HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: phil%miracle@merk.com (Phil Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Who's in charge here?
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 92 19:37:54 EST
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) writes:
>In article <702648459.F00001@blkcat.UUCP>, Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson) writes:
>> I wrote:
>> 
>>  DA> If memory serves, he is the moderator (not in the "censor" sense
>>  DA> of moderated newsgroups, but more like the "guy in charge")
>> 
>> phil%miracle@merk.com (Phil Hill) replies:
>> 
>>  PH> I am _NOT_ in charge here (I'll leave that job to Al Haig :->).
>>  PH> Nor is Ed Bertch, nor is ANYONE.
>> 
>> Then is there nobody "empowered" to speak on behalf of the newsgroup itself?
>
>That would be me, my son!  What is it that you wish to know that the
>most intelligent person on this newsgroup may bestow His knowledge
>upon thee?

Oh most knowelegable, intelligent, wise, powerful, and great person.  Will
thou please bestow your knowledge up on us?  How does one go about sending
small NUKES through the net.  I have a need to know.  :-)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Phil Hill                     | "All you people in TV land,           |
| Miracle Computer Consultants  |   I will wake up your empty shells.   |
| Email: phil%miracle@merk.com  |  Peak time viewing blown in a flash,  |
|  -or-  phil.hill@channel1.com |   as I burn into your memory cells.   |
| FAX:   (508)875-3297          |  'cause I'm alive." - Peter Gabriel   |
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Illiteracy
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1992 01:06:58 -0500

MS = Mike_Steiner@qm.claris.com
DA = me

 MS> it would answer those who ask "What does Mensa do?"
 DA> The opposite of what the simple folk do, of course!  B-)
 MS> So what do the simple Mensans do?

Everything... except exist.  B-)

Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: sue@netcom.com (Sue Miller)
Subject: Re: What is the purpose of this newsgroup and Mensa?
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 16:23:24 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 

In article <1992Apr3.052419.4852@ncsu.edu> tai@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott Tai) writes:
>montys@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM (Monty D Smith) writes:
>
>> Is this newsgroup typical of Mensa?
>
>Sadly enough, it is.

How do you know?  Usenet is *nothing* like anything in real life.
I've been on usenet for years, and I know this is one of the Truths.

>
>> The majority of people posting here are doing nothing more than trying
>> to prove that they're right and that everybody else's opinion is
>> wrong.  It THAT what Mensa is all about?
>
>Unfortunately, yes.  For the most part, the MENSA members and supporters
>on here are unwilling to consider anyone else's opinion, and merely
 ^^^^^^^
key words

>rephrase their same tired arguments over and over.  I've yet to hear any
>MENSA members even consider dropping the 2% rule.  

Why should they?  Give me a REAL reason why.  If people want to have
a club which takes as members people who score such-and-such on 
so-and-so test, why should we care?

>
>> Why do Mensans have such a bad reputation for being so uppity?  Is is
>> because they are?  Anyone reading this group would quickly conclude
>> this.
>
>Undoubtedly a good many of them are.  For every article I post, there are
>typically around ten articles quickly posted telling me how wrong I am.
>No constructive criticism is offered; just the claim that I'm wrong and 
>they're right.
>
>> After receiving my "Congratulations you are approved to join" letter,
>> I decided not to do so since I saw no advantages to a Mensa
>> membership.  The big selling point was that you could be with other 
>> people who shared your intellect, but after reading this group it
>> appears that staying AWAY from Mensa is a wise choice.  Can anyone out
>> there offer reasons to the contrary?
>
>You did the right thing, in my opinion.  I don't see why MENSA members feel
>they can't associate with anyone unless they have a piece of paper showing
>they scored in the top 2% on a multiple-choice test.  Personally, I derive
>a great deal of pleasure with almost all of the company I keep; regardless
>of a person's intelligence, everyone has something to offer, and we can
>learn from everyone.  The people who THINK they're the smartest are often
>the only annoying ones.
>

I'm glad for you both.  I myself am not a Mensan anymore (but not
because I harbour any ill will towards the group) and the guy I live
with (and love to pieces) wouldn't even qualify.  So what.  What do
you care what they do and why they do it?
From: csz55@seq1.keele.ac.uk (Christopher Wrigley)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Just one guy's opinions
Date: 9 Apr 92 11:41:42 GMT
Organization: University of Keele, England

From article <34358@ttidca.TTI.COM>, by hollombe@soldev.tti.com (The Polymath):
> In article <1992Apr7.024611.22333@uc.msc.edu> eab@uh.msc.edu (Edward Bertsch) writes:
> }sure, the brighter kids do alot for the less bright kids, when mixed all
> }together.  ...
> 
> Actually, that's not necessarily so.  At least one study has shown that F
> students are better helped by C students than A students.  The F students
> need to be taught basic skills -- things the A students do instinctively,
> but the C students know they have to work at.  Thus, mixing A students in
> with F students benefits neither.  The F students will only become more
> discouraged and disruptive and the A students will become bored and
> disruptive.

Interesting, my first time hearing of such a study. Which one is it btw?

		Chris
--
Christopher  Wrigley           "Have not children the right to keep the
University of Keele, England      secrets of their hearts from you?"
JANET - csz55@uk.ac.keele           (Lindkvist - Strindbergs "Easter")
BITNET - csz55%seq1.keele.ac.uk@ukacrl
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: explanation:: decimal prefix
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 15:55:06 -0500

JLM@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Jose L. Martinez) writes:

 JLM>      mega            = great, mighty
 JLM>      giga            = giant
 JLM>      tera            = monster

 JLM> can't wait to find out what "peta" and "exa" meant to the Greeks,
 JLM> but it must have been something real big !!!  :-)

The first can be explained by the Greek attitude towards animals.  They detested
cruelty to dumb beasts.  Thus, this is obviously homage to the organization,
"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals".

The second was plainly stolen from Latin, in which any student knows that "ex"
means "out of" (in the sense of "from" or "leaving", rather than "having used up
the supply").  As a decimal prefix, therefore, it obviously means "out of this
world!".

B-)

Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: kyle@uunet.uu.net (Kyle Jones)
Subject: Re: Use of this newsgroup (Was Re: TIME TRAVEL)
Organization: UUNET Communications Services
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 18:32:02 GMT

 > but then you completely bifurcate the topic, instead of having two
 > intertwined threads--which makes for a more enjoyable and enlightening
 > discussion, IMO.

We'll just have to agree to disagree, I guess.  Our basic net
paradigms are different.  In any case, someone will strafe my
pressure dome for sure if I keep this up.

So, I give.  I'll kick back and ramble like everyone else.  If
the volume gets to high I'll have to go away, but until then,
what the hey?

--
"Bifurcate?  What a disgusting thing to do in the middle of a
discussion. :)"
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: /T/ MENSA's Not A 'Sport Team'!
Date: 10 Apr 92 18:53:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewse.1992Apr10.185326.595
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

In article <k7o1iB5w164w@miracle.com>, jess%miracle@merk.com (Shi'nayne) writes:
> tai@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott Tai) writes:
> 
> > alopez-o@neumann.waterloo.edu (Alex Lopez-Ortiz) writes:
> > 
> > > -Intelligent requirements for Mensa are essentially the same as athletic
> > > requirements for sport teams.
> > 
> > This is not true.  You only have to qualify for MENSA once, while you
> > have to constantly prove yourself on 'sport teams' or you don't play.
> > 
> > ---------
> > Scott Tai
> 
> OHMYGOD!!!!!  He actually said something that for the most part, is very
> true!! 

Yes, it is true.  'Course then we have the proverbial two kinds of
people.  Those that prove themselves through continual interaction 
with other people they might find interesting and those that "prove"
themselves once by merely staying a member of an organization that
gives them an ego boost.  If the latter just stayed home and polished
their Mensa mugs and Mensa flatware, it would make gatherings rather
self-leveling, wouldn't it?

GMS
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: terryk@encore.com (Terence M. Kelleher)
Subject: Re: SAT scores and Mensa
Organization: Encore Computer Corporation
Date: 14 Apr 92 09:44:51


In article <1992Apr14.021642.13635@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> peltz@cerl.uiuc.edu (Steve Peltz) writes:

   Ok, if y'all can leave off your stupidity for a bit, I'd like to ask a
   question.

Sure.  Dunce cap is parked in the corner.

   An earlier comment implied that Mensa will accept the result of the SAT
   for qualifying for membership. Is that correct? How recent does it need
   to be? And what are the cutoff limits?

Must have been taken during your lifetime.

College SAT (Verbal & Math combined     prior to 9/77        1300
                                        effective 9/77       1250

   I've heard good and bad about Mensa, and would be interested in hearing
   anecdotal evidence both ways.

Always listen to the good and ignore the bad :-)

Best to try for yourself.  Contact your local group.  
--

                                 +----------------+
Terence Kelleher              +--+-------------+  |
Encore Computer Corp.         |  | E N C O R E |  |
terryk@encore.com             |  +-------------+--+
607-687-2644                  +----------------+
From: phil%miracle@merk.com (Phil Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: On Mensa Bashing
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 92 21:09:35 EST
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

noonan@sonata.enet.dec.com (Costumes & Makeup & Kliegs, oh my!) writes:
>
>>In article <1992Mar29.132122.26684@kth.se>, tordm@vana (Tord Malmgren) writes:
>>>  no, it is not. let's see now, how about this one "hey! let's have a beer!"
>>> compared to "attention! why don't we bring ourselves to inherit some al-
>                ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^
>>> colized beverage in order to socialize with the primal function of getting
>   ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^
>>> above the normal level of intoxication?" See what I mean? Different ways
>   ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>> of displaying your hyper-I.Q. 
>
>
>         giggle  snort  hahahahahhahahhahahhahahha
>
>         I'm trying to imagine *anyone* talking like this at any of
>         the Mensa gatherings to which I go.
>
>         They'd be laughed out of the place!!!!!!!
>
>         Besides, why would someone have to die in order for us to socialize?
>
>
>         .sigless E

Will you two stop arguing, and pass me a beer?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Phil Hill                     | "All you people in TV land,           |
| Miracle Computer Consultants  |   I will wake up your empty shells.   |
| Email: phil%miracle@merk.com  |  Peak time viewing blown in a flash,  |
|  -or-  phil.hill@channel1.com |   as I burn into your memory cells.   |
| FAX:   (508)875-3297          |  'cause I'm alive." - Peter Gabriel   |
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: noonan@sonata.enet.dec.com (Another voting Quaker for Choice!)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Swearing in
Date: 8 Apr 92 21:10:15 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation


In article <1992Apr8.164551.5473@cs.umn.edu>, niccum@cs.umn.edu (Thomas M. Niccum) writes...
>In <2100.29E29C55@kennel.FIDONET.ORG> Mike.Steiner@p1.f207.n143.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Mike Steiner) writes:
> 
>>Of course, the alternative to affirm was incorporated for the benefit of those
>>religious people who believed that swearing was taking the name of the Lord
>>in vain, but that doesn't prevent one who doesn't believe in God from affirming
>>instead of swearing (assuming, of course, that s/he knows of the option).
> 
>I believe this is not quite right.  The "swearing" has nothing to do
>with taking anything in vain.  I think that the problem for some groups
>(Quakers jump to mind, but I may be off) is that by "swearing" to do
>something you are predicting the future, which only god could know.  So
>you are presuming to know better than god, a sin in some religions.
> 
>The affirmation is more like, "I'll try to do my best, but who knows
>what will happen..."



         Actually, you are both wrong, at least for Quakers.  

         The reason that Quakers do not take oaths is because we are
         told not to in the bible.  It tells us that swearing an oath
         assumes two standards of truth: sworn truth, and maybe not so
         true.

         We try to live by a standard of truth that needs no swearing.


         .sigless E
From: mcbeanb@brandonu.ca
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: /T/ What is the purpose of this newsgroup and Mensa?
Date: 6 Apr 92 15:04:54 GMT
Organization: Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

In article <1985.29DDA5DA@kennel.FIDONET.ORG>, Mike.Steiner@p1.f207.n143.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Mike Steiner) writes:
> 
> Scott Tai writes about "/T/ What is the purpose of this newsgroup and Mensa?"
> to All  [03 Apr 92 13:39]
> 
> ST> terryk@encore.com (Terence M. Kelleher) writes: 
> 
>> Scott, have you attended enough Mensa functions to be sure of what 
>> "typical" is for Mensa?  I've been in  Mensa 3 years, I have not.
> ST>                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
> 
> ST> You just contradicted yourself! 
> 
> ST> Sorry, couldn't pass this one up... :) 
> 
> You should learn how to read.  Terry saids that even though he has been in
> Mensa
> for three years, he has not attended enough Mensa functions to be sure of what
> is "typical" is for Mensa.  He was challenging your claim that you know what
> is typical for Mensa.
>  
> Mike Steiner

Isn't it possible that Mr. Tai was making a flippant remark about the
structure (or lack of structure) of this sentence?  The issue has nothing
to do with Mr. Tai's ability to read!   :)

Brian McBean  -  McBeanB@BrandonU.Ca
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: hall@orion.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Philip Hall 283-4031)
Subject: Re: IQ and religious belief
Organization: nasa-jsc
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 21:35:37 GMT

>...but, okay, if there's a "highest point in any hierarchy", what's the
>highest point in the hierarchy of the integers?

> - Steven

Integers are not a hierarchy.

PH
From: Mike.Steiner@p1.f207.n143.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: MCAT scores?
Date: 16 Apr 92 01:56:43 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:143/207.1 - Sunnyvale Fido Conn, Sunnyvale CA


mcbeanb@brandonu.ca writes about "Re: MCAT scores?" to All  [15 Apr 92 15:04]

> M> Correlation correlshmation :)  
> 
> You mean "correlation shmorelation," durn it.  If you're gonna type Yiddish,
> please get it right. :-)

M>  Please accept my humble apology.

Humbly accepted.
 
/207 143/207
--  
Mike Steiner
UUCP: uts.amdahl.com!kennel!207.1!Mike.Steiner
INTERNET: Mike.Steiner@p1.f207.n143.z1.FIDONET.ORG
"The views expressed above are those of Mike Steiner only."
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: choy@skorpio.Usask.CA
Subject: Re: Re: Non-sequitor, but interesting (was: A criticism)
Reply-To: choy@skorpio.Usask.CA
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 15:58:30 GMT


Richard H. Schwartz (rhs@world.std.com) writes

> I don't think we can ever understand intelligence.  But I do think we can
> say intelligence exists, simply in comparison to things that don't show
> intelligence -- on the scale of size and time on which we judge ourselves.


I compare a person to a car; let's see if a car is intelligent.
Certainly a car has significant features that distinguish it from other
lumps of matter. For instance, it permits smooth travel over washboard
roads. A car can have anti-lock brakes, automatic transmission, fuel
injection, cellular phone, oil and temperature guages, etc. These
things function. But is there intelligence involved? If you are a
mechanic, you would know that the functioning is a mass of interactions
that work the way they were made to (sometimes too well; I was hit by
a car yesterday though I escaped serious hurts). A car that is put
together properly with all the right things in the right places will
work in expected ways. Cars just cannot help this. They have no free
will, and they do not think about what they do (actually the word think
needs to be clarified, I think (as if I can)). People too are made
of matter so it may be that we are just in a state that forces us to
behave with apparent intelligence and will. This is apparent to people
(we may be "programmed" to state that we see such a property in
people), but maybe not to anything with true intelligence (anything
out there with true intelligence?).


Henry Choy
choy@skorpio.usask.ca
From: grohol@novavax.UUCP (John Grohol)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: /T/T/T/ mrmrks and beating a dead horse ...
Date: 10 Apr 92 03:31:40 GMT
Organization: Nova University, Fort Lauderdale, FL


                                                                
tai@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott Tai) previously writes:
Mike_Steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
                                                                  
>MS> When up against obtuseness and and irrationality, even a saint can 
>MS> lose his/her cool at times.
>MS> You have not come up with any new ideas here, and your proposals here
>MS> have been inane.
                                                                       
>>ST> This is typical of MENSA supporters:  they can't adequately rebut new
>>ST> ideas and proposals, so they turn to flames.  Sad, isn't it... :)
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^              
Then later...                                                      
									
>>MS> Are you saying that Mensans have a hatred of certain groups of people
>>MS> and engage in terrorist activities against them?
                                                                       
>>>ST> No, I was referring to the Ku Klux Klan.  (Do you have a reading 
>>>ST> comprehension problem?)

This is typical of Scott Tai: they can't adequately rebut a question
without flaming their opponent.        
                                                                           
Why is life so hard for you Scott that you feel you must call into
question Mike's reading abilities? He obviously misconstrued the
structure of one of your sentences and it seems like it was an
honest mistake. Is your hostility toward Mike and Mensa in general
so great that you cannot allow people a simple misunderstanding
without flaming their abilities for it??

Or do you honestly find that being a hypocrite is a genuine
fulfilling occupation in life?? 

-John

"I never said I wouldn't flame you."

CALL NOW FOR YOUR "Impeach Scott Tai from rec.org.mensa" BUTTONS
TODAY! LIMITED QUANTITIES!! WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!! NOT AVAILABLE
IN N. CAROLINA, DUE TO RESTRICTIONS ON THE IMPORTATION OF ACTUAL
HUMOR ACROSS SCOTT'S STATE LINE!!

-- 
 "And everybody used to hang around him.  ::  John M. Grohol, M.S.
  And I know why. They said:              ::  Cntr for Psychological Studies
  There but for the grace of the angels   ::  Nova Univ, Ft. Lauderdale, FL  
  go I." -- Laurie Anderson               ::  grohol@novavax.nova.edu
From: Mike.Steiner@p1.f207.n143.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Tai's Lies
Date: 6 Apr 92 09:46:25 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:143/207.1 - Sunnyvale Fido Conn, Sunnyvale CA


Scott Tai writes about "Tai's Lies" to All  [05 Apr 92 23:55]

> Besides, why are you complaining about flames--you continue to invite them.

ST>  No, you just continue starting them.

Bullshit, you fucking liar.
 
/207 143/207
--  
Mike Steiner
UUCP: uts.amdahl.com!kennel!207.1!Mike.Steiner
INTERNET: Mike.Steiner@p1.f207.n143.z1.FIDONET.ORG
"The views expressed above are those of Mike Steiner only."
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: kyle@uunet.uu.net (Kyle Jones)
Subject: Re: intelligence bashing
Organization: UUNET Communications Services
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 21:44:36 GMT

dh4j+@andrew.cmu.edu (David O Hunt) writes: 
 > The two times someone ignored the message and tried to pick on me, I ended up
 > beating the shit out of one and threatening to in the other case.  While I
 > hate to admit it, at that stage might did make right.

mcbeanb@brandonu.ca writes:
 > I disagree.  While I had my share of run-ins with bullies, I
 > never (ever) had to resort to any sort of physical prowess to
 > save my skin, and I'm not saying that I had to be very
 > intelligent to do so.  There are other ways than hitting those
 > who make your life Hell.  Even in cases similiar to the one
 > described above.

I say it again, McBean, you were lucky.  There are people who
will not back down, and who will only get The Message after a
beating or being the victim of a carefully wrought nerve toxin.
I hope you never meet one of these people, I really do.
From: phil%miracle@merk.com (Phil Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Who's in charge here?
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 14:49:51 EST
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

cjdcosta@eos.ncsu.edu (CHRISTOPHER J DCOSTA) writes:
>phil%miracle@merk.com (Phil Hill) writes:
>>Oh most knowelegable, intelligent, wise, powerful, and great person.  Will
>>thou please bestow your knowledge up on us?  How does one go about sending
>>small NUKES through the net.  I have a need to know.  :-)
>
>Wait! Why use the net at all?  Note my STRATEGIC location? 
>For the right price, you'll get 
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>            GUARANTEED HAND DELIVERY OF YOUR NUKE !
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>just for that very special person..
>
>'Course, it won't be MY hand.. I'll subcontract ;-)
>
>
>P.S. Buy two, get a third FREE!

You've got a deal, I'll give you a 5KT, a 15KT and just in case a 100MT.
They will be coming in the mail anyday now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Phil Hill                     | "All you people in TV land,           |
| Miracle Computer Consultants  |   I will wake up your empty shells.   |
| Email: phil%miracle@merk.com  |  Peak time viewing blown in a flash,  |
|  -or-  phil.hill@channel1.com |   as I burn into your memory cells.   |
| FAX:   (508)875-3297          |  'cause I'm alive." - Peter Gabriel   |