The dangers of local bike riding
To the editor:
As a bicyclist in the city with the climate to do so, and an economy and environment that begs me to do so, I would like to comment on my experience lately as a cyclist.
I was almost run over on two separate occasions in an intersection. I was walking my bike. I had the light. In both instances, the two motorists had darkened windows. But I had eye-to-eye contact with the drivers and called them on the use of their cellphone — and got the middle finger on both occasions.
I hope law enforcement will pay attention to the increase in totally blackened window tinting as a means to hide while engaged in illegal activity. And please double the police force and their pay, for this city.
I, for one, am aware just how much we depend on them, and I say thanks for all the good work in trying to keep the citizens of Las Vegas safe.
Larry Pepper
Las Vegas
Medical records
To the editor:
I found the “economic boom” hypothesis detailed by Heath and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius regarding the “switch” from paper to electronic medical records to be another gleaming example of the short-sightedness of career politicians (Wednesday op-ed). It certainly is wonderful that 50,000 new health care IT jobs have been spurred by the ObamaCare mandate that all health care providers convert from paper to digital.
That’s correct, mandated, not market-driven as alluded to by the secretary. Coincidentally, guess who is one of the largest providers of digital medical records software? Yep, General Electric and Jeff Immelt of the Obama Jobs Council, etc.
But where Ms. Sebelius sees 50,000 jobs, every health care provider in the nation sees the cost of those “new” jobs deducted directly from their bottom lines.
In addition, there are approximately 4,900 acute care hospitals in the nation. Each of them has a medical records department. If we assume that each hospital now employs 10 people who directly handle paper records — who will be unemployed after the digital switch — that’s 49,000 people who will be kicked to the curb. At best, the secretary will realize 1,000 jobs.
Add in long-term care, hospice, rehab and the many other providers and that 1,000 net gain quickly becomes a significant deficit. Those damn unintended consequences. Ah, the wonders of ObamaCare. Will they ever cease?
Mark Morris
Las Vegas
Spin factory
To the editor:
I’m not predisposed to believe everything Steve Wynn’s spin factory puts out: Okada’s alleged bribery of Philippine officials, corruption, FBI investigation, year-long internal policing.
Maybe it’s all true. But let me ask you this: How many former FBI agents do you think Mr. Wynn has, or has had, on the payroll? Metro, like Mr. Wynn, does in-house policing as well, with sketchy results we’re all familiar with.
If Okada’s “gifts” to Philippine officials are bribes, then what are Mr. Wynn’s recent “gifts” to the Red Chinese? Party favors (no pun intended)? What about the $135 million to Macau University? Did the FBI investigate that?
It sounds to this reader as if Mr. Wynn is trying to squeeze out his partner. Maybe Mr. Wynn doesn’t want Chinese gamblers to flock to Okada’s new joint, when they can drop all their yuan in WynnMacau and in Las Vegas.
Robert Kendler
Las Vegas
Out of gas
To the editor:
The lack of perspective demonstrated by our leaders in addressing gasoline prices is amazing. Per Friday’s front- page Review-Journal article, the president says “there are no quick fixes to this problem,” and economists say there is not much a president of either party could do about gasoline prices. I disagree.
Before the investment banks invented the futures market, oil prices were always a result of supply and demand. Now, speculators are setting the price by buying futures contracts, and prices go up every time Iran’s Ahmadinejad hiccups, even though there is plenty of oil out there. The answer is simple: Shut down the speculators. I’d bet oil prices would immediately drop $10 or $20 a barrel and gasoline would drop back to $3 a gallon.
And if Washington is looking for quick results, eliminate the ethanol mandate that still requires refiners to add it in increasing amounts to our gasoline. There’s another three or four cents a gallon we are paying for something that benefits only the agriculture industry.
Tom Keller
Henderson
Medical necessity
To the editor:
I’ve about had it with the letter writers complaining about insurance-provided birth control. In this day and age of easy access to information, how could people be so ignorant of the facts?
In her Feb. 18 letter to the editor, Ellene Hohmann’s was complaining about government paying for women to have access to birth control and abortions. She says it’s wrong for government or anyone else to pay for anything that has to do with our sexual pleasures.
Then, in a Wednesday letter, Walter Wegst reiterated that he shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s pleasures.
Really? Then why are Viagra and penile implants included in most insurance plans and are considered a medical necessity? If they’re so concerned about paying for someone’s sexual pleasures, why aren’t they complaining about that? I can’t think of anything more that has to do with sexual pleasure than Viagra. The more important question is why should I have to pay for a man’s erection?
Birth control isn’t about only preventing pregnancy; it’s also used to alleviate severe medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis. Abortions are also medically necessary when the life of the mother is in danger.
Women have been fighting for equality for decades and are under attack now more than ever. We can’t allow ourselves to be taken back to the barefoot-and-pregnant days of yesterday. Birth control is basic health care and should be treated as such. Contraception saves lives.
Vicki Linkin
Las Vegas
