Friday Morning Follies

Murray announces 115 layoffs in the OV (0.00 / 0)

Yet, Murray seems to have enough money to create a chair at WVU.

Of course, the Wheeling newspapers are defending the layoffs and attributing it to POTENTIAL Cap and Trade legislation.

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by: WV26003 @ Fri Sep 18, 2009 at 18:55:46 PM UTC

There is a pretty good chance its true, if you squint and hold your mouth just right. (0.00 / 0)

The article reveals that the operation just opened in mid '07.

It also says that "One man works in a control booth outside the mine to operate the continuous miner by remote control. Other crew members outside the mine work the belt system."

That'd be a darned tricky belt system to require a crew of over 115, especially considering that its a totally horizontal method of mining, if I'm not mistaken.

Its my guess that these were mostly, if not all, men who were hired temporarily to assemble the "specialized system" and frame up the belt superstructure. So its likely that OhioAmerican never intended them to be full time, but portrayed them dishonestly just to build public enmity to try to kill or otherwise water down pending Cap and Trade legislation. What makes me think that is rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) offered an amendment that would have suspended the Act if the nation's unemployment rate for the prior year reached 15% as a result of the Act. So I doubt that OV is the only outfit that's pulling a fast one.

Coal operators have pumped and deflated their employment numbers to influence regulatory legislation for years. What's maddening is that despite being a standard ploy, I have never seen the media call them on it.  And I've been watching. I can't tell whether or not legislators fall for it, but I'd be willing to bet that the coal-powered lawmakers use it as a political bludgeon during debates as often as they possibly can.

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by: One Citizen @ Sat Sep 19, 2009 at 02:00:54 AM UTC

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The N-R is going after Mollohan (0.00 / 0)

They've run two hit pieces in a row. And all over ACORN.

Mike Myer is a complete whackjob. There has to be something wrong when he now goes to a Fundie church while his wife and daughters remained in their Methodist church.

Do you know why Mike Myer left the Methodist church? Because the pastor at that church drives a motorcycle. Seriously.

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by: WV26003 @ Sat Sep 19, 2009 at 12:25:15 PM UTC

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