HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Help....college is killing me!!!!
Date: 13 Nov 92 02:53:41 GMT
Organization: The Cat Factory

In article <BxGqqo.2J3@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> ivaliote@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Matthew Ivaliotes) writes:
}I could use the ideas of some fellow (as sson as my app goes through) Mensans
}in solving my college problem.  You see, I am slowly going insane (only half-
}joke there) because I am stuck here until I get my stupid degree.  I don't like
}the structure or even the nature of modern higher education, particularly here
}at the University of Illinois.  I have tons of ideas floating through my head, 
}but no money and little confidence to execute them.  I feel stuck, unintelligent
}, and dissappointing to thise around me.  I am only taking two classes for  
}credit this semester, and still I am doing horribly.  I am a political science 
}major (focusing on theory and international relations), and a former engineer
}who got REALLY bored.  
}
}I am now rambling.  If you'll pardon me, I'm going to call and see if I have
}been diagnosed with any nasty mental ailment which might explain this.

Your "nasty mental ailment" is called "youth." (-:

I was in much the same position when I first entered college.  After a few
years of drifting (and draft dodging) I dropped out and went to work.

Fortunately, I'd picked up some useful skills before I left college (A&P
mechanic, draftsman) so I didn't end up flipping 'burgers.  For a few more
years I lived like a monk and saved every penny I could.

When I thought I had enough put away I quit my job, sold or stored most of
my possessions and took off to explore Europe with a motorcycle and tent.

There followed two years of adventure. (adventure, n., "Someone else
having a rough time, very far away.").

By the time I was ready to come back and pick up my life again, I'd
learned to appreciate the academic environment and acquired the discipline
to excel in it.

Not that I advocate such a course for everyone.  I paid a price for my
adventures.  (Missed the days when you could buy a house for $5K down,
among other things).  I don't regret it.  Your mileage may vary.

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: jcooley@miracle.com (John Cooley)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Clinton Propaganda Group.
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 92 19:40:38 EDT
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

eager@eagercon.com (Michael J. Eager) writes:

>I don't know anything about a moderated group, but there is an 
>alt.politics.clinton which is not moderated.  It is possible that there was
>the other group created but that the NEWGROUP message was only distributed
>localy, so it never reached here.  Or it might be that you have mis-read something.
>
>Did you see a new group or did somebody tell you about it?


I agree with Mike.  Reguardless of how one wanted the election to go,
you'll find many more people interested in the revelations on the
Clinton Propaganda Group on the more politically oriented newsgroups.

(That's why we have different newgroups....)

                                                   -John

 ==========================================================================
       John Cooley              Zappa as a waste management engineer: 
                                  "Hey, there, Brother!  Whatcha
    jcooley@miracle.com            doing with that Cosmic Debris?"
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: Analogy tests ( GRE general )
Organization: AT&T
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 15:18:29 GMT

In article <BxBytD.I18@umassd.edu> rolls@cis.umassd.edu (Frank Pinto) writes:
>Hello all
>
>I wander if anyone has any meunomics or
>clues (hints) 
>as to how to go through an analogy test?
>
>Thanks
>Frank Pinto

I've searched my office and lab top to bottom and have found not
a single meunomic.  Sorry.

GMS
From: jcooley@miracle.com (John Cooley)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Xerox of GMAT score OK for admission?
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 92 18:57:19 EDT
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants


 My question is: "Is it OK to xerox a friend's GMAT score to get into
 Mensa ?"
                                - John Cooley
                                  The Troublemaking LocSec of Boston Mensa
 ==========================================================================
       John Cooley              Zappa as a waste management engineer: 
                                  "Hey, there, Brother!  Whatcha
    jcooley@miracle.com            doing with that Cosmic Debris?"
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: eab@msc.edu (Edward Bertsch)
Subject: Re: Transportation to RG's
Organization: Minnesota Supercomputer Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 00:46:00 GMT

I think it would be great to coordinate rides for people to and from
an RG.  And since there are lots of Mensans on the various computer
networks, why not do it through a telephone/e-mail address tuple.
Drivers and riders could be matched, and expenses (gas and lodging,
once arriving at the RG) could be shared if necessary.  It could
be a 'journey is the reward' kind of an aspect to an RG that
hasn't yet become a big part of an RG (or has it?) -- to be able
to meet other Mensa people somewhere between you and your destination
RG.

The same could go for sharing sleeping rooms on trains...


--

Edward A. Bertsch (eab@msc.edu)   Minnesota Supercomputer Center, Inc.
Operations/User Services          1200 Washington Avenue South
(612) 626-1888 work               Minneapolis, Minnesota  55415
(612) 645-0168 voice mail         [DISCLAIMER: MY OPINIONS; NOT MSCI'S]
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: RESULTS FOR TAI STANDARD INTELLIGENCE TEST
Date: 5 Nov 92 21:31:42 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewse.1992Nov5.213142.19384
Organization: AT&T

In article <Bx8wJ3.Iw0@cs.dal.ca> franklin@ug.cs.dal.ca (Steve Franklin) writes:
>In article <1992Nov5.031100.27122@ncsu.edu> scott@bogus.network.address (Scott Tai) writes:
>>
>>The posts are the only tangible information one has
>>about rec.org.mensa posters, and these conclusions 
>>are based solely on this information.  Cases like
>>this are when standardized tests are useful...
>
>   Neat toy. I think that you have too much time on your hands to have
>time to create such an analysis beast, but who am I to judge. In any case,

In all fairness, Steve, there are lots of canned programs out there to
do this type of thing.  Our local one is packaged as "Writer's Workbench",
and takes very little effort.  Just type "wwb <document-file>", and it
spews out all kinds of indexes and suggestions for changes.

>   In any case - I suppose the key phrase of yours Scott is that this is
>all you have to go on, but that isn't true. The subjective analysis of one's
>concepts and ideas should carry much more weight than the grammatical 
>structure with which one's ideas are presented. Although your motivations

I think this was the point -- using a one-dimensional measurement.

>are meritable, I don't think that these numbers mean a whole lot. Of course,
>since I came almost last in everything, perhaps it's possible that I do
>have an IQ of 93. I don't think so however...

You may have been had.  Think about this in context.

GMS
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: skh4161@mvs.draper.com (Kjeld Hvatum)
Subject: Re: IQ Test Creation Question
Organization: Draper Laboratory
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 14:58:00 GMT


>From: "Michael J. Eager" <eager@eagercon.com>
>Message-ID: <1992Nov10.215243.16772@eagercon.com>
>
>...
>I don't know all of the tests you mention.  I do know that the LAIT is not
>accepted by any organization other than Kevin Langdon's as a standard test.

Sorry, the LAIT is accepted by Triple Nine, ISPE, Prometheus,
Mega and a few others.  Notable exceptions are Mensa and Intertel.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: wiegand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert Wiegand)
Subject: Re: IQ Test Creation Question
Reply-To: motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 15:49:50 GMT

stein@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Halden Stein) writes:

>I understand how someone with an IQ greater than mine can develop
>test items to judge my abilities. Who creates the test for someone
>such as Marylin Vos Savant (highest IQ at the moment)? It seems that
>the test creators would need to have higher IQs than the test takers.

The people who write the test don't have to use only their personal
knowledge. They can check books or ask experts for information.

Plus, most IQ tests are timed so how fast you answer the questions
is also used as an indication of your IQ level.

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Wiegand - Motorola Inc.
motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net            uunet!motcid!wiegand
Disclamer: I didn't do it - I was somewhere else at the time.
From: rr@chem.ucsd.edu (Roxanne Rohmann)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Marylin Vos Savant. Personal info request <=****
Date: 11 Nov 1992 17:44:34 GMT
Organization: Chemistry Dept, UC San Diego
NNTP-Posting-Host: chedccf0.ucsd.edu

In article <647@nate.UUCP> nate!ken@cs.rit.edu writes:
 > bwbrock@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu (Benjamin Warre Brock) writes:
 > [...]
 > >BTW I would be suprised if Vos Savant was her original last name.
 > 
 > Actually, I think her entire name is Marylin(sp?) Mach Vos Savant Jarvik.
 > Mach was either her mother or her father's name.  I forget where Vos Savant
 > came from. A previous marriage?
 > KG.
 > 

Vos Savant was her mother's maiden name.

   ---Roxanne Rohmann, San Diego Mensa
From: ken@nate.UUCP (Ken Gacioch)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Xerox of GMAT score OK for admission?
Date: 5 Nov 92 14:41:02 GMT
Organization: HealthChex, Inc.

tshields@us.oracle.com (Thomas A. Shields Jr.) asks:
> I'm planning to apply for admission, and I have the standard printout
> from ETS showing my GMAT score high enough to qualify without more
> testing.  Can I just Xerox that and send it in with the form from the
> FAQ (and $15) and get admitted?  Or do I need to pay ETS to send the
> score directly to Mensa?  Thanks in advance.

Tom, a photocopy of your test scores is fine. No need to trouble yourself
with trying to get anything from ETS.

BTW, and for the annoyance of one and all, "Xerox" is not a verb, any more
than you Kirby your carpet, Proctor & Gamble your hair, or sit down for a
yummy bowl of Beatrice, and "Xerox" the noun is the name of a corporation,
not a photocopied document.  Xerox is based here in Rochester, NY, and spends
multi dineri to try to keep from losing its rights to its trademark.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, now someone's going to say that common usage makes it
public property, and that's how language evolves, and all that.  I really
don't care.  Just a tidbit for people who might not have thought of it.
(Please, nobody start another endless stream of useless drivel.)

> By the way, just a newcomer's perspective, but the light/heat ratio in
> this group is pretty fierce.  Are all Mensa gatherings like this?

This is not a Mensa gathering.  And no, they're not.  I've never seen
anything even remotely like this.
                                               Ken Gacioch
                                               Proctor Coordinator
                                               Rochester Area Mensa
                                               nate!ken@cs.rit.edu
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Help....college is killing me!!!!
Date: 10 Nov 92 21:26:42 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa

In article <BxGqqo.2J3@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, ivaliote@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
(Matthew Ivaliotes) wrote:
> 
> I could use the ideas of some fellow (as sson as my app goes through) Mensans
> in solving my college problem.  You see, I am slowly going insane (only half-
> joke there) because I am stuck here until I get my stupid degree.  I don't like
> the structure or even the nature of modern higher education, particularly here
> at the University of Illinois.  I have tons of ideas floating through my head, 
> but no money and little confidence to execute them.  I feel stuck, unintelligent
> , and dissappointing to thise around me.  I am only taking two classes for  
> credit this semester, and still I am doing horribly.  I am a political science 
> major (focusing on theory and international relations), and a former engineer
> who got REALLY bored.  
> 
> I am now rambling.  If you'll pardon me, I'm going to call and see if I have
> been diagnosed with any nasty mental ailment which might explain this.
> 
> Matt

Do you really need a degree for what you want to accomplish in life? 
Degrees are not (or should not be) an end in and of themselves.  There are
many undegreed people who have made a positive impact on this world; some
that come readily to mind are Edison, Wozniak, Jobs, Bill Gates.

If you need the degree (to establish credentials, for example--or that it
is the best way to gain the knowledge and training that you need), stick it
through.  If you really don't need it, consider leaving school (but
consider the ramifications before deciding; that is not a step to be taken
lightly).

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
|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: creamer@urvax.urich.edu (Kevin J.T. Creamer)
Subject: Special Interest Groups
Reply-To: creamer@urvax.urich.edu
Organization: University of Richmond
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 17:21:28 GMT

I am curious to hear what Mensa members might have to say about the various
Special Interest Groups Mensa has to offer.  I have joined one or two, and
found them to be fairly interesting (most notably the Classical Music group). 
What other groups has anyone explored, and what did you think of them?

Kevin J.T. Creamer
creamer@urvax.urich.edu
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: eager@eagercon.com (Michael J. Eager)
Subject: Re: RESULTS FOR TAI STANDARD INTELLIGENCE TEST
Reply-To: eager@eagercon.com
Organization: Eager Consulting
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 07:33:06 GMT

In article 051192104333@192.35.50.131, mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
>In article <1992Nov5.031100.27122@ncsu.edu>, scott@bogus.network.address
>(Scott Tai) wrote:
>
>[omitted]
>
>> Conclusion
>> ----------
>> 
>> radams appears to be the most intelligent poster to
>> rec.org.mensa, followed by ehp and eager.
>> 
>> The posts are the only tangible information one has
>> about rec.org.mensa posters, and these conclusions 
>> are based solely on this information.  Cases like
>> this are when standardized tests are useful...
>
>The conclusions are invalid because you failed to consider that some of us
>might intentionally adjust the comprehension level of the messages to the
>target audience.  For instance, I usually attempt to write at the
>sixth-grade level when writing to you, so that you can understand it.  This
>pulls down the overall grade-level of what I write on the newsgroup.


Say Mike, I thought you were trying to write up to a sixth-grade level, 
not down to one?  ;-)

---
Michael J. Eager		Michael.Eager@eagercon.com
Eager Consulting		(415) 325-8077 
1960 Park Boulevard, Palo Alto, CA 94306-1141
From: ken@nate.UUCP (Ken Gacioch)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: IQ Test Creation Question
Date: 9 Nov 92 15:13:31 GMT
Organization: HealthChex, Inc.

In article <4125@bcstec.ca.boeing.com> stein@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Halden Stein) writes:
>I understand how someone with an IQ greater than mine can develop
>test items to judge my abilities. Who creates the test for someone
>such as Marylin Vos Savant (highest IQ at the moment)? It seems that
>the test creators would need to have higher IQs than the test takers.

Not at all. All it involves is thinking up some really hard questions, hard
enough so that nobody could ever answer all of them, and then
having enough people try to answer them to generate a fairly smooth curve.
Anyone's score can then be expressed as as %ile, number of standard
deviations from the mean, or a position on any scale you want to place on
the X axis.

   Scores in standardized tests aren't by any means supposed to represent
absolute measures of anything, but only indicate ones success in correctly 
answering the questions on that one test, compared to everyone who took it
while it was being normed.

   Thinking up really hard questions isn't that difficult. For example, 
"complete the series" kinds of qustions can be damned near impossible to
figure out, if a sufficiently devilishly convoluted formula is applied.

KG
From: Dave.Aronson@p11.f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Xerox of GMAT score OK for admission?
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 12:39:52 -0500

jcooley@miracle.com (John Cooley) asks:

 JC>  "Is it OK to xerox a friend's GMAT score to get into Mensa ?"

Probably... if your friend is the one trying to get in.  I dunno what the
Official Rule is re photocopying (on a Xerox copier or any other brand) of
scores, but a photocopy of my SAT scores was OK.


Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: gg@iok.unit.no (Gus Gassmann)
Subject: Re: statistical correlation (was: Re: Astrology: Scientific Research)
Organization: University of Trondheim
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 92 19:41:30 GMT

In article <1992Nov9.074936.11584@eagercon.com>, eager@eagercon.com (Michael J. Eager) writes:

|> When two events are correlated to a high degree, the general assumption
|> is that there is some relationship.  But correlation does not tell you 
|> what the relationship is.  One may cause the other, or they may both
|> be caused by come third, independent, event.  Or both may be related
|> through some long sequence of rather independent events.
|> 
|> The one that I like is that there is an almost 100% correlation between
|> being an alchoholic and drinking milk as a child.  I wouldn't hazard 
|> a claim that they were causally.
|>
The one that I like is a study done in Sweden in the mid to late sixties
demonstrating a high correlation between the stork population and the
number of births... (A colleague of mine swears this really happened!) 

|> ---
|> Michael J. Eager		Michael.Eager@eagercon.com
|> Eager Consulting		(415) 325-8077 
|> 1960 Park Boulevard, Palo Alto, CA 94306-1141
|>
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Voting Analysis
Date: 12 Nov 92 19:27:14 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa

In article <1992Nov10.162954.8048@cbnewse.cb.att.com>,
gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) wrote:
> 
> In article <1992Nov09.200308.1686@bnr.ca> "Rodney Adams" <RADAMS@BNR.CA> writes:
> >In article <1992Nov9.001841.10616@eagercon.com>, eager@eagercon.com
> >(Michael J. Eager) writes:
> >|>In almost all cases, with great precision and accuracy, I can determine 
> >|>that a vote was cast and with great assurance, tell what the meaning of the
> >|>vote was.
> >
> >Although I definitely agree that voting sends a clearer meaning than not
> >voting, consider this:  I tuned into CNN on the night of the election
> >and heard that the results of a poll revealed that the majority want
> >less government, less government spending, and lower taxes, but they
> >elected a Democrat as President!  Considering only the votes themselves, 
> >one might be deceived into believing that the majority actually voted FOR 
> >Clinton, as opposed to voting AGAINST Bush and the current state of the 
> >economy.  Then there's the race for Texas Railroad Commissioner, for which
> >the choices were among the incumbent Democrat who was appointed based upon 
> >false credentials in her resume (she lied about having received a degree), 
> >a Republican who condoned sex parties thrown on taxpayers' money, and a 
> >Libertarian who wanted to eliminate the office for which he was running.
> >Do you think that many Texans actually voted FOR one of these three
> >candidates, rather than AGAINST the other two?  While you may be able to
> >decipher the "meaning" behind a vote, my point is that a vote, in and of
> >itself, is not generally enough to determine the voter's intentions.
> 
> Ironic that the thread started with a position that not voting sends
> a message and the result is that we seem to have determined that even
> voting doesn't necessarily do this.  Seems all we have left is to
> recommend ballots with comment spaces at the bottom.

Actually, voting does send a message.  It sends the message that a
plurality of those who voted prefer a given candidate. (Usually, that
plurality is a majority--and rarely, the message is garbled because of a
tie vote.)

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
|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.          |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: ken@nate.UUCP (Ken Gacioch)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Transportation to RG's
Date: 11 Nov 92 23:42:13 GMT
Reply-To: nate!lorel@cs.rit.edu (Lorel Weidemann)
Organization: HealthChex, Inc.

In article <10Nov92175800@miracle.com> jcooley@miracle.com (John Cooley) writes:
>
> Our New England RG is getting tons of calls from in-state and out of
> state Mensa members looking for transportation...  what's happened?
> Has everyone sold their cars in this economy?
>
> Question Two: How do other chapters handle this RG transportation
> issue?  Do you have a separate person on the RG planning committee
> whose sole task is to co-ordinate transportation or is this task
> dumped on the RG Registrar?
>

In response to my dear friend John's questions...
(This is the real, live Lolly speaking BTW- I'm at Ken's orifice.)
I have many times been in the unfortunate position of needing to bum a 
ride to various Mensa events.  Please have a heart and do not criticize
folks who ask for help.  I know that coordinating transportation for an
entire RG load of people is a pain, but most would not ask if they were
able to get themselves there.
   Aside from all that...New England Pilgrimage is going to be the BEST
RG EVER!!!!! I am anxious to see old friends (Quack Quack) and perhaps 
find a few new ones.  This year I expect the entire Bed-SIG crew to 
attend my Saturday a.m. workout!   ; )

Lorel                                         
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa