HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: al037@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Dave Polewka)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Weighted Suffrage
Date: 16 Nov 1992 02:44:44 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: al037@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Dave Polewka)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc4.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) says:

>> It all depends on your particular agenda.  If you want more
>> government, then there's no problem--things are moving along
>> just fine.  If you want less government, then one-man-one-vote
>> doesn't make it.  Weighting by income taxes paid would tend to
>> favor the middle class agenda (since they pay most of the taxes),
>> which would feature the election of those who would reduce the
>> size and scope of government, thus freeing up the private sector.
>> The increased role of the marketplace would narrow the gap between
>> rich and poor, and promote peace worldwide.
>
>This presumes that the middle class wants to limit the size and scope of
>government--something that I believe that doesn't middle class doesn't care
>about either way.  All that almost any member of the middle class really
>cares about from the governent is that his/her own taxes are kept as low as
>possible, and that the government keep off his/her back.

What about *you*, Mike?  Do you care whether the government
expands or contracts?

-- 
=======================
"Endeavor to persevere"
=======================
From: clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: IQ cartoon
Date: 23 Nov 92 10:37:36 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

In article <01GRBAWZDJWI8Y5SNQ@ccfvx3.draper.com>, Kjeld Hvatum writes:
> 
> From a recent issue of FairTest EXAMINER - guidance counselor says
> to student:  "We realize you do better on your IQ tests than you do
> in anything else, but you just cannot major in IQ."

I remember an old Soviet cartoon where in the first frame you see
a young person studying at a chess board.  In subsequent frames
he is still studying the board, but his head keeps getting larger ...
-- 
Chris Long, 265 Old York Rd., Bridgewater, NJ  08807-2618
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: jdp@marigold.cs.odu.edu (JD Powell)
Subject: Re: Keeping Your Mensa Membership A Secret
Organization: Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 19:02:40 GMT


Like many of the others who responded, I don't generally advertise
my membership - it does tend to make some people defensive.  It is funny
though, when the subject comes up (rarely), and I announce my membership.
Some of the looks I get are priceless.  I suppose it's because my 
patterns of behavior don't quite match up with what is expected of the
'brainy' type. Heh heh.  Great camouflage for intricate practical jokes....

My wife liked it when I told *her*.  'Course, she likes a lot of things 
I tell her....

-JD

Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: ehp@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU ("Didi Pancake")
Subject: Re: Keeping Your Mensa Membership A Secret
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 01:13:19 GMT

In article <1992Nov17.185434.22243@odin.corp.sgi.com> lana@magenta.corp.sgi.com (Lana Mountford) writes:
>In article <16Nov92133624@miracle.com>, jcooley@miracle.com (John Cooley) writes:
>|> 
>|>   Anyone have any positive stories concerning telling non-members you're
>|>   a member?  Also, what are some of the bad reactions you've recieved?
>|> 
>
>The usual reaction I get when I tell people is "But .. but ... you're
>so ... so ... so NORMAL!," usually delivered with a look that says
>they've just seen an alien from outer space. 

That's okay, Lana, I've always gotten the same reaction when I have to
tell people a) I'm a librarian or b) my name.  :-)

--
|  Didi Pancake         |     When you are not looking,                  |
|  ehp@virginia.edu     |            this sentence is in Klingon.        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  All the usual disclaimers about the origins of these opinions apply.  |
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath)
Subject: Re: Special Interest Groups
Organization: The Cat Factory
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 19:53:48 GMT

In article <1JcHuB3w165w@stam.nl> nicolas@stam.nl (Nico Veenkamp) writes:
}dobbs@ast.saic.com (Lynn Dobbs) writes:
}
}> In article <9oHFuB4w165w@stam.nl> nicolas@stam.nl (Nico Veenkamp) writes:
}> >matt@severian.chi.il.us (Matt Crawford) writes:
}> >
}> >> > And while we are at it. Why not start an 
}> >> > Internet SIG (Special Internet Group :-) that you can join when you have
}> >> > an @ address or are able to post on the 'net?
}> >> 
}> >> Excellent.  Call it @SIG.  Let me look for my old paperwork on
}> >> starting SIGs ...
}> >
}> >And of course organize @-parties at gatherings :-)

This was done at the San Francisco AG.

}> How about t-shirts with a large @ on the front.
}
}Have @-address on our name-tags.Drink virtual beer and eat virtual 
}munchies. What shall we put on the back of the T-shirt?
}Have @address, will travel virtual.

More like:

	Have @address, don't need to travel.

The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, M.A., CDP, aka: hollombe@polymath.tti.com)
Head Robot Wrangler at Citicorp
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.   (310) 450-9111, x2483
Santa Monica, CA  90405
From: nicolas@stam.nl (Nico Veenkamp)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Special Interest Groups
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 11:39:57 CET
Organization: Stam Tijdschriften bv, Rijswijk, The Netherlands

egyed@LNS62.TN.CORNELL.EDU (zoltan egyed) writes:

> It would be a good thing to have new Usenet groups,
> like rec.org.mensa.[your_favorite_sig_here], to be able to use the
> advantages of Usenet to its fullest. Without it, the SIGs communicate
> with their newsletters, or personal contacts, if the participants are
> in the same area. Having a subgroup for sigs that are going to use it
> would speed up communication by orders of magnitude.
> 
I second this idea. Especially SIG's that have international members 
could benefit from this. And while we are at it. Why not start an 
Internet SIG (Special Internet Group :-) that you can join when you have 
an @ address or are able to post on the 'net. Seeing that most of the 
people here are in the US we could make it an US Mensa SIG with 
international memberships.


      *================================================================*
      |  Nico Veenkamp	        | You write, we publish                |
      |  Stam Tijdschriften bv  | -------------------------------------|
      |  P.O. Box 235           | Internet : nicolas@stam.nl           |
      |  2280 AE  Rijswijk      | FidoNet  : 2:281/1.7                 |
      |  The Netherlands        | BIX      : nicolas                   |
      *================================================================*
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: sonic@bearpit.cray.com (Curtis Swanson)
Subject: Re: t: Re: IQ Test Creation Question
Reply-To: sonic@bearpit.cray.com (Curtis Swanson)
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:34:47 CST

scott@bogus.net.address (Scott Tai) spouts:

~Okay.  I challenge the Mensa members to clearly state what aspect
~of their intellect is superior, or just what these tests are testing.  

Hmmmm.  In the test that I took, they primarily measured language skills
(showing both that you could learn and how much you did learn) and logical
analysis (what pattern comes next, which _non-language-related_ thing doesn't 
belong).  Of the two types, I thought the logical analysis was better because
you had to analise the situation without needing much prior knowledge, as in
the language part of the test.  However, it is by no means a comprehensive (as
many have pointed out) measure of intelligence.

By the way, your posts are getting more eclectic.  Are you trying to 
incorporate some "romance novel" dialog into your daily life?

***  Curt Swanson  ***  sonic@romulus.cray.com  ***  IOTTMCO  *********
Bad opening line #106:
     "Say, you own the 'Buns of steel' video, don't you?"
***  Warning: This signature expires on 30-NOV-92!  *******************
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: sue@netcom.com (Sue Miller)
Subject: Re: Tai
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 03:14:01 GMT

In article <mike_steiner-161192151548@192.35.50.131> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
>Well, we can all relax now.  I've found out the real name of the person who
>posts under the aliases of Scott Andrew Tai and other names.
>
>His real name is Richard Cranium.
>
>We now return you to your regularly-scheduled flame fest.
>
>[:) this message is smiley-captioned for the humor impaired :)]
>

Richard Z. Cranium, to be precise.  For Zipper, of course.


Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: sonic@bearpit.cray.com (Curtis Swanson)
Subject: The Thread that won't die. (Voting Analysis)
Reply-To: sonic@bearpit.cray.com (Curtis Swanson)
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 18 Nov 92 17:29:44 CST

In article <1992Nov16.160521.24846@nntpd.lkg.dec.com>,
edp@math.zk3.dec.com (Eric Postpischil) writes:
|>In article <Bxoq1o.1J3@world.std.com>, rhs@world.std.com (Richard H
|>Schwartz) writes:
|>
|>>So, unlike Schroedinger's cat who was both dead and alive until
someone looks
|>>inside the box, this message was actually received?  I don't think so.  All
|>>you can say is that the Libertarians deduced that there was a non-zero 
|>>probablility that someone was sending this message.  The message itself
|>>can not be received until the test confirms that it was sent.
|>
|>The mention of Schrdinger's cat is irrelevant; non-voters' actions are
|>conveyed to libertarians and other interested parties through
|>macroscopic means (counting of voter rolls) and hence quantum effects do
|>not occur.  Even if there were some quantum uncertainty involved, it
|>would still not negate the argument -- by the same token, EVERY message
|>is received with some probability less than 1, since random chance might
|>have bumped molecules around into something that was misinterpreted. 
|>But people somehow still manage to communicate; denying that it is
|>certain accomplishes nothing.

Yup.  Attack the side point and not the main.  Befuddle the discussion when
your arguement is in trouble.  I think Mr. Schwartz has the better grip on 
this situation.

|>>If the sampling is done after the vote, it is the sampling that determines
|>>the message, not the act(s) of non-voting.
|>
|>If only sampled people had not voted, the number of people known to have
|>not voted because of objections to candidates or the election would be
|>only that number found in sampling.  But by sampling a portion of the
|>population and extrapolating that to non-voters throughout the
|>population, we get an estimate of the total number of objecting
|>non-voters.  That total could not be obtained from sampling alone; it
|>must include the total number of non-voters.  Thus, not-voting
|>contributes to that total and thus contributes to the final tally of
|>objecting non-voters.  Their message is sent and received.
|>
|>                                -- edp (Eric Postpischil)
|>                                "Always mount a scratch monkey."
|>                                edp@rusure.enet.dec.com

"But by sampling...."  Bingo.  The message is transferred/inferred via an
alternate route which not-voting aids but does not replace.  Indeed, most 
the reports both pre- and post-election have noted that the voters wish
that they had more and better candidates to vote for.  Message sent - and
they still voted!

***  Curt Swanson  ***  sonic@romulus.cray.com  ***  IOTTMCO  *********
Bad opening line #106:
     "Say, you own the 'Buns of steel' video, don't you?"
***  Warning: This signature expires on 30-NOV-92!  *******************
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: IG in Flevohof
Date: 24 Nov 92 02:13:23 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa

In article <JB8FuB2w165w@psyline.nl>, psyline@psyline.nl (Theo Bogels)
wrote:
> 
> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
> 
> > I believe that it is true.  I think that there is a positive correlation
> > between science-fiction enjoyment and intelligence.  Also, you'll find a
> > higher-than-average percentage of Mensans and Mensa eligible people in the
> 
> Is there any research on that? I doubt it.

No formal research, but my life experience supports it.

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Now that I have a reader that can do .sigs, I can't think of a witty |
|one to put here, so I won't.  All normal disclaimers apply.          |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: Weighted Suffrage, Suffrin'Cats.
Organization: AT&T
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 16:47:57 GMT

In article <1e4p6rINNc0@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> al037@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Dave Polewka) writes:
>
>In a previous article, gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) says:
>                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>>This weighted suffrage thread is getting tedious:
>>
>>This much I agree with.  But this is only my opinion, and not intended to
>>be a guideline for anyone's behavior.
>>The amount of flames you get is not necessarily an indicator of whether
>>or not you are right on any given topic.
>>GMS
>
> gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com -- anagram (@=a)
>******************************************
>   Act!  C-bomb a wanker (GMS), etc.!!
>******************************************

Okay.  What's a C-bomb, what's a wanker, what is implied by the "etc.",
why the asterisks, what are you saying, how does this relate to the
previous post?

Just curious.

GMS
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: scott@bogus.net.address (Scott Tai)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: t: Re: t: Re: IQ Test Creation Question
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:33:42 GMT
Reply-To: scott@bogus.net.address (Scott Tai)
Organization: /usr/scott


cjdcosta@eos.ncsu.edu (CHRISTOPHER J DCOSTA) writes:
: scott@bogus.net.address (Scott Tai) -
: >Okay.  I challenge the Mensa members to clearly state what aspect
: >of their intellect is superior, or just what these tests are testing. 
: 
: Oh, for heaven's sake.
: 
: YOU claim we're superior, you incorrigible little pest. We never have.
: If any Mensan has claimed superiority on ROM, it's only been to annoy 
: you- you not only have an axe to grind, you've already ground it to 
: bits together with everything around and below it not to mention half 
: of China. On the other hand, even the average houseplant would feel 
: superior after reading what you post- so stop blaming Mensa for your 
: shortcomings.

Christopher:

I can see that my presence on rec.org.mensa is disagreeable for you.
Painful as it is for me to recognize this, I see that it is so and
cannot be otherwise.  I do not reproach you.  I do not regret, and
shall never regret, what I did; my only desire was to question the
validity of "IQ" tests, and now I see I have not attained that.  No, 
this won't do; I must turn over a new leaf.  Tell me yourself what 
would give you true happiness and peace of mind.  I put myself 
entirely in your hands, and trust to your feeling of what is right.  
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and I'll never think ill of Mensa again!

--
Scott Andrew Tai
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: RE. IG in Flevehoff
Date: 16 Nov 92 20:54:40 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa

In article <W1NX+JC7A@linac.fnal.gov>, matt@severian.chi.il.us (Matt
Crawford) wrote:
> 
> wicks@meena.cc.uregina.ca writes:
> > Flevehoff had may 200 attendees from about 20 countries. 
> 
> Wow.
> 
> I'm kind of new still, so tell me -- is there just one IG per year?
> If so, it seems very strange that it doesn't pull more people than a
> good-sized monthly meeting of my local chapter.

This was the very first IG.  Transportation and related expenses were not
cheap.  I wish that my wife and I could have afforded to go, but perhaps we
can make it next time.

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Now that I have a reader that can do .sigs, I can't think of a witty |
|one to put here, so I won't.  All normal disclaimers apply.          |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: ecsd@tfs.com (Eric C. S. Dynamic)
Subject: Re: grad students killing professors
Organization: The Great Beast 666
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 08:59:18 GMT

There was a fellow named Stralesky, who made the news near the point of his
release from prison, that he was fairly intent on evening out the *rest* of
his score. His grudge was that he'd been jerked and jerked around by his
advisor on the way towards getting a degree, that after about 8 years he
decided he'd had enough of being a slave to the guy, and did mayhem on the
advisor and a few other people he'd thought responsible for the collusion
to keep in place the system that allowed this to happen to him.

By the time I left RPI, I'd roomed with a guy who was in exactly this bind;
but it'd only been 4 years for him.

Figure also - my Psychology Ph.D. candidate friend described how advisors
routinely listed themselves as first author in papers they had *nothing* to do
with. This must be thoroughly widespread - so - how can so much corruption
persist unchecked?

People write these "crazies" off as crazy, but these people are almost always
complaining (albeit in a defective way) about very real problems. We don't hear
followups to know that the grad student's blowup resulted in structural
reforms at the place s/he did their trip. If the problems aren't fixed, they
will continue to produce these responses in that small percentage of people
who decide that justice and revenge are more important than trivialities like
jail and the death penalty.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: noonan@tolkin.enet.dec.com (Enoperiod)
Subject: Re: t: Re: IQ Test Creation Question
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: 17 NOV 92 11:18:18    


In article <1992Nov16.051137.21336@ncsu.edu>, cjdcosta@eos.ncsu.edu (CHRISTOPHER J DCOSTA) writes...
> 
>scott@bogus.net.address (Scott Tai) -
>>Okay.  I challenge the Mensa members to clearly state what aspect
>>of their intellect is superior, or just what these tests are testing. 
> 
>Oh, for heaven's sake.
> 

         This is *amazing*!  I'm so happy to know that, having been
         away for over two months, I didn't miss anything.  That, in
         fact, the same discussions are taking place.

         And I was afraid I might have *missed* something!  Silly me.


         .sigless E



Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: sonic@bearpit.cray.com (Curtis Swanson)
Subject: Re: t: Re: t: Re: IQ Test Creation Question
Reply-To: sonic@bearpit.cray.com (Curtis Swanson)
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:56:06 CST

scott@bogus.net.address (Scott Tai) expounds:

>I must turn over a new leaf.

LOOK OUT TREE's, HEERE HE/SHE/IT COMES!!!!!!!

***  Curt Swanson  ***  sonic@romulus.cray.com  ***  IOTTMCO  *********
Bad opening line #106:
     "Say, you own the 'Buns of steel' video, don't you?"
***  Warning: This signature expires on 30-NOV-92!  *******************
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: IG in Flevohof
Date: 17 Nov 92 19:07:12 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa

In article <XZuBuB2w165w@stam.nl>, nicolas@stam.nl (Nico Veenkamp) wrote:
> 
> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:

> > It is always a pleasant surprise to meet a friend at a Mensa function, not
> > having known that each other was a Mensan.
> > 
> You can imagine the surprise. I know both of them through involvement in 
> organizing science fiction conventions. I noticed that people within the 
> science fiction community tend to have a higher Mensa potential than 
> other groups I work with. I am not sure if this is true or not but that 
> is my impression.

I believe that it is true.  I think that there is a positive correlation
between science-fiction enjoyment and intelligence.  Also, you'll find a
higher-than-average percentage of Mensans and Mensa eligible people in the
SCA than in mundane life, for essentially the same reason.

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Now that I have a reader that can do .sigs, I can't think of a witty |
|one to put here, so I won't.  All normal disclaimers apply.          |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: ivaliote@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Matthew Ivaliotes)
Subject: Re: Help....college is killing me!!!!
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 15:09:16 GMT

I would like to thank you and all those who posted or mailed me responses.  
several thoughts went through my mind as I read them:

1) I only wish I went to Dartmouth instead of the Screw o' Illinois.  No offense	to UIUC'ers here, but my experience at this university, in the academic
	realm, has been all but pleasant.  I am now finally getting decent 
	professors, just in classes I don't care about.  I got accepted into
	Princeton and Cornell, but finances being finances, it never happened.

2) I guess I don't know what I really want.  I love to perform, and that has 
	always beena  desire of mine, even though my experience is limited.  I
	do comedy and sing in a band, and kind of wish I could do that for a 
	while.  Trouble is, quitting school means leaving this campus and all my 	co-performers behind.  Yeesh.

3) I think that as far as acadenia goes, I may indeed be in the best place 
	possible under the circumstances.  I like political science, and like 
	the idea of studying public policy at U of Chicago or Georgetown as
	(believe it or not) a grad student (silly, aren't I?)  I just don't like	how it is presented here.  I try to enjoy it, but I dunno.  Why not
	study theater, you say?  Because, you see, the college version of 
	theater classes just doesn't mesh with mine.

I am feeling a bit better lately, however, and appreciate your support and 
advice.  MAybe I should write Geena Davis (joke).  Alas, I have papers to write
(and goodness knows i LOVE that).  So I'll be trudging off.  Again, thanks, and
wish my sanity luck.  Then again, if I go crazy, my band is sure to be a successwithin a year.  Look for us.

Matt Ivaliotes

writer/director/performer - The King's Troupe comedy ensemble
singer/songwriter - Freak of Nature
Philosopher King wannabe
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: hello
From: mcbeanb@brandonu.ca
Date: 19 Nov 92 13:38:55 CST
Organization: Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

In article <corey.0fb6@amiganet.chi.il.us>, corey@amiganet.chi.il.us (Corey Sweeney) writes:
> Would someone like to tell me what mensa does?

They test to see if you do well on iq tests.  If you do, then you are
eligible to become a member!  What do members do?  On this newsgroup,
they tend to solve puzzles and argue with Scott Tai.  Neat, huh?

Brian McBean  -  McBeanB@BrandonU.Ca
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa