This mine owner guy in Utah is a real jerk.

[Philosoraptor]

Ever since the tragedy began this week, the mine owner Bob Murray has been on cnn harping about this is an act of God, it's in God's hands, it ain't his fault, it was an earthquake, nothing to do with his fine mine, (immediately disproved by experts), and I am given to understand he's one of the mysterious guy's in the room at cheney's infamous energy task force meeting where everyone agreed to screw the consumers.

I know it ain't just me, this guy is a real jerk off, and he can't hide it. I suspect he'll be charged with some sort of criminality before he fades away. Any pal of big dick is surely fucking us all over, and is himself a big dick.

[Philosoraptor]

1. Murray's Illinois mine has 2,787 violations since 2005

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_6589559

[spanone]

2. so, was it an earthquake? pretty black and white. either it was or it wasn't.

if it was not, they should keep this asshole off tv. this morning an nbc 'anchor' was fawning all over mr murray as he stood there in his mining cap and dirty face thanking him profusely for taking time to talk with her.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. It definitively was not according to UC Berkley

[spanone]

6. i heard murray this morning say it was 'a natural disaster'. this guy is clueless.

i'm sure an act of God dismisses his liablility somewhat....

[Warpy]

13. Clueless? Try terrified.

Chances are he's been cutting corners ever since Stupid got into office, grabbing every quarter he could chisel out of wages and paying for safety measures.

He's just terrified he's going to get CAUGHT.

[blondeatlast]

9. They keep saying "seismic activity" this and that--there is CONSTANT seismic activity.

Why haven't any geologists appeared to tell us there was enough seismic activity to trigger the collapse? Why is the MSM not pointing this raterh obvious fact out?

Purely rhetorical questions--I know the answers and I'm sure you do as well. :mad:

[Mutineer]

4. Or any other earthquake expert who has been consulted

Only in Murray's deluded mind was this caused by an earthquake.

[annabanana]

5. Shame on the media for letting him be the official spokesman for

everything that's happening there...

[spanone]

8. i agree, shame on the media for not grilling this guys ass.

cnn did report on ONE ex-miner who said that many miners had concerns about safety in that mine.

[Poiuyt]

24. He never shuts up long enough for anyone to ask any questions

Man, that guy can ramble

[blondeatlast]

10. Indeed. Why not let the unions and or family friends have as much face time?

Kharma would be for one of Murray's family to be trapped in pitch black with little or no oxygen, food, or water.

I have more contempt for that man than I do Cheney right now--and that is really saying something.

FWIW, I grew up near a mining town in Montana--back when unions were strong and it was a very good job to have.

[spanone]

14. i think the rethugs call it 'controlling the message'

[blondeatlast]

18. Exactly. See my post below from the OFFICIAL LDS newspaper regarding union efforts to free them--

if Murray's pissed off the Mormons--and it appears he has if the DN is printing this story--he's got big trouble.

Can't shed a tear for the man...

[Bitwit1234]

7. He's a real jerk because he is a republican supporter of bushy

These people have had seven years of run away entitlement. They think they (the republicans) own this country and can do what they want. Everybody else is supposed to be their serfs.

[annabanana]

16. Naw, I expect he was ALWAYS a real jerk...

(piss finds it's own level)

[blondeatlast]

20. Yep--the RNC contributions are one of the symptoms, not the disease itself. nt

[KharmaTrain]

11. He;s Playing A Sympathy Card

This slimeball had purposely dominated the corporate media coverage of this story and has bullied and held them "hostage" as this tragedy (and now I'm all but convinced that's what's occured...sadly) plays out. As long as the fate of the miners is in the balance, he gets the benefit of the doubt...as if they speak bad at this time, it would appear they are wishing for a tragic outcome.

Murray's no yokel...he's a shrewd manipulator who saw how the coverage of the Sega mine shifted to the families and soon the coverage took an anti-owner tone. That coverage was a disaster for the industry and he is gonna try to influence this story any way he can...both through his bullying tactics and also by throwing his money and political clout around.

The other day I noted how I saw a bunch of Coal Industry commercials pop up on CNN and how they're still using his claim of the phantom earthquake as the cause for the cave-in. They've also treaded lightly on the concept of retreat mining and one of their reporters even went with Murray into the mine and all but did a fluff piece from inside with Murray watching from just a few feet away. It's been shameless.

I suspect Murray's time is running out. His only hope is that some other distraction or tragedy pulls the corporate media attention away...and that we'll all forget what happened here. I wouldn't be surprised if he stalls for time soon...still playing his sympathy card and trying to drag out this tragedy until the cameras go away. Then the mine is sealed and so is this story.

[marmar]

12. Yup. Your typical garden-variety right wing asshole.....

.... He's a tragically predictable stereotype of exactly what we'd stereotype him to be like.

[blondeatlast]

15. "Were union miners kicked out of the rescue effort?" Headline from the OFFICIAL LDS newspaper!

From the Deseret 8/10/07

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695199423,00.html

"The mine management, at that time, asked our people to get off their mine property. I assume it's because we're United Mine Workers," local union vice president Mike Dalpiaz told KSL Radio. "We have no intention to organize their coal mine, we don't want to organize their coal mine. We have a tragedy and all we're trying to do is help a fellow miner out."

(snip)

"The Deer Creek Mine rescue team (the union crew--BAL comment) is probably the best mine rescue team west of the Mississippi," he said. "It's my understanding they were told they appreciated their help, and they had it under control."

(snip)

Murray said there had been 12 rescue teams on site, but seven were told their services wouldn't be needed because most of the work needing to be done can be done best by personnel who work at the mine. The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration has said the other rescue teams are still available to go underground.

Murray has clashed with unions in the past. At recent news conferences, he (Murray) has taken shots at union "lackeys," accusing them of spreading misinformation. He has also accused the United Mine Workers of America of trying to unionize his nonunion mine.

If Murray's pissed off the Mormons enough that the Deseret News will print this story, he's in deep trouble...

[annabanana]

17. Let's recommend this thread up for visibility. . . .n/t

[Ron Green]

19. He's being REHABILITATED in the media.

He's gone from being the Villain (on the first day when even FOX was asking him tough questions about the safety of his mine) to being sympathetically treated on NPR this morning, a struggling and grieving rescue-master about whose questionable practices nothing is asked.

[blondeatlast]

21. Maybe not for long--see post 15.

I found the article by googling union mine utah--that was the very first hit.

The Deseret News is the OFFICIAL Mormon newspaper, a fact that can't be overlooked in how this will play out.

[annabanana]

22. Who is the U.S. Atty in Utah?

How tied into the official power structure is this guy?

[annabanana]

23. He copywrited this picture of him doing rescue work

He's such a concerned boss. .

[Joey Liberal]

25. He's got to be a republican n/t