GREENIE OBSTRUCTIONISM GETS TOUGH RESPONSE:

About time. But a pity such sweeping measures were necessary. The Greenie "stop everything" policy undermines reasonable compromise

The Real ID Act, approved by a 261-to-161 vote, includes a number of anti-terrorism provisions approved last year by the House in response to the 9-11 commission's recommendations but dropped due to Senate opposition. "This unfinished business from last year aims to prevent another 9-11-type attack by disrupting terrorist travel," said Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., the bill's chief sponsor.

Section 102 of the REAL ID Act of 2005 seeks to expedite the building of a three-mile fence at the border near San Diego to staunch the flood of illegal aliens that travel through an area known as "smuggler's gulch." Environmental laws have been the project's chief roadblock, but the bill's language appears to provide an unlimited scope, reading, "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall have the authority to waive, and shall waive, all laws such Secretary, in such Secretary's sole discretion, determines necessary to ensure expeditious construction of the barriers and roads under this section."

Significantly, it also says courts are prohibited from reviewing the secretary's decision.

A spokesman for Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. -- a supporter of the bill whose district includes the border area -- said he could not comment on the scope of the measure's language. But he emphasized the need to construct the barrier as soon as possible to shut down a potential entry point by terrorists. "There is an urgent priority to finish it," said Joe Kasper. "For several years, we've been going back and forth with the California Coastal Commission to finish up this border fence, with little success." ....

A group called Defenders of Wildlife said it believes that although Sensenbrenner repeatedly has described H.R. 418 as limited only to the San Diego project, it likely would enable the secretary to waive all laws applying to the nearly 7,500 miles of border with Mexico and Canada. Rodger Schlickeisen, president of the group, called the section "extreme and unnecessary."

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RECYCLING: BUT WHY?

It costs more than dumping the stuff and uses up more resources so why do it? Some sort of puritan hangover from a poorer era I guess. Brisbane city where I live has had compulsory recycling for years -- complete with separate bins for "recyclables" and special trucks to collect it -- but nobody wanted the "recycled" stuff so it just get dumped too -- as a cost-saving measure

Recycling has been required for more than a decade in communities with progressive reputations, such as Madison, Wis., and several Northeastern states - with varying degrees of success.

Seattle has had ample reason to brag since 1989, when it became one of the first cities in the country to start curbside pickup of newspaper, cardboard, aluminum cans, glass bottles and office paper. But in recent years, its recycling rate has dipped below 40 percent, down from a peak of 44 percent in 1995.

Most cities would probably envy that rate, well above the national average of about 27 percent, according to the State of Garbage in America, a report published last year by the recycling journal Biocycle. But it's far from Seattle's goal of 60 percent by the end of the decade.

So the City Council passed a mandatory recycling law that took effect Jan. 1, but penalties won't be enforced until next year. Starting in 2006, people in single-family homes won't get their trash picked up if they dump "significant amounts" of recyclables in their trash, defined by the city as more than 10 percent by volume. Owners of apartments, condominiums and businesses will face $50 fines. So far, city officials say few people have complained. Most calls have come from people wondering how to comply with the new standards. "When you tell them what the story is, they say, 'Oh, OK,'" said Tim Croll, community services director for Seattle Public Utilities, which runs the city's garbage and recycling systems. The city has budgeted $1.5 million for a three-year education campaign that began last year and includes mailers, how-to kits, a recycling hot line and friendly warning tags that open with "Why waste a good thing?"

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