HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Who needs intelligence (cont.)?
Date: 3 Sep 92 00:37:15 GMT
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Aug28.124416.1@woods.ulowell.edu> welchb@woods.ulowell.edu writes:
>My sincere question is somewhat similar to "If we can send a (wo)man to 
>the moon, why can't we .... ?", so here it is.
>
>How do Mensans, or other people of intelligence, accomodate their careers,
>objectives, lives, etc. to the fact that there are terrible atrocities, 
>wars, social ills, etc. continually going on?  Should you feel even more
>responsibility than the average person?  Does mathematics or rocket science

This is really a difficult question, and I can't answer it.

>or philosophy matter when babies are being used for bayonet practice (just
>saw that one last night on tv) or people are starving (unnecessarily)?

Yes.

>
>I am not looking for flames, or for the question to be turned back on me,
>just for answers.

Well, Brendan, you may not be looking for the question to be turned
back on you, but it is necessary.  You apparently can write and read
reasonably well,  so the answer to the question may be the same you
give to the question, "Why aren't you teaching the illiterate in
third-world countries how to read and write?"  As a matter of fact,
I don't know you, so you might very well be doing this.  However,
I don't.  I personally am in a personal project that I hope will have
significant effects on people, but I in no way begrudge people who choose
not to.  The basic question that gets continually begged by this type
of thread is, "Does anyone who can do anything anyone at all cannot do
owe it to the 'world' to do that thing for all or any of those that 
cannot?"  It's a much bigger and more difficult question than "why
don't the Mensans solve our problems for us?"

That's why several members of the Pittsburgh Steelers have volunteered
to move my furniture.

GMS
From: sonic@cray.com (Curtis L. Swanson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Aurora
Date: 28 Aug 92 16:28:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: walter.1992Aug28.112859.24007
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.

Nope, Aurora, Ilinois.  Colorado is quite a jaunt from Milaukee, WI, which
is also visited in the movie (an evening drive in an AMC Gremlin).

***  Curt Swanson  ***  sonic@romulus.cray.com  ***  IOTTMCO  *********
HOME:n - That mythical place where you can go and relax.......
I'd rather be in a coma.........
From: bernard@sirius.gte.com (Bernard Silver)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Problematic smurfs!
Date: 1 Sep 92 13:54:25 GMT
	<65049@cup.portal.com>
Organization: GTE Laboratories Incorporated

In article <65049@cup.portal.com> ts@cup.portal.com (Tim W Smith) writes:

   Now for the interesting problem.  Suppose there were at least two blue
   dots.  Then everyone already knows that there is at least one blue dotted
   person in the village.  The Stranger seems to have given them no information,
   so why was his statement fatal?

It's a case of knowledge about other's knowledge.  Consider exactly
two blue dots.  Prior to the Stranger's statement, it was *not* the case
that everyone knows that everyone knows there is at least one blue
dot.  In particular, blue dot 1 does not know that blue dot 2 knows there
is at least one blue dot (and vice versa).  Similarly for n blue dots.

--
				Bernard Silver
				GTE Laboratories
				bsilver@gte.com
				(617) 466-2663
Xref: sparky rec.org.mensa:6504 sci.skeptic:15765 sci.physics:13987
From: hall@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (Hal F Lillywhite)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa,sci.skeptic,sci.physics
Subject: Re: Update on New Newsletter
Date: 2 Sep 92 18:54:39 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.

In article <182sf2INNm23@gw.home.vix.com> shedevil@vix.com (Anne P. Mitchell JD) writes:

[a description of a publication for such items as]

>the kind of items that such publications as "Science" and "Nature" 
>would not consider publishing, either because they are too
>controversial, or because they deal with some unpleasant truth.  
>The latter occurance is much more common nowadays.
 
 ...

>                   and statistical evidence proving that African
>witchcraft has been a more effective psychiatric cure than Freudian
>psychoanalysis.

This is one which probably could get published in a recognized
journal.  A lot of modern day psychologists reject the Freudian
approach and there is good evidence that it does more harm than
good.  It wouldn't take much for a witch doctor to do better.  There
have been a lot of newer approaches developed in the last couple of
decades, some of which might actually work.  I remember a quote in
Glasser's book, _Reality Therapy_ from a shrink in a mental hospital
to the effect that it was a very good hospital, they didn't make
their patients worse!
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: Erik Naggum <enag@ifi.uio.no>
Organization: Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
Date: 03 Sep 1992 03:55:27 +0200
Subject: Re: The World According to Student Bloopers

John P. Mechalas <mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu> writes:
|
|      Things get more complex when you go overseas...if I recall correctly, US
|   copyrights are only valid in the US.  Can someone check me on that?  I know
|   it holds true for patents.....

The Berne Convention rules between countries, and its rules are often
adopted right into the national copyright law.  It wasn't very long ago
that the U.S. signed the Berne Convention, and made a number of changes
in U.S. copyright law to accomodate it.  I don't remember when, though.

Patents constitute a wholly different can of worms.

Note: This article does not contain legal advice.  See a lawyer if you
need particular information.  [I wish I didn't need to say this.]

Best regards,
</Erik>
--
Erik Naggum             |  ISO  8879 SGML     |      +47 295 0313
                        |  ISO 10744 HyTime   |
<erik@naggum.no>        |  ISO 10646 UCS      |      Memento, terrigena.
<enag@ifi.uio.no>       |  ISO  9899 C        |      Memento, vita brevis.
From: rjd@cup.portal.com (R J Decker)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: E-mail mensa?
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 92 05:10:08 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

Mensa has a forum on Compuserve (G MENSA). A file in the library
lists the email addresses of many members. 

No general address for the organization though. I will raise the issue
and see if such a general address can be provided.

rjd@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: sya@admin.keh.utulsa.edu (Syed Shibli)
Subject: Aurora
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 16:14:27 -0500
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From the keyboard of Gilbert M. Stewart, who writes:

>And me, of course.
>
>And I'll be appearing at the Laugh Factory in Aurora, Illinois,
>Sunday, August 23rd at 8:30pm.

  Is this the same Aurora, Illinois in Wayne's World?

--
Syed Shibli
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Problematic smurfs!
Date: 1 Sep 92 21:45:13 GMT

In article <1992Sep01.152304.11249@bnr.ca>, radams@BNR.CA (Rodney Adams) writes:

> Here is another interesting problem from Steven Moon, one of the sci.math 
> posters who (incorrectly) answered the Smurf problem:
> 
>  This problem [the Smurfs] is a variation of one I heard some time ago.
>  It is with three individuals each wearing one of five hats - three
>  brown, two black.  They are standing in a line and can only see
>  those in front of them.  The last in line can see the color of
>  the hats of the two in front of him.  The second in line can see
>  only the one in front of him, and the first in line can't see
>  anyone's hat.  They can't talk or leave until they are certain what
>  color hat they have on.  After a long time the person first in
>  line leaves.  What color hat does he have on?
> 
> This problem is probably much easier than the Smurf problem (it took about
> a minute or two to solve), but I will wait until tomorrow before posting an
> answer unless someone else does so (the poster of the problem did not
> include an answer).

The third guy doesn't see two black hats; otherwise, he would leave.  If the
second guy saw a black hat, he'd know that he had a brown hat (because the
third guy would have left), and he'd leave.  So, the first guy knows that he
has a brown hat, and leaves.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: seb@draper.com (Steve Bacher)
Subject: Re: Coming in last (was: Demise of honor programs)
Organization: Draper Laboratory
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 16:18:00 GMT

Insinuated CHRISTOPHER J DCOSTA <cjdcosta@eos.ncsu.edu>:

>Hmm...Arkansas..governor..50th in the nation...terrible and shameful.. 
>
>...Subliminal propoganda against Bill Clinton...?

I was just using a popular real-world example used by real-world folk.
No opinion expressed or implied.
 - SEB
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: danwell@IASTATE.EDU (Daniel A Ashlock)
Subject: Re: Update on New Newsletter
Reply-To: danwell@IASTATE.EDU (Daniel A Ashlock)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 15:16:12 GMT

   Testimonial Time...

   Gian-Carlo Rota edits the "Encyclopedia of Mathematics" series.  The two
volumes I own are brilliant works of scholarship and the series is well thought
of.  Dr. Rota shows up _all over the place_ in research on finite fields (the
algebraic sort, no physics here).  I'd definitely give this newsletter of his a
gander.  He's a bright guy and a fine researcher.

Dan
Danwell@IASTATE.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: kja@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (krista.j.anderson)
Subject: Re: Aurora
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 22:11:03 GMT

Hey, I live in Aurora, the real one in Illinois!  It's kind of a
suburb of Chicago (40 miles due west of Chi-town) but some people
might say it's the next city after the suburbs of Chicago.

I heard a rumor that some movie crew wanted to shoot some scenes in
a dull, gray town with no personality or character and they picked 
Aurora.  Wouldn't surprise me if it were true.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: seb@draper.com (Steve Bacher)
Subject: Answer to smurfs problem
Organization: Draper Laboratory
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 15:34:00 GMT

I believe that the third time:
(1) All the Smurfs stood up.
(2) There were 437 red hats and 563 blue hats.

Explanation:

Smurfs by nature are meek and docile creatures who tend to submit to
authority, particularly when forcefully wielded.  Therefore, when yelled
at loud enough by the mayor, they decide that it is in their best
interests to err in favor of action rather than inaction.

On the other hand, Smurfs are also a bit stubborn and trepidatious,
which explains why it took three tries to get them to be bold enough
to take any assertive action at all.

As for the number of hats, I just chose a random value.  It's as good
a possibility as any. 

 - seb
From: fuller@athena.cs.uga.edu (James P. H. Fuller)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The World According to Student Bloopers
Date: 2 Sep 92 20:40:46 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens

jswthomp@milton.u.washington.edu (James Thompson) writes:

>>You are forgetting the the author in question did not write the bloopers.
>>He only compiled the list.  If he did attempt to claim a copyright, then
>>he could be sued by each student whose essays were included.
>
>This is only true if the students copyrighted their work. 
 
     Under the law, you own the rights to your own work whether you go
through the formal process of copyrighting it or not.  A formal copyright
simply makes it easier to defend your ownership in court, should that be
necessary.
From: mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (John P. Mechalas)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: A Short Puzzle
Date: 4 Sep 92 05:51:31 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <1992Sep4.050444.27407@unixg.ubc.ca> Sundar_Prasad@mtsg.ubc.ca writes:
>In article <1992Sep3.010437.28296@gn.ecn.purdue.edu> mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu
>(John P. Mechalas) writes:
>>Here's an interesting puzzle someone pulled on me today:
>>
>>   Imagine a frog that is in square three of a row of six squares.  Square
>>five contains food that the frog wishes to eat.  The frog can only move by
>>jumping three squares one direction, then stopping and jumping two squares
>>in the other direction.  Is it possible for the frog to land on the square
>>with the food without jumping off the "playing field"?
>>
>>     -------------------------------------------------
>>     |   1   |   2   |   3   |   4   |   5   |   6   |
>>     |       |       | Frog  |       | Food  |       |
>>     -------------------------------------------------
>>
>If I'm not missing any tricks, the only possible solution is if the frog
>can START with a 2 square jump (the above puzzle only says alternate jumps
>of 3 and 2 squares, but not that the first jump HAS to be a 3 square one).
>Am I right ;-) ?

You are on the right thread, though not quite right.  This puzzle was created
by someone (whose name I can't remember offhand) to show how people commonly
assume information about a problem that is not actually given.  In this case,
it is assumed that the frog is starting in square three.  But, the problem
never states whether or not the frog is *starting* to move, or if it is in
the *middle* of a move.  It only says that the frog is currently in square 3.
   Hence, if the frog started from square six, it jumped three squares to
it's current position, and is currently stopped there.  Now, it finishes
it's move by jumping the next two squares to the food.
-- 
                   "All my possessions for a moment of time."
                            -- Queen Elizabeth I
John Mechalas 
mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu                                 #include disclaimer.h
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Problematic smurfs!
Date: 30 Aug 92 22:49:48 GMT

In article <94952@bu.edu>, spacefox@acs.bu.edu (Godfrey Degamo) writes:

>      A group of 1000 smurfs wear either a red or blue hat on their head.
> They can only wear one color. The color hat on their head is known to all, but
> the wearer.  The wearer of the hat has no means whatsoever for obtaining the
> color of his hat.  It is never the case that all 1000 smurfs will wear
> the same color hat.
>      One day the mayor, not apart of the 1000 smurfs, decides to call a
> town meeting.  All 1000 smurfs are gathered into the town hall.  The mayor
> is not wearing a hat.  During the meeting, the mayor asks that all the
> smurfs wearing red hats to stand up.
>      There is a bit of commotion in the crowd, but no one stands up.
>      The mayor requests the same demand a bit more sternly.
>      Again, commotion, but no one stands up.
>      The mayor, irate, demands the red hatted smurfs to stand up.
>      Then, a certain amount of smurfs rise.
> 
> find:
>      The exact amount of smurfs that rise.  
>          (Hint: This number will be greater than one.)
>      The color of the hats of the smurfs that rise.
> 
> more importantly,
>      Explain how you deduced your answer.

Since they can only wear one color, they must have all been wearing red.
If they had all been wearing blue, none would have stood up.  And since
they couldn't have been wearing a mixture of colors, the color must have
been red.

If the mayor had been wearing a hat, it would have violated the rule that
not all 1,000 wore the same color hat.  Therefore, the remaining 999 each
wore a red hat.

I fail to see what is so hard about this problem.  What I do not understand
is how, if they can wear only one color, why doesn't each person know what
color s/he is wearing?
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 16:28:42 GMT

In article <1992Aug26.152032.15690@athena.cs.uga.edu> fuller@athena.cs.uga.edu (James P. H. Fuller) writes:
>sm6h+@andrew.cmu.edu (Stephen P. Marting) writes:
>
>>I'll call you a geek for now, 'cause I personally prefer that word. 
>>You've said you are a geek.  Get ready for this - you almost ALWAYS will
>>be.  Most likely until you're dead.  Now hold on to this thought - it
>>doesn't matter.  Not a bit. 
>
>     Can a geek have Buddah nature?
>
"Yes," he said roundly.

GMS
From: jswthomp@milton.u.washington.edu (James Thompson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The World According to Student Bloopers
Date: 2 Sep 92 17:25:53 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Sep2.172553.10541
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Sep2.154825.23661@gn.ecn.purdue.edu> mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (John P. Mechalas) writes:
>
>You are forgetting the the author in question did not write the bloopers.
>He only compiled the list.  If he did attempt to claim a copyright, then
>he could be sued by each student whose essays were included.

This is only true if the students copyrighted their work.  In a similar
fashion, if a musician takes the work of a long-dead composer (which is
now in the public domain) and writes a new arrangement of it, the new work
may be copyrighted, since it includes intellectual property belonging to the
arranger.  In the case of the student bloopers, the students most probably
did not copyright their work.  The author who compiled them added value by
compiling them in the particular order he chose.  I'm pretty sure that the
result could be copyrighted.

Jim Thompson (jswthomp@u.washington.edu)
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Mensa on Letterman
Date: 28 Aug 92 20:42:28 GMT
Distribution: usa

In article <1992Aug28.141038.13092@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>, drich@sandman.lerc.nasa.gov (Daniel Rich) writes:
> 
> In article <15077@claris.com> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
> >Mensa's PR firm posted a message on Compuserve last night that Thursday's
> >David Letterman show will have about 50 to 60 Mensans on it.  He didn't
> >say much more than that.
> 
> I have only watched the first 15-20 minutes so far, but it is nice to
> see that Letterman has found a use for Mensans.  We finally have an
> answer to that age-old question, "What is it that Mensans do?"  Well,
> as you can see, we get soda for celebrities! :-)
> 
> Actually, it is rather strange turning on your TV and seeing a bunch
> of people you know standing in line, passing a can of soda....

Yeah.  It was fun, though.  Last time I saw that bit on his show, he
used a bunch of NBC pages.  I'm sure that this can of soda was much
smarter than the one he got from the pages, though.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: dens@flammulated.owlnet.rice.edu (Dennis Allen Schmitz)
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype
Organization: Rice University, Houston, Texas
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 13:32:09 GMT

In article <weakh_O00YV7E87ARX@andrew.cmu.edu> "Stephen P. Marting" <sm6h+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

   >         A nerd can be found eating pizza, pop, and candy in front 
   > of a computer screen.

   Guess I'm a nerd then.  Hey, you try those 12-hour debugging CS-211
   sessions without nourishment.  Plenty of non-nerds (and non-geeks as
   well) do this.

Nourishment? Ve don need no steenkink nourishment <spit>. Diet Coke is
all one needs to survive.

Later,
den
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The World According to Student Bloopers
Date: 2 Sep 92 18:07:57 GMT

In article <1992Sep1.163529.5817@gn.ecn.purdue.edu>, mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (John P. Mechalas) writes:
> 
> I ran across this gem about a month ago.  I figured that my fellow Mensans
> would certainly appreciate the humor, so I am posting it here.  Enjoy!
> 
> --------------------------------- Cut here 8< ---------------------------------
> 
> The World According to Student Bloopers
> Richard Lederer
> St. Paul's School
> 
By the way, what is the policy concerning quoting copyright works in their
entirety on a newsgroup?
From: mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (John P. Mechalas)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Who needs intelligence (cont.)?
Date: 3 Sep 92 02:03:22 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <1992Sep3.003715.18556@cbnewse.cb.att.com> gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) writes:
>of thread is, "Does anyone who can do anything anyone at all cannot do
>owe it to the 'world' to do that thing for all or any of those that 
>cannot?"  It's a much bigger and more difficult question than "why
> ...

Reminds me of a quote in _Atlas Shrugged_..."I swerar by my life and my love
for it never to live my life for the sake of another man, nor ask another to
live for mine."  -- Ayn Rand

   Basically, I agree with Gilbert.  Having a gift of any type in no way
creates an obligation in the owner, either to the world or him/herself.  Of
course, if no one looks out for anyone else...if no one tries to "help the
world"...then our species won't last very long.  But, even good and beneficial
things can not be turned into obligations.  Wanting to help someone else 
should be a choice and not a requirement.

-- 
                   "All my possessions for a moment of time."
                            -- Queen Elizabeth I
John Mechalas 
mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu                                 #include disclaimer.h
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype
Date: 26 Aug 92 21:55:06 GMT

In article <Ueaux5u00WB647BWkd@andrew.cmu.edu>, dh4j+@andrew.cmu.edu (David O Hunt) writes:
> 
> The 4 basic food groups:
> 
> Caffeine
> Sugar
> Grease
> Alcohol
> 
> David

That's five.  I didnt' realize that David was a food group, though.
Organization: Masters student, Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 22:47:16 -0400 
From: David O Hunt <dh4j+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype

>> The 4 basic food groups:
>>
>> Caffeine
>> Sugar
>> Grease
>> Alcohol
>>
>> David
>
>That's five.  I didnt' realize that David was a food group, though.

I'm not!  Although there is one female who likes to *ahem*, well,
nevermind!  :)

David
From: quest@iowegia.uucp (Steve J. Quest)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 92 13:54:51 CDT
Distribution: world
Organization: Iowegia Waffle BBS, Clive IA USA, +1 515 226 2156

David O Hunt <dh4j+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

> The 4 basic food groups:
> 
> Caffeine
> Sugar
> Grease
> Alcohol
> 
> David

David,

        I can see that you are "ONE" with the force!  Go forth and 
be nerdy........sq