# Chilean miners alive and trapped for 4 months **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 23, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173 "2010-08-23T16:53:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/101 "2010-10-14T01:02:06Z")
Blimey, El Presidente is milking this a bit! How long did that speech go on for? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/102 "2010-10-14T01:03:28Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > It’s a pretty poor record attempt by Chile IMHO. In Austria they can keep minors underground for _years_. Are you sure about that? I keep hearing that no one has ever been underground this long. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/103 "2010-10-14T01:06:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > > [@Colophon](#): > > > > It’s a pretty poor record attempt by Chile IMHO. In Austria they can keep minors underground for _years_. > > Are you sure about that? I keep hearing that no one has ever been underground this long. Whoosh. Note spelling. (It was not a typo.) ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/104 "2010-10-14T01:07:32Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > > [@Colophon](#): > > > > It’s a pretty poor record attempt by Chile IMHO. In Austria they can keep minors underground for _years_. > > Are you sure about that? I keep hearing that no one has ever been underground this long. Hint: [http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,550063,00.html](http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,550063,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/105 "2010-10-14T01:08:49Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > > [@rocking\_chair](#): > > > > [snip]i’d like to know how a professional futball player becomes a miner. that has to be an interesting story. > > Own goal? 😃 > > Actually, that’s not as insane as it sounds… years ago, there was a soccer player from somewhere in S. America who was assassinated by a fan after he returned to his country after scoring an own goal that cost, IIRC, his national team in an international tournament. ☹ [Andres Escobar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andres_Escobar). Killed by the Medellin cartel. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/106 "2010-10-14T01:17:22Z")
Now that it’s almost over, I have to say I’m surprised Fred Phelps didn’t go down there and protest the rescue. Of course, there is no rational reason why he should, but that never stopped him before. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/107 "2010-10-14T01:35:54Z")
i just figured that a former player would become a coach or something sport related, not a miner… ah well, i’m sure the story will come out soon. it seems that they had an easier capsule ride than the 9 miners in pa. i remember that their capsule spun quite a bit coming out of the mine and they had less distance to travel. i’m a bit jealous of countries that have a more singable national anthem. you rarely hear anyone in the u.s. breaking out in a celebrational anthem singing. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/108 "2010-10-14T01:44:05Z")
They’re all out. Way to go Chile! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/109 "2010-10-14T01:44:49Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > i just figured that a former player would become a coach or something sport related, not a miner… ah well, i’m sure the story will come out soon. I guess he could make more money as a miner than as a coach at whatever level he may have had a shot at. And there are a lot fewer coaching positions than there are former players. Keep in mind, even here in the U.S. where we have hot and cold running money, the coaches who make good money are at the top of the food chain. A minor league manager or a junior high coach generally needs an outside job to make ends meet. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/110 "2010-10-14T03:28:47Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > …[Y]ears ago, there was a soccer player from somewhere in S. America who was assassinated by a fan after he returned to his country after scoring an own goal that cost, IIRC, his national team in an international tournament. ☹ This guy, maybe?: [Andrés Escobar - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9s_Escobar) ---
**Author:** ![MarkF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MarkF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarkF)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/111 "2010-10-14T13:04:22Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Blimey, El Presidente is milking this a bit! How long did that speech go on for? This was one of the rare times when I’ll give the politician a pass. Sebastian Pinera had been attending the disaster site from the outset before anybody knew anyone had survived, as soon as they _did_ become aware, he was at the site on a regular basis, supporting the families and so on. Ok, yes he’s a poli so he knows the value of milking something like this but my cynic-o-matic wasn’t buzzing too often. And he promised that he would be at the rescue throughout and stayed for every single one (yes, I noticed him, on occasion, checking the cameras were rolling but, again, I’ll let that go in the context of what was being achieved.) I _did_ feel a little sorry for the last miner having to hear the ‘impromptu’ speech on surfacing while thinking “Jeez, el Presidente, lemme get a bath d00d!” I think something like this _can_ change perception of how a country is perceived. Chile has every right to feel extremely good about itself for how they managed this whole thing, from the stoicism of the miners themselves to the astounding professionalism of the rescuers. You can’t help but be impressed by what they managed to do. Of course, as mentioned upthread, for a country that sets so much in store from mining, their safety record and management, ahem, techniques, are pretty shameful so Pinera must make sure that reforms are made to bring this industry up to speed or his ratings will go down sharpish. But that’s for later. Right now, there are a lot of very happy people there and I hope they enjoy the moment as long as they van. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/112 "2010-10-14T13:55:15Z")
Always nice to see a happy ending. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/113 "2010-10-14T13:56:02Z")
Good job with the Escobar I.D., guys! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/114 "2010-10-14T15:44:35Z")
I was amazed at how well most of the guys looked. Clean shaven, clean coveralls. Heck at first it was hard to tell the rescue people from the ones getting rescued. It says a lot about the care they got while waiting to get rescued. I heard they sent down a lot of supplies and food. Very nice to see such pride and professionalism lead to a happy end. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173/115 "2010-10-14T17:55:17Z")
the guys did request shampoo and shaving supplies so they would look good. in early pictures when they were first found, they did look a bit scruffier. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-alive-and-trapped-for-4-months/551173.md?page=5)