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Table of Contents
SCM Chapter Events – April 2015 .................................................................................................. 2
CT & Western MA Mensa Chapter – Upcoming Events ........................................................ 3
News From the Chapter President................................................................................................. 4
RVC Chat .................................................................................................................................................. 5
Welcome New Members! ................................................................................................................... 5
Special Section – The American Mensa National Elections ............................................... 6
Puzzles & Questions ......................................................................................................................... 14
Answers to the March 2015 Chronicle Questions................................................................ 15
SCM Treasurer’s Report .................................................................................................................. 16
Word Check .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Upcoming National and Regional Events ................................................................................ 18
Noted & Quoted .................................................................................................................................. 19
Announcements & Notices ............................................................................................................ 21
SCM Chronicle - Advertising Rates ............................................................................................ 23
Mensa Chapter #066 - Officers 2015 .......................................................................................... 24
Membership Renewal: If your membership expires in 2015, that expiration is effective as of the end of April. You should have received a renewal notice in the mail or an e-mail in January. You can return that form or visit http://ww.us.mensa.org to renew.
Important Notice National elections for the Board of Directors of American Mensa will be starting on April 15 (you must be a member in good standing by April 1 to vote). Beginning with this election cycle, electronic ballots are now the default and primary means of voting. If the National Office has an e-mail address on file for you, you will receive an electronic ballot. Should you prefer to receive a paper ballot, you may opt out of the electronic voting process. To do so, you may either: 1) contact the National Office at 817-607-0060; or 2) change your preference through the American Mensa website (http://www.us.mensa.org): click on “My Mensa,” then “Member Profile,” then “Election material preferences,” select your preference, and then don’t forget to hit the “Save Changes” button.
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SCM Chapter Events — April 2015 Tuesday, April 7, 6:45 pm Post Rd. Dining and Discussion Barnes & Noble Cafe, Post Plaza Shopping Center, 1076 Post Road East, Westport . Topic: The Psychology of Habits. Contact Jim Mizera at [email protected] or text or call (203) 522-1959. Thursday, April 10, 7:00 pm Southern Connecticut and Connecticut/Western Massachusetts Joint Dinner John's Best Pizza, Shop Rite Plaza, Federal Road, Danbury. Interested M’s should contact Ward Mazzucco at 203-744-1929, ext 25, [email protected] or Rev. Bill Loring at 203-794-1389, [email protected] for more info on location and/or reservations.
Saturday, April 18, 6:30 pm Southern Connecticut Mensa Monthly Dinner The Putnam House Restaurant, 12 Depot Place, Bethel (downtown – across from old railroad station). Tonight’s topic: The Great Immigration Wave to the U.S. from 1880 – 1924. Who came? Who stayed? Why? Where did they go? How did it change the U.S. for better or worse? Members who have not attended a monthly dinner before will get dinner for free. Dress is casual. The presentation will follow dinner. There is parking in the rear of the restaurant and in the nearby Old Railroad Station lot. Reservations strongly encouraged but not required. You can bring a donation of money or food to benefit the Connecticut Food Bank. Contact Jim Mizera at [email protected] or text or call (203) 522-1959 for reservations or info.
Tuesday, April 21, 6:45 pm County Corner Dining and Discussion Blue Sky Diner, 273 Ferry Blvd., Stratford (approx. 1 mile from Milford) Topic: Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Intellect” from his Essays: First Series (1841). Contact Jim Mizera at [email protected] or text or call (203) 522-1959. Saturday, April 25, 4:00 pm Games Night Email Joan Coprio at [email protected] to RSVP and for final location and directions.
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CT & Western MA Mensa Chapter - Upcoming Events This is not a complete listing. Details regarding these and other C&WM events can be found at: http://www.cwm.us.mensa.org/members/member-page.htm (Mensa ID and Password required). Sunday, April 5, 12:00 noon Indian Lunch Haveli India Restaurant, 1300 South Main St., Rte 17 in South Middletown http://www.haveliindia.com/ The food is enticing, the staff is friendly, and the company is the best to be had anywhere! Join us at Haveli India Restaurant for an all-you-can-eat $9.95 buffet. The food is fabulous. RSVP required. Call Barb Holstein for a reservation: 860-632-7873 or [email protected]. Friday, April 3, 5:30 pm First Friday Happy Hour Brother’s Restaurant, 33 North Cherry Street, Wallingford, (203) 641-2408. Contact Ann Polanski home (203) 269-4565 or cell (860) 817-9910. Thursday, April 16, 6:30 pm Pioneer Valley Dinner Email Ian Fraser ([email protected]) for more information, directions, or to RSVP (very much appreciated but not required). This is a perfect opportunity to see what a Mensa get-together is like if you've never been to one. New members and guests are encouraged to attend this always friendly and interesting event. We hope to see you there! Thursday, April 16, 6:30 pm Shoreline Third Thursday Parthenon Diner, 809 Boston Post Rd. (Route 1 in Old Saybrook). Sure, it’s the dead of winter, but come join us for dinner at the Parthenon Diner. Spouses and families are always welcome. RSVPs appreciated, so I can give them an accurate count for our reservation, or just get there and look for the table with the little yellow scuba tank. I'm told we'll probably be in the lower pub; go left inside the front door and then up, around and down to the left of the bar. Contact Mike Milius, [email protected], or (860) 392-9917 for more information or to RSVP. Friday, April 24, 5:00 pm Happy Hour The Playwright, 1232 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06517 - http://www.playwrightirishpub.com Come on down and join us this month; we’d love to see ya. Contact Gail Trowbridge 203-877-4472 or [email protected].
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News From the Chapter President SCM President’s Column – April 2015 Happy Spring! I’m writing this on the last day of winter /
first day of spring, and winter is giving us one last shot
of snow to remember it by.
This past week I took a trip to the Philadelphia area for
some sightseeing while my daughter was home from
college on spring break. Our first stop was Longwood Gardens, http://longwoodgardens.org/.
Formerly owned by Pierre S. DuPont, there is an immense conservatory with beautiful plant displays
– their winter orchid extravaganza is there until the end of March. Even though the fountains are
under reconstruction, the grounds were still beautiful to walk through.
Our second day was spent at the Philadelphia Zoo, http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/. It’s the oldest
zoo in the U.S. Even so, many of the displays have been updated since I first visited over 30 years
ago. It was a colder day, but we still got to see tigers and leopards walking in new overhead wire
mesh tunnels, and a very cute young orangutan swinging around an enclosure shared by him and his
mom.
Our final stops included the Brandywine River Museum, http://www.brandywinemuseum.org/, which
showcases the work of the Wyeths; and Tyler Arboretum. At the Brandywine, they were having a
retrospective of the work of Jamie Wyeth, which included two works that were part of a painting swap
between him and Andy Warhol. At Tyler Arboretum, https://www.tylerarboretum.org/, only the witch
hazels and a few snowdrops and crocuses were flowering. One had to imagine what it would be like
when all of the many rhododendrons are in bloom.
In Mensa news, the chapter volunteer board had a special meeting to review our edits to the chapter
by-laws. With help from a couple of board members (thanks Frank and Tom) we had our first tele-
meeting. It worked great, and the idea of tele-meetings is one of the things the edited by-laws will
include. Even though Fairfield County covers a fairly small geography, as we all know, traffic can be
bad, and finding a central point can be difficult. Tele-meetings really make it easier to serve as a
volunteer board member. Now that our draft is complete, we’ll be contacting the national office for our
next steps; at the appropriate point, we’ll publish the by-laws in the newsletter for member review.
So, I’m hoping that the next time I write this column, the white on the dogwood tree in my front yard
will be flowers and not snow!
Joan Coprio President, Southern Connecticut Mensa
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RVC Chat I'm glad to note that Mensa of Northeastern New York (MoNNY) has published a documentary about its first 48 years. Part One covers 2010 to 2011, and Part Two covers 2010 to 1963. It is written in this sequence so we can first see our contemporary friends and then their predecessors. Quite a number of Mensans from other groups attend MoNNY events, so you will likely see a number of your friends in the documentary. It is available online in the United States, through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers. The book starts out with a welcoming by Rob Salkin… the MoNNY President who appointed the author Leo A. Kellogg as Historian. There are 156 pages, which include write-ups and photographs of many typical events of the group; descriptions of the functions of many positions and photographs/ images of the incumbents of most of them; 88 photographs/images of 49 individuals; one chart showing numbers of members of MoNNY over the years; one map showing MoNNY's geographic boundaries; and 34 pages of documentation and comments. Amy Collins, a member of MoNNY and owner of New Shelves Publishing Services of Troy, NY, helped publish the book. Any Mensa Group that wishes to do so, could appoint a Historian, or just task someone who likes to research and write, to make a record about their own group, too. It's fun to read about what is happening and what has happened in a Mensa group. Andrew Heffernan Region Vice Chair, Region 1, American Mensa
Welcome New Members!
Adam & Caiti Levin, Weston
Henry Dunlop, Norwalk
Brett Edmonds, Old Greenwich
James Geraghty, Fairfield
Shannon Green, Greenwich
Glenn Schwarz, Brookfield
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Special Section – The American Mensa National Elections As you may know, this is an election year for American Mensa. Voting is open from April 15 to May 31. Many of the seats on the national board are hotly contested. In this section, we will be publishing a number of campaign statements and discussions about amendments to the national by-laws. Not all candidates sent us their campaign statements. You can view ALL of these statements on the national Mensa website at: http://www.us.mensa.org/lead/amc/elections/2015-board-elections/candidate-information/ One position that was NOT contested was the position for Regional Vice Chair of Region 1 (our region). Lisa Maxwell, currently of Boston Mensa (and a former member of SCM) was elected, unopposed, and will be taking on her position at the upcoming Annual Gathering.
2015 Mensa Elections – Candidates for National Offices
The nomination and petition periods are now officially closed. Here is the final list of candidates as they will appear on the ballot for the 2015 American Mensa election. The candidate name order was determined by random drawing. Individuals marked with "N" were nominated via the Nominating Committee process; those marked with "P" obtained the requisite number of petition signatures in order to run. Those running unopposed are declared elected and will take office on July 1, 2015. Megan Edwards Election Committee Chair [email protected]
Chair Nick Sanford (N/P) Dan Burg (N/P) Deb Stone (P)
1st Vice Chair Mary Lee Kemper (P) Heather Poirier (N)
2nd Vice Chair LaRae Bakerink (N/P) John Neemidge (P)
Secretary Lori Norris (P) Andrew Heffernan (N/P) Nancy Farrar (P)
Treasurer Ken Silver (N) Robert Salkin (N/P) Roger Durham (N) William Davis (P)
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2015 Mensa National Elections – A Closer Look
by Shayna Mali Originally published in the February issue of French Broad Mensa newsletter Broadcast, N. Carolina) In the 2015 Mensa national elections next April, there will be no fewer than thirteen (13) different by-laws amendments for members to evaluate and vote on. There will also be multiple candidates for several of the national offices. This level of interest and participation on the national level has not been seen for quite some time – and it has gotten my attention. Having done a fair amount of research and then reviewed all 13 of the proposed by-laws amendments, I find myself unable to support anything substantive put forward by the current American Mensa Committee (AMC). Nor will I be supporting any of the incumbents on the AMC ExComm. Discussions continue on Facebook, yahoo groups and the Mensa Online Community, as well as in person across the country. I invite you to join the conversation. A significant issue is the pattern of continuing dues increases, outpacing the inflation rate. The current AMC has approved these dues hikes but, until now, they have resisted repeated attempts by the current Treasurer, Nick Sanford – now running for Chairman – to institute automatic annual dues increases. We will have other choices for both Treasurer and Chairman this year; it behooves us to consider how our dues money is spent and whether we are getting additional value for higher annual dues. Several members have pointed to the ongoing expansion of the National Office without an accompanying growth in membership numbers. Others have called for a different approach to the budget process and an accompanying rollback of dues; to achieve this, we would need quite a different AMC and ExComm. A careful reading of the proposed by-laws amendments, along with a review of this year's AMC meetings agendas and minutes, reveals quite a lot about the thinking of the incumbents who participated in the creation of AMC-approved amendments and who would be operating under the revised rules if those amendments were to pass. A recent RVC column by Julia Ashley (Region 3) and the subsequent response from Dayton Area Mensa's Ombudsman Pat Reising elucidate some of the issues relative to the position and role of the National Ombudsman. The links below lead to an exchange regarding two of the proposed by-laws amendments: #1, Replacement of the text of By-laws of American Mensa in entirety, and #12, Restore and Protect Powers of the National Ombudsman. An associated proposal, #11, Duties and Responsibilities of the National Ombudsman, is referred to indirectly in the writings and should be considered as part of the same discussion. Among these three amendments, I support #12 and plan to vote against #1 and #11.
To read RVC3 Julia Ashley's December Report in MPULSE (2014), visit the Mensa website, navigate
to READ, then select Group Newsletters. Select "Filter by newsletter name" in the center of the page,
then choose MPULSE from the list. Click on "search and filter," then click on the December 2014
issue. Or, go to http://www.us.mensa.org/AML/?LinkServID=ECB6C2BD-E35E-D520-
7FF5145152348936&type=lgnl&name=450\MPULSE%5F201412%2Epdf
To read "Response to December's RVC3 Column," by Pat Reising, click on the January 2015 issue of
MPULSE (alternate ending - final two paragraphs - for online versions). Or go to:
http://www.us.mensa.org/AML/?LinkServID=ECB6C2BD-E35E-D520-
7FF5145152348936&type=lgnl&name=450\MPULSE%5F201501%2Epdf
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The Proposed Amendments to American Mensa’s By-laws
As you should have seen in the March issue of the Bulletin by now, there is a recommendation issued by the By-laws Committee, purportedly based on the consensus of the committee. The AMC members of the committee are: Russ Bakke (Committee Chairman), Dan Burg (AMC Chairman, doesn't usually vote on AMC matters; ex officio member of this committee), Brian Reeves (Secretary), Cam Smart (RVC2), and Desiree Sagray (RVC9). The non-AMC members of the committee are: Lincoln Beaumont, Randy Brack, Clark Jones, and yours truly. It contains way more, in my opinion, than was actually approved by a majority of the voting members of the committee. Only 3 of the 5 AMC committee members voted on our e-list. Of those 3, 2 of them voted to approve the statement re: amendment #1, and 2 of them voted to approve the statement re: amendment #5. No other item received a majority of the votes cast. One person voted to approve all of the statements except for the one re: amendment #6. Instead of limiting recommendations to two amendments (#1 and #5) in accordance with the above, the By-laws Committee statement that is published contains recommendations related to 8 of the 13 amendments up for balloting. It seems the committee was supposed to assume a yes vote for the other 2 members who didn't comment or vote on-list: one was the author of the language (note: he did not include his vote in there -- and he usually opts not to vote) and the other was the one who called for the vote and provided the timeline for it (but never stated his own vote, then or separately). Sincerely, Jared Levine [email protected]
A Special Report
In the March issue of the Bulletin, you will have read the By-laws Committee Statement for Spring 2015 Referendum. Although a member of the By-laws Committee, it's not my place nor any committee member's place to influence a vote of the members based on that position. Maintaining what I believe is intended within the context of the By-laws Committee description, "issuing recommendations," is directed to the board, not the members. It is important for members to know the background, and weigh that background, prior to voting on any referenda based solely on the Statement. The By-laws Committee is composed of nine members. Five of the nine are on the board of directors. According to New York law, the state of incorporation, only committee members who are on the board are allowed to vote. At its best, with a unanimous vote, the Statement would reflect the recommendation of five people; at its worst, the recommendation of a mere three. It may be worth noting that there is a difference between a legal majority vote and consensus of the committee as a whole. Non-voting members on the By-laws Committee provided their comments and their unofficial vote. If we tallied the consensus, the recommendations in most instances would have been reversed.
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The Statement specifically highlights perceived technical issues with Amendment 2. It is worth bearing in mind that members of the By-laws Committee reviewed each of the proposed referenda and, without regard to personal opinion, made technical suggestions prior to petition. Further, each proposed referenda received the review of legal counsel. There was no exception of process provided for Amendment 2 and there was no technical issue flagged during this process. There is, however, a technical issue with the Statement itself, found within the comments for both Amendments 2 and 3. Referring to the balance of the board, the Statement says, in part, "…minus the Chairman, who does not vote." Whether or not the chair does vote is the chair's choice; the ability to vote is inherent with the position. It is up to each member to read the pro and con statements for each amendment, weigh the desired direction and impact on the organization, and vote accordingly. Cam Smart Region 2 Vice-Chairman
Please visit the American Mensa website to view the By-Lays Amendments in their entirety - http://www.us.mensa.org/lead/amc/elections/proposed-bylaws-amendments/
Campaign Statements for the Position of Chair of American Mensa
Deb Stone It’s almost election time as I write this; don’t forget to vote! Electronic voting is the default this year for the first time. If you would prefer a paper ballot for AML voting, you can request one through the American Mensa website or by calling the National Office. Make your voice heard! I hope you will consider giving me your support. I’m a 31-year Mensan, and an active volunteer for 28 of those years. I have held almost every local position, I have been RVC1, and I have helped run 3 AGs (in 1994, 2004, and 2014.) I have seen the ways Mensa has changed over the years, and also they ways it has not changed. I think we need a new direction – and I would love the opportunity to work toward that. I think our current national focus is on Mensa the organization, not Mensa the members — and yet, members are the heart of Mensa. I think our current actions are based too much on how things have always been done, but how we have done things is not necessarily how we should do things. I believe that, with the right information we can determine what resources and programs can help Mensa grow and thrive — information we either don’t have, or we don’t have access to. I believe that Mensa needs strong leadership on the AMC, and I don’t believe we have enough of it right now. If elected, I will engage in what I am calling an “agonizing reappraisal” of the way we run Mensa. That means working to change the organizational focus back to having members be front and center, and
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finding ways to use their volunteer spirit and expertise at the national level. That means looking for new ways to do things, to reflect the changing world around us. It means transparency much beyond what exists now. And it means metrics that help us understand whether the things we are doing are actually a benefit to Mensa. For more about my views on AML or the by-laws amendments, please visit my website (www.DebStoneforChair.wordpress.com), Facebook group (Deb Stone for Chairman) or email me at [email protected]. I would appreciate your vote! Dan Burg I’ve been Chairman of American Mensa for almost two years, and seek your vote for a final term. This term has been “interesting.” Several employees left the national office. An outside review found our use of technology to be lacking in a number of ways. At times it’s felt like being chairman of a strong windstorm. But we’ve dealt with everything head-on and have emerged stronger. At this writing, American Mensa’s membership numbers are ahead of where they were a year ago — and have been for months. If that trend holds up until the end of the membership year, it will be the first time that’s happened in five years. Now the office staff is smaller, working together better, and getting more done. A new technology plan is being implemented. And the dues that members pay have not been raised this entire term, despite our dues to Mensa International having been raised substantially. What has my role been in this? Juggling a lot of balls at once. Leading stronger and more effective oversight of the office. Being a member of all national committees (except Nominating and Elections) and active in most of them. Using my broad-based experience to help me understand issues and contribute to solutions across the spectrum of American Mensa. I hope you will let me juggle the balls next term as well. I would be honored to receive your vote to continue as Chairman.
Campaign Statement for the Position of 2nd Vice Chair of American Mensa
LaRae Bakerink Mensa became a part of my life in 2001, and I have enjoyed every moment. My Mensa experience includes serving on every level, local, national, and international. Leadership Development is an important member experience that can and should be provided to members so they can grow and flourish, in and out of Mensa. I believe that we should provide better tools to the local groups, especially electronic tools. Mensa should also turn to being more
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community-minded and help involve the members more in their local groups and communities. These are some of the things that will attract and keep new and younger members. With my background and experience in the business world, I believe I have the necessary skills that will enable me to provide strong and smart leadership on the AMC. We need experienced leadership with new ideas to keep up with the changes in our world. Let me bring my new ideas to Mensa to help enhance our member experience. Please vote for me for 2nd Vice Chair. For more information about my background, please go to: www.bakerink.com or you may contact me directly at [email protected] or 858-735-1256.
Campaign Statement for the Position of Secretary of American Mensa
Lori Norris If I am successful in my quest to be elected Secretary of the American Mensa Committee (AMC), I have several goals which I would endeavor to work toward. Primarily, I would like to see increased transparency, with detailed minutes and fewer (and shorter) closed sessions. I am hopeful that a new AMC can find a way to utilize more of our members’ expertise before seeking outside contractors. I have been a Mensan volunteer for over 20 years, and feel that our members are our energy. As an involved member of Mensa, I have felt, over the past few years, that the organizational culture has become more corporate-like and less of a volunteer-run organization. Local groups run on volunteer effort, and I believe that Mensa should provide better support to the local groups, both financially and through better communications such as handbooks. We need to work on a way to share local groups’ best practices, even those practices which were not successful, because they just might work for another group. I would love to work on a program to share event ideas between groups. We need to revitalize Mensa and improve our recruitment of new members and retention of existing members. I believe that we need to take a thorough look at all of Mensa’s programs, set realistic goals for these programs, and determine which ones are successful and forward looking. From 2007 to 2011, I was the Regional Vice Chairman (RVC) for Region 1 – the great North East Region. As such, I assisted in the re-creation of Maine Mensa as a separate local group. I worked with other groups to find their way out of temporary difficulties. To this day, I continue to remain involved in several of our region’s local groups and pitch in with several Regional Gatherings. For information on my opinions on the proposed By-laws Amendments and other issues facing Mensa, please read my website (LoriNorrisForSecretary.wordpress.com), see the Lori Norris for Secretary Facebook page, or send me an e-mail at [email protected]. I would appreciate your vote!
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Understanding the National Budget: Where Your $70 Goes
By Rob Salkin, J.D., M.B.A., M.S. American Mensa has revenue that exceeds $4 million a year and well over 50,000 members. The bulk of about $1 million in revenue comes from national event fees, testing fees, licensing & sponsorship contracts, and investments. The rest, the vast majority of revenue, is generated from dues fees, currently $70 for one year of membership. The 2015-2016 proposed budget overview (PDF: http://bit.ly/mensabudget2015) shows income and expenses separately without analysis (i.e., profit/loss) on likely related budget areas (e.g. revenue from the Annual Gathering compared to costs associated with that event). Most of the overhead is lumped into the Administrative & General section, which makes it difficult for someone without more information to make an accurate comparison. For simplicity, we can break down the budget by how the $70 is divided among all of the budget areas, ordered by allocation amount:
Without claiming this is entirely realistic, if we make the assumption based on the budget area titles that testing, events, and licensing & sponsorship have their revenue and costs entirely represented by their respective budget areas, they are money makers for American Mensa. So, we can remove assignment of dues money to those areas.
Budget Area Cost Percent % X $70
Administrative & General 1,994,769.00$ 46.87% 32.81$
Local Group Support 567,014.00$ 13.32% 9.33$
Publications-Communications 282,730.00$ 6.64% 4.65$
Membership Services 279,225.00$ 6.56% 4.59$
International 247,886.00$ 5.82% 4.08$
Events 242,071.00$ 5.69% 3.98$
Marketing 143,373.00$ 3.37% 2.36$
Board Meetings 122,460.00$ 2.88% 2.01$
Testing 106,945.00$ 2.51% 1.76$
Foundation 56,900.00$ 1.34% 0.94$
Licensing & Sponsorship 46,755.00$ 1.10% 0.77$
Web Services 45,371.00$ 1.07% 0.75$
Board Administration 30,158.00$ 0.71% 0.50$
Name & Logo Protection 25,013.00$ 0.59% 0.41$
Leadership Development 20,645.00$ 0.49% 0.34$
RVC Miscellanous Expense 20,000.00$ 0.47% 0.33$
Nominations & Elections 14,000.00$ 0.33% 0.23$
Gifted Youth Program 9,175.00$ 0.22% 0.15$
Hearings & Ombudsman 1,400.00$ 0.03% 0.02$
TOTAL 4,255,890.00$ 100% 70.00$
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The cost of publications isn't entirely offset by related income, but we can reduce the dues allocation
to that area by the amount of income that area generates. So, we end up with a slightly different
allocation:
It should be noted that these figures are based on a hypothetical reality in which all members pay $70 per year and a variety of other variables aren't a concern. For example, the international component, the amount of money American Mensa pays to Mensa International, is currently 6% of yearly dues or $4.20 in this case. However, not all membership plans are treated equally, such as a yearly membership compared to an existing life membership. Our calculations generated values of $4.08 and $4.59 for that international component. So, you can see that the values are in the ballpark but not necessarily the exact figure we'd expect for a yearly membership. This doesn't mean you shouldn't trust these figures to get a feel for where your money is going. Rather, this should explain why informed members might notice that the figures are slightly different than what they might expect them to be. Your take-away from this article is up to you. If the numbers look right to you, then all is well. This confirms that your money is being spent appropriately. However, if you notice some things that don't seem quite right (e.g., do we spend enough on leadership development considering we rely heavily on volunteer leaders?), then this is a call to action. Write your Regional Vice Chair or another national office holder with your concerns, and be sure to vote in the election between April 15th and May 31st! --- Rob Salkin is a Mensa life member and has held many offices in American Mensa, including National Membership Officer, local group President (LocSec), Regional Gathering (RG) Chair, and Special Interest Group (SIG) Coordinator. Rob is running for Treasurer of American Mensa. Please visit RobSalkin.com for more information on his campaign or to contact him with questions, comments, or complaints regarding his (Excel's) math.
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Puzzles & Questions (Answers may be in next month’s Chronicle newsletter) 1. How many memory lapses do you think adults have during a day? 2. About how many teenagers are there in the world? 3. What are the most addictive chemical addictions? 4. What was the longest sentence in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address? 5. What things do people notice at night that they don’t notice during the day? 6. How many seas are there in the world? 7. What factors can make traffic intersections more dangerous? 8. Who wrote these classic and popular songs?
A) April in Paris B) Singing in the Rain C) A Rainy Night in Georgia D) Strangers in the Night
9. What are the differences between debugging software problems and debugging hardware
problems? 10. Name all 10 Connecticut towns whose names end in “bury”. 11. What causes déjà vu experiences? 12. On average, which inning of a major league baseball game is the highest scoring?
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Answers to the March 2015 Chronicle Questions 2. What was the lowest temperature ever recorded in Connecticut? A: The lowest temperature recorded was -32° on 2/16/43 in Falls Village, Canaan, CT. 4. Who wrote these classic and popular songs?
A) Take Me Out to the Ballgame B) Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me) C) Tennessee Waltz D) Try to Remember (from the musical comedy play The Fantasticks)
A: A) Jack Norworth wrote the lyrics and Albert von Tilzer wrote the music for “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in 1908. Neither had ever seen a major league baseball game and did not see one until decades later. The song was not played at a baseball game until 1934, when it was played at a high-school ballgame in L.A. It may have made its major league debut that same season, and its chorus eventually became the unofficial anthem of baseball. B) Lew Brown and Charles Tobias wrote the lyrics to “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree,” and Sam H. Stept wrote the melody in 1939, adapting the 19th-century British folk song “Long, Long Ago.” The 1939 U.S. version first came out under the title “Anywhere the Bluebird Goes" and was performed in the Broadway musical “Yokel Boy.” The songwriters changed the lyrics during World War II and Glenn Miller recorded it and turned it into a big hit in 1942. The Andrew Sisters, Kay Kyser, and several other artists also recorded hit versions that year. C) Redd Stewart wrote the lyrics and Pee Wing wrote the music for “Tennessee Waltz” in 1946. It was released in 1947 and Patti Page made it a hit in 1950. D) Tom Jones wrote the lyrics to “Try to Remember,” and Harvey Schmidt composed the music. Jerry Orback sang it in The Fantasticks.
6. What are the 5 biggest ethnic groups in Afghanistan? A: Afghanistan’s population is about 32 million. About 42% of its people are Pashtuns, 27%
Tajiks, 9% Uzbek, 8% Hazara, and 4% Aimaq. There are two official languages: Dari (Afghan Persian), which is the most widely spoken language, used by about 50% of Afghans and Pashto
8. Where does the Empire State Building (1,251 ft. tall - 1,454 with its antenna) rank
among the world’s tallest skyscrapers? A: The Empire State Building ((381 m., 102 floors) is now the 25th tallest building in the world
and the fourth tallest completed skyscraper in the U.S. It was completed in 1931 and was the world’s tallest building for forty years until the World Trade Center in Chicago eclipsed in 1972. The Sears Tower, built in 1974, took the top spot in 1974 and remained there until 1998, when the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia was completed. In 2004, construction began on the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was opened in 2010, becoming the world’s tallest building (829.8 m., 2,722 ft., 211 floors - 163 floors of office space, 46 maintenance levels, and 2 parking levels).
10. In the NBA (National Basketball Association), on average, about how many offensive
players handle the ball once a team gets in shooting position - i.e., how many touches are there? What is the median for touches per possession?
A: The median number of touches on an NBA play is 2. The average is 2.7.
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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SCM Treasurer’s Report
Fiscal Year 4/1/2014 - 3/31/2015
Opening treasury balance at 4/1/2014 $12,146.57
INFLOWS
American Mensa Member support
3/14-8/14:
Current members @ $0.82 (Mar = 300) $246.00
Current members @ $0.82 (Apr = 254) $208.28
Current members @ $0.82 (May = 261) $214.02
Current members @ $0.82 (June = 271) $222.22
Current members @ $0.82 (Jul = 277) $227.14
Current members @ $0.82 (Aug = 281) $230.42
Current members @ $0.82 (Sep = 283) $232.06
Current members @ $0.82 (Oct = 284) $232.88
Current members @ $0.82 (Nov = 291) $238.62
New members @ $1 $14.00
Reinstated members @1 each $11.00
Testing bonus $80.00
Testing Rate @$15 $270.00
Testing stipend @$25 $100.00
TOTAL INFLOWS $2,526.64
OUTFLOWS
Dues: CultureQuest $40.00
Chronicle postage $57.46
Membership expenses $150.00
Speaker dinner expenses $500.57
Web Address charge $113.97
Bank fees $6.00
TOTAL OUTFLOWS $868.00
3rd Qtr Treasury Balance at 12/31/2014 $13,805.21
o/s checks 302.7
3rd Qtr Bank Balance at 12/31/2014 $14,107.91
Southern Connecticut Mensa Treasury Report
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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Word Check See if you can define these words borrowed from Japanese.
1. dojo -
2. kaizen -
3. kanban -
4. keiretsu -
5. koan -
6. mikado -
7. sake -
8. wabi-sabi -
Answers:
1. dojo – a place for martial artists to gather for practice or meditation.
2. kaizen – “change for the better” - a Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices, personal efficiency, etc.
3. kanban – “signboard” or “billboard” - a Japanese production scheduling system for keeping inventories lean and synchronized with manufacturing.
4. keiretsu – a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings
5. koan – (originally from China) a paradoxical story or statement used during meditation in Zen Buddhism.
6. mikado – an old Japanese term for emperor.
7. sake – an alcoholic beverage brewed from rice.
8. wabi-sabi – a world view or aesthetic philosophy centered on accepting transience and
imperfection.
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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Upcoming National and Regional Events Mind Games® 2015 April 30-May 3, 2015 Town and Country Resort & Conference Center, 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA Manufacturers and inventors from around the world enter new-to-the-market games into the annual competition. Over a three-day period, Mensans gather at the host location, divide into groups, play the games, fill out score sheets and comment cards, and rank their favorites. http://www.mindgames.us.mensa.org
A Whale of a Good Time! –Cape Cod Mini-RG May 8-10, 2015 The Corsair and Cross Rip Oceanfront Resort, 41 Chase Avenue, Dennis Port, MA Join us on beautiful Cape Cod for a relaxing, unstructured weekend of socializing and hospitality with old friends and new. Visit Provincetown, enjoy great seafood, go whale watching, antiquing, bicycling, or just sit back and listen to the ocean. Play games while overlooking the sea. Enjoy drinks on an oceanfront deck. A great RG for first-timers! http://bostonmensa.org//cape/home.aspx
Unbridled Spirit – the 2015 Mensa Annual Gathering July 1-5, 2015 Galt House Hotel, 140 North 4th Street, Louisville, KY http://ag2015.us.mensa.org/
Two Ways to Reach Out to
Your Fellow SC Mensans
The Southern Connecticut Mensa Blog https://scm66.wordpress.com/ and The Southern Connecticut Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/SCM066/ If you would like to post any last-minute events or information on the blog, email Merrill at [email protected]. Anything posted on the blog will be mirrored on the Facebook page unless otherwise requested. If you hit the Follow button on the blog, and add your email address, you will be automatically notified of all new updates.
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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Noted & Quoted Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers in their generations. - Ecclesasticus 44:1 My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations. - John Green, (1977–), U.S. novelist, The Fault In Our Stars Never economize on luxuries. - Angela Thirkell, (1890–1961), English-Australian novelist The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you've lost it. - Anonymous Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together. - Marilyn Monroe, (1926–1962) The shell must break before the bird can fly. - Alfred Tennyson, (1809–1892), British poet The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, (1807–1882), U.S. poet Evil is always possible. And goodness is eternally difficult. - Anne Rice, (1941–), U.S. novelist, Interview with the Vampire If everyone gives a thread, the poor man will have a shirt. - Russian Proverb Risk is the price that you never believed you would have to pay. - Alex Pollock, bank analyst People seldom live up to their baby pictures. - Rodney Dangerfield, (1921–2004) I'll never waste my dreams by falling asleep. Never again. - Eugene Ionesco, (1909–1994), Romanian playwright, Man With Bags All poets are mad. - Robert Burton, (1577–1640), Anatomy of Melancholy Fortune hath many roads. - Edward Counsel, Maxims When you set out on your journey to Ithaca, pray that the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge. - Constantine P. Cavafy, (1863–1933), Greek poet, “Ithaca” Hope is as cheap as despair. - Anonymous No new horror can be more terrible than the daily torture of the commonplace. -H.P. Lovecraft, (1890–1937), "Ex Oblivione"
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream. -Vincent Van Gogh, (1854–1890) We must not fear daylight just because it almost always illuminates a miserable world. - Rene Magritte, (1898–1967), Belgian surrealist artist Ye who ever truly understands my music is freed thereby from the miseries that others carry about in them. - Ludwig van Beethoven, (1770–1827) I cannot walk through the suburbs in the solitude of the night without thinking that the night pleases us because it suppresses idle details, just as our memory does. - Jorge Luis Borges, (1899–1986), Argentine novelist, poet The idea that the future is unpredictable is undermined every day by the ease with which the past is explained. - Daniel Kahneman, (1934–), Israeli-American psychologist, behavioral economist Gardening is the slowest of the performing arts. - Anonymous When spring comes the grass grows by itself. - Lao Tzu, (6th c. B.C.E.), Chinese philosopher, poet, Tao Te Ching The sun was warm but the wind was chill. You know how it is with an April day. - Robert Frost, (1874–1963), U.S. poet
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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Announcements & Notices Larsen Toy Labs (Westport, CT) visit http://larsentoylab.com to see educational and creative gifts. You can get a 25% discount when you make a donation of blocks to a nursery, an elementary school, or a children's charity. For ideas, go to http://www.Adoptaclassroom.org or: http://www.schooldigger.com/go/CT/schoolrank.aspx. Then use code DONATE25 at the Larsen Toy Labs checkout to get your 25% discount.
Local Boy Makes Good Southern Connecticut Mensa member Donald Bobowick has been issued a United States Patent. The patent is for a vertical axis wind turbine design. Vertical axis wind turbines have some advantages over the horizontal axis style we see most often. A few of those advantages are:
Vertical axis wind turbines are bird friendly;
They respond to lower wind speeds;
They have the torsional benefits of a long drive shaft;
The generator or pump they are powering can be placed at ground level for easy servicing. The one major disadvantage to vertical axis wind turbines is that they move in the wrong direction (into the wind) for half their rotation. This newly patented design handles this disadvantage. While scalable to large installations, this wind turbine will be ideal for homes, farms, and small businesses.
Check out the Holistic Kidney website online: http://www.holistic-kidney.com/articles.html My first article is an interview with the author of “How I Avoided Dialysis and You Can Too!” Dr. Jenna Henderson Holistic Kidney - A Safe, Natural Approach for all stages of Kidney Disease
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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Waiting for the Red Cow. What Will Happen When the Red Cow Comes to Jerusalem? by Gerard Brooker Waiting for the Red Cow is the last in the trilogy about Tyszka and Sarah. We watched them survive Auschwitz and fall in love in The Illustrator, move to Palestine to help found Israel in Oh, Israel, My Heart Yearns for Thee. And now, in Waiting for the Red Cow, we follow them on the most perilous of all their journeys, from the statehood of Israel through the many Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. Available in paper or e-book format at https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore, http://www.barnesandnoble.com, or http://www.amazon.com.
Ben Behind His Voices - One Family’s Journey from the Chaos of Schizophrenia to Hope by Randye Kaye The gripping story of one family’s experience when its firstborn, a brilliant young man named Ben, is gradually struck down by schizophrenia – and the lessons that help the family participate lovingly in Ben’s eventual steps to recovery. Rowman & Littlefield, Publishers. http://books.randyekaye.com/writing.php or http://www.amazon.com.
The Baby Bomber Chronicles by Bob Liftig Here are the secrets about the 1960’s no one ever told you. This is what happened when the “perfect” Baby Boom generation and the “best country in the world” lost all self control and began to hate each other. Sex! Drugs! Rock and Roll! Hippies and American heroes! What was it like to be an “average” guy or girl caught in the middle of this free for all? You’ll laugh the bells off your vintage bell bottoms! Then ask Mom or Dad (or grandpa) what they were doing. Available now from Author House – http://authorhouse.com – (888) 280-7715. Order this title through your local book-seller or preferred on-line retailer. 978-1-4389-0897-7 (SCISBN)
Bridgeport – Tales from the Park City by Eric Lehman Paperback available at http://www.historypress.net or http://www.amazon.com.
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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SCM Chronicle - Advertising Rates Short Classified Ads: free to Mensa members and subscribers, $2.00 per month and $20.00 per year for others. Send copy to the editor. Display Ads: Full Page, $50; half page, $30; quarter page or business card, $15. Discounts for Display Ads: 10% for three issues, 20% for six issues, 30% for 12 issues. All ads must be paid in advance, checks payable to Southern Connecticut Mensa.
The Chronicle is the official publication of Southern Connecticut Mensa The views expressed in this publication are the views of the individuals submitting items for publication, and do not represent the opinions of American Mensa, Ltd., the Chapter Executive Committee, or the Newsletter Editor (unless so stated in the article). Unless otherwise noted, material is not copyrighted and may be used in other publications, subject to notification of the Chronicle Editor, and receipt of two copies to the Editor (one for the Editor, one for the Author).
Change of Address To change your address on the web, login at https://www.us.mensa.org and select the Edit Profile link. You may also email, or write to: American Mensa, Ltd. Membership Department 1229 Corporate Dr. West Arlington, TX 76006-6103
Archived Copies of the Chronicle going back to 2000 are available on the web at
http://scm66.org. You can download the latest e-mail version of the Chronicle there, as well as
previous issues. All issues are in read-only Adobe Acrobat format. In addition, you can find copies of
our group’s newsletters and other groups’ newsletters at http://www.us.mensa.org/read/group-
newsletters.
Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 24, No. 4 – April 2015
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Mensa Chapter #066 - Officers 2015 Southern Connecticut Mensa Officers
TITLE NAME E-MAIL
President Joan Coprio [email protected]
Vice President Jim Mizera [email protected]
Secretary Frank Skornia [email protected]
Treasurer Elizabeth Cortright [email protected]
Membership Officer Mary Acri [email protected]
Web Master Thomas O'Neill [email protected]
Member-At-Large Rick Clark [email protected]
Proctor, Testing & Recruiting Debra Jennings [email protected]
Scholarship Chair Mary Beth DePaolo [email protected]
Editor Jim Mizera [email protected]
Publisher Merrill Loechner [email protected]
Region 1 Vice Chairman Andrew Heffernan [email protected]
American Mensa, Ltd. 1229 Corporate Drive West Arlington, TX 76006-6103 Phone: (817) 607-0060 Fax: (817) 649-5232 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.us.mensa.org
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