You Can't Make This Stuff Up

I read a couple of humorous articles on National Review that I wanted to share with you. One is a short blog post about San Francisco's sewer woes. It seems the city has been using "environmentally friendly" low-flow toilets that have caused sludge to build up inside the sewer pipes. Not surprisingly, this has created a horrible stench throughout the city that has forced its government to spend tens of millions over the past few years to try to upgrade the sewer system. Now the city wants to pump bleach into the sewers to further combat the smell. But of course, the very environmentalists whose policies caused the problem in the first place are upset about the bleach as well. Ah San Francisco. Is it really worth it to have your city inundated with poop just to "save" a few gallons of water (a completely renewable resource, by the way)?

The other is an even more humorous article about more destructive consequences of the radical environmental movement. The article is definitely worth reading for the humor alone, but here's an executive summary. Back in the early 1990's, the environmental movement led the charge to prohibit logging in many millions of acres of forests in Oregon and Washington to protect the habitat of the endangered spotted owl. This devastated the economy of many towns in the region and caused 30,000 loggers to lose their jobs. Now, a couple of decades later, it turns out that the spotted owl continues to die off, and the reason has little to do with logging. It seems the culprit is the barred owl, a rival species that is taking over the spotted owl's habitat. But the ever resourceful environmentalists have a new plan. Now they want to set up in the forest, play owl calls over loudspeakers, and shoot barred owls when they come in response to the owl calls. How do you feel about your tax dollars possibly financing the killing of one owl species to save another? And when are the loggers going to get an apology from the government for getting their jobs taken and their lives ruined based on junk science?

And how many other jobs are being lost as a result of junk science? Think "global warming" and "cap-and-trade." I think it's safe to say the environmental movement in this country has not learned its lesson.

A lot of hot air

I moved to Maryland a few months ago.  As I have settled into my new home state, I have quickly learned that the people of Maryland, or at least their elected representatives, seem to like government regulations.  Over the weekend, I got a notice from the Maryland Vehicle Administration that says my car has to be tested for compliance with emissions standards.  According to the notice I received in the mail, the purpose of this test is to reduce "the amount of ground-level ozone in the air we breathe". 

However, the notice also says what to do if your car fails the test. 

• Move your vehicle into a customer parking space, come in the office and speak to the Customer Service Representative on Duty.
• You may apply for a repair waiver after the vehicle fails the test, is repaired, then fails again.
• You must present proof that at least the minimum amount required for the waiver was spent for emissions related repairs.  Refer to the "If Your Vehicle Didn't Pass" brochure or www.marylandmva.com for further information.

In other words, you can still drive a non-compliant vehicle as long as someone tried to fix it.  It's the thought that counts.  My guess is that this ineffective and useless law was passed so the people in office could prove that they had done something to protect the environment.  At least the test only costs $14.