I think this is exciting stuff. We're actively building prototypes around FHE concepts. Basically asking the question: "Can we make meaningful care and hospitality predictions, without ever seeing sensitive data?"
We've banged out some stuff with HElib, and some other interesting implementations, but are just beginning.
And we're hiring for both backend and data science positions. :) [email protected]
I made a very conscious decision to refocus my creative energy from hobby projects (I was busy with making music/bands/production) into my "tech" career 10+ years ago. This was one of the most dramatic multiplier decisions of my life. Everything is still revolving around tech in some way, but in fantastic manifestations … community building, non-profit founding, teaching at a college level, co-working, art/design residencies/exhibitions/publications, and a handful of companies … it’s been very enriching, and easily one of the top 5 good decisions I've made.
Those tissue paper toilet seat covers only really appeared in public bathrooms in the 90s. I still think about how ridiculous they are in the context of HIV/AIDS, every time I see them.
All true, but it's progress compared to some current GMOs (I'm not anti-GMO). Quite literally developed by exposing fields of fruit to massive amounts of radiation until you ended up with a generation that was better than the last.
...and despite: "According to David Hinds of 23andMe on community forums, "nearly everyone (99.97%) is getting called as CC, and there is no clear heterozygote cluster" ... "the genotype calls for rs25531 on our platform are not meaningful." Looking at OpenSNP frequency data, this seems to be universal for direct to consumer genotyping services at this stage.... "
... but went looking for this in my own data anyway, and couldn't even find the rs#.
In this lecture, Sapolsky talks briefly about the genetic component but at a super high level "good/bad" version of a gene.
Depression is a genetic disorder. It has some degree of heritability. 50% identical twins, 25% full sibling. So again we have the whole nature-nurture interaction. Have the bad gene (a serotonin one), add in major stressors and uh-oh. A 30 fold increase in the likelihood of depression at the extreme. Oh, and glucocorticoids regulate the expression of the gene.
“Our successors!” repeated Nikolai Petrovich, with a dejected smile. He had been sitting on thorns, all through the argument, and had done nothing but glance stealthily, with a sore heart, at Arkady. “Do you know what I was reminded of, brother? I once had a dispute with our poor mother; she stormed, and wouldn’t listen to me. At last I said to her, ‘Of course, you can’t understand me; we belong,’ I said, ‘to two different generations.’ She was dreadfully offended, while I thought, ‘There’s no help for it. It’s a bitter pill, but she has to swallow it.’ You see, now, our turn has come, and our successors can say to us, ‘You are not of our generation; swallow your pill.’”
This is great and really resonates. I've often thought the current strife manifests from an inevitable transition of power from the extremely powerful, rich and reluctant baby boom generation to the next millennial generation.
...one of our organizers is a brilliant female designer (boobs was her suggestion). I will also play my ex-pat card here and say this attitude is definitively british/american (it's honestly not necessary to be so prudish). What it takes to engage female collaborators is an openness to work together...and if you look at our nearly 2 year experience organizing Hackers & Designers you will find we are doing an above average job of doing this... ;-)