[Hoot Gibson]

Looks like from the article, miners have a nasty habit of getting dead under Blankenship's watch. I remember several on here praising him for his efforts during the time of that rally last year. When it comes to him, I would consider myself more of a friend of miners than a friend of coal.

The media demonizes every coal company following an accident involving fatalities - especially non-union companies. I don't want to start a debate on the unfairness of media coverage until after the remaining four men are either rescued or their bodies recovered but you should take any media reports with a big grain of salt.

For example, appealing the magnitude of fines have been a part of the process since at least the 1970s because there is a subjective component of computing the amount of the fines. However, inspectors may close any mine or section of a mine when they determine that there is an imminent danger present. The appeals of fines have nothing to do with mine safety.

Typically, mine operators promptly correct problems that they are cited for, and then they decide whether to appeal the amount of the fine. If I am not mistaken, quickly "abating" a violation cited by an inspector is also part of the formula used to calculate the level of a fine.

Massey is the largest coal company in the US and it spends millions of dollars on mine safety every year. Mining, especially in gassy mines under the water table is dangerous if an operator does everything right but all humans make mistakes. Mining is the only industry that I know of where mine operators are treated like criminals following a tragic accident and before an investigation has even begun.