HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: Famous Mensans besides Isaac Asimov and Mel Lazarus, Chekov (ST)
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 15:08:01 GMT

In article <A474243C00409B74@ccfvx3.draper.com> seb@draper.com (Steve Bacher) writes:
>In article <15072@claris.com>, mike_steiner@qm.claris.com writes:
>
>>In article <1992Aug24.184916.10341@ttinews.tti.com>, hollombe@polymath.tti.com (
>>The Polymath) writes:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Theodor Bikkel
>>
>>Thank you.  I've been trying to remember his name for five days.
>
>It would help if y'all spelled his name right:

Yeah, when I spell a name right, it helps me to remember it.

GMS
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: gpowell@ent1.ent.ncsu.edu (Eugene Powell)
Subject: wirkin
Originator: gpowell@ent1.ent.ncsu.edu
Keywords: igarbage in/garbout
Organization: Dept. of Entomology - NCSU, Raleigh, NC
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 12:49:22 GMT
From: quest@iowegia.uucp (Steve J. Quest)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 92 18:51:37 CDT
Distribution: world
Organization: Iowegia Waffle BBS, Clive IA USA, +1 515 226 2156

dobbs@ast.saic.com (Lynn Dobbs) writes:

> Thinking back to my high school days (25 years ago), the geek stereotype
> was notpressed on the bright students; but, rather, on the students who
> were obsessed with one or two subjects. Usually, the subjects were science
> related.
> 
> The geeks usually concentrated on subjects that didn't require a knowledge
> of people. Science was fixed and followed easily understood rules. IMHO,
> the nerd stereotype is derived from the socially inept individuals who
> burried themselves in schoolwork. These people (in my high school) were
> NOT the brightest of the bright. They were the shyest of the shy.
> 
> ---Lynn
> My opinions are mine; but you may have them if you wish.


Lynn,

        I have to draw a distiction between a nerd and a geek.  In 
all appearances, they may [look] to be the same on the outside, 
but they are actually quite different.

        I myself am a nerd, and understand quite well the physical 
similarities between the geeks and the nerds.  I also understand 
the quite common social ineptitudes of both groups.  The major 
separation between the two groups are as follows:

        A nerd can be found eating pizza, pop, and candy in front 
of a computer screen.
        A geek can be found eating pizza, pop, and candy in front 
of Star Trek on TV.
        A nerd reads scientific journals, magazines and etc.
        A geek reads comic books, sci-fi novels and etc.
        a nerd is incapable of interpersonal relationships.
        So is a geek.
        Flame away................sq

(I am trying to reform, but as of yet- I still have only one 
friend, and he too is a nerd and lives in his basement, on his 
computer.  I have pet rats, which I have in the past performed 
surgical experimentation with- that is the extent of MY social 
interaction.  Wonder how many other nerds there are here?)
From: quest@iowegia.uucp (Steve J. Quest)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 92 14:05:51 CDT
Distribution: world
Organization: Iowegia Waffle BBS, Clive IA USA, +1 515 226 2156

cjdcosta@eos.ncsu.edu (CHRISTOPHER J DCOSTA) writes:

> 
> Stephen P. Marting counsels Steve J. Quest:
> >
> >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.  I've been there - voted most intelligent in
> >a class of 500+
> 
> Hold on. That doesn't make you either a nerd or a geek. My impression of
> a geek/nerd is that of an introvert who has problems socialising and 
> is too attached to his terminal/telescope/microscope/whatever to have
> "fun". 


Chris,

        You have hit the nail on the head.  I am an introvert who 
has problems socialising and I *do* happen to be attached to my 
VAX, and my Digistar Graphics processor (at work), as well as my 
Rainbow II Laserprojector system.  (I work in science education, 
and have FUN with the planetarium "toys".)  This to ME is fun!  
Still waiting for a female who also shares this same sense of fun. 
Maybe they don't exist, but I am clinging to the notion that they 
do, just that they don't come around HERE.  Stranded in Iowa...sq

(I do meet, and get along FAMOUSLY with *married* science minded 
women.  I guess maybe I missed the boat, because all the good ones 
get taken very quickly.  Maybe I should turn over a few rocks....)

(...but usually under rocks one finds only snakes and bugs...)
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Problematic smurfs!
Date: 31 Aug 92 17:25:40 GMT

In article <23325A@erik.naggum.no>, enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) writes:
> 
> Mike Steiner <mike_steiner@qm.claris.com> writes:
> |
> |   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?
> 
> I think the problem is ambiguously stated.  Your trivial solution can't
> apply since the smurfs were explicitly stated not to all wear the same
> color hat, _and_ the mayor is not among them.  How about these small
> changes?

No, the mayor was among them; you even pointed it out yourself.

> |   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
>       ^^^^ A smurf                                   ^^^^^ a smurf's

That changes the problem.

> |   > 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
>                                   ^^^^^^^^ among

That also changes the problem.

I replied to the problem as it was written.  Yes, I realize that may not be what he
had meant, but that is conjecture.  It may have been a "trick" question to see how
much we assume compared to answering what was actually asked.
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Problematic smurfs!
Date: 2 Sep 92 17:56:38 GMT

In article <23326B@erik.naggum.no>, enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) writes:
> 
> Mike Steiner <mike_steiner@qm.claris.com> writes:
> |
> |   > "They" and "their" are used as singular gender-indeterminate pronouns.
> |
> |   This usage is neither correct grammar nor correct English usage.
> 
> Since you insist that you're right, and I'm unable to persuade you
> otherwise, all I can do is point out to you that usage dictionaries
> disagree with you.  In particluar, Merriam-Webster's {Dictionary of
> English Usage} devotes four and a half column to this topic under the
> heading "they, their, them", and concludes "They, their, them are used
> in both literature and general writing to refer to singular nouns, when
> those nouns have some notion of plurality about them."  The usage is
> covered from the viewpoint of the lack of both "common-gender" and
> "common-number" pronouns in English.
>
> Note: this is not the only usage dictionary which covers this topic, and
> any good dictionary will include an entry on "they," etc.  I have only
> Merriam-Webster dictionaries available to me, however.

As I wrote to you in email (a few moments ago), the Concise Oxford
Dictionary lists this definition as tertiary, and as being disputed.
I choose to go with the primary, and generally accepted, definitions.


> |   I've seen "apart of" used synonymously with "apart from" for more
> |   than 30 years, so I had no ambiguity with it.
> 
> I find this puzzling and intriguing.  I have never detected "apart of"
> used in a context in which it was not obvious that it was a typo for "a
> part of".  Since you have seen it so often, and remember for how long
> you have seen it, could you provide some examples, please?

I should have written "heard," not "seen."  It is very common in the
New York area.

> Until I have evidence of the existence of a synonymosity between "apart
> of" and "apart from" which my dictionary publisher has utterly failed to
> pick up and publish, I choose to treat it as a dialectical anomaly.

So, you won't accept a dialectical anomaly, but will accept a disputed
usage?

> The above-mentioned usage dictionary says "`apart from' is a fixed
> two-word preposition in English", under the topic heading "apart from".
> Significantly, "apart of" is not mentioned, and neither are any other
> variants.

> If you have any disagreements with this, please discuss it with Merriam-
> Webster.  Aside from any information on "apart of", I have nothing to
> gain from this discussion.  I suggest that further discussion occur in
> alt.usage.english.

Sorry, but I don't have the time to add any further newsgroups to my
reading list; I barely have time to keep up with what I am currently
subscribed to.

I'm going on vacation tomorrow, so unless any answer arrives here today,
it will have been deleted from our system by the time I return next Friday.
If you are going to the Asilomar Gathering this weekend, I'll be very
happy to discuss it with you there.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: phz@cadence.com (Pete Zakel)
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype
Organization: Cadence Design Systems
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 23:47:41 GMT

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

I believe those are the 4 basic engineering school food groups.

The 4 basic engineering food groups are:

Caffeine
Sugar
Grease
Salt

At least until aspartame came along.  It is now permissable to substitute
aspartame (a/k/a Nutrasweet(tm)) for sugar.

As for the difference between a nerd and a geek -- I always thought the nerd
ate pizza, cola and chocolate chip cookies at the computer, while the geek
ate pizza, cola and chocolate chip cookies while picking his/her nose at the
computer.

B^), B^), B^)

-Pete Zakel
 (phz@cadence.com or ..!uunet!cadence!phz)

Measure with a micrometer.  Mark with chalk.  Cut with an axe.
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Who needs intelligence (cont.)?
Date: 2 Sep 92 18:35:39 GMT

In article <J2sFqB8w165w@iowegia.uucp>, quest@iowegia.uucp (Steve J. Quest) writes:

>         As a scientist, I have often found that I am held 
> responsible for many of societies ills.  Science is often blamed 
> for all the *bad* that happens in the world, and often they are 
> right.  Science is used primarily for the advancement of warfare.
> 
>         On the other hand, science provides medicine, the means of 
> detection so we *know* what is wrong with the world.  Strange as 
> it may seem, we would not even KNOW about ozone depletion if it 
> wasn't for scientists- but then again, if it wasn't for scientists 
> (who developed chloro-fluorocarbons) we wouldn't even HAVE the 
> problem in the first place.
> 
>         Here is a perplexing question:  is science good or bad?

Neither.  Science just *is*; the use that people make of science can
be good, bad, both, or neither.  People can be good, bad, both, or
neither.  The terms don't apply to science.
From: srw@horus.ps.uci.edu (Steven White)
Subject: Re: Famous Mensans besides Isaac Asimov and Mel Lazarus, Chekov (ST)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Reply-To: srw@horus.ps.uci.edu (Steven White)
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Date: 25 Aug 92 18:43:09 GMT

In article <1992Aug24.210557.25663@cbnewse.cb.att.com>, gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) writes:
|> In article <1992Aug24.184916.10341@ttinews.tti.com> hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:
|> >
|> >Theodor Bikkel and, I believe, Rear Admiral Grace "Amazing Grace" Murray
|> >Hopper (deceased).
|> >
|> >Bikkel once guest starred in a "Columbo" mystery featuring a fictional
|> >Hi-IQ club called "The Sigma Society." It was pretty awful.
|> >
|> Let me guess.  Smart person, obviously "too big for their britches",
|> commits crime against "regular person", and "regular person (not
|> too big for their britches)" detective (Mr. C, in this case) "takes
|> person down a notch", teaching viewers negative aspects of
|> intelligence, i. e., no emotion/common-sense/goodness-of-heart.
|> 
|> There's a lesson in there for all of us, assuming I'm not being
|> overly-cynical or paranoid in this description.
|> 
|> GMS

You are being overly cynical. Columbo is not a typical TV show, it's
one of the best. (But this was not one of the best Columbos.)

Dimly remembered synopsis:

Smart person commits crime against smart person (murder) in extremely
clever way in Sigma club. Columbo, while figuring out how crime
was done, gets asked very tricky intelligence questions and blows
them away, showing he is a very smart person. Murderer suggests
Columbo take official test and join club; he declines. 
Columbo proves murderer did it, with help of smart youngster in club.

Of course, Columbo acts like a "regular person" throughout, but we
know it is just to keep the murderer off guard.


						-Steve White

Organization: Masters student, Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Date: Thu,  3 Sep 1992 02:02:29 -0400 
From: David O Hunt <dh4j+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: PITTSBURGH RG

Due to research demands I'll only be there one day (Saturday)...though if
I'm lucky that may become longer depending on results these next days.

I'll probably be lurking in the hospitality suite (non-smoking) so please
introduce yourself!

David
From: Dave.Aronson@p11.f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: The World According to Student Bloopers
Date: Thu, 03 Sep 1992 11:06:04 -0500

mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (John P. Mechalas) writes:

 JPM> You are forgetting the the author in question did not write the bloopers.
 JPM> He only compiled the list.  If he did attempt to claim a copyright, then
 JPM> he could be sued by each student whose essays were included.

Given that each blooper is but a small quote, they might fall under the Fair Use
Doctrine - IF he were to quote them, which is the only problem I see.

There is also the question of whether student papers are considered intellectual
property of the student, teacher, or school; cases can be made each way.  As for
the matter of copyrighting a compilation, that can certainly be done; one can
also copyright translations, editions, and much more.

Disclaimer: I ain't a lawyer; if you take the above as sound legal advice you
should be retested.
From: mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (John P. Mechalas)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The World According to Student Bloopers
Date: 2 Sep 92 20:23:35 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <1992Sep2.172521.11468@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> jlc5f@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Jean L. Cooper) writes:
>OK--here's the information:
>
>Lederer, Richard, "The World According to Student
>Bloopers."  Conservative Digest, Dec. 1988 (v.14),
>p. 27-31;  excerpted from R. Lederer, Anguished
>English.  Wyrick & Co, 1987.
>
>It is a very amusing article.  That's probably
>why it gets copied so much.  RE: ethics of
>copyrighting excerpts from student papers--you will
>have to talk to Lederer about that, since he's the
>author.  Copyright law says that you are copyrighting
>the specific arrangement of words, images, or music in
>the fixed form, not the idea.  I doubt that any one of
>the students arranged their ideas in *exactly* the
>same way that Lederer did.
>
>Copyright law really is a fascinating field, particularly
>in this age of electronic media, and photocopiers.
>                                           --Carlyle                        

Okay....we didn't have this magazine in the libraries I checked here at school
and at home, so that would explain why an auther search didn't come up with 
what I was looking for.  Anyway, in any event, I'll go ahead and cancel that
article.
   At one point, about a year ago or so, I actually tried reading copyright
laws, mostly concerning some research papers that were being published, and
I'll be damned if I couldn't understand a lot of it.  I think they purposely
write things like these so that the laymen can't understand it.  Of course,
I guess you need this kind of language in order to be precise, but I think
there would be a hell of a lot of money in the idea of publishing some sorts
of books or whatever that give a Layman's Guide to various laws and 
regulations.  :)  (Actually, this probably already exists)  :)

-- 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
|   John Mechalas      |   Send all fan mail to: mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu   |
|   Purdue University  |   Send all hate mail to: someone else                |
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pmailman@genesis.nred.ma.us (Paul Mailman)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Famous Mensans besides Isaac Asimov and Mel Lazarus, Chekov (ST)
Date: 23 Aug 92 06:58:00 GMT
Organization: Genesis Public Access Minix  +1 508 664 0149

In article <94253@bu.edu> schin@acs.bu.edu (neil schier) writes:
>I am batting a 1000 when it comes to celebs. Lederer rings a bell
>Now who is he?

Richard Lederer is the author of a number of humorous books on the
English language and wordplay. ("Anguished English" is probably his
best-known.)  He was invited to speak at a New Hampshire Regional
Gathering a few years back, has appeared at a number of RGs since
(plus the New Hampshire Intertel RG last week).  Over that time, he
married a Mensan and, after a bout of what he describes as "Pre-Mensa
Syndrome" applied to and joined Mensa.

Check the "humor" section of your local bookstore.
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Problematic smurfs!
Date: 2 Sep 92 17:46:48 GMT

In article <1992Sep1.193320.2326@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com>, johnson@sleipnir.mnesouth.corp.mot.com ("Johnson") writes:

> ...logician problem deleted for bandwidth...

> At any rate, the real
> puzzle here is why a village of perfect logicians would behave in such a
> bizzare manner.

That's an easy one.  They do so just to vex newsgroup readers.
From: ts@cup.portal.com (Tim W Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Mensa on Letterman
Date: Tue,  1 Sep 92 00:35:09 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

> They certainly were probably not geniuses.

Are you sure you didn't mean that they probably were certainly not
geniuses?

--Tim Smith
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Food groups
Date: 29 Aug 92 00:01:03 GMT

In article <1992Aug28.181552.19246@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com>, johnson@sleipnir.mnesouth.corp.mot.com (Mark Johnson) writes:
> 
> In article <BtoCvt.4DF@nntp-sc.Intel.COM>, isinyak@provx30.intel.com (Igor Sinyak) writes:
> =)Instant
> =)Canned
> =)Frozen
> =)Light
> =)
> When I was single, the four food groups were:
> McDonald's
> Wendy's
> Burger King
> Domino's

And now they are TV dinners, leftovers, going out, and going to friends or family,
right?
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: welchb@woods.ulowell.edu
Subject: Who needs intelligence (cont.)?
Organization: University of Lowell
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 17:44:16 GMT

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

I am not looking for flames, or for the question to be turned back on me,
just for answers.
-- 
Brendan Welch, UMass/Lowell, W1LPG,  welchb@woods.ulowell.edu
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Famous Mensans besides Isaac Asimov and Mel Lazarus, Chekov (ST)
Date: 26 Aug 92 20:01:13 GMT

In article <920825010930.22003699@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU>, SSR48327@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU (Syed Shibli) writes:
> 
> 
> From the keyboard of Mike Steiner, who writes:
> 
> >Don Pedersen (former president of Ford Motor Company), F. Lee Baily, Geena
> >Davis, Buckminster Fuller, Wyane Green, Richard Lederer, Sir Clive Sinclair
> 
>   Richard Bolles, Victor Chebriokoff (sp)

Who is Richard Bolles?  Does Victor have any fame outside of Mensa?
Xref: sparky rec.org.mensa:6449 sci.math:10717 rec.puzzles:5956
From: spacefox@acs.bu.edu (Godfrey Degamo)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa,sci.math,rec.puzzles
Subject: smurf OOPS!
Date: 31 Aug 92 01:50:44 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa
Organization: Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Originator: spacefox@acs.bu.edu


What I meant by "They can only wear one hat."  I mean that each individual
smurf has one hat and one hat only being either red or blue.

Sorry about that.

Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: rhs@world.std.com (Richard H Schwartz)
Subject: Re: Mensa on Letterman
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 19:39:54 GMT

ron@syacus.acus.oz.au (Ron Williams) writes:

>Yeah, but I think this Letterman was probably setting them up simply to
>take the mickey out of them. Cheap shot. Look how dumb these 'Geniuses'
>are.

David Letterman does this sort of thing all the time.  He sets people
up.  He takes cheap shots.  Sometimes they give him cheap shots in return.
Sometimes they get all flustered.  It didn't happen here.  If Letterman
was hoping to get some camera shots of stuck-up, geeky, no-fun, weirdos
(like he frequently does when he sends a camera crew onto the sidewalks
of New York), he didn't get it.  If he was hoping to get one or two of 
them to embarass themselves in stupid conversation: (1) he certainly didn't
try very hard (believe me, he knows how), and (2) he didn't get it.  He got 
a group of smiling, friendly people, willing to play along with his schtick 
and have some fun.

Surely out of these 60-odd people, a few of them knew Letterman's routine,
and yet they went on with it.  Tells me they were simply willing to hang 
loose and have some fun on network TV, and that they weren't afraid of the 
big bad wolf.

-rich

-- 
             Richard H. Schwartz, Scheduling Systems Inc.,
            1000 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA  02138
                  (617) 864 8330; FAX (617) 864 8377
                          rhs@world.std.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath)
Subject: Re: Famous Mensans besides Isaac Asimov and Mel Lazarus, Chekov (ST)
Organization: The Cat Factory
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 19:54:54 GMT

In article <15072@claris.com> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
}In article <1992Aug24.184916.10341@ttinews.tti.com>, hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:

}> Theodor Bikkel
}
}Thank you.  I've been trying to remember his name for five days.

Er ... he should appreciate hearing that ... I think ... (-:

I haven't seen him in years and note he's no longer listed in the
Mensa Register.  Anyone know what he's up to these days?

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