Telemedicine; In God We Trust; Allen and Greene; Putin and Obama; toll roads

Telemedicine

The headline on a Sept. 22 story by Tony Pugh, “Telemedicine could cut healthcare expenses,” should have dropped the word expenses.

Any physician, nurse practitioner or witchdoctor has access to the various diagnoses for any variety of symptoms. It’s called a computer. Whether cheaper or infinitely more expensive is a debate for daydreamers and skeptics.

I challenge the promoters of these ideas to submit to a robot’s decision as to whether to pull a tooth or to fill it. With the appropriate app, anyone awake could tell the difference between a broken leg and an abscess of the neck. Dealing with the reality of proper treatment is a different matter.

Most medical and surgical problems can be properly evaluated only by the traditional and complex history and physical.

I recommend that juju medicine remain on the shelves of Toys R Us.

In God We Trust

You say the slogan “In God We Trust” on a police car will promote and stir fears? To quote Bob Schieffer, “Is that the best you’ve got”?

Allen and Greene

After several months of reading the columns of Cynthia M. Allen and Richard Greene, I’ve come to wonder why there are not other contributors with different viewpoints.

While Allen and Greene have the right to express their views, I find they are misinformed, may not tell the truth and adhere to a rigid ideology in the face of facts to the contrary. If they want to live in fairytale world, so be it. But some of us in the real world want factual information.

By reading different viewpoints, readers can form their own opinions about current issues, such as climate change, abortion, President Obama, the various wars and activity in Washington.

In a democratic society, isn’t the free press supposed to offer a variety of viewpoints?

Putin and Obama

I’m beginning to suspect that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no respect for President Obama.

I would like to have been in the room if a Russian general ever told George Patton or Curtis LeMay to “get out” — even if it’s the men’s room.

Toll roads

Richard Greene thinks everyone can afford the exorbitant toll rates they charge. That’s elitist. (“We all pay for new roads, but users pay for toll roads,” Sunday)

What is the cost per mile to drive on the toll road? 15 cents? 20 cents? That is outrageous!

The state of Texas should build the toll road by selling bonds, and when the bonds are paid off the road should become free just like was done with the toll road that is now Interstate-30.

This story was originally published October 6, 2015 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Telemedicine; In God We Trust; Allen and Greene; Putin and Obama; toll roads."