Bad News Saturday Morning
Rescue workers located four bodies deep in a West Virginia coal mine, dashing any faint hopes of finding more survivors of a deadly explosion that has claimed 29 lives, the worst U.S. mining disaster in a generation.
Officials announced the grim discovery at the Upper Big Branch Mine around 1 a.m. Saturday, after first notifying family members.
It doesn’t appear that the miners survived the initial explosion. In total, that means that 29 people died in this mine disaster. That’s the worst mine disaster in the U.S. since 1970. The focus will now turn to the Massey Energy Company and its poor safety record.
As The Post reported Friday, safety violations have caused the evacuation of portions of that coal mine 64 times since the beginning of 2009. According to Mine Safety and Health News, in that year, 48 serious violations were recorded. That doesn’t compare well with other mines of similar size. For instance, the Deer Creek mine in Utah has had only one serious violation in the past 15 years. Poor ventilation, high accumulation of combustible materials and inadequate protections from roof falls were the most oft-cited violations.
Polish President Lech Kaczynski and some of the country’s highest military and civilian leaders died when the presidential plane crashed as it came in for a landing in thick fog in western Russia on Saturday, killing 96, officials said.
Russian and Polish officials said there were no survivors on the Soviet-era Tupolev, which was taking the president, his wife and staff to events marking the 70th anniversary of the massacre of thousands of Polish officers by Soviet secret police.
The Army chief of staff, Gen. Franciszek Gagor, National Bank President Slawomir Skrzypek and Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremer were also on board, the Polish foreign ministry said.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Poland and the friends and families of the other victims. What a horrible tragedy.
Tags: Mines, Montcoal, Plane Crash, Poland
Also under “bad news”: Obomba throws Dawn Johnson under the bus.
“Early in his administration, President Obama received praise from the legal and progressive community for nominating Johnsen [to Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel]. Salon’s Glenn Greenwald called the pick “Obama’s best yet, perhaps by far.” As evidence, Greenwald highlighted an article in Slate that Johnsen authored in 2008, in which she excoriated John Yoo’s infamous torture memo.”
He could have used a recess appointment, but apparently his corporate/repub leash holders decided that would be straying too far.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/04/09/dawn-johnson/
yes a1.
you’re malcontent whining is EXACTLY as sad as shoddy big business abuses killing almost 30 people, or as bad as a large country losing their president and a big part of their national leadership.
it must take a lot of energy to get that upset about everything all the time.
The Obomba bad news just keeps on coming… He can have any US citizen KILLED on his say-so alone.
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/04/07/assassinations/index.html
We are living in post-constitutional times, as our Harvard educated constitutional lawyer president, dispenses with arrest warrants, extraditions, the rights to trial and to face ones accuser, and due process in general.
So, Delcrat, why aren’t you and the rest of the folks who spent 8 years attacking Bush for significantly less extreme policies out in the streets trying to bring this fascist mo-fo down?
Oh, that’s right –he’s black and has a D after his name, so anything the unicorn-riding demigod in the Oval Office chooses to do is just fine.
Don’t blame me Moose, I didn’t vote for Obomba. I voted for Cynthia McKinney.
Now, let me ask you a question.
If killing people make you feel warm and fuzzy all over, why does Obomba have you foaming at the mouth.
“Oh, that’s right – he’s black….”
As a teacher, I’ve often had a student desperate to avoid discipline for something that they’ve done pull out the race card and argue “You’re just doing this because I’m [fill in ethnic group here — I’ve even had white kids try it]!” My flippant response to such flagrant absurdity is always the same — “Yeah, you’re right.”
So in response to your inane assertion that my opposition to a man whose policies I find to be generally wrong and often contrary to the best interests of the nation I love is simply based upon the color of his skin, all I’ve got to say is “Yeah, you’re right.”
By the way, I’m still waiting to know why you and the rest of your ilk are not out in the streets trying to bring Obama down the way you sought to bring Bush down.
Bring Obama down? Oh, Flippity jib job take the stairs to the cheese salon. See? I can do random nonsesnse too.
Actually, Jason, that is about all you can do.
And interestingly enough, I see no denial of the intent of anti-Bush protesters during his presidency.
Oh yes. Bring Bush down the minty lanter shampoomazam! The wooden leg barks at midnight. You are llike the Magritte of wingnut blog coommentarosity.
I can see wh you do it. It is kinda fun.
looks like jason got his pill schedule fouled up again.
moos,
If you have no problem bringing race into the discussion @1:05, you don’t really have grounds to object when I quote you doing it @ 1:44.
You know what I hate about the internet besides everything? There are morons comenting that dont know the “off his meds” come back was retired three years ago.
Except, Delacrat, you ripped it out of the original context. I am neither “foaming at the mouth” nor objecting to Obama because of his race. However, Obama’s race and party are precisely why he has gotten such a pass from the Left for so long.
You misrepresented the clear intent of my words, and so I called you on it.
By the way — why are you not out in the streets protesting Comandante Zero’s plan to murder American citizens without so much as an indictment or trial, but just his say-so? Where is your concern with due process, human rights, and international law? Why aren’t you carrying a sign calling him a war criminal? I think my comment at 1:05 explains it quite nicely — and you are just too ashamed to admit it.
If you’re talking about that rogue Imam,any U.S citizen who takes up arms to fight against the U.S.,by definition,has demonstrably forfeited their citizenship. He has telegraphed his hostility against the U.S.on many occasions. Obviously POTUS no longer considers him legally covered by constitutional protections.I agree. He’s out there “posing” as an American,recruiting Americans,to KILL Americans. He needs to be taken out just like the C.I.A. guy in Apocalypse Now said:”With EXTREME prejudice.”
Actually, not under the decisions of the US Supreme Court and Article III of the Constitution. The proper response is indictment, arrest, and prosecution for treason, not assassination by executive order with no due process.
Or at least that is what we would be hearing from the anti-war folks if this were still the Bush Administration.
Personally, I’m all for taking him out with extreme prejudice — and anyone who has the misfortune to be within 100 yards of him, just for good measure.
Sure,I’m all for that.If he’s here in the U.S.A. Anywhere else,anything goes.Remember, in the war on terror,the first rule is:There are rules but they are fluid and change with administrations.
moos
People were out in the streets for 8 years, evidently to no avail. Think they might deserve a rest?
You’ve never mentioned ever taking to the streets yourself to protest the war or anything, regardless of who was president.
So who are you, who’ve tried nothing, to gutter snipe at those who tried something for 8 years?
I support the war, and my only complaint is that we have failed to be aggressive enough.
But it seems that you and your anti-war colleagues have changed your stripes now that the presidency has had a change of race and party label.
People who fail to investigate and prosecute war crimes, including the imprisonment, torture, and murder of innocent people, are equally complicit in them. Exhibit A: Obomba.
Hey Moose-breath: There are plenty on the left that see who and who and what Obomba is, but the democratic republic was lost in the 60’s with assassinations, Kent State, and Watergate. The erosion of freedom has only become more pronounced, but it is also clear that technology has advance to the point that resistance is futile.
Magritte! You are the king!
moos,
Your only complaint is that we have not “been aggressive enough” (i.e. killed more people). 1.3 million Iraqis dead, and you’re still not satisfied?
That a moral pervert like you is a school teacher, might explain why moral perverts like Bush and Obomba are elected.
My only problem with the Watergate break in was that it was not secret enough. Also, George Bush was stupid, but not stupid enough. he wasn’t “so stupid it’s funny” like the movie dumb and dumber- but just averagely stupid for a Republican office holder. That’s my only problem with Bush.
Have we learned the lesson about feeding trolls yet?