The Daily Valet. - 12/12/19, Thursday
✔️ We Rely on Tech for So Much. Why Not This?
Thursday, December 12th Edition
I don’t want to live in a world where binge-watching doesn’t exist.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Apps Will Be Our Doctors in the Future
Would you trust Siri or Alexa to be your nurse?
"Healthcare is the biggest business in the world, and it is phenomenally broken," tech guru Peter Diamandis tells Fast Company. "So, do I think Apple and Google and Amazon can do a better job? A thousandfold."
In his upcoming book, The Future Is Faster Than You Think, which will hit bookshelves next month, the best-selling author makes the case for why he believes big tech companies are going to be running healthcare as early as 2030.
Amazon has put significant effort into making Alexa a health resource. In the United Kingdom, it has partnered with the National Health Service to answer basic health questions such as "what are the symptoms for shingles?" or "what do you do if you have a cold?"
It has also made Alexa compliant with U.S. HIPAA laws and signed partnerships with major healthcare insurers and providers so patients can access or remit health information through the device. Both the Google Home and the Echo have a Mayo Clinic-developed skill called "First Aid" that helps people navigate minor injuries.
Personally, I was just shopping for a new insurance plan and discovered that it ties into my Apple Health app and actually gives me money back for consistently hitting my daily step count.
Diamandis believes that the more information that is available about you—from your health history and fitness level to what you ate for breakfast, how you slept last night and what kind of sound you’re exposed to every day—the better artificial intelligence will be at spotting your potential for illness and suggesting care before the problem becomes intractable. Sure beats late night searches on WebMD, right?
A Deal for Weinstein and His Accusers?
He won’t have to admit wrongdoing, or even pay
Disgraced Hollywood magnate Harvey Weinstein and the board of his bankrupt film company reached a tentative $25 million settlement agreement with dozens of women who accused him of various counts of sexual misconduct, ranging from rape to sexual harassment, according to NBC News.
The proposed settlement would not require Weinstein, whose alleged behavior propelled the #MeToo movement, to admit fault or personally pay the accusers. If the deal, which was first reported Wednesday by the New York Times, moves forward, it must be formally approved by a US Bankruptcy Court judge in Delaware and a federal judge in New York.
The payout for the accusers who choose to participate would come from insurance companies representing the Weinstein Co. as part of its bankruptcy proceedings, resulting in an overall $47 million settlement. Of this, more than $12 million would be paid to cover a portion of the legal costs for Weinstein and his associates.
And while the settlement is being called "the best deal available," some accusers already say they object. I can't say that I blame them ... while they will get some retribution, it can certainly appear like Weinstein is getting off easy. But if we factor in that his behavior ultimately cost him his very lucrative career, then maybe the deal looks a bit more fair.
Tariff Deadline Looms
Gifts could be more expensive for last-minute shoppers
Unless President Trump acts by this Sunday, the United States will place tariffs on almost $160 billion in additional Chinese goods. In the weeks before Christmas, it's a move that could be unwelcome both in America and China, reports Reuters.
The tariffs would affect devices such as video game consoles and computer monitors, toys, clothing and other products that make popular gifts. A 15 percent tax would especially hurt American tech makers such as Apple.
Trump is expected to meet with top trade advisers on Thursday to discuss the tariffs, but the markets are bracing for potentially negative impacts. Many had expected the two sides to reach a deal ahead of the deadline, but that now seems unlikely. The question now is whether there will be an 11th-hour deal and Washington delays the tariffs or whether they let them take effect.
↦ Go Deeper: What is a tariff and who pays it? The Tax Policy Center explains it all.
Plastics in the Wild
Here are all the crazy and disturbing places plastic pollution ended up in 2019
Plastics are out of control. No matter where you go, nations are overwhelmed by it, as one woman who traveled to every country on earth can testify. According to National Geographic, a whopping 91% of plastic isn’t recycled and it’s estimated to take anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years for plastic to break down in landfills.
If it isn’t recycled, this plastic finds its way into nature and oceans where animals can’t help but eat it—often because it smells like food. The Huffington Post culled together all the stories of how errant plastic is wreaking havoc on the environment.
From the bottom of the ocean and inside whales to microplastic-laden water and fresh mountain air, here’s where plastic has wound up in 2019.
↦ FYI: A May 2019 report by the Center for International Environmental Law found the proliferation of single-use plastic around the world is accelerating the effects of climate change.
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Decade-Defining Words of the 2010s
The internet completely changed the way we talk
Imagine a world without Instagram or memes, or Alexa and Lyft. Before 2010, there was no Tinder, no Tesla—we didn't even have the iPad yet. Times have changed so dramatically in the last decade.
As technology has evolved, so too has our vocabulary. According to BuzzFeed News, "The proliferation of new products and services has directly informed how we talk: The ’90s was the decade when Photoshop became a verb; the ’00s were when we coined the term to Google; and the 2010s were when we did the same thing to Venmo, Netflix (and chill), Uber and Postmates."
These past ten years have also been an era when the voices of historically marginalized groups—specifically black, queer and drag cultures—were elevated to and adopted by the mainstream. From bae and binge to woke and yaaasss, it's a vocabulary time capsule of sorts.
↦ The Full List: Check out the 33 words that have defined the past decade.
Weekend Shopping Plans
From boots to outerwear, our picks from three can’t-miss sales going on this weekend.
25% off select items
Polo Ralph Lauren quilted jacket $268 / $160.80
Up to 65% off shoes and boots
Ben Sherman waxed leather Chelsea boot $155 / $69.97
25% off w/code PERFECTGIFT
Funnelneck sweatshirt $159.50 / $119.62
Special Promotion
My Good Skin Secret Weapon
Onekind’s new night serum is effective yet gentle because it mixes potent retinol and peptides with soothing birch bark extract and Vitamin E (which combats redness, irritation and dryness). What’s more, you can get it for nearly half off with this exclusive code.
↦ Get It $42 / $22 with code VALET at Onekind
Morning Motto
Don’t give up. Give yourself a few weeks to obtain a different perspective.
↦ Follow: @wetheurban
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