New Year, New Laws! by DL Larson

It takes quite a bit to surprise me, news-wise, at least. I thought I knew most of the new laws passed, buckle up front or backseat, truck drivers must have hands free phones, etc. I never expected to get pulled aside at the grocery store. I wasn't speeding, I wasn't stealing from another's cart, I bought toliet bowl cleaner!

Yep. Stores must now catalog those who purchase toliet bowl cleansers. The manager was called over, and he had his trusty booklet in hand and marked down the brand, expiration number, and other identification regarding the cleaning product I purchased. But it didn't stop there. He needed my full name, my address and county. They, the clerks at Hy-Vee agreed it was a ridiculous rule to enforce and we discussed how the bigger chain stores would handle this new burden. It took only a few moments to comply, but I was thankful I only bought one bottle; sometimes I purchase these type of items in bundles of three or four. Would I have been put on an alert list? Watch this women, nobody needs that much toliet bowl cleaner! Do they know or care I live in the country where rust abounds and I have three bathrooms? How would I explain I like to keep a tidy bowl?

If you haven't purchased toliet cleaner yet this year, beware. One of the chemicals used in the cleaner is toxic and could be dangerous. Duh! It's main compound is some type of bleach! Bleach is dangerous, this is not new news! Toliet cleaners have been known to have ingredients harmful to humans if used inappropriately. Again, this is not new on any level.

Once again it comes down to responsibility. Anything used incorrectly can be harmful. Hot coffee is HOT. Didn't McDonald's try to explain that in the courts? I'm sure some demented soul used toliet bowl cleaner for some creepy purpose and now the rest of us, in part, pay the penalty. Their business is now forced upon us and our freedom to buy in peace wihtout hinderance is once again in jeapardy.

Tracking who purchases what will not stop folks from doing something stupid. How many times must we learn this? We can not police our communities this way. It is a false security. Toliet cleanser terrorists will still surface to harm someone. We can not stop those bent on doing wrong. If not toliet bowl cleaner, it will be something else and the chase to catch up will continue.

Call me irresponsible, but I only want to buy my groceries in peace and not be monitored to such a degree. BIG BROTHER is lurking a little too close as far as I'm concerned.

Til next time ~

DL Larson