*"That New York Times link can only be read by subscribing or paying for it."

That's why I said "snippet". Enough can be gleaned from that to determine that scientific tales of melting doom have been around for ages. Oooh, there's another one out today:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6938356.ece

You'd think there was a climate / tax conference due or something.

BTW, I agree about keeping things civil, but if someone starts throwing desperate straw men like Nick Griffin into the argument they deserve ruthless ridicule.