DATE: Tuesday, July 22, 1997                TAG: 9707210214

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B10  EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  120 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR -THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

HEALTH

Poor AIDS patients

can get life-saving drugs

Your July 15 front-page article, ``AIDS deaths drop by 19 percent,'' indicated that many patients are not getting drugs they need due to the high annual cost of these prescriptions.

I work in the pharmaceutical industry. My company and others have programs for patients who do not have the ability to pay for drugs their doctor determines medically necessary. Typically, it is at the doctor's discretion as to who qualifies for these programs.

We hope AIDS deaths continue to significantly decline for all patients, regardless of income.

John W. Fiege

Norfolk, July 16, 1997

TELEVISION

Just 2 ratings

With the current choices of programs on television, the industry only needs two ratings - dumb and dumber!

Joyce Kirkwood

Virginia Beach, July 10, 1997

PATRIOTISM

You're wrong, let's

keep flags waving

In response to your July 3 editorial, ``Don't be rude'': I totally disagree with you that we should not place our flags in front of our houses for everyone to see. You are not helping to inspire patriotism with your view.

What does not winning the Vietnam War have to do with setting out flags?

You said that most of the flags would be put out by salesmen and political candidates. Are you referring to our 87th District delegate, Thelma Drake? I was proud to be one of the volunteers who woke up at 6 a.m. to place the flags in Cottage Line. I am happy that Mrs. Drake cared enough about her community to spend the money for these flags. It really inspired me when I saw all the flags waving in the wind.

What about all the flags that are placed in front of the graves on Memorial Day? Should we stop doing that also since some of them probably are left overnight and some may fall to the ground?

Alex Gregory (age 14)

Norfolk, July 15, 1997

MEDICARE

$75,000 sounds

rich to me

In his June 30 letter to the editor, Robert James Bond stated that $75,000 a year isn't riches today.

Mr. Bond should venture out into the real world and discovery how many millions of people on Medicare do not even come close to $30,000 income yearly. These people must also carry supplemental insurance costing from $60 to $100 monthly.

Most Medicare recipients, like my wife and me, are already retired. So an annual income of $50,000 to $75,000 would be classed as ``rich'' to the majority of us.

Richard R. Hoefs

Elizabeth City, N.C., July 10, 1997

ENTERTAINMENT

Rude audience

marred 4th concert

I would like to voice my annoyance with many of the patrons who attended the Virginia Symphony's ``Freedom and Fireworks'' concert at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater on July 4.

It was with great anticipation that my friends and I attended this program. The concert was outstanding, despite the oppressive heat and humidity of the evening. Associate Conductor Wes Kenney, the musicians and the Virginia Symphony Chorus should all be commended for their professionalism.

It is unfortunate, however, that I cannot say the same for the audience. Many patrons behaved as if this live performing orchestra was mere ``background music'' for their private conversations, thus preventing others from enjoying the music. This lack of concert etiquette was appalling.

I say to those patrons whose rudeness diminished our enjoyment: You missed a great concern.

Judith E. Gutterman

Norfolk, July 9, 1997

WELFARE

Thanks for looking

at reform that works

Thank you, Margaret Edds, for a balanced, succinct and empathetic series on how three women are dealing with moving from welfare to self-sufficiency.

With all the hullabaloo about welfare reform, I would remind everyone that from about 1970 until 1982, the Virginia Department of Social Services contracted with the Virginia Employment Commission to place adult recipients of Aid to Dependent Children. The program was the Work Incentive Program (WIN).

I worked with the program for a number of years and found what Ms. Edds found: women who successfully overcame seemingly insurmountable odds and reached self-sufficiency; and women who, for whatever reason, were not able to attain that goal. To this day, I stand in awe of many of these individuals.

A comment about one of the women featured in Elizabeth Simpson's recent feature about local efforts in welfare reform. The woman who is being trained to be a nail technician is learning a skill that pays no wages. The person receives a commission, meaning that her income is irregular at best. Is this what welfare reformers want?

M. T. Fallin

Norfolk, July 8, 1997

SPACE

Leave E.T. alone,

spend $$ on Earth

For some time now I had concluded that my wife and I must be the only people on Earth who opposed the time and expense involved in space exploration.

Finally Guy Friddell prints his column on July 10 expressing our views.

These funds should be spent here on planet Earth to clean up our air and water and for other needy projects. I see no lasting value in exploring Mars and playing hide-and-seek with rocks named Yogi and Pluto.

I doubt there are any aliens out there, but if there are, please do not disturb them. We have enough problems to contend with now.

James Cogsdale

Newsoms, July 12, 1997

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