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Theatre Season Concludes with 'The Winter's Tale'
"…a sad tale's best for winter."
The Augustana Theatre and Music Departments will present William Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale" at the on-campus Edith Mortenson Center Theatre May 4-8.
Directed by Jayna Fitzsimmons, "The Winter's Tale" is one of Shakespeare's most intriguing romances. It's a classic tale of jealousy, love, loss and reconciliation. According to The Observer, "this tragic-comi-romance is possibly Shakespeare's most emotionally complex and breathtakingly theatrical play."
King Leontes of Sicilia is visited by his childhood friend Polixenes, King of Bohemia, but the pleasant stay turns sour after Leontes begins to suspect that his wife Hermione has committed adultery with Polixenes, and the child she carries is a bastard. Consumed with unfounded jealousy, Leontes abandons his wife and child. Sixteen years pass, and the child Perdita has been raised by a shepherd in Bohemia, unaware of her royal heritage. Polixenes' son Florizel becomes infatuated with her. The lovers face disapproval from Polixenes and run away to Sicilia, but a twist of fate leads to long-kept secrets revealed in a homecoming like never imagined.
The Winter's Tale Showtimes:
May 4-7: 7:30 p.m. (May 5 performance interpreted for the deaf and hard of hearing)
May 7-8: 2:30 p.m.
Tickets available by calling 605.274.5320 or online at www.augietickets.com.
The cast includes Lindsay Bleile (Iowa City, S.D., '14), Matt Cook (Adrian, Minn., '11), Carli Ellwein (Frederic, S.D., '11), Logan Enze (Sioux Falls, S.D., '13), Rebecca Fahey (Pierre, S.D., '14), Deanna Forry (Springfield, Minn., '11), Leah Hilsabeck (Milford, Iowa, '11), Mo Hurley (Sioux Falls, S.D., '14), Debbi Jones (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Katelynn Kenney (Box Elder, S.D., '14), Evan Livermore (Pierre, S.D., '12), Ally Jo Lloyd (Mapleton, Iowa, '12), Ryan Marks (Estherville, Iowa, '14), Megan McDonald (Sioux Falls, S.D., '12), Scot Missling (Minnetonka, Minn., '13), Miranda Nelson (Hendricks, Minn., '12), Casey Ring (North St. Paul, Minn., '11), Martha Stai (Inwood, Iowa, '11), Mariya Swella (Yucca Valley, Calif., '14), Josh Thies (Sioux Falls, S.D., '13), Zack Truelson (Sioux Falls, S.D., '14), and Elizabeth Yackel-Juleen (Windom, Minn., '11).
Tickets available by calling 605.274.5320 or online at www.augietickets.com.
Kelly Sprecher
Director of Communications & Media Relations


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Bosnia-Herzegovina will not progress beyond the group stage of the 2014 World Cup after they were beaten 1-0 by Nigeria in Cuiaba. Peter Odemwingie's first-half goal was the difference between the sides, as Nigeria reached four points in Group F ahead of Wednesday's meeting with Argentina, who have already qualified for the knockout stages.
After a positive display in a narrow loss to Argentina in their first-ever fixture at this level, Bosnia would have been hopeful of picking up a maiden World Cup success over a Nigeria side who laboured to a draw in their opener with Iran.
The three points move Nigeria to second in Group F, with a draw in their final game against already-qualified Argentina enough to see them through.
Bosnia started on the back foot and Emmanuel Emenike was gifted the ball by a poor Emir Spahic pass, with Haris Medunjanin hauling down the forward and Odemwingie striking the resulting free-kick only inches wide.
– Brewin: Three Points — Nigeria vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina
– Video: Dzeko denied late in game
Bosnia-Herzegovina had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half, despite replays showing Edin Dzeko, who finished beyond goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama smartly, in an onside position when played through.
The controversy continued when Nigeria took the lead on 29 minutes. Emenike sprinted down the right channel and Bosnia-Herzegovina thought he had fouled Emir Spahic, but the referee allowed play to go on and Odemwingie slotted home from the assist.
Bosnia-Herzegovina struggled to mount any pressure on Nigeria's goal in the second half, and instead Emmanuel Emenike almost doubled his nation's lead only to be denied by goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, before Edin Dzeko saw a late shot strike the woodwork after being kicked away by Enyeama.
Muhamed Besic bent a shot over Vincent Enyeama's crossbar as the fast pace continued for the early stages, with Ahmed Musa then unable to control a perfect pass from Emenike.
As Nigeria began to take control of the game, John Obi Mikel was the next man to come close. But the Chelsea midfielder dragged a low shot wide, with Onazi forcing a save from Asmir Begovic from a similar effort soon after.
Zvjezdan Misimovic could not test Enyeama when well-placed on the edge of the Nigeria box as Bosnia looked to enjoy their own spell of sustained pressure.
That new-found pressure should have led to an opening goal as Dzeko appeared to have scored on 20 minutes but the striker was flagged offside as he rifled home a weighted through ball, with replays showing the decision to be a poor one as he was well onside.
Hajrovic finally worked Enyeama as he cut inside and let off a decent effort, with Dzeko set free again moments later — this time the flag remained down but the Manchester City striker's shot was not strong enough to beat the Nigerian goalkeeper on the second occasion.
With Bosnia starting to grow into the game, Nigeria struck a blow with the opening goal as Emenike was too strong for captain Spahic and his low cross was tucked away by Odemwingie just before the half-hour mark.
The goal was not without controversy, however as the Bosnia bench erupted following the decision not to award Spahic a free-kick as Emenike did seem to inadvertently clip the skipper's heels.
Musa stung the palms of Begovic later in the first half as Nigeria looked to build on their lead but Bosnia still held a threat as Medunjanin's long-range shot flew wide before Dzeko thrashed an effort past the post in stoppage time.
The second half did not start with the same vigour as the first, with Nigeria a little less motivated on offense, yet doing a better job at containing Bosnia in the process.
Michael Babatunde worked Begovic as Nigeria did push forward when they had the opportunity, with Safet Susic introducing Vedad Ibisevic from the Bosnia bench to give his side more attacking options.
Begovic was forced to keep out another Babatunde strike before the Stoke City goalkeeper made himself big to block Emenike's close-range chance and was kept busy as the same player drilled in a near-post effort on 65 minutes.
Ibisevic, who scored Bosnia's first-ever World Cup goal in their opening-match defeat, should have levelled the game with 15 minutes remaining but could only head Misimovic's corner over despite little Nigerian pressure.
Nigeria began to sit back as they looked to close out the win and Miralem Pjanic sent Enyeama sprawling as the impressive midfielder looked to level the game.
The Super Eagles had not been shy to shoot on site throughout the game and Onazi once again called Begovic into action before Emenike's own attempt slid wide.
There was still time for two chances to fall to Dzeko to salvage a point for his side. The first was a downward header that was easily saved but his second shot was diverted onto the post by Enyeama's boot.
Bosnia drop out, while Nigeria take a big step towards progressing to the latter stages.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Shall I mangle this churl's leg, Hantis?" — Pul the Grik-Dog, final chapter, W.O.K.
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Some Nikon camera batteries declared a burn hazard
In this photo released by Nikon, their D40 digital SLR camera is shown. (AP Photo/Nikon)
The Canadian Press
Published Wednesday, July 11, 2012 2:39PM EDT
TORONTO -- Health Canada has announced the recall of some Nikon rechargeable camera batteries, saying they pose a burn hazard to users.
The recall is being conducted in Canada and the United States, by Health Canada, Nikon and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Health Canada says the battery packs can short circuit, causing them to overheat and melt; there have been seven reports of batteries overheating, though none from Canada.
The batteries in question are certain lots of the Nikon Model EN-EL 15 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack.
Only EN-EL battery packs beginning with the number 201 and which have an "E" or an "F" as the ninth digit of the 14-digit lot number are being recalled for replacement.
Consumers with D800 and D7000 digital-SLR cameras by Nikon should look on the back of their battery pack to see if the unit supplied with their camera is subject to the recall.
It's estimated 1,068 of the affected batteries were sold in Canada in February and March of this year. The units were sold at camera, office supplies and mass merchandising stores, in catalogues and through a variety of websites.
Consumers looking for more information or to arrange to obtain a replacement battery can contact Nikon Canada Inc. at 1-877-534-9910 between 8:45 am and 4:45 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, by email at serviceadvisory(at)nikon.ca or by visiting visit the firm's website.


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A wee spot of catching up
A week ago today I was touring Canterbury (more on that later.) I had just sat down for a cup of tea and a quick email-peek when I got word from Jared that Wool People 2 was going to be released the day after tomorrow (last Wednesday.) As that was my Travel Day Home, this gave me something to look forward to - I have a (mitten!) pattern in Wool People 2 - the lovely (if I may say so) Art Deco subway grating-inspired 34th & 8th mittens.For more info, and to pick up the yarn (Brookyn Tweed LOFT!) to make your own pair, allow me to direct you right over here. To see the other pairs of 34th & 8th in progress and to queue them up yourself, please proceed on to their page on Ravelry here - do not pass go; do not collect $200.
The other bit of news that went down while I was away - also on last Wednesday, if I am not mistaken - was that registration opened up for the 7th annual installement of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club. And yes, I am pleased to announce that I am one of the designers on this year's roster. I can hardly believe it myself.
What else - oh yes. All the Loose Ends that I tied up before I flew away are now allowing me to tie up even MORE naughty loose ends now that I am back - which means more new SJK patterns for you Nice People. The GandeyMitts are due to sneak out at some point in the very near future, as are the new and, more-importantly, FREE gentleman's Athleisure socks. You will be notified.
Finally, for those of you who enjoyed my triad of posts that resulted from my last trip overseas, you will be pleased to know that I have a swathe of writings to share with you from this most recent one. Soon.
6 comments:
Those ARE lovely! There are more mittens and gloves around these days that I want to knit than I will ever finish!
- January 9, 2012 at 11:49 a.m.
- French Press Knits said...
I *love* the 34th&8th mitts. They totally stood out when I first glanced through wool people II, and then I was even more excited to see your name behind it :-)
- January 9, 2012 at 1:11 p.m.
- Misiula said...
The new mittens are lovely, Jane. I'm glad to hear you liked London. And your impressions strike a chord: to my European mind, North America seems always a little bit dreamlike. Things are similar to home (which, for me, is Poland), but always somewhat different, in quite unexpected ways, which is charming, a tad uncanny, sometimes frustrating, but always very interesting.
I noticed on your ravelry design page that the Squirrel Mittens are now a pattern - but how will they be available? I would love to knit a pair, they make me smile everytime I look at the picture of your pair.
- January 9, 2012 at 6:03 p.m.
- Liz Marino said...
Love these! As always, another home run.
- January 10, 2012 at 7:28 a.m.
Good job! I saw them and loved them immediately. I am actually just waiting on my yarn to arrive to get started! You are so talented and everytime I wear my OTHER pair of mittens you designed, I'm proud to tell everyone that a canadian designed them! :)
- January 10, 2012 at 8:07 a.m.
That's fantastic! I can't wait to see all the projects on Ravelry in different colors. My wife is most certainly going to request a pair.
- January 11, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.


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Business reporter David Kaplan writes that sales of new vehicles priced under $30,000 have gained market share in Houston for the first time in three years, suggesting increased economic confidence among lower-wage workers, analysts say. Sales are relatively flat, but the lower end is doing better.
How much did you pay for your last vehicle? Let us know in a comment below.


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Obviously, everybody is focused on the current Gulf War and it has had an immense effect on us in many ways. I've been kind of struck lately by how it has affected our sense of national pride.
There was an awful lot of sort of sullen discontent with America just kind of floating through the last few years. And then we all tuned in on the Super Bowl and the game took second place to Whitney Houston singing TheNational Anthem, which somehow created an outburst of emotion that I've never seen the like of in my own lifetime in terms of being enamored with the reality of America. It was overwhelming. And I thought to myself, if Roseanne Barr sung The National Anthem there the way she did in San Diego a few months ago, they would have torn her limb from limb.
But it was an amazing, amazing change in just a matter of a few months to this immense outpouring of emotion for America. It's really quite startling to me how all of a sudden America feels so good and everybody is so proud about America.
And if I might address that just ever so briefly, and ask the question why we might rather straightforwardly say that we have become the hero again. And we like being the knight in shining armor. We like being Superman to the rescue. We like being the just protector nation who has moved in against the evil aggressor at some sacrifice, some rather immense economic sacrifice, to say nothing of the sacrifice of some lives; to stop the wicked, evil aggressor Saddam Hussein.
And in the process, the display of power that we are putting on exceeds anything that the world has ever known. This is an immense thing. We have demonstrated more firepower in the first 19 days than in the last 14 months of World War II. We love being the hero. We love being macho. We love rolling to the rescue. We love being the strong and the powerful. And it is a noble thing that we are doing as wars go. We are not the evil aggressor. We are not the wicked, invading, slaughtering nation.
But I think as we look at it, we need a bit of a broader perspective. While it is a noble thing that we are doing, I would fear that it might give us a false sense of our strength, our true strength. Even though we may have greater firepower than the world has ever seen, and more sophisticated technical abilities than any nation has ever possessed. And even though we are, at the moment, king of the hill and all of that, and I'm thankful for a nation that is willing to bear the sword in just protection as God has designed governments to do, according to Romans 13 and Peter's Epistle.
But this patriotic pride must not be allowed to blind us to our spiritual defection and apostasy. Even though we are fighting a moral war in the sense of defending victims and even though we are fighting it in a moral way in the sense that our troops are conducting ourselves in the most moral way that any troops, certainly in modern history, have ever conducted themselves because they're in a Muslim country where there are no prostitutes and no alcohol or drugs. This is the first time that has happened in this century.
Even though we are fighting a moral war in somewhat of a moral environment, you must keep in mind that the generation of young people fighting it is the most immoral generation in American history. While we may, for the moment, be God's tool of judgment or God's instrument of punishment, I have to think that this is also a wake-up call for us to force us to take a good, hard look at ourselves.
One hundred and fifty years before the Babylonian monarch, Nebacaniser took Judah captive in total devastation, destruction and dispossession of the land; everyone thought Judah was riding high. At that particular time, it was about twenty years before Tiglath-Pileser came down into the Northern kingdom, leading the hosts of Assyria to take them into captivity from which they never returned. And there was a certain smugness about society at that time. In fact, they were very used to great military power.
Turn in your Bible a moment to 2 Chronicles chapter 26, 2 Chronicles chapter 26. A man named Uzziah had come to power when he was sixteen years old, and he was king until he was sixty-eight, so fifty-two years he reigned. But I want you to notice a little bit about the power and the might and the strength of this man and his reign, starting in verse 6 of 2 Chronicles 26. "He went down and warred against the Philistines and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod. And he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines and God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal and the Meunites."
And here was a man who was conquering the Arabs who was having a tremendous, tremendous military sweep through the Middle East. "The Ammonites also gave tribute to Uzziah and his fame extended to the border of Egypt where he became very strong. Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and fortified them. He built towers in the wilderness and hewed many cisterns for he had much livestock, both in the lowland and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vine dressers in the hill country and the fertile fields where he loved the soil.
"Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle which entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, prepared by Jeiel, the scribe and Maaseiah, the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king's officers. The total number of the heads of the households of valiant warriors was 2600 and under their direction was an elite army of 307,500 who could wage war with great power to help the king against the enemy.
"Moreover, Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows and sling stones. And in Jerusalem, he made engines of war, invented by skillful men to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence, his fame spread afar for he was marvelously helped until he was strong."
Here was Uzziah. Here was a man leading a nation not unlike ours, to tremendous military victories; tremendous domestic strength, prosperity, security. He had a tremendous military career. He was a great king.
In the early years and through the main of his domain, he walked with God. But it was at that very time, at the very time that Uzziah had conquered all that he could see and had given Israel great prosperity internally as well as a strong position with its enemies and they were practically invincible, it was at that very time when the nation had reached the military zenith and immense material prosperity, that along came a prophet.
And a prophet who seemed to be in the vernacular, really off the wall. And this prophet came along to speak a message of frightening judgments. The prophet's name was Isaiah.
And the message that he brought is given for us. Turn in your Bible; we're going to look at it together, Isaiah chapter 5. "It is a warning to a nation in a spiritual crisis, though it is in a domestic and military position of power." And while this does not relate to America directly by way of interpretation, it is a graphic historical lesson. A graphic historical lesson, pertinent to us.
Let me begin with you in the beginning of chapter 5 with what we'll call the Parable. The Prophet says, "Let me sing now for my well beloved a song of my beloved concerning his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. Then he dug it all around, removed its stones and planted it with the choicest vine. And he built a tower in the middle of it and hewed out a wine vat in it and then he expected it to produce good grapes. But it produced only worthless ones."
The Prophet says, "This is a song." What kind of song is this? This is an exquisite elegy. This is a funeral song. This is a plaintive, weeping song. This is a sad song. This is a melancholy song. It's a song about a man who set out to make a vineyard and pick the best place and went through the best process and used the best product and provided the best protection and made the best provision and got the worst results. A sad song.
In an agrarian culture where people knew what it was to invest an immense amount of time and energy and life and fortune into this enterprise and to have it produce worthless things, this would be a heartbreaking experience.
And so you have a parable here. A parable that would be understood by the people to whom Isaiah wrote who were used to doing this or even today it is obvious that in all of the history of Israel, the valleys have been used for grain and the hillsides have been used for vineyards. To put a vineyard on a hillside was a tremendous task. And when it didn't produce, it was a tragedy.
In verse 3, the parable continues. "Now all inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard." Make an evaluation. What more was there to do for my vineyard that I haven't done in it? What else could I have done that I didn't do? Anything?
"And the answer to that rhetorical question is, nothing. Why, when I expected to produce good grapes, did it produce worthless ones?" And the answer to that rhetorical question is, well, it certainly isn't your fault. It certainly isn't your fault. It wasn't anything you did or didn't do.
"So let me tell you what I'm going to do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed. I'll break down its wall and it will become trampled ground. I will lay it waste. It will not be pruned or mowed but briars and thorns will come up. I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it. I'll curse that day. I'll curse it."
What's this talking about? What kind of parable is this? Who's he referring to? Verse 7 explains it. "The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel. And the men of Judah are the delightful plant of which he speaks. And he planted them there and he gave them every opportunity to produce and they didn't.
He looked for justice but behold bloodshed. He looked for righteousness and behold a distressful cry. That, by the way, is a play on words in Hebrew. He looked for mishpath, he found the mispac. He looked for sentica, he found setica. He's talking about Judah, the people of Israel.
With that in mind, go back, for a moment, to the beginning. This is an inter-Trinitarian song between two members of the Trinity, really. The Father and the Son, no doubt. "Let me sing a song for my well beloved. My well beloved has a vineyard on a fertile hill." One member of the Trinity singing a eulogy for the other member of the Trinity over the tragedy of what has happened to the people of God. He gave them land in verse 1 on a fertile hill. Would anyone deny that Canaan was the land of milk and what? And honey. The most fertile piece of earth there is.
In fact, even today, it is acknowledged by the world that the territory between the Mediterranean and through the Tigris/Euphrates valley from the majestic mountains and timber covered slopes of Lebanon, down to the wealth of Egypt. All of that was in the original promise and now we know its immense wealth. Not only the immense wealth that is in the Mediterranean itself, not only the unequaled, except in the San Joaquin Valley of California, Jordan Valley in terms of producing food. Not only the immense wealth of the Dead Sea, but now we know the real treasure, the black gold oil that is hidden under the ground that has made the Middle East the focus of the whole world.
This immensely fertile place that God gave his people. He dug it all around. What does that mean? That's separation. It could be a mode. In ancient times, it could be some kind of a wall to keep it in. But what it means is that God, when he brought Israel into the fertile land, hedged them in. How did he do it? Dietary laws. Customs. Traditions. Ceremonial laws. Religious statutes. Moral laws. Theology. All of that was to isolate them from easy intercourse with the pagan nations, whom, in fact, were to be the victims of the sword of Israel, weren't they? He wanted them separated and kept away from those which could pollute them.
What does it mean to removing the stones? No doubt an illusion to the dispossession of the Canaanites who were in the land who were to be taken out of the land. He planted it with the choicest vine; I don't think I'd find any argument if I were to suggest to you that the strain of people that we know as Jews is the noblest human vine. The Jewish people, though they be few in number, have marked history with the greatness of their genetic powers. He chose a noble part of the human family.
And he built a tower, perhaps an illusion to Jerusalem; and in it a wine vat, perhaps an illusion to the sacrificial system. And then he expected it to produce good grapes. There, you've got it all. And instead it produced, in the Hebrew, Boosheem, which is a word for sour berries.
And then God says, "I couldn't do anymore than I did. I should have every right to expect good grapes and not sour berries. So I'm going to tear you down. I'm going to tear out your protection; I'm going to smash down the wall. I'm going to lay you waste. You're not going to be pruned or howed; briars and thorns are going to come up. I'll charge the clouds to rain no rain on it. I'm going to put a curse on you."
Now, this is not good news to a nation just beginning to feel the power of its invincibility as demonstrated by the conquerings of its great king. And feeling that because Uzziah was king and had been kind for 52 years, that this was like God's stamp of approval on them.
But in spite of their great military capability and in spite of their great domestic prosperity, there was no justice, but bloodshed. And there was not righteousness but the cries of distress. Spiritually, they were apostate.
From the parable, he moves to what I'll call the penetration and gets very specific in verse 8. And he lists six sin that mark the spiritual life of Judah and I want you to see the parallel with us today and I'm going to go briefly through these. Number one is in verse 8; "Woe to those who add house to house, join field to field until there's no more room." What do you mean by that? "So that you have to live alone in the midst of the land." He's talking about people who kept accumulating property and accumulating property and accumulating and accumulating and one of the things that they're indicted for by Jeremiah is in their massive thrust of accumulation, they never provided for the Jubilee Year and they never provided for the Sabbath rest, remember that? They kept accumulating and accumulating and they wouldn't let anything go back to its original owner as the Jubilee provided. And they kept amassing it and amassing it and amassing it.
And He says, "You're going to be indicted." The word "woe" means cursed or damned or consigned to judgment for your grasping materialism. Your grasping materialism, does that sound familiar? "You're going to find your great houses," in verse 9, "desolate. And your great and fine houses without occupants."
"And all of a sudden all these fields you've accumulated, you're going to have ten acres of vineyard and you're going to get four gallons out of it. Four gallons of wine are going to come out of your ten acres, that's all.
"And you're going to have a homer of seed that's 48 gallons and all you're going to get is an ephah or about five gallons worth of produce." Those are famine conditions. I'm going to judge your grasping materialism.
The second sin is named in verse 11. "Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may pursue strong drink; who stay up late in the evening, that wine may inflame them and their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute and by wine." What's all that? Well, we'll call it drunken pleasure seeking. Drunken pleasure seeking, this is the Good Time Charlie crowd. This is the Friday Singles Bar bunch.
The characteristic of alcoholics is they drink in the morning and then all the rest of the day, too, and that's what he sees here. People inflamed by alcoholism. Wild parties, the word 'banquet' stretching beyond what we think of as a banquet which is something completely different.
And the lyre and the harp, the tambourine, the flute, the wine, the whole Good Time Charlie party atmosphere and here it comes in verse 12, in the middle, "They do not pay attention to the deeds of the Lord, nor do they consider the work of His hands." What does that refer to? Their bodies, which God has created. They dissipate their own bodies. You could call it drunken dissipation. Physical dissipation. The second sin of Judah for which they are cursed is the sin of drunken dissipation.
The third one is given down in verse 18, "Woe to those who drag iniquity with the chords of falsehood and sin as if with cart ropes." This is amazing. This is people who just literally carry their sin around in a big wagon load. They're not ashamed of it, they parade it. This is like a float in the Rose Parade.
They're hooked up to a wagonload of sin and they drag it around as if they ought to parade it. They're putting their immorality on display like notches on their belt and not only is their sinfulness blatant, but in verse 19 it says, "They say let Him," capital H, that is God, "make speed. Let Him hasten His work that we made see it and let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come to pass that we may know it."
What that is saying is alright, God, if you don't like it, let's see you do something about it. This is defiant sinfulness. Like Ernest Hemingway, I remember reading, "shaking his fist as it were in the face of God and said, 'I'm not buying any of that Victorian stuff about biblical morality. I've tumbled my women; I've fought in my revolutions, I've drunk and I'll live my life any way I want.'"
Ten years to the day he wrote that article, by the way, in a national magazine, he put a shotgun in his mouth and blew the back of his head off.
Reminds me also of Sinclair Lewis' great, pompous, braggadocio attitude which surfaced itself in his diatribe against Christianity called Elmer Gantry. Few people know that Sinclair Lewis ended up a slobbering alcoholic in a third-rate clinic outside of Rome where he died in total obscurity.
But there are those people who think you can defy God with your sinfulness and parade it. We have that in our culture, is that not true of our society? Sin is not only blatant but they're defiant about it. If God doesn't like it, let him do something about it.
In verse 20, we find the next in the catalog of woes, which are very specifically penetrating behind the parable. "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness." And you have to ask yourself the question, if that's not typical for today, we'll call it moral perversion. The reversal of all normal understanding of what is right. People who substitute the dark for the light and the light for the dark.
Once it was good to be against homosexuality. Now it's good to be for it. Everything's reversed. Once, premarital sexual relationships were wrong. Now, all of a sudden, they're right. And marriage is mocked. Everything is reversed. Obviously, Satan would want to do that. He's very successful at it.
Nothing new here where the people in Judah calling evil good, calling good evil; switching the dark from the light and the dark, the bitter for the sweet and the sweet for the bitter. Reversing all values. Do you ever feel like you're just watching that happen all around you? Moral perversion. Defiant sinfulness. Drunken dissipation. Grasping materialism.
Verse 21, another one, 5. "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." Sometimes I think if I hear another talk show, I'll be ill.
Nobody today is an expert. We've pulled everybody down to the same plain and everybody's opinion is equal to everybody else's opinion. People think they have all the answers, "wise in their own eyes. Clever in their own sight." We'll call it arrogant conceit. This has got to be the most conceited culture that ever existed.
And the last one, in verse 22, "Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine." The word 'heroes', note that. "And valiant men in mixing strong drink." The issue here is drunkenness. But the key is the word 'hero' and 'valiant men'. Both of those words in Hebrew mean leaders. Corrupt leadership. The leaders were corrupted. The people who were supposed to be leading the populous to God were corrupt. And not only was their corruption demonstrated in their personal lifestyle dissipation, but notice verse 23. "They justified the wicked" for what? "for a bribe." They could be bought and they take away the rights of the ones who are in the right. You are watching an entire legal system become so convoluted that you begin to question whether it has the capability to discern what is right and what is wrong. And to make a right judgment.
The leadership is corrupted. Grasping material is in drunken dissipation. Defiant sinfulness, moral perversion, arrogant conceit, corrupt leadership were characteristic of Judah in the moment of their great military power and God was sending a prophet to say, "whatever it looks like on the outside, rah rah the nation and wave the flag. On the inside, you are corrupt. And on the inside, you stand on the edge of judgment."
Punishment is the third major point in verses 24 to 30. I won't take time to go into it. The prophet is specific about a "consuming force" that's going to come and he describes it in graphic terms and literally devastate and destroy Judah. Who did he have in mind? Nebacaniser. And the Babylonian armies.
But they would be doing the work of God for it was God's anger, at the end of verse 25, that wasn't yet spent. Why all this? Verse 24, end of the verse. "They have rejected the law of the Lord of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." They had turned their back on God and His word. We are not a covenant people and if being a covenant people as Judah was couldn't protect them from the judgment of God, what is there to protect us? If we've committed the same sins, then we should accept the same curses.
While, on the one hand on the surface, it looks good for America, the truth is, when God penetrates behind our prosperity and our military might, He finds the same decay that characterized Judah.
Now, with that in mind, in the few minutes I have remaining, I want you to go to chapter 6 and I want to ask a question and then answer it. In Isaiah chapter 6, the question that comes is this: if indeed we are in this time of crisis, and I believe we are, and if we stand on the brink of judgment, and I believe we do; and I also believe that in my lifetime, certainly, and in any lifetime that I have read historically, I have never seen a conflux of so many indicators that we could be near the end, which spells judgment for the ungodly of the whole world.
Since all of that is true, the question comes in chapter 6 as it came then and now, what kind of person is God looking for at a time of great judgment? What kind of person? That's the question for us. I mean, I know there are some people that are just wild about the fact that Jesus might come soon. This is not the time to put your pajamas on and sit on the roof.
What kind of person is God looking for for a time of crisis? Somebody might say, "Well, He's probably looking for intelligent, educated, gifted" - let's find out.
We've come now to a very personal moment for Isaiah. You see, Isaiah was shocked by this message, too. He didn't understand it. It didn't seem right. I mean, with all that God had promised to Israel by way of faithfulness to the covenant, it must have gripped his heart and made him wonder, what's going on here? Is this the right message he gave it? Because it was his duty and his responsibility and he was a faithful and righteous man. And he gave it. But it didn't really make sense. And so he needed some time with God.
And so, in chapter 6 in the midst of this, goes to the temple and he's looking not for the priest but he's looking for God. Verse 1, "In the year of King Uzziah's death," stop there for a moment. You say, is that important? Well, it is if your name is Uzziah. 740 B.C., 52 years after he reigned, at the age of 16 initially and for 52 years everybody thought God's hand of blessing all of a sudden, BOOM! We get this devastating warning, and Uzziah dies. Uh oh. Is God taking his hand off?
You know how Uzziah died? He said to himself, "Boy, I'm something, aren't I? I am something. Look what I have done." And he got so enamored with his capability as a king that he tried to invade the priestly office and God killed him with a disease. So he's dead. And now the king is dead. Doom is pronounced. And Isaiah runs to the temple to check in with God and find out what's next.
So he says, "I saw the Lord." God gave him a vision. Say what's a vision? I don't know. Never had one. Less than a dream and more than reality. He went there and he said, "I saw the Lord. And I saw Him sitting on a throne, lofty and exulted, with the train of His robe filling the temple." This is so good.
He went to see God and he found out that God was still on the throne. It's good, isn't it? Still ruling, still in charge. He wasn't wandering around outside wringing His hands saying, "What went wrong?" He's still in control of it all. He's lofty. He's lofty. He's exalted. And the emanating ____ kind of glory just fills the place. It's the train of His robe, falls, as it were, into the visionary experience he was having in the temple. There must have been a little sign as _____ as he was glad to find out that with everybody else falling down; God was still in the same place, still in charge. The most comforting reality in all Scripture is that God is sovereign and never steps down from the throne where he rules over everything. Everything. He's no victim, ever.
And Isaiah needed to know that. No matter what happens, God's still in charge.
And not only was God in His sovereign He made manifest and His majesty, but notice verse 2. We'll call this the presence, as he sees the presence of God. "Seraphim, who apparently are angels that guard the holiness of God, stood above Him, each having six wings. With two, he covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he flew or hovered like a celestial helicopter, just hovering over God's throne." I love that.
Somebody suggested that with six wings, two covered the face, that implies an act of worship because even a created angel can't look on the full glory of God without being consumed by it, as Exodus 33 indicates. But with two wings, the feet and two to fly, you have two wings devoted to worship. Two wings over the face in worship; two wings devoted to covering the feet in a mode of worship for the ground of glory must also be holy. And then with two, he flew and someone suggested out of the six, four have to do with worship and two have to do with service; keep your priorities right.
And then these Seraphim have some antiphonal kind of communication. I love this. And it's suggested in Hebrew that it was antiphonal, across and back. "And they are saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory." And now your prophet Isaiah is introduced to something beyond the majesty and the sovereignty of God. He's introduced to the holiness of God, which, of course, is that marvelous, all-surpassing attribute. Wouldn't be much help if He was sovereign and unholy, would it? He is holy, holy, holy. The only attribute of God, by the way, repeated three times. The trihagion the Theologians used to call it. "Holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory."
And here the angels are celebrating the holiness of God. You're saying, "What does holiness mean?" Well, it's the word for separation. His utter otherness. That is his utter separation from sin. This is His absolute righteousness. And so they celebrate His holiness.
And again, just to point out this to you, in any vicissitude of life, in any trial of life, in any trouble of life, in any problem of life, everything that you do to respond to that issue is predicated on your understanding of the nature of whom? Of God. When you understand that you have a sovereign God who rules are and a holy God who never does anything that isn't perfectly righteous, that's the foundation for all your living. And for interpreting everything in history.
"Holy, holy, holy." And how holy is God? Well, we begin to see. Verse 4 says, "The foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of Him who called out while the temple was filling with smoke." Now all of a sudden "our God is a consuming fire" comes into reality. Hebrews 12:28-29. All of a sudden the fire and the smoke that we also noted, remember now back in Mount Sinai when the mountain was covered with smoke and God, of course, a flaming fire?
And so here we see God in this holy consuming character and we get a definition of holiness. Holiness is not only a separation from sin, but it is a consuming fire that will consume all violations of it. So it's very threatening. It's very frightening. It's very fear-inducing.
The presence of God, then, is the presence of majesty. The presence of God is the presence of sovereignty. The presence of God is the presence of holiness, utter righteousness. And the presence of God is the presence of judgment because that holiness must consume all that violates it.
He sees God. He sees God and what kind of person does God need in an hour of crisis? I believe He needs people who have a true vision of themselves. Well ____ , I'm telling you, when I look at the Church today across America and I see all the gimmickry that's being passed off as representative of a biblical ministry, I grieve in my heart because what the Church in America needs and what Christians need most desperately is to fully understand as much as the human heart is capable and as much as the divine word of God has revealed the nature and character of God. We don't need the fluff. We need to know our God, in the depth of His fullness. So it is on the foundation of the knowledge of God that we can base our reactions to the changing winds of human history.
I'm so glad that I can stand and that the simplicity of my own mind and watch a whole world flying all over the place in disintegration and base my responses, my life and my ministry on the confidence that God is majestically sovereign, that God is absolutely and utterly holy and that God will judge those who violate his law. And will rescue those who are his own.
There was Isaiah; the whole building begins to shake. The whole temple begins to shake. And the smoke is there. This is the vision of God. What was his response? We'll call this little section, the Purification. What was his response? And this, we draw to the heart of it. What did he say? I mean, he just had a vision of God. Now, if he were living today, he'd say, "Hey, I've got to go on Christian TV. I've got to tell about this. I've got to write a book, I've got to - "you know, whatever. "I've seen God." Like the guy who gets on TV and says he's been to heaven and back and then he tells us about heaven.
He didn't say anything like that. He didn't decide that he'd had such an experience that was so absolutely unique, he needed to market it. His response was quite amazing. Verse 5: "Then I said, 'Woe is me, for I am (in Hebrew) disintegrating because I'm a man with a dirty mouth and I live among a people with dirty mouths.'" Wait, wait, wait, wait. You think he knew what he was talking about? You think he understands the word "woe"? He just used it six times in chapter 5. And every time he used it, he meant damn, curse, consign to judgment. He's pronouncing curse on yourself. "He says, 'Curse me, damn me, consign me to judgment. I'm falling apart. I'm disintegrating. Why? Because I have a dirty mouth.' He saying, 'Wait a minute, you've got the best mouth in the land. You're a prophet. You open your mouth, God talks. What are you talking about you've got a bad mouth?' He says, 'Not only do I have a dirty mouth, I live among people with dirty mouths.'"
You're saying, "Why did he pick on the mouth like that?" Because there is no more direct, clear and dominating indicator of the corruption of the heart than the mouth. And that was just a touchstone for the recognition of his own sinfulness. And here the prophet of God is saying, "I'm sinful. I'm vile. I'm worthy only to be cursed." See, this guy's got a bad self-image. We've got to get him some help. This guy needs some counseling. This is no good. You can't be effective with a bad self-image.
By the way, if you get too close to God, He will ruin your self-image. He'll ruin it. He'll really wreck it.
So he cursed himself. You say, well, why do you feel like this? Well, he says at end of verse 5, "My eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts. I mean, it's just a question of comparison. If I hang around my friends, I'm okay. If I hang around God under these conditions, I don't measure up."
What kind of person is God looking for at a time of crisis in a nation? He's looking for a person who has a true view of God for who He is and has a true view of himself for who he is, too. He sees God as majestic, sovereign, holy. He sees himself as wretched and sinful, dirty. That's the vision.
And you know, that's a typical vision in the Old Testament. Remember Menoah, the father of Samson who came home and said to his wife one day, "We'll die." She said, "What do you mean, we'll die?" And he said, "We've seen the Lord." Why would he react like that? Because if you see God, God sees you. And if He sees you, He saw all your sin, you're dead. That was Menoah's response.
You see the Lord, you die. You've been exposed and Isaiah knew it. "I've just seen God. I'm finished. I saw Him and He saw me. If He saw me, I'm dead." Do you have that view of God? Or have we reduced God to some anemic kind of wimpy person who tolerates just about anything? No, this Isaiah has a totally crushing and broken sense of his own sinfulness. And this is exactly what Isaiah says God wants, if you go back to the end of the Book, in 66:2, God says, and of course, Isaiah's recording it, "So this one I will look to him who is humble and contrite of spirit and who trembles at My word." Who trembles at My word - that's what I'm looking for. To whom will I look? Somebody who trembles at My word.
Remember, even in the New Testament you see this. Whenever the true believer was exposed to the power and the presence of God, it was a terribly shattering experience. I think of Peter in 5 Luke, you know, where the Lord says, "throw your net down." They couldn't catch any fish and He pulls the net up and there's so much fish and He knows immediately it's the Lord and what does he say? "Hey, Lord. It's wonderful to see you." Now, he says, "Depart from me, O Lord, for I am" what? "Simple man." Why? He knew he was in the presence of almighty God because he had just seen Him control the fish. And all he could think about was this is almighty God and He sees me. He sees me. I'm finished. Go away, I can't take it.
It's reminiscent of the disciples in the boat, it says, "The storm started to - 4 Mark records it as well as other Gospels. "And the storm starts and the boat's knocking all over the place and Jesus is asleep and they wake him and say, 'Don't You care? We're going to drown?' And it says, "They were afraid. They were afraid. And then Jesus went, 'Shhhh!' and the ripples didn't even run to the shore, they just flattened out. Perfect calm." And then it says, "They ewer seethingly afraid." See, what's worse than having a storm outside your boat is Holy God in your boat.
So the point was that Isaiah saw himself for what he was. And then verse 6 says, "One of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand which he'd taken from the altar with tongs. And he touched my mouth with it and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips and your iniquity is taken away and your sins forgiven.'" That must have been a painful thing. Can you imagine taking the tongs and going into your barbeque for a coal and putting it in your mouth? This is exactly what happened.
You see, repentance is painful, isn't it? It's painful. Very painful to be that honest. Very painful. Very painful. James said, in James 4:8, "Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded." And then he added, "You miserable and mourn and weep and let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom." Very painful.
I was in the Soviet Union a few weeks ago. At the end of preaching a message and it was ten minutes to twelve, I said if anyone wants to repent, that's what they say. They say, "I repented when I was 24. I repented three years ago." They call it repenting.
"If anyone wants to repent, please come to the platform." And I closed in prayer. No fanfare, no music, no nothing. The place was packed. No aisles, they're jammed everywhere and more outside looking in the window than on the inside. And I said, "If you want to come to the front, come. The pastors are here to greet you. That's what they told me to say. And you come and repent."
And these people came weeping. It was amazing. At ten minutes to twelve, they started to come and they had to fight through the crowd. At one-thirty, the last one had come. No songs, no nothing. An hour and forty minutes, these people kept coming. And you know what they did when they go to the platform? The pastor said, "Please kneel." And he took the microphone, put it in their face, under their mouth, and said, "Now repent."
And with tears, person after person after person after person repented and described the sin of which they were repenting. Talk about a moving experience. And it was painful and heart wrenching. Repentance is painful.
What kind of person is God looking for in a time of crisis? Here was a man who had a true vision of God. Here was a man who had a true understanding of his own wretched sinfulness. And here was a man who was willing to have the pain of repentance work in his life.
That leads us to the proclamation and we'll finish. "I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom will I send? And who will go for us?'" What is this about? Well, we've got to go reach this generation before the judgment hits. Somebody's got to go. Who are you looking for? Who is there? There's only one person, by the way, in this vision.
So Isaiah didn't have to look far. Then I said, "Here I am. Send me." I don't think he said, like I've heard some people preach, "Here am I! Send me!" I don't think he said that. I think he probably looked around a little bit and said, "Well, uh, ah, nobody else is in here. I'm here. You could send me." You say, well certainly the Lord doesn't want a dirty-mouthed prophet with a bad self-image. Oh, but his theology was so good. He knew God and he understood his sinfulness and he understood the need for repentance and cleansing. What do you think God's looking for? Perfect people?
The Lord said, I love it, verse 9, "Yo, you're the guy I was looking for. Tell this people - What kind of person is God looking for to go to this generation? Not the elite. He's looking for the people who understand Him and understand their own weakness and are willing to be cleansed and to repent of their sin. And that's how you put yourself in the position of usefulness.
"By the way," He says to Isaiah, "When you go, nobody's going to listen." What? This is His ordination? Nobody's going to listen? "No, they're not going to listen. No. They're not going to understand. Their eyes are dim. I made them that way so they won't be able to hear and they won't be able to see. Their hearts are fat, I made them that way so they can't hear you and be healed." What? Then he asked the question I would ask, verse 11, "'Lord, how long do I do that? A couple of days? A couple of weeks?' He answered, 'Until the cities are devastated and without inhabitants and the houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate. The Lord has removed everybody away and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. Do it 'til there's nobody left." What?
"That's right. You're my man. Go preach and nobody will listen. But you keep doing it and you keep doing it and you keep doing it until the last _____ drops or until you're out of here. Just keep doing it.' He said, 'Why?'" Because there's a promise at the end, verse 13.
"There will be a tenth portion in it and it will again be subject to burning like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump." That's one of the most confusing Hebrew versus in the whole Old Testament and I'm not going to try to unscramble it. I'm just going to tell you what it simply means. What he's saying is, "There's a tenth, there's a holy seed, there's a remnant out there. And they're going to listen."
Remember when Paul Acts 18 says in verse 10 where God says to Paul, "I have much people in that city, go after them. Beloved, the world is headed for judgment," be sooner, probably is sooner than most of us would even imagine. But while most won't listen, God has His holy seed, right? What kind of people is he looking for to reap that seed? People like Isaiah. People like you, if you'll be like Him.
Let's pray. Father, thank you for reminding us that in the moment of our apparent triumph, the seeds of destruction can have worked their way into the very soil of our life. Help us, Father, not to equate our military strength with our spiritual strength, but to realize that this nation is dying in apostasy and defection from Your truth and Your world and it desperately needs faithful people. Lord, do not let us be content to run around in our little evangelical circles but nay, we be out there, though rejected by most, to be used as Your instruments to gather the holy seed for Your glory in Jesus' name, amen.
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xyratex has newer 5U 84 disk SAS-SATA enclosures now. far more cost effective for higher density systems.
what's the layout on that? Most of the HD systems are 4U x 60 (all vertically mounted.
I think they're just even more deep, with more vertical slots.
Ok, makes sense, but I'd want the rack bolted to the floor if I was going to be opening one of those things. That's a lot of weight to shift.
chalex wrote:
I think they're just even more deep, with more vertical slots.
DDN has those enclosures too, I think at SC11 they said they'd be available second half of 2012.
edit: looking at DDN's site, theirs is 4U 84 drives. And maybe only for the SFA12K series.
I talked to a client recently that was using DDN boxes. They are using a simlar form factor as Dell/Equallogic/Xyratex for their higher density 3.5 disk boxes. Bummer part with DDN is their somewhat limited hardware/os support.
Edited to add, some GPFS 3.5 stuff at the reg this morning: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/21 ... tem_3dot5/
Just ran HPL successfully for the first time in my life. Getting about 26 GFLOPS on a E5-2670, probably not using the right BLAS lib.
Anyone going to SC12?
Yeah, I'm going. Got my registration and travel plans put together fairly late, since funding was uncertain and I've been on the road a lot lately. A few workshops related to my intended thesis, though, so I took the plunge once money came through.
MilleniX wrote:
Yeah, I'm going. Got my registration and travel plans put together fairly late, since funding was uncertain and I've been on the road a lot lately. A few workshops related to my intended thesis, though, so I took the plunge once money came through.
Meet up for drinks or some such while we're there?
Hopefully, given that I'm the engineer from the company, I'm either going to have 0 free time or a bunch of it. Given how SC11 went, I'm betting that lunch would be best.
I'll be there. A little disappointed, I've been to MoabCON twice, and now I finally get to go to SC, and where is it? Salt Lake City! Oh well :-)
Stop by the Stanford booth, ask for chalex from Ars?
Hopefully it's as much fun as it's been in previous years. Looks like the Beowulf Bash is still on, but with the DOE massively scaling back their participation (no booths, small fraction of the usual attendance) and the DOD having no official representation, this will be a much thinner event than usual.
http://www.appro.com/industry-news/supe ... bal-scale/
http://www.hpcwire.com/hpcwire/2012-11- ... ional.html
OK so who at SC12 doesn't like Ars? dig any arstechnica.com comes back with no results on the fixed network at SC. Everything else works fine. Come on, if you're going to block a site, block slashdot at least ;-)
The DNS over wireless has had severe issues for all sorts of things. In bad areas, I'm getting Google sites dropping out of connectivity as well. The workshop area (255 et al) are particularly bad, but the cafe on the second floor north end is fine.
MilleniX : I think you might have to either give a few more hints about who you are, or come by the Australian HPC booth some time while I'm there. I've met BitPoet and chalex now, need to catch up with you and then maybe we can organise a bit of time to have a drink or two, before my schedule is completely overrun. Thursday or Friday do actually look pretty clear right now though, but I fly out Friday around 7pm.
Good to meet Matt and Chalex, I completely missed MilleniX, as, well "vendor booth" was pretty obscure, and I was told to "wander, learn, attend talks, etc."
Sorry I missed you guys. My group was involved in a bunch of BoFs and such that needed my help, and a paper deadline during the conference.
MilleniX wrote:
Sorry I missed you guys. My group was involved in a bunch of BoFs and such that needed my help, and a paper deadline during the conference.
Matt - I did ask after you in the Australian HPC booth, but the folks there didn't recognize your name. Different name in IRL?
No, this is definitely my real name. I wonder if you got one of the iVEC folk, I only met them on the booth, some of the Swinburne guys may not have known me that well either.
There were 6 groups represented at the booth, so there was a chance of getting someone who didn't know me, but the VLSCI girls knew me, and they were manning the booth most of the time. Did you get a Tim Tam or a kangaroo at least? :-)
Ah, the multiple groups thing makes sense. I didn't get to check back too much because I was mostly listening to talks and such. No schwag, because I mostly don't need more crap lying about.
1. We really have a grid as opposed to a cluster and our computing needs might mot really be classified as HPC. We use it for academic finance and marketing research. The most important aspect of our hardware is the speed at which a single-threaded calculation can be run on a CPU so IPC isn't a concern at all while memory bandwidth is fairly important. Even more important is the max amount of memory we can put in a single node without compromising the clock of the memory, as several of the program being run on our grid require the entire data set be in memory. Network is fairly important as well, with bandwidth to the shared via NAS disks being the most important network aspect - we are upgrading from 1000BASE-T to 10G SPF+ twisted pair.
Finally my first PB usable fs:
# df -h /dev/gs1
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/gs1 1.2P 893T 305T 75% /srv/gs1
We just built one that's 2.1 PB (should come out to 20+ GB/s, when all done)
Wrote my first GPFS policies today:
# mmlspolicy hsgs -L
RULE 'fast01' SET POOL 'system' WHERE FILESET_NAME LIKE 'home.%'
RULE 'default' SET POOL 'sata0'
RULE 'mig01' MIGRATE FROM POOL 'system' THRESHOLD(90,70) WEIGHT(KB_ALLOCATED) TO POOL 'sata0'
GPFS v3.5 has something even fancier:
rule 'grpdef' GROUP POOL 'gpool' IS 'ssd' LIMIT(90) THEN 'fast' LIMIT(85) THEN 'sata'
rule 'repack' MIGRATE FROM POOL 'gpool' TO POOL 'gpool' WEIGHT(FILE_HEAT)
Is there some equivalent in Lustre?
About all you can do right now is set up the pools, and assign them to directories.
Anyone using or looking at http://www.openlava.org/ as free LSF or SGE replacement?
One of my coworkers is using it as a stand-in for a project she's working on. I don't know how closely it mirrors LSF, but it does the job (or at least what she needs to do with it) and produces equivalent output to LSF. Then again, her jobs are just various process that sleep, no real "work" is being done.
No SC13 for me it seems. Have started with a new employer, and while I'm still doing HPC, there's no pressing business need for me to get to this one.
I will be at SC13 - anyone else who is attending?
I'm going too
Oh, yeah, I should probably post the link to what my lab is up to. Details to be improved there as my labmates get their act together.
To breath some life into this thread . . .
I'm going as well. I dropped by your booth last year, but couldn't track you down.
Was never really "my (group's) booth". We're one research group at UIUC, which has booths from NCSA and PCI. We just kind of jacked the space
I'll be demoing online FT using Charm++, our runtime system, at the Illinois PCI booth (#3506) today 1:30-3:30, and hosting a BoF on Charm++ Thursday 12:15-1:15. I'll also be at the Mellanox party tonight :-)
Speaking of Openlava (opensource LSF), a company (Teraproc) has backed the project and is helping with dev work.
The world is changing: http://www.dursi.ca/hpc-is-dying-and-mpi-is-killing-it/
Yep, just saw that and this were a real one-two punch this morning. Good to know someone is finally working on the networking side of Hadoop.


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How to React to a Workplace Attack
Since 2008, there has been a rise in workplace violence that many experts believe is closely associated with the increasing pressure people are feeling at work and overall uncertainty about jobs nationally. Stress or conflict at work, financial issues and even trouble at home can all contribute to workplace violence.
Employers are becoming more aware of the need to have policies and procedures in place that will guide employees who may come face-to-face with someone intent on doing harm. If you find yourself in a violent situation, whether physical or verbal, there are some things you should try to remember. It's important to think about them now, while you are calm, so that you will be better prepared to act in a worst case scenario.
When violence breaks out in the workplace, you are faced with three options: run, hide or take action. If you do find yourself in a close encounter with someone intent on inflicting harm, you or those you work with will probably not be able to run or hide. "Take action" includes many scenarios, but if having to talk to a person bent on violence is the situation you've found yourself in, this advice may be helpful:
- Remain calm – The calmer you are, the better you will be able to think about how to properly handle the situation. You may also make others feel safer if you are calm and not panicked.
- Use an open stance – The way you present yourself is critical. It is your goal to help defuse the attacker's anger and get them to remain calm. The attacker has to believe you are not going to attack them, and the way you stand can reinforce that. Use a slightly open stance with one foot behind the other and most of your weight on your back foot. Not only does this convey a neutral signal but it also gives you more freedom to react should you be attacked
- Do not raise your voice – Speak in a normal, even tone.
- Listen, listen and listen – Maybe the attacker just wants to be heard. Let them vent and do not interrupt or argue with him or her.
- Think before you speak – Certain comments could confuse the attacker or imply that your opinions are more important than theirs. Ask the attacker, "I can see that you are upset. How can I help?" Avoid using these phrases:
"I know how you feel."
"You shouldn't be angry. It is no big deal."
"Don't worry about it. You'll be fine."
- Don't take anything personally – People who have reached the point where they are prepared to act out violently might be looking for someone to take their side and get emotionally involved in their issue.
- Be mindful of your facial expressions – You can nod to indicate that you understand what is being said, but you should be careful about openly agreeing or disagreeing. The idea, again, is to let the person talk.
- Keep your hands in view of the attacker – Your palms might be sweaty from nerves but it is better to show your palms to the attacker rather than crossing your arms or making a fist. This conveys a non-confrontational demeanor and also shows the attacker that you are not armed.
- Maintain eye contact – Maintain regular eye contact with the attacker but don't stare at or try to stare him down. The idea is to use eye contact to "connect" and build a level of trust that might help the attacker continue talking and calm down.
- If a weapon is involved – Follow the attacker's orders. Unless you are confident that your life is in immediate danger, you should not try to disarm an attacker.
In all violent situations, be sure to call 911 as soon as possible. Fully cooperate with arriving police and keep your hands visible to them as they have no way of knowing who the attacker is and who may be an innocent bystander.
The most important way you can contribute to the successful outcome of a violent confrontation in the workplace is to be informed and alert, remain calm and contact a manager or police as soon as you witness violent or potentially violent behavior in the workplace. Workplace violence can happen in any environment, within any industry, so it is important to understand how to handle a violent workplace situation. For more information on workplace violence, visit alliedbarton.com/wpv.
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Student Services is your gateway to all the help and support you need as a student at Dalhousie. Whether you are having difficulty in a particular subject, have questions about your program, or wish to discuss matters related to health or finances, we have a number of online services and drop-in centres that offer support to students.
Whether you're a new student applying to one of Dalhousie's residence halls or you're looking for assistance with your off-campus apartment search, we can help.
Find your home away from home.
Dalhousie offers a wide range of athletic opportunities for students. Cheer for the Tigers varsity sports teams, work out at Dalplex, or join an intramural sports league.
With so many clubs and societies on campus, not only will you find plenty of people who share common interests, but you'll have an opportunity to try something completely new. Browse the listings and find societies that suit your interests.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4R2
Agricultural Campus
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Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4R2


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15 Years of Saying YES!
Video by Christa Hillstrom
15 years ago, a powerful idea took off!
There's plenty of journalism about what's going wrong in the world—and, from climate change to an unjust economy, plenty of things going wrong to write about. But if things are to change for the better, don't we need a place to learn about all the under-the-radar ideas and movements that are actually working? Don't we need a vision we can say yes to?
In 1996, in the basement of a rented house, YES! Magazine was born. Founded on the idea that a better world is possible, YES! uncovers stories and solutions that show people how to make positive change in their own lives and communities.
15 years and later, YES! is a nonprofit, subscriber-supported media organization, reaching more than 150,000 readers with each quarterly print issue and hundreds of thousands more through YesMagazine.org. We were recently selected as a nominee for the Utne Independent Press Award for General Excellence, and were the editors' pick for Best Business & Politics Website for Treehugger's Best of Green Awards.
This video features work from YES! in print and online, including the following films:
- We Are Wisconsin
Meet the people making history in Wisconsin.
- The Economics of Happiness
How going local can restore our ecosystems, our societies, and our spirits.
- The Story of Citizens United
Annie Leonard's new film asks: Why have corporations gotten so powerful? And what can we do about it?
- Chocolate Country
Video: A happy tale of the success of a cacao cooperative in the Dominican Republic.
- Journey of Action
Bellingham, Washington—a local living economy.
Get involved!
- Watch our celebration: Van Jones and Bill McKibben joined us in Seattle to celebrate 15 years of inspiring positive change. Click here to see their inspiring presentations.
- Get a free issue: Click here to join our family by subscribing to our print magazine.
- Get a dose of YES! each week: Click here to get our best stories of hope and change in your inbox every Friday.


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One of the senior Firsts strode into the meeting room, and assembled SOLDIERS snapped to attention.
"We have received word that Wutai has just run a test of military technology of unprecedented power."
Grainy images of a massive magical barrier flickered up on the room's main screen, and a murmur ran through the room.
"From the sudden change in technological capacity it is obvious that Wutai has allied itself with dangerous continental terrorist groups, and most likely has appropriated Shinra military technology."
"Later today Shinra will formally demand the surrender of any and all misappropriated company assets, the handover of a suspected terrorist known to be currently on Wutain soil, and cessation of certain activities detrimental to international trade. If no agreement can be reached, Shinra will employ military force to reclaim its property and apprehend individuals considered to be a threat."
"This is not a declaration of war, so no getting ahead of yourselves. Also, friends and family learn about this when official announcements are made and not before. Any questions?"


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More improv than you can shake an invisible stick at! 12 comedians vie for laughs, love and points to see who can be the last one standing through a series of comedic scenes, songs, and even party games. Audience suggestions pave the way for a wild night of improv comedy. Not to be missed!
Featuring: Dana Arcicovich, Sheevani Desai, Chris Fortin, Kathryn Gonsoir, Eric Haenke, Josh Hamilton, Lisa Jacokes, Doug Kolbicz, Tim Lally, Charlie Matt, Katie McGraw, Aaron Mondry, Maggie O'Reilly, Nicole Pascaretta, Matt Penridge, Jeff Smyk, Mitch Socia, Tamara White


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While we were preparing for our recent presentation to the Mass Bay OD Learning Group, Patti Anklam shared with me a comprehensive SNA bibliography she had assembled and organized by topic, like so:
- Social and personal networks in organizations
- Communities of practice
- Networks, business, and knowledge management
- Organizational networks research
- The science of networks
- SNA textbooks
- Brief readings and articles
- Websites and blogs
OK just a little bit of further ado. If you read only one book, start with The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Then when you're ready for more, here's your list:
Social Network Analysis Bibliography
By Patti Anklam and Bruce Hoppe
Quoted Reviews from Amazon.com
May 2005
Social and personal networks in organisations:
The Hidden Power of Social Networks,
The Quantum Theory of Trust, Karen Stephenson, Prentice Hall, 2005. "Companies around the world are beginning to learn that they can profit by analyzing invisible social networks, and understanding their impact…. Stephenson introduces the analysis of networks to identify the personalities and patterns of organisations, and shows how to manage the personal currency that counts in good networks: trust."
The Social Life of Information, John Seeley Brown and Paul Duguid,
In Good Company, How Social Capital Makes Organizations Work, Don Cohen and Laurence Prusak, 2001. "The book's novelty and appeal lie in the . . . attention to the power of commonplace conversations. . ." "providing insight into the causality between a company's social atmosphere and its success."
Achieving Success through Social Capital, Tapping the Hidden Resources in Your Personal and Business Networks, Wayne Baker, Jossey Bass Publishers, 2000. "Here, an expert on building connections shows how building social capital produces higher pay, faster promotions, better jobs, breakthrough ideas, new business opportunities, and profitable companies."
Communities of Practice:
Cultivating Communities of Practice,
Leveraging Communities of Practice for Strategic Advantage, Hubert Saint-Onge and Deborah Wallace, Butterworth Heinemann, 2003. "combines theory and practice to outline a model for developing successful communities of practice and proposes a direction for establishing communities of practice as an integral part of the organizational structure." "Written in thick clotted prose."
Communities of Practice: Lessons from Leading Collaborative Enterprises
Networks, business, and knowledge management:
Living Networks, Ross Dawson, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall, 2003. "provides a lucid and visionary framework in which to chart a succesful company or individual course in the Knowledge Economy." "More practical than Allee's book."
The Future of Knowledge: Increasing Prosperity through Value Networks. Verna Allee, Butterworth Heinemann, 2002. "Overall, the book offers a fresh, thought-provoking look at what have become already become well-worn concepts in the knowledge management field. Allee has synthesized a diverse array of ideas and concepts and theories from multiple disciplines to this work."
The Wealth of Knowledge: Intellectual Capital and the Twenty-first Century Organization, Thomas A. Stewart, Currency Doubleday 2001. "While not groundbreaking, his latest book offers a broad survey of business from the intellectual capitalist's perspective, from the basic economics of knowledge and business organization theory and management to selling and accounting for knowledge. Stewart could have fit this subject into a serious business magazine article; in expanding it, he simply adds a relentlessly upbeat mix of grand metaphors and detailed examples."
The Information Ecology, Thomas A. Davenport and Laurence Prusak,
Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Workforce, David W. DeLong,
The Trusted Leader, Robert Galford, Free Press 2002. "A knitting-together of management theory, real-life anecdotes and snappy tools and self-assessment quizzes, the book tries gamely to be both authoritative and accessible. Its strongest section is a discussion of the "enemies of trusted leadership"-office archetypes ranging from power-hungry control freaks to underperforming slackers-who can undermine what a CEO is trying to achieve."
The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many are Smarter than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations, James Surowiecki, Little Brown 2004. ""Wise crowds" need (1) diversity of opinion; (2) independence of members from one another; (3) decentralization; and (4) a good method for aggregating opinions…. Surowiecki's style is pleasantly informal, a tactical disguise for what might otherwise be rather dense material. He offers a great introduction to applied behavioral economics and game theory."
Organizational networks research:
Knowledge and Social Capital: Foundation and Applications, Eric L. Lesser (Editor), Butterworth Heinemann, 2000. "Knowledge and Social Capital explains how social capital can drive collaboration, reconcile an organization's internal and external labor markets, and improve organizational effectiveness. This edited compilation of authoritative articles helps readers understand how they can build and capitalize on their own organizations' social capital."
Networks in the Knowledge Economy,
The science of networks:
Six Degrees, The Science of the Connected Age, Duncan J. Watts, W.W. Norton, 2003. "A network of discoveries across an array of disciplines tell the story of an explosive new field of knowledge, the people who are building it, and Watt's own peculiar path in forging this new science."
Nexus, Small Worlds and the Groundbreaking Science of Networks, Mark Buchanan, Norton, 2002. "presents the fundamental principles of the emerging field of 'small worlds' theory--the idea that a hidden pattern is the key to how networks interact and exchange information, whether that network is the information highway or the firing of neurons in the brain."
Linked, The New Science of Networks, Albert-László Barabási, Perseus Publishing 2002. "First book to explore the hot new science of networks and their impact on nature, business, medicine, and everyday life. This book has a simple message: think networks. It is about how networks emerge, what they look like, and how they evolve."
Social Network Analysis Texts
Social Network Analysis: A Handbook, John Scott, Sage Publications 2nd Edition 2000. "provides an accessible introduction to the theory and practice of network analysis in the social sciences. It gives a clear and authoritative guide to the general framework of network analysis, explaining the basic concepts, technical measures and reviewing the available computer programs."
Social Network Analysis: Methods and Applications,
Structural Holes: The Social Structure of Competition. Ron Burt,
Managing the Flow of Technology: Technology Transfer and the Dissemination of Information of Technological Information with the R&D Organization, Tom Allen, MIT Press 1997. "summarizes more than a decade of work on communications flow in science and engineering organizations, showing how human and organizational systems could be restructured to bring about improved productivity and better person-to-person contact."
: Articles Readings
• "The People Who Make Organizations Go--or Stop" Laurence Prusak;
• "Making Invisible Work Visible:Using Social Network Analysis to Support Strategic Collaboration" by
• "Karen Stephenson's Quantum Theory of Trust," Booz-Allen's strategy+business, Vol 29, 2003.
• "Informal Networks: The company behind the charts," David Krackhardt and Jeffrey Hanson, Harvard Business Review, July-August 1993
• "How Networks Reshape Organizations for Results," Ram Charan, Harvard Business Review September-October 1991
• "What Creates Energy in Organizations?"
• "A Practical Guide to Social networks,"
• "KM and the Social Network," by Patti Anklam. Knowledge Management Magazine, May 2003.
• "A Relational View of Information Seeking and Learning in Social Networks," Borgatti, S.P. and Cross, R. 2003. Management Science. 49(4): 432-445.[pdf]
• "Knowing What We Know: Supporting Knowledge Creation and Sharing in Social Networks," Cross, R., Parker, A., Prusak, L. & Borgatti, S.P. 2001. Organizational Dynamics 30(2): 100-120. [pdf]
• "Beyond Answers: Dimensions of the Advice Network," Cross, R., Borgatti, S.P., & Parker, A. 2001. Social Networks 23(3): 215-235. [pdf]
• "A birds-eye view: Using social network analysis to improve knowledge creation and sharing," Cross, R.L., Parker, A. and Borgatti, S.P. 2000. Knowledge Directions. 2(1): 48-61. [pdf]
Web Sites and Blogs
• Valdis Krebs: http://www.orgnet.com/
• Stephen Borgatti: http://www.analytictech.com/
• Bruce Hoppe: http://connectedness.blogspot.com/
• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Network_Analysis
• Patti Anklam: http://www.byeday.net/
Research and the SNA Community
• INSNA (International Network for Social Network Analysis) http://www.insna.org/


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Presenting THE ONE: Minimal Rhythms, with 50 groovy Minimal Techno/House patches for NI Massive with loads of interesting rhythms.
THE ONE: Minimal Rhythms comes with 50 well crafted Massive presets + bonus content from the demo.
As always, all of the 8 Macro controls are assigned on every preset, Randomizing and Velocity control is assigned to many different presets, and the sounds have been crafted to be as fat, full, punchy and wide as possible.
More than this, most of the presets have powerful sequences/rhythms (many including sidechaining), making them ready to quickly be dropped into the track.
These sequences/rhythms are of course assigned to the Macro controls, so you may quickly remove them if you still wish to make your own groove with the sounds.
The creator of these sounds is a long time listener of Minimal Techno, Minimal House, etc, and knows what is needed for good sounding Minimal sounds.
With this soundbank you may expect presets that are on point with high usability.
All sounds are 100 % original and royalty free, and can be used in all kinds of productions without the risk for any legal issues.
Have a listen to the demo song, and you'll instantly hear how the groove catches you. Imagine these sounds rocking the stage on your livesets!
Full specifications:
- 14 Basses
- 7 Pads
- 2 Plucks
- 7 Risers
- 13 Leads
Bonus files:
- 10 WAVs at 44.1 kHz/24-bit
- PDF of what presets were used in the demo, as well as info of which freeware thirdparty plugins that were used
- The demo as an MP3
NOTE: This product require NI Massive version 1.4 and up. This product does not contain a copy of the synth Massive.
- 30 Mb Complete Pack Content.
- Wav 24 bits / 44.1khz
- PC/MAC Compatible (Logic, Cubase, Live, Reason, SonyAcid, Fruity loops, GarageBand, etc...)
- Wav
- Midi
- Massive
All of the content is 100% royalty-free. Once purchased, you can use these audio loops in your music releases, both commercial and underground, with no restrictions.
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For any problem send a email email@example.com
*Note: The previews are low resolution MP3s. The quality of the files you will receive will of course be much higher, uncompressed WAV-AIFF, stereo, 44k, 16-24 bit.
Producer: The One