SEP-OCT 2016
From the Editor: September-October is a season of festivals, and so, of celebrations. That is where we get our cover photo for this issue – Durga Pooja celebrations. This October marks the 70th Anniversary of Mensa International – all the more reason to celebrate! In this issue, Prasanna Seshadri acquaints us with the events at the World Sudoku and Puzzle Championship straight from Senec, Slovakia. The puzzle page will now be authored by Rajesh Kumar, a National Puzzle champion. The colourful events of Mumbai chapter are captured in pictures on page 13 of the issue. Hope the readers enjoy the issue.
By
About Contributors
Page no. 2
Shreya Gupta
3
Deep Mody
5
Solution to Jul-Aug Crossword
Delhi Mensa Crossword SIG
7
Wordsmith: River bank and Seacoast
Gagan Girotra
8
WSC/WPC Report
Prasanna Seshadri
9
Sep-Oct Crossword
Delhi Mensa Crossword SIG
11
The Puzzle Page: Non-consecutive Sudoku
Rajesh Kumar
12
Mensa India – Mumbai Chapter Events
Mumbai Chapter
13
Tech Talk – LiFi Technology Deep Thought – Human Time
Durga Pooja – Picture by Surya Basu
Submissions: Send your articles and contributions in plain text format and pictures in high resolution .jpg format to: editor.mensaindia@gmail.com
Disclaimer:
~Durva Damle, Editor, Mind Contents
On the Cover:
All contents in this magazine are opinions of the individual authors and contributors. Neither Mensa India, the society, its office bearers nor the editors are responsible for any content or views expresses.
Feedback: Like it, love it or hate it? Tell us how to make the MInd magazine better. Write in to the editor at editor.mensaindia@gmail.com
ABOUT CONTRIBUTORS: ABOUT CONTRIBUTORS
Shreya Gupta is a second year student pursuing B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering from IGDTUW. Hailing from New Delhi, she enjoys music along with singing and dancing. A passion for learning about the new technological innovations and presenting her ideas to the world is what inspires her the most. The link to her blog is: http://developmentandopinions.blogspot.in/ Deep Mody is an XLRI ate and a Mensan; thorough professional with over a decade of praxis in various realms of Human Resource Management. Also a Change Leader with evolving prowess into Appreciative Inquiry, Emotional Intelligence and Positive Organisation Development. Link to his blog: http://emotionallystreet-smart.blogspot.com/ Gagan Girotra is an IIT Roorkee& IIM Calcutta alumnus and worked as an Investment Banker in Singapore until he realized there is a life to live. At present, he is an entrepreneur engaged in building a Delhi-based edutech enterprise. Surya Basu is from Kolkata living in Mumbai since 2011. Photography is one one of his hobbies. He started with it in college (Jadavpur University) that had an excellent photography club. He learnt the basics when digital was not in the mass market. The club had cranky old film cameras which they could borrow and take out for a day. So the initial phase in photography was all on films which is a very good thing as the limitations enforced by the medium makes you a much better photographer. Then as with others he moved to digital and photography that has been a part of life ever since. Kishore Asthana: B.E. (Mechanical Engg), PGDBM (IIM-Ahmedabad), ex-Tata Administrative Service. Social Activist. Occasional author & columnist. President, Mensa India, Mensa Proctor. President, Project Dhruv. Rajesh Kumar is a Puzzler and Puzzle creator. He has won Indian National Puzzle Championship five times in years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009. As a puzzle-maker, He has contributed puzzles to International championships like 24 Hours Puzzle Championship, and several other Indian National championships like Sudoku Mahabharat and Puzzle Ramayan. Link to his blog: www.FunWithPuzzles.com PrasannaSeshadri is a Puzzler and Puzzle-Master at Grandmaster Puzzles; was the Indian Double Champion in 2013 having won both the Indian Sudoku and Indian Puzzle Championships. As a puzzlemaker, Prasanna has contributed puzzles to the World Puzzle Championship, the 24HPC, and several other national championships; Associated with Logic Masters India. Blog: https://prasannaseshadri.wordpress.com/ More of his puzzles can be found at: http://www.gmpuzzles.com
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TECH TALK Li-Fi Technology
Until recently, whenever people first heard the word ‘Li-Fi’ they thought it was a typo, and maybe the user actually meant Wi-Fi only. The concept of Li-Fi has recently gained popularity and it’s reasons are pretty obvious. For all the high speed-connectivity lovers, Li-fi came as a blessing. But don’t get excited just yet, lets shed some light on what this concept actually is. Let’s start with basics.. •
First occurrence: Term coined by professor Harald Hass from the University of Edinburgh, during TED talk in 2011.
•
What?- Li-Fi aka Light fidelity, a Visible Light Communications (VLC) system running wireless communications travelling at very high speeds.
•
How?- Enables data transfer using common household LEDs (light emitting diodes)
•
Why?- boosts speeds up to 224Gb/s (approximately 11000x times faster than the present speeds used in Wi-Fi)
•
Transmission: Li-Fi and Wi-Fi aren’t all that different when it comes to data transmission, they both use electromagnetic waves to do so. The difference being, Wi-fi uses radio waves and Li-Fi uses visible light.
•
Device: contains -a photo detector to receive light signals -a signal processing element to convert the data into 'stream-able' content.
•
Process: The constant current of electricity supplied to the LED lightbulb will be dipped and dimmed, up and down at extremely high speeds, without being visible to the human eye. These tiny changes during the rapid dimming of LED bulbs are then converted by the 'receiver' into an electrical signal. The signal is then converted back into a binary data stream that we would recognise as web, video and audio applications that run on internet enables devices.
Advantages
Speed! – As already mentioned 224Gb/s is way faster than the normal Wi-fi speed of 20Mb/s (approximately 11000x times) Security- Light cannot pass through walls, this ensure greater security on local networks. Interference – Since light cannot pass through walls, there will also be less interference between devices
Where?- Can be used wherever visible light transmitters are present
Working:•
•
The question that arises is what is so different about Li-Fi, when we already have Wi-Fi? 3
TECH TALK Li-Fi Technology Disadvantages Connectivity- Since light cannot pass through walls, capable LEDs will have to be places all around the house, to fully exploit the benefits of Li-Fi. Keeping lights on- Li-Fi won’t work unless the light bulbs is switched on, that means keeping the light bulbs on, during the daytime too!
In November 2015, pureLiFi and French lighting company Lucibel collaborated, aiming to bring out Li-Fi enabled products in 2016. PureLiFi already has two products in the market: Li-Flame Ceiling Unit- used to connect to an LED light fixture and, Li-Flame Desktop Unit- connects to a device via USB, Both aiming to provide light and connectivity in one device. The amalgamation of Internet of Things devices and Li-Fi will bring about an incredible boost in opportunities for various retailers and businesses alike. Whether or not Li-Fi will live up to everyone’s expectations is yet to be seen.
"All we need to do is fit a small microchip to every potential illumination device and this would then combine two basic functionalities: illumination and wireless data transmission," Haas said. "In the future we will not only have 14 billion light bulbs, we may have 14 billion Li-Fis deployed worldwide for a cleaner, greener and even brighter future." https://youtu.be/NaoSp4NpkGg ~ Shreya Gupta
Li-Fi verdict
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DEEP THOUGHT Human Time
“Clocks measure other clocks, they don’t measure Time.”
Now broadening our view, let us compare all these three cycles with no. of cycles a minute hand completes on a watch. No. of rose cycles per minute hand cycle; no. of giant wheel cycles per minute hand cycle, no. of customers served per minute hand cycle and river water flowing per minute hand cycle. Will they be consistent?
I heard this in a movie and it totally makes sense. Let’s discuss how…. Let’s look at an example. Consider a rose garden which has a giant wheel next to it. If someone was to keep a track and calculate no. of roses grown, flourished and died (completed cycle) when the giant wheel completed 100 rounds, the report would show highly varied rose cycles per 100 giant wheel cycles, wouldn’t it?
Everything has its own way of happening, own pattern, own cycle of occurrence. We can count the no. of cycles and try to compare a cycle with another, but constantly trying to match two cycles EVEERYTIME…. Hmmm….. May not be best thing to do….
Near the rose garden there is also a hotel. If someone was to keep a track of no. of giant wheel cycles completed per 100 customers served (came to hotel, ate and left); i.e. giant wheel cycle per 100 customers served cycle, the report would again show varied no. of giant wheel cycles, wouldn’t it?
What if we try to define Time and understand what it is / can be… ‘Time is state of Being’. A completed cycle can be defined as metric for a unit of Time of that cycle. What Clocks do when they complete a cycle can be termed as Clock Time. Clock Time is not absolute. It is just a reference system. Everything has its own time…. Rose Time, Giant wheel Time, Customer serviced Time, River water flowing Time or say Human Time…
A river flows by the hotel and that same person also tried keeping a track of no. of customers served per 100 litres of water flowing… Well again the ratio wouldn’t be consistent, isn’t it? All of these cycles don’t match with each other because a rose cycle, giant wheel cycle, customer serviced cycle and river water flowing cycle have their own ways of happening, their own constraints and their own parameters affecting them. If someone tries to increase any of the three ratios mentioned above, they need to understand how exactly each cycle works and what effects the cycle. If someone has to increase the no. of customers served per 100 litres of river water flowing,that person must understand how exactly does customer served cycle work & what impacts it. For example, if a section of that hotel is closed due to maintenance or reserved for someone, no of tables available to serve will be less, hence less customers served. Similarly, giant wheel usually moves when it has enough no. of people sitting in it, for very few no. of people it may not start; hence, no. of giant wheel cycles completed per 100 customers served would vary also.
Humans usually are referred to as physical body and Mind, so does Human Time…. It refers to ‘Body Time’ and ‘Mind Time’. There is different cycle for the body to be awake and to sleep; Awake Time and Sleep Time. Body tells you when it wants to sleep and it tells you when it wants to wake up, trying to synchronise those cycles with Minute hand cycle is where everything goes for a toss. Even is body is not done with sleep cycle or say not completed Sleep Time, we force our body to entire in Awake Time only because we want it to match with Clock Time; that is forcibly killing a Rose just so we have Rose Cycle matching Minute hand cycle… Take a moment here to read the above para again…. Move ahead ONLY if it makes sense… Only if you think Body Time is different from 5
DEEP THOUGHT Human Time
Clock Time… Trying to match bodily activities like when to eat, when to wake up, etc. is actually forcing to break the cycle just because we want it to be in sync with Minute hand cycle… In reality, our body is equipped to give us alerting signals when one cycle is complete and other must be started…
completed Thought is when we can consider a unit of Mind Time passed… Take a pause here to read the above para again… See if it makes sense… Complete the Thought of understanding it… :-) Times when we are thinking about something; i.e. trying to complete a Thought, Mind Time has not elapsed… While compared with Minute hand cycle, Clock Time might’ve elapsed, but Mind Time elapses only when the Thought is complete… A rough analogy can be figured when someone meditates and by the time someone is done completing a Thought in meditation, the no. of Minute hand cycles elapsed will have ABSOLUTELY no relevance…. Two people reading a book will need EXACTLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF HUMAN TIME… Same no. of Thoughts pass through Mind, but the Clock Time may vary because it is irrelevant… Let’s understand ahead why this happens…
Human Time is different from Clock Time… Trying to synchronise them both may be required when some important tasks are to be completed; like maybe hitting a target by Army, but How Much Is Too Much? Have we taken it too far trying to synchronise every physical and mental activity with minute hand cycle? Nothing in the universe, in its natural form, follows Clock Time, even Sun has its own cycle of rising and setting… Attempting to synchronise is an unnatural phenomenon that we are forcing, shouldn’t it be limited to cases where we ABSOLUTELY cannot do away without it???... Moving ahead a little, we know about concept of Time being relative and the famous example of Time passing fast when we are sitting with a loved one compared to Time passing very slowly when we are sitting on a hot pan…
I know I’m going too fast in throwing a lot of new information in every line… Do let yourself complete your Thoughts by reading and rereading as many times you like before moving ahead…
We need to understand what Mind Time is. It may be easy to identify Body Time considering body cycles for various activities, but it would need a little thought to understand Mind Time…
Mind completes Thoughts, but how many thoughts it can accommodate and complete simultaneously? Let us compare Mind with Hotel mentioned in above example and no. of Thoughts completed as no. of customers served… No. of customers served highly depend upon 2 major parameters; what kind of orders they place and what are the no. of tables available to serve them (excluding the Reserved tables)… Continuing the analogy; Mind can complete Thoughts depending on how complex the Thought is and how much Space of Mind is free… The reserved tables are those Thoughts which are going on in background as mandatory ones to be completed; like if you’re thinking while driving, driving is a reserved table, a mandatory thought which has to go on in background and
It is indeed a little complex subject to understand nature of Mind & Consciousness, but simplifying things only to understand Human Time, we know that Mind is where we have Thoughts… Thoughts begin, we think to complete a thought and thoughts may at times end with actions; for example when I see a Blueberry cheesecake, a thought may begin of having it, I would think about how can I have it and my action of, let’s say, buying it and eating would complete the thought… We can consider the ONLY task that Mind does is completing the Thoughts, so a 6
DEEP THOUGHT Human Time
the remaining available Space of Mind is used for thinking and completing other Thoughts… Doing activities where one has minimal mandatory things in background (minimal reserved tables), one can have more Thoughts completed simultaneously, so you might feel Mind Time passing faster as compared to Clock Time…
Clock Time has no relevance to Human Time and is not the dictator of what a Human being can achieve, when… Body activities are different patterns compared to Mind activities. To achieve something, we need a combination of body activities and mind activities. Body activities (life and death) may have certain patter to be followed, but it is COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT of mind activities. We can achieve unimaginable things using immense Mind capacity with-in one body cycle…
We know of many stories and methods like; fill the jar with big stones first followed by small ones, set priority of tasks by urgent and important bifurcation, keep unnecessary load away to live lightly and run freely (mentally), etc.… They all indicate keeping less reserved tables, so more Thoughts can be completed simultaneously…
~ Deep Mody
SOLUTION TO PREVIOUS ISSUE’S CROSSWORD
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WORDSMITH Riverbank and Seacoast
At the union of river and sea River-bank, to the sea-coast, bows And they meet, and get talking when The coast raises high brows Says, "My sea ever stays by my side Well actually, at my feet Rises twice a day, to embrace To show respect, then retreat But you - dear neighbor - must Watch your river pass you by To you, she's ain't permanent To her, you're just a sigh The bank says "I'm still just happy To nurture this youngling wild To grow her up, to calm her down Do what's right for my child Ain't my destiny to hold her back But it is to hold her hand Remember, it's I lead her to sea It's my silt that makes your sand" ~ Gagan Girotra
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WORLD OF PUZZLES A Look at the Sudoku And Puzzle World Championships, 2016, with Prasanna The world championship week in Senec, Slovakia was very eventful. In addition to the Sudoku and Puzzle World Championships, I had made it to the world top 10 playoffs of both the World Grand Prix as well. It was probably the most hectic week I have experienced at the World Championships. The website for the World Championships is http://slovakia2016.org/. World Sudoku Championship: This year’s edition of the World Sudoku Championship had 14 rounds, out of which 10 were individual rounds and 4 were team rounds. I was part of team India A along with Rohan Rao, Rakesh Rai and Kishore Kumar. The Championships were very professionally organized this year – with all the scheduling done like clockwork and the puzzle quality was quite high. The theming of the rounds was also fantastic, with a good portion of surprises thrown in. It was a funny year as far as results go, because while it was a lackluster year for me and Rohan that saw neither of us finish in the top 10 (him 18th and me 21st), it was also the first time that all four members of Team India finished in the top 40 (Rakesh at 32nd and Kishore at 38th). Overall this and a decent showing in the team rounds meant we equaled India’s best Team ranking of 6th place. Personally, it was a very disappointing Championship. I had high expectations going into this one as I had been in great form all year, and the speed was there, but I just made too many mistakes. I’m hoping to bounce back at my next attempt. Tiit Vunk of Estonia won the Championship. It’s his first title. Czech Republic won the team title. One noteworthy factor is the Under-18 section which the Chinese dominated. Their A-team was all U-18 and the 4th best Chinese player was 12th in the Individual rankings!
WPF Sudoku Grand Prix: The playoffs for the top 10 finalists of the World Sudoku Grand Prix were held at the end of day 1 of WSC. The top 10 were selected via 8 online rounds held on gp.worldpuzzle.org. The GP is an annual event and the online segment is free for everyone. That great form I mentioned above was mostly in the GP. I had a great run in the online rounds, finishing at 4th place, which meant I would be starting the playoffs at 4th with a staggered start of just 69 seconds from the number 1 seed Tiit Vunk. Unfortunately, I made a complete mess of things, made a mistake in the first Sudoku, and since I had solved it with pen, I needed another sheet which ate away a lot of time. I fell to 10th place in the first Sudoku with 7 more to go to catch up. The second Sudoku was a variant and I misread the rules and went the wrong way for 3 minutes. Luckily, this time I used a pencil and erased it and solved it again. I thought by this stage that I’d be completely out of it but surprisingly I had still recorded the best time of the 10 players for the second Sudoku and was back at 6th. I held steady for the rest of the 8 Sudokus, but the damage had been done at the start, so I’ll have to wait a little longer for that elusive podium finish. Tiit won the GP, making this a great year for him. World Puzzle Championship: This year’s edition had 17 rounds, 4 of which were team rounds. In the individual rankings, I managed to improve my and India’s best individual rank record to 18th from last year’s 19th. Literally one step at a time, apparently. The team comprised of RohanRao, Amit Sowani and Swaroop Guggilam and me. Rohan had his best ever result and finished 28th. Amit finished at 39th and Swaroop was out of practice and finished at 74th. We had a decent showing in the team rounds and finished at 10th place, again equaling India’s previous best as we did in Sudoku. 9
WORLD OF PUZZLES A Look the Sudoku And Puzzle WorldChampionships, 2016, with Prasanna Personally, this was also a bad Championship. Again, like Sudoku, I went from making 0 mistakes last year to making one mistake per round this year. The optimistic fact is that even with all this I improved my ranking, so maybe I can aim much higher on my next attempt as long as I get back my accuracy. Ulrich Voigt of Germany won his 11th World title, and Team Germany won the team title. World Puzzle Grand Prix: The Puzzle GP setting is similar to the Sudoku GP, with 8 online rounds and a playoff for the top 10. Read the Sudoku GP explanation above for more details. Until this year, an Indian had never made the top 10 of the Puzzle GP. This year I had a mix of luck in terms of puzzle selection for the rounds and good form, which meant that I finished at 6th place after the online rounds. I think this was the only competitive part of the week where I did well. There were things that could improve, but overall, it was a satisfying result.
Ken Endo of Japan had a huge lead at the start of the playoff and cruised through to an easy win. Board Elections and WSC WPC 2017 Bengaluru This year, India will be hosting and organizing the World Championships in Bengaluru. The venue is set as Clark’s Exotica and the dates are also set as 15th-22nd October, 2017. Past organizers advised us to have a member of our team as a candidate for the Board of the World Puzzle Federation. The members of the WPF would each have a representative casting their vote. I got elected into the along with Will Shortz, who has been re-elected. Having been tasked with General Puzzle Communications, I have a few projects in mind in relevance to that. We also have this benefit suggested to us of having someone from our organizing team on the board. So, we are looking forward to successfully hosting the World Championships next year in Bengaluru ď Š ~Prasanna Seshadri
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CROSSWORD
Mensa Delhi Crossword SIG 58 – Lived 59 - They look for alien civilisations (abbdvn) 60 Command to Tommy 62 - Head of Qatari government 63 - Let it stay, editorially 64 - Perchance to _____________ 65 - Expensive fabric 66 - An Arab name, variant of Isa 67 - NaCl chemically: literally too. 68 - Road divided by lines for ease of driving (abbrvn)
DOWN:
ACROSS:
1 - Not present (abbrv) 5 - Ingredients set into a gelatin made from a meat stock 10 - Arabic fathers 14 - Stare 15 - Pay 16 Across 16 - 15 Across needed for not being thrown out 17 - Sadly, most people in India want only ________ 18 - Sampras and others 19 - When repeated, a famous Tamil or Telegu Song title. 20 - Golfers have these and so do many housewives. 21 - Jackie's second hubby 23 - Lowest point. Also an ex-afghan King 24 - Successor of 49 across 27 - A debauched man 28 - Famous novel by Jane Austen. Also, a Harry Potter actor. 32 - Communist colour? 33 - Mandela's land (abbrvn) 34 - Middle name of Delhi Sultan from 1324 to 1351 37 - People play the _________ game well even without any training. 38 - Those playing 37 across often meet behind closed _____ 39 - A useful port but not on the sea 40 - Indian juice 44 - ____________ justice 45 - Homeland securiy orgn manning US airports. 46 - To forego (abbrvn) 47 - Salt Lake City is its capital. 49 - Quietest Indian Head of Government 56 - Command at take-off when something is critically wrong. 57 - One of India's major newspapers (abbrvn)
1 - Play it _______ Sam! 2 – Once, the best pearls came from here. 3 - Track or scent of an animal 4 - Two fivers 5 - Egyptian reptile which killed Cleopatra 6 - The tribal hunter _____________ his prey. 7 - Old town hewn out rocks in Jordon which shares its nickname with Jaipur 8 - Snuggle under duvet made of a special duck's down. 9 - They replaced tapes. Now on the way out. 10 - A collection of warships 11 - India's poor man's smoke 12 - Not cool 13 - This is inconsequential in a teacup. 21 - Loudly sleeping robot? 23 - Musical ensemble made up of a travelling tribe 29 - Strategic Business Unit (abbrvn) 30 - Above ground trains in brief 31 - Restaurant bill, slangily 34 - A computer program designed to do repetitious operations. 35 - They remind you to pay your taxes. 36 - Ajit Doval's designation (abbrvn) 42 - All that's left after burning 43 - Those averring something 44 – Tuneful 46 - Divine nectar 48 - Author of the Time Machine but not plurally 49 - They attacked en________ 50 Helps his criminal friend 51 - Paper currency, also memos. 52 - The first annexure in many reports 53 - Macho image builder 54 - A person who abets, an accom____ 55 - Measured by a device (abbrvn) 60 - This agency checks your food and drugs 61 - Once India's leading watch company, now sadly faded away
~ Kishore Asthana
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THE PUZZLE PAGE NON CONSECUTIVE SUDOKU
Rules: Place a digit from 1 to 9 into each of the empty cells so that each digit appears exactly once in each row, column and 3x3 outlined box. Moreover no adjacent cell pairs (sharing an edge) can contain digits which are consecutive to each other.
eliminate possibility to 3rd number when one is able to locate other two numbers in either of 3 continuous cells. The example puzzle is taken from the blog : http://www.funwithpuzzles.c om/2016/01/nonconsecutive-sudoku.html
Solved Example:
~ Rajesh Kumar
Solution to the previous issue’s puzzle – Cave
Non Consecutive Sudoku
Note: The solutions to the puzzle of this issue, ‘NonConsecutive Sudoku’, will be published in the next issue.
Notes: 1. As two consecutive number cannot come together, if one is able to find the position of a number in either of two orthogonal cells then its consecutive numbers cannot come in either of these two cells. For example in solved puzzle, 8 will come in either of Row(R)8, Column(C)5 or R9C5. So 7 cannot come in either R8C5 or R9C5. This leads 7 in R1C5 cell as 7 also cannot come in R2C5 because it cannot be placed next to 8. 2. It it not possible to place there consecutive numbers in 3 continuous cells e.g. 2-3-4 cannot be placed anywhere in three continuous cells. This helps to
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For more puzzles and Sudokus like this and to know more about the Indian National Championships, you can visit the Indian website for all puzzle matters, Logic Masters India – logicmastersindia.com
MENSA ACTIVE Activities in Mensa India Mumbai Chapter September-October saw some great events in Mensa India’s Mumbai Chapter. The Mumbai chapter annual meeting was held in September. Apart from the Food SIG meetings over breakfast and lunch, where the Mensans who liveto-eat congregate to share their love for food; even the Mensans who eat-to-live have decided to meet over breakfast that has become a regular event this year. The meeting, called ‘Breakfast with RUN’’ is held on the fourth Saturday of every even month. RUN is an acronym for R aunak, U jjwal and N irav – the Mumbai Mensans who have started this initiative and provided the other members a reason to meet and discuss almost anything and everything under the sun.
Food SIG events
Some pictures from these events:
Food SIG Meeting
Breakfast with RUN – August
Breakfast with RUN – October
Mensa Mumbai Annual Meeting 13
Following pages are from the Mensa World Journal
mensa world
journal
september 2016 issue #044
Members of Mensa Italy form the Mensa logo
Photo: Roberto Cestaro
m ensa wor ld j our na l the sound of intellect A résumé highlighting stellar professional credentials and experience could pique the interest of a prospective employer, but it’s your voice that may actually help you land the job.
A new study by University of Chicago Booth School of Business Professor Nicholas Epley and Ph.D. candidate Juliana Schroeder found that when hypothetical employers and professional recruiters listened to or read job candidates’ job qualifications, they rated the candidates as more competent, thoughtful and intelligent when they heard the pitch than when they read it -even when the words used were exactly the same. As a result, they liked the candidate more and were more interested in hiring them. However, the addition of video did not influence evaluations beyond hearing the candidate’s voice, the researchers note. “In addition to communicating the contents of one’s mind, like specific thoughts and beliefs, a person’s speech conveys their fundamental capacity to think -- the capacity for reasoning, thoughtfulness and intellect,” says Epley. Titled The Sound of Intellect: Speech Reveals a Thoughtful Mind, Increasing a Job Candidate’s Appeal, the study will be published in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Psychological Science, the highest ranked empirical journal in the field mensa world journal september 2016
of psychology. In a series of experiments, the researchers asked a group of Chicago Booth MBA student job candidates to develop a short pitch to the company for which they would most like to work. They created written pitches and spoken pitches (videotaped). In an initial experiment, a separate group of evaluators judged the spoken pitches by either watching and listening to the video recording, listening to the audio only, or reading a transcript of the pitch. The evaluators who heard the pitch subsequently rated the candidate as more intelligent, thoughtful and competent than the evaluators who only read a transcript of the pitch; the evaluators who watched the video pitch did not rate any differently than those who heard the pitch. In fact, evaluators who heard the pitch reported liking the candidate more and reported being significantly more likely to hire that person. In another experiment, the evaluators who listened to trained actors reading job candidates’ written pitches out loud believed those candidates were more intelligent and wanted to hire them more than the evaluators who read candidates’ own written pitches. Epley concludes: “When conveying intelligence, it’s important for one’s voice to be heard - literally.” http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-02/ uocb-tso022015.php
from the editor... The next edition of the Mensa World Journal (October) is going to be a special issue to celebrate Mensa’s 70th birthday, and I would love to have contributions from our Direct International Members included in the issue. Please think about submitting your thoughts, ideas, SIGHT experiences, poems - anything that you think might be of interest to members worldwide - as soon as possible. The deadline is August 1, but if you intend to send me an article, let me know and I might be able to save some space and extend the deadline for you. As DIMs, your input is valued by Mensa International; please stay in touch with us! The rules for nomination for the upcoming ExComm ballot are on p3 and included are lots of articles to read and two pages of Mensan-authored book reviews from Hal. Happy reading and warm regards,
Kate mwjeditor@mensa.org The full, colour MWJ can be read and downloaded at www.mensa.org each month.
Deadline for submissions to October 2016 issue is August 1, 2016 mwjeditor@mensa.org
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m ensa wor ld j our na l Notice Inviting Nominations for the International Election 2017 In accordance with Article X of the Constitution of Mensa, the International Election Committee (IEC) invites nominations for the following internationally elected offices: INTERNATIONAL CHAIRMAN INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR-ADMINISTRATION INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR-DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL TREASURER
Nomination by National Mensas National Mensa committees may nominate a candidate or a slate of candidates for any or all offices by submitting the name(s) of such candidate(s). A national Mensa group may nominate more than one individual for each office. Nominations should be made on the National Mensa Committee nomination form available from the IEC. The identities of all nominating national Mensa groups shall be made public to all voters with the candidate material. Nomination by members Members may nominate a candidate or a slate of candidates for any or all offices by submitting: 1) the name(s) of such candidate(s); 2) a petition signed by at least 100 members who are in good standing as of January 1st, 2017; 3) verification of such good standing. Petition signatures must be submitted on a form, which can be obtained from the IEC. Requirements for nominees Each candidate must: 1) be a member in good standing as of the date of nomination and continue to remain a member in good standing throughout the election period until May 31st, 2017; 2) have not served in the post they are nominated for in the previous two consecutive terms; 3) submit written acceptance of his or her nomination (using the form available from the IEC); 4) state his or her willingness to serve if elected; and 5) agree to abide by the rulings of the IEC and the International Ombudsman in the matter of complaints and conflicts arising from the elections. All nominations including petitions and acceptances must be sent in hard copy or in scanned electronic copies to the MIL office in time to ensure its arrival no later than January 28th, 2017 at the following address: Mensa International Ltd. Slate Barn Church LaneCaythorpe, Lincolnshire NG32 3EL United Kingdom e-mail: mensainternational@mensa.org Contact the IEC at iec-chair@mensa.org for all enquiries regarding the election including nomination forms. mensa world journal september 2016
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m ensa wor ld j our na l what free will looks like in the brain
Johns Hopkins University researchers are the first to glimpse the human brain making a purely voluntary decision to act. Unlike most brain studies where scientists watch as people respond to cues or commands, Johns Hopkins researchers found a way to observe people’s brain activity as they made choices entirely on their own. The findings, which pinpoint the parts of the brain involved in decision-making and action, online now, are due to appear in a special October issue of the journal Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics. The team devised a novel experiment to track a person’s focus of attention without using intrusive cues or commands. Participants, positioned in MRI scanners, were left alone to watch a split screen as rapid streams of colorful numbers and letters scrolled past on each side. They were asked simply to pay attention to one side for a while, then to the other side—when to switch sides was entirely up to them. Over an hour, the participants switched their attention from one side to the other dozens of times. Researchers monitored the participants’ brains as they watched the media stream, both before and after they switched their focus. For the first time, researchers were able to see both what happens in a human brain the moment a free choice is made, and what happens during the lead-up to that mensa world journal september 2016
decision—how the brain behaves during the deliberation over whether to act. The actual switching of attention from one side to the other was closely linked to activity in the parietal lobe, near the back of the brain. The activity leading up to the choice - that is, the period of deliberation - occurred in the frontal cortex, in areas involved in reasoning and movement, and in the basal ganglia, regions deep within the brain that are responsible for a variety of motor control functions including the ability to start an action. The frontal lobe activity began earlier than it would have if participants had been told to shift attention, clearly demonstrating that the brain was preparing a purely voluntary action rather than merely following an order. Together, the two brain regions make up the core components underlying the will to act, the authors concluded. “What’s truly remarkable about this project,” said Leon Gmeindl, a research scientist at Johns Hopkins and lead author of the study, “is that by devising a way to detect brain events that are otherwise invisible
Graphic: Johns Hopkins University
- that is, a kind of high-tech ‘mind reading’ - we uncovered important information about what may be the neural underpinnings of volition, or free will.” Now that scientists have a way to track choices made from free will, they can use the technique to determine what’s happening in the brain as people wrestle with other, more complex decisions. For instance, researchers could observe the brain as someone tried to decide between snacking on a doughnut or on an apple - watching as someone weighed short-term rewards against long-term rewards, and perhaps being able to pinpoint the tipping point between the two. “We now have the ability to learn more about how we make decisions in the real world,” Courtney said. Extracted from http://www.neuroscientistnews. com/research-news/what-free-will-looks-brain
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m ensa wor ld j our na l Scientists move closer to developing therapeutic window to the brain implant failure. In lab studies, the researchers treated E-Coli infections by aiming laser light through the implant without having to remove it and without damaging the surrounding tissues. “This was an important finding because it showed that the combination of our transparent implant and The implant under development, laser-based therawhich literally provides a ‘window pies enables us to to the brain,’ will allow doctors treat not only brain to deliver minimally invasive, disorders, but also laser-based treatments to patients to tackle bactewith life-threatening neurological rial infections that disorders, such as brain cancers, are common after traumatic brain injuries, neurocranial implants. degenerative diseases and stroke. These infections are The recent studies highlight both especially challengthe biocompatibility of the implant which are highly invasive procedures ing to treat because many antibiotics material and its ability to endure do not penetrate the blood brain used to access the brain. bacterial infections. barrier,” said Devin Binder, M.D., a The internal toughness of YSZ, The Window to the Brain project which is more impact resistant than neurosurgeon and neuroscientist in is a multi-institution, interdiscipliUCR’s School of Medicine and a colglass-based materials developed by nary partnership led by Guillermo laborator on the project. other researchers, also makes it the Aguilar, professor of mechanical Another recent study, published in only transparent skull implant that engineering in UCR’s Bourns Colcould conceivably be used in humans. the journal Nanomedicine: Nanolege of Engineering, and Santiago technology, Biology and Medicine, The two recent studies further supCamacho-López, from the Centro de port YSZ as a promising alternative explored the biocompatibility of YSZ Investigación Científica y de Eduin an animal model, where it intefor currently available cranial imcación Superior de Ensenada (CIC- plants. grated into the host tissue without ESE) in Mexico. Published July 8 in Lasers in Sur- causing an immune response or other The project began when Aguilar gery and Medicine, the most recent adverse effects. and his team developed a transparstudy demonstrates how the use of ent version of the material yttriatransparent YSZ may allow dochttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releasstabilized zirconia (YSZ) -- the same tors to combat bacterial infections, es/2016/07/160712133916.htm ceramic product used in hip implants which are a leading reason for cranial Graphic: Credit: UC Riverside Researchers at the University of California, Riverside are bringing their idea for a ‘Window to the Brain’ transparent skull implant closer to reality through the findings of two studies that are included in the in the journals Lasers in Surgery and Medicine and Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine.
mensa world journal september 2016
and dental crowns. By using this as a window-like implant, the team hopes doctors will be able to aim laserbased treatments into patients’ brains on demand and without having to perform repeated craniotomies,
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m ensa wor ld j our na l Books...
PEACELAND
PEACELAND
Séverine Autesserre is Assistant Professor of Political Science, specializing in International Relations and African Studies, at Barnard College, Columbia University. Autesserre’s work has appeared in such publications as Critique Internationale, African Affairs, the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, Foreign Affairs, International Organization, the Review of African Political Economy, the African Studies Review, the African Security Review, and the Journal of Humanitarian Affairs. Her previous book, The Trouble with the Congo: Local Violence and the Failure of International Peacebuilding (Cambridge University Press, 2010), won the 2012 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order and the 2011 Chadwick Alger Prize presented by the International Studies Association to the best book on international organizations and multilateralism. Autessere has won several prestigious fellowships for her work, notably research grants from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation and the U.S. Institute of Peace.
AUTESSERRE
Severine Autesserre. Ultimately, Autessere Peaceland: Conflict argues that knowledge of Resolution and the everyday habits and attiConflict Resolution and the Everyday Politics of International Intervention Everyday Politics of tudes among conflicting International Interpopulations is the key to vention. New York: establishing peace. Her Cambridge University solution is convincing, Press, 2014. 360 pp. but the reader doubts US$94.99 hardback, if and how it can be SÉVERINE AUTESSERRE $34.99 paperback, achieved. Overall, this $18.92 Kindle. ISBN: is a hefty tome for the 978-1-107-05210serious student of UN 9 hardback, 978-1-107-63204-2 peacekeeping. paperback Besides its distinguished publisher, Fred Kilbourne. The Untied States this volume is also remarkable for the of America. Minneapolis: Mill City string of awards and positive reviews Press, 2010. 118 pp. US$112.96 it has received. This is less surprising new. ISBN: 978-1-936400-46-1 if we know that its author is a profes- Although written over half a decade sor at Columbia University’s Barnard ago, this sober exploraCollege, and has years of experience tion of America’s ideodoing first-hand research in conlogical divide is more flict zones worldwide. Autessere’s timely than ever in this authoritative analysis of how peaceyear’s presidential race. keeping efforts fail or even worsen Kilbourne argues that the violence they are supposed to the moral, social and end is impressive. She argues that cultural differences most peacekeepers prefer “thematic between the country’s expertise over local knowledge,” a parties and subcultures, problem aggravated by their short as manifested in retours of duty in-country, which gional voting patterns, make them adopt short-term soluare too deep to bridge; tions to longstanding ethnic, social therefore, he predicts and cultural factors underlying the that the 50 states will split into nine violence. Therefore, she advocates an groups. These are called Federalland, “ethnographic approach” in her con- Promisedland, Dixieland, Progresclusion, including employing more siveland, Rockyland, Greenland, locals instead of aid workers who live Heartland, Unionland and Appain an “expatriate bubble”; these latter lachialand. Kilbourne’s solution is should socialize with locals more, too. similar to Joel Garreau’s 1981 The
This book suggests a new explanation for why international peace interventions often fail to reach their full potential. Based on several years of ethnographic research in conflict zones around the world, it demonstrates that everyday elements – such as the expatriates’ social habits and usual approaches to understanding their areas of operation – strongly influence peacebuilding effectiveness. Individuals from all over the world and all walks of life share numerous practices, habits, and narratives when they serve as interveners in conflict zones. These common attitudes and actions enable foreign peacebuilders to function in the field, but they also result in unintended consequences that thwart international efforts. Certain expatriates follow alternative modes of thinking and doing, often with notable results, but they remain in the minority. Through an in-depth analysis of the interveners’ everyday life and work, this book proposes innovative ways to better help host populations build a sustainable peace.
Cover image: An Indian UN peacekeeper stands guard as hundreds of displaced civilians seek shelter near the UN base in Kiwanja, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, January 21, 2006. Copyright © David Lewis / Reuters / Corbis. Cover design by fred goykhman / PETT Fox, Inc.
mensa world journal september 2016
Hal Swindall Nine Nations of North America, which argued that regional differences are more important than state and national borders in explaining the continent’s cultural anthropology. He goes further than Garreau, however, in suggesting that a breakup is the best solution for preserving the peace, since economic crisis will soon cause the different groups in the same nation to mutual violence. Given the pitch of emotions aroused by Hillary’s and Donald’s supporters within and without their parties, this argument seems plausible. On the other hand, it might cause as many problems as it solves. Victor A. Davis. The Gingerbread Collection: Short Stories. Self-published by Medias Cover, 2016. 397 pp. US$9.99 paperback, $5.49 Kindle. ISBN: 978-1-31078168-1 Davis has composed a handful of modern classic short stories that develop ancient themes from fairy tales and legends into contemporary form. He claims this as his inspiration and objective in the introduction, where he states his favorite books were always modernized retellings of old fairy tales. “Stories,” Davis writes, “like civilization itself, are living, breathing, evolving creatures.” Hence, the
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m ensa wor ld j our na l title story, “Gingerbread,” is about two children who keep trying to break into a candy factory to steal its product without being detected by “the Candy Man,” or superintendent; like Hansel and Gretel, they go on a journey through horror to find their real selves. More blatantly horrifying is “A Night at the Lake,” in which a couple is abducted and tortured by vicious youths while camping. The best story of all, in my opinion, is “The Flying Kite,” based on the tale of the American who tried to hike the Andes in the 1970s and vanished. A good example of reality turning into legend, it is reminiscent of Poe’s “Gordon Pym” and Kipling’s “The Wandering Jew.” Overall, Davis is a talented writer of clear narratives in clear prose that draw in readers through personally touching their human interests.
Not being first fish and other diary dramas by
P Spencer-Beck 2015
and other diary dramas
P Spencer-Beck
waif sands publishing
Do you remember MySpace? It’s what we had before we discovered Facebook and began driving our young folk into the darker recesses of Instagram and WhatsApp, before everyone became a musician and flooded us with electronic rackets of variable quality, and just before the whole thing collapsed under the weight of animated glitter bombs. These snippets are drawn from that recent past. They are largely true if a little fictionalised (very fictionalised if you think you recognise yourself), ruminative, and of virtually no social value. You might find them a bit funny though because obviously I do. P Spencer-Beck
Cover image adapted from butkovicdub Morgue freePhoto http://mrg.bz/BGLN8x
Pubished by Waif Sands Publishing 2015
ISBN 978-1-326-26885-5
90000
ID: 15808827 www.lulu.com
9 781326 268855
P Spencer-Beck
mensa world journal september 2016
Not Being First Fish: and other diary dramas
those interested in 21st-cenof Dr. Susan Not being first fish tury women trying to create Conboy-Hill, meaningful lives on their who chose her own. Each one has a totally pseudonym after different narrative frame: a polluted stream Lies: A Chorus consists of that ran behind monologues by its characa house she used ters, chiefly the protagonist to live in. Her who learns to lie to advance bizarre inspiraher interests in a dishonest tion conforms world. The second novella, with the content Faustina’s Upward Fall, is of her book, an allegory about a retired which is a series professor who has an affair with a of Monty Pythonesque vignettes man she is unsure she can trust, but taken from her personal life from through whom she can publish her girlhood to the present. Those who poetry; finally, she enjoy off-the-wall British humour returns to her family. will get a laugh a page from SpencerFinally, Journeynotes Beck’s memories of how simple it was is the most overtly to buy women’s underwear at Mark’s feminist, being the & Spencer’s in the 1950s compared diary of a widow to today, when there are many more slowly realizing kinds, all hypersexy. Pet lovers will through her entries also like her tales of her struggles with that she was patricats, dogs and birds. Then there is archally oppressed the difficulty she has learning to drive by her beloved late new cars, which she does not immehusband all her life; diately feel at home in the way men Louise Jaffe. Feminine in the end, she grows seem to. Throughout it all, SpencerPrerogatives: 3 Tales of into her own selfBeck maintains a wry, ironic look at Empowerment. Philadelphia: XLibris hood. All novellas are highly polthe comedy of everyday life, especially Publishing, 2006. 250 pp. US$21.99 ished contemporary academic fiction, its frustrations, which she narrates paperback, $10.99 Kindle. ISBN-13: with a definite slant toward personal- with verbally acrobatic British wit. 978-1425710989 is-political social messages; not for This is a book for the idle hours of The author of this collection of three everybody, but some will love it. Mensans who do not take themselves novellas is a retired English profestoo seriously. sor in NYC who won the Pushcart P. Spencer-Beck. Not Being First All books reviewed in this column are by Prize for Poetry and other distincFish, and Other Diary Dramas. SusMensan authors. Send your book for review to Hal Swindall at mwjreviews@gmail. tions. All three tales are well-written sex, UK: Waif Sands Publishing, com. You must be a member in good standing; in lucid prose, but as anyone can 2015. 90 pp. US$4.91 paperback. please include your membership number and guess from the title they are mainly ISBN-13: 978-1-326-26885-5 national Mensa in all correspondence with Hal. feminist-themed and interesting to P. Spencer-Beck is the nom de plume
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m ensa wor ld j our na l Hey! Champagne might be good for you! New research shows that drinking one to three glasses of champagne a week may counteract the memory loss associated with ageing, and could help delay the onset of degenerative brain disorders, such as dementia. Scientists at the University of Reading have shown that the phenolic compounds found in champagne can improve spatial memory, which is responsible for recording information about one’s environment, and storing the information for future navigation. The compounds work by modulating signals in the hippocampus and cortex, which control memory and learning. The compounds were found to favourably alter a number of proteins linked to the effective storage of memories in the brain. Many of these are known to be depleted with age, making memory storage less efficient, and leading to poorer memory in old age and conditions such as dementia. Champagne slows these loses and therefore may help prevent the cognitive losses that occur during typical and atypical brain ageing. Champagne has relatively high levels of phenolics compared to white wine, deriving predominantly from the two red grapes, Pinot Noir mensa world journal september 2016
and Pinot Meunier, which are used in its production along with the white grape Chardonnay. It is these phenolic compounds which are believed to be responsible for the beneficial effects of champagne on the brain. Professor Jeremy Spencer, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, said: “These exciting results illustrate for the first time that the moderate consumption of champagne has the potential to influence cognitive functioning, such as memory. Such observations have previously been reported with red wine, through the actions of flavonoids contained within it. “However, our research shows that champagne, which lacks flavonoids, is also capable of influencing brain function through the actions of smaller phenolic compounds, previously thought to lack biological activity. We encourage a responsible approach to alcohol consumption, and our results suggest that a very low intake of one to two glasses a week can be effective.” Dr. David Vauzour, the researcher on the study, added: “in
the near future we will be looking to translate these findings into humans. This has been achieved successfully with other polyphenol-rich foods, such as blueberry and cocoa, and we predict similar outcomes for moderate Champagne intake on cognition in humans.” Previous research from the University of Reading revealed that two glasses of champagne a day may be good for your heart and circulation and could reduce the risks of suffering from cardiovascular disease and stroke. http://www.reading.ac.uk/news-and-events/releases/PR503596.aspx
Log into the International website at www.mensa.org for the calendar of national events 08
m ensa wor ld j our na l Watching the brain during language learning In a new study from researchers at the Donders Institute and Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, these skills were observed through brain imaging as native speakers of Dutch learned an artificial miniature language ‘Alienese’.
that it helps the brain if it can reuse characteristics of our mother tongue when learning a new language.
Learning a new language is a difficult task. It requires skills for memorizing new words, learning how to put those words together in a grammatical way, and integrating them with existing linguistic knowledge. In a new study from researchers at the Donders Institute and Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, these skills were observed through brain imaging as native speakers of Dutch learned an artificial miniature language ‘Alienese’.
in language-related regions. “That we found suppressed activation on the other hand, supports our ideas that a known structure in a novel language Josa komi oku quickly behaves like a structure in Alienese consisted of a set of words- your native language. Processing like josa ‘woman’, komi ‘man’, and a known structure is easier for the oku ‘to photograph’. These words brain the second time round. As a could be combined in a particular whole, our study shows that we seem order, which either did or did not to use the same brain areas for native conform for Dutch word order. For and new language structures and that instance, both sentences Komi oku Alienese was in the process of being josa (man photograph woman) and integrated into the participants existJosa komi oku (woman man phoing language brain networks.” Science Daily tograph) have the meaning “The man photographs the woman.” The former sentence conforms to Dutch word order (and English), but the latter does not. Participants read sentences with familiar and unfamiliar word orders accompanied by pictures depicting the meaning (see image).
Reuse grammatical characteristics The major discovery was that the brain cares whether or not the grammatical properties of the new language (in this case, word order) resemble the grammatical properties of your native language. If they are similar, your brain uses its own grammar in learning the new language. And if the word order of the new language differs from your mother tongue, your brain needs to build a new grammatical repertoire. For the first time, researchers have shown
Language brain network When the unfamiliar word orders (josa komi oku) were repeated, brain activation increased within regions of the brain network known to be involved for your native language. Lead author of the study Kirsten Weber proposes, “The enhanced activity might reflect a brain mechanism to build and strengthen a neural network to process novel word order regularities.” When the familiar word order (komi oku josa) was repeated, brain activation decreased
mensa world journal september 2016
Mensa International’s formal 70th Anniversary celebrations will be held in Kyoto Japan, during the International Board of Directors’ meeting. October 13 - 16, 2016 https://mensa.jp/ ibd2016/ 09
m ensa wor ld j our na l supplementally... Ancient Athens’ Navy Yard smithsonian.com, June 17, 2016. “Archaeologists Uncover Massive Naval Bases of the Ancient Athenians.“ Contributed by Stephen Darnell. Like modern high tech war machines, ancient Greek triremes (pictured) in the 5th century, BCE needed a huge amount of care and maintenance: Hot sun could shrink their timbers and continuous immersion would invite wood-eating ship worms. Archaeologists have uncovered vast navel yards in Piraeus, south of Athens, that included protective dry dock sheds for 400 of the formidable three-rowed war ships and 80,000 crew and soldiers. The harbors were protected by gates and fortified towers. Some of the ships housed there could have fought in the Battle of Salamis in 480 BCE, where Athens defeated the 1,000 ship Persian navy under Xerxes I. Carbon Poor Stars Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence, June 7, 2016. “Universe’s First Life Might Have Been Born On Diamond Planets.” (Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society) Contributed by Dan O’Hanlon. After the big bang, the first genera-
mensa world journal september 2016
john blinke
tion of stars contained only hydrogen and helium. There was nothing to make planets from. When these
exploded at the ends of their lives, the debris was seeded with heavier elements, but maybe still too little to make planets. Our sun is a third generation star, having formed after a second generation lived its life and then puked its metal rich remains into interstellar space. We like to think this exact situation was necessary for planets and living things to evolve. But, there is plenty of room for variation in the chemical mix, depending on what kinds of stars exploded. According to scientists at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), even carbonenhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars could have formed planets. But the environment would be exotic by our standards with graphite, carbides, and diamond as the most common substances instead of silicon, iron, and the other materials we are
familiar with. The Harvard scientists are encouraging astronomers to look for fluffy, carbon rich worlds around these metal-starved stars. Even More Angkor Science, June 17, 2016. “Lost Cities Around Angkor Wat.” ( Journal of Archaeological Science) Every time scientists look at Angkor Wat, it seems to get bigger. At least, the medieval cities around it get more extensive. Lidar scanning now shows the extent of the urban area surrounding Angkor is some 1,000 kilometers. Most Khmer buildings were made of perishable wood and have long ago rotted away in the jungle. But Lidar shows the remaining earthen foundations. As a bonus to the discoveries at Angkor Wat, the Lidar scanning also showed the huge extent of the hidden city of Preah Khan. Archaeologists had suspected it might have been a large urban center, but they couldn’t tell by walking around in the jungle. Paleo Pyrophiles New Scientist online, July 9, 2016. Apparently, Homo sapiens was not the first species to play with fire. A cave in Spain contains evidence of small intentional fires set 800,000 years ago. Burned wood and scorched rocks were found about twenty feet inside the entrance. Scientists are not sure which hominid species inhabited the cave, but Homo sapiens did not exist at the time.
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m ensa wor ld j our na l MAASTRICHT SILVENSA PARTY 2016 After the Silvensa events in 2014 (Warsaw) and 2015 (Vienna), Maastricht is the host city for this year’s Mensa End of the Year party. The organizing team, backed by Mensa Netherland and Mensa Belgium, started the work in autumn of 2015: looking for a venue, what activities to organize and which cultural things to enjoy - and last but not least, we’re planning a wonderful New Year’s Eve party! By the end of 2015 the basics had been organized, contacts and contracts were in place, and we had enough outline to start on the rest of the planning. There will be a wide range of activities, sporting events, food-moments, cultural visits and lots of fun. Maastricht, a more than 2500-year-old city, is centrally located in the EU region of Meuse-Rhine (Belgium and Germany are just a stone’s throw away) and has lots to offer to visitors: extensive underground mine shaft exploration, a kick-scooting (or by Segway) tour through the city, walking tours, champagne or beer tasting sessions, making your own real Limburg pie (‘vlaai’, speciality of this area), taking the visit to Bokrijk open air museum (Belgium), dance classes, poker or pubquiz, try your karaoke skills or follow one of the workshops or presentations.
So come and join us in Maastricht to make your own special New Year’s event with other Mensans. Much more information on the website for this year: www.silvensa.eu
officer directory
Chair: Ms Bibiana Balanyi chairman-mil@mensa.org Director Admin: Ms Therese Moodie-Bloom, 17/23 Waiwera St, Lavender Bay 2060 Australia. admin-mil@mensa.org Director Development: Mr Björn Liljeqvist, Knektvägen 1, 196 30 Kungsängen Sweden. development-mil@mensa.org Treasurer: Mr Rudi Challupner, treasurer-mil@mensa.org Dir. Smaller National Mensas: Mr Tomas Blumenstein, dsnm-mil@mensa.org Hon. President: Dr Abbie Salny, 407 Breckenridge, Wayne NJ 07470 USA Tel: +1 973 305 0055 SIGHTCoordinator: Mr Pierpaolo Vittorio SIGHT@mensa.org Int. SIG Coordinator: Ms Barbara Kryvko sigs@mensa.org Ombudsman: Mr Martyn Davies ombudsman@mensa.org Executive Director: Mr Michael Feenan, Slate Barn, Church Lane, Caythorpe, Lincolnshire NG32 3EL, UK Tel/Fax+44(0)1400272 675 mensainternational@mensa.org
Editorial Staff Editor: Ms Kate Nacard 407/23 Corunna Rd, Stanmore NSW 2048 Australia mwjeditor@mensa.org T: +61 2 9516 1024 Science: Mr John Blinke Johnb44221@cs.com Books: Mr Hal Swindall mwjreviews@gmail.com Puzzles: Ms Therese Moodie-Bloom tmb@ozemail.com.au The Mensa World Journal (MWJ) is produced under the auspices of the Mensa International Board of Directors. Mandatory content as identified by the MWJ editor must be published in every national Mensa magazine. Publication of other content is recommended but optional. Opinions expressed in the MWJ are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other individual or any official Mensa body. Submission Guidelines: Language: English only. Text: MS Word (Windows), .rtf (Word/Mac), plain text, PageMaker (Windows), InDesign (Windows) Length: 500 word limit. Send by e-mail, fax, snail mail to the Editor. The Editor reserves the right to include or edit submissions for space and content considerations. All unoriginal submissions must be accompanied by written permission for publication from the original author.Permission is granted for MWJ articles to be reprinted in any Mensa publication provided that the author, MWJ and MWJ’s editor are acknowledged. Permission must be sought from the MWJ editor for reprinting of any part of the MWJ in non-Mensa publications.
mensa world journal september 2016
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Therese’s Puzzles MENSA MINI IQ CHALLENGE
If you would like to discuss answers directly with MENSA, you can email Therese at therese@mensa.org.au 8. Unscramble the following to find what these three students hope to enrol in at university this year: Student 1: ICE IN DEM Student 2: THEY LOGO
13. The number on each stone represents the difference between the numbers in the two stones on which it sits. Can you work out the five twodigit numbers on the bottom stones? Each of the digits 0-9 is used once only in the bottom row.
5
Student 3: A CUTER THRICE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Which of the options below should be in the empty box?
9. More debts. Can you fill in the blank letters in front of these I.O.U.s to find a loose definition for each word? a) Untruthful:
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b) Spiteful: __ __ __ __ __ I O U S c) Favourable : a b c d e ---------------------------------------------------------------------3. Rearrange the letters of a word meaning BEG to form a word meaning:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
e) Counterfeit : __ __ __ __ __ I O U S
14. I am a 10-letter word commanding attention.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
M J
----------------------------------------------------------------------
24
?
W S R E
48
---------------------------------------------------------------------6. Write your five answers in the grid below to form a word square (ie, 1 Down = 1 Across etc).
1
1. Relating to birth
1
2. Solitary
2
3. Pacific Kingdom
3
2
3
4
5
5. Acquire knowledge
Z A H F N
Roman numerals
D X G
Vowels Musical notes Consecutive letters of the alphabet Consecutive letters of the alphabet ----------------------------------------------------------------------
4
4. Greatly annoy
11. Start with a BOTTLE-OPENER and add a CREST to spell a kind of SPANNER
5
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Find the pattern to discover which letter is missing:
12. Which four-letter word can be put IN FRONT OF each of the following to make four new words?
A
C
E
G
J
I
H
?
GRASS
FISH
BY
L
LET
I
P
SCORECARD: SCORE 1 POINT FOR EACH CORRECT ANSWER 13 – 15 Genius material 10 – 12 Excellent lateral thinker 7–9 Very good 4–6 Good 0–3 Bad hair day
YOUR SCORE
1. Traditions 2. b. It has 5 loose ends; the number of loose ends increases by 1 each box 3. Plead, Pedal 4. Uncle Sam 5. 8 (Subtract a third from preceding term and treble it to find succeeding term) 6. Natal Alone Tonga Anger Learn 7. G (7th letter of the alphabet) 8. 1: Medicine 2: Theology 3: Architecture 9. a) Mendacious b) Malicious c) Auspicious d) Abstemious e) Spurious 10. Moon Ogre Ores Nest 11. Bridge (B-ridge) 12. Crab 13. 25 49 17 68 30 14. Spellbound 15. Butlership (10 letters)
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Y V O
C K B U T
5. What is the missing number? 12
My 2-8-5-4 is a bit of a drag. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Then read down the middle column of words to discover to discover who GI Joe took his cues from.
4
My 2-7-5-4 is a survey of sort;
15. All of the letters of the alphabet are in the grid below, except for Q. What is the longest word you can find by moving from square to touching square, either up, down, sideways or diagonally? Each square may be entered once only.
JET ____________ PAN
6
My first half is a break My second half is a leap.
What word am I?
CARB ____________ AN
2
68
d) Temperate: __ __ __ __ __ __ I O U S
---------------------------------------------------------------------4. Find a word which can be added to the end of the first word, and also to the beginning of the second word, to make two new words.
3
17
__ __ __ __ __ __ I O U S
10. Each symbol represents a different letter. Use the clues below to find the four words which make up the wordsquare.
FOOT LEVER
13
8
__ __ __ __ __ __ I O U S
© Therese Moodie-Bloom 2010
1. I am a 10-letter word. Each of the following words can be made from me by discarding some of my letters and rearranging those left. What word am I? RAIDS TART SNORT IRIS TINTS
mensa world journal 70th anniversary issue
october 2016
mensa journal’s history pp 8-16
mensa world journal from the editor...
big brains... Humans have evolved a disproportionately large brain as a result of sizing each other up in large cooperative social groups, researchers have proposed. A team led by computer scientists at Cardiff University suggest that the challenge of judging a person’s relative standing and deciding whether or not to cooperate with them has promoted the rapid expansion of human brain size over the last 2 million years. In a study published in Scientific Reports, the team, which also includes leading evolutionary psychologist Professor Robin Dunbar from the University of Oxford, specifically found that evolution favors those who prefer to help out others who are at least as successful as themselves. Lead author of the study Professor Roger Whitaker, from Cardiff University’s School of Computer Science and Informatics, said: “Our results suggest that the evolution of cooperation, which is key to a prosperous society, is intrinsically linked to the idea of social comparison -- constantly sizing each up and making decisions as to whether we want to help them or not. “We’ve shown that over time, evolution favors strategies to help those who are at least as successful as themselves.” In their study, the team used computer modelling to run hundreds of thousands of simulations, or ‘donation games’, to unravel the complexities of decision-making strategies for simplified humans and to establish why certain types of behaviour among individuals begins to strengthen over time. In each round of the donation game, two simulated players were randomly selected from the population. The first player then made a decision on whether or not they wanted to donate to the other player, based on how they judged their reputation. If the player chose to donate, they incurred a cost and the receiver was given a benefit. Each player’s reputation was then updated in light of their action, and another game was initiated. continued on p19
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Welcome to this special edition of the Mensa World Journal to commemorate Mensa’s 70th birthday! During a discussion between Roland Berrill, an Australian, and Lancelot Ware, a Londoner - both barristers - the concept of Mensa was raised during a discussion in a study at Oxford. Berrill had told a friend that he thought outstanding ability should be better recognised and that the question of heredity should have more attention - “to provide for mutual edification and for that of such others as cared to consult them.” As you will see from the history beginning on p8 and compiled by Director of Administration, Therese MoodieBloom, our magazine has come a long way since Roland Berrill edited the first issue. From a handful of members, we have grown to over 130,000 coming from some 47 nations, and for most of us, Mensa is akin to a family able to get in touch at any time and know that there’ll always be a warm welcome for us. I hope to see many of you in Kyoto! Warm regards, Kate
The full, colour MWJ can be read and downloaded at www.mensa.org each
month.
mensa world journal From the Chairman Dear Friends, We are celebrating the 70th anniversary of our society. 70 years represent considerable time both in the life of an individual and that of an organisation. Within those years we saw Mensa growing and developing; starting from a bold dream generated by an iconic meeting on that train and having over 130,000 members in about 100 countries, embracing 47 active nations worldwide today. We have a mature society – that is young at heart! Needless to say, the world has experienced a lot – good and bad – since 1946. But whatever happened in the outside world within those 70 years, Mensa has always been a place for peace, mutual respect and understanding. Intelligence is our common language, connecting everyone regardless of age, gender, race, religion, political creed or social status. Mensa is not an elitist club but a welcoming inclusive and vivid community. It has become a worldwide network with no boundaries, overarching several continents and cultures, relying on shared values and common goals, enhanced by diversity, cross-cultural cooperation and support. In the universe of Mensa, everyone is equal and appreciated. By setting forth these values and serving as a salient example, Mensa and its members can indeed make the world a better place… Mensa is diverse and colourful – both on the level of countries and people. In Mensa, individuality is appreciated: here you can be whatever you want to be; you will be accepted. By being a unique ‘agora’ providing wide space for connections, networking, discussions and the exchange of opinions, Mensa provides an inspiring and encouraging environment underpinned by friendship. It is a scintillating family providing a sense of ’homecoming’ for its members, where we can socialize and experience the feeling of belonging to a community. Here, people can just have a fun time together – or be actively involved in voluntary work for a good cause.
Even if 70 years ‘old’, Mensa is by far not a dusty, outdated, boring society. Quite the contrary! The Mensa community is young, vivid, active and agile. At the same time, it has become a reputable and serious organisation with considerable efforts in identifying and fostering human intelligence, encouraging research into the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence and supporting the gifted for the benefit of humanity. By its two-fold character – reputable and valuable while being fun and inspiring – it is attractive for both elder and younger people. Bustling and buoyant as it is, Mensa will keep on growing and developing in the next 70 years as well. I am convinced that with the concept taken to new territories, more and more countries will sit around the table, representing and increasing number of happy and young members finding ways to be beneficial for humanity in addition to having fun together. I wish that everyone could / had the opportunity to experience this in all the about 200 countries on five continents. Being 43 years old, it is my greatest honour to chair this wonderful society at this important moment. I am delighted to be able to represent and guide this truly colourful community overarching many nations and cultures. It is a privilege to serve you, and a unique experience to be able to say in my capacity as international chairman: Happy 70th Birthday to Us! Floreat Mensa!
Bibiana Balanyi International Chair 3
mensa world journal how the ExComm works... In each issue of the Mensa World Journal, one of the officers of the Executive Committee (ExComm) writes a column. ExComm constitutes four internationallyelected positions - Chairman, Director of Administration, Director of Development, and Treasurer - along with the Director of Smaller National Mensas who is elected by the Board of Directors. In addition, the Chairmen of national Mensas that have a membership of 10,000 or more have a seat on ExComm. Currently, these national Mensas are UK, USA and Germany. The International Chairman is chief officer of Mensa International, presides at meetings of the Board, and administers international Mensa affairs in accordance with the Constitution. The International Director-Administration has overall responsibility for Mensa’s international office; international publications; responses to membership requests and inquiries; procurement of national membership lists; maintenance of international membership lists; distribution of agendas and minutes of Board meetings; and such other duties as may be assigned. The International Director-Administration also acts as International Secretary. The International Director-Development has the responsibility for executive supervision of direct international membership; membership development in countries which do not yet have recognized national Mensas; membership development assistance to national Mensas upon their request; international public relations; international special-interest groups; and such other duties as may be assigned. The International Treasurer is the Chief Financial Officer, ensures that proper financial records are made and kept, has responsibility for the preparation and submission to the Board of a detailed annual budget, and performs such other duties as may be assigned. The International Director-Smaller National Mensas advocates the interests of the smaller national Mensas.
what’s on? IBD Meeting 2016 in Kyoto, Japan 13 - 16 October 2016. 70-year anniversary of Mensa Dutch Annual Gathering 2016 Netherlands | 28 October 2016 - 30 October 2016 Spanish Mensa Annual Gathering Spain | 07 December 2016 - 11 December 2016 Silvensa 2016 Netherlands | 29 December 2016 - 01 January 2017 New Year’s Eve in Maastricht, Netherlands Wadden Weekend, Netherlands Netherlands | 31 March 2017 - 02 April 2017 MinD-Jahrestreffen 2017 in Regensburg Germany | 26 April 2017 - 30 April 2017 American Gathering 2017 in Hollywood, Florida United States | 05 July 2017 - 09 July 2017 EMAG 2017 in Barcelona, Spain Spain | 02 August 2017 - 06 August, 2017 IBD Meeting 2017 in Nice, France France | 05 October 2017 - 08 October 2017 2017 Meeting of the International Board of Directors
For details and information, go to mensa.org
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Singapore scientists grow mini human brains Scientists in Singapore have made a big leap on research on the ‘mini-brain’. These advanced mini versions of the human midbrain will help researchers develop treatments and conduct other studies into Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and ageing-related brain diseases. These mini midbrain versions are threedimensional miniature tissues that are grown in the laboratory and they have certain properties of specific parts of the human brains. This is the first time that the black pigment neuromelanin has been detected in an organoid model. The study also revealed functionally active dopaminergic neurons. The human midbrain, which is the information superhighway, controls auditory, eye movements, vision and body movements. It contains special dopaminergic neurons that produce dopamine – which carries out significant roles in executive functions, motor control, motivation, reinforcement, and reward. High levels of dopamine elevate motor activity and impulsive behaviour, whereas low levels of dopamine lead to slowed reactions and disorders like PD, which is characterised by stiffness and difficulties in initiating movements. Also causing PD is the dramatic reduction in neuromelanin production, leading to the degenerative condition of patients, which includes tremors and impaired motor skills. This creation is a key breakthrough for studies in PD, which affects an estimated seven to 10 million people worldwide. Furthermore, there are people who are affected by other causes of parkinsonism. Researchers now have access to the material that is affected in the disease itself, and different types of studies can be conducted in the laboratory instead of
through simulations or on animals. Using stem cells, scientists have grown pieces of tissue, known as brain organoids, measuring about 2 to 3 mm long. These organoids contain the necessary hallmarks of the hu
Midbrain organoids, measuring about 3 mm across, cultured in the laboratory dish. Note the black pigments are neuromelanin
man midbrain, which are dopaminergic neurons and neuromelanin. Jointly led by Prof Ng Huck Hui from A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Assistant Prof Shawn Je from Duke-NUS Medical School, this collaborative research between GIS, Duke-NUS, and the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) is funded by the National Medical Research Council’s Translational Clinical Research (TCR) Programme In Parkinson’s disease (PD) and A*STAR. Other collaborators are from the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and the Nanyang Technological University. https://www.a-star.edu.sg/Media/News/Press-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4832.aspx
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mensa world journal Study finds brain markers of numeric, verbal and spatial reasoning abilities A new study begins to clarify how brain structure and chemistry give rise to specific aspects of “fluid intelligence,” the ability to adapt to new situations and solve problems one has never encountered before. The study, reported in the journal NeuroImage, links higher concentrations of a marker of energy production in the brain with an improved ability to solve verbal and spatial problems. It also finds an association between brain size and number-related problem-solving. The analysis involved 211 research subjects, making it the largest study to date linking brain chemistry and intelligence in living humans, said University of Illinois postdoctoral researcher Erick Paul, who led the work with research scientist Ryan Larsen and Illinois neuroscience professor Aron Barbey. The work was conducted in the Decision Neuroscience Laboratory at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. More studies will be needed to confirm and extend the findings, the researchers said. “In our data, we observed two facets of fluid intelligence - one that involves quantitative or numeric reasoning, and another that involves verbal or spatial reasoning,” Paul said. “A similar separation of reasoning abilities has been demonstrated in previous studies.” The researchers conducted magnetic resonance spectroscopy to analyze brain concentrations of a compound called NAA (N-acetyl aspartate), a byproduct of glucose metabolism and a marker of energy production. They measured brain volume in all subjects using magnetic resonance imaging. The study tested participants’ performance on a number of intelligence tests, with questions, similar 6
to this one, testing subjects’ spatial reasoning. Credit: Ryan Larsen and Julie McMahon “We found that the quantitative reasoning component of intelligence correlated with brain volume, but not with the concentration of NAA in the brain,” Paul said. “And the verbal and spatial components of intelligence correlated with NAA, but not with brain volume.” The team observed the same basic relationships when analyzing males and females separately. The findings add to the evidence that fluid intelligence involves distinct yet interrelated processes in the brain, Paul said. “Surely there are many things about the brain that determine a person’s intelligence, and the goal is to try to tease apart that puzzle,” he said. “These two brain biomarkers, brain volume and NAA, are each giving us independent information about fluid intelligence. There are different properties of the brain that we can measure, and these different properties go with these different facets of fluid intelligence.” “Our findings contribute to a growing body of evidence to suggest that intelligence reflects multiple levels of organization in the brain - spanning neuroanatomy, for example brain size, and neurophysiology, such as brain metabolism - and that specific properties of the brain provide a powerful lens to investigate and understand the nature of specific intellectual abilities,” Barbey said http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-06-brain-markers-numeric-spatial-abilities. html
mensa world journal International Special Interest Groups (ISIGs) What is an ISIG?
International Special Interest Groups (ISIGs) are SIGs that are open for Mensa members worldwide. They are a platform for the members, worldwide, to join other SIGs, to exchange ideas and to get more out of their membership. They also offer a tremendous opportunity for the members in the remote areas of the world, especially the Direct International Members (DIMs), to get more involved in Mensa. ISIGs may operate like a conventional SIG (e.g. distributing paper-based newsletters) or purely electronically (e.g. via mailing-lists or web-forums). The latter ones are referred to as E-SIGs. Some of the ISIGs are listed below; the full list - with descriptions - can be found on the mensa.org website. For advice on whether your national SIG can be recognised as an ISIG, email the International SIGs Coordinator. Admission to an International SIG is open to any member of any national Mensa and any Direct International Member. To join, please contact the administrator of the ISIG. Alternative Dispute Resolution / ADR SIG Contact: Dave Cahn ADRSIG@aol.com Art and Literature Contact: sigs@mensa.org.uk Cat SIG Contact: sigs@mensa.org.uk Christian Forum Contact: sigs@mensa.org.uk Classical Music Contact: David Stybr MaestroDJS@aol.com Creative Writers SIG Contact: sigs@mensa.org.uk Doctor Who SIG Contact: sigs@mensa.org.uk Ecology & Conservation SIG. Contact: Gwen Jones gwendolyn.jones54@btinternet.com Economics, Finance & Trade Contact:Bill Kruse bill@kruse.co.uk
Evangelical Christianity Contact: Larry Paarmann LDPaarmann@cox.net Gen-X Contact: Ben Paul Asher Rosenberg N274LH@comcast.net Acme.excursus@gmail.com GENESIG (Genealogy) Contact: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GeneSIG wmunsil@cox.net GenY Contact: Robert Allen mensageny.natcoor@gmail.com HAMSIG (Ham Radio Operators) Contact: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HAMSIG wmunsil@cox.net Junior and Teen SIG Contact: sigs@mensa.org.uk quoting your national Mensa and membership number. Language Exchange ISIG Contact: Stefano Lodola Language Exchange Facebook Group support@languagexchange.club Martial Arts — Bujutsukai Contact: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bujutsukai t144@swnm.com Medics SIG Contact sigs@mensa.org.uk Philosophical Discussion SIG Contact sigs@mensa.org.uk Photography SIG Contact: Marie Man MacroSIG@marieman.com Psychology SIG Contact: Mike Griffiths mike_g50@hotmail.com
for all current ISIGs, go to www.mensa.org 7
mensa world journal The Mensa Magazine 1947 – 2016 I was invited several years ago, as Chairman of Australian Mensa, to lunch at Victor Serebriakoff’s home in London, where he gave me and the then-editor of the Australian Mensa Journal Kate Nacard, full access to all his personal archives – and the use of his photocopier! While Kate was avid to learn the early history of Mensa, I was fascinated by the early Mensa journals, the very first of which is reproduced here. It strikes an apposite note to present the first edition of the first official Mensa magazine, edited by an Australian barrister seventy years ago, within this, the special anniversary issue of the current official organ of Mensa International - a magazine again edited by an Australian member, Kate Nacard. While the name ‘Mensa Magazine’ is still retained by British Mensa, as membership became international and the journal took on global connotations in around 1959, the name of the international organ has changed several times. Here are the Editors from then, who have been responsible for the growth of The Mensa Magazine, from its first inception through Mensa Correspondence, Interim, Intelligence, Thought – International Journal and Mensa International Journal to the current Mensa World Journal: Basil Mager, Sinclair Eustace, “Committee”, David J. Mason, Max Wyman, Peter Goodman, Tony Buzan, Edwin Packer, Tony Buzan, Ivan Robinson, George Atherton, Tony Buzan, Tim Eiloart, “Committee”, Tim Eiloart,
George Atherton, Victor Serebriakoff, Nils Kleinjan, Gregory B. Stone, David Tebbutt, John McNulty, Mary Jane Stevens, Kimberly K. Walker-Daniels, Michael Brosius, Aldo Aulicino, Therese Moodie-Bloom, Donna Jadis, Kate Nacard, Kate Nacard
It is interesting to note how both the society and its ‘official organ’ have evolved in seventy years. From the privacy checks referred to in Berrill’s Editorial which effectively guard anonymity and the specific references to exclusivity and ‘aristocacy’ it is easy to see how the public perceived Mensa as a ‘secret society’ with a small, elite membership (with a target of 600 members). Today our global membership stands at over 130,000, our Mensa World Journal is read in over one hundred countries, and ‘Mensa’ is a well-known name globally, associated with open and intelligent minds. The Editorial and contents of this first edition of “The Mensa Magazine” are also a record of how societal assumptions and attitudes have changed over seventy years - not to mention prices! I hope you all enjoy the fascinating glimpses into the post-war world of Britain, and that of our early founders, Roland Berrill and Lancelot Ware.
Therese Moodie-Bloom Director of Administration, Mensa International 8
mensa world journal
The
MENSA Magazine
Official Organ of Mensa, an exclusive round-table society
Old Series : Volume 1; Number 1
April, 1947 Two Shillings
Edited by Roland Berrill at Upwood House, Caterham, Surrey and printed by Tapp & Toothill Ltd, Bramley, Leeds.
Cras amet qui nunquam amavit
The Mensa emblem on the front cover was designed by J. Hamilton Young. 9
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Editorial SOMETHING is already emerging as a common factor that we, at least, had not expected – a certain gaiety, a mirthfulness, an air almost of frivolity, that sends the historical mind ranging over the great aristocracies of the past with a new perception. Can it be, after all, that the dull are dull, and that the bright are bright? Lady Castlemaine: ‘I see that you are new to the Court, and unaccustomed to the company of wits and beauties.’ Nell Gwyn: ‘Which are you?’ So let it be with The Mensa Magazine, that now enters with a smile, and makes its graceful bow, although in the rags of poverty. a
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The shape and size of the magazine, however thick it may in time become, enables it to be thrust into a man’s overcoat pocket, so he may take it out and read it during odd moments in a restaurant or a public vehicle, and the typography is designed to coax and tempt the eye. Contributions may be received only from members of Mensa. Articles, stories, maxims and precepts, verse, photographs and drawings will be signed with the initials of the members, which can be recognized from the List of Members. No contributions may be anonymous. The Features have been introduced to enable the least literary and most preoccupied member to contribute in spite of both these handicaps. Very few members have the time to write articles and stories, but any intelligent person can contribute again and again to the Features. These are, first, The Mind of Man, to which the member contributes not with the pen, but with the scissors. It is a Dictionary of Quotations, not only of lines and couplets of verse, but of significant passages of prose that express what the member would like to say better than he himself could say it. It is self-expression at one remove. Secondly, Books Recommended; in which the member brings to the notice of his fellow members some book that he wants them to read. ‘If only every member of Mensa would read this!’ Please be careful to give full and exact particulars – author, publisher and price. The recommendation may be followed by a blurb of not more than fifty words. Thirdly, Consumer Research, or advice to fellow members on what to buy and where to buy it, where to obtain quality, and the best value for money. Fourthly, The London Arrangements for the Month. Notices of any Meeting, Lecture, Recital, Exhibition and so on, due to take place in London during the month of issue, except meetings arranged by one or other of the four largest political parties. To contribute to these Features it is not necessary to write a letter. A postcard will do. But the references and other details must be full and exact. 10
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We shall assume that every reader understands English, French and Latin, but is not familiar with any other language. As a technical exception we shall assume that la jeune fille assassin de l’art does not understand Latin. These pages are open to every member of Mensa, and each is asked to contribute his little piece or pieces. Contributions should always reach the Editor before the 15th of the month.
The Mind of Man ST. Ignatius Loyola was once asked what his feelings would be if the Pope were to suppress the Company of Jesus. ‘A quarter of an hour of prayer,’ he answered, ‘and I should think no more about it.’ This is perhaps the most difficult of all mortifications – to achieve a ‘holy indifference’ to the temporal success or failure of the cause to which one has devoted one’s best energies. If it is triumphs, well and good; and if it meets defeat, that is also well and good, if only in ways that, to a limited and time-bound mind, are here and now entirely incomprehensible. [Aldous Huxley, The Perennial Philosophy]. R.B. a Full many a glorious morning have I seen Flatter the mountain-tops with sovereign eye, Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy. [Shakespeare, Sonnett XXXIII] Y.C. a The main body of the half-educated, having no lucrative talent exceptional enough to enrich them, have to stay as they are, poor, pretentious, unorganizable because they are on speaking terms neither with the labourers nor the leisured, and consequently so restricted in their matrimonial opportunities that they are not only half educated but half bred. [George Bernard Shaw, Everybody’s Political What’s What] J.M.C a ‘Tis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays: Hither and thither moves, and mates and slays, And one by one back in the closet lays! [Edward Fitzgerald, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam] R.J.B. a
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mensa world journal Some day our ideals will be realized; some day humanity will rise nearer to the possibilities which we now begin to see are within its scope; for already mankind has produced Shakespeare, Plato and Newton, like mountain peaks which catch the rising sun before before the valley and the plains; and when the averge man has reached this altitude, what will the peaks be then? [Sir Oliver Lodge] J.S. a He who surpasses or subdues mankind Must look down on the hate of those below. [Lord Byron] L.L.W a An Englishman is content to say nothing when he has nothing to say. [Samuel Johnson]. K.S.
LONDON ARRANGEMENTS FOR APRIL Wednesday the 9th, 7 p.m. At the Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, EC4. Alan Wells, noted Bournemouth lecturer. ‘Man and his Mind’
Intelligence WHAT is intelligence? Psychologists debate this question until their definitions become too complex for comprehension and too indecisive for meaning. Test constructors spend ten years on the perfection of a yard stick for measuring intelligence and then everyone spends the next ten years in casting brickbats of criticism at their laborious construction. Educational authorities adopt this or that test in order to allot the children under their care to appropriate secondary schools, and no one, parent, child or teacher, is satisfied with the results. So it would appear that intelligence is something too abstract and abstruse for us to be able to grasp. Yet, when we meet our fellow men, how quickly we can place them into one of their two classes … the intelligent and … the rest. It takes but a short time and a brief conversation for one of the first category to classify his fellows, and what an alarmingly small number can be firmly placed in category one!
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If we consider the emotional life of our friends – and of ourselves, if we are brave enough! - it seems that there must be some law against the use of ‘brains’ where our ‘feelings’ are concerned; and what an amount of human misery is caused by people who allow their emotions free rein without the restraining hand of intelligent thought! a a a It is only those who are not blessed with this characteristic who discount its importance; and in educational circles concern is being expressed about the lack of adequate teaching for exceptional children. Let us guard and foster every specimen of intelligent humanity so that the sum total of human wisdom may be increased. J.M.CVerses 12
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Oh, I have lived learned, and learning lingered While each illusion lost its little heat And let my heart by powdered hands be fingered And lightly trampled on by dancing feet.
But once the past was less, the present greater. For once I seemed to know my mind the more; And laughingly she laid my letters later With lavender and lace in a drawer.
There in the light of something frail and holy, Selling my secret in a whispered word, Sometimes I think I may have lain too lowly, And lost my suit ‘ere half my song was heard.
If she be love at last, I will at leisure Let her lure on with all her lady’s grace. Lordly aloof, I’ll play her to my pleasure And leave her the wondering and the chase.
R.B.
Lux in Deserta WHEN I crept into my old scarecrow of a bell-tent that barely clung to the Algerian beaches; as the sea thundered at the very margin of the camp, and hurricanes of rain and wind tore in a frenzy at the pegs and guy-ropes, I used to think how luxurious conditions were. For at that time I was able to write by the light of a guttering candle. It had not always been so. Usually we had to make a lamp from an old cigarette-tin with a hole punched in the lid. This was filled with paraffin, if it were possible to get any; if not, uneatabele margarine when melted down gave quite a good light. For wick, string could be used – but this was rare. The common means was a length of guy-rope cut from a tent, preferably someone else’s. The cutting of guy-ropes became frequent, so that the more light there was in the tents the more they tended to fall down. A philosopher, observing this without knowing the cause, might have written a treatise on ‘The Interrelation, in the Phenomenal World, of Subsidence and Illumination’. The practice of lamp-making added yet another item to our necessary forms of vigilance, and it became nearly as important to watch over one’s guy-ropes as to secure one’s kit. The best wick of all was made from a certain kind of Indian tent. The soft, white, silky ropes of these tents gave a beautiful, steady light, reminiscent of descriptions of yogic illumination. Failing all else, a tin of sardines, spared from the combined rations of four men, would give a feeble gleam for about an hour and a half. For those of us who are not likely to forget the desert, perhaps some day when the too-studious compositions of a future Demosthenes are commented upon, they will be said not to ‘smell of the lamp’ but to ‘smell of the sardine-
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mensa world journal tin’ – a far more telling comparion. Or perhaps, if our civilization fails altogether, and we revert to the ancient method of telling the time by the burning of a light, we shall use such phrases as ‘He lay unconscious for the space of two sardine-tins’, or ‘I will meet you at the crossroads four sardine-tins from now’. Y.C.
Short Story DICK and Harry went out for a walk on Sunday morning, and in a country lane they came upon a cast-off horseshoe. “I shall take this home,’ said Dick, “and hang it up for luck.’ “My dear chap,’ exclaimed Harry, irritably, ‘surely you realize that to attribute magical powers to an inanimate object is the very lowest form of savage culture – more primitive than trusting to the powers of a human magician, or than faith in the many gods of a polytheism? How in the name of sanity can a man like you be so unscientific?’ ‘It is you, Harry, who are being emotional about this,’ answered Dick, holding the heavy horseshoe up to the level of his eyes and peering at it, ‘and I am not. So which of us is being unscientific – the calm or the excited?’ ‘I don’t care about that. Facts are facts. Ask any ethnologist, anthropologist or pre-historian. You know I am right.’ ‘But why take it all so seriously? For my part, I am, as it were, an heir of all the ages, and not like you – an orphan cut off with a sharp knife from all our magical past and religious history. Call it a frivolous indulgence of atavism, if you like, but I’m going to take this thing home. I’m only doing it for fun. It amuses me.’ With Harry still expostulating, they walked back to Dick’s cottage, to find that the Sunday newspapers had arrived, and to discover that some new Roger Bacon, another Newton, a Darwin, a Curie, an Einstein, had just burst upon the world with a fresh discovery, and with a bold deduction from his facts. The facts were a scientific shock, something entirely unprecedented. The deduction was at enmity with the philosophy of ages. This story ends, not with a moral, but a question. What were the attitudes of Dick and Harry respectively towards this startling news? R.B.
BOOKS RECOMMENDED THE MARTYRDOM OF MAN. Winwood Reade. Macmillan, 7/6. Thinker’s Library, 2/6. A history of the influences that have gone to the building of Western Civilization, first pub. In 1872 when Reade was 32 yrs old, six yrs before his death in April, 1878. R.J.B. THE REPUBLIC. Plto. Trans by F. M. Cornford, Oxford University Press, 10/6. R.J.B. THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY. Aldous Huxley, 14
mensa world journal Chatto & Windus, 12/6. An anthology of the most able attempts to describe in words the mystical illumination and the way to it, with copious editorial comments by the compiler. The ultimate fruit of his great learning and of his voracious reading. A masterly effort that almost succeeds in communicating the incommunicable. R.B. HOW TO WRITE. Stephen Leacock. John Lane, The Bodley Head Limited, 8/6First published in 1944, and one of the best of its kind. R.B. ABERHART AND ALBERTA. The First Phase. C. Marshall Hattersley. Gordon House, Carrington Street, Nottingham, 3d. A useful corrective of the familiar Fleet Street lying and suppression. R.B. A NEW MODEL OF THE UNIVERSE. P.D. Ouspensky, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner. Together with the same author’s previous Tertium. Organum., this is the only work I know that successfully attempts to unite esoteric teachings on the one hand with physical science and ordinary life on the other. Y.C. a Democracy is a subtle blend of autocracy and hypocrisy. L.L.W.
MENSA NOTES The Honorary Treasurer has moved to Livingstone College, Leyton, London, E10. Telephone: Leytonstone 3418. The most likely recruits for this Society are to be found among the relatives and friends of present members – especially among the relatives. Members should therefore always be in possession of the necessary documents, for use at a moment’s notice. These documents will be posted to any member on application to the Honorary Secretary, 12 St John Street, Oxford. Telephone: Oxford 3667. Mensa is a gay little aristocracy – more ‘aristo’ than ‘cracy’ – and it is not necessary that an aristocracy, une societe bien fermee, should be large. But we would like a few more members; and these are to be found among the relatives of the present members, which again is aristocratic. Are you, like Viola, ‘all the daughters of your father’s house, and all the brothers too’? HON.SEC. a
A seer with inordinate pep. Predicted events, step by step, Till an author called Dunne, Who’d foretold every one, Said, ‘This isn’t precog – it’s telep.! Y.C. 15
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CONSUMER RESEARCH Bread Allinson Wholemeal Bread. Baked by the Allinson Company and supplied by them to numerous bakers in the London area. In many towns and cities there are bakers that bake Allinson Bread, the Allinson Company providing them with instructions. R.B. Cash When drawing cash from a bank, ask for ‘All halves, please’. This has four advantages: (1) You receive clean, unfolded notes, numbered in series, and these will be the only notes you ever handle; (2) You will always receive your change in coins only, and not in two kinds to be thrust into two different receptacles; (3) You will never be asked ‘Do you mind all silver?’ and handed nearly pound’s worth of silver; (4) You are a public benefactor. R.B. London Hotels CUMBERLAND HOTEL, Marble Arch, W.1. Ambassador 1234. Single room with breakfast, private bathroom, writing desk, and bedside telephone for 14/6. By far the best value in London. B.R. London Restaurants JILL-IN-THE-GREEN, 21 Romilly Street, Soho, W.1. Gerrard 1486. Lyrical food reform – everything of the purest and best. Y.C. YE OLD ENGLISH COFFEE SHOPPE, 41 Whitcomb Street, off Coventry Street, W.C.1. Whitehall 1643. Very rough and tumble, but unique for quantity and flavor. Luncheons only, but service continues late into the afternoon. R.B. Parachutes Parachutes both of nylon and cotton (in vivid red, green and yellow) can be obtained from Nillet’s, North Street, Guildford. Nylon parachutes (80 yards of material suitable for lingerie, etc) cost L17 17s 6d. Cotton parachutes (smaller but of fine weave) cost L1 17s 6d. J.M.C. Shoe-Polish Kiwi. R.B. Soap Morny, 201 Regent Street, London, W.1. Regent 0080. A soap is to be judged by its hardness, by its resistance to pressure, e.g. of the thumb-nail. Soft soaps are an extravagance. R.B. Sugar Barbados Sugar – unrefined, old-fashioned and rich. Any grocer can supply it if there is sufficient demand to warrant his buying 2 cwt. Sacks. Not to be confused with Demerara or ‘brown sugar’. R.B.
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mensa world journal MENSA INTERNATIONAL GATHERINGS “Another early Berrill tradition was the [residential] Annual Gathering, which started in 1948.” [A Mensa Analysis and History by Victor Sebriakoff, 1966]. Today, there is a growing number of Mensa Gatherings each year which transcend country borders. Annual Gatherings have evolved to follow a similar pattern. A residential hotel with neighbouring alternatives; an informal Icebreaker on the first evening; optional workshops, lectures or presentations vie with games for attendance during the days, and a Gala Dinner on the weekend. Sightseeing tours are arranged, with casual meals in local restaurants or cafes. ANNUAL IBD MEETING The Annual Meeting of the International Board of Directors is held in a different country in October of each year. The board consists of nearly 50 members, and most of the business meeting is open to Mensa members to observe. There is usually a national Annual Meeting held concurrently, with alternative programs available for friends and spouses and members which include sightseeing tours. This year the IBD meeting will coincide with Mensa International’s 70th birthday and will include a special celebration in Kyoto, Japan. In 2017 the meeting will be held in Nice, France, and 2018 is likely to be in Europe again. All are welcome!
Spy fun at the Canadian IBD meeting
EMAG – European Mensa Annual Gathering Brainchild of Christine Warlies from Mensa Germany, the inaugural EMAG was held in 2008 in Koln. Each year in Summer, it has moved to The Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Paris, Stockholm, Bratislava, Zurich, and Berlin, with the 2016 EMAG taking place in Krakow, Poland. EMAG attracts several hundred members each year and an attempt is made to keep costs reasonably low, with much of the accommodation being booked in smaller hotels and hostels. Travellers – including business travellers – might make a note of these future venues: 2017 EMAG will be in Barcelona, and in 2018, Belgrade. AMAG: Asian Mensa Annual Gathering This is held in September of every year. AMAG started in Malaysia in and has been held in Bali Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Korea, and this year, Guangzhou in eastern China. Sometimes there is a theme: Indonesia aimed at ways of using Intelligence to eradicate poverty. Japan’s was a cultural theme with concerts featuring traditional instruments, dancing, martial arts and meals centred around traditional cuisine. And, of course, all-night karaoke! In 2017 the AMG will be held on the Gold Coast of Australia, with a New Zealand venue following in 2018. 17
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PALIC The Serbico chapter of Mensa Serbia hosts a gathering at the Palić resort on the Danube, in the extreme North of Serbia. It is held every year in Summer and attracts members from up to seven countries. As well as lectures, sport and games for both children and adults, attractions include horse riding and carriage rides, sightseeing, a visit to a winery and wine tasting, barbecue, and a visit to the famous Palic Zoo. SILVENSA What better way to bring in the new year than with Mensa friends? A week-long European meeting held over New Year has also become an annual event. This year (2016-2017) it will be held in Maastricht, The Netherlands.
MY-Camp Organized for and by MY-SIG, [Mensa Youth SIG - Energetic yet caring company]. This mid-summer Mensa Youth Camp has moved through France, Denmark and Hungary so far, and attracts up to 200+ members mostly aged between 16 and 35, but it is open to all who are young at heart. MY-Camp: www.my-camp.org MY-SIG: https://www.facebook.com/groups/92025890346. A smaller gathering, MY-NY is held for a week over New Year which attracts up to 100 members, again most aged between 18 and 30 but open ‘for all young at heart’. MY-NY: http://my-ny. org MY-NY: www.facebook.com/events/629804257184182 MY-SIG: www.facebook.com/groups/92025890346
NOTABLE NATIONAL EVENTS: There are another two major traditional Annual Gatherings which attract international visitors which merit mention here: The American Mensa Annual Gathering (USAG) and Mensa at Cambridge (MaC). USAG “By April 1948, Mensa dinners at the Trocadero could draw twenty-six members… .” [A Mensa Analysis and History byVictor Sebriakoff, 1966] This year, the American Mensa Annual Gathering in San Diego drew over 2,500 members. The USAG moves from State to State and is held over four or five days close to Fourth of July. There is usually a 24-hour hospitality suite with snacks and drinks freely available. There is always an impressive program of speakers, workshops, tournaments, craftshops, lectures, dance classes and anything else that might inspire the organisers and members! Younger Mensans have their own stream of events. The USAG is a rich Mensan experience not to be missed. 18
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MaC Traditionally held in Magdalene College in Cambridge and arranged by British Mensa, the venue for Mensa at Cambridge is now in Trinity College. This attracts a smaller, more intimate group of attendees. There is a single-themed programme which is an ideal way to learn more about an intriguing topic, and to meet experts in that field. The Gathering is complete with sherry in the cloisters, and meals in the refectory. It has also included punting on the River Cam, and a tour of the famous Pepys Library. Log in to the Members’ section of www.mensa.org/ events for details of all coming meetings.
SUMMER CAMPS for STUDENTS In addition to all the above, there are occasionally camps or summer schools organized for children by various national groups at different times. Make sure you don’t miss out on these by checking the EVENTS section on the International website www.mensa.org regularly.
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suggesting that the challenge of assessing others could Compared to other species, including our closest relatives, chimpanzees, the brain takes up much more body have contributed to the large brain size in humans.” According to the team, the research could also have weight in human beings. Humans also have the largest future implications in engineercerebral cortex of all mammals, relative to ing, specifically where intellithe size of their brains. This area houses the “Compared to other gent and autonomous machines cerebral hemispheres, which are responsible species, including our need to decide how generous for higher functions like memory, communiclosest relatives, chim- they should be towards each cation and thinking. The research team proposes that making panzees, the brain takes other during one-off interactions. relative judgements through helping others up much more body “The models we use can be has been influential for human survival, and that the complexity of constantly assessing weight in human beings. executed as short algorithms Humans also have the called heuristics, allowing individuals has been a sufficiently difficult task to promote the expansion of the brain largest cerebral cortex devices to make quick decisions about their cooperative behavover many generations of human reproducof all mammals, relaiour,” Professor Whitaker said. tion. “New autonomous technoloProfessor Robin Dunbar, who previously tive to the size of their gies, such as distributed wireproposed the social brain hypothesis, said: brains.” less networks or driverless cars, “According to the social brain hypothesis, will need to self-manage their the disproportionately large brain size in humans exists as a consequence of humans evolving in behaviour but at the same time cooperate with others in their environment.” large and complex social groups. “Our new research reinforces this hypothesis and https://www.sciencedaily.com/releasoffers an insight into the way cooperation and reward es/2016/08/160812074537.htm may have been instrumental in driving brain evolution,
Photo credit: © danheighton / Fotolia
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books... hal swindall Charles White. The Professional Security Manual Class 1, Urban Security. Self-published, 2013. 55 pp. US$5.38 paperback. ISBN13: 978-1514265772 The author of this humorous take on a profession few would regard as funny is a security guard lieutenant who seems capable of finding a lighter side to protecting lives and property. Anyone expecting serious content because of the title will be quickly corrected. A paragraph on page 1 reads: “I’ve seen it all. The pay level stays low, and the danger level stays high. The only thing truly secure in my line of work is the knowledge that as security professionals, we are always more expendable than whatever it is we are hired to guard.” This line reveals the hard-edged reality underneath the humor, which has ever been the purpose of satiric writing. Readers will quickly grasp what a grim lot security guards have with always having to be on the alert, even though an attack at any given moment is unlikely. On the other hand, White’s description of how “today’s urban warrior” can use a stapler as a weapon is rather silly—or is it? That said, a clever person in any job can be humorous about it, but it takes a special grit to see the amusing side of putting one’s health on the line. Edward Barr Robinson. The Godhead. AuthorHouse, 2002. 280 pp. US$28.95 hardback, $21.79 paperback. ISBN-13: 9780759610170. www. thegodhead.net Like many novels, this one has its origin in the author’s life, in Robin20
son’s case his near-deployment with the reinstated Merrill’s Mauraders into the French Indochina wars. The aborted plan sparked an interest in the convolutions of American policy in East Asia between the Korean and Vietnam wars, which form the background of this novel and its plot. Genre-wise, The Godhead is a mystery, but since its Triple Nine Society author is also interested in the harmony of Eastern mysticism with Western physics, it is really more of an allegory about how the oneness of all things is manifest in everyday reality, even when that reality is prosaic or gruesome. Mensan mystery and military fans will enjoy the literal level of Robinson’s well-researched tale, which follows an American investigation into a French accusation that the US government is supplying arms to anti-French guerrillas. More metaphysical Ms, for their part, will enjoy detecting the philosophico-scientific quest for the ultimate truths about life evident in the novel’s title, to which each character offers clues. Ultimately, this is a book for the philosopher warrior of Asian legend. William Sims Curry. Contracting for Services in State and Local Government Agencies. 2nd edition. New York: Routledge, 2016. 474 pp., 37 b&w illustrations. US$70.09 hardcover, $82.65 Kindle. ISBN-13: 9781498738033 The author of this minutely detailed but clearly written volume is a retired US Air Force procurement officer who now runs WSC Consulting in Chico, California. Curry has previously published exposes of waste in government contracting, and yet another volume of his appeared last August (this one appeared in May). Being the second edition of his research and experience in contracting, it is his best effort at establishing efficient and ethically sound
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practices for the government contracting industry. The first edition was so successful that it was used as a textbook for masters in public administration programs, as well as other certificate training. Curry certainly has the credentials, both academic and professional: he is a Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) and a Fellow of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). His book has garnered approving reviews from people much more qualified than me to evaluate it. Basically, it creates practical guidelines for government contracts and procurement that are more sensible than they usually are. Given the federal deficit, it is reassuring to see ways to cut overspending coming from a fellow Mensan. Danny Roth. That Four-Letter Word: Food Functions Nutrients Diets. London: Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd., 2013. 597 pp. US$22.99. ISBN-13: 9781849632140 Do we really need yet another tome on diet and nutrition, especially a doorstopper like this one? Danny Roth, a long-time researcher into topics like obesity who has a physical sciences education, has produced meticulous analyses of just about anything you can take through your mouth, but with a Mensan difference: it is not dull! In his introduction, Roth declares that his objective is “not only … the basic facts[,] but understanding them.” Therefore, in clear, humorous prose he explicates what all those medical nutrition terms actually mean for someone trying to live healthily amidst a blizzard of confusing diet information and advice. In Section A, Roth discusses nutrients, and foods in Section B. He acknowledges that individual metabolism is affected in highly variable ways by any one thing. Therefore, Section C deals with body functions, including metabolism, and explains why people should indeed care about what they consume in order to probably prevent disease. Finally, Section D presents concrete suggestions for
realistic diets with the caveat against too-broad generalizations. It is good to see a relatively simple book of sound advice for average people written by a Mensan - let’s hope they read it! Fabian W. Williges. Far from Perfect: Songs and Poems. Berlin: epubli GmbH, 2014. 116 pp. US$10.99 paperback. ISBN-13: 978-3-7375-1594-8 This charming collection of verses shows that lyric poetry is still alive, if only faintly and among a few Mensans. In his introduction, Williges explains his life-long love affair with the English language, even if he was a “horrible” student who refused to “sit down and swot” vocabulary. This collection of his favorite work from the past quarter century; poetry lovers will be grateful, especially those who prefer traditional rhyming, although Williges is still fully contemporary. Yet like practically all poetry through the ages, most of his verses are about love, especially heartbreak. Poem after poem expressing wounded feelings becomes rather tedious, but there are neat compositions that provide relief, such as “Little Wing” on p. 74, which begins: Little wing! I dare you to fly … little wing! I dare you to fly … See, the sky—so high and these trees—so small don’t wonder why just follow the call. Silly thing, why don’t you dance? Silly thing, why don’t you dance? It is apparent that Williges is somewhat influenced by e.e. cummings, but also by the modern lyric tradition in general. This is for those who prefer their poetry contemporary but timeless.
All books reviewed in this column are by Mensan authors. Send your book for review to Hal Swindall at mwjreviews@gmail.com. You must be a member in good standing; please include your membership number and national Mensa in all correspondence with Hal. 21
mensa world journal Thinking inside the box: how our brain puts the world in order The world around is complex and changing constantly. To put it in order, we devise categories into which we sort new concepts. To do this we apply different strategies. A team of researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) led by Prof. Dr. Boris Suchan, department of neuropsychology, and Prof. Dr. Onur Güntürkün, department of biopsychology, wanted to find out which areas of the brain regulate these strategies. The results of their study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) show that there are indeed particular brain areas, which become active when a certain strategy of categorisation is applied. When we categorise objects by comparing it to a prototype, the left fusiform gyrus is activated. This is an area, which is responsible for recognising abstract images. On the other hand, when we compare things to particular examples of a category, there is an activation of the left hippocampus. This field plays an important role for the storage or retrieval of memories. Categories reduce information load Thinking in categories or pigeonholing helps our brain in bringing order into a constantly changing world and it reduces the information load. Cognitive scientists differentiate between two main strategies which achieve this: the exemplar strategy and the prototype strategy. When we want to find out, whether a certain animal fits into the category “bird” we would at first apply the prototype strategy and compare it to an abstract general “bird.” This prototype has the defining features of the class, like a beak, feathers or the ability to fly. But when we encounter outliers or exceptions like an emu or a penguin, this strategy may be of no use. Then we apply the exemplar strategy and compare the animal 22
to many different known examples of the category. This helps us find the right category, even for “distant relations.” Complex interaction To find out where our brain is activated, when it is ordering the world, the neuroscientists in Bochum performed an MRI scan, while volunteers were completing a categorisation task. The functional imaging data showed that both strategies are triggered by different areas of the brain. The scientists believe that there is a complex interaction between both learning patterns. “The results implicate that both strategies originate from distinct brain areas. We also observed that, during the learning process, the rhythm of activation in the two areas synchronised. This shows that both cognitive processes cannot be neatly separated,” explains Boris Suchan. Further modelling and research must now clarify this interaction
Science Daily
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Giant Sinkholes Near West Texas Oil Patch Towns Are Growing -- As New Ones Lurk. (Remote Sensing) When you pump oil out of the ground, it seems reasonable that you would leave a void in its place. So, what happens to the void? In the case of Wink, Texas (pictured), the surface ground is subsiding to form two huge sink holes — one as big as a football field and the other three times that size. Satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) shows the ground near them is unstable. New holes may form. Or they might combine into a huge new pit. Geophysicists at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, and the US Geological Survey say the situation is complicated by the rise and fall of local ground water. The water dissolves salt deposits, carving out bigger voids and letting even more ground subside. Our Local Exoplanet ScienceDaily, May 31, 2016. “Was Planet 9 Once an Exoplanet, Stolen by Our Sun?” (Lund University) Astronomers at Lund University in Sweden say their computer models show the proposed trans-Neptunian Object (TNO), Planet 9, is probably an exoplanet taken from an alien sun. When newly formed solar systems were crowded together 4.5 billion years ago, one or more bodies may have been nudged by their neighbors so our sun, passing nearby, was able to capture them. If this is the case, Planet 9 may not be an ice body like other TNOs. It could be a rocky body like Earth or a gas giant like Neptune. Mike Brown’s Planet Science News online, June 17, 2016. “New Clues In Search For Planet Nine.” (June 20 Astrophysical
john blinke
Journal Letters) We might be closing in on hypothetical Planet 9. Scientists at the University of Arizona in Tucson say the orbits of six of the most distant Kuiper Belt objects are roughly synched. They do not have enough gravity to affect each other, so there might be a larger body 100 billion kilometers from the sun that is herding all of them into similar orbits. At such a great distance, the thing would be very cold and might have an atmosphere that is mostly hydrogen and helium. These gases are very reflective, so Planet 9 might be brighter and easier to find than astronomers had thought. Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin at Caltech will soon search the sky for Planet 9 near the constellation Orion with the giant Subaru telescope in Hawaii. Down With Cancer Harvard Health Letter, September, 2015, pp. 1, 7. “5 Ways to Ward Off Cancer.” There is no way for us to avoid developing cancer entirely. But we can improve our chances of staying cancer-free by eating right, exercising, controlling our weight, eliminating smoking and keeping alcohol to a minimum. Aerobic exercise can cut your cancer risk by half. There are no bad foods, but over-eating can cause an unhealthy weight gain. There are plenty of good foods, especially fruits and veggies that are loaded with vitamins and phytochemicals. Beating Photosynthesis ScienceDaily, June 2, 2016. “Bionic Leaf Turns Sunlight into Liquid Fuel.” Trees are amazing. They use photosynthesis to turn water, air, and carbon into wood that we can burn as 23
mensa world journal fuel. Scientists at Harvard have done even better. They use sunlight and bacteria to turn the same things into a liquid fuel with ten times the efficiency of photosynthesis. In the future, the process can be tweaked to make all kinds of useful hydrocarbons like PHB, a bioplastic precursor. Up and Away. New Scientist, July 2, 2016, p. 7. “Helium Haul.” You can quit worrying about getting enough helium for your party balloons. A deposit of about 1.5 billion cubic meters has been found under the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania. It was located by following geological
clues, as they do in oil exploration. Combined with other known reserves, this should keep the world supplied with helium until 2037 at the current usage rate. Prospectors might find more, now that they know how to look for it.
John Blinke
Officer Directory Chair: Ms Bibiana Balanyi chairman-mil@mensa.org Director Admin: Ms Therese Moodie-Bloom, 17/23 Waiwera St, Lavender Bay 2060 Australia. admin-mil@mensa.org Director Development: Mr Björn Liljeqvist, Knektvägen 1, 196 30 Kungsängen Sweden. development-mil@mensa.org Treasurer: Mr Rudi Challupner treasurer-mil@mensa.org Dir. Smaller National Mensas: Mr Tomas Blumenstein, dsnm-mil@mensa.org Hon. President: Dr Abbie Salny, 407 Breckenridge, Wayne NJ 07470 USA Tel: +1 973 305 0055 SIGHTCoordinator: Mr Pierpaolo Vittorio SIGHT@mensa.org Int. SIG Coordinator: Ms Barbara Kryvko sigs@mensa.org Ombudsman: Mr Martyn Davies ombudsman@mensa.org Executive Director: Mr Michael Feenan, Slate Barn, Church Lane, Caythorpe, Lincolnshire NG32 3EL, UK Tel/Fax+44(0)1400272 675 mensainternational@mensa.org Editorial Staff Editor: Ms Kate Nacard 407/23 Corunna Rd, Stanmore NSW 2048 Australia mwjeditor@mensa.org Science: Mr John Blinke Johnb44221@cs.com Books: Mr Hal Swindall mwjreviews@gmail.com Puzzles: Ms Therese Moodie-Bloom tmb@ozemail.com.au
The Mensa World Journal (MWJ) is produced under the auspices of the Mensa International Board of Directors. Mandatory content as identified by the MWJ editor must be published in every national Mensa magazine. Publication of other content is recommended but optional. Opinions expressed in the MWJ are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other individual or any official Mensa body. Submission Guidelines: Language: English only. Text: MS Word (Windows), .rtf (Word/Mac), plain text, PageMaker (Windows), InDesign (Windows) Length: 500 word limit. Send by e-mail, fax, snail mail to the Editor. The Editor reserves the right to include or edit submissions for space and content considerations. All unoriginal submissions must be accompanied by written permission for publication from the original author.Permission is granted for MWJ articles to be reprinted in any Mensa publication provided that the author, MWJ and MWJ’s editor are acknowledged. Permission must be sought from the MWJ editor for reprinting of any part of the MWJ in non-Mensa publications.