3 Questions. 3 Hints. 3 Answers.
July 14, 2015
1. Who says money can’t buy you love? Here’s potential proof that it can…
Hint:
Answer: meet “Pepper” Japan’s newest and most advanced AI human companion. Pepper converses, reads feelings, mimics human beings’ state of emotions, performs select tasks, is equipped with a moral compass and has software-based learning expansion possibilities. The downside? The $1,600 price tag, hefty upkeep fees and its three-year lifespan may leave many owners mourning the loss of a high-maintenance friend whose life was cut short due to its current digital shortcomings. Read more here.
2. What Nevada-based lawsuit has Google wrapped up in a disclosure as opposed to a deletion issue?
Hint:
Answer: alleging defamatory content, Las Vegas attorney Adam Kutner wants the “Legal Eagle” and others to reveal themselves and is co-suing Google to disclose the identity of the elusive blogger(s). An earlier suit, in 2013, was dismissed due to a limitations period. While there have been suggestions that the bloggers’ written opinions are protected by First Amendment rights to free speech, the case is not between government actors, a requirement to raise a Constitutional argument. It may well be that if the judge issues an order against Google the decision may be subject to First Amendment scrutiny on appeal, but not before. What say you, Constitutional scholars? Read the details here.
3. What is often the last thing you want to do when you are feeling lousy?
Hint:
Answer: drive your miserable self to the doctor. Telemedicine (allowing you to stay in your PJs on your couch) is becoming more popular among patients, doctors, medical enterprises and insurance companies. Being able to tap on an app or go to a website to request a personal medical consultation, may be a less expensive, more convenient and less burdensome way of receiving professional medical care. However, some stakeholders have voiced their concerns over the “hands-off” practice. For instance, getting an antibiotic prescription called in after a Skype consultation with a physician may be risky — without a lab culture, the antibiotic prescribed may be inappropriate and may inevitably require a “live” follow-up. Thus, we may even see an increase in antibiotic use (and a surge in antibiotic-restistant bacteria) as a result. Similarly, what presents like X on FaceTime may present like Y after a real-life physical assessment, resulting in a misdiagnosis. State legislatures, medical boards, insurers and physicians are coming together to determine if and under what circumstances virtual office visits may be acceptable. Some have suggested a pre-requisite in-person meeting with a physician prior to digital engagement. Others have proposed limitations on the types of medical services that should be provided online. Notwithstanding, for patients in remote areas, patients who are simply feeling too lousy to drive to the doctor or patients who can’t wait 5 days for the next earliest appointment, regulated telemedicine may be the way to go. Read the story here.