MPI Programming and Linux, The Problem With Julia, Dying With Dignity Meeting

[tcpip]

Today finished the content for the course manual on Advanced High Performance Computing Using Linux, starting off with Emacs, then moving on to advanced bash scripting, a look at computer system architectures (especially Flynn's Taxonomy), before moving on to a range of MPI programming examples. Programming is hard; MPI programming is very hard. Course will be run next week. Last Saturday, Wen Lin provided an excellent talk at the LUV-Beginners talk on basic Backup Options With Linux (slides soon); plenty of new people there, indicating that the Meetup Group seems to work. Apropos, a very large list of free science books.

Received a call from the Galaxy Opinion Poll this week, after another extraordinary week of sexism in Australian Federal politics, with one Coalition MP calling mining companies pussy whipped, and accusations that the Prime Minister is showing too much cleavage in parliament. Australians largely seem determined not to concentrate on policy, because facts are boring. For Labor this is quite a dilemma, because (with some notable exceptions) the Gillard-government has been very good, and Gillard herself is obviously a good negotiator and administrator. Unfortunately to the mass audience, she has the charisma of a dead fish, which contrasts strongly with Rudd's presidential and populist style. The reality is that Labor can't win with Gillard; apart from the charisma issue, a great number just don't like how she came to power. She would make a superb Deputy PM of course, but that's an improbable result.

This Saturday evening have organised a practical meeting of the Victorian Secular Lobby (now incorporated), with Dr. Rodney Syme of Dying With Dignity Victoria, to discuss what legislative needs are required for assisted voluntary euthanasia and what impediments exist. DWDV explains their position in their FAQ (and their opponents likewise). The current legal situation in Victoria is explained by DWDV. Hoping for a good turnout to this event, in spite of some fairly grim weather!

Comments

[serehfa]

Labor definitely would not win if they swapped for another leader at this stage. She put them into Govt in the last tight election; there might be a chance yet; but I am afraid we are about to descend into some kind of hell when that bunch of private school prefects get a hold of the reins.

[tcpip]

I can't say that I'm convinced of that; the polls certainly suggest that if Rudd was leader then Labor's primary vote would improve by 6 points and the two-party-preferred would increase to 50-50. Plus, the seats that Labor needs to win are in Rudd-territory (Qld and NSW).

I do think that Gillard is extremely capable as a negotiator and an administrator, but the people in aggregate (for a variety of reasons, including sexism), don't like her.

[stephen_dedman]

If it saves us from an Abbott government, I'm prepared to hold my nose and forgive those who put Rudd back in power. While I despise the sexism that played a large part in forcing Julia Gillard to quit politics, I'm not going to cut off my head to spite my face.

BTW, one of the Americans here who actually knew that we had a female PM was astonished to learn that her ousting hadn't made the news here. I pointed out that this happened at approximately the same time as SCOTUS's decision on the Defense of Marriage Act, and he nodded, and said, "Yeah. Of course, the real big story on the news networks that day was photos of Miley Cyrus's butt."

[tcpip]

Well, the key difference between the outing of Rudd and the outing of Gillard is that the former was conducted by the 'generals', the various factional chiefs who - at the time - thought his governance was less than impressive. The outing of Gillard was primarily a movement among the soldiers, the various back benchers and marginal seat holders who were staring down the barrel of a gun.

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

I really don't see that in Rudd myself. I seem condescending smirks and putting his wants before the good of others.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

That may be your subjective interpretation, but the aggregate subjective interpretation is that Labor's primary vote would improve by c6% if he were leader and the two-party preferred by around 5% - which is enough to get the government over the line. This has been the case since February at least.

(Although I don't disagree that he has a deep need to be a thoroughly liked and heroic leader - that's why he seemed so shell-shocked after what befell Copenhagen)

[leo-sosnine.livejournal.com]

Didn't find a photo of cleavage

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

http://nofibs.com.au/2013/06/17/the-truth-behind-the-cleavage/

[leo-sosnine.livejournal.com]

Here breasts are completely hidden, so I don't see a point what this cleavage is. What's cleaved if not breasts? Whole topic about her cleavage sounds like pure BS to me...

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

The entire topic is, indeed, BS, hence the annoyance of many people that it has been raised as unparliamentary behaviour.

[i-amthecosmos.livejournal.com]

It's not that she was showing her breasts, it's the fact she has them! People are pathetic.

Here, it's more like "Michelle Obama is wearing clothes! Let's talk about how wrong they are! All the time!" It's like some people would rather turn blue than admit she's attractive. I wonder how many people are going to explode when the US gets a female President.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Yes, the working assumption that somehow any discussion about a female leader must come down to style and fashion (and invariably in the negative sense) is aggravating to say the least.

There can be no doubt whatsoever the a significant factor of Labor's unpopularity at the moment is due to basic sexism, a fact borne out by the significant difference in male and female voting prefences.