Cargo Ship Carrying Supersized Crane Passes Under Bay Bridge

Local story in my area from yesterday reporting on the transit and arrival of some new cargo cranes constructed in China and navigating through Maryland waters after a 2 month ocean transit.

The cranes cost $40M so this represents at least a  $40M hit to US GDP, in fact probably more if local labor compensation disparity is included in the calculation (hard to compete against the USD value of 2 rations of dog brain soup per day) .  And it doesn't stop there, as these cranes will assist in the future off-loading of additional $M worth of US GDP destroying goods at the Port of Baltimore.

Transit of the Bay Bridge was temporarily halted, thus killing the domestic productivity of the local economy for a day (thanks!), while the custom craft passed under the bridge by only 4 feet!

And isn't it nice of our US government agencies to assist this mercantilist effort to annihilate domestic employment, we read:

The ship took on extra ballast water to ride lower. Special instruments installed by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration measured the clearance. “Over six minute intervals, the data was updated, calculated and re-provided to the ship’s operator so they could safely navigate,” said Linda Austin, NOAA Spokesperson.

That was awful nice of them.

Export growth collapsing. Economies screaming for more fiscal stimulus.

World export growth slowing rapidly now.

From Zerohedge this morning:

"Japan trade deficit hits record", "Australia Records First Trade Deficit in 11 Months on 8% Plunge in Exports", "Brazil Posts First Monthly Trade Deficit in 12 Months " then of course this: "[US] Trade deficit hits 3-year record imbalance", and finally, as of late last night, we get the following stunning headline: "China Has Biggest Trade Shortfall Since 1989 on Europe Turmoil."

The world economy is screaming for further fiscal stimulus now, but it’s not going to happen because of fears over debt and deficits.