HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: drich@sandman.lerc.nasa.gov (Daniel Rich)
Subject: Re: M email directory
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 16:40:07 GMT

In article <920730190141.2140266f@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU>, SSR48327@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU (Syed Shibli) writes:
|>   I'm not sure what you mean by "junk" E-mail. Is Ed MacMahon 
|>   monitoring the newtworks too? I don't see a need for an E-mail FTP
|>   archive or an encryption scheme of any sort. A maintainer for the
|>   E-mail list is sufficient. His name and address could be put in the FAQ
|>   for this group. 

I have gotten my share of electronic junk mail, mostly from posting to
the net.  Usually, it is just product announcements, but in addition
the the 30-40 other e-mails I get every morning, it can be annoying.

As for the need for an ftp site; remember, all of the members of the
list don't necessarily read this newsgroup (when Tai gets going, I
tend to avoid it myself).  I am not the maintainer, but am the
Internet/Bitnet contact.

-- 
Dan Rich                    | drich@lerc.nasa.gov   |  (216) 433-4000
Sr. Systems Engineer        | "Danger, you haven't seen the last of me!"
RMS Technologies, Inc.      |    "No, but the first of you turns my stomach!"
NASA Lewis Research Center  | -- The Firesign Theatre's Nick Danger
From: zlsiida@fs1.mcc.ac.uk (dave budd)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: frog god (was Re: IQ vs. Faith
Date: 23 Jul 92 10:34:43 GMT
Organization: Manchester Computing Centre

In article <1992Jul22.095827.16797@cs.mcgill.ca> mingmar@cs.mcgill.ca (Ming MAR) writes:

>In article <zlsiida.1000@fs1.mcc.ac.uk> zlsiida@fs1.mcc.ac.uk 
>(dave budd) writes:

>>a frog appeared - fully grown, and there's never been a frog in my pond 
>>before! - and as soon as our eyes met, the wisdom of the ages entered my 
>>mind.  You are right about the feed-a-cat rite though.

>Your eyes aren't suppose to meet, your lips are.  You're supposed to 
>kiss the frog.

No that's a myth spread by adherents of the evil one - Squirrel Nutkin

>BTW, why feed a cat to a frog?

Not TO a frog.  You just have to feed a cat.  Trust me.

+--Great Quotes of our Time-------------------------------------------+
|        You should never have a hobby that eats                      |
+--------------------------------------Amarillo Slim Preston----------+          
|  Dave Budd, MCC, Oxford Rd, Manchester, England  (44)061-275-6033   |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: mingmar@cs.mcgill.ca (Ming MAR)
Subject: Re: daylength
Organization: SOCS, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 04:39:29 GMT

In <1992Jul26.141259.1989@brandonu.ca> mcbeanb@brandonu.ca
writes:
 
>> How is the sun motionless there?
>>
>Because they're on top of the world...  Land of the Midnight Sun
>and all.
 
Being continuously above the horizon doesn't mean that the sun
doesn't move.  It means that the sun moves in a loop.
From: Craig.Wagner@p2.f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Craig Wagner)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: speed of light and age of the universe
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 18:16:19 -0500

  RW> From: werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme) 
  RW> 
  RW> 7) Earthquakes shift the position of the Earth's axis.  6) & 7) have
  RW> been measured and I believe they are responsible for leap seconds
  RW> being declared at unpredictable times.
  RW> 
  RW> 9) Tides transfer rotational momentum to the Moon.  Kinetic energy in
  RW> the tides slow down the Earth because we rotate faster than the Moon
  RW> orbits Earth.  The tidal bulge is not perfectly lined up with the
  RW> Moon, thanks to the Earth's rotation, so the bulge is accelerating the
  RW> moon.  Ultimately the Moon will be in a higher orbit and the Earth
  RW> will rotate in sync with the Moon. Archaeologists have found evidence
  RW> for more more days per year and shorter lunar periods, but I forget
  RW> the details.  9) is the reason we add leap seconds instead of taking
  RW> them away.

This doesn't mean to imply that we #7 might otherwise be responsible for taking
away an occasional leap second, does it?  Would an earthquake shift ever be
responsible for speeding up the earth's rotation?
From: Vasilii.V.Petrenko@dartmouth.edu (Vasilii V. Petrenko)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: CTY
Date: 27 Jul 92 01:30:04 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Is anybody out there a former CTYer??  I was just trying to get in
contact with a group of people who were fermilliar with it for a
possible discussion topic..

Thanks

Karen Reed
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: T: To All MENSA Members...
Organization: AT&T
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 19:23:09 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.141155.6246@linus.mitre.org>, wchenaul@cyclone.mitre.org (William W. Chenault) writes:
> In article <1992Jul27.214609.12298@ncsu.edu> tai@m-net.ann-arbor.mi.us writes:
> >
> >In article <EePr0kO00VRSMCTT95@andrew.cmu.edu>, "Stephen P. Marting" 
> ><sm6h+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
> >
> >     No one can deny that minority groups in this country do poorly on
> >standardized intelligence tests, particularly on the SAT and PSAT.
> >Schools, universitites, and Old Guard fans everywhere use this to
> >uphold their own racial stereotypes, to label minority groups as
> >"ineducable."
> 
> They are NOT ineducable.

Thanks for sharing that.  No, that's not what was said.
> 
> I have been told (by a sociology professor, who has studied these sorts of
> statistics for 40+ years before just recently retiring) that IQ, or the
> "ability to do well on IQ tests" is half genetic and half environmental.

Lots of people who have also studied this have other estimates ranging
from 100% genetic to, I believe, 30% genetic.  Assuming an individual is
right about something that has as much subjective material associated with
it as intelligence, is pretty dangerous.  Could lead to more problems.
If he is referring to a particular test and a particular aspect of intelligence
and knows of the scores on this test of all the individuals and their
parents, I might agree.  But many people who have lots of data are all over
the map on this.  Most reports I've seen don't have the 50/50 split, tho'.

> 	I'm not a mensian, but I have the scores to qualify and may do so when
> I am able to quit moving across the country as often as I do now.
> 
> Bill
> 

Actually, someone who moves around a lot would get more benefit from Mensa
than someone who stays put.  It guarantees you have a party or some gathering
to go to anywhere you are that day.

GMS
From: jlc5f@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Jean L. Cooper)
Subject: Re: Mensa national versus local, New York City
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 19:52:31 GMT

Since I'm the Secretary and not the Treasurer, I don't
have a lot of details on the budget and financial
report.  However, I think Dave Remine, the Treasurer,
would be happy to answer any specific questions put
to him in writing or at any Mensa meeting.  He's
very forthcoming about this sort of information as
far as I can tell.
--
Jean L. Cooper    (BITNET: JLC5F@virginia.edu   CIS: 70253,1114)
"The true University of these days is a Collection of Books." 
                                           --Carlyle
From: cegtitd@prism.gatech.EDU (Tim Dodd)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: speed of light and age of the universe
Date: 21 Jul 92 17:55:23 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <711734414.F00006@blkcat.UUCP> Craig.Wagner@p2.f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Craig Wagner) writes:
)
)  MS> Steve contended that there has been no record of hours or days having
)  MS> been other than they are now, so they must have always been the same.
)  MS> 
)  > But they're not the same *now*.
)  > 
)  MS> Can that be proven?
)
)Not by me, certainly.  I'm willing to trust the experts in this area
)whoJoccasionally convince the world of the necessity to throw in a "leap second"
)to keep everything timed correctly.  I've been told that this is necessary
)because the earth's spin rate is decreasing.  What I find interesting, though,
)is that there doesn't seem to be any regularity to the necessity of doing so. 
)(i.e. it's not every "n" months, but appears to be something almost random)  
)While this seems odd to me, it does tend to reassure me that it's not related to
)an inaccuracy in the length of our "24 hour" day.    <pondering:  perhaps we

Actually, this is incorrect.  The inaccuracy is caused by the discrepency
between the length of the sidereal year and that of the calender year.
Correction for this difference is administered every four years by "leap
years".  Further correction is also required for strict precision, but I
don't remember how often or how much.

It is true that the earth's rotational rate is decreasing, but the rate of
decrease is too small to matter across less-than-geological time spans.

Tim

-- 
"It is still an unending source of surprise for me to see how a few
scribbles on a blackboard or on a sheet of paper could change the
course of human affairs."   -- Stanislaw Ulam
Tim Dodd, Research Scientist, Georgia Tech  cegtitd@prism.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Daylenth
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 12:54:46 -0500

  EP> From: gpowell@ent1.ent.ncsu.edu (Eugene Powell) Newsgroups:
  EP> rec.org.mensa Organization: Dept. of Entomology - NCSU, Raleigh, NC
  EP> 
  EP> When Herodotus.... To a dumb hick from the
  EP> blessed south the small movement of the sun in arctic regions would
  EP> appear over the course of the modern diel cycle ( or day as variously
  EP> described from generous contributors to this newsgroup) to be small,
  EP> and I might get away with telling cohorts that 'it ain't moved at all
  EP> since last I looked'.

Actually, the movement would appear quite large.  To someone standing on the
north pole, for instance, and never moving in the course of a 24 hour period
(avoiding the use of the term "day"  ;-)  the sun would make a complete circle. 
At any one time, the sun can be thought to be "over" a particular point on the
surface of the earth, which point has a specific latitude and longitude. 
Throughout the course of the day, those pointswill cover the entire 360 degrees
of earth longitude.  To someone on the north pole, for the person to look at the
sun and/or it's subpoint on the earth, s/he would have to make a 360 degree turn
in the course of 24 hours.


  EP> ... We didn't even get into changes in spinrate of
  EP> earth that might allow vast sums for human ages, or constant knee
  EP> problems for volleyball players, since slowing down has increased
  EP> gravity?

Gravity is independent of spin, is it not?
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath)
Subject: Re: Admission to Mensa
Organization: The Cat Factory
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 19:21:43 GMT

In article <1992Jul29.010858.21467@cs.rose-hulman.edu> catapcnl@NeXTWork.Rose-Hulman.Edu. (Chris Lawrence) writes:

}"In a democracy, the majority often gets what it wants.  Occasionally, it also
} gets what it deserves."
} - ??? (Can someone tell me?)

Don't know who said it, but I've always heard it as:  "Democracy is the
only form of government that insures the people are ruled as they deserve
to be."

The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, M.A., CDP, aka: hollombe@polymath.tti.com)
Head Robot Wrangler at Citicorp                   Turn the rascals out!
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.   (310) 450-9111, x2483     No incumbents in '92!
Santa Monica, CA  90405
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: T=Constructive Criticism
Date: 29 Jul 92 17:21:45 GMT

In article <1992Jul29.133900.4954@alliant.com>, werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme) writes:
> 
> In article <1992Jul28.222308.27560@ncsu.edu> tai-sa@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott A Tai) writes:
> >Notice that the majority of flames are coming from one Mike Steiner:
> 
> That's because the rest of us are better disciplined at ignoring you.
> We're not perfectly disciplined, as this posting proves, just better.
> 
> >Thanks for ruining my enjoyment of this group. I truly appreciate it.
> 
> So that's why you stick with it?
> 
> >-- Scott Tai
> >   tai@m-net.ann-arbor.mi.us
> 
> They ran you out of North Carolina?

Not quite.  The header from his message is, as usual:

>From: tai-sa@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott A Tai)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: T=Constructive Criticism
Date: 28 Jul 92 22:23:08 GMT
Reply-To: tai-sa@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott A Tai)
Organization: NCSU Artificial Intelligence Systems Laboratory
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: T--Polyandric Polymath and Kill Files
Date: 22 Jul 92 17:49:56 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.222255.166@ncsu.edu>, tai@cs.ncsu.edu (Scott Tai) writes:
> 
> 
> In article <1992Jul18.010824.4567@ttinews.tti.com>, hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:
> |>This week's flame retardant:
> |>
> |>/ T./j
> |>/tai@ailab/h:j
> |>
> |>We've seen it all before.  Ignore him and he will go away.
> 
>         I never cease to be shocked by the things I read in
> this newsgroup.  If it isn't someone really full of themselves
> pontificating on some bit of esoterica, it's some rude buffoon
> making idiotic comments directed against them.  Although I also
> find the use of foul language and slanderous remarks which 
> seems to be this newsgroup's trademark offensive, I think that
> the suggestion of shutting others out is easily the MOST
> offensive thing I've ever seen written.  What is it with you
> people?  Can you really not stand to hear any dissenting
> voices?  Are you so accustomed to being in control of every
> conversation that any reply is seen as another interruption of
> one in a series of brilliant epiphanies?

No.  We're sick and tired of people who 
     are pompus asses
     have no intent or desire for constructive discourse
     are interested only in being disruptive
     write nothing that is worthwhile
     are more interested in their own agenda than in truth
     are liars

In other words, Mr. Tai; we're tired of you.

>         If the use of the kill file is in any way
> representative of the views of the regular users of this
> newsgroup then maybe this whole group should be wiped out so
> no one has to listen to the annoying opinions of others.
> That way we can all  go back to hearing the joyous sound of
> our own voices babbling incessantly and unchecked, with nary
> an incorrect syllable uttered.

Yes, your opinions are annoying, and so are you--like a mosquito.
(Or as Dan Quayl [sic] would say, a mosquitoe).  I have no
compunction about killing a mosquito, so why should I have any
compunction about someone wanting to put you in his kill file?
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: T/ T: To All MENSA Members...
Date: 30 Jul 92 20:28:50 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.022641.19816@ncsu.edu>, scott@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott A Tai) writes:
> 
> 
> In article <1992Jul27.011217.25434@cs.rose-hulman.edu>, catapcnl@Rose-Hulman.Edu. (Chris Lawrence) writes:
> 
> |> [...] if I said that college professors are overpaid geeks, the  
> |>cheers would resound from the chambers of our society.  Americans in general  
> |>have been suspicious of the intellectually gifted (notice how in the McCarthy  
> |>era, nobody cared (except for the intellectuals, most of whom got the pleasure  
> |>of the senator's attention) about what was happening until the military were  
> |>investigated), and not one thing has ever been done about this suspicion.  I  
> |>for one will not stick around in a nation that in supposedly granting us  
> |>freedom really seeks to oppress.
> 
> I'd like to see some actual evidence for these remarks, as I tend to 
> disagree with you here.  It seems as if a large number of MENSA members 
> believe that they are being persecuted because of their supposed high 
> intelligence.  At the university level, and in the workplace, I've found 
> the opposite to be quite true.  Smarter people are generally more successful.

How would you know?  You've demonstrated an intellectuality somewhat lower
than that of Danny Quayle.
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re:  Mensa national versus local, New York City
Date: 26 Jul 92 23:48:04 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

In article 11247@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov, drich@sandman.lerc.nasa.gov (Daniel Rich) writes:
>In article <1992Jul22.141007.27275@nntpd.lkg.dec.com>, edp@math.zko.dec.com (Eric Postpischil) writes:
>|> The offices should be moved elsewhere.

>The arguement that we haven't decided what the purpose of the national
>office doesn't hold water.  Why not rent a building in somewhere like
>Omaha where rents are low, and sublease the space we don't use?  The
>building would then be providing income to national, and this might
>actually *reduce* dues!

For one thing, part of the bylaws of Mensa states that "the society shall
maintain its principle offices in the State of New York".  Mensa is incorporated
under the laws of New York State.  So they'd have to move its offices elsewhere
in the state or re-incorporate under the laws of another state.

There are hick towns in New York, certainly cheaper than NYC but probably not
as cheap as Omaha.

-Mike
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: berger@atropa (Mike Berger)
Subject: Re: Genius sperm bank
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 19:00:39 GMT

seb@draper.com (Steve Bacher Batchman) writes:
>After all that talk about how idiotic it was for Nobel prize winners to
>offer their sperm, now we seem to have evidence that, contrary to the
>pooh-poohers and maysayers, Genius Sperm Kids really DO have higher
>intelligence (however you define it)!
*----
Did anybody really deny a genetic propensity for intelligence?
I never heard any such objections.

Conversely, if you want sperm from a racist like Shockley, go
ahead - but the fact that he won a nobel prize doesn't mean
he's smart.  Intelligence alone isn't a very good criterion for
choosing the genetic make-up of your kid.
--
	Mike Berger
	Department of Statistics, University of Illinois
	AT&TNET     217-244-6067
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: IQ vs. Faith
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992 23:32:40 -0500

hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:

 TP> Something to ponder:  Did Adam and Eve have navels? (-:{

"I don't know you from Adam!"

"Sure you do!  I'm the one with the belly button...."
From: ark@alice.att.com (Andrew Koenig)
Newsgroups: rec.photo
Subject: Re: Long lenses
Date: 25 Jul 92 03:00:42 GMT
Article-I.D.: alice.23311
Reply-To: ark@alice.UUCP ()
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Liberty Corner NJ

In article <45611@shamash.cdc.com> ria@dash.udev.cdc.com (Richard Askew) writes:

> As general rule: never hand-hold a shot at a speed SLOWER than the 
> focal length of the lens. ie. 300mm @ 1/500 etc.

After testing, I believe that rule is not conservative enough.
I tried hand-holding a 35mm lens at 1/60, and the tripod picture
is noticeably sharper.  Interestingly, the same picture is also
much sharper hand-held with a medium-format camera (Fuji 690,
"Texas Leica") than with 35mm and the tripod makes much less
difference.
-- 
				--Andrew Koenig
				  ark@europa.att.com
From: andyc@hplsla.hp.com (Andy Cassino)
Newsgroups: rec.photo
Subject: Re: Nikkor 180mm f2.8
Date: 28 Jul 92 00:31:37 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplsla.5360770
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA

duli@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Li Du) writes...
| 
| 	Does a 180/2.8 lens produce more seperation of subject from
| 	background than does a 135/2.0 lens? A rough computation shows
| 	that, when used wide open, the two lenses have about the same 
| 	DOF at same magnification.

For practical purposes, I think you're right. The difference would be slight.

|   I haven't seen a photographer who
| 	owns both 135/2 and 180/2.8. 

Well, anyone with an 80-200 zoom has both those focal lengths plus 
a few more!  Assuming the same optical quality, why not just stick to the
normal lens? :-)


    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
    % Andy Cassino                                       %
    % Hewlett-Packard - Lake Stevens Instrument Division %
    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
From: lakhindr@ESD.3Com.COM (Lakhinder Walia)
Newsgroups: rec.photo
Subject: Popular Photography Lens Tests. Nikon AF 35-135mm .
Keywords: Test Lens Nikon Popular Photography
Date: 30 Jul 92 18:57:59 GMT
Distribution: rec

Hi,
I was looking into August issue of PP, trying to find out where
does the Nikon 35-135mm lens stand..
I got confused on a few issues. I wonder if some body would like
to explain me these things. Any suggestions/help is welcome !
Here are my doubts:
(refer to page 56..)
1. when the lens gives A+ type pictures, does it mean they are
indistinguishable from a fixed lens' pictures..?
2. As an aside of point 1, let us compare other zoom lens, say sigma --
test results next to Nikon lens, page 57. At same focal length, say
50mm , will the results be indistinguishable at say 8x10 size, since
both are A+ ?
By these two questions I will probably get an answer to : where does
a zoom lens stand vis-a-vis fixed type lens, and vis-a-vis other zoom
lenses.

Another related question: How much could you enlarge from a very well
exposed 35mm negative-- using a fixed length lens.? I have not done
that much, except for once going to approx 8inx10in with my K1000 with
50mm f1.7 lens -- I think this was a  good lens.( Now I own a 8008s.)

Is there any other magazine which publishes lens tests..!?

One basic question about sharpness:
Will a 50mm f1.8 shoot with same sharpness as a 50mm f1.2 lens, say at
f4 or f5.6 or f22 (I mean in their common range). 

Thanks for reading this far !! 

-lakhinder walia

Newsgroups: rec.photo
From: dp@world.std.com (Jeff DelPapa)
Subject: Press ID for sale - another one
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 21:04:43 GMT

I just got another of the press pass for sale - Company called
lionhouse, run by someone called BCair Howard <semi legible script
signature only>, located in Cleveland TN. The included letter [two
sides single spaced in 6 point type] makes repeated reference to his
contributions to PhotoGraphic.  The press credentials seem to be a
spiff to get you to order his "book" on selling pictures [for $47.50]
- he also seems to be pushing a stock photo service. The press kit
includes "A clip on press pass, a wallet sized ID card, a 'do not
ticket or tow' card for your vehicle, and a letter of introduction"
Yow! Order within 10 days and include the colored coupon and get a
free exposure guide.....

he even bragged about a $575 day rate... lots of stuff about "all the
hard work is done for you..."

My only regret is that most of the paper is of the non-recyclable
sort...

<dp>
Newsgroups: rec.photo