Chilean Miners get free iPods from Steve Jobs

[Blue Velvet]

After 10 weeks underground, the rescued Chilean miners are now free to contemplate a journey that must once have appeared unlikely – to a week's all expenses paid holiday in the Greek islands.

Elmin, a Greek mining company, has shown its solidarity with the 33 men by offering to fly each of them and a companion to its country.

"We want them to relax on our beaches with the sun and our sea," wrote Liberis Polixronopulos, an executive at the firm.

The trip includes a stop in Madrid to watch a Real Madrid game, then a trip to England, where they will see Manchester United play. Football clubs around the world have sent signed shirts, while the Chilean football players' association has offered a trip to South Korea.

The men will also each be given a free iPod, apparently sent by Steve Jobs himself. Chilean officials withheld the iPods before the rescue, concerned that the men might use music to isolate themselves from their fellow miners.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/13/chilean-miners-offered-greek-islands-holiday

No, I don't know what models they were.

Anyway, more or less an open thread about all things to do with the Chilean miner rescue. Another random news snippet:

Carlos Mamani, the Bolivian miner, now freed is going to have his favourite dish prepared by his family: caldo de cardan (bull penis soup). Delicious.

 

[skunk]

No, I don't know what models they were.

A miner detail.

It's a stupendous story, all the better for a happy ending.

 

[Blue Velvet]

A miner detail.

You think they could have been given iPhones, instead they got shafted.

I've been watching the rescue on and off over the past day, seeing them cramped into that capsule and imagining what it must be like going up through all that rock; it gives me the creeps. Not good with tight spaces, as it were.

 

[colocolo]

It has been an amazing day. The whole country is happy, spirits and motivation are sky high, it's like a big party.
A great feat of engineering, the guys down there are incredibly resilient, and they all emerge so happy and peppy!

 

[Jaffa Cake]

...a trip to England, where they will see Manchester United play.

Those miners would be more use up in Liverpool – the chaps at Anfield desperately need advice on how to get themselves out of a hole before Christmas...

 

[iJohnHenry]

Those miners would be more use up in Liverpool – the chaps at Anfield desperately need advice on how to get themselves out of a hole before Christmas...

I was wondering, "Why the punishment??".

 

[IBradMac]

Was trapped on a warm day in august..and were rescued on a coal'd mid October day.

 

[colocolo]

Actually, we are on the other hemisphere down here...

Oh, and over there, in the middle of the driest desert in the world, the climate is pretty much the same the whole year round.

Was trapped on a warm day in august..and were rescued on a coal'd mid October day.

 

[leomac08]

Those miners would be more use up in Liverpool – the chaps at Anfield desperately need advice on how to get themselves out of a hole before Christmas...

+1 hehe

Anyways....wonderful story!!!

I heard they are getting each $10,000 dollars! By some rich Chile dude!

God bless them all!

 

[colocolo]

Contrary to popular (American) belief, US $10,000 isn't that much over here.
It's not even enough for a regular car, and it accounts for around 7 months of some of these miners' salaries, probably around a year for the worst paid ones.

By the way, they are all out now, and the rescuers are coming back to the surface as well.

 

[flopticalcube]

Had chili and quinoa for dinner tonight in celebration. Vegetarian, of course. Unfortunately the quinoa was Peruvian but close enough.

 

[zioxide]

I've been watching the rescue on and off over the past day, seeing them cramped into that capsule and imagining what it must be like going up through all that rock; it gives me the creeps. Not good with tight spaces, as it were.

Somehow I think that would be easy compared to being stuck a half mile underground for 70 days.

 

[jeremy h]

On the BBC news here they're re-running clips of the original video when they first found them with one of the initial small 'search' drill shafts. What a fantastic job! Well done everyone...

 

[AdeFowler]

A miner detail.

That's the pits

 

[peskaa]

That's the pits

Just dig deep, I'm sure there's better jokes out there.

 

[dXTC]

Had chili and quinoa for dinner tonight in celebration. Vegetarian, of course. Unfortunately the quinoa was Peruvian but close enough.

I've had quinoa in a salad, but not with chili. Was the quinoa in the chili, or on the side? Either way, sounds good.

Back to the subject... It's good to see a mining crisis have a relatively good ending for once.

 

[fcortese]

Lots of cooperation from many American and Canadian mining and engineering resources, sunglasses from Oakley, iPods from Steve, the love of their countrymen...I just hope the psychological after-effects aren't too damaging.

 

[iJohnHenry]

and Canadian mining and engineering resources

Canadians know mining.

The government goes very deep into our pockets of ore.

 

[flopticalcube]

I've had quinoa in a salad, but not with chili. Was the quinoa in the chili, or on the side? Either way, sounds good.

Back to the subject... It's good to see a mining crisis have a relatively good ending for once.

It was on the side but I like to pile the chili on top and then drill down to the quinoa...

 

[notjustjay]

Canadians know mining.

The government goes very deep into our pockets of ore.

I knew I was feeling a little tapped out.

 

[keysersoze]

You think they could have been given iPhones, instead they got shafted.

.

Nice

 

[macchiato2009]

** FUNNIEST ipod news of the year ** Jobs sends free ipods to miners rescued in Chile

http://www.9to5mac.com/30454/steve-jobs-gifts-ipods-to-chiles-rescued-miners-report


hahahhahhaha awesome

 

[joepunk]

Dang, I missed the entire 2 day rescue lifting of the miners.

If this ever gets turned into a Documentary movie the only director that I can think of to make the project would be Werner Herzog.

 

[Darth.Titan]

Why is that funny?

 

[notjustjay]

"The miners will likely also need a Mac to sync"?

Spoken like someone who's never actually used an iPod...