re: #976 iossarian

Say you have 100 oil rigs, and you know that by dropping a certain safety test you know that your profits will increase, even accounting for the fact that the risk of an explosion goes up 10% (i.e., you factor that risk into your profit projection).

I used to work in costing risk. Believe me, this is deliberate. BP knows what the risks and costs are associated with these safety procedures - they are compelled to find out by the profit motive.

I am not disagreeing that BP made several bad decisions leading to this blow-out, in order to save some time (and money).

In fact, in threads about this incident over the past few weeks, I have made exactly that point. And they should be held accountable for their decisions, to the people along the Gulf of Mexico, and to those killed in this incident.

But their decisions were not based on a desire to blow up the rig and kill people. The effect is just as awful; but the motive was completely different from Violent Religious Events that happen to be perpetrated by those of the Islamic faith who subscribe to radical interpretations that they think directs them to Kill Us.