Why I had bad breath on Sunday Morning

Okay, the title of this post will (eventually) make sense...just bear with me.

First off, I am not a political person...I'm a patriotic person, but not political. I don't even belong to a political party--I'm still looking for someone to start a Kumbaya party! It's not that I don't like either party. In fact, I do like both parties...I just don't like partisan politics and I think that the bitterness between the two parties that we are currently dealing with is truly detrimental to the country.

I saw this because I'm about to get a bit political on you all. So, President Gerald Ford died this past week. Not only was he a historically significant president, but he was a truly great man. How do the media networks handle this? They don't. Instead, it's all about the execution of Saddam Hussein.

Now, Hussein was in prison and we knew he'd be executed so, really, this isn't big news. Instead, it's everywhere on TV and poor Gerald Ford, bless his soul, is forgotten. I ask you this? What is better for our nation? Talking about Saddam Hussein and bringing back all the ideological fighting that's currently going on in our nation or remembering a man who brought this nation together and helped to heal our wounds?

Yes, I'm a little upset about this and I was upset about it on Sunday when I flew back here from Tucson. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of flying through Tucson International Airport, I must commend this facility on it's effort to protect the nation from terrorists masquerading as retirees! Okay, I'll admit it, this may be the one airport in the nation where security isn't a joke. For example, when I flew out of Portland earlier in the month, I tossed a tube of toothpaste (3.4 ounces) in my backpack. I knew it wasn't in a ziplock bag and I knew it was over the 3 ounce limit, but I thought, "What the heck, it's just toothpaste!" What I didn't know was that I had a 4 ounce bottle of face mister in my bag as well. Well, security in Portland didn't catch either one! Now, I knew they should have caught me on the face mister, but I wasn't completely sure that toothpaste was a liquid.

Fast forward 10 days: I'm in a long line for security in Tucson. I have my shoes off, my contraband toothpaste (which is now less than 3.4 ounces since, well, I brushed my teeth about 20 times since the last time I had gone through airport security) in the little tray, and I'm holding Carmel--whose scared to death, wiggling and throwing fur. I get through the gate and the security woman (warden!) pulls out my toothpaste.

"You can't have this! This is against TSA regulations!"

I said, whatever...feel free to take it. Then I mentioned that I didn't realize that it was against the regulations because it hadn't been pulled the last time I went through security. The woman glares at me, "We are stricter now! Saddam Hussein is dead!"

What? I had to give up my toothpaste because of Saddam Hussein? Seriously? I have to say that I was mildly miffed about this as I was planning to brush my teeth in order to have minty fresh breath for my Studmuffin when he came to pick me up. But, no, Studmuffin had to deal with my stale breath...thanks to Saddam Hussein!

And, now, your words of wisdom:
"Things are more like they are now than they have ever been."
- Gerald Ford