ENGLISH 211

Chilean Miners

2010-10-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

The last two months the world's eyes were setting in Chile, because 33 miners were trapped underground at San Jose mine around 700 m. They got trapped when a rock above them colapsed.

At the begining when the world recived the news everybody was thinking about the hard and complicated wokk that would be to rescue them (almost impossible), I remember when the rescue operation's chief said "to rescue them alive is going to be so difficult and it will take around 4 months", that was the scenario on Agust 5th. It was a tragedy history but soon it became to a faithful history, because the miners were working for surviving, the government and the society were working togther in order to rescue them, alot of people was praying, and we saw when we are working for a common goal and don't pay attention about our differences we could achive the most difficul or impossible goal and transform it in a miracle.

They had lack of resources, but they know how to use those resources and work as a good team, we should learn from them and start working together for finishing a lot of problems that we have as society, like the public safety, that is not only the government liability it si also ours.

Yesterday: Overalls/ Today: Suits

2010-10-25T23:43:00.000-07:00

What happened in Chile 14 days ago for a lot of people meant a miracle. A group of 33 miners survived a 2-month challenge trapped 600 meters underground in Atacama Desert. But, are miracles real?

This tough experience for the group of 33 miners probably is the best thing that could ever happen to them. After the group was rescued they came back to reality together with fame.

A $500 dollar pair of Oakley sunglasses and 1,188 job offers were one of the many surprises waiting for each miner at the top. Vacations, free tickets to Real Madrid and Manchester United matches, trips to Graceland, football signed shirts, book and movie proposals are one of the many deals for each man.

I believe that waiting under a mine for 2 months, making 33 new friends, getting to be on TV and being rescued by the president of your nation; WAS DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

Anna B.

MINERS VIDEO

Chilean Miners

2010-10-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

How was possible to rescue 33 miners in Chile, but in Mexico nobody survived to the Pasta de Conchos mine disaster?

First, I can't believe how 33 miners stood the warm during 2 months underground, with scarce resources like some tuna cans, water and some others. Some miners were ready to die, because being " in the hole" is not easy as the people think about the situation. The incident is the proof that working as a team, the reward is as much bigger as you think, like this case, the opportunity of living again with their families and the sooner intervention of the authorities too.

If you analyze the Mexican situation as the mine Pasta de Conchos in Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, where nobody survived to that catastrophe because the government didn't act on time and the consequences of the missing intervention was proved with the death of the mexican miners, but as we know in Mexico nobody is the guilty for some accident and everybody is avoiding the payment of everything.

The Chile government established that is going to check if the owner of the mine took care about the security methods for the miners, and if he don't, applying the law with strict punishments and/or pay the medical services for the 33 miners because it is a risky job and their lives was in some point so close to the death.

Why did the articles from the chillaean miners became so visited?

2010-10-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

During the past weeks, we have beeen listening and seeing the newspaper a lot of information constantly updated, about this 33 men that have been relased about a week ago, after have been traped for more than 60 days.

I think that it is natural that people tend to support each other in circumstances where the participation of citizens is required, the new was spread easily because of the new technologies to obtain information, and it kept the people interested because of the particular level of uncertainty.

Miners have obtained fame and excellent offers to publish the things that they have lived or to obtain interviews about their thoughs, and feelings after this, I think that certainly their lifes have changed; the disaster in the mines now is compared with the accident of the survivers in the alpes, because of the publicity it has obtained; it has been mentioned that a book might be written by one of the miners, and that they have spoken about an arrangement about what can be told or written, and what would be kept away from the comunication media, also there are rumors about a movie that captures the conditions in which miners work.

I think people show interested because is a topic we all feel certain kind of connection, we all were expecting they can be relased, and at the end it is a intersting story to tell and even more because it is real.

Alejandra P.

Chile Miners

2010-10-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

Being more than 2 months underground must be tough and difficult. In my opinion, each and every miner down there were quite brave for the task of surviving that long time.

Why brave? You could ask me. Well, following orders may seem easy, but following orders that change your lifestyle is somewhat difficult. The miners had to change their way of living in order to be ready for the time they were going to exit the underground trap, and also what they ate, their eating habit needed a change, so they could distribute correctly the food for everyone.

Yes, it sound as a piece of cake matter, but what happens when you get isolated from the world? During isolation a person can get mental problems, like hallucination and getting crazy or something like that. Any mental problem could have been a serious problem for the survival of the whole group.Why? The reason is because these kind of behaviors can be contagious, fear can move as a virus and create destruction in a group of people.

For their fortune, there were specialists on this matters down there. Surely various of the miners needed help for their psychological problems.

What surprises in the end is the cooperation from everyone, and by everyone I mean everyone in the underground and everyone in the upper part of the Earth. Outsiders and insiders helped each other and worked like a single being, in order to search the well-being of everyone. These kind of situations is what unites everyone, the common objective.

I am happy that the miners could get out of the hole and rejoin with their familiars. Also, happy for the mutual cooperation of everyone near the Chilean miners for their rescue.

Ramiro V.

The uncertain future of Chilean´s miners

2010-10-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

After the incident in which we already know and according to the psychological consequences that miners could have as cindy said I would like to comment the plans that government and Chile has for its miners, Book and movie deals are expected which could be the reason for their reluctance to share information.

Rescued miner Victor Segovia took notes that could become a manuscript about the experience. And stated that they are going to publish a book they have an outline with 33 chapters based on what Victor kept.

The formerly-trapped workers have been showered with job offers and gifts, including free vacations to Jamaica, the Greek isles and Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion, as well as invitations to European soccer matches.

One of the miners Ticona, had a heartbreaking situation his third child, "Esperanza", or Hope, was born while he was trapped below. He and others released from the hospital were showered with confetti as they arrived home on Thursday and Friday to jubilant cheers of family and friends.

Jamaica invited the miners, their spouses and the rescuers who brought them out of the mine to all-expenses paid vacations on the Caribbean island. Edison Pena, an Elvis fan and the 12th miner to reach the surface in Wednesday's rescue, received an invitation to visit Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.

So far theirs has been a remarkable story of perseverance in the face of unimaginable adversity. The 33 miners have assumed different roles and structured their daily lives around specific tasks to maintain a semblance of normality. They’ve also been able to talk to loved ones, send letters and even enjoy video of a live soccer game and in the case of Ticona they had the recording of the birth of his daughter, Esperanza.

We are out… now what?

2010-10-24T23:15:00.003-07:00

A little bit less than 3 moths ago, 33 Chilean miners got trapped in a mine after this one collapsed. They were stuck in there for more than two months just waiting to be saved, waiting to see their families, waiting to continue with their lives, waiting to get out. After drilling a path into the cave where they were, every miner got out of there alive. Chile was in joy, the struggle of the miners of staying alive had finally ended; they came out and saw life again. But what will happen after this? Will their life goals remain the same after facing death? Will they quit working for the mine industry or will they take this accident as a way of a higher commitment to their job?

In my opinion the miners should live their lives to the fullest, take this experience as a wake up call. Life can end in a blink of an eye so fight for your dreams, reach your goals, live your life.

Luis N.

The Chilean Miners

2010-10-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

The Chilean miners were really lucky to come aout of the mine alive. After 2 months of being trapped, they were finally rescued and they could finally been reunited with thier families. In my opinion rescuers' work was fast and presice, all the work they did was really well calculated and timely.
The only thing a don't like, is that the owner of the mine knew about the problem and did nothing; he didn't pay attention to the miners when they told him that something was wrong. He was only thinking on making money and he didn't cared about his workers.
The only good thing that happened is that every single miner who was trapped made out of there alive, thanks to the team work and the team effort. They showed a lot of courage and control, they worked together to make it out and see their families once again.
Their courage and team work they showed should make us think that the best think to survive, not just in a tragic accident but in our everyday lives is that, the work we should do every single day; work together, help each other, be a family, a real family, and be united as one.

Martha Mtz.

How to stay trapped for 33 days underground without losing your mind?

2010-10-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

One thing I always asked myself about the Chilean miners was: how can they stay mentally sane for that long, while been by their selves 33 days underground? Making a little research on the internet I found some interesting information about it.

Alberto Iturra Benavides, the recue team´s psychologist, informed to the newspaper that the miners had prayer sessions twice a day, also they talked to a psychologist twice a day; all this with the objective of helping them to remain mentally healthy. Other interesting point is that they saw television shows for 13 hours each day; they saw movies like “Troy” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”. One thing that the psychologists were really careful about was that the movies were only comedies and action movies, because if the miners were only watching sad movies, they could get depressed.

I think it´s really important to take care of the mental health of the people who suffer an accident, because usually people only concerns about their physical heath, but mental health is also a pretty delicate subject.

Finally, I have to say that the actions of the Chilean government where really good, they did their best to take care about the miners’ physical and mental health.

Cindy R.

In India women have piercing because of tradition and religion but in the west it’s because of fashion. What is your opinion about the difference between people who pierce because of their religion and someone because of fashion?

2010-10-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

Uncounciously we all live under a set of rules or accepted terms, we lived under own terms and following the things we believe in, those things can define us; in other words we have been programmed in many different manners, following and having as a basis many different sources, we are what we been told, what we have acquired from the people we have met during our existence, we are influenced for what we have been told or for the things we have experienced.

We can not evaluate or rate which of the reasons that move people to do somenthing are more powerfull or more conveniant, which ones are superficial and which ones have deep reasons to exist, these reasons as well as many others, have been created by each person from a constant influence of society and our personal adoption of culture.

In my opinion does not mater the reasons to pierce you, but matter that it goes according to your personality, if you have decide it with no pressure and for own will, then it is more likely to be a good decision, no matter if you are following influences from religion or fashion, at the end it is your decision which gives to a pierce meaning and importance.
Alejandra P.

there are prople who don't want one but actually have almost a hundred on their face. Most people consider them to be crazy but why do you think that these people would do such a thing?

2010-10-21T17:39:00.001-07:00

In my opinion they do it as a way to express themselves. There are some people that do it to tell their parents something they can not do by word. Some people get piercings to be different from others, or just to show the world they are rebels. These people just express themselves by getting pierced, piercings are just part of their lives, and they just do it because they like and want to.

People have their face pierced but many people have them on other parts of their bodies. What is your opinion about having a piercing on the intimate parts of your body?

2010-10-21T11:17:00.001-07:00

I think that you can get pierced any part of your body as long as you feel comfortable with it. No one can tell you where you can or cant get it so it is basically your choice.

When you get a piercing you just have to be careful where to get it & in which part of your body because that is an easy way of getting infections if you do not take the precise precautions.

Luis Návar

What would happen if one of your friends insisted that you and him/her both go and get pierced together?

2010-10-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

I would decline the petition. Piercing my own body is something that I don't want to do, even if a friend asked me to do it. I would talk to him/her about my reasons of not doing this, but that if she/her really want to have a piercing, then I will be on his/her side the moment he/her acquires it.

Having a piercing can close you some roads or ways in your life, depending on the life path you have chosen. For example, the actual society's thinking still is very close-minded; so close-minded that if an employer see a potential employee with a piercing or a tattoo or anything that would mean "taboo or immoral", the employer would simply pass from that potential employee, even if the employee would be the perfect worker.

Through this same reasoning, I would try to talk first to my friend about the situation, but if he/she really want this, well then nothing more can be done, but getting the piercing. I am not against piercings, indeed I think that is something that each person should decide on their self, after all is their body not the body of the society. Little by little all of these stuff, about piercing and doing tattoo, are being accepted by the same society and old-thinking is being removed. Some day seeing people with tattoo and/or piercings in the work or in the street will be a complete normal thing, but maybe there will still be some rules in work like not wearing flashy piercings and tattoos, in order to maintain a certain order.

As a final answer to my question, I wouldn't have a piercing, maybe a tattoo, but first I would think about pros and cons about this action before doing it, about what I want for my future, and if doing these doesn't interfere with my plans.

Ramiro V.

What would happen if all of yor friends have a pierced face except for you and they all told you to go and get one, would you get one or leave your friends?

2010-10-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

If they were my friends, they must respect to me, and love me like I am (with piercing or not piercing). First I would talk to them about my decision of not getting a piercing; if they don't accept it, I would leve them, because they are not my true frineds.
We have the freedom for taking decisions, but somepeople doesn't respect that, for that reason I like the Juarez's phrase "To respect the other persons' rigths is peace". Some times we don't like how other people wear or how they look but remember that may be other people neither do like how we are or look but we have freedom to be,wear, speech, ect.
I think that everyone of us have a different personality, it is the magic point of a friendship or of a community but most of the times teenagers and some adults too, have not found their authenticy or personality, so they are trying to find it by copying other persons or frinds.
teenagers suffer more about pressure from they friend because they want to belong to a specific group and they accept to act, wear or be like the members of an specific group.
We should teach to the kid, teenagers and adults to respect the freedom of each one, and to learn that people value is inside not in their look.

Are piercings o.k? If a person has a piercing, in your opinion is this acceptable?

2010-10-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

Talking about piercings is an open and subjective topic. A lot of factors might be involved such as religion, culture, family beliefs and social rules. To start with my opinion I shall say that nothing is wrong or right in the following information.

I do judge people with piercings.
Sometimes I have rejected people because of them, or because of the aspect they reflect by having them. I do know this is not fare because you can’t judge people by how they look like but because of who they are; but unfortunately this might affect the way I relate with others.

Having a piercings is informal, young people likes going against the rules and because of it they might challenge authority with this actions, considering religion, piercings are is not allowed, family members reject every idea about them and social rules now a days prohibit piercings.

I consider piercings unacceptable eventhough I have one.

In case you still want to get a piercing check the following video:
BODY PIERCING TIPS

Anna B.

What would happen if you were to come home with a piercing, how would your parents react to this?

2010-10-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

As we know, the answer to this question would be different, depending of the perception of parents. Why? Because there will be parents like mine, that I don't how they react about that, even I don't like the idea to have a piercing on any part of my body, but as I said before it depends family-to-family. So, in my case I prefer not to think of this kind of things and it's better not to have troubles with my family for a stupid thing that it doesn't worth it, like a discussion, a complot or something like that.

Also, there are families that say "OK, I don't care", but as the way I perceive the things if you look so good with a piercing why your parents says I don't care, if your parents are looking for your welfare and check what the best for you is.

Regards

Felipe C.

Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
Mark Twain

What would happen if all of your friends have a pierced face except for you and they all told you to go and get one or leave your friends?

2010-10-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Probably I would leave them, and then I would look for better friends. I disagree with the idea of “friends” who ask you to do things you don’t want, in order to become part of a group, or be accepted by someone as a friend. People who really like you, or love you, accept you as you are; and they don’t judge you by the things you do not like or the things you disagree with.

I personally think that the best groups of friends are the ones which hold people with different characteristics and personalities, because they learn from each other, because they learn tolerance, and as a consequence they learn that diversity is good since new ideas are generated, and things they didn’t knew about others or maybe about themselves are discovered.

Will I judge someone who has a piercing? No, since no one should be judged by his or her likes –as long as they do not affect me personally- . Will I let someone judge me by what I like? No, because people who ask for tolerance should be tolerant first.

To finish, I’m posting a little piece of a lyric that my mind brought as I was writing :

“Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be, as a friend….” Come as you are, Nirvana.

My best wishes for all of you. Michelle.

Could relationships survive piercings?

2010-10-19T22:45:00.000-07:00

Personally I think relationships are a very complex topic to discuss about, every relationship is different it depends entirely of both individuals, in the previous knowledge they have of each other, in the implicit trust and affection they have for their loved one.

If it were me I would be really honest with my boyfriend, even if a don’t have a prejudice against people with piercings I can’t be forced into make me one, everyone is free to take their own decision and if my loved one decided to have one, he has his own right to do it, the case is to being open and have a honest relationship.

How could I react to this situation, well I think that before dating someone you must really know each other before hand, to know if you are compatible, to know their likes, dislikes, the way they see the world, so I think you can´t be surprised if your boyfriend or girlfriend tell you something like this, maybe you could be surprised but as you know him or her, you can have the certainty that something is wrong so you must investigate and question their sudden motivation and either way help out, accept and encourage, or even rethink about the things you really know about him or her.

Iv.Espinosa

Piercings and jobs

2010-10-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

If I were an employer and someone with a pierced face wanted me to give him/her a job, my reactions will depend in a lot of factors; the first one I think is the kind of job, because depending on this, the person with a pierced face could affect or not the reputation of the company. It will be a really bad idea to hire a high position manager with a pierced face, because for instance he will be the image of the company.

Other factor to take on account is the kind of industry you are in, for example, if you are hiring someone for a company focused in the market niche of young people (like MTV), it could be ok; but in the other hand, if you are hiring someone for a company focused on the market niche of adults, or outsourcing services (like Pricewaterhouse Coopers), it would be bad for the company´s reputation.

Finally, I think is pretty important to take on account the polices and requirements the company may have for the position, because even if you think the pierced face will not affect the employee´s performance, you as an employer must always follow the rules imposed by the company.

Cindy R.

checking the use of the blog

2010-10-16T01:20:00.000-07:00

I will eliminate this entry... it is just for see if it works