Anniversary

Today's a quiet Anniversary; it's no big deal, really....

The blog celebrates 7 years today. so what?

My first post, in 2005 (February 9, 2005) was actually a "you know your[e] from West Virginia..when..." kinda survey/statement thing. But it started this movement of me talking endlessly, from Myspace to a blogger-based independent blog :D

Happy Blogging, everyone! And many years to come I hope.

Fancy some Tea?

Winter!

West Virginia's Winter has returned:

Surprised? I'm not. It's been a very mild winter, with this weekend looking like the highs won't even escape the 20s! West Virginia snow storms are always a blast, ya know. I was like a little kid this morning; rushing to the window to see the white stuff falling. It was a nice change of pace to how things have been, rainy, in the 50s or even 60s, sunny on other days, etc.

It's a nice change, no doubt.

I fricken LOL'ed

I just fricken LOL'ed:

 Liberal:"Romney lost to a creepy bible thumper and a disillusioned anti-war libertarian. some frontrunner" 

Conservative: "uh, Obama lost 23 states in 2008. Some Frontrunner, huh?" 

Liberal: "Had Obama had been losing to, say, Dennis Kucinich and whoever that guy was who chucked the rock in the pond then yeah, he would have been. That's what this is like^. "

 lol. just lol.

Mike Gravel and his rock-into-the-pond commercial was a viral hit in 2008 for us political junkies, this is what the Liberal was talking of:

His supported like to make his name fancy, saying it like it was spelled Mike Gra-vale. It's really gravel, like the rocks on the road, gravel.

UBB Legislation Fails

As the New Mine Safety Legislation moves forward in West Virginia, what's the most interesting aspect of it all? There's really NO new mine safety. Blame our Governor, Tomblin. He's "buddy buddy" with the Coal Industry, so it's no surprise they didn't want more safety regulation in place. The bill is basically a drug-testing mandate; which 99.999999999999999% of all mines already do, anyways.


Some Things Missing:

– There’s no doubt the Upper Big Branch disaster, stemmed from the Corporate Greed that drove Massey Energy (and was my campaign cornerstone in 2010) this greed led to the dangerous build-up of coal dust in the mine, as they drove for coal production in the name of basic safety. The bill doesn't even mention coal dust, or methane. All the state bill does in this department is adopt the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) rock dusting requirements. MSHA states that the strongest law applies, so all mines already use the MSHA rock dusting standard.

They should have mandated that every underground coal mine in West Virginia do what U.S. EPA chairwoman Lisa Jackson and U.S. Attorney Goodwin have forced Alpha Natural Resources to do: Install new meters that allow better monitoring and detection of coal-dust problems and violations, when they reach illegal and otherwise dangerous levels, production equipment kicks off, averting an explosion.

– Independent investigator Davitt McAteer’s team alongside the United Mine Workers, found that most of the miners who died at Upper Big Branch already were suffering from black lung, a deadly disease that claimed the lives of 10,000 U.S. coal miners in the last decade, and almost 250,000 since mining the coals of Appalachia began. While black lung wasn’t a contributing factor in the disaster, the McAteer teams’ findings were a clear indication of the continuing public health problems of this disease.

We know how to end black lung — tighten the legal limit of coal dust in the nation’s underground mines. But the industry [as usual] has succeeded in getting its friends in Congress to block the Obama administration’s effort in that direction. So if Gov. Tomblin really believes that one coal-mining death is too many, he could urge lawmakers to amend his bill to implement the tighter standard in all of West Virginia’s underground and surface coal mines.

– It has been documented that many of Upper Big Branch's Foremen really weren't Certified Foremen with MSHA or the West Virginia Office of Miner's Health and Safety. The addition of adopting a "gold standard" in verifying certification and training in the state may avert more deadly disasters in the future, as coal dust monitoring is done by Fire Bosses, which have to be Certified Foremen with both MSHA and WVOMHS.

The bill mentions none of this, just more Gerry maundered "safety reform" while being careful not to change anything that would slow production or lessen the risks miner's experience everyday underground.


You may view the Bill, in it's entirety by clicking Here.

No Delegate Run.

I have decided against another run this cycle for the House of Delegates, though it appears Delegate Campbell (D-Greenbrier) will not seek re-election, the crowded field and the distaste in my mouth currently are some of the reasons I have opted to pass-up this pristine opportunity.

I have been busy doing other things which I have been quite dedicated to; such as working with the Voter Freedom Commission on getting Voter Initiatives legal in West Virginia (currently, only the Legislature can put something on the ballot, while 38 other states have have initiatives added by having 5% of registered voters petition.)

Faces of Coal - advocating leveling the current 3-to-1 ratio for strip mining permits over underground permits.

Sierra Club - No surprise here, trying to keep Consol OUT of the Greenbrier Valley and away from the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas reserves. Advocating Algae Refineries instead. Why? A gas well is temporary, will have 3-5 employees, whereas an Algae Refinery is permanent, hiring 50-100 workers. You be the judge on which we should be trying to get.

Lewisburg Annexation of Ronceverte- a long shot, but Ronceverte's Comission and Government is dysfunctional and corrupt, and would benefit from Lewisburg taking over the small town, a state-wide notorious cop trap. This annexation would add 3,500 people to Lewisburg's population, effectively doubling the size of the city and doubling business development. We'll decide what to do with traffic at some point.

Personal Life - this one is hectic, alot going on on the home front has kept me really busy.

Personal Issues- I have a bad distaste for how things went the last cycle. I quickly became a foe of the "Good Ol Boy Network" the AFL-CIO Union didn't take me seriously. Though I done MUCH better than anticipated in the Primary in 2010, the actual numbers are kinda messed up:

--Metro News declared me the winner, then retracted.

--Greenbrier County said I had amassed 876 votes, after a recount found they counted absentee and provisional ballots twice.

--The FEC has me down at 1,209 votes effectively tying the primary.

So who really knows?

Where, oh where, has winter gone?

The year started off with some alarming signals of a brutal winter yet to come: snow in late September, blanketing snow two weeks before Halloween in October, then - rain, lots of rain, and 50 degree temps.

We're now at the peak of the winter maximum (Jan 20-Feb 10) for West Virginia....

Currently: 70 degrees, sunny skies.

Yes, it's fricken 70 degrees. We've had only 6 inches of snow all winter, our average is about 50, with 1 true month of Winter left, its looking like we won't even break the 10inch mark, much less our "average" of 50inches.

Nature is signaling the end of the winter season; My blueberry bush already had buds sprouting, little flecks of green of lily sprouts in my perennial collection garden, Daffodils are budding and are on track to bloom around Valentines Day; not Easter:

These Daffodils are in week 2 of their 2012 life cycle, by weeks 3-5 they typically crown their fragrant yellow, white, and orange blossoms. This is about 2 months ahead of schedule, considering it's still January.


There have been few cold days (High of 32) most of the cold air comes and goes overnight; with daytime temps in the upper 40s. I have told my neighbors and others in the community this is more like Texoma Weather, not Appalachian.

Further complicating this "Year without a winter" is the Flu Season, err, lack of Flu Season. The peak was Dec. 18, 2011 which was "sporadic" for West Virginia, so far only 8,500 people have been diagnosed with Flu in West Virginia.

Meanwhile, Texas and the Western States have been slammed with Snow and cold. Alaska may have broken the US Coldest Temperature Record of -80. It's been suggested we were in for another 2010-2011 freezing cold winter, but the Jet stream has opted to stay well north this year, keeping those -80 temps in Alaska and Canada.

We'll enjoy the Daffodil's for Valentines Day, I suppose.

Here's to hoping 2012-2013 winter actually brings us some winter cheer (snow).

Coal Mining Resources: version 2

This is a continuation of my pervious work in helping other miners and will-be miners pass their tests as given by MSHA, WVMHSA, and what-not.

RED HAT/APPRENTICE MINER:

All 'civilians' must complete the 80-hr Apprentice Certification Class, and pass the Assessment Test to become an Apprentice Miner. You can find a local Class in West Virginia to being your underground endeavor, by clicking Here.

You must be an Apprentice Miner (hereafter called a 'Red Hat') for 6months AND 108 shifts Underground. A shift is 4hrs-? working 13hrs in one day doesn't count as 2 shifts. only 1. It's solely up to your employer to provide with a shift verifcation sheet. If they refuse to administer one after you have amassed your shifts, you may go to you local MSHA/State Office and file a complaint against your employer.

A new (and dumb) law states that you must become a Black Hat within 18months of your initial training. If you don't you'll have to take your class all over again. Your Red Hat certification will expire 1year after issue, at this point you'll have to retest (but not retake classes).

If you terminate employment with your Mine before you complete the training (not recommended, but hey, shit happens) you will need to get a partial completion of shifts and give it to your new employer so they can combine your shifts to 108 so you can take your Black Test Test.

A bossman (White Hat) can have 4 red hats under his authority, whereas an Experience Miner (hereafter "Black Hat") can have only 1 Redhat under his direct authority at any given time.

There's no age limit to be a red hat, though I highly recommend you be physically fit and younger (under 30), as red hat's are grunts in the mines, doing most of the labor. Think of them as privates in the Army.

When you enter the mining industry remember to buy your own:

-Metatarsal Boots (these run about 250 dollars for a good pair, like Matterhorns) 

-your belt (about 100 bucks) I recommend one with shoulder straps, your gear is heavy, and you'll be carrying all of it around for atleast 50hrs a week. 

-Your Hard Hat (another 100 bucks) if you cant find a Red one, spray paint a black one.

-Your tools (standard is a heavy hammer [22oz+], pick hammer, channel locks, and 1inch crescent wrench) tools will vary based on job assigned, though.

-Never forget a good sturdy lunch bucket that can handle some dings and scratches. You'll find a fellow miner to give you a bit bucket probably, these are flimsy buckets that Continuous Miner/Long Wall Bits arrive in, they're cheap and free. I give em away to my redhats all the time.  I don't recommend cloth/mesh bags for buckets, rats love to nom on these kind, given your mine has a rat problem.

Your mine should supply you:

-your uniforms (unless its a contractor), 

-cap light(most redhats get the dated, and worn caplights. gotta earn your keep for those nice LED ones),

-spotter (air sensor),

-rescuer, 

-knee pads, 

-eye-protection

-gloves.

For a free study guide, check out this link, its downloadable. WV 80hr Study Guide

BLACK HAT TEST POINTERS:

My test was mostly safety (surprise) questions. Here's some:

Remember all equipment is has to be parked atleast 15ft from a curtain.

You can go under roof that hasn't been bolted ONLY IF you have supplementary/temporary roof supports (timbers; 4ft apart).

Curtain must be WITHIN 10ft of the face. There's two answers on the test, one says within 10ft of the face, and the other says 10feet of the face. Pay attention to that.

Rock dust is 40ft from the face (as in, from the face outby 40ft has to be rockdusted, not vice versa)

Know your light signals.

Don't go test after work. I've seen many fail cause of this, especially Hoot Owl guys. Rest up!

The test is 25 questions, rather simple if you know your stuff (you've been underground for 6mos, so you should) good luck! oh and the test fee is 10dollars, as with the Red Hat Test. Bring Check/Money Order, they don't take cash typically.

Hope this helps you guys out. Any questions, feel free to ask.

WHITE HAT/BOSS PAPERS CERTIFICATION

I'm not here yet, but I have been using this lil PDF file to practice with:
Utah Underground Foreman Study Guide + Practice Test

Search Tags: Coal Miner, Black Hat Test, Red Hat Test, Become a Coal Miner, Coal Mining Laws.