Y. Karp? Why Not!

Hey! We're on the same side!

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 22:22:00 +0200

Are you on the same side as your employer or employee?

Read my latest blog post on LinkedIn.

See what I'm up to www.ykarp.com
Yossi's Magazine: Everyone Needs One of These www.ykarp.com/magazine
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Why an Android Can Write Poetry, But You Can't

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 9 Feb 2020 07:53:00 +0200

What Star Trek: The Next Generation gets right about work/life balance.

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24th Century Management Techniques

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Thu, 2 Jan 2020 15:48:00 +0200

We're just entering 2020, but would you like some management techniques straight out of the 24th Century?

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Gene Editing: The Perfect Human

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 22:40:00 +0300

What is the perfect human? Tall, strong, immune to disease and with a flawless set of pearly whites. Intelligent and creative, with a mild temperament and exceptionally good hair, the world will be a better place when this superior form of human becomes the norm. Well, it's a Hollywood fantasy - but for how long?

Gene editing lets scientists change DNA. Since DNA is the code for everything that makes up living creatures, being able to manipulate it gives scientists incredible power. The whole idea of editing genes began in the early 1900s but it is only now that we are benefiting from the more than 100 years of research and experimentation. Modern gene editing removes or changes genes to prevent and cure diseases. This is an extraordinary step forward. But the ethical and moral questions are numerous. For instance:

Is it moral to edit the genes of an embryo without its permission? Is the parents' permission enough?
Gene therapy is expensive and so only the wealthy will have access to it - is growing the inequality gap between the rich and poor immoral?
Is it acceptable to use gene editing to improve height or athletic ability?
Should scientists ever be able to edit germline cells - the ones that are passed down from generation to generation?

And, of course, history shows that if given half a chance, technology will be misused. For example, once this kind of technology gets into the wrong hands, a megalomaniac dictator could potentially use it to create the perfect, oh, say, I don't know, Aryan.

We are closer to being able to customize babies than you might think. In 2018, He Jiankui became famous for being the first person to genetically edit the genome of human babies. Using CRISPR technology, twin girls were born who were genetically edited to be immune from HIV (the father was HIV positive, the mother was not). While the girls were healthy when born, whether they would suffer long-term health issues is unknown.

Gene editing is a very important field and one that we should definitely dedicate our best minds and resources to. Why spend billions of dollars and unquantifiable resources treating illnesses when we can prevent them altogether? Despite the controversy and widespread condemnation, He Jiankui proved it can be done. But the risks of misuse and immoral use of this technology are high and there are difficult questions that we need to address.

This is how I see it playing out: If the technology to create designer babies is perfected and made available, most countries will regulate it according to an internationally agreed-upon standard (much like nuclear weapons or seatbelts in cars). This will work for a while until we start to justify "breaking the rules". When we start sending colonists into space, how long do you think it will take before NASA uses gene editing to give astronauts better stamina in low-gravity or low-oxygen environments? What is the red line? Don't forget, there will always be those governments who will stop at nothing to give their countries an advantage, be it in the Olympics or on the battlefield. Then the rest of the world will have to keep up, and the spiral begins.

If our research and development leads inexorably to the creation of the ultimate human, when she performs a flawless acrobatic routine, at least she'll also get a 10 for her perfect smile.

Resources:

National Human Genome Research Institute: What is Genome Editing

History.com: Eugenics

Wikipedia: He Jiankui

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Episode 39: Virtual Reality Goggles

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 5 Aug 2018 00:30:00 +0300

Yossi tries VR goggles and gives you a blow-by-blow description of the experience.

Thanks to our sponsor:

Dr. Reuven Rosenberg of The Integrative Health Center
www.drrosenberg.net
Israel: 058-432-5849
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Skype: dr.rosenberg
info@DrRosenberg.net
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Episode 38: Working for Free

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 01:16:00 +0300

We've all worked for free at some point. Why do we do it? Should we do it? Why do we work unpaid overtime hours and feel good about it?

Thanks to our sponsor:

Dr. Reuven Rosenberg of The Integrative Health Center
www.drrosenberg.net
Israel: 058-432-5849
US: (516) 321 1155
UK: 44 203 734 8291
Skype: dr.rosenberg
info@DrRosenberg.net
facebook: @drrosenbergihc

Some reference material mentioned in this podcast episode:

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Episode 37: Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Modern Living

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 1 Jul 2018 00:27:00 +0300

Our modern lifestyle can be toxic. Listen to this mind-blowing interview with Dr. Reuven Rosenberg - it will change the way you live for the better. Learn several easy things that you can do that will have a profound impact on your health today and in years to come. This is the real deal.

Dr Reuven Rosenberg
The Integrative Health Center
www.drrosenberg.net
Israel: 058-432-5849
US: (516) 321 1155
UK: 44 203 734 8291
Skype: dr.rosenberg
info@DrRosenberg.net
facebook: @drrosenbergihc

Some reference material mentioned in this podcast episode:

Episode 36: Welcome to the Postliterate Society

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 23:16:00 +0300

What is a postliterate society and are we living in one? I dive into this question and include some of your thoughts about this topic in this episode of Y. Karp? Why Not!

Some reference material used in this podcast episode:

Episode 35: Sleep Tech

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 3 Jun 2018 01:34:00 +0300

Getting the right amount of sleep, and good quality sleep is so important for your mental and physical well-being. The only way to know how to fix our sleep habits is to first measure it. Luckily there’s a lot you can do at home with consumer sleep tech.

Some reference material used in this podcast episode:

Episode 34: You're Fired!

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 27 May 2018 01:27:00 +0300

When you work for someone else, you never really know if when you get to work, the boss will call you into his office and tell you that you’re being let go. It can happen to anyone. Here are some of your stories about being fired.

Click here for an article about the side effects of being fired from your job.

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Episode 33: The Google Duplex Fallout

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 13 May 2018 00:50:00 +0300

The unveiling of Google’s Duplex technology at Google I/O last week was so amazing and so controversial, I can’t stop thinking about it. Here's my take and how it might affect you.

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Audience Contribution Time: You're Fired!

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Tue, 8 May 2018 10:54:00 +0300

New guy, around 20 years old or so, called in sick saying he thinks he had a stroke. Since he lived across the street from the store where we worked, we all then stood and watched through the store's glass door as he packed up his truck with beach gear and drove off with his girlfriend. Fired the next day. - From Refinery29.com

I’m putting together a podcast episode about firing people and being fired and I would love it if you would share your interesting, funny, or even sad story about when you fired someone or when you were fired.

Here are a few options for how you can contribute your story:

On Facebook Messenger, search for @ykarpwhynot and send a voice message (tap the microphone icon in a new message).
Record a voice message using whatever app you like and send it either through Facebook messenger or by email to whynot@ykarp.com.
If you are not comfortable recording it, or if you can’t manage to send a recording to me for whatever reason, send me an email to whynot@ykarp.com and I’ll read it out for you.

Important: Please don’t use real names!

The more stories I can gather, the more interesting this podcast episode will be - so thank you!

Episode 32: We Have Your Personally Identifying Information

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 6 May 2018 01:44:00 +0300

Hacking attempts occur all the time. Are you protecting your customer's personal information? Does your business comply with GDPR? As a consumer, how do you minimize the risk of long-term damage caused by data breaches?

Some interesting links about cybersecurity and GDPR:
EU GDPR Portal
Major data breaches and hacks
Google Search: How to protect yourself from data breaches

Episode 31: Giving Up

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 00:12:00 +0300

What kind of motivation is good for you? What's the difference between motivation and manipulation? Is giving up always a bad thing? How do tech companies motivate and manipulate us?

Episode 30: In the Zone

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 1 Apr 2018 11:12:00 +0300

Completely immersing yourself in a task or activity can be difficult - but satisfying, and a little unnerving. What goes on in your brain when you concentrate and how can you train yourself to concentrate better? The answer will surprise you!

Some resources used for this episode:

Episode 29: Inventions to Drive You Crazy

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 1 Apr 2018 11:12:00 +0300

From the buggy whip to interstellar travel, we are always thinking of new, different, and faster ways to get places. So here are four transportation-related inventions that didn’t quite make it into mainstream life.

Some resources used for this episode:
A list of weird inventions.
The Goodyear glowing tire.
The Highway HiFi
Early 20th Century road accident statistics
The Pedestrian Safety Net (article)
The Pedestrian Safety Net (YouTube video)
WIPO Invention Statistics (PDF)

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Episode 28: Soft Skills Aren't Hard

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 01:21:00 +0300

If some of the most important skills you need to be a professional are not your core technical skills, what are they?

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Episode 27: Show Me the Money!

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 02:18:00 +0200

Money makes the world go 'round. The cashless society is upon us, but what's in it for you?

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Some resources used in this episode:

https://www.internetworldstats.com/me/il.htm

https://www.fastcompany.com/3056736/what-happens-when-we-become-a-cashless-society

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/cashless_society/2012/03/living_without_cash_would_a_cash_free_world_have_lower_crime_rates_.html

Episode 26: Cue the Qubits

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 07:50:00 +0200

Computers have come a long way since the Z1 - the first programmable computer built in the 1930s. We are now at the edge of a new computer revolution. So what is quantum computing and why do we need it?

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Some resources about quantum computing used in this episode

Bernard Marr in an article on Forbes in 2017:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2017/07/04/what-is-quantum-computing-a-super-easy-explanation-for-anyone/#56290c841d3b

Marianne Freiberger in Plus Magazine in 2015:
https://plus.maths.org/content/how-does-quantum-commuting-work

Phillip Ball in QuantaMagazine January 2018:
https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-era-of-quantum-computing-is-here-outlook-cloudy-20180124/

Episode 25: Mars: A Review

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 4 Mar 2018 00:27:00 +0200

"Mars" is the title of a TV series that dramatizes the challenges of colonizing the Red Planet, mixed with true-to-life interviews with experts in the field. This is my review of National Geographic's "Mars".

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Episode 24: I Unplugged Myself

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 23:54:00 +0200

We live in a face-down generation where everyone seems to be addicted to their phones. I tested myself to see how I would manage without my smartphone on a three-day vacation. How did I fare?

Click here to read my blog post from March 2012 "Meet Tim", mentioned in this week's podcast episode.

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Episode 23: Is Seven Really the Lucky Number?

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 22:42:00 +0200

"The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two" is a psychology paper by George Miller published in 1956. It contends that the human brain can only store up to seven chunks of information at a time. Therefore, says the theory, all information design must be based on this rule. Fact or fiction?

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Episode 22: Bio Hacking

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 02:01:00 +0200

There are times that you really want technology to step in and improve your life. Bio-Hacking isn’t something new. In fact, augmenting the body with technology has been around for centuries: Captain Hook’s hook, for example, or prosthetic limbs, eyeglasses, and pacemakers. But would I implant a chip into my body for something other than medical reasons?

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Episode 21: Look Who's Talking

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 4 Feb 2018 01:59:00 +0200

What's next in text-to-speech?

In December 2017, Google presented a paper that showed a new technological advance in text-to-speech. Until now, Google says, pre-recorded words stitched together doesn’t do the trick. The computerized voice comes off sounding fake. No kidding. The new approach that Google took resulted in Tacotron 2 - a new method of parsing text to speech that can replicate many of the nuances of human speech.

Samples of Google's Tacitron 2: https://google.github.io/tacotron/publications/tacotron2/index.html

Online text-to-speech resources used in this episode:

Episode 20: The Family Business

whynot@ykarp.com (Yossi Karp) — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 02:15:00 +0200

The problem with money is that it affects everything in our lives - from the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, to the places we visit, and to the education we get. So I think that the truth is: Without a plan, you’re sunk. Here's a plan that just might help.

To learn about the economics of Star Trek, see Rick Web's article on Medium here.

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