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Consider that earth changes on its own beyond climatic factors
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A Reader’s Digest article on rising sea levels is scary, scary because it is misleading and does not include many factors. I could not find in the article any figure citing worldwide rising sea levels. Rising sea levels on a global scale is important information.

The article centered on our naval ports, Norfolk, Va., and other military bases along the East Coast and that rising sea levels would render them useless in 50 years. This would endanger our military preparedness. Is the sea level rising or is the earth crust sinking on our East Coast?

Remember the lighthouse at Cape Hatteras being moved inland a few years ago? The reason was the sea shore was eroding. Why was it eroding? I do not remember anyone citing rising sea levels then. Was the land sinking? No one mentioned this.

Eons ago, Florida, as we know it, was under the ocean that extended into Georgia as far as Macon, it is said. Do we realize the earth’s crust is flexible? In my lifetime (age 83), Mount Everest has gained over an inch in height. Is it possible to think that the earth crust is rising in some places and sinking in others places? Based on earth’s history, this is more of a reality than we have considered.

Climate change/global warming Chicken Little advocates say storms are fiercer today than they were 50 years ago. Is this fact or is it that storms have a lot more media coverage from TV and so on today? Tornado and hurricane damage has greatly increased for the simple reason built-up areas have grown since World War II and TV is there reporting it so that you can see the damage.

The last period of warming began about 1850, but the rise in global wide temperature is less than 1 degree Fahrenheit. To be sure, some areas are warmer and some cooler as weather patterns move around the world. Built-up areas, cities, towns and the like are warmer than rural areas and forests a few miles away.

We moved to Cornelia in April 1999. That summer was hot and dry. This past summer was milder and wet.

No, I am not saying our military should not take steps preparing for continued sinking East Coast crust, but please quit blaming rising ocean levels melting ice caps and carbon footprints. Above all else, industry is better prepared in doing this without government help.

George C. Kaulbach
Cornelia

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