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because that doesn't fit the template that I've been fed of <scaryvoice>evil capitalists</scaryvoice> that hate planet earth.

> ...small dent in the oil companies' massive record profits....

I know most people who post on /. aren't exactly what I'd call educated folk.... especially the ones who have a piece of paper..... and logical reasoning is so 19th Century. But try reading some actual facts before you open yer piehole and repeating drivel stuffed into your head by bad people pushing an anti-human agenda.

First, go and compare the profit margin of the oil companies to other large industries. Their profit margins are pretty much in line with those other heavily capitalized industries. Their profits are puny compared to real monopolies like Microsoft who have to go to extreme efforts to make profits disappear lest they attract the attention of regulators.... even after writing off billions a year on perennial money losing operations like the Xbox.

Fact is most of the money you pay at the pump goes to taxes and terrorists, which are both good reasons to be looking for alternative energy sources. Of course as soon as an alternative actually becomes profitable Democrats will be right there with their hand out. Hey, somebody has to pay for millions not to work. :)

Please don't bring up "what about the birds?" in regards to wind turbines. Just don't. Sure, some may fly into one and die. Some won't. It's called survival of the fittest. Eventually, evolution will program birds so they will know "wind turbine ahead = death". The ones that don't pick up on it will be dead, and thus not to worry about.

You see, if air pollution from oil/coal/whatever happens, that affects the birds too, dumb and smart.

You have to consider two things:

1) The 9/11 attacks were entirely malicious, whereas an earthquake is an accident of nature. An earthquake sucks, but it happens every now and then. Some douchebags hijacking planes and crashing them into tall populated buildings doesn't fit into most peoples' view of "usual happenings".

2) You're sampling the US's reaction based on a couple of comments made by trolls within the first 10 minutes that this post has been up. Give moderation a chance.

An earthquake hits China, tens or hundreds of thousands of people may have been killed. Response: idiotic jokes, complaints about this not being 'tech', ignorant nonsense about politics.

Planes hit a couple of tall buildings in New York, a few thousand people are killed. Response: wild cries of pain and anger, unbridled hatred against anything from the Middle East, America starts two wars of revenge.

Is there something about the proportions here that isn't quite right? I mean, after the 9/11 attack sympathy poured from all over the world, even Yasser Arafat expressed his outrage against the attackers. But the response of the Americans to a major disaster in China is one ridicule and cold, heartless arrogance hiding behind and thin excuse of 'but they are evil communists'. Is that really the best you guys can manage? You know, sometimes you really make it an uphill battle to love and respect America.