Even as public consciousness grows about the threat of climate change, the new Democratic majority in Congress will encounter many obstacles to strong emissions controls: industry resistance, budget constraints, disagreements among party leaders and the problem's daunting complexity and global scope.

"It's going to be difficult, but I think we can build on the groundswell that's out there to do something," Boxer said. "I'm an idealist, but I'm also a pragmatist."

She plans weeks of hearings, calling state officials, environmentalists and industry leaders, scientists and religious groups, maybe even former Vice President Al Gore and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. "We will listen, listen, listen," Boxer promised. But rising temperatures, increasing health hazards and the fact that U.S. emissions account for about 25 percent of the world's total means "we also have to act," she added.

We, the public, have to keep pressure on our leaders. They have big money taking the side of no changes, we have votes saying, CHANGE! But we have to tell them that over and over...and over.

More at link.

http://www.nrdc.org/news/newsDetails.asp?nID=2404

For the first time in my life, I have daffodils coming up in my garden in the middle of December. It's been incredibly warm in my part of NC this month. Yesterday, at my house, the outdoor temperature was 70 degrees.

ME TOO, Catherine. In fact, ALL of my bulbs are sprouting up. How crazy is that? The average temp for the past few weeks has been in the mid 70s. I'm worried about the plants soooo much. This certainly can't be good for them; plants need their dormant periods. My grass has even started growing again.

I took some dirt and covered the daffies back up, lefty. Maybe that will prevent them from getting nipped when the cold weather does come, as it's supposed to do by Christmas night....although I think we'll be seeing these kinds of surprises more frequently as the seasons pass.

I'm afraid mine are all going to suffer when a frost comes. Most of them are fully out now, except for buds. Do you think they will still come in the spring as they should, or has this interupted their growth cycle?

I think they'll come back up as usual, although they might not be as brightly colored or as large.