# Chilean miners nearing rescue and I'm feeling anxious **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803 "2010-10-11T17:52:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/41 "2010-10-13T17:55:35Z")
Not to trivialise the situation, but since you bring up Hollywood, I just watched Reign of Fire yesterday for the first time, and I keep flashing back to the scenes of him and his mom in the elevator being chased by the giant bull dragon. On a serious note though, watching the BBC coverage today is the first time it made me cry, they have a nice package showing the families at the site, very touching, (no cheesy music). ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/42 "2010-10-13T18:08:53Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I can’t imagine that some time in that cage, for a guy who is used to confined spaces underground and who is finally returning the surface and family and TV and showers, is in any way worse than staying down there. Seriously - I’m pretty confident assuming that if you’ve been trapped in a caved-in mine for seventy days, pretty much anything that will result in you not being trapped in a caved-in mine for 71 days is pretty damn welcome for anyone. And miners by definition are probably fairly comfortable with enclosed spaces. One thing I can’t imagine is how good a hot meal, a hot shower, and a real bed must feel to those guys right about now. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/43 "2010-10-13T18:26:44Z")
> [@maladroit](#): > > I highly recommend BBc’s coverage, less fill, more content. Assuming it’s the same feed as I’ve been watching, I’ve been very impressed by the reporter Matt Frei. He’s a native German speaker, doing on-the-fly English to Spanish and vice-versa translations during interviews, with a producers instructions in his ear, all on a live satellite feed. That can’t be easy! ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/44 "2010-10-13T19:03:39Z")
Personally I prefer Tim Willcox, who’s doing the same but seems to have actually built up a relationship with the people around the mine and has a nicer manner. Also I tend to be more impressed by English people who speak another language, like him, because I expect it from Europeans like Frei! (I also just don’t like Frei and never have, he’s not as discreet about his political bias as I like from the BBC, but that’s beside the point.) Slightly closer to the topic, even my form (a somewhat troubled group of thirteen year old boys from the inner city) were fascinated and moved when I put the live feed on this morning during their tutor period. ---
**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 13, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/45 "2010-10-13T19:14:00Z")
the next fellow up (#21) is one of those who had a mistress. should be interesting. perhaps he should keep the hard hat on. one news account gave the scoop on the sunglasses. oakleys about $280 retail. very nice of oakley to give them, they will need them for quite some time. edit oooops $450.00 sunglasses! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/46 "2010-10-13T19:52:18Z")
Some douche on CNN just said: “They haven’t seen their families for 2 months! Can you imagine?” As someone who routinely went on 8-month deployments and spent a year in a combat zone, yes. . .yes I can. People do this every day as part of their jobs. Buried under 2000 feet of rock is no picnic, but enough with the hyperbole. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/47 "2010-10-13T20:08:32Z")
> [@Teacake](#): > > Personally I prefer Tim Willcox, who’s doing the same but seems to have actually built up a relationship with the people around the mine and has a nicer manner. Yes, he’s been very good too, and you’re right he’s the one who’s done a lot of the “softer” interviews. I don’t recall him doing on the spot stuff like this before, I’ve only really seen him as a newsreader. Presumably the Beeb just went with the two faces with the best Spanish skills. ---
**Author:** ![MN\_Maenad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@MN\_Maenad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MN_Maenad)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/48 "2010-10-13T20:30:38Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Someone on twitter was saying that they’ve become so conditioned to the standard Hollywood narrative that they are expecting some third-act peril to strike the remaining miners. I think I’m subconsciously expecting that, too. But then I remind myself - these are engineers. They’ll notice if anything starts to look a little off and they’ll put a halt to the proceedings until they know it’s safe again. Sudden disasters with no warning are almost always just Hollywood fiction. ---
**Author:** ![tetranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@tetranz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tetranz)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/49 "2010-10-14T02:39:33Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > > [@Teacake](#): > > > > Personally I prefer Tim Willcox, who’s doing the same but seems to have actually built up a relationship with the people around the mine and has a nicer manner. > > Yes, he’s been very good too, and you’re right he’s the one who’s done a lot of the “softer” interviews. I don’t recall him doing on the spot stuff like this before, I’ve only really seen him as a newsreader. Presumably the Beeb just went with the two faces with the best Spanish skills. I thought the BBC TV coverage was very good. When I went to bed and switched on my internet radio to the World Service I was surprised to hear how many other reporters they had there. I think BBC World News America is probably the best TV news in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/50 "2010-10-14T02:55:05Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > > [@flickster](#): > > > > While I’m thrilled they are being rescued, the whole being underground for 2 months story line doesn’t tweak me that much. We’ve got serviceman that are underwater for 3 months at a time on a routine basis in the submarine fleet. I know, it’s not quite the same but still think some of the hand wringing about the long term effects for these men are over the top. > > Yeah, I’m sort of “meh” on the whole underground for 2 months thing. Compared to POWs who were probably confined to smaller spaces, treated to worse conditions, and imprisoned for years these miners were staying at a Hilton. There is the small issue of not knowing if there will be more collapses while you’re waiting. I think a better comparison would be a submarine trapped on the bottom awaiting rescue than one without any problems. Glad it all turned out OK. Otara ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/51 "2010-10-14T03:00:42Z")
It seems like one hugely brave lad, down their on his own. If all goes well, not long. ---
**Author:** ![tetranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@tetranz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tetranz)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/52 "2010-10-14T03:08:46Z")
It’s great news and I don’t mean to detract from the triumph of it all or be critical of anyone but … I can’t avoid making an observation of what captures our attention (including mine) and what doesn’t. How do we reconcile the fact that so many people die every day of things that are preventable? Just the amount of money that any one of the TV networks spent to get there would probably feed 33 staving people for a life time or buy who knows how many mosquito nets to save many lives from malaria. I’m not sure what I’m saying here but you get my drift. I know it’s not a simple question. Just something to ponder about. Just one rescuer left at the bottom now. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/53 "2010-10-14T03:10:03Z")
Just one to go. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/54 "2010-10-14T03:22:27Z")
622m. go lad ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803/55 "2010-10-14T03:40:55Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Some douche on CNN just said: “They haven’t seen their families for 2 months! Can you imagine?” As someone who routinely went on 8-month deployments and spent a year in a combat zone, yes. . .yes I can. People do this every day as part of their jobs. Buried under 2000 feet of rock is no picnic, but enough with the hyperbole. My husband is a merchant marine. Yes, people do this all the time, somebody has to keep the world going. I am thrilled things worked out for the better. I am a big fan of Chile, and so is my husband, couldn’t happen to nicer people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chilean-miners-nearing-rescue-and-im-feeling-anxious/556803.md?page=2)