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Recently Mrs. ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ was suffering from a bout of the common cold; the symptoms of which included sinus congestion. In an attempt to be helpful, ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ volunteered to tool on down to the local pharmacy to replenish the supply of Sudafed™ which has heretofore been effective in relieving such symptoms. The aisle containing the cold remedies was emptied of the product, requiring a query of the pharmacist. At this time it was revealed that Sudafed™ is in fact stocked by most drug retailers but as of 30 September 2006 due to provisions of THE PATRIOT ACT is behind the drug counter. I advised the druggist that I wished to purchase a 24 tablet supply and was asked to produce a "drivers license". Somewhat puzzled by the relationship between driving and buying a heretofore mundane cold remedy and furthermore having left my vehicle without the wallet which contained it, I asked if other identification would suffice. The druggist replied: "Let me see what you have." At this time I produced identification supplied to retired law enforcement officers by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs' Department. The identification contains my photograph, physical description and an identifying number. It is accompanied by a badge indicating my rank at retirement. It remains the property of the LASD, must be renewed every 5 years and surrendered on demand. The identification further indicates that ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ is authorized to carry a concealed firearm by the California Penal Code. In 2004 the authorization was extended by Federal Law to include all 50 states and U.S. Territories. The druggist who happened to be a native of Pakistan refused to accept the identification stating that it must be "a government issued document." At this time I walked out of the pharmacy and across the street to a supermarket which included a pharmacy. I made sure to enter the establishment with my driver's license and purchased a 24 tablet package of Sudafed™ after filling out a form containing multiple fields.

The "logic" underlying this nonsense is that the product can be used as one of the ingredients in meth-amphetamine, a recreational drug which our rulers have designated as unlawful. It seems that the U.S. has begun traveling down the same road as Venezuela where common acetone is unobtainable due to its role in producing cocaine. Also in that sad country due to the problem of motorcycles proceeding down the lines of stopped traffic in Caracas with two riders. The rider on the rear of the motorcycle would use a gun to rob the motorists. The government solution: outlaw 2 males riding on a motorcycle even in the countryside. One male, OK. One male one female OK. Two females OK. And people wonder what drove ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ to libertarianism.

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