Roughnecks to the rescue

Reports the Associated Press from San Jose, Chile:

Jeff Hart was drilling water wells for the U.S. Army's forward operating bases in Afghanistan when he got the call to fly to Chile.
He spent the next 33 days on his feet, operating the drill that finally provided a way out Saturday for 33 trapped miners.
"You have to feel through your feet what the drill is doing; it's a vibration you get so that you know what's happening," explained Hart, a contractor from Denver, Colorado.

That's Mr. Hart at left above; on the right is Matt Staffel. Both are from Denver, and if the Chilean miners escape from their tomb this week, it will be in large part thanks to them and their drilling skills.

There was a time when American roughnecks to the rescue was standard fare in newspapers, on television, and in movies. Now it's a rarity. Is that because Americans have changed, or the media? Blue skies! -- Dan Ford