also rumors that some of the miners have already reached deals to tell their story.  It would seems impossible for this kind of information to be kept secret anyway, considering that all of them have families who are now hearing all the details.
    . . .  June


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Chilean miners may break pact of silence, for the right price
BY Jaime Uribarri  Monday, October 18th 2010, 5:25 PM

"So much for a pact of silence.

Some of the rescued Chilean miners are apparently willing to tell their story for the right price, despite a promise made between all 33 of them that none would reveal details about the worst of their 69-day ordeal buried underground.

During a special Sunday mass held in honor of last week’s dramatic rescue, miner Jorge Galleguillos said that the pact was non-binding and hinted that he’s entertaining offers to spill the beans on exactly what happened.

'I have to think about myself,' he argued, without going into specifics about what information he’d be willing to share.

There are also rumors that some of the miners have already reached deals to tell their story. El Mercurio reported last week that Victor Segovia agreed to sell the contents of the journal he kept during his time in the mine for $50,000 to German newspaper Bild.

Mario Sepúlveda also recently spoke to Britian’s Mail, although he mainly used the interview to dispel rumors of homosexuality between the miners.

"Saying we had sex down there with each other is just plain wrong", he said. "There are some things I will never talk about. But they are things that would embarrass some of the kids (younger miners). Nothing sexual, more that they acted like kids."

Meanwhile, Yonni Barrios, whose love triangle with his mistress and estranged wife played out in front of the world, took to the airwaves to contradict the popularly held notion that foreman Luis Urzúa was the leader of the group.

"Mario Sepúlveda was the one was in charge (down in the mine), the one who controlled everything and made sure things didn’t get out of hand, "he told Chile’s TV National, adding that Urzúa "wasn’t capable"of overseeing things.


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Sunday, October 17, 2010

Rescued CHILEAN MINERS Will Benefit Equally

The miners have already made the decision to stand together and all benefit equally from their ordeal, according to the article below. They have hired an accountant, with the idea that all paid interviews and money earned will go into one main account and then equally distributed between the men. That way no one gains more from their ordeal no matter where they are interviewed.  Good for them.
      . . . June


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Chilean Miners Stand Together
Liveshots:


In the bustling blue-collar town of Copiapo, the hospital is surrounded. People hold vigil this time not hoping for a miracle at the mine, but instead hoping for a sightline. Any glimpse of a miner/hero brings smiles to faces and cheers to the air. Men, women and children from this town rarely seen in the news across Chile, gather on wonderment as their men have become international heroes.


All around us are news crews. People staked out waiting for any news or comment. Right now three of the miners have been released and we are told 10 more could be out in the coming hours. Each time one emerges, the crush of media and people is astounding to me. This truly is still being watched by so many, with so many questions about the details of 69 days underground.


I have been told that the miners have already hired an accountant, with the idea that all paid interviews and money earned will go into one main account and then equally distributed between the men. That way no one gains more from their ordeal no matter where they are interviewed, or for how much they earn. Because of this, details about the ordeal are few and far between.

It has helped that I speak decent Spanish and because of that locals and the families seem relatively open to give us access for interviews. I am told that it breaks down barriers here when foreigners, especially from the north attempt to learn the customs and the language. At this point though, many of the families are now at their homes waiting for their fathers/brothers/sons/uncles, which means access to even talk with them is limited. I am also expecting some sort of celebration relatively soon in Santiago with the President, that is a 11 hour drive away.


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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Book '33 Men, Buried Alive' In The Works Inspired By Chilean Miners

According to the article below, the rescue of the Chilean miners is truly an inspirational story. In fact, it's already spawned a book, according to the Hollywood Reporter, '33 Men, Buried Alive: The Inside Story of the Trapped Chilean Miners' in the UK in early 2011. Also, the miners have been fielding offers for beer commercials and TV interviews, the latter potentially earning the men as much as $20,000.
       . . . June


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Chilean miners inspire book, separate mining reality show on its way
The Marquee Blog - CNN.com Blogs:

The rescue of the Chilean miners is truly an inspirational story. In fact, it's already spawned a book, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Jonathan Franklin - a reporter covering the rescue saga for Britain's Guardian newspaper - is set to release the book '33 Men, Buried Alive: The Inside Story of the Trapped Chilean Miners' in the UK in early 2011. In addition, according to Broadcasting & Cable, the miners have been fielding offers for beer commercials and TV interviews, the latter potentially earning the men as much as $20,000.

One thing we know won't be happening, despite reports to the contrary: If there is a movie in the works about the rescue, as some speculate surely can't be far off, it won't be starring Javier Bardem. The actor's rep tells CNN, 'There is no truth to this rumor

And although a new Spike TV series won't feature Chilean miners, the network has announced that it's ordered up "Coal," a docu-series that chronicles the dangers of working in a West Virginia mine, according to a statement.

The show, which airs in April, will focus on Cobalt Mine co-owners Mike Crowder and Tom Roberts, as well as their fellow miners, and cover every aspect of their jobs, including planting explosives.

“Coal mining is an integral part of the American economy and the lifeblood of communities across the U.S. and the world,” said Sharon Levy, Spike TV's executive vice president of original series and animation, in a statement. “This series is going to shine a light on the brave men and women and their families who endure the rigors of this arduous profession.”

Execs at the network told THR that the show has been in development for nearly a year and that their timing is just a coincidence. “It didn’t take a tragedy, and then a miracle, to get us excited about this,” explains Sharon Levy, executive VP of original programming at Spike. “We’ve tapped into something that people are passionate about; this is a topic the world is interested in.”

Read entire article

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

First Miner FLORENCIO AVALOS Reaches The Surface

 I watched, along with millions of people around the world as 31 year old Florencio Avalos was brought up to the surface for the first time in 68 days. He appeared to be in surprisingly good condition considering what he had been through. He hugged his family and several other people and was whisked off to a triage centre to be checked out. A joyful start to a long process has just begun.
    . . . June


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First of 33 trapped miners reaches surface
This Just In - CNN.com Blogs:

Rescuers clap and cheer as the first miner to be rescued, Florencio Avalos, 31, leaves the capsule and steps onto the surface for the first time in about 68 days. After hugging several people, he is put on a stretcher and wheeled into a nearby triage center.

The first of 33 miners who were trapped in the mine more than two months ago has been rescued.

The rescue capsule carrying Florencio Avalos reached the surface about 16 minutes after the ascent from the miners' refuge 2,300 feet below the surface began. Avalos is the first miner to be rescued.



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Saturday, October 9, 2010

Drill Breaks Through To Trapped Miners in Chile

 They've finally reached the miners and the celebrations are on. However, the ordeal is far from over and even now, the miners’ rescue is likely to be days away, with the actual extraction beginning late Monday at the earliest. At this point, those miners are going to start thinking of that long journey up strapped inside the rescue capsule. God bless them!
    . . . June


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Drill Reaches Trapped Miners in Chile, but Risks Remain

By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO and CHRISTINE HAUSER Published: October 9, 2010


SAN JOSÉ MINE, Chile — They wept, they cheered, sirens blared and a bell at a makeshift schoolhouse rang in celebration.

SAN JOSÉ MINE, Chile — They wept, they cheered, sirens blared and a bell at a makeshift schoolhouse rang in celebration.

After nearly two months of waiting, the moment had finally arrived.

At 8:05 a.m. on Saturday, here in a camp in this scorching desert, a powerful drill pierced through abrasive volcanic rock to reach 33 miners trapped nearly a half a mile underground since Aug. 5. Family members erupted into cheers. They ran downhill toward the site

Family members erupted into cheers. They ran downhill toward the site with flags, some singing the Chilean national anthem. A victorious call rang out: “Viva Chilean miners!”
It was a crucial moment in the long and torturous effort to rescue the men, who have been surviving on supplies lowered down to them more than 2,050 feet below the surface.

Reaching this stage required an extraordinary international effort and pioneering rescue techniques to plow through thousands of feet of rock while not compromising the miners’ safety. Chilean officials brought in advisers from NASA, created a special rescue capsule and even fed the trapped miners cylindrical pies specially baked to fit down a narrow hole.

But the ordeal is far from over and even now, the miners’ rescue is likely to be days away, with the actual extraction beginning late Monday at the earliest.

Read entire article

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Chilean Miners Could Soon Be Above Ground

Good news for the trapped miners. According to the article below, Chile’s government hopes to have the group out of the collapsed mine later this month after initially saying it would take until Christmas. There are three drills working to reach them and they are making good time. I'm sure that to the men trapped below, every hour saved is precious.    . . . June


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Chilean miners could see light soon:
Eyewitness News: South African construction giant Murray and Roberts said its drill will break through to a group of trapped Chilean miners within the next few days.

After that, the hole left by the pilot drill will be widened to a 70cm diameter to allow a special capsule to pull the 33 men to surface.

The miners are stuck 700 metres underground and are waiting as three separate drills are boring their way down to rescue them.

Fresh reports have said Chile’s government hopes to have the group out of the collapsed mine later this month after initially saying it would take until Christmas.

Murray and Roberts said while the other two drills may well reach the miners earlier, their rescue shaft will not be ready before mid-November. 


The company’s Ed Jardim said, “Our drills are currently 600 metres down of the 700 and that’s the pilot hole. 

Thereafter we’ll start widening the hole to its full diameter. We expect that our pilot hole will break through in the next few days, maybe in a week or 10 days.”



The miners have been trapped underground for two months and are reportedly exercising to stay fit and prepare for their rescue.

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