Miners.

This is coolbert:

Devoted readers to the blog, informed persons without exception, by now are aware of the trapped Chilean miners. Many thousands of feet underground, trapped, escape shafts being bored as we speak - - but a safe return to the SURFACE a long time off, about four months!

Food, water, communications being provided to the trapped miners. What is also of concern is the mental health of these unfortunates, living as they must in very cramped and confined circumstances for such an extended period, almost unheard of!

Keeping these folks from going insane is not an unwarranted concern? NASA [National Aeronautic and Space Administration] is being consulted in this matter. They have the expertise, the experts, the body of data, and the know-how needed? Advice being given as how these miners can "entertain" themselves for that four month period without going "stir-crazy" is forthcoming!

Here with an entry from another blog, by a man self-described as a "47 year old retired submarine officer", concerning the plight of the Chilean miners:

"Chilean Miners -- Can Submariners Help?"

"NASA has been called in to help the team supporting the 33 Chilean miners trapped far underground, since it looks like they might be down there for up to four months. While there's no doubt that NASA would have some expertise in that area, I'm thinking that the U.S. Submarine Force might be even more helpful. After all, boomer [nuclear submarine] patrols are about that long [three months normally, now having been extended to six months in the aftermath of the Cold War], in conditions about as cramped."

[the USS Texas at this very moment is on a six-month cruise, a deployment. It would be interesting to know if the Texas is going to remain submerged the entire time!]

And where exactly does NASA get their raw data from? That data analyzed by psychologists to determine the best way for numbers of individuals living a cramped existence for months on end, to not only survive, but thrive?

Perhaps from those members of the U.S. Navy submarine force. See this particular comment to the blog entry:

"As far as NASA goes... NASA sent a bunch of surveys with us on a 117 day (all submerged) deployment. So I imagine, some, of their expertise comes from us." - - RS

US! American submariners. I do recall just snippets of the television coverage from Chile as seen on the American nightly news and there are Chilean naval officers on the scene of the mine disaster.

Psychological approaches will work in this instance? I hope so! And above-ground too. It seems that one trapped miner has had several women show up, each claiming to be his legal wife. That one man might NOT want to return to the surface?

coolbert.