Organics in Landfills don't decompose

The Spring/Summer 2008 issue of "Talkin' Trash" from Thurston County Water and Waste Management (which can be found here) gave me an interesting tidbit of information that has convinced me to try composting again, especially now that I'm in a house.
"Organics in Landfills: It's a myth that yard and food waste decompose quickly in landfills. Organic materials stay intact for decades in landfills because the items are sealed away from oxygen and moisture. University of Arizona Professor William Rathje and his students found hotdogs, pastries, and other recognizable foods 15 years after the foods were buried in a landfill. Nearby newspapers (still readable) were used to identify when the items were buried."