Mark and anyone else not blocking my signals:
        The level of the global sea is indeed rising, at a rather nasty rate, if recent
measurements are to be believed. Best estimates from tide guages are about 20mm
per year recently (http://www.csr.utexas.edu/gmsl/main.html), due to a
combination of thermal expansion as average sea temperatures rise, and the
melting of the polar ice caps.  Given the tendancy towards nastier storms and
higher storm surges, i would advise selling any low-lying land you may own next
to the sea....http://users.erols.com/jtitus/Holding/NRJ.html#abstract: a one
meter sea level rise over the next hundred years seems quite likely, and would
cost at least $300 billion for the Eastern USA alone, although the ecological
costs of such a bone-headed move as trying to hold onto every inch of coastal
property at any cost, would be dissastrous!  For a lot of great sites covering
the topic, see http://www.google.com/search?q=global+sea+level+rise - the google
search engine is rated #1 for science sites, by the way (even if they only list
my site in 8th place for "specimen seashells"!!).

Still White in the Great North (until Tuesday at least, when it is supposed to mellllllt),
-Ross.