HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: douglasy@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Douglas W. Yee)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Mensa math question
Date: 13 Aug 92 19:24:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: oakhill.1992Aug13.192459.432
Organization: Motorola Inc.  Austin, Tx.



> Sundar_Prasad@mtsg.ubc.ca writes:

>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?


Sure.  It's either 000 or 676.



+------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Douglas Yee      |    Internet : douglasy@intrepid.sps.mot.com   |
| Austin, TX       |        UUCP : cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!douglasy  |
+------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
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From: cegtitd@prism.gatech.EDU (Tim Dodd)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Prejudice against intelligence
Date: 21 Aug 92 14:42:52 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

[ stuff about people being turned off by intelligence deleted ]

I have another theory about why people are intimidated by superior
intelligence (or at least superior education).  That has to do with
the fact that today, one's adaptive fitness (to use a Darwinian term)
is more determined by one's intelligence/education than by one's
athletic ability.  So when your average Joe off the streets (or someone
you're likely to meet in a bar) encounters someone whom they reasonably
suspect of being of much greater intelligence, their reaction is much
the same as we might imagine would be found in a prehistoric bar when
a smallish, non-athletically inclined Cro-Magnon meets someone who is
undeniably a better runner, hunter, etc. than he is.  The big guy is
more adaptively fit, and they both know it.

In the present, athleticism is still valued, but it's more of a sidelight
which can make for interesting conversation.  We might surmise (humorously,
of course), that this was once the case for intelligence:

cave-woman:  "Don't you hang out with that group of smart people?"
small cave guy:  "Yeah, that's right.  Would you believe that we have
              actually devised a method of counting all the way to ten?"
woman:       "You're kidding!  How's it done?"

Tim
-- 
"It is still an unending source of surprise for me to see how a few
scribbles on a blackboard or on a sheet of paper could change the
course of human affairs."   -- Stanislaw Ulam
Tim Dodd, Research Scientist, Georgia Tech  cegtitd@prism.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: gpowell@ent1.ent.ncsu.edu (Eugene Powell)
Subject: me sometimes stupid
Originator: gpowell@ent1.ent.ncsu.edu
Organization: Dept. of Entomology - NCSU, Raleigh, NC
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 14:23:28 GMT

To: SSR48327@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU
Subject: Re: Stupid People
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Organization: /usr/local/lib/rn/organization
Cc: 
Bcc: 
 Rancor is indeed the word of choice; however, rationalization was just
a convenient way to describe ANY dealing with any topic, or a way to
attempt to describe the output-conversation that results from talking
about anything. I confess to playing a little devil's advocate here,
because I am privileged to be quite familiar with my friends' views,
and none of them ever retain a grudge to my knowledge. It is common
feeling of the group that discussion of politics is analagous to the
chore of cleaning a toilet-- one puts it off as long as possible, but
if left untreated indefinitely a noticeable apathy becomes unbearable
stink. Americans of voting need more info about their political peers,
and IMOH need to discuss more so we can arrive at workin conclusions.
From: dobbs@ast.saic.com (Lynn Dobbs)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The nerd stereotype
Date: 17 Aug 92 21:01:35 GMT
Organization: SAIC

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.
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: A question of conscience
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 11:16:00 -0500

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

CJD> But I do include Mensa membership in the 'personal'
CJD> section of my resume along with my other interests. I believe it does, to
a
CJD> certain extent, say something about me,

Ah, but positive or negative?  And putting it on the resume can be interpreted
as a statement in itself.

Personally, I think the net balance is positive, so I put it on mine about a
year ago.  Doesn't seem to have made all that much difference.  My boss wants
to get his kid (smart and bored) into Mensa, but I dunno if he noticed (or
even knew what it was) while hiring me.

Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: shapiro@trade.enet.dec.com (Steve Shapiro)
Subject: Re: Daylenth
Organisation: SKS Computer Consulting, Inc.
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation - Marlboro, MA
Date: 13 AUG 92 11:10:35 EST


In article <14994@claris.com>, mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes...

>Many people would tell you that this newsroup in entirely pointless.

That's right, Oblio!

Regards,
Steve.

/*********************************************************************
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From: ta-vg11@muddnext6.cc.columbia.edu (Vikas Gupta)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Who needs Geniuses?
Date: 14 Aug 92 20:46:59 GMT
Organization: Columbia University


Question:
	A: You have to guess the age of my daughters.
	B:O.K.
	A:I will give you one item of info at a time until you have enough
		info .
	B:Shoot.
	A:I have 3 daughters.
	B:Not enough.
	A:The sum of their ages is 13.
	B:Not enough.
	A:The product of their ages is equal to my house #.
	(B knows the house # . We don't .)
	B: Still not enough.
	A: My eldest daughter has blue eyes.
	B: O.K. now I can tell their ages.
What are the ages of the daughters and the house#?
ENJOY!!!!



---VIKAS GUPTA
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Becoming one of the few...
Date: 12 Aug 92 23:23:01 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.194749.26121@alliant.com>, werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme) writes:
> 
> In article <2006@usna.NAVY.MIL> potter@attila.usna.navy.mil (Mr. Jeff Potter (CADIG  STAFF)) writes:
> >   Could some one please e-mail me or post with information regarding how
> >one goes about becoming a member of MENSA? I have taken several independent
> >IQ tests which have placed me at about 135 to 145.
> 
> Aha! New dimensions in military intelligence!

I resemble that remark. :-)  Seriously, "military intelligence" isn't
the oxymoron that it appears to be.  In the 1960s (before the big
buildup for Vietnam), the army required an enlisted soldier to have
a GT score of 115 or higher to attend the counterintelligence
course.  This score was the 67th percentile of the military.  By
comparison, the 50th percentile is a score of 100, and the
eligibility score to qualify of OCS was 110; 136 equated to the 98th
percentile of the general populace, and 140 to the 98th percentile of
the military.  Remember that the 115 score was the *minimum,* not the
average.  Most people in the field had scores of 125 or higher.  I've
met some people in other fields of military intelligence who had GT
scores of 160 (which is the max--equivalent of getting 1600 on the SAT
tests).

BTW, those of us in MI often claimed that military intelligence was
an oxymoron--especially when speaking about the officers in the field.

> Yes, that should qualify, I'm sure someone else has already sent you
> the information you asked for.  I just couldn't let that wisecrack
> go uncracked.  (And apologies, we usually wait for potential members
> to join and become used to the group before we start picking on
> them....)

Well, there are some special people for whom we waive that criterion,
right?
From: werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Demise of honor programs in public high schools
Date: 19 Aug 92 18:38:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: alliant.1992Aug19.183839.9962
Distribution: na
Organization: Alliant Computer Systems Corp.

In article <1992Aug18.230739.16097@cbnewse.cb.att.com> gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) writes:
>Cool.  Did the faster runners on the track team help the slower
>runners?

They do in a relay race, and bicycle races depend on drafting for
most of the race.  Ooops.  Sorry, got to analytical there for a
moment.

>  I wonder if this win-win solution will help us at
>the Olympics?
>
>Just once, I'd like to see all the runners in a race suddenly
>stop and look at each other.  And then they would come together
>and join hands.  And they would say to each other, "Hey!  Let's
>stop this silliness and one-upsmanship and win-lose approach!
>Hey!  Can't we just all be brothers?  Let's think, 'Win-Win'!"
>And they'd all march, arm in arm, side-by-side, and cross
>that darn finish tape Together!

I like this analogy.  One of the reasons for doing away with ability
grouping is that it harms the self esteem of students in the lower
groups.  Yet schools still have competitive sports!  What you
propose is a glorious way to ensure that no one who competes
in a race need admit that he came in last.  In fact, just
think of all the time and money you can save people because they
won't need to do all that boring drill and training.

Of course, if I do get appointed to the school board, I'll have
to be a little more tactful.  (Like suggest someone else use it.)

>Results aren't everything, as my doctor used to say.

It's not whether you win or lose (or live or die), its just how you
feel about yourself.

>G("This is my Special Dream")MS

Dream on!
-- 
| 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          |
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Bad Joke
Date: 18 Aug 92 16:33:38 GMT
Distribution: na

In article <18AUG199201072826@rosie.uh.edu>, st1ns@rosie.uh.edu (Ault, Russell W.) writes:
> 
> 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?
> > 
> 
> Mensa itself?  None whatever.  The heirarchy of Mensa is so busy with internal politics
> that it forbids using any of the organization's energy on political activity that could
> actually be productive in some way.  (This statement is a cynical retranslation of actual
> Mensa policy.  The stated policy and stated reason only *happen* to fit together, they're
> supposedly unrelated phenomena.)  

Serioulsy, if Mensa endorsed any political candidate (or other political cause), it would
cause an exodus of membership that would decimate the organization.
From: ray@memes.boeing.com (Ray Allis)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Being ashamed of being in Mensa
Date: 13 Aug 92 20:41:23 GMT
Reply-To: ray@atc.boeing.com
Organization: Boeing Computer Services


In article 24293@athena.cs.uga.edu, fuller@athena.cs.uga.edu (James P. H. Fuller) writes:

>    Certainly.  The basis of most modern generalizations about gifted 
>persons is the immense longitudinal study of one thousand gifted California
>children by Lewis M. Terman and his colleagues at Stanford, begun in the 
>1920s and followed up at intervals throughout a large portion of the rest 
>of the century.  Findings were published by Stanford University Press in a 
>multivolume series with the overall series title _Genetic Studies of Genius_.
>(Volume II is a special survey of historical personalities; Descartes, Con-
>dorcet, Pitt, Chatterton, Burke, hundreds more.) The individual volumes, in
>sequence, are:

I read these as a teenager, and I heartily recommend them (esp. vol. 2) to
anyone.  That study was one of the strongest (nearly only) stabilizing
influences on my early socialization except for my parents.  It was
very comforting to find evidence that genius is not necessarily tied to
maladjustment, and in fact:

>     "Children above 140 IQ are not as a group characterized by intellec-
> tual one-sidedness, emotional instability, lack of sociality or of social
> adaptability, or other types of maladjusted personality.  Indeed in prac-
> tically every personality and character trait such children average much
> better than the general school population." (vol. III, p.473)

Why hasn't this >50-year mountain of evidence eliminated the
stereotype?  Are gifted children still being crippled by these lies?
We must ensure that they get the word!  Who started the idea that gifts
are compensated by deficits, anyway?

Ray Allis
ray@atc.boeing.com
From: werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Student: Teach Thyself
Date: 19 Aug 92 13:46:12 GMT
Organization: Alliant Computer Systems Corp.

In article <714175242.F00001@blkcat.UUCP> Craig.Wagner@p2.f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Craig Wagner) writes:
>
>  RW> I wrote the following as part of a discussion carried out in our local
>  RW> newspaper.  Part one was coverage of a school board meeting for a new
>  RW> high school.  A pair of students had come to request that the school
>  RW> carry an advanced placement program.  Part two was a response from the
>  RW> principal and dean of students defending the choice of an ungrouped
>  RW> curriculum.  That got my dander up, and resulted in part three, which
>  RW> I include below.

>Ric,
>
>but in this case, I think the best recommendation might be:  shorten it. 

Not a problem, at least in this case.  I included a cover letter apologizing
for its length and suggesting it might run as a commentary ala the
administration's response.  The editor called me and said there wasn't space
that week, and suggested either waiting for space or shorten it.  Since I
was quite happy to wait til September (this was May), I opted to wait.
So, a few weeks later they called again to ask me to come in for a picture
and they ran it on the op/ed page in the space usually used by the publisher.
I don't recall the paper turning that space over to someone not associated
with the paper, so I think they liked it.

One of the biggest struggles with the piece was to keep it short.  I kept
thinking that the subject could get turned into a book....
-- 
| 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          |
From: jswthomp@milton.u.washington.edu (James Thompson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Who needs Geniuses?
Date: 18 Aug 92 17:50:57 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

I'm confused:  in the "Guess the ages of the three daughters" problem, what
new information is given by the third statement?  Does "My eldest daughter has
blue eyes" imply that the two oldest are not twins?  How?  All three could
have blue eyes!

Jim
(jswthomp@u.washington.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa,rec.humor
From: hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath)
Subject: Re: Bad Joke
Organization: The Cat Factory
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 21:19:03 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?

Somewhere between nil and zero.  By charter and bylaws, Mensa holds no
opinions, champions no causes.

There's probably a Libertarian SIG, though.

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
From: Craig.Wagner@p2.f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Craig Wagner)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Restricted meetings
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 09:55:33 -0500

  TP> In article <14977@claris.com> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike
  TP> Steiner) writes:
  }> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
  }> 
  }> }... there was one person who was not welcome to some people's homes
  }> unless he }could prove that he was not armed--and since he refused to
  }> go anywhere }unarmed, he never went to those people's homes.
  }> 
  TP> }... He was the only person in the group known }to go armed.  He was
  TP> told that if he would leave his weapon at home or in }his car, he
  TP> would be more than welcome in those people's homes.

I suggested the same thing to the same person to whom others here have referred
when I hosted events many years ago, and had it pointed out to me that leaving
the weapon in the car was _not_ necessarily a very good idea, for a number of
reasons.
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: 21 Aug 92 18:43:40 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.203553.25421@nntp.hut.fi>, tsahib@vipunen.hut.fi (Tero Juhani Heikkinen) writes:
> 
> In article <94140@bu.edu> schin@acs.bu.edu (neil schier) writes:
> >Besides the three guys (CHekhov from Star Trek that is Mel Lazarus draws
> >the Momma cartoon) who else, who is famous, is in Mensa?
> 
> Really? Pavel Andreievich Chekov is a Mensan? Is that canon?
> 
> tsahib, on the right, Slightly Silly

actually, I think that he mean that Walter Koenig is a Mensan.
I don't know whether he is, but he has spoken at at least one RG in Orange
county and at their AG.
From: potter@attila.usna.navy.mil (Mr. Jeff Potter (CADIG  STAFF))
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Becomming one of the few...
Date: 12 Aug 92 17:34:53 GMT
Organization: U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
Originator: potter@usna




   Could some one please e-mail me or post with information regarding how
one goes about becomming a member of MENSA? I have taken several independent
IQ tests which have placed me at about 135 to 145. Does that qualify? If
so how to I become a member?

  Any information will be appreciated....

 Jeff

 potter@usna.navy.mil
From: sya@pe5.pe.utulsa.edu (Syed Shibli)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Genius sperm bank
Date: 3 Aug 92 19:17:08 GMT
X-Received: by usenet.pa.dec.com; id AA12018; Mon, 3 Aug 92 12:24:09 -0700
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X-To: rec.org.mensa.usenet

From the keyboard of Craig.Wagner, who writes:

>  > From: Syed Shibli <sya@pe3.pe.utulsa.edu> Message-ID:
>  > <9208010326.AA03279@pe3.pe.utulsa.edu> ... As crazy as it may sound,
>  > there are studies showing a relationship between IQ and myopia (as well
>  > as allergies), and I believe the studies even corrected for the possible
>  > causal link between reading an myopia.
>  > 
>  > I have read a similar study a few years back that basically concluded
>  > that students who wear glasses tend to rank academically higher in their
>  > classes. The hypothesis of the study was that students with
>  > near-sightedness generally read more than those who had normal eyesight.
>
> Did they consider the possibility that only students who read a lot _noticed_
> that they needed glasses?  There could have been many people out there who
> needed glasses, but since it never affected their activities (reading vs
> something else), never realized the need and had an eye exam.
>
> OTOH, I have both glasses _and_ allergies.  Lots and lots of allergies...  :-(

  Not in the study I read. You have a valid point, though, but the
  study was solely based on the belief that myopia and academic
  success were correlated. The study ruled out bookworms who didn't
  happen to wear glasses. (By the way, this study was done on a group of 
  Malaysian elementary school kids. The only criteria to qualify for 
  the study was that each kid had to be inflicted with severe myopia.)
  As it turned out, the data revealed that a very high percentage (I forget
  how much) of these kids ranked in the top one percentile of their classes.

--
Syed Shibli                           | Tel: +1 918 631 3257 (work)
505 South Gary, #14, Tulsa, OK 74104. | sya%admin@tusun2.mcs.utulsa.edu
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: seb@draper.com (Steve Bacher)
Subject: Coming in last (was: Demise of honor programs)
Organization: Draper Laboratory
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 18:22:00 GMT

Re:
----
werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme) writes:

RW> What you
RW> propose is a glorious way to ensure that no one who competes
RW> in a race need admit that he came in last.

Like the mythical headline "Soviets Place Second; Americans Next to Last" - in
a Pravda report of a two-team race.
----

That's the trouble with ranking.  Too much weight is placed on being first
and (more significant) NOT being last.

For example, if (hypothetical instance) Arkansas were 50th in the nation
wrt kids graduating from HS, that would be considered terrible and shameful
(at least by Arkansans).  So, naturally, the governor would want to 
implement a program that improved their ranking (say to #27).  

BUT - if every governor in every state were to implement a similar program,
or programs with basically the same outcomes, then all states would rise
equally, and Arkansas would still be #50.  Now, is that supposed to be
good or bad?

Similarly, millions of dollars must be spent on the #1 killer, right?
(currently heart disease) - until it isn't the #1 killer any more.
So what does that mean?  Suddenly you have a new #1 killer.  Whereupon
our noble leaders declare, "Let's do research and find cures until
THERE IS NO #1 KILLER DISEASE!"  Good luck...

 - seb