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Posted on 08/30/2005 1:34:04 PM PDT by NautiNurse
"This is the big economic hit - temporary cessation of major shipping - perhaps almost all shipping - through the Mississippi Delta to the Gulf of Mexico. A truly gargantuan proportion of our GDP depends upon this.Plus loss of the Delta underground/undersea pipelines for crude oil and refined petroleum products due to earth and mud movements. That was a significant problem with the last major hurricane through this area. The problem is likely bigger now, but rebuilding of those pipelines will be slowed by higher priority demands due to all the other damage this time.
But the shipping issue is the biggie."
It is normal for the Mississippi mouth to be temporarily closed to ocean-going ships following a hurricane in the area. The Corps of Engineers has to make certain the main shipping channels remain clear, and to remove new obstructions or dredge new mud flows as necessary.
So Katrina will have some effect here no matter what. But the longer-duration closure you mention would be disastrous.
And the Port of New Orleans is closed indefinitely. It is the port where most foreign cargo is transferred to and from Mississippi River barges to ocean-going shipping. It is much cheaper to move a lot of cargo up and down the river on barges than on ocean-going ships so, AFAIK, almost half the value of exports from the U.S. to foreign markets which passes down the Mississippi, and at least half the value of non-oil/POL imports going up the Mississippi, relies on the Port of New Orleans to get from barges to ships and vice-versa.
Things will be bad enough with the Port of New Orleans closed, though other river ports can probably make up for some of it, but closure of the entire Mississippi mouth for ALL sea-going traffic for significantly longer than the usual post-hurricane period would have a major, major, adverse effect on the U.S. economy.
Rush had a good line today...
He said that all of these libs that regard the National Guard as a place for "draft dodgers" sure are anxious and grateful for their service now, aren't they?
Yes, we have.
More than 6,000 dead, probably many more - estimates range up at least as high as 8,000, but record-keeping was poor and many were simply never found.
They wound up burning the bodies on the beach because when they towed them out to sea they drifted back in.
That is a full sized barge. Full of bodies.
Not the same, but what did they do with all the bodies in the great flu epidemic of -- not sure of the year -- 1918 or so? My mother told me her mother described the coffins stacked in the streets (in Boston) waiting for the city wagons to pick them up -- daily.
ROFL...thanks MM:)
I love FReepers.
and the flooded out looters are moving to the nicer areas, which are still dry..
Rush playing comments from EPA admin now!
Dont know about that....it will be light traffic with police escorts....
Are they taking over the entire Astrodome complex.....lots of people wanting to take showers...
I pray they succeed.
Don't forget that they have not decided to come back early...
That is not about survival, is it?
Yeah...I was glad to hear of Houston offering the Astrodome, but if they bring those looters....forget it!
how do we know any of these stories are true? Journalists constantly invent man on the street stories to color their articles as needed.
"Clean Air act has just been suspended for gas and diesel!!!
Rush playing comments from EPA admin now!"
YES!!!!
Darn -- clean air waivers only through Sept. 15
True ... but they've got to get out of the hurricane area, not to mention food and potty stops. It'll just take a long time. That's the nature of the beast.
The looters seem to be otherwise occupied.
Do a google with 'kathleen blanco castro'
Lots of goodies coming back.
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