[AaronInCarolina]

This is old info and is not happening.

I know that. In fact, most non-IPCC-related scientists know that there is little if any danger from Antarctic melting as most of Antarctica is getting colder rather than warming. Only the Antarctic Peninsula has been warming (rather dramatically), but it is small appendage to Antarctica, and is the farthest north point on Antarctica. As far as the rest of Antarctica melting, even the most rabid of pro-AGW scientists don't really push that idea.

[RightWhale]

Most don't know that the Northwest Passage was open earlier but frozen by the time of Columbus. When the Northwest Passage is open again, we'll be back where we were; until then we have to ship through the Panama Canal or by air which adds cost to everything.

[muawiyah]

The peninsula lies mostly North of the antarctic cyclone ~ that means it's subject to the warmer Temperate zone weather that blows in from time to time and gets little of the far colder Antarctic weather systems.

The Northern Hemisphere does not have the same phenomenon because it has far more landmass that gets in the way.