Friday Blog Roundup

While weâre all sending our thoughts and hopes to the miners and their families at Crandall Canyon, we also owe it to all coal miners to highlight the conditions that make such mining disasters more likely and to pressure those in charge to correct them.

Tula Connell at Firedoglake delves into the mineâs citation record, mine owner Robert Murrayâs political connections, and recent trends in mine safety. At Daily Kos, Devilstower explains (from experience) the tricky aspects of drilling down to trapped miners, and the mineâs use of retreat mining. David Roberts at Gristmill also criticizes Murray, then points out that weâre all complicit in the terrible toll that coal takes.

(And if you havenât already read them, Celeste Monforton has posted on mine rescuers, lessons that should have been learned from Sago, and Sago victimsâ message to Utah families.) 

Elsewhere:

Sean Casten at Gristmill thinks the House may have accomplished something monumental with the energy bill it passed late on Saturday night; Matt Madia at Reg Watch gives us the scoop on how it would work from the regulatory perspective.

N=1 at Universal Health reports on a hold that Senator Jim DeMint placed on an important piece of health legislation, delaying consideration until after the August recess. 

Merrill Goozner at GoozNews gives examples of how much preventive care can save over time.

Andrea Lynch at RH Reality Check applauds the show Sex in the City for its realistic and multi-faceted treatment of pregnancy decision-making.

Ed Silverman at Pharmalot summarizes the lessons that the chair of the Avandia advisory committee meeting has learned.

Barton Jones at Hazardâs Recognized examines assumptions about the occurrence of on-the-job injuries.

Aman at Technology, Health & Development explores the frequency and content of business news stories focusing on development and global health.

Christine Gorman at Global Health Report provides details on the firing of a South African health official who promoted an open and honest discussion about AIDS.