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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!
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!
