Table of Contents - Southern CT MENSAscm66.org/nl/Mensa eChron 2018_02.pdf · Panera Bread, 1860...

Table of Contents

Welcome New Members ............................................................................................... 1

SCM Chapter Events–February 2018 ........................................................................... 2

2018 Chapter Business Meetings ................................................................................ 3

Help Wanted .................................................................................................................. 3

CT & Western MA Mensa Chapter–Upcoming Events ............................................... 4

Region 1 RVC Roundup ................................................................................................ 6

January Business Meeting Minutes ............................................................................ 7

News from the Chapter President ................................................................................ 8

Culture Quest Deadlines ............................................................................................... 8

Member Anniversaries .................................................................................................. 9

The November Monthly Dinner .................................................................................. 12

Southern Connecticut Mensa Treasury Report ........................................................ 15

Word Check ................................................................................................................. 16

Puzzles & Questions ................................................................................................... 17

Answers to Some of the January Chronicle Questions ........................................... 18

Noted & Quoted ........................................................................................................... 20

Announcements & Notices ......................................................................................... 22

SCM Chronicle - Advertising Rates ........................................................................... 25

Mensa Chapter #066 - Officers 2017-2018 ................................................................. 26

Welcome New Members

Simon Malian, Norwalk

John Raffaeli, Stamford

Kate Stroud, Riverside

Southern Connecticut Mensa eChron Vol. 27, No.2–February 2018

SCM Chapter Events–February 2018 Saturday, February 3, 2:00 pm The Art of Neon Light – Southern Connecticut Mensa Museum Outing Neuberger Museum of Art, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY

Just what you need for bleak mid-winter: enjoy luminous art with saturated color and glowing lines. Featuring glass-bending artists such as Stephen Antonakos, Chryssa, Otto Piene, Cerith Wyn Evans. Free Admission. Museum parking $6. Contact host Bruce Miller if you would like to meet for noon lunch across the street at the Cobble Stone Pub. Family and friends welcome. I'll be wearing my signature Hawaiian shirt so you can find the group.

Mobile (203) 554-0903. Email [email protected] exhibition: http://tinyurl.com/neonpurchase directions: http://tinyurl.com/carpathsuny lunch: http://thecobblestonerestaurant.com Tuesday, February 6, 6:30 pm Book Discussion at the Diner Silver Star Diner, 210 Connecticut Ave. (Post Rd.), Norwalk, CT (http://www.silverstarct.com/) Come talk about books you have read recently. Drop in and join the conversation. RSVP to Jim Mizera at [email protected] or text or call (203) 522-1959. Wednesday, February 7, 7:00 pm Southern Connecticut and Connecticut/Western Massachusetts Joint Dinner John's Best Pizza, ShopRite Plaza, Federal Road, Brookfield, CT We’re moving our dinner to the first Wednesday of each month. Join us for some great pizza (and other Italian food) as well as a wide variety of conversational topics. Casual, fun, and low-key evening. Interested M’s should contact Merrill Loechner at [email protected] . Thursday, February 15, 7:00 pm Southern Connecticut Mensa Board Meeting – Teleconference Contact Joan Coprio at [email protected] for call directions or to add something to the agenda. Saturday, February 17, 6:30 pm Southern Connecticut Monthly Dinner Panera Bread, 1860 Post Road, East Westport, CT 06880 Fellow Mensa member Rick D’amico will talk about archery. Contact Jim Mizera at [email protected] or text or call (203) 522-1959 for reservations or info. RSVP strongly encouraged. Dress is casual. We will enjoy dinner before the presentation (if you have the Panera app, you can pre-order). Members who have not attended a monthly dinner before will get dinner for free or get a free Panera gift card. You can bring a donation of money or food to benefit the Connecticut Food Bank.

mailto:[email protected]

http://tinyurl.com/neonpurchase

http://tinyurl.com/carpathsuny

http://thecobblestonerestaurant.com/

http://www.silverstarct.com/





tel:(203)%20522-1959


Thursday, February 22, 7:30 pm–9:30 pm Southern Connecticut Mensa Coffee Party Starbucks, 1079 High Ridge Rd., Stamford, CT (off Merritt exit 35 and next to Trader Joe's) Host: Bruce Miller, (203) 554-0903, [email protected]

2018 Chapter Business Meetings February 15 – Teleconference March 15 – Teleconference April 19 – In person May 17 – Teleconference June 21 – Teleconference July 19 – In person August 16 – Teleconference September 20 – Teleconference October 18 – In person November 15 – Teleconference December 20 – Teleconference

Help Wanted

As many of you know, the Mensa Foundation scholarship competition is heating up at the local level. On February 16, the best essays from each local group come to me for the next round of judging. I’d love to get a couple of readers from each local group in Region 1. Can you recommend anyone who might be interested in reading essays this year? The main requirement is that regional judges cannot have been a judge at the local level this year. All judging will be done online and by e-mail. Please have any potential judges contact me directly if they have any other questions. Greg Draves Region 1 Scholarship Chair [email protected]




CT & Western MA Mensa Chapter–Upcoming Events This is not a complete listing. Details regarding these and other C&WM events can be found at: http://www.cwm.us.mensa.org/members/member-page.htm (Mensa ID and Password required). You can also check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/123261321217597/. Friday, February 2, 5:30 pm First Friday Happy Hour and Dinner (Wallingford) Michael’s Trattoria, 344 Center St., Wallingford, (203) 269-5303 Contact Ann.cell (8__) 817-9910. Saturday, February 3, 10:00 am 1st Saturday Breakfast (Springfield Area) Casa Café, 520 N Main St., East Longmeadow, MA Directions: From I-91 (25 minutes from Northampton) take Exit 2 (MA 83 South). Go left at the light at the top of the hill, right at the next light onto Sumner, and then slightly right onto Main St (Rt. 83.) RSVP to: (8__) 810-7370 (voice or text). Sunday, February 4, 12:00 pm Indian Buffet Lunch (Middletown) Haveli India Restaurant, 1300 South Main St., Rte 17, South Middletown The food is enticing, the staff is friendly, and the company is the best to be had anywhere! Join us at Haveli India Restaurant for an all-you-can-eat $9.95 buffet. New members are particularly welcome at this event. To read about the restaurant, or get directions, please see http://www.haveliindia.com/. RSVP required. Call Barb for a reservation: (8__) 632-7873 or email Barbmft1 gmail.com Wednesday, February 7, 6:00 pm Discussion Group (Old Saybrook, CT) A new discussion Group intended to help us clarify our thinking about ideas like Justice or Truth. The first topic will be “Happiness.” Sometimes saying an idea out loud and hearing others' reactions enables us to shape our lives in more productive ways. We'll meet for the first time at my home in Old Saybrook at 6:00 PM. I'll provide a good soup and bread, so we can dine and discuss at the same time. Contact Ann F. at (8__) 388-1893. Saturday, February 10, 12:30 pm Book Club (Cromwell, CT) This month we meet at Howie and Bev’s in Cromwell to discuss The Sun's Heartbeat and Other Stories from the Life of the Star that Powers Our Planet by Bob Berman. Call Howie or Bev for reservations, info, or directions or to be included in our advance-notice email list, or if you would like a copy of the more than 100 books we’ve read over the years, just email to Barb H. at Barbmft1 at gmail.com.

Thursday, February 15, 6:30 pm 3rd Thursday Pioneer Valley Dinner Email Ian (mensanian ianfraser.net) for more information, directions, or to RSVP (very much appreciated but not required). New members and guests are encouraged to attend this always friendly and interesting event. We hope to see you there!

http://www.cwm.us.mensa.org/members/member-page.htm%20(Mensa%20ID%20and%20Password%20required)

http://www.haveliindia.com/


Friday, February 23, 5:00 pm 4th Friday Happy Hour (Hamden) The Playwright, http://www.playwrightirishpub.com Contact Ann cell (8__) 817-9910.

Mid-Hudson Mensa Potential Potluck in Holmes, NY A recent transplant from Oregon Mensa, Mid-Hudson Mensa member Daniel Laury is interested in having a themed potluck event at his home in Holmes, NY, 12531. He tells us that he’s had success with home-based, themed events in Oregon, including Mysteries, Movie Night, Medieval Food Night, and the hilarious “Shark Face Party” that you can watch for yourself on YouTube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCiA8gTJz_M If interested in attending or planning, please show your support by contacting Daniel at [email protected] so he can gauge the feasibility of putting this together. With Homes situated between Fishkill, NY, and New Milford, CT, we’re hoping this get-together will feature both NY and CT Mensans!

More Ways to Reach Out to Your Fellow SC Mensans

The Southern Connecticut Mensa Blog https://scm66.wordpress.com/ The Southern Connecticut Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/SCM066/ The Southern Connecticut Twitter Feed https://twitter.com/scmensa66 If you would like to post any last-minute events or information on the blog, email Merrill at [email protected]. Anything posted on the blog will be mirrored on the Facebook page and Twitter feed unless otherwise requested. If you hit the Follow button on the blog and add your email address, you will be automatically notified of all new updates.

http://www.playwrightirishpub.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCiA8gTJz_M

https://scm66.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SCM066/



Region 1 RVC Roundup

For their efforts in testing potential new members, New Hampshire Mensa is one of the five local group Mensa Membership Month winners. Congratulations, New Hampshirite Mensans! At the AMC meeting in Houston, Texas, at the beginning of December, our biggest issue was the transition from the previous Executive Director. We received the Transition Committee’s report and spent half a day in discussions of what the committee learned and is suggesting, and decisions about our next steps. It’s an important topic that should take some time: our last Executive Director was with the organization for twenty years. We are moving ahead with our search for a new Executive Director. Nothing has been decided yet, but our Acting Executive Director, Trevor Mitchell, does seem to have the support of the staff and knowledge of the organization, while still being relatively new to Mensa. It’s an ongoing process that will take several months (as it should). We also received four major reports: Second Vice Chairman Billie Lee discussed the implementation of the Higher Logic software package, which powers the new Mensa Connect online community. RVC6 Taz Criss gave a presentation on the new interactive leadership training project, which is shifting our training documents from printed handbooks to multiple series of online lessons. Membership Officer Henri Buccine-Schraeder discussed the results of the latest membership survey, which focused on internal and external communication and member participation. And Treasurer Deb Stone and Secretary Lisa Maxwell discussed the ASIE Project, which is attempting to codify, clarify, and clean up the all the motions passed by the AMC over the past several decades. We also discussed the process by which sites are selected for future AMC meetings and Mind Games competitions. At the moment, the Site Selection Committee is entertaining bids for the December 2018 and March 2019 AMC meetings, and I already know Greater New York Mensa is interested in bidding for one of them; it’s a long time since the AMC met in the northeast. Mid-Hudson’s Bill Zigo, the recently appointed Coordinator of American Mensa’s SIGHT program, is committed to bringing the program into the modern age, making it responsive to travelers and hosts, so that it can become a greater part of your Mensa experience. On December 12th, I participated in the program: a relatively new Mensan from Hong Kong contacted us via Facebook, and Sara London (the incoming President of Greater New York Mensa) took the lead in arranging a meeting in a Manhattan café. She reached out to me, and I was able to join them for an afternoon’s coffee and discussion. And that’s all it takes to be a good host: the willingness to meet with someone and talk with them. SIGHT hosts can do much more: act as a tour guide, offer sleeping space, whatever. But it doesn’t have to be so complex. Consider extending that hand in greeting to Mensans from outside the local area; it may help you expand your Mensa horizons and make a new friend or two in the process. Remember, the newsletters (and calendars) from your nearby local groups are available to you on the Mensa web site (from the main us.mensa.org web site, pull down the “Read” tab and click on “Local Group Newsletters”), and I urge you to share your events with those surrounding groups’ calendar editors. Keep up to date with the latest goings on in the region in Region 1’s Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/188180494045/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/188180494045/


The upcoming Region 1 Regional Gathering is New Hampshire Mensa’s Silly Walks to the End of the Universe in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (February 16–18): see http://www.nh.us.mensa.org/rgnews.php/ or https://www.facebook.com/groups/92543464390/ And, though not in our region, Central New Jersey Mensa’s Snowball will take place in Iselin, New Jersey, on March 2–4. It’s a large, long-running RG that is remarkably close to many Region 1 members (the RG hotel is 28 miles from my house). Unfortunately, there won’t be any AMC members at the RG, because a scheduling mix-up has the AMC meeting in Denver that same weekend. But I urge you to travel to New Jersey for a weekend that’s always a good time. And registration and hotel reservations are now open for next summer’s Annual Gathering, in Indianapolis. The cost of registration will be increasing on March 1st. For all the details, and to join American Mensa’s big annual get-together, see http://ag.us.mensa.org/ Ian Randal Strock (917) 755-6935 [email protected]

Glossary: AMC: American Mensa Committee, the national board of directors RVC: Regional Vice Chairman, a member of the AMC with responsibility for a specific region of American Mensa Region 1: The northeast region of American Mensa, comprising New England, Northern New Jersey, and most of New York ASIE: Actions Still In Effect, the resolutions adopted by the AMC, subsidiary to the bylaws SIGHT: Service of Information, Guidance, and Hospitality to Travelers

January Business Meeting Minutes In attendance, Joan, Jim, Merrill, Darcy, Elizabeth, Tom, and Erin.

Officer Reports o Darcy, scholarship chair, reported that judges were in the process of evaluating essays

for scholarship o Elizabeth, treasurer, was in the process of providing financials to the newsletter o Tom, webmaster, indicated that he’d recently updated look of website. He also obtained

a Twitter account for the chapter. o Merrill, publications officer, linked blog to new Twitter account o Jim, vice president and editor, reported on change of venue for monthly dinner o Joan, president, indicated she would captain a CultureQuest team this year and would

be able to coordinate summer picnic, but would not be able to coordinate holiday party. She thought we should have a holiday party if we can recruit a coordinator.

Group discussed needs for several open volunteer positions o Youth coordinator—needs certification. Might be a fit for member with young children or

a teacher. o Holiday Party event coordinator o Ombusdman

http://www.nh.us.mensa.org/rgnews.php/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/92543464390/

http://ag.us.mensa.org/



News from the Chapter President

Southern CT Mensans, Greetings! My favorite holiday, Groundhog’s Day, marks the halfway point through winter. I’m always hoping for a cloudy day in Punxatawny, PA, so the furry guy doesn’t see his shadow and thereby predicts an early Spring. Speaking of spring also brings to mind Mensa’s annual trivia contest, CultureQuest. This year’s event (XXIX) is Sunday, April 29, 2018, at 4pm Eastern. Our chapter sponsors one team for CultureQuest. This means we will pay the registration fee ($50.00) for a team of 5 members of any age (must have their dues paid to date by 4/1/18). The deadline for registering our team is March 31, 2018— I’m happy to be the team captain this year, so I just need at least 4 members willing to join me! For those of you (like me) who have done CultureQuest, you know how fun and challenging it is. For those who haven’t, if you like trivia, why not give it a try? I attend a trivia Meetup group and compete in pub trivia contests on a fairly regular basis. From doing that, I know that it’s great to have a diverse team made of people of varying ages and areas of expertise—then no one person has to be an expert in everything! I’d encourage you to look at the information on the American Mensa website. While you’re there, you can sign up for the CultureQuestion of the Day. They’ll email you a trivia question each day, with the answer the following day. The questions are the actual ones used on past tests, so it will give you a good idea of what things are asked. http://www.us.mensa.org/attend/culturequest/ Email me at [email protected] if you are interested in being on our chapter’s CultureQuest team this year—a team is up to 5 members and 2 alternates. Should there be a question about what is the name of the term in gardening for providing an environment for a plant to grow when it otherwise wouldn’t, we’ll be all set! Joan Coprio President, Southern CT Mensa

Culture Quest Deadlines Culture XXIX Quest Calendar and Deadlines

March 31: Entry fee and complete team roster must be received

April 13: Tests mailed to Team Captains

April 29: CultureQuest XXIX

April 30: Tests must postmarked for return

May 25: Corrected tests and scores returned

June 8: Challenges must be received

June 15: Challenge rulings returned to teams

July 4-8: Winners announced at Annual Gathering


Member Anniversaries

The Bell Curve, or, How I Got In to Mensa and Stayed for 30 Years Larry Schwartz is a life member of Mensa; he has the artistic and attractive framed certificate on his basement wall to prove it. The Chronicle newsletter of Southern Connecticut Mensa had a few questions for him about his 30 years in Mensa. Q. Larry, how did you first hear about Mensa, and how did you get involved? A. As a youngster, I had always known about Mensa and had a very positive image of the group. In my twenties, I saw a notice about the Mensa test and I decided to take it. Now, many of you know that I am a mathematician, specializing in statistics. And so it won’t surprise you to know that I’ve always felt that if I took the Mensa test a number of times, I would likely get different scores. Some would be at or above the 98% needed for acceptance, and others would be below. Possibly these scores would form a bell curve typical of many phenomena in the world. So if the testing fee were no object, I could take the test over and over until I passed. I like to joke that I got lucky, having only taken the test once. In fact, I say I may be the least-qualified member since my score was at the bare minimum required for acceptance. Q. In your long and successful career with Bayer, you’ve been involved in outreach, mentoring gifted young students in mathematics and judging science fairs. Would you consider volunteering with the Mensa gifted youth program too? A. Yes. I’ll be retiring from Bayer soon, and one of my many areas of interest is in working with gifted youth. Stay tuned: I may soon have the time to get more involved in that area of Mensa volunteer leadership. My past work has been enriching for me and enjoyable, and I hope to devote more time to it again. Q. What part of the monthly national magazine Mensa Bulletin do you enjoy the most? A. Funny you should ask that, because I joined Mensa for the social aspect but signed up as a life member because I enjoyed the Bulletin so much. I felt that even if the activities side petered out, I would stay just for the magazine. First, I enjoy the Brainwaves Letters to the Editor; it is a good cross-section of what M’s around the country are interested in and talking about. Next, I enjoy the puzzles. Testing my ability is a lot of fun. I am not that interested in the fiction submitted by members, but I really enjoy the “Opening Shots” photo section. Richard Lederer’s column on language fascinates me, and I also enjoy John Blinke’s “SuppleMentally” science review section. Q. Speaking of science, you were the one to tell me about the email Mensa Weekly Brainwave newsletter by Tammy Gibson. What do you like about it? A. Hey, it is free and quick to read. And if you are interested in science, this is a great way to stay up to date on the most fascinating science stories. I look forward to this free and often astonishing resource every Tuesday morning in my email inbox. And in a few months after my retirement, I’ll be able to devote more time to following up on these important stories.


Q. What about AGs (Annual Gatherings) and RGs (Regional Gatherings)? A. I’ve attended a handful of them over the years. They are intellectually stimulating and a boatload of fun. I view Mensa primarily as a social group of like-minded people. The gatherings are a wonderful way to meet exceptional and thought-provoking people and have refreshing conversations about unusual subjects. Q. Many times Mensa members enjoy the many national Special Interest Groups (SIGs). What have you gained from them? A. Wow, if you can’t find a Mensa SIG that fascinates you, then you aren’t breathing. I joined my first SIG on word-play before the Internet. It was all monthly newsletters by mail. Since then, I have been in math, finance, language, and sports SIGs, some by postal mail and others online. They have been an engrossing benefit of my membership over the years. The list of national SIGs is right off the main Mensa website, and there's something for all interests. I’ve made SIG friends all around the country and been exposed to many new ideas. Q. What local Mensa events do you look back on with enjoyment? You have been one of the area’s more popular speakers with your talks about professional gambling. A. Many monthly dinners have had fascinating speakers, as well as good camaraderie. Another member and I started games nights. I’ve been told that these were popular and memorable, and I wish there were more events like this nowadays. The recent Coffee Socials have been convivial and I plan to attend them regularly. I always look for special outings and field trips in the monthly calendar in the Chronicle newsletter. Q. What is the best thing about belonging to Mensa for you? A. Mensa has a very good and well-deserved reputation. I am proud of that reputation, and proud to be a life member.

25 Special Years with Mensa Peter Salzman has been a happy Mensa member for 25 years. Here are some Q&A’s from a recent conversation with Membership Officer Bruce Miller. Q. What is the best thing about being in Mensa, since, obviously, after 25 years, you like it? A. It’s the special glow I feel every day by being a member. It’s really a kind of satisfaction that I met the criteria for membership.


Q. Name some friends and memorable people you have known over the years in Mensa? A. I’d have to say Jim Mizera, Lee Steuber (president when I joined), Larry Schwartz (I still remember his talk about card-counting in Vegas), and Don Bobowick, who hosted our dinners for many years at his family restaurant. Q. Are there any SIGs (Special Interest Groups) you would like to join? A. Yes. I’ve been reading the Sherlock Holmes stories over the last few years with great enjoyment. I’m considering joining the Holmesian Studies SIG. Q. What are your favorite parts of the monthly magazine, The Mensa Bulletin? A. First thing I turn to are the puzzles. I really enjoy them. You know, Larry Schwartz and I exchanged some good math puzzles over the years. Next, I think the letters section always has interesting exchanges in it. And of course I love “SuppleMentally,” the science and astronomy review in every issue. Q. What about the monthly chapter newsletter The Chronicle? A. I especially like the online version, called eChron. Jim Mizera suggested I sign up for it, since it saves the club money (no postage or printing costs) and has more material than the printed copy. I first look at the events, then I enjoy the word definitions, and my favorite part is the quotes. Q. How did you first get involved in Mensa? A. A friend told me about it. He planned to take the test. As a joke, I said I would take the test too. But my wife was so encouraging about the whole idea, that I actually did end up taking the test and I was so pleased that I was accepted. Q. How has Mensa helped you? A. It has helped me be more confident socially, because being a member lets me know that I am as smart as the next person. Confidence is important because I run my own business. And it has helped me through the business contacts I have made in the club. Q. What would you tell a brand new member about getting the most out of Mensa? A. The monthly dinners are a wonderful way to meet people and hear interesting speakers. I never would have had a chance to interact with such fascinating people socially without Mensa. It has been a great 25 years and I plan to be a member for the rest of my life.


The November Monthly Dinner An Evening About Valencia, Spain

About 325,000 U.S. college students are studying abroad this year, and Spain is one of the most popular destinations. Over 25,000 U.S. collegians are there and this fall, Southern CT Mensa president Joan Coprio’s daughter was one of them. Joan took a week off to visit her in historic Valencia and gave us a presentation about her tour at our November monthly dinner.

“Five years ago,” Joan explained, “the Berklee College of Art and Music, Boston, created a campus in the Spanish city of Valencia and set up a program in which students could spend a semester there.” The campus is in the heart of the City of Arts and Sciences, an area dedicated to culture, technology, and art. Completed in 1998, this district within Valencia attracts many tourists because of its museums, parks, plazas, and arts centers. The rest of the city has many historic sites and much classic architecture. Joan said her daughter was picking up the Valencian dialect, which has elements of French, and was able to give her a memorable tour of the city.

Joan showed us photos of her vacation on her I-Pad, which was a first for our monthly dinner. People praised her pictures as “very sharp.” She took a wide variety—of city and shore, of the modern, ancient, and medieval, and of Roman, Moorish, and Christian architecture and art.

Historic and Cultural Sites Valencia is on the east coast of Spain, facing the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the biggest of which is Majorca (also spelled Mallorca). Joan said the temperature was in the low 70s when she was there, fine for walking around and seeing the sights. There was much to photograph because Valencia has a rich history and culture. Joan outlined for us some of its great past—its founding by the Romans, the Visigoth invasion, the Christian ascendancy, the 500 years of rule by the Moors, and the Reconquista that returned Spain to Christian hands. The sites Joan and her daughter toured reflected this diverse cultural history of Spain and Valencia.

Valencia, Joan explained, was founded it in the 2nd century B.C.E. as a retirement place for old Roman soldiers. It wasn’t built in a day, but the Romans destroyed it almost overnight in a civil war in 75 B.C.E, when the great general Pompey attacked rebels holding the city. “It was left in ruins and abandoned for fifty years,” Joan told us. But eventually Rome restored the city, constructing two important roads that intersected at its center and now stand as the Calle Salvador


and Calle Caballeros. Joan had a picture of the crossroads, which connects the city today as it did two millennia ago. The Coprios went underground at the Almoina Archaeological Center, which is built right over archaeological remains. They walked through Valencia’s history, beginning again with the Roman era. Retracing a Roman road, Joan showed us photos of the temple of a Roman water cult and the wells into which they threw coins; the monuments to famous Romans; a carving of a lion; a jail where Romans kept Christians and where skeletons lay; Visigoth and Arab pottery; and more.

Joan and her daughter also saw Rome’s legacy in Alicante, a port city south of Valencia. It is home to a Roman archaeological site and to several museums. Here they visited the remains of an ancient Roman settlement that holds parts of a defensive wall, baths, and a forum, all vivid reminders of Spain under the Empire.

“There are lots of free museums and lots of religious art in Valencia,” Joan said. One of the several museums that Joan admired greatly was the Museum of Ceramics. “The museum was formerly a home,” Joan said, and the photos captured its ornate decorations and lighting. It emphasized the pottery and architecture of old Valencia but also included tileworks developed by the Christians and Moors.

When people hear Spain mentioned, they often think of Don Quixote, knights, kings, and castles. There are thousands of castles in Spain and many have decayed, but Joan and her daughter visited the well-preserved Castle of Valencia, and she shared with us photographs of the its classic staircases, arches, and windows, and a statue of a knight. Focusing on the windows, Joan asked us to imagine the defenders of the castle shooting arrows through them at invaders, and looking at her photos, it was a window into the past.

Joan did not neglect shots of the futuristic Arts and Sciences buildings, including the L’Hemisferic cinema and planetarium, which looks and acts like an eyelid that opens to the water pool around it. Nearby was the Museum of Sciences, which is shaped like a whale’s skeleton. Joan also had a photo of a building that combined the best of old and new in Valencian architecture, the century-old Mercado Central. One of Europe's largest central markets, the domes and sloping sections in its roof and the iron, ceramic, and wood tiles impressively mixed Gothic and Art Nouveau styles.

Fine Cuisine

“There are lots of different cuisines in Valencia,” Joan told us, and she had many photos that displayed the culinary delights. Her daughter took her to some of the many places where visitors can sample the food while leisurely enjoying the scenery. “Outdoor cafes are everywhere”, Joan said, showing us pictures that captured these popular but tranquil havens. Spanish cafes give diners every


chance to relax. “You have to flag the waiter down,” she noted. “Otherwise, they leave you there all day.”

Paella is one of many reasons to linger in its restaurants and cafes. “This is the dish of Valencia—rice with chicken or rabbit,” Joan said, recalling the savory taste. There is also boca tapas, a sandwich which comes in many variations with different mixes of seafood, seasonings, and sauces. Joan enjoyed one in an outdoor cafe on the shore. She spoke like a native when she told us, “It fits perfectly in the hand ... It is the perfect sandwich.”

“They have great bread there,” Joan told us, as she showed us a slide of her daughter eating an inviting baguette. The Spanish love their baguettes and varied breads, their barra de pan, as much as the French do. Joan added that they also love their special café con leche. It is a strong coffee, she said, with very hot milk foam and it is delicioso.

***

Joan visited other wonderful sites and snapped marvelous photos of them all. If you would like to hear more about Valencia, you can ask Joan about it at a future Mensa event or contact her. If you are interested in study abroad, many U.S. colleges offer their own programs. Over 70% of U.S. students studying in foreign countries are in programs sponsored by their colleges. But there are several independent organizations that offer programs, advice, or information. Among them are the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS, https://www.aifsabroad.com/), the International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP, https://www.isepstudyabroad.org/), and the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES, https://www.iesabroad.org/). Check the web for more information.

The February Monthly Dinner: Rick D’amico, a longtime Southern CT Mensan and competitive archer, will give a talk and presentation about archery.

https://www.isepstudyabroad.org/

https://www.iesabroad.org/


Southern Connecticut Mensa Treasury Report

Fiscal Year 4/1/2017 - 3/31/2018

Opening treasury balance at 4/1/2017 13,003.72$

INFLOWS

American Mensa Member support:

Current members @ $0.85 (Mar = 319) 271.15

Current members @ $0.85 (Apr = 265) 225.25

Current members @ $0.85 (May = 270) 229.50

Current members @ $0.85 (June = 275) 233.75

Current members @ $0.85 (July = 283) 240.55

Current members @ $0.85 (Aug = 285) 242.25

Current members @ $0.85 (Sep = 290) 246.50

Current members @ $0.85 (Oct = 296) 251.60

Current members @ $0.85 (Nov = 302) 256.70

New members @ $1 20.00

Reinstated members @$1 each 15.00

Testing Rate @$15 255.00

Testing Stipend @$25 75.00

TOTAL INFLOWS 2,562.25$

OUTFLOWS

Chronicle postage 741.82

Chronicle printing/supplies 676.56

Microsoft Office monthly fee 63.54

Speakers, dinners 375.39

Speakers, donation 50.00

Entertainment: picnic 542.97

Testing Expenses 364.20

TOTAL OUTFLOWS 2,814.48$

3rd Qtr Treasury Balance at 12/31/2017 12,751.49$

o/s checks:

3rd Qtr Bank Balance at 12/31/2017 12,751.49$


Word Check Define these verbs that end in “–ate.” 1. ablate – 2. cantillate – 3. conflate – 4. decollate – 5. depilate – 6. dissimulate –

7. elate – 8. gratulate – 9. interpellate – 10. invigilate – 11. obnubulate – 12. spoliate –

Answers: 1. ablate – to remove by cutting, abrading, or evaporating. 2. cantillate – to chant; intone. 3. conflate – 1. to bring together; fuse, merge. 2. to combine into a composite whole. 3. to

mistakenly treat things as equivalent. 4. decollate – to behead, decapitate. 5. depilate – to remove the hair from. 6. dissimulate – to disguise or conceal under a false appearance; to dissemble. 2. to conceal

one’s true motives, thoughts by using some pretense. 7. elate – to make very happy or proud. 8. gratulate – 1. to hail with joy; to express joy at. 2. to express joy. 3. to congratulate. 9. interpellate – to call formally upon, such as with a member of government. 10. invigilate – 1. to keep watch. 2. (British) to keep watch over students at an exam. 11. obnubulate – 1. to cloud over, becloud. 2. to obscure. 12. spoliate – to plunder, rob, or ruin.


Puzzles & Questions (Answers may be in next month’s Chronicle newsletter) 1. Synthesize these two adages into one that is short and artful but more truthful than each of

them: “He who hesitates is lost” and “Look before you leap.” 2. How many films did these actors and actresses appear in together?

a) Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor b) Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall c) Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland d) Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers e) Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn f) Clark Gable and Carol Lombard

3. How should a guilty criminal who is sentenced to 3, 5, or 10 years in prison spend his prison

time? 4. What were the 12 industrial companies that comprised the first Dow Jones Industrial Average

in 1896? 5. About how often do these mental states happen to a person in a year?

a) Eureka moments b) serendipity c) tip-of-the tongue d) déjà vu e) mental blocks

6. About how many and what percentage of the world’s Muslims are Arabs? 7. What are the best war movies? What are the best anti-war movies? 8. In what year did these events occur?

a) Great Fire of London b) Signing of Magna Charta c) Invention of the printing press by Gutenberg d) Death of Julius Caesar e) Publication of Noah Webster’s first dictionary.

9. Outline the fitness and exercise trends and fads that have occurred since 1970. 10. A 10 kg (~22 lbs) Snowman begins to melt. It melts at 1% of its remaining weight each hour.

How long will it take for it to melt to virtually nothing? 11. How can you become a Renaissance man or woman? 12. What Connecticut towns does Amtrak stop in on its two routes that pass through the state? 13. Name the most common themes in these cartoons: Beetle Bailey; Blondie (& Dagwood);

Hagar the Horrible; Peanuts.


14. a) How far is Mt. Kilimanjaro from the equator? b) How far up on Kilimanjaro does snow occur? c) Where does the name “Kilimanjaro” come from?

15. What is the best school of thought for literary criticism? 16. Approximately what percentage of the U.S. land area is water? 17. How often should math teachers give quizzes? 18. What was the highest scoring season, measured in team points per game, in National

Basketball Association (NBA) history? 19. Describe or investigate how Catalonia differs from the rest of Spain culturally and

economically. 20. In the 2017–2018 NFL season just completed, what was the percentage of dropped passes

(Dropped Pass % = (Dropped Passes)/(Dropped Passes + Receptions)?

Answers to Some of the January Chronicle Questions 2. What is 2018 in Roman numerals? A: MMXVIII. 4. How many towns are there in Westchester County, New York? A: Westchester 25 municipalities—6 cities (Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, White

Plains, Peekskill, and Rye City) and 19 towns. It also has 23 villages, which may overlap towns. Its population is about 975,000 people. Although smaller than Fairfield County, it has about 25,000 more people.

6. What is the highest mountain in Connecticut? A: Bear Mountain in Salisbury is the mountain with the highest summit in Connecticut,

about 2,323 feet (708 meters). Salisbury, which is in Litchfield County, is the most northwest town in Connecticut. Mt. Frissell, which is nearby and whose peak is in Massachusetts, is the mountain with the highest point in the Connecticut. It’s south slope in Salisbury reaches 2,379 feet (725 m.).

8. Who was the first pilot to fly an airplane across the Pacific Ocean? A: The U.S. aviator Clyde Panghorn (1895–1958) and his co-pilot Hugh Herndon were the

first to fly nonstop across the Pacific Ocean. On October 4–5, 1931, they flew from Japan to Washington state in the U.S. in slightly over 41 hours. A few years earlier, Australian pilot Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew had made a three-stage flight from Oakland, Calif. across the Pacific to Brisbane, Australia. They left Oakland on May 31, 1928 and arrived in Brisbane on June 9, 1928. The distance of their trip was about 11, 566 km (7,187 mi).


10. What is the population of the Spanish province La Mancha? A: The autonomous region of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain has a population of about

2,040,000 people (2016 estimate). Its capital is Toledo (population 83,000) but its largest city is Albacete, with a population of 173,000. La Mancha is a southern region of Castilla-La Mancha

12. Where did the Art Deco artistic style get its name from? A: Art Deco is short for the French phrase Arts Décoratifs, part of the name of the 1925

Paris World’s Fair, the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts). The fair ran from April to October 1925, and featured modern art, architecture, and interior design from 20 nations.

14. How many moons are there orbiting the planets of our solar system? A: There are estimated to be 184 moons orbiting the planets and dwarf planets in our solar

system. Jupiter has 69 moons, Saturn 62, Uranus 27, Neptune 14, Mars 2. Mercury and Venus have no moons. Of the dwarf planets, Pluto has 5 moons, Haumea 2, Makemake 1, Eris 1, and Ceres has none.

16. What are the earliest and latest dates on the Gregorian calendar that the Chinese New Year

can begin on? A: The first day of the Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 20. The

last day of the festival, the Lantern Festival, is 15 days later. 18. When was the first film of The Wizard of Oz made? A: The first film of the Wizard of Oz was a 13-minute silent film made in 1910. L. Frank

Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz, wrote the first play of The Wizard, a musical that was produced in 1902.

20. How fast do the fastest National Hockey League (NHL) players skate? A: The fastest skaters approach 30 mph. Hall of Famer Bobby Hull was clocked skating at

29.7 mph without a puck and 28.3 with it. The world 500-meter speed skating record is 52.97 km/hr (32.91 mph) set by Pavel Kulizhnikov of Russia in the 2015 speed skating World Cup.

22. In the 2016 National Football League regular season (256 games), how many times did a

quarterback pass for more than 300 yards in a game? A: NFL quarterbacks threw for 300 or more yards 118 times in the 256 games played in

2016–2017 season, which was 23% of the quarterback starts in the season.


Noted & Quoted The empire long united must divide, long divided must unite; this is how it has always been. -Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Vol. 1 As every divided kingdom falls, so every mind divided between many studies confounds and saps itself. - Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Words were her plague and words were her redemption. - Hilda Doolittle (1886–1961), U.S. poet No man is a man until he has been a soldier. - Louis de Bernieres, Corelli's Mandolin: A Novel Life is a complicated melodrama without a plot. - Anonymous We live by encouragement and die without it - slowly, sadly and angrily. - Celeste Holm (1917–2012), U.S. actress Only in water can you learn to swim. - Czech proverb The radio craze will die out in time. - Thomas A. Edison (1847–1931) A speech without a specific purpose is like a journey without a destination. - Ralph C. Smedley (1878–1965), U.S. founder of Toastmasters International Simplicity is an acquired taste. - Katharine Gerould (1879–1944), U.S. essayist Reality is an acquired taste. - Robert Fritz (1943–), U.S. management consultant We live in an era of organized irresponsibility. - Otto Scharmer (1961–), lecturer MIT The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there. - Robert M. Pirsig (1928–2017), U.S. novelist Time is not the great teacher. Experience is. - Shannon L. Alder, U.S. psychological writer Experience by itself teaches nothing... Without theory, experience has no meaning. Without theory, one has no questions to ask. Hence, without theory, there is no learning. - W. Edwards Deming (1900–1993), U.S. statistician The moment a person forms a theory his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory. -Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) To live is to experience things, not sit around pondering the meaning of life. - Paulo Coelho (1947–), Brazilian poet


Your habits will determine your future. - Jack Canfield (1944–), U.S. entrepreneur It is easy to perform a good action, but not easy to acquire a settled habit of performing such actions. - Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.) The good man makes others good. - Menander (342–291 B.C.E), Greek dramatist Good always has opportunity. We need to give it motive. Evil always has motive. We need to deny it opportunity. - Robert Brault, U.S. aphorist For even in dreams a good deed is not lost. - Pedro Calderon de la Barca (1600–1681), Spanish dramatist The exhaustion of the passions is the beginning of wisdom. - James Hilton (1900–1954), English novelist Why didn't you tell me I was in love with you? - Gene Kelly, (For Me and My Gal You treat a lady like a dame, and a dame like a lady. - Frank Sinatra, Pal Joey I just put my feet in the ground and move them around. - Fred Astaire (1899–1987), U.S. dancer A river without banks is a large puddle. - Ken Blanchard (1939–), U.S. business consultant Mechanical Engineers build weapons, Civil Engineers build targets. - Anonymous If you are in trouble anywhere in the world, an airplane can fly over and drop flowers, but a helicopter can land and save your life. - Igor Sikorsky (1889–1972), Russian-American aviation inventor You haven't seen a tree until you've seen its shadow from the sky. - Amelia Earhart (1897–1937?), U.S. aviator Repetition is the mother of all learning. - Roman proverb


Announcements & Notices The Curious Guide to Things That Aren’t, by John D. Fixx and James F. Fixx, illustrated by Abby Carter The Curious Guide to Things That Aren't features thoughtful riddles—one for each letter of the alphabet—paired with engaging illustrations that reveal and explain the answer. Each spread features a riddle with several clues about an intangible item, such as air, breath, or jokes. Kids then have to figure out the answers through detective work and a little creative reasoning. The clues on each page progress from challenging, more abstract clues to a simple, final clue that encourages the reader to turn the page to discover the answer. The book covers a broad range of themes, including science, language, social studies, math, music, and art. The Curious Guide to Things That Aren't teaches creative thinking through deductive reasoning, listening skills, and imagination. https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Guide-Things-That-Arent/dp/1633221768 Games for the Superintelligent Those who thrill to a mind-bending challenge have met their match in this one-of-a-kind collection. Readers can match wits with an elite class of master problem-solvers in a wide variety of math, logic, and word games. These games are inspired by members of MENSA, the organization made up of people with an I.Q. of 140 or more. Puzzle addict James Fixx invites readers to sharpen their pencils and their wits. https://books.google.com/books/about/Games_for_the_Superintelligent.html?id=tyNAPgAACAAJ

Books by Eric Lehman, Amy Nawrocki Prof. Eric Lehman of the University of Bridgeport, the speaker at our January 2010 and September 2016 monthly dinners, has 12 books available on www.amazon.com, including fiction, poetry, and nonfiction works about history, literary history, travel, nature, and food. His most recent book is his novel Shadows of Paris (Homebound Publications, August 2016). He published four books in 2015, including his acclaimed history Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New London. Eric has also coauthored 3 books about Connecticut with his wife, Prof. Amy Nawrocki, including Literary Connecticut: The Hartford Wits, Mark Twain and the New Millennium (History Press, 2014). You can view these books and Prof. Nawrocki’s books of poetry at https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Nawrocki/e/B00IXP5MZC/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1.

Copyright and Permissions: What Every Writer and Editor Should Know Do I need permission to reproduce something I found on the Internet? If so, how do go about it? How long does copyright last? What if I want to copyright something I created? In her brief book, Mensan Elsa Peterson (Obuchowski) provides an engaging, accessible guide to the basics of copyright and permissions as they apply to writing, editing, and publishing. Available as an e-book or in print on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Copyright-permissions-Elsa-Peterson/dp/188040723X) and Lulu (http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/elsa-peterson/copyright-and-permissions/paperback/product-

20563038.html)

https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Guide-Things-That-Arent/dp/1633221768

https://books.google.com/books/about/Games_for_the_Superintelligent.html?id=tyNAPgAACAAJ

https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Nawrocki/e/B00IXP5MZC/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1

https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Nawrocki/e/B00IXP5MZC/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1

https://www.amazon.com/Copyright-permissions-Elsa-Peterson/dp/188040723X)

http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/elsa-peterson/copyright-and-permissions/paperback/product-20563038.html

http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/elsa-peterson/copyright-and-permissions/paperback/product-20563038.html


Announcing New Baseball Website Young Southern Connecticut Mensan Benjamin Stransky has just launched his baseball website www.ratatatstats.com. It’s got videos, stats, and team news. Get ready for the season and stay informed.

Classic Cars Patrick Foster, the speaker at the February 2016 Southern CT Mensa Monthly Dinner, has written 21

books about classic cars. To see a selection of Pat’s books, search www.amazon.com/patrick+foster .

Structural Integrations Sessions http://structuraltransformations.com/ Yonathan Hormadaly - Mensan and advanced practitioner of the Rolf Method of Structural Integration with offices in Stamford, CT, and Redding, CT. In practice since 2002. For new clients, I am offering a free first session at my office in Connecticut ($150 value). No strings attached, no commitments necessary. Structural Integration is something that must be experienced as words so often do it no justice, and there is no better way to experience it than to have a session. Call to schedule an appointment or for a free phone consultation. 203-550-6888,

[email protected].

http://www.ratatatstats.com/

http://www.amazon.com/patrick+foster

http://structuraltransformations.com/



SCM Chronicle - Advertising Rates Short Classified Ads: free to Mensa members and subscribers, $2.00 per month and $20.00 per year for others. Send copy to the editor. Display Ads: Full Page, $50; half page, $30; quarter page or business card, $15. Discounts for Display Ads: 10% for three issues, 20% for six issues, 30% for 12 issues. All ads must be paid in advance, checks payable to Southern Connecticut Mensa.

The Chronicle is the official publication of Southern Connecticut Mensa The views expressed in this publication are the views of the individuals submitting items for publication, and do not represent the opinions of American Mensa, Ltd., the Chapter Executive Committee, or the Newsletter Editor (unless so stated in the article). Unless otherwise noted, material is not copyrighted and may be used in other publications, subject to notification of the Chronicle Editor, and receipt of two copies to the Editor (one for the Editor, one for the Author).

Change of Address To change your address on the web, login at https://www.us.mensa.org and select the Edit Profile link. You may also email, or write to: American Mensa, Ltd. Membership Department 1229 Corporate Dr. West Arlington, TX 76006-6103

https://www.us.mensa.org/

https://www.us.mensa.org/


Mensa Chapter #066 - Officers 2017-2018 Southern Connecticut Mensa Officers

TITLE NAME E-MAIL

President Joan Coprio [email protected]

Vice President Jim Mizera [email protected]

Secretary Frank Skornia [email protected]

Treasurer Elizabeth Cortright [email protected]

Membership Officer Bruce Miller [email protected]

Web Master Thomas O'Neill [email protected]

Member-At-Large Erin Davis [email protected]

Proctor, Testing & Recruiting Debra Jennings [email protected]

Scholarship Chair Darcy Sledge [email protected]

Editor Jim Mizera [email protected]

Publications Officer Merrill Loechner [email protected]

Region 1 Vice Chairman Ian Randal Strock [email protected]

American Mensa, Ltd. 1229 Corporate Drive West Arlington, TX 76006-6103 Phone: (817) 607-0060 Fax: (817) 649-5232 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.us.mensa.org









http://www.us.mensa.org/

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