JaxPort job forecast is guessing game

[thelakelander]

Can't say I'm surprised.

Job predictions have bounced around, but reality has been disappointing.

How many jobs will expansion of Jacksonville’s port produce?  It depends how you count them.

At times, the Jacksonville Port Authority has said fixing Mile Point â€" a place in the St. Johns River’s ship channel where strong currents limit passage of big vessels â€" will create 3,500 jobs from attracting more cargo to a facility whose growth has been stunted by the bad economy. At other times, JaxPort has touted a figure of 17,700 jobs being added.

Each number comes from the same 2009 economic impact study. The 3,500 job figure overstates the estimate from that study, while the 17,700 job figure also includes jobs from across north and central Florida, a Times-Union review of the report shows.

full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-01-24/story/jaxport-job-forecast-guessing-game-0

[Dog Walker]

This article is too long to post in its entirety, but calls into question the entire reason for port expansion, dredging, etc.  It also shows that European banks have more problems than Greek bonds:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/business/global/the-global-downturn-weighs-on-shipowners-and-european-banks.html?_r=1&ref=asia