The Newsletter of Mid-Hudson Mensa
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Mid-Mensan
The Newsletter of Mid-Hudson Mensa |
October 1998 |
| Paws for Reflection | Betsy Jane Burke, Casper and BeeGee |
It's difficult to find the time to pause for reflection right now. Mid-Hudson Mensa has been keeping me busy with the RG, and work and family have been keeping me busy with life. Sometimes it's nice to take time to do nothing. Unfortunately, like many of us I don't have time to do that either. Luckily, Casper and BeeGee are sleeping under the computer now so I can at least get this column done!
RG Report: Yea verily, our Shakespeare in the Woods RG was successful. I'd like to thank all of those who helped. Ron McMurdy was RG chair, registrar, hospitality co-chair and member of the winning team in the "Shakespeare Showdown" game which Merrill Loechner helped design. Bob Naborney sent out registration packets, Bill Hughes handled liaison with Ashokan, and Ziggy was in charge of publicity and the diabolical contests and games. Where Ziggy gets the idea for some of these games amazes me. It's great to see so many Mensans get involved playing them.
Tom Rankin did a wonderful job with an astronomy program Friday night. He was also winner of the darts competition that Christian Bauernfeind organized. Bibi Sandstrom helped get Carol Roper as our guest speaker. Eric Kollenberg led a juggling work shop and, with Bibi, an improv workshop. Charlie Rovner was there to take pictures of us all.
The other members of MHM that attended were Martin Davis (this was his first RG), Nancy Keyes-Crosby and Dave Cardall. Dave was runner-up in the darts tournament. The members of the winning Shakespeare Showdown team were Emily Gordon (GNYM), Ron McMurdy, Ron Norris (MONNY) and Melanie Rush (GNYM). Celia Suter (GNYM) won the Marmot Tac Toe game.
Personally, I managed to redeem myself by leading the hike to the Indian village and actually finding it on the first try. Next year we've got to try something more difficult - maybe the covered bridge. Mark Adams knows where it is so maybe he can help. Mark showed up on Saturday morning as I was making announcements. The next thing he knew he was in charge of the advanced hike. In fact, he even took a second group for a hike in the afternoon. Yes, we do have some members who are not couch potatoes.
Scholarship Chairperson: After serving Mid-Hudson for many years as local scholarship chairperson, Jean Hicks has resigned. Personally I've enjoyed working with Jean for several years as co-chairperson and I know how much time and effort she's put into this position. Jean's philosophy of quietly serving our local chapter is greatly appreciated. Jean even planned ahead for her resignation. For the past several years she's groomed both Ziggy and me to help her and we are therefore both knowledgeable in what needs to be done to run this contest. Of course we also realize that she trained two of us to do what she used to do herself. Thanks Jean for all you've done.
Ombudsman: There has been a change in the minimum by-laws of Mensa. We are now required to have a mediator or ombudsman in our chapter. Several chapters have found it helpful to have someone to settle disputes within the chapter. I know that several people in our chapter are trained mediators, and we could certainly use your help. Any volunteers? Please contact me if interested. Oh, one perk of this job: you can't be an officer, as your impartiality might be questioned. What a great way to help Mid-Hudson Mensa and yet not have to be overly active.
| From the Editor | Bill Zigo |
Most groups have their own set of inside jokes. Some are for all members
(versus non-members), and some are known only to a few. Mid-Hudson Mensa
is not without its inside jokes - what a surprise! Some are obvious; they show
up in the newsletter frequently. Some are only shared between a few. But one
trait I've seen among Mensans is the desire to share inside jokes with their
fellow Mensans. Unfortunately, we can be guilty of inundating new members
with this information. We're sorry, we just have difficulty containing the
enthusiasm of sharing some of the reasons why we enjoy Mensa so much.
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| Artwork Copyright ©1998 by Alan Hauck |
I hope you enjoy reading about many of these inside jokes - and others - in this issue, though I had to give some of our non-topical articles a vacation.
| Pun(s) of the Month | Jim Jelacic |
Here are a bunch of quickies. This one is from Tom Rankin:
Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused his dentist's Novocaine during root canal work? He wanted to transcend dental medication!
And this one from Betsy Burke:
Very early one morning two birds are sitting at the side of a large puddle of oil. They see a worm on the other side. So... the one flies over and the other swims through the puddle. Which one gets the worm first? The one that swam, of course, because "Da oily boid gets da woim!"
And finally from a friend of Bill Zigo:
When the Ark landed, Noah sent the animals out with instruction to be fruitful and multiply. Later, he sent his son Ham to check on the animals. Ham returned and said, "Most of the animals are very happy. But the snakes are really down. They're sitting in their hole, crying their eyes out." Noah told Ham to put some sticks into the pit with the snakes. Ham didn't understand how that would help but he did as his father asked. Ham came running back and said, "I don't know how you knew, but when I gave those sticks to the snakes, they perked right up! They seem very happy now. But why did this work?" Noah replied, "We told them to be fruitful and multiply. But they're adders, so they needed some logs."
Send your favorite groaner to PUNS c/o Jim Jelacic.
| Mensa Mom | Karen Ditsch |
Being a mother is often awfully scary, but not at Halloween. Finally, I am one up on my fellow childless Mensans! I know full well that this holiday is a cherished one to many creative Mensans. But when I dress up in a costume to walk around and get free candy (also a cherished concept for many Mensans!), I don't look like a nut, I look like an involved mother.
Mensa Mom was a drama nut in high school, and costumes have always been lots of fun for me. But now I get to invent not only one costume for me, but three, since I have two children. The decision has been made for this year, but Mensa Mom would now like to announce a contest for 1999. The winner gets nothing more than a mention in my column, but at least you and I will see your name in print! This is a costume concept contest. Only upright ideas will be acknowledged, taking into account we'll be talking about a five year old and a two year old at the time. The rules are thus: think of a costume idea for a brother and sister. No girlfriend-boyfriend type matching sets, (they wouldn't put up with that) but something that coordinates.
This year, we are already at the sewing machine. Kathleen is going to be Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, for no other reason than that she fell in love with some sparkling red shoes last month at Target. Kyle is going to be Count von Count from Sesame Street, for no other reason than that this kid counts himself to sleep at night.
Mensa Mom is going to be Henriette from the book Old Jules (for those of you who haven't read it, it's quite popular in Nebraska. It's by Mari Sandoz, and you should read it!) She was the wife of a prairie pioneer who ended up going crazy and living in a cave, and I am quite proud to say that she was an aunt to my grandmother.
Our fun costume this year required a smaller dress size, so my teenage cousin is trick-or-treating with us. She also has a quite morbid sense of fun (last year she was Cruella deVille from 101 Dalmations, but with a white coat with Dalmatian spots on it, so she was a successful Cruella). This year she's going to be Marilyn Monroe. Sounds boring, doesn't it? Well here's our twist: She's going to be Marilyn on drugs (i.e., overdosed). So we're going to great pains to accurately make the dress from The Seven Year Itch and find the perfect wig. We have blue paint for her lips and black charcoal for under her eyes. We sincerely doubt anyone was warped enough to do this one before.
So this month, there is not the usual Mensa Mom complaining. While you have kids throwing eggs at you and police officers asking why you are out alone, I can calmly and contently make a fool out of myself without anyone casting me strange(r than usual) looks.
| Insults To Our Intelligence |
L In Milwaukee, I saw a sign for the Red Cross Blood Bank. It showed a picture of a big mosquito, and the caption said, "You're definitely going to give to him. Why not give to us?" I thought about it for a second and then realized that if the mosquito is a "him", one thing you can be sure of is that you're definitely NOT going to give blood to it, since only female mosquitoes bite.
L How about the latest form from Publisher's Clearing House?!?
| Living Smarter | Bill Zigo |
If the hassle of finding the best airfare for a flight seems bad enough, brace yourselves - it's almost as bad these days trying to find the best deal on a hotel room. Often there are a number of options, clubs, special deals, special packages, etc., available for most major hotels. What follows are some tips I've collected informally from several members of our chapter.
A tip from me: When you call the hotel, start out by asking for every possible rate you can get for everything you can think of. That would include, but is not limited to: a corporate rate, a Senior Citizens (or AARP) rate, the AAA (or any other auto club) rate, a college alumni association rate, and so on. Try mentioning every major organization to which you belong.
From Tom Rankin: Make several calls to the same hotel and to any toll-free number provided for reservations. It's quite possible specials may change and a better one may show up. Plus, not every individual is always familiar with every special offer. The second person you call might be able to get you a better rate, for whatever reason.
From Bibi Sandstrom: The Entertainment™ books Mid-Hudson Mensa sells do provide some wonderful savings on restaurants and tickets and outings. However, I have a warning about the hotel section of the book; despite the book's published price guides, some hotels (or at least Holiday Inn) can alter or adjust their "standard rate"! In arranging one trip, I looked up its hotel list and found one listed in the "$" section ("$" being the cheapest, $30 to $60 base rate; $$ = $61 to $100). I thought this meant we could stay at the Holiday Inn for $30 to $50 a night. Although you "have to call the hotel directly to make reservations", I figured I could at least save money on phone calls by using the toll-free numbers and comparing basic rates; surely the 800 number could quote the hotel's standard rate. "Yes; it's $89.95". $45 with coupon! When we got there, they said their basic "Entertainment rate" was $139! Our coupon would only give us a $69 rate! It wasn't until we talked the next day to the manager that we were told that "the real reason is that the nationally-given $89 rate has already been discounted; our basic, top rate is $139 and we use that for the coupon." In other words, the rate they can quote you half-off is their TOP rate, not the standard rate!
The Entertainment books are still a good buy, as restaurants don't seem to alter their dinner prices before finding you have a coupon, but beware when traveling! [I have found that restaurants DO have their own "quirks". For example IHOP will not give you the Entertainment book coupon discount - or any other coupon discount - on breakfast specials; the cashier knows this, but the waitresses don't. Also, most restaurants will not offer the discounts on holidays, including St. Patrick's Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday, etc. - Ed.]
Send your smart tips to: Living Smarter, c/o Bill Zigo.
| Are You Game? | Bill Zigo |
Since I decided to list the Mensa Mind Select games last year and highlight the ones I own, I might as well review those games next - or at least the ones I haven't already reviewed. This month, let's look at two games in which the idea is to convey the secret word to your teammates - but there's a catch (isn't there always a catch?).
Taboo®, a Milton Bradley game, won the Mensa Mind Select award in 1990, and deservedly so, with its simple yet elegant premise - convey a word to your teammates without using 5 words or phrases often commonly associated with it. Sound simple? It would be if you had time to think about it. But the idea is to convey as many of these words as possible in a minute, and every time you use one of the taboo words on the card, one of your opponents - who's reading the card over your shoulder - sounds this really annoying buzzer (annoying unless you're on the opposing team), and you have to go to a different card.
Inklings™, by Mattel®, won the Mensa Mind Select award in 1993. In this game, you are given a card with 7 secret words or phrases, and your teammates are given the category. You have to fill out a special card with the clues. The clue for each word is a series of boxes, each of which may contain a single character that can be found on a computer keyboard. The key word here is efficiency. The shorter the clue you create, the more points your team wins if they guess correctly. For example, if the category is "Things you eat", and the secret word was "sandwich", while "reuben" would be a good clue, "pb&j" would be better. Creativity counts, but only if you think your teammates can get the secret word. For example, at one games night, Eric Kollenberg gave a single clue, "*". No one figured out it was supposed to be "spider". You have to be careful, because if your team doesn't guess the word, the opposing team gets one chance to guess it as well.
| Tele-Teasers | Bill Zigo |
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Decode the phone numbers to determine the clues.
This month's theme: Science Fiction TV shows.
Answers near the end of this newsletter.
| CryptoGrams | Jim Jelacic |
Easy:
HWTE X HOB PNAE, X HOB BN BFACAXBTR X
RXRE'D DOIS UNA O KTOA OER O WOIU.
VAOQXT OIITE
Hard - no punctuation, grouped in 5:
DTNQV RUYMZ GMULR UKVLU SYMQR IOOUK
MIQUA NKIRV UQTNU OONKN MRURU SLTSA
ZGFKI GETNQ QGGUS QPZIQ
Answers near the end of this newsletter.
| "I Can Name That Tune In..." TV Trivia | Jim Jelacic |
Nothing can catch a person's attention faster than a catchy phrase or jingle. Madison Avenue has known that for years. Let it be said that TV execs copy from the best (and, sometimes, far from the best!) Here are the first lines of 10 TV theme songs. You provide the show. (Difficulty factor: some of these are spoken... no music.)
Extra credit (and my personal favorite):
"A scientist, both wise and bold, set out to cure the common cold.
Instead he found this power pill which he said most certainly will
Turn a lamb into a lion, like an eagle he'll be flying.
Solid steel would be like putty; it would work on anybody..."
Answers near the end of this newsletter.
| Trivia, October '98 | Jim Jelacic |
Greetings, Fellow Trivians! It's too soon for September's answers. Here are this month's questions:
Q58: Its name is from Native American word meaning "beside the long, tidal river". Which Atlantic coast state was fifth to enter the Union and is home to the US Coast Guard Academy in New London?
Q59: Which Jim Henson Muppet sang the 1970 hit "Rubber Duckie?"
Q60: The first public showing of a color motion picture with sound was held in Cleveland during whose presidential term of office?
Q61: What anti-Vietnam War and anti-nuclear activist is better known for his 1946 book "Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care?"
Q62: Which letters do not begin the names of elements?
Q63: True or False: The golf term "Fore!" means "Four coming through!" and derives from the usual number of golfers in a group: a foursome.
Q64: In the 1890 census, one of the largest cities in the US had a population approaching 1 million people. In the 1990 census, that city was no longer listed. What is the city, and why isn't it there now? (Submitted by Bill Zigo)
Q65: What story did Alfred Hitchcock film twice? (Submitted by Dave Cardall)
Q66: What is the longest "undammed" river in the US? (Submitted by Dave Cardall)
Send your answers and questions (with answers and references) to TRIVIA CONTEST c/o Jim Jelacic by October 31.
| What's Up? Current Topics in Astronomy |
Tom Rankin Mid-Hudson Astronomy Assoc. |
I don't get much feedback on my observing suggestions. Is anyone out there trying these things? There was at least some feedback on the Perseid meteor shower in August, which was only mediocre this year.
October Planets: The planetary picture has been getting worse for the past several months. In October, all we'll have is Jupiter well placed for viewing in the early evening sky, rising in the south east. The morning sky only offers Mars, backing away from the sun a little more every day in the southeast as well. The other planets are close to the sun or rise very late.
Other October Events:
10/04 - The Moon is near Jupiter
10/07 - The Moon is near Regulus
10/08 - The Giacobinid meteor shower occurs
10/09 - The Moon is near Aldebaran
10/09 - The Moon is near asteroid Ceres
10/16 - The Moon near is Mars
10/19 - The Moon will be thin in the morning sky
10/18 - Another Geminid meteor shower occurs
10/21 - The Orionid meteor (from Halley's Comet) occurs in the morning - This
is usually a good one!
10/23 - Saturn rises at sundown and is "Up All Night"
10/25 - Time to set your clocks back 1 hour
10/31 - The Moon near is Jupiter (again)
Astro News:
Drat! Two physicists have 'proven' that Black Holes cannot be used as portals to other places or times. Take that, Captain Kirk! [And a certain Disney movie too - Ed.]
While the sun may seem relatively calm from here, there is evidence that turbulence is occurring within the sun on a huge scale. (One of those turbulent outbursts recently gave rise to a nice Aurora (Northern Lights) display locally.)
There is evidence that galaxies and even clusters of galaxies may have formed very early on in the universe (less than 1 billion years), leading to the belief that the universe is nowhere near the mass needed to stop its outward expansion.
I have longer articles on all the above topics and more on request.
Upcoming MHAA Events (for Southeastern New York State):
10/16 - 7:30 PM Outdoor Meeting at Wilcox Park
10/20 - 7:30 PM Indoor Meeting at SUNY New Paltz - Bob Berman - Rhythms
of the Moon
10/24 - 7:30 PM Outdoor Meeting at Bowdoin Park
Call (914) 473-7602 for the MHAA Hotline: Information, Astronomy News, and more! Would you like to borrow a telescope from the Club for a month? Let me know! We've got several 'loaner' scopes that are very easy to use. We have lots of other Astro stuff to lend as well.
Next Time: November brings the possible Leonid Meteor Storm! Don't miss it!
MHAA Home Page: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/5679
Puzzle answers follow, a page or so onward...
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Easy:
When I was born, I was so surprised I didn't talk for a year and a half.
Gracie Allen
Hard:
When I told my doctor I couldn't afford an operation, he offered to touch
up my x-rays. Henny Youngman