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Letters War rules don't apply to terrorists Dear Editor, It seems you are still looking for love in all the wrong places. We don't need terrorist love, we need terrorist info. They will never be your friends. They make their own rules and the Geneva Conventions were never considered. The recently revealed plot to blow up several airplanes was foiled with information that did not come easily. The CIA tactics may cause editorial shudders, but innocent people were saved. We can be humane, but we don't have to tie our own hands. The "reasonable" Republicans are RINO's (Republican In Name Only). They are only seen as "reasonable" when they agree with Democrats. Senator McCain wants one thing- the White House. He will work both sides and use the press because they love to be used. Senator McCain did not get the deal he wanted (including trials and access to classified information for the terrorists' legal defense), but he did get the TV time that he craves. Your editorial has one half of a paragraph hand-wringing about the REAL bad guys and the rest is criticism of the President and praise for Senator McCain while he gives any advantage back to the cutthroats. Geneva Conventions protection was never given to terrorists until the Supreme Court generously did so. Thomas Sowell said when you are attacked from behind in a dark alley, the Marquis of Queensbury rules do not apply. If you try to apply them, you end up being a "dead fool." J. G. Clark Grove Hill
Take precautions now for flu season Dear Editor, The winter season is soon approaching us. Some of you may begin to experience cold symptoms as the temperatures change. Although having a cold can be uncomfortable, most of its effects are short-lived. Fortunately, many cold symptoms can be managed with over- the-counter remedies and rest. Most colds and the flu usually do not require antibiotics. According to the Center for Disease Control, antibiotics will not cure colds nor the flu. Cold and flu symptoms are due to viral infections. Antibiotics are for the treatment of bacterial infections, however, viral infections, like the flu and colds, can predispose one to bacterial infections. For example, a bout with the common cold can cause a sinus infection. Clear fluid draining from one's nose from a cold does not require antibiotics. If the drainage changes from clear to a colored material, one should then be evaluated for a possible sinus (bacterial) infection. Chronic health conditions such as asthma, emphysema and diabetes, amongst other chronic illnesses, require closer observation by one's physician when one is affected by the flu or common colds. So, remember your yearly immunizations for the flu! Others may also qualify for the pneumonia vaccine! Should your physician prescribe an antibiotic, remember to take all of the medication as prescribed. Do not "share" your antibiotics. Antibiotics are prescribed as a "course." This means the antibiotics are prescribed for a scientifically recommended length of time as well as the strength and number of times in a day the antibiotics are to be taken. Not completing the antibiotics as prescribed can cause resistance to the antibiotic by the bacteria. Therefore, an antibiotic which once was effective against a certain illness is no longer effective against that illness. You may then need stronger antibiotics, if they exist, against certain illness. The "new" antibiotic may be more expensive and have different side-effects. Even worse, you may cause drug-resistant bacteria to spread to other individuals. They too may need "new" antibiotics which are usually very expensive. Also, not everyone heals the same. A family member or friend with a chronic illness may not heal as well nor as quickly from strains of bacteria that have drug-resistance. And, those bacteria are smart. Certain bacteria have been known to be resistant to several antibiotics. Good hand-washing habits help destroy many harmful bacteria and viruses. Should your antibiotic cause an allergic reaction, like a skin rash, or cause side-effects such as nausea, consult your physician. Your physician may need to prescribe a different antibiotic or give you suggestions to make the side-effects tolerable. Dr. Maria Oquendo, M.D. Grove Hill Memorial Hospital
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