SUMMER of HPC

The Machine and Me

I know we’re supposed to not care how it works as long as it works. But last Monday we decided to throw caution to the wind and went down into Salomon’s layer (room where they keep the supercomputer). This is contained in a room with low oxygen (~15%), as opposed to the more usual ~21% that we are used to. This low oxygen environment is designed to prevent fire in the supercomputer’s room. A very considerate sign on the wall reminds us that if you can’t breath you should leave the room. Captioned to the right is myself with Salomon, you may notice that I am struggling to breath- totally worth it.

Watch out Bear Grylls

Last weekend my friend, Ciannait, visited me from Ireland. So, clearly aware of our inherent Irish inability to handle heat. Ostrava decided to throw everything, including the kitchen sink at us in regards to heat. (Not sure if many people use kitchen sinks as a unit of the measurement for temperature, but move over Kelvin, Centigrade!) With the temperature in the mid-to-high thirties (in Centigrade not Kitchen sinks) the mere earth we stood on seared with heat. The smallest task required an enormous effort. However, being exceedingly resourceful people, we made the best of a difficult situation, as illustrated in the diagram to the left, ice cold, non-alcoholic ( 😉 ) cocktails were one of the essential life preserving tools that we used to cope through the day. Watch out Bear Grylls!

Of course, our day trip to Vřesina was not without it’s consequences. Beautiful tans ensued or as Sergio described them “burns”….. We don’t all live in Tenerife, Sergio! After long hikes through the countryside one fact became clear to us. The Lord of the Rings was not filmed in New Zealand!

They’ve been lying to us!

Not Farmer maggot’s crops? Where Frodo and Sam stumbled into a mischievous Merry and Pippin? Unfortunately, despite much effort I could not find the Shire to verify my theory.

P.S. I propose the following conversion rates: Kelvin + 272.15 = Centigrade; Kitchen Sinks = Celsius/4 + %(chance of precipitation).