Sometimes We Don't Know What We Are Getting Into

But sometimes we know the risks and we aren't prepared.
Then it is negligence -- bravado -- disregard.

In November 11 ships, including an oil tanker broke up in Russia. The story in the NYTimes said,

"Viktor P. Beltsov, a spokesman for the Ministry of Emergency Situations, speaking in a telephone interview, blamed the captains and ship owners for the disaster. “They all knew perfectly well a storm warning was in effect,” he said. “The leadership of these companies simply ignored these warnings.”

Russian prosecutors said they would open a criminal investigation to assess responsibility for the environmental damage.

But the World Wide Fund for Nature said in a statement that the problem ran deeper than errors in judgment by the ships’ captains, citing the Russian practice of using river tankers, like Volganeft-139, on the open sea in rough weather.

“It’s a systemic problem,” the group said. “Most river tankers simply are not constructed for such storms, and the seagoing vessels cannot sail on the Don and Volga Rivers.”"

I'd be interested in a comparison -- is that like driving an oxcart filled with oil on the Massachusetts Turnpike? Is it like wearing wax wings?
Last week, UPI (United Press International) reported:

"Many ships entering California ports may not be able to comply with a state law requiring they have the capability of reporting oil spills within 30 minutes.

Twenty-one of 164 ships subjected to spot state inspection in a three-year period could not place four notification phone calls, The Sacramento Bee reported Sunday."

Maybe it could be argued we so take oil for granted we don't take seriously the effects at all.
We want it all and we don't want to do what it takes to be careful with our environment and the life around us...