Chilean Mine Rescue at the San Jose Gold and Copper Mine

I know I said I was going to post about the Unruly Turkey today, but considering current events, I'd rather post about the Chilean mine rescue.  As a geologist who has worked in an underground mine before, whose father worked in mines for years and whose friends and school mates still do, who's known someone who died in a rock collapse in a mine, this whole situation has definitely hit home. 

( Babbly commentary while watching the live feed on the rescue )

Alright, I'm to bed.  My thoughts are with the remaining 28 miners and 2 rescue workers still underground!  God speed.

Chilean Mine Rescue: This time with More Coherency!

Well, I haven't gotten much writing done today, mostly because I've been glued to the live broadcast of the mine rescue.  It's amazing, they've managed to decrease the time for each miner to about 15 minutes, instead of the 1 hour per miner from the beginning.  They've cut time by lowering the capsule quicker, and increasing the ascent speed a bit to decrease the ascent time from 15 minutes to less than 10, and probably just practice.

There's lots of drama surrounding one of the miners when his wife learned about his mistress.  I'm sure it'll be played up by the media, as they always do with this sort of thing.  But the two people I keep watching are the Chilean President, Sebastian Pinera, and the Mining Minister, Laurence Golborne, who have there to greet each miner with a smile, a hug, and a few words.  People can say it's a political move all they like (especially for Pinera), and maybe they're right, but I admire them for doing it; they're exactly where they should be.  Neither one of their smiles have really diminished at all, despite how exhausted they must be feeling.

And of course, biggest kudos to the amazing mine rescue team, who have managed to make each rescue almost routine, and even more efficient as time goes on!  Much love to you all!

Now for some fun links and quotes:

• Mario + Chilean Miners = Love!
• Charles Bolden, NASA agency's chief, is quoted to have said: "I am proud of the people of this agency who were able to bring the experience of spaceflight down to Earth when it was needed most."  :)
• Another fun tribute to the Chilean miners, this time using Lemmings (I loved this game as a kid!)
• The front cover to one of Chile's newpapers.  Super Mario indeed. 

And for something totally unrelated, a Parisian flat that has been locked up and unoccupied for 70 years was opened up, reveling a treasure trove of items and furniture from the turn of the century, including a painting that sold for 2.1 million euros and a cute Mickey Mouse doll.  This post is full of capsules traveling through space and time!  :)