HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: rr@chem.ucsd.edu (Roxanne Rohmann)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Squeaky Wheels
Date: 19 Nov 1992 20:45:02 GMT
Organization: Chemistry Dept, UC San Diego
NNTP-Posting-Host: chedccf0.ucsd.edu

In article <1992Nov19.093546.25395@tfs.com> ecsd@tfs.com (Eric C. S. Dynamic) writes:

 > How do you affect things? Hmm. I guess write in and TELL them; I *like*
 > X, Y and Z; I *don't* care for T, U and V. And one thing we don't get from
 > our newspapers as a service, e.g., is for them from time to time, PUBLISH
 > numbers of strips they Don't carry, to show us what is available.
 > None of the papers I can buy off the street here carry Alley Oop or Mutt and
 > Jeff, yet those are still in circulation that I know. So a lot of stuff is
 > out there that we don't know about. If you want to see certain things and
 > not others - make yourself heard about your desires. The squeaky wheel . . .

I think this is a very interesting and very important point you have
raised.  Maybe those frequently boring and always
mundane strips are just running and running and running because 
no one is bothering to say, "Hey, these are boring!  I don't like
them!"  It is absolutely possible that the comic strips we see 
are there by default.  Maybe they are there because they were 
there, period. How do we know?

The art of letting "the powers that be" know what is on one's mind
in order to affect the actions of "the powers that be" seems to
be dwindling rapidly.  Yes, we have organized boycotts and writing
campaigns and lobbyists galore, but the individual citizen seems
to have muted him/herself and has sunk into apathy, convinced 
that s/he can do nothing to affect the world around him/her.
I find this totally appalling, and suspect that much of the ills
of the culture in which we live can be attributed to this apathy.

   ---Roxanne


Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: mci41087@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Mellowing )
Subject: Leaving
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 20:56:13 GMT

Well, this newsgroup just is not what I had hoped it would be.  I look forward
to a positive invilvement in Mensa as soon as my membership goes through.  If
any here would like to mail me about any subject that might be of interest, feel
free to do so.  Flame (lame?) wars just get silly after a while, and weeding
through rotten articles and moot points is not an attractive alternative.

Have fun, folks, and peace to you all.

Matt Ivaliotes
From: jcooley@miracle.com (John Cooley)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: "Family Circle" Scheduling Program
Date: 23 Nov 92 19:07:03 GMT
Article-I.D.: miracle.23Nov92150703
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) writes:

> Keane's been brain-dead for quite awhile and should be shot
> to put him out of his misery.

The theory that my friend had on Bill Keane's work on Family Circus
is that he's probably bored to tears with his cartoon creation but
is probably making a lot of money off of it.

If someone offered you a job where you had to come up with seven
safe, dull, predictable cartoon strips a week and the rest of your
time was free plus they offered to give you lots of money, wouldn't
you take it?
                                        - John Cooley
                                          LocSec, Boston Mensa
                                          Cartoon Scheduling Systems, Inc.


 ==========================================================================
       John Cooley              Zappa as a waste management engineer: 
                                  "Hey, there, Brother!  Whatcha
    jcooley@miracle.com            doing with that Cosmic Debris?"  
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: ecsd@tfs.com (Eric C. S. Dynamic)
Subject: Re: And again, "Voting Analysis"
Organization: The Great Beast 666
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 10:07:41 GMT

eager@eagercon.com writes:
>Eric Postpischil writes:
>>You can give no answer; there is nothing they did other than not-voting
>>that contributed to what the organization learned.  I did not deny that
>>the sample from group X is needed, but that is not something done by
>>those in group Y.  Millions of people contributed to the information
>>learned but did so solely by not-voting.
>
>I find it absolutely amazing that you can conceive of how some unknown number
>of people, who did nothing (by your own statement) contributed anything to 
>anybody.

I haven't dipped into this discussion directly before; I wrote in an earlier
"dark" post,

Silence means what *I* say it means
{if the silent won't speak for themselves}

which is to say, that no information (no vote) == no information, except the
unwillingness or inability (for whatever reason) to vote. The only info would
be polls of nonvoters as to why not. Those who "call it" to say what it means,
are just blowing wind. Trying to put All the free papers in their pocket, so
to speak.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: jglarson@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu (Johan Larson)
Subject: GRE scores
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 18:23:17 GMT

OK, so mensa accepts on the basis of GRE scores, 
with the bar at 1250 (verbal + quantitative).
Do any of the more demanding smart-organizations
do likewise?  If so, what kind of numbers does one
need?
-- 
Johan Larson
                    The net is packed with objectivists, anarchists, 
                    libertarians and self-appointed threats to the current 
                    order, writing on company time with company equipment.
From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: t: social rejection
Date: 16 Nov 92 20:26:17 GMT
Followup-To: rec.org.mensa

In article <1992Nov13.010423.26103@ncsu.edu>, scott@bogus.net.address (The
Great Brain) wrote:
> 
> 
> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
> : scott@bogus.network.address (Scott Tai) wrote:
> : > mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
> : > : When the author of a message has a history of falsification and lies, the
> : > : message should be judged by its author as well as by its contents.  When
> : > : the author of a message makes himself the subject of criticism, then
> : > : criticism of him is not out of order.
> : > 
> : > How can you deliberately get up such paltry falsehoods?  I have been so
> : > far forbearing with you, sir; not that I was ignorant of your miserable,
> : > degraded character, but I felt you were only partly responsible for
> : > that; and some of the others on rec.org.mensa wishing to keep up your
> : > acquaintance, I acquiesced--foolishly.  Your presence on r.o.m is a 
> : > moral poison that would contaminate the most virtuous.
> : 
> : Sigh, and I thought that you were recovering so nicely; then we see the
> : above evidence of a relapse.  Well, one can only hope that the relapse is
> : just a temporary setback in your road to recovery.  Hurry up and get well
> : soon.
> 
> Could you believe in the existence of such a colossal dunce?  You
> will be good enough to understand that I reject any pretense at
> kindness you have the hypocrisy to offer!  I will have nothing to
> say to you!

Is that a promise?

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Now that I have a reader that can do .sigs, I can't think of a witty |
|one to put here, so I won't.  All normal disclaimers apply.          |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: matt@severian.chi.il.us (Matt Crawford)
Subject: Re: Special Interest Groups
Organization: The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 02:45:42 GMT

>} Why not start an Internet SIG
>
>Isn't that what rec.org.mensa is?

Not really.  There are plenty of benighted BBS'ers and cloistered
compservers out there.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: wiegand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert Wiegand)
Subject: Re: grad students killing professors
Reply-To: motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 19:01:40 GMT

ecsd@tfs.com (Eric C. S. Dynamic) writes:

[Stuff deleted]

>"The way it is" is not a very convincing argument for the way it is.
>We might have hoped that these high and mighty professors had a better grasp
>on their egos and on personal ethics, to claim as theirs, work they didn't do.

To be fair to the professors it isn't just their egos thats the problem
here. For many of them they have to claim credit for dtuff they didn't
do just to keep their jobs. A many universities profesors are rated
the quantity of papers they produce, so it they want to remain employed
they better produce lots of paper.

I agree the system stinks. I suspect many of the professors would also
be happy to see it changed.

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Wiegand - Motorola Inc.
motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net            uunet!motcid!wiegand
Disclamer: I didn't do it - I was somewhere else at the time.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath)
Subject: Re: Transportation to RG's
Organization: The Cat Factory
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 15:02:13 GMT

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

We have someone who usually volunteers to be car-pool coordinator --
mostly to be assured of getting a ride himself. (-:

The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, M.A., CDP, aka: hollombe@polymath.tti.com)
Head Robot Wrangler at Citicorp
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.   (310) 450-9111, x2483
Santa Monica, CA  90405
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: jlc5f@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Jean L. Cooper)
Subject: Re: Benifits of Mensa
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 15:20:05 GMT

rakowski@rintintin.Colorado.EDU  writes:
> I am sorry if I'm wasting bandwidth here, but I have kind of an interesting
> question. (make that questions)
> 1) I got a 28 on my ACT taken three years ago.  It stated in the FAQ that
>    an ACT score of 29 or better was needed to join Mensa.  I'm fairly sure

Mensa stopped accepting the ACT as prior evidence as of 10/87, I believe.
The test changed too much to suit our purposes at that point.
>    Would it
>    be possible for me to still join Mensa if I took some other sort of 
>    "IQ test" and scored in the 98th percentile?

Yes, of course.  A list of commonly accepted tests should be in the FAQ, or
you can call the Mensa office at 1-800-66MENSA for more information.

> 2) What benifits can be recieved from joining Mensa?  

Primarily social.

>    My maternal uncle is
>    a member of Mensa.. However, he lacks, shall we say, a modicum of common
>    sense... He's a Mailman.. ;>   

Many people have said that smart people don't necessarily have common sense--
more intelligence merely allows one to make bigger mistakes faster.
Do you have something against mailmen? 8^)


Re: Would potential employers be more likely to look upon you with
favor?  I've heard it both ways.  Some of my friends say they have lost
possible jobs when they admitted to be a Mensan, and some say they
were offered jobs that they never would have gotten by admitting that
they were Mensans.  You have to learn to fit yourself into the social
(professional) milieu around you.

--
Jean L. Cooper    (BITNET: JLC5F@virginia.edu   CIS: 70253,1114)
"The true University of these days is a Collection of Books." 
                                           --Carlyle
From: jwp@chem.ucsd.edu (John Pierce)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: 1993 Officer Election Petititons
Date: 18 Nov 1992 05:45:44 GMT
Organization: Chemistry Dept, UC San Diego
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: chedccf0.ucsd.edu

Petition-candidate forms for the 1993 Office Election are now available
from the Election Committee.  THIS IS NOT THE FULL CANDIDATE PACKAGE; IT
IS THE PETITION FORM ONLY.  POTENTIAL CANDIDATES WILL NEED TO GET THE FULL
PACKAGE AND COMPLY WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS IN IT TO ENSURE THE VALIDITY OF
THEIR CANDIDACY.  Instructions for obtaining the full package will appear
in the December "Bulletin".  The package will not be ready until after the
Election Committee receives the AMC's candidate questions, which will occur
shortly after the 05Dec92 AMC meeting.

Members who want a copy of the petition form should contact me; my US mail
address, email address, and telephone number are given below.

The Election Committee would appreciate it very much if people would echo
this announcement on CompuServe, FIDO net, and other electronic forums with
Mensa-related groups.

-- John Pierce, Chair, 1993 Election Committee
   1960 Gardena Place
   San Diego, CA  92110
   619/275-3179
From: ken@nate.UUCP (Ken Gacioch)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: The Great Beast Eats Tai For Breakfast
Date: 17 Nov 92 14:42:45 GMT
Reply-To: nate!ken@cs.rit.edu
Organization: HealthChex, Inc.

ow.
please stop shouting.
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: bbs-phaedrus@jwt.UUCP (larry wink)
Subject: Re: Benifits of Mensa
Reply-To: bbs-phaedrus@jwt.UUCP
Organization: The Matrix
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 18:07:53 GMT

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

>Can we agree that "intelligence", in and of itself, is a
>"good thing"?

We can't agree on anything in this newsgroup.  Intelligence is a product of 
evolution.  Like most products of evolution it should provide a differential 
reproductive advantage.  If it does this, then it is "good" (i.e., fulfills 
the purpose for which is was created), else not.  Noting that the Mensa FAQ 
(MENSA DEMOGRAPHICS (USA)) claims that "Just over half [of the members of 
Mensa] have no children" it does not appear that _high_ intelligence is 
"good".  One possible explanation is that those that differ _too_ much from 
the average are culled from the group (social animals can be so cruel 8^( ).

>In other words, intelligence is a tool.  You can use the
>tool in socially acceptable, efficient ways, or in not
>socially acceptable, non-efficient ways.  It depends on the
>individual.  It does not depend upon the "intelligence."

Yes, intelligence is a tool (to achieve a differential reproductive 
advantage).  And tools can only be judged based upon their success or failure 
in performing the task for which they were created.

 --Larry Wink
 Internet: fdmwink@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu or ljw@pro-magic.oau.org
 Bitnet: fdmwink@ucf1vm     Usenet: bbs-phaedrus@jwt.UUCP     GEnie: l.wink   
 "Which is it? Is man only a mistake of God? Or is God only a mistake of man?"

Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: ifaq570@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Kitchen)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: North Texas RG Announcement !
Date: 22 Nov 92 19:32:18 GMT
Reply-To: ifaq570@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Kitchen)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin
Originator: ifaq570@grumpy.cc.utexas.edu


		From Lonestar Mensa, Austin TX

		North Texas Mensa 1992 Texas Feast Gathering!
	
	Doubletree Park west
	1590 LBJ Freeway
	Dallas Texas 75234 (214)869-4300
	November 27-29


	If you are going to be in Dallas around November 27-29, drop on in
and join the gathering.  The Gala Banquet will be held Saturday Night. 
There will also be a brunch on Sunday. If anyone feels like they would like
to attend, information can be collected at the above phone number.
       
	And although I am the designated NETGATE for Lonestar Mensa, I regret
that I will be off the net for the next 15 days. Therefore, I will not be able
to reply to Email in time.

Allen Kitchen
l8r
From: jcooley@miracle.com (John Cooley)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Keeping Your Mensa Membership A Secret
Date: 16 Nov 92 17:36:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: miracle.16Nov92133624
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants


  I know of quite a few active Mensans who keep their membership
  in Mensa either a secret from their workplace and/or a secret from
  most of their social circle (with the exceptions being from some
  of their close friends).

  Usually it's because they don't want to deal with the "This-must-
  mean-you're-smarter-than-me-and-I've-got-to-defend-my-ego" reaction
  one typically gets when they tell non-Mensan friends that they're
  a member of Mensa and the qualifications to join.

  Anyone have any positive stories concerning telling non-members you're
  a member?  Also, what are some of the bad reactions you've recieved?

                                              - John Cooley
                                                LocSec, Boston Mensa


 ==========================================================================
       John Cooley              Zappa as a waste management engineer: 
                                  "Hey, there, Brother!  Whatcha
    jcooley@miracle.com            doing with that Cosmic Debris?"
From: edp@math.zk3.dec.com (Eric Postpischil)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Voting Analysis
Date: 19 Nov 92 15:27:04 GMT
Reply-To: edp@math.zk3.dec.com (Eric Postpischil)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

In article <1992Nov18.174618.5593@walter.cray.com>,
sonic@bearpit.cray.com (Curtis Swanson) writes:

>>I stated my thesis clearly; it is the last sentence of the article with
>>which I initiated the "Voting Analysis" thread:
>
>>	I merely wish to prove that there is at least one
>>	situation in which it is an intelligent
>>	choice, for some people, not to vote.
>
>Yup, you did.  I acknowledged that fact while noting its limitations and
>other possible flaws other's had noticed.  You ignored my followup.

As you say, you agreed with my thesis.  I therefore saw no call to
respond.  I certainly had no interest in rebutting your agreement.  If
you have agreed with my thesis, my point is proved.

> It still is an extremely narrowly defined situation and probably not
>generally
>applicable.

While the situation might be narrow, I disagree that it is extremely
narrow.  But it is not intended to be generally applicable, although
with the number of people who speak of voting for the lesser evil, I
question whether it does not apply to more people than realize it.  It
is intended to be applicable to some people, whom I know exist.  You
have agreed to this, so the point is proven:  There exist people for
whom not voting is an intelligent choice.  One cannot logically conclude
that a person who does not vote has made an unintelligent choice.


>>That is an ad hominem attack; it is irrelevant to the discussion.
>
> . . . This discussion has never stayed on track, what with
>the wanderings of most everybody involved . . .

First, varying subjects of discussion are not the same thing as ad
hominem attacks.  Even if the discussion wanders, ad hominem attacks are
irrelevant, inappropriate, and rude.

Second, I have kept the "Voting Analysis" thread on track; one and only
one voting situation has been discussed in this thread.  If you have
some question about how some specific point is relevant, please present
the exact material you wish clarified.  I will defend the thesis I
presented, and I will explain as necessary.

> . . . (you especially).

It serves no good purpose to criticize authors.  If you have specific
material whose relevance you do not perceive, I will attempt to clarify
it for you.  But I have done you no harm, so there is no call to be rude
to me.  I request that you observe proper etiquette and refrain from
making comments about authors.


                                -- edp (Eric Postpischil)
                                "Always mount a scratch monkey."
                                edp@rusure.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
From: ehp@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU ("Didi Pancake")
Subject: Re: Special Interest Groups
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 01:27:16 GMT

In article <9oHFuB4w165w@stam.nl> nicolas@stam.nl (Nico Veenkamp) writes:
>And of course organize @-parties at gatherings :-)

Oops, I think this is where I came in! :-)
Seriously, we did this for the U.S. AG in San Francisco last summer and a
few folks did show up. I was there, as were Phil Hill, Jerry Holcombe,
and a few others I didn't get to introduce myself to. Mike Steiner popped
in for a moment (he was involved in the project to create alien societies
and introduce them to each other, sorry I've forgotten the name of the
game).

I think we should try it again in Orlando. To do this, we (I did it last
time, so now it's "your" turn) will need to contact Lisa Shea, Assistant
SIGs Officer, to reserve a slot in the SIGs Room. Last time the @party
was at 3:00 p.m. on Friday. Maybe another time would work better.

Another idea is to have the @-folks volunteer to take a turn at
Hospitality duty. Then we could meet each other but still not have to get
too far away from the "action" or have yet one more schedule
conflict/choice.
--
|  Didi Pancake         |     When you are not looking,                  |
|  ehp@virginia.edu     |            this sentence is in Klingon.        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  All the usual disclaimers about the origins of these opinions apply.  |
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Help....college is killing me!!!!
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 17:00:26 GMT
Organization: AT&T

In article <BxrJFv.KpM@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> ivaliote@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Matthew Ivaliotes) writes:
>I would like to thank you and all those who posted or mailed me responses.
>several thoughts went through my mind as I read them:
>
>1) I only wish I went to Dartmouth instead of the Screw o' Illinois.  No offense	to UIUC'ers here, but my experience at this university, in the academic
>	realm, has been all but pleasant.  I am now finally getting decent
>	professors, just in classes I don't care about.  I got accepted into
>	Princeton and Cornell, but finances being finances, it never happened.
>
>2) I guess I don't know what I really want.  I love to perform, and that has
>	always beena  desire of mine, even though my experience is limited.  I
>	do comedy and sing in a band, and kind of wish I could do that for a

Try to get a space downtown or thereabouts to do shows for free for awhile
until you've proven yourself.  If your troupe can put some funds together,
try to rent a space like the Remains at 1800 Clyborne (sp?).  Finally,
try out Players Workshop of the Second City, or, if you have more experience,
audition for the Second City training center.  All have their problems,
but if you need a diversion from college-type training, I'd recommend it
highly.  Lastly, you might audition for the touring company.  If you're
doing any standup, check out the Funny Firm, Laugh Factory or, if you're
starting out, the Comedy Womb in Lyons.   If you think you're pretty good,
and have no qualms about your demo tape, you might drop it off at NBC
on Monday.  Believe it or not, the Tonight Show folks do, I'm told, view
all the tapes they get.

GMS
From: jwp@chem.ucsd.edu (John Pierce)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Tai's fake news headers
Date: 17 Nov 92 08:57:17 GMT
Article-I.D.: network.1eac5dINN3dj
Organization: Chemistry Dept, UC San Diego
NNTP-Posting-Host: chedccf0.ucsd.edu

I've gotten somewhat tired of the fact that "Tai" hides behind a bogus
news header.  In the ten or twelve years I've been running news, it's
always been considered exceptionally bad form to allow people at your
organization to fake news headers.  Since it appears from the headers
that he's posting via a machine at NCSU, I've asked people there to see
if they can put an end to the header faking.

-- John W Pierce, Chemistry, UC San Diego
   jpierce@ucsd.edu