Mark Twain No More

Every 5th grader used to know that "Mark Twain" means "Mark number two."  This Mississippi River term from days gone by referred to the second mark on a line that steamboats used to measure how deep the water was.  "Mark twain" is two fathoms - twelve feet - a safe depth for steamboats.

Mother Jones is reporting that navigation on our mightiest river - and vital shipping channel - is becoming nearly impossible because of extremely low water levels caused by a record drought.

Choose your poison, people.  What's it to be?  Drought?  Flood?  Pestilence?  It's starting to sound Biblical around here.

10 Plagues from Children's Illustrated Bible