> The value of a human life is absolute - and can
> never be quantified. You can't spend enough to
> save one person - let alone thousands.
What nonsense. These trade-offs are made every day when cars and airplanes are built, when roads and buildings are designed. Someone said built it to withstand the strongest cat 5. Great! Do you mean the strongest yet? What if a stronger one comes? It could easily happen. You'll end up spending the entire GDP of the country on a single bridge if you follow your argument...
Just like the wacko environmental regulations that chase one death in a million, costing millions of dollars that could have saved MANY lives if put into other things.