HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: nick+@not.my.real.address (Nick C De Mello)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Forgery!
Date: 30 Jul 92 21:43:12 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Some place I'm not affiliated with
Originator: nick@pmax1.cis.pitt.edu



People:

   Hmm... haven't been able to find a rec.forgery or alt.forgery, and it
seems that just editing the header isn't enough to "disguise" my
identity, as my news server appends an "originator" to my message,
after editing.  

   Any suggestions on how one by passes that?

                                      Nick (In disguise!)

-- 
   _/   _/  _/  _/_/_/   _/   _/  
  _/_/ _/  _/  _/   _/  _/_/_/
 _/ _/_/  _/  _/       _/ _/                    Nicholas C de Mello
_/   _/  _/   _/_/_/  _/   _/                     Nick+@pitt.edu
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: daylength
Date: 27 Jul 92 18:02:43 GMT

In article <XmS-J!C@engin.umich.edu>, willism@engin.umich.edu (Mark Benjamin Willis) writes:
> 
> I have a newspaper article somewhere in my files in which a group of 
> scientists created a model of the celestial movements.  They ran the 
> model forward and backward and found a day missing.  They checked the 
> model several times and everything fit perfectly except that a day was
> missing a couple thousand of years ago.  One remembered the Bible story
> about Joshua and they found the story and discovered 23:15 of their 
> missing day.  They still needed 45 minutes to reconcile the model with
> reality.  Turns out there is another Bible story in the Old Testament
> where a prophet demonstrates his authority as God's mouthpiece by causing
> the sun to go backwards 3 steps (if memory serves).  Each step was 15 
> minutes in their time keeping mechanism.  The article reported that these
> scientists, non of them Christians were faced with a dilemma because 
> without the Biblical accounts their nearly perfect model was flawed and
> with them, it was perfect.  I could try and dig up the article for 
> reference is anyone is interested.

I would like very much to see that article.  From what you wrote about it,
the article sounds to me like a fraud.
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Boycott Kodak????
Date: 23 Jul 92 20:20:02 GMT

In article <1992Jul23.164309.25517@nntpd2.cxo.dec.com>, wombat@nfinit.enet.dec.com (Christopher M. Conway) writes:

> Boycott Kodak

That was stuck at the end of a message completely unrelated to
it.  I'm curious.  Why boycott Kodak?  FYI, I prefer other
brands of film anyway, so I have no axe to grind; I'm merely curious.
From: ericj@eskimo.celestial.com (Eric Jorgensen)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Is the Bible really what the authors wrote?
Date: 30 Jul 92 01:22:12 GMT
Organization: -> ESKIMO NORTH (206) For-Ever <-

gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) writes:
> ericj@eskimo.celestial.com (Eric Jorgensen) writes:
> > 
> > So my question was - What makes the Bible so different as to not be subject
> > to the same amount of criticism as the Illiad or Odyssey?  It cannot be said
> > that the difference is the mention of 'God', because both of the Homer books
> > also contain mentionings of 'gods'.
>  
> Faith.  Mythology is what you believe, religion is what I believe.
> I don't think many people would disagree with the logic of that.
> (Well, they could, I guess, but they'd be wrong :-) )

The "Mythology is what you believe, religion is what I believe" idea is one of
the main reasons that Celts, Wiccans, and Helennics (among many others) were
blatantly murdered - Crusades...Inquisition...etc.  The word 'myth' does not
automatically make a belief false: 1. A traditional story that deals with
supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serve as primordial types in a
primitive view of the world. 2. A ***REAL OR FICTITIOUS*** story that appeals
to the consciousness of a people by embodying its cultural ideals or by giving
expression to deep, commonly felt emotions.

Whether or not you believe in the so-called truth of the Bible, it fits
perfectly into those two definitions of 'myth'.  This does not depend on the
belief.  The third definition (only one of three, mind you) depends upon your
viewpoint: A fictitious or imaginary person, idea, or thing.

Every culture (as far as I have I have read about) has had myths...every
culture believed in their own myths...The Crusades and the Inquisition blatantly
forced a certain set of beliefs onto people of OTHER cultures (as well as their
own, I'm sure).  Pretty much makes it simple to understand how "God-fearing"
became a sort of 'catch-phrase' for them, eh?

(Oh, well...I guess I've made it pretty obvious that there are no crosses (a
symbol of death) hanging around anywhere nearby where *I* live.)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: matth@progress.COM (Matthew J. Harper)
Subject: Re: IQ vs. Faith
Organization: Progress Software Corp.
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 14:49:54 GMT

willism@engin.umich.edu (Mark Benjamin Willis) writes:

>In article 5243 Matthew Harper (matth@progress.COM) asks:
>>  Can you give me a biblical event that cannot be resolved with a scientific
>> answer?  I've been trying, but I think I'm at a disadvantage since I feel most
>> (all) such things *can* be explained.

>The clearest and (incidentally) most important example of such an event is
>the resurrection of Christ.  The Bible claims that Jesus died, was buried for
>3 days (fri-sun) and then was resurrected.  (Not as in ghost, but as in a real,
>live person who could be touched, and who ate and spent time with over 500
>people.)

>Obviously this is a biblical event that cannot be resolved with a scientific
>answer.

>Mark

  Except that maybe he wasn't quite dead yet.  Same goes for Lazarus.  However,
I realize I'll probably get beat up for this one!-)

-Matth  

          Matthew J. Harper ! Progress Software Corp. ! {disclaimer.i}         
   God created heaven and earth to grow barley and hops. Now he homebrews !-)  
--
          Matthew J. Harper ! Progress Software Corp. ! {disclaimer.i}         
   God created heaven and earth to grow barley and hops. Now he homebrews !-)
From: nick+@pitt.edu (Nick C De Mello)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: T--Polyandric Polymath and Kill Files
Date: 22 Jul 92 16:21:16 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

In article <1992Jul21.222255.166@ncsu.edu> tai@m-net.ann-arbor.mi.us writes:
>
>        I never cease to be shocked by the things I read in
>this newsgroup.  If it isn't someone really full of themselves
>pontificating on some bit of esoterica, it's some rude buffoon
>making idiotic comments directed against them.  
  (Scott)

* It's really nice to see that MENSA supporters are capable of defending
* their organization without having to resort to slurs and insults.
*
* --Scott

     Perhaps, if you tried the same, some would be more tolerant of 
   your esoterica.

                                      Nick

-- 
   _/   _/  _/  _/_/_/   _/   _/  
  _/_/ _/  _/  _/   _/  _/_/_/
 _/ _/_/  _/  _/       _/ _/                    Nicholas C de Mello
_/   _/  _/   _/_/_/  _/   _/                     Nick+@pitt.edu
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: scott@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott A Tai)
Subject: T/ T=Killfiles and whoami
Reply-To: tai@m-net.ann-arbor.mi.us
Organization: NCSU Artificial Intelligence Systems Laboratory
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 03:13:22 GMT


In article <712425627.F00002@blkcat.UUCP>, Craig.Wagner@p2.f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Craig Wagner) writes:
|>  SA> From: tai-sa@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott A Tai)
|>  SA> 
|>  SA> In article <1992Jul28.203530.24028@seanews.akita.com>,
|>  SA> billmcc@seanews.akita.com (Bill McCormick) writes:
|>  > sat@ailab.ncsu.edu
|>  > 
|>  |> Ah, not only is he a virus, he's a *mutating* virus.  Off I go to edit
|>  |> my kill file again.
|>
|>  SA> Maybe if your hollombe friend discontinued posting kill files for my
|>  SA> id, I wouldn't have to continually modify it.  Then everyone would be
|>  SA> happy.
|>
|>I'm not quite sure I follow your reasoning...  ;-(

In other words, if hollombe will stop attempting to be the self-appointed 
moderator for rec.org.mensa by regularly posting a kill file with the 
current tai userid, I'll promise not to change my id.  I don't object to
kill files, just to the idea of someone trying to tell everyone else
what they should and should not read.  It smacks of censorship, and I
think everyone here (well, almost everyone) is intelligent enough to
make their own decisions about what they will read.

-- Scott Tai
   tai@m-net.ann-arbor.mi.us
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Subject: Re: T--Polyandric Polymath and Kill Files
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 03:49:30 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.222255.166@ncsu.edu>, tai@cs.ncsu.edu (Scott Tai) writes...

>        If the use of the kill file is in any way
>representative of the views of the regular users of this
>newsgroup then maybe this whole group should be wiped out so
>no one has to listen to the annoying opinions of others.

If being in a 'kill file' really bothers you, there's one solution.
Write quality postings so that no one will _want_ to miss any of your
gems.  So far I've seen little quality from you, no light and all heat,
apparently with the only intention to stir things up.

>--Scott 
>"Loved or hated, but never ignored"

I've updated my kill file so you're now back to "ignored"


Flame retardant:  (apologies to The Polymath for using his idea)

/tai@cs.ncsu.edu/h:j
/ tai@/h:j             (this one is good for filtering out multiple systems
                        at the risk someone else with the name Tai might
                        come along and inadvertantly get posts killed)

-Mike
From: phil@miracle.com (Phil Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: More on the AG
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 16:50:19 EDT
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

jlc5f@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Jean L. Cooper) writes:

>I also post the mini-minutes on the Mensa Forum, in
>the Mensa Publications library.  I have no objection
>to posting them here or on other BBS, but I have not
>had the time.  I think posting the full minutes here
>is a waste of "bandwidth", considering their size.

The FAQ is around 40K bytes, and is posted monthly.  So don't let bandwidth
stop you.

On the other hand... the mini-minutes are much easier to read.  I'd like to
see them posted in this group, as they become available.        
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Phil Hill                     | "All you people in TV land,           |
| Miracle Computer Consultants  |   I will wake up your empty shells.   |
|                               |  Peak time viewing blown in a flash,  |
|                               |   as I burn into your memory cells.   |
| Email: phil@miracle.com       |  'cause I'm alive." - Peter Gabriel   |








Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: edp@math.zko.dec.com (Eric Postpischil)
Subject: Re: More on the AG
Reply-To: edp@math.zko.dec.com (Eric Postpischil)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 13:22:42 GMT

In article <14817@claris.com>, mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
writes:

>No, your time would better serve only one local chapter.  Yourduties as
>local officer and typist for your newsletter do not benefit any chapters
>other than your own.

Sorry, I also help out Boston Mensa occasionally.

> You also imply that Jean is doing a better job as
>national secretary than you would be able to do.

No, I do not imply that.

> Since you won't run
>to replace her, do you have anyone in mind who should?

I will certainly consider what I have learned in evaluating candidates.

>If not, why are
>you criticizing her efforts?

Where am I criticizing her efforts?  Where did I write anything about
how good or bad a job Jean Cooper is doing?  She stated a statistic
about her predecessor; I expressed amazement at it.  Would you please
explain to me how that reflects on Jean Cooper?

>If there were no national (or international) organization, there would
>be no local groups, becasue there would be no organization for them to
>be local groups of.

That's odd, I know some local (non-Mensa) groups without a national
organization.  Do you think maybe I should rush right over to them and
tell them they are operating in violation of the laws of logic, so they
must cease existing immediately?


                                -- edp (Eric Postpischil)
                                "Always mount a scratch monkey."
                                edp@alien.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme)
Subject: Re: daylength
Organization: Alliant Computer Systems Corp.
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 12:26:05 GMT

In article <712351487.F00002@blkcat.UUCP> Craig.Wagner@p2.f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Craig Wagner) writes:
>
>  RW> From: werme@alliant.com (Ric Werme) Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
>  RW> Organization: Alliant Computer Systems Corp.
>
>  RW> ...  Twilight would continue until early November, but 
>  RW> the full moon will still illuminate the ice.  (Cresent

Don't you just hate postings with misspelled words?  Sigh.

>  RW> moons would stay below the horizon.)
>
>Why is this?  (the crescent vs full moon thing...)

New moons are close to the Sun, I think no more than 5 degrees
away (that's the tilt of the Moon's orbit to Earth's), so
if the Sun is several degrees below the horizon, so will the
new moon.  On the other hand, full moons are opposite the Sun,
so during winter the full moon will up.  During the summer, the
full moon will be below the horizon where it can illuminate the
South Pole.  Seems like a pretty good system to me.


-- 
| 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: widenius@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Risto Widenius)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: T: To All MENSA Members...
Date: 27 Jul 92 12:20:10 GMT
Organization: University of Helsinki

>sat@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott Andrew Tai) writes:
[blah blah..]
>     The problem with MENSA is the 2% rule, and it should be dropped.
>
>     I have felt for some time that MENSA members can be roughly
>categorized into one of two groups.  Group A consists of those people
[..blah blah]

HOLD IT!

Don't respond to this. It is not written by Scott, but by the gmc-
semiconductor-fraud some months ago. Then again, it may very well
be the same person.

rw
-- 
risto widenius:widenius@cc.helsinki.fi:inutili terrae pondus:
            the white zone is for loading and unloading only
From: edp@math.zko.dec.com (Eric Postpischil)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: More on the AG
Date: 22 Jul 92 14:00:52 GMT
Reply-To: edp@math.zko.dec.com (Eric Postpischil)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

In article <1992Jul21.171514.2755@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>,
jlc5f@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Jean L. Cooper) writes:

>The average minutes of an AMC meeting are between 20
>to 25 pages printed pages long.  (That's about 40,000
>to 45,000 bytes.)  I have to listen to tape(s) of the
>meeting, and transcribe and edit them to a manageable
>size.  It takes up to four weeks sometimes.  The 
>previous secretary often spent 70-80 hours on 
>each set of minutes.

How much of the 80 hours is spent transcribing and how much on editing? 
Editing ought to take less than transcribing (certainly minutes should
not be edited much), but let's allow 40 hours for editing.  That leaves
40 hours for transcribing.  45,000 bytes in 40 hours is 3.75 words per
minute.

Mensa's national office never ceases to amaze me.


                                -- edp (Eric Postpischil)
                                "Always mount a scratch monkey."
                                edp@alien.enet.dec.com
From: robinson@psyvax.psy.utexas.edu (John G. Robinson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Look out guys - Mensan denies evolution
Date: 23 Jul 92 16:32:00 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin
X-Posted-From: psy7.psy.utexas.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <zlsiida.1001@fs1.mcc.ac.uk>, zlsiida@fs1.mcc.ac.uk (dave budd)
wrote:
> 
> To be published (UK only?) on 27Aug92:
> The Facts of Life, by Richard Milton      16.99sterling from Fourth Estate
> 
> This guy sets out to rubbish evolution.  The dangers here are:
> The creationists may notice and say 'a Mensan is on our side' or even 'Mensa 
> agrees with us'

These folks tend to say whatever they please, regardless.

> The evolutionists may notice and write us off.

Not likely; if the author were a member of the faculty of Oxford or MIT,
would evolutionists automatically write these institutions off?

> 
> Claims (from an article in UK Mensa magazine):
> Geochronometry using radioactive dating has been shown to be deeply flawed 
> and unrelaible.
> Earliest fossil dating = date surface water first appeared.  Hole-in-1 very 
> unlikely.
> Where is the helium from decaying uranium?
> Sedimentary layers should take millions of years to form but contain eg 
> whole trees in vertical positions.
> Usual stuff about horrendous gaps in fossil record.
> No sign of missing link - all hominids are human or ape.
> 
> I expect most of these problems are well known to the evolutionists, who can 
> no doubt explain them or are working on them, but the association of the 
> Mensa name with this book may do us some harm in the eyes of the public.
> 

I've seen several works which cite these anomalies, but I have yet to see a
refutation from the evolutionist side.  I would love to read some
counterarguments.

**********
John G. Robinson
robinson@psyvax.psy.utexas.edu
From: zlsiida@fs1.mcc.ac.uk (dave budd)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: British Mensa AGM
Date: 21 Jul 92 13:37:30 GMT
Organization: Manchester Computing Centre

Some of the motions for the AGM are interesting/amusing/revealing.
Anybody want to see them?

+--Great Quotes of our Time-------------------------------------------+
|        You should never have a hobby that eats                      |
+--------------------------------------Amarillo Slim Preston----------+          
|  Dave Budd, MCC, Oxford Rd, Manchester, England  (44)061-275-6033   |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: The Tai'ster......
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 22:39:42 -0500

sonic@artgate.cray.com (Curtis Swanson) writes:

 CS> don't be suprised that people insult the s**t out of you.

But if we insult the s**t out of Tai, there will be nothing left!
From: scott.tai@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott Andrew Tai (NOT!))
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Killfiles
Date: 30 Jul 92 22:08:12 GMT

In article <4006@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP>, nick+@pitt.edu (Nick C De Mello) writes:
> 
> In article <1992Jul30.145115.24881@engage.pko.dec.com> moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com () writes:
> >
> >For the killfile:
> >
> >/@ailab.ncsu.edu/h:j
> >
> >for those who don't already have it.  We know 'ailab.ncsu.edu' is a forged
> >address, so nothing that anyone is willing to stand behind will be missed.
> 
> Mike:
> 
>   How do you know it's a forged address?  For that matter, how does
> one go about forging an address?  Isn't it appended by the mail
> server?

Actually, it is pretty easy to forge an address.  Take a look at my
address in this message.  Now look at the path.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: mortenaa@Lise.Unit.NO (Morten Aagaard)
Subject: BEACH-BABES
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 92 18:42:25 GMT

Most humans are attracted to the beach when the sun glows hot, is anybody
capable of some good explaination?
From: Carla.D.Richters@dartmouth.edu (Carla D. Richters)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Anyone else out there?
Date: 28 Jul 92 23:05:12 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Okay, here I am in northern new england for the Goddess' sake and my
sanity is taking a vacation. I belong in the mid-west. I belong in
Texas.  I belong to New Hampshire Mensa and the only event that I could
possibly attend might be a monthly breakfast at the local Sheraton with
three other women with whom I have nothing in common. Ick.  I've been
stranded here because there was a job (and in this economy that is
NOTHING to sneeze at, question, or even seem ungrateful about and I'm
not, really I'm not). The only real downside is that this particular
job is a rather jealous mistress who prefers that I spend most of my
time involved with her.  Hence the problem, very little social life
heading toward the non-existant at an alarming rate.   Any Vermonsters
hanging around?   Someone who might be closer than Seabrook? Anyone
else around the country in my boots?  Please sir, alms for this poor
understimulated woman.   A crumb of adult conversation, anything, 
help,  please.

--Carla 
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: edp@math.zko.dec.com (Eric Postpischil)
Subject: Re: More on the AG
Reply-To: edp@math.zko.dec.com (Eric Postpischil)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 20:12:59 GMT

In article <14839@claris.com>, mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
writes:

>Then they wouldn't be Mensa groups.

Correction:  They might not be _named_ Mensa groups, but a rose is a
rose by any other name.  Were national to cease to exist or to become to
much of a burden for local groups, the local groups could operate on
their own.  We could still print a newsletter, schedule activities, et
cetera for less dues than national charges, and I wouldn't care less if
it were called "Mensa" or not; it would be the same to me.

>BTW, why do you keep ignoring that I
>wrote "national or international"?

Because I don't care; why should I?  Why do you keep ignoring that I,
who started the issue, wrote only "national"?  Why do you think you
define the issue to be discussed?


                                -- edp (Eric Postpischil)
                                "Always mount a scratch monkey."
                                edp@alien.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: drich@sandman.lerc.nasa.gov (Daniel Rich)
Subject: National Dues (was Re:  Mensa national versus local, New York City)
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 15:21:02 GMT

In article <155jojINNkai@network.ucsd.edu>, jwp@chem.ucsd.edu (John Pierce) writes:
|> drich@sandman.lerc.nasa.gov (Daniel Rich) writes:
|>  > 
|>  > Mensa is a *social* organization, and for my $39/year (of
|>  > which the local group gets around $7 if I remember correctly) the
|>  > national office provides only a single (rather worthless) magazine.
|> 
|> That is, of course, untrue.
|> 
|> -- John W Pierce
|>    LocSec, San Diego Mensa

Having been a loc sec, EXCOMM member, RG chair, and area coordinator,
could you tell me what about the above is untrue?  True the national
office provides member lists and mailing labels, but as an individual
member, I only see the local newsletter and the Bulletin.  That isn't
much for $39....

When you make a statement like that, provide a little more information. 
-- 
Dan Rich                    | drich@lerc.nasa.gov   |  (216) 433-4000
Sr. Systems Engineer        | "Danger, you haven't seen the last of me!"
RMS Technologies, Inc.      |    "No, but the first of you turns my stomach!"
NASA Lewis Research Center  | -- The Firesign Theatre's Nick Danger

Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa