This oil spill will not destroy the oceanic ecosystem; no one ever said that. That's the same sleight-of-hand you tried with your dilution scam a few days ago. But even if it were true, it is also irrelevant. This incident will severely damage the economic well-being of a substantial number of people in a significant area for a considerable length of time, through a devastation of a very productive natural environment, one which has enormous economic value. And the reason that is happening is because some people thought that enhancing their economic well-being justified their taking risks with someone else's.

The private decision to take an action which has potentially public consequences automatically turns it into a public decision. Risk/benefit calculations must be taken into account with all who tend to benefit or suffer consulted. This is especially the case when the possible danger to all is great compared to the probable benefit to the few. In the long run, it may be preferable to take a certain risk, or even to suffer certain damages, if the results justify it. But that is a decision which must be made collectively.

The damage to our national economy caused by this spill is manageable, the damage to the local economy is catastrophic. If no spill had occurred, would the production of the recovered petroleum have comparable economic value to what has been lost to the people and economy of Louisiana? Or would it have gone up in smoke in a few days in our internal combustion engines?

Your post (even if it is true) is a disgraceful attempt to convince us this spill is small compared to natural seeps, therefore, it is insignificant. But it conveniently fails to emphasize that natural seeps, unlike this localized disaster, are spread throughout the whole world ocean over time, and many of their effects occur far away and are not publicized. And of course, you conveniently fail to mention that it is only US spills in a carefully selected time frame that are represented in your perfidious little pie chart. Maybe that red slice is so small because we have been SEVERELY RESRICTING DRILLING in the area and time it refers to. You know what they say about statistics and liars...

It may be very true that bears shit in the woods, but that doesn't give you the right to piss in the soup.