It looks like compiz is running amok and using 100% CPU.  That might mean 
that it is using 100% of one of eight threads, or maybe using all of one 
core.  I'm not sure on that.  This is my chip, and in /proc/cpuinfo it 
comes up as having 7 cores:

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600 CPU @ 3.40GHz

What I'm really interested in is what compiz is doing for me.  I'm sure it 
is needed for the window manager on the console, but on this machine I'm 
never in front of it, always logging in via SSH and using VNC with IceWM. 
So what would happen if I just killed the compiz process?  Or maybe I 
could just restart it.  But would that disrupt the IceWM?  I'm thinking 
IceWM doesn't use compiz, so it wouldn't be affected.  The desktop on on 
the console would probably be hosed, but that isn't a problem for me. 
What do you think?

Mike