Posted on 06/14/2010 2:04:06 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Of all the apocalyptic imagery summoned by global warming's proponents, the most compelling has been the threat of coastal devastation from rising sea levels. In his best-selling work "Earth in the Balance," Al Gore argued that the selfishness of Western industrialization would obliterate small, impoverished countries.
"Although the sea level has risen and fallen through different geological periods, never has the change been anywhere near as rapid as that now expected as a consequence of global warming," he wrote. "... [I]sland nations like the Maldives and Vanuatu (formerly New Hebrides), will be devastated if the projections made by scientists turn out to be accurate." Mr. Gore solemnly predicted that millions of poor inhabitants would be forced to flee their homelands in a desperate bid for survival - unless we adopt his political agenda. It just isn't so.
In a forthcoming issue of the journal Global and Planetary Change, researchers from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission in Fiji documented changes in 27 vulnerable, low-lying reef islands in the Central Pacific. Using aerial photographs taken as early as 1944, the areas were carefully mapped and compared with modern satellite images.
It turns out that the islands did, in fact, change over time, but they are hardly sinking. Overall, 20 grew or remained stable. The island of Funamanu, for example, expanded from 7.4 acres to 9.5 acres in size - a 28 percent growth. Only seven islands shrunk, with the biggest percentage change occurring on Tengasu, which dropped from a tiny 1.7 acres to 1.5 acres -a diminishment of 9,670 square feet, the size of Mr. Gore's Tennessee mansion.
According to various studies, sea levels appear to have risen about 8 inches since the year 1860, but these Pacific islands continue to prosper nonetheless.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
But they are capsizing from over population. Just ask a Democrat congressman.
You beat me by 5 seconds! But hey, I have an mp3 link...
It just doesn't get any better than that!
Idiots, idiots, idiots. And the people who believe them are fools.
Ah yes, Earth In The Balance... my favorite. This book, the professor, and my inability to just agree with the professor, are the reasons why I received my only non-”A” grade in college.
It was a required upper-division course called “The World Problematique” that was clearly designed to make people feel guilty about a whole host of topics.
I refused to tow the party line, and to this day, I wear that “C” like a badge of honor!
We learned why those atolls were sinking in elementary school. Funny global warming wasn’t even mentioned.
It was Bush's fault.
Hell we all ready knew that.
The Competitive Enterprise Institute will bestow the Julian Simon Award on Steve McIntyre and Ross McKitrick for their efforts in debunking Mann's hockey stick at CEI's 2010 Dinner, June 17 at Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill 400 New Jersey Ave. NW Washington, DC 20001.
M&M will also be presenting A Congressional Staff and Media Briefing "ClimateGate, The Context and the Cover-up" 6/17/10 Noon to 1:30 PM ; 406, Dirksen Senate Building, Lunch provided
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