HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: schroeder@rapnet.sanders.lockheed.com (Mike Schroeder)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: A bit on public perception of "genius"
Date: 13 Aug 92 15:12:08 GMT
Article-I.D.: rapnet.1992Aug13.110650.1
Organization: Lockheed Sanders, Inc.

This is a fragment of a post I found in alt.sci.physics.new-theories.

|In article <1992Jul30.120230.1@ualr.edu>, ratiller@ualr.edu writes:

     [ bunch of physics stuff deleted ]

!
!> Robert Tiller
!> Still studying to be a genius
!
!You might want to change your signature. People see the word "genius" in a
!self-description and mentally translate the entire description to "twit".
|-- 
|         Tarl Neustaedter	tarl@sw.stratus.com
|         Marlboro, Mass.	Stratus Computer
|Disclaimer: My employer is not responsible for my opinions.
|

Thought it's sad commentary on "our times"

-- 
Mike Schroeder                         schroeder@nhqvax.sanders.lockheed.com
Lockheed Information Technology Company - At Lockheed Sanders
Nashua, NH                             "I wish I'd been born rich and homely
A VAX is a VAX is a VAX\XAV\ALPHA       instead of poor and good looking."
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Becoming one of the few.
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 14:29:08 -0500

mike_steiner@qm.claris.com writes:

MS> In the 1960s (before the big
MS> buildup for Vietnam), the army required an enlisted soldier to have
MS> a GT score of 115 or higher to attend the counterintelligence course.

So they could bring his GT score back down to normal?
From: ssmith@xocolatl.com (Shannon Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Mensa math question
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 13:12:47 PDT
Reply-To: ssmith@xocolatl.com
Distribution: world
Organization: Amethyst Systems, Fremont, CA

mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:

> In article <1992Aug11.034235.27548@unixg.ubc.ca>, Sundar_Prasad@mtsg.ubc.ca w
> > 
> > Hiya all,
> > Our local newspaper (The Vancouver Sun) usually carries one Mensa type
> > question every Saturday (along with an ad. for Mensa). I manage to crack
> > all of them, but the following one stumped me quite badly (appeared on
> > Aug. 8, 1992):
> > 
> > I have an invite to a party. All that I know is the name of the street on
> > which the party house is located. To test me, my friends have given me the
> > number of the  house in this form:
> > The house number has 3 digits. The sum of the first two digits, multiplied
> > by the sum of the last two digits, multiplied by the sum of the first and
> > last digits, all divided by 3 is the same as the house number. Can I find
> > the house?
> > 
> > All I could do was:
> > If the digits are x, y and z, the above condition can be written as:
> > 
> > (x + y)*(y + z)*(x + z) = 3*(100x + 10y + z)
> > 
> > Thats 1 equation in 3 unknowns. The only other conditions I can have is
> > that x   9, and that x, y and z are integers. But that doesn't really
> > help. Any ideas out there (for an elegant solution, not search routines).
> 
> Obviously, the house number is 000.  :-)

You know the house is within a nine-block stretch of that street. 
Starting at 100 X Street, start driving.  Pull over when you see the
house with all the lights on and all the cars out front :-)

---
Shannon Smith                     ssmith@xocolatl.com
From: mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (John P. Mechalas)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Dorky Yellow Map Pin (wa
Date: 20 Aug 92 15:12:28 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <714272423.F00006@blkcat.UUCP> Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson) writes:
>shapiro@trade.enet.dec.com (Steve Shapiro) writes:
>
>SS> randall@riffraff.slc.mentorg.com (Randall S. Krebs) writes...
>
>RSK> Do all of you card-carrying M's know where your DORKY YELLOW MAP PINs are?
>
>SS> I got mine 10 years ago and I still know where it is.
>
>Next to your towel?

Mine disappeared the day it arrived, and I haven't seen it since.  Maybe it's
with all those ball point pens and missing socks?

-- 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
|   John Mechalas      |   Send all fan mail to: mechalas@gn.ecn.purdue.edu   |
|   Purdue University  |   Send all hate mail to: someone else                |
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: psyline@psyline.nl (Theo Bogels)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Ideas!
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 92 15:27:12 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: PsyLine * Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Dutch Clinical Psychologist, Mensan, computerminded, is interested
in commercially flavoured ideas from Mensans and non-Mensans.
Worldwide, of course!
E-mail me at psyline@psyline.nl

--
psyline@psyline.nl (Theo Bogels)
PsyLine * Nijmegen * The Netherlands
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Dorky Yellow Map Pin (wa
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 14:19:04 -0500

shapiro@trade.enet.dec.com (Steve Shapiro) writes:

SS> randall@riffraff.slc.mentorg.com (Randall S. Krebs) writes...

RSK> Do all of you card-carrying M's know where your DORKY YELLOW MAP PINs are?

SS> I got mine 10 years ago and I still know where it is.

Next to your towel?
From: fuller@athena.cs.uga.edu (James P. H. Fuller)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Mensa (was Re: Kinesiology - how I heard about it)
Date: 20 Aug 92 00:42:21 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens


gpkatch@alcor.concordia.ca (Gary Katch) writes:

>Derek Abbott writes [*]:
>
>>The elitism of Mensa is a big farce, anyway. They don't have the intelligence
>>to work out that the concept of IQ is completely flawed and meaningless.
>>
>>Mensa is the most useless, aimless, tacky, idiotic  organisation in the world.
> 
>Derek Abbott does this type of inflammatory posting often.  I am
>quoting him in this newgroup for the benefit of those who can't
>resist this type of invitation.  Have fun.
>
>-- gk

    Ah.  Let's you guys and him have a big fight, eh?  While Gary ("I Like
To Watch") Katch watches, heh heh.  Heh heh heh.

                                                   -- jf

P.S. Yer right, that *was* fun.  Heh heh.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: budn@hpmwtd.sr.hp.com (Bud Noren)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Intelligent underachievers
Date: 21 Aug 92 17:41:39 GMT
Organization: HP Santa Rosa Site (NMD MTA MWTD)

jonabbey@cs.utexas.edu (Jonathan David Abbey) writes:

A lot of stuff which seems to boil down to...

>I find that my propensity to continual thought enhances my
>appreciation of the limitless complexity of the world, but does not
>really help me to excel in achievement (and may in fact be somewhat
>detrimental to my well-adjustment and/or "sanity").

I think the difference is between thinking and doing.  I work in an
environment filled with very bright people - I can't think of anyone
offhand with less than a Master's in math/physics/engineering/cs - and
yet there are large differences in achievement.  Looking at individuals
I can say that the highest achievers are invariably the "doers".  
Some of the doers are not necessarily the brilliant, elegant-solution-
on-paper types, but the brute-force-trial-and-error types.  

To achieve, you must do; somehow you have to make the transition from
thought to action.

>So, I'm not sure what kind of a response I'm looking for here.  I've got
>a project due in 27 hours, and I felt like holding forth.

It looks to me like you've put yourself in a position of having to "do".
Academia is like that.  So, with this externally imposed motivation you
will "do" and you will no doubt do quite well.  In order to achieve you
will have to continue to put yourself in situations where the motivation
is forced, or you'll have to find some motivation within yourself. 

It sure would have been a shame if Michelangelo had stopped at thinking,
"Dave would really make a nifty model", or if Freud had stopped at
thinking, "What about this childhood stuff?", or if Einstein had only
batted around the idea that matter and energy might be related, etc.

-Bud
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: wiegand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert Wiegand)
Subject: Re: Student: Teach Thyself
Reply-To: motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 14:44:19 GMT

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

>werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme) writes:

>>>
>>>Schools do not teach this.  Parents who subject their children to reward
>>>or punishment based on their test grades and report cards do. 

>>I don't see how encouraging children to score well on tests encourages
>>students to do anything but cram for tests.

>I suppose schools could encourage students *not* to do well on tests in
>order to discourage cramming.  

>Seriously, how do you expect schools to do it?  De-emphasize testing?  (In
>favor of what?)  Testing only on an un-announced basis?  

Why not un-announced tests? A number of tests spread out over the course
of the class would require the students to study as the class goes along.
Having a final exam at the end of the class encourages cramming.

[Stuff deleted]

>-rich


>-- 
>             Richard H. Schwartz, Scheduling Systems Inc.,
>            1000 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA  02138
>                  (617) 864 8330; FAX (617) 864 8377
>                          rhs@world.std.com


-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Wiegand - Motorola Inc.
uunet!motcid!wiegand
Disclamer: I didn't do it - I was somewhere else at the time.
From: gpkatch@alcor.concordia.ca (Gary Katch)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Mensa (was Re: Kinesiology - how I heard about it)
Date: 19 Aug 92 19:24:13 GMT
  "dabbott@augean.eleceng.adelaide.edu.AU (Derek Abbott)
  17 Aug 92 00:24:20 GMT
  sci.skeptic"
  <1992Aug17.002420.5887@augean.eleceng.adelaide.edu.AU>
Organization: Concordia University
  Computing Services C-1012
  1455 De Maisonneuve West
  Montreal (Quebec) H3G 1M8
X-Tel: (514) 848-7632
  fax  (514) 848-7622
Originator: gpkatch@alcor

Derek Abbott writes [*]:
>The elitism of Mensa is a big farce, anyway. They don't have the intelligence
>to work out that the concept of IQ is completely flawed and meaningless.
>
>Mensa is the most useless, aimless, tacky, idiotic  organisation in the world.
 
Derek Abbott does this type of inflammatory posting often.  I am
quoting him in this newgroup for the benefit of those who can't
resist this type of invitation.  Have fun.

-- gk
From: SSR48327@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU (Syed Shibli)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: A question of conscience? (Was: Why does a person join mensa?)
Date: 13 Aug 92 15:06:43 GMT
Article-I.D.: VAX1.920813200643.2141ae47
X-Received: by usenet.pa.dec.com; id AA24955; Thu, 13 Aug 92 18:06:47 -0700
X-Received: by inet-gw-1.pa.dec.com; id AA20048; Thu, 13 Aug 92 18:06:45 -0700
X-To: rec.org.mensa.usenet
X-Vmsmail-To: smtp%"rec.org.mensa.usenet@decwrl.dec.com"


From the keyboard of Mark Johnson, who writes:

>A prospective employer will be more impressed with your GPA than with your
>IQ or SAT scores.  As you're out of school longer, your GPA generally
>falls off of your resume to make room for work experience, which is even
>more relevant.  Test scores show capability, grades show capability and
>education, and work experience shows capability, education, and positive
>action.

  I like to think of this in the following manner.

  Your IQ test scores measure your capability. Your grade point average
  shows how much of that capability you have used. Your work experience 
  shows how long you have used that same capability. As time progresses,
  you may or may not use more of your capabilities. This is reflected in
  your work performance. I like to assume that capability (or intelligence)
  remains constant throughout one's lifetime.

-- 
Syed Shibli                          | +1 918 631 3257 (work)
505 South Gary, #14, Tulsa, OK 74104 | sya%admin@tusun2.mcs.utulsa.edu
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: Densa Annual Molting
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 16:00:12 GMT

In article <1992Aug16.032639.4799@eagercon.com> eager@eagercon.com writes:
>This came in over the ether.  I can't be sure who wrote it.  I pass
>it along for your edification.
>
>-- Mike 
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>     I have a strange tale to relate.  A good friend of mine is 
>a nurse at the county hospital.  An old man was admitted last week 
>and put in her care.  He kept talking and she paid no attention as 
[.....]
>     At this point the old man got very woozy and his voice drifted 

Me too.  I guess I've completely missed it.

GMS
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: shapiro@trade.enet.dec.com (Steve Shapiro)
Subject: Re: Genius sperm bank
Organisation: SKS Computer Consulting, Inc.
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation - Marlboro, MA
Date: 12 AUG 92 08:20:04 EST


In article <1992Aug7.195312.8450@ttinews.tti.com>, hollombe@polymath.tti.com
(The Polymath) writes...

>}...  After all, intelligence is the one attribute which we have in
>}greatest abundance over all of the other creatures in the world.  Why
>}shouldn't it be set as our ultimate goal?
> 
>Because it hasn't been demonstrated to be a useful survival
>characteristic. (We've only been around for a million years, give or take.
>Trivial on the evolutionary scale).

I remember the 'Dilbert' comic strip of a few months ago. When Dilbert asked
the Mensan 'if you're so smart, why aren't you rich?' the fellow replied:
'Intelligence has limited applications'. 8-)

Anyway, getting back to the issue at hand...

what would you support as the one attribute which human beings posses which
should be identified as that which should be selected for refinement to its
n'th degree?

Regards,
Steve.

/*********************************************************************
*                               *                                    *
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Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme)
Subject: Libertarian Party (again) (was Re: Bad Joke)
Organization: Alliant Computer Systems Corp.
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 14:43:02 GMT

In article <Bszq1B.D8q@acsu.buffalo.edu> blayda@acsu.buffalo.edu (Danger) writes:
>
>What are the chances of getting Mensa to support
>The Libertarian Party?

After Miriam Luce (non Mensan) won 5% of the gubernatorial vote in NH, my
wife asked her to speak at a monthly gathering.  Of the 35-40 Mensans who
attended, three are now running for public office.  One each for State
Rep, State Senate, US Senate.  I think another Mensan is running for
State Rep as a republican, and another as a Libertarian, but he didn't
attend the meeting.

Out of 85 LP candidates, that's better than 2%!

And I volunteered to fill a school board post that opened up.

Please explain the meaning of your subject.  (Note I dropped the
rec.humor destination.)

>-- 
>************************************************************************
>Thaddeus Krag Blayda blayda@acsu.buffalo.edu, v063j3h4@ubvms.buffalo.edu
># Caution : DANGER #  This Country is at critical mass.
>Vote Libertarian in '92!  Vote Marrou/Lord!  Vote to have your freedom back.

NH may be beyond critical mass.
-- 
| A pride of lions               | Eric J Werme                 |
| A gaggle of geese              | 77 Tater St                  |
| An odd lot of programmers      | Mont Vernon NH  03057        |
| A Constitution of Libertarians | Phone: 603-673-3993          |
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: cjdcosta@eos.ncsu.edu (CHRISTOPHER J DCOSTA)
Subject: Re: A question of conscience? (Was: Why does a person join mensa?)
Originator: cjdcosta@zepplin.ece.ncsu.edu
Keywords: Mensa characteristics
Reply-To: cjdcosta@eos.ncsu.edu (CHRISTOPHER J DCOSTA)
Organization: North Carolina State University, Project Eos
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 23:51:48 GMT


johnson@sleipnir.mnesouth.corp.mot.com (Mark Johnson) writes in response to
rhs@world.std.com (Richard H Schwartz):


>A prospective employer will be more impressed with your GPA than with your
>IQ or SAT scores.  As you're out of school longer, your GPA generally
>more relevant.  Test scores show capability, grades show capability and
>education, and work experience shows capability, education, and positive
>action.
>

I agree with the fact that accomplishment (read GPA) is often used as a 
yardstick by prospective employers than IQ scores. I believe that GPA
also says something about a person's ability, but I don't think it deserves
the kind of credit that prospective employers will give it. Often, it's been
my observation that a good GPA results from knowing how to answer the 
examination, or a judicious selection of courses with a view to making 
straight As. And sometimes, the whole purpose of a university education-
knowledge and expertise in the area of one's choosing - will lose out in the
process of making a 4.0. Especially in one's undergraduate years, grades
are determined mainly on the basis of performance in a 3 hour examination 
and maybe a couple of 1 hour tests: Performance in the class, interaction,
debate, other achievements during the four month semester will often count
for little or nothing. Graduate level courses especially those with projects
and course papers are, IMHO, much better indicators of accomplishment. But 
on the whole, I'm not sure that the examination-oriented system of education 
prevalent today is a good indicator of one's capabilities or education. 

>Emphasizing test scores tends to give the reader the impression that you
>don't really have any significant accomplishments and are thus reduced
>to citing scores to impress people.  However, I include Mensa membership
>in the "activities/hobbies" section.  I don't know if it's ever done any
>good or harm.

That's what I felt- test scores on one's resume could certainly look like an
SOS, a sign of desperation. But I do include Mensa membership in the 'personal'
section of my resume along with my other interests. I believe it does, to a 
certain extent, say something about me, and therefore merits consideration.
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Daylenth
Date: 13 Aug 92 21:50:53 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.175520.11145@u.washington.edu>, jswthomp@milton.u.washington.edu (James Thompson) writes:
> 
> In article <14994@claris.com> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
> >In article <1992Aug12.120838.10441@walter.cray.com>, glover@midnight.cray.com (Roger Glover) writes:
> >
> >> Pendantics of the world, unite!  You have nothing to miss but the point!
> >> 
> >> Err, ... what was the point anyway?
> >
> >Many people would tell you that this newsroup in entirely pointless.
> 
> ...Which is precisely why I read it.

This is in contrast to Fidonet, which is increasingly becoming more and
more pointed.  (That's an inside joke that only those people who are
familiar with Fidonet will understand.)
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Mensa math question
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 14:10:02 -0500

Sundar_Prasad@mtsg.ubc.ca writes:

SU> I have an invite to a party. All that I know is the name of the street on
SU> which the party house is located. To test me, my friends have given me the
SU> number of the  house in this form:
SU> The house number has 3 digits. The sum of the first two digits, multiplied
SU> by the sum of the last two digits, multiplied by the sum of the first and
SU> last digits, all divided by 3 is the same as the house number. Can I find
SU> the house?

SU> All I could do was:
SU> If the digits are x, y and z, the above condition can be written as:

SU> (x + y)*(y + z)*(x + z) = 3*(100x + 10y + z)

SU> Thats 1 equation in 3 unknowns. The only other conditions I can have is
SU> that x   9, and that x, y and z are integers. But that doesn't really
SU> help. Any ideas out there (for an elegant solution, not search routines).

Expand the equation you gave:

x^2y + xy^2 + x^2z + xz^2 + y^2z + yz^2 + 2xyz = 300x + 30y + 3z

Subtract the right side from both sides:

x^2y + xy^2 + x^2z + xz^2 + y^2z + yz^2 + 2xyz - 300x - 30y - 3z = 0

Now it can be cast in terms of a{x|y|z}^2 + b{x|y|z} + c, tho in each case c
will be an ugly expression involving the other two variables.  Applying the
quadratic equation, which I conveniently forget offhand, should yield some
more formulae from which further progress can be made.

I also tried to break this mess down by parenthesizing the stuff multiplied by
each unsquared term, adding 4xyz, collapsing the squares, and claiming that
the whole mess was <= 9^3.  Also tried parenthesizing the stuff multiplied by
each squared term.  No real progress either way, nor a few others.

Of course [added later: as Mike Steiner just saw thru his telescope pointed at
my office] there's always the degenerate solution of 000, perfect for us
degenerates....

Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: seb@draper.com (Steve Bacher)
Subject: OK, here's my REXX solution to the 3-daughters puzzler
Organization: Draper Laboratory
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 17:57:00 GMT

index = 0
answervalue. =
answercount. = 0
answergood.  = 0
do x = 0 to 13
 do y = x to 13
  do z = y to 13
   if x + y + z = 13 then do
    product = x * y * z
    if answercount.product = 0 then do
     index = index + 1
     answers.index = product
    end
    count = answercount.product + 1
    answercount.product = count
    answervalue.product.count = x y z
    if z > y then do
     good = answergood.product + 1
     answergood.product = good
     answervalue.product.good = x y z
    end
   end
  end
 end
end

do i = 1 to index

 product = answers.i
 if answercount.product > 1 & answergood.product = 1 then do
  say
  say "*** The solution must be:" answervalue.product.1
  say
 end
end

return

--------------------

As for the max-product-of-numbers-with-combinations-of-10-digits problem...
I'm not THAT crazy... :-)

 - Batchperson

Oh yeah, the answer is 2 2 9 and it took 0.16 CPU seconds of mainframe time.
I'd use a smaller machine, but they don't have any decent languages to
program up solutions to puzzlers...
From: zlsiida@fs1.mcc.ac.uk (dave budd)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Genius sperm bank
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:39:39 GMT
Organization: Manchester Computing Centre
Originator: netnews@uts.mcc.ac.uk

In article <1992Aug12.122321.2818@ryn.mro4.dec.com> shapiro@trade.enet.dec.com (Steve Shapiro) writes:

>what would you support as the one attribute which human beings posses which
>should be identified as that which should be selected for refinement to its
>n'th degree?

The ability to make chocolate

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  The trouble with having an open mind is that people come along and |
|  put things in it.   {attribution? I nicked it from Readers Digest} |
|  Dave Budd, MCC, Oxford Rd, Manchester, England   (44)061-275-6033  |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+