[Snidely Whiplash]

was this great flood of noah's time...

Probably not - the flood story here would have to:

1) Become part of aboriginal American folklore;
2) Somehow get all the way to the Middle East, with no one to get it there;
3) Become part of those cultures;
4) Wind up as part of their religious traditions and thence the Bible.

So far, the Black Sea flood referenced earlier is the best candidate for the story's origin (unless one is a literalist).

It would seem that the nature of climatic change is indeed taking on a resemblance to Stephen Jay Gould's puncutated equilibrium model - periods of relative quiet interspersed with rapid, often catastrophic events that drive the changes themselves.

Snidely

[Travis McGee]

It would seem that the nature of climatic change is indeed taking on a resemblance to Stephen Jay Gould's puncutated equilibrium model - periods of relative quiet interspersed with rapid, often catastrophic events that drive the changes themselves.

I totally agree. And another major shift could come with blinding speed, leading panytwaist liberals to scream and whine and cry for Mommy Government to save them.

I'll be okay (relatively) as long as I can find a nice warm water port or two for my sailboat. Perhaps it will be in Iceland, perhaps it will be in Brazil.

[RightWhale]

Become part of aboriginal American folklore

The ones who were here then are all gone. Possibly killed and eaten by newcomers.

[blam]

Here is a worldwide map of the oceans with the water level reduced by about 300 feet. There is a debate whether the oceans were reduced by 300 or 500 feet with most accepting 400 feet. On the map notice there is no Persian Gulf, the Red Sea is land locked and the Mediterranean is in three sections. Now, imagine the water lowered by 500 feet.