VOLUME-I
APR - JUN 2002
www.indianmensa.org www.mensa.org
Editorial
Contents Intelligence and Education ............................... Floreat Mensa ................................................... Beginnings of Mensa in India ............................ AstroSIG .......................................................... Your Mensa ...................................................... ISIG:Bots .......................................................... The Top 1 Percentile ........................................ SIGLit ............................................................... The Math World ............................................... The Body and Soul of Mind ............................. My Visit to JPL ................................................. Bowling Them Bulls Over .................................
Mensa India is unique because of the diversities of both Mensa and India. This magazine is a common thread that runs through our far-flung presence. There are reports, articles, poems and more, many of them written just for this first issue. There is also a “Reader’s Mind” from the next issue onwards that will feature your letters. This platform invites fresh inputs and perspectives as well as local chapter news and announcements. It invites your literary contributions and your ideas. It is ever-revolving and dynamic. After all, it is your MInd. Use it. And, most importantly, enjoy what it comes up with.
Amish Mody Nirav Sanghavi Co-Editors amody@vsnl.net niravsanghavi@hotmail.com
2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 16
GEARING UP
Imagine 4 cog wheels in a constant mesh. The largest cog has 10 teeth, the next 8 teeth, the next 6 teeth and the smallest 5 teeth. They begin to revolve as all cogs do. How many revolutions will the smallest cog do before they assume exactly the same position again?
Send in your articles / contributions in plain text format to : amody@vsnl.net Next Issue Deadline : MAY 31, 2002
THE PHILANTHROPIST
Your letters, ideas, feedback, brick-bats and bouquets are all very welcome at : amody@vsnl.net OR at Reader’s Mind Mensa India (Mumbai) 184/87, S. V. Road, Jogeshwari (West), Mumbai 400 102.
A philanthropist lived in a town of 1260 adults. He decided to give Rs.100 to each man and Rs.75 to each woman. Of the men only one quarter claimed the money and of the women only one third. How much did he give away altogether? Answers on page 15
1
Intelligence and Education
I was in a remote village in the Kutch district of Gujarat in the beginning of March 2002. The village was at the tip of an island off the coast of Kutch, surrounded by the white salt-sheet of the Ran of Kutch. We were visiting the village to see how we can augment the rehabilitation work going on since the earthquake of last January. One villager was with us from the morning till noon. He asked us to go with him to his farm to see whether we could find some sites for construction of bunds. His farm was a lonely spot about eight kilometres from the village. He was staying on the farm because of its distance from the village where his family lived. His elder son accompanied us from the village to the farm.
From his conversation, his remarks and retorts, his understanding of things without speaking showed that the younger one was intelligent. But from his childhood he was being educated by on-the-job training. We could see that he was learning his lessons well. Then what is the use of education? There we could see what schooling had done to the elder son. He knew about what lay beyond Kutch; he had heard about Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Though not aware what it meant, he had heard of TV and computers. The younger one with all his intelligence was learning only what he was exposed to. Though confident, bold, active and resourceful, his horizon was narrow. He would grow to take care of himself and his family. He may do it well. But not aware of the world beyond his island, he would remain provincial in his outlook.
As we approached the farm the villager called his younger son who was supposed to be on the farm. But the farm-house was empty. The father was puzzled but not worried. After about fifteen minutes we saw a bullock cart coming by a short-cut from the village, driven by a lad of ten years. On arriving, he casually told his father that the neighbouring farmer living another kilometre away had fallen ill and that he had taken him to the village and got him admitted in the dispensary.
The elder one may not be too bright, but his horizon was wider. He knew that he was a part of a bigger whole. He had a role to play in that bigger entity. Every intelligent person has to see that though talented, he or she has to get educated and widen the horizon, so that one can exercise one’s intelligence in a wider arena.
The puzzled look on the father’s face was gone and he started us showing around the field. Without giving us a second look the young lad started driving the grazing cattle together. After examining the field we went ahead for another errand. While we were returning after an hour, it was dusk and the farmer was waiting by his farm-house. He stopped us and he sat into the jeep with his elder son for a ride back to the village. We asked him whether the younger son was also coming. He said that someone had to stay with cattle, twenty-two cows and buffaloes in all, so the young one would stay behind.
Mensa India, I feel, has a duty to make its members aware that the horizon is always beyond our specialisation. We cannot afford to be provincials in our field of specialisation. We may be nodes or linkages, but we are part of a network. Our every action brings about some effect on the network, which is made up of all people, not just the top 2%. Mensa Entrance Tests are held regularly in Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and Bangalore. If you know someone who wants to appear for the test in a place OTHER THAN THE ABOVE, THEN ONLY ask for a Mensa Entrance Test Request Form from the Mumbai Office OR download it from www.indiamensa.org.
While driving back to the village we asked him whether his children go to school. His reply was revealing. He said that the younger one was useful, so he stayed with him, the elder one was not that smart, so he stayed in the village with his mother and went to school. We too could see that there was a difference between the two boys. The elder one was like any other child while the younger one, with his confident bearing, was above average.
“We have loved the stars too much to be fearful of the night.” - From the log book of two amateur astronomers
Dr. Girish Bapat, Chairman, Mensa India bapatgirish@hotmail.com
2
Floreat Mensa*
Irrespective of the size of population of a country, every National Mensa (NatM) has had to start with just a few members. The speed with which membership grows, until a NatM can be formed, varies in every country. The main ingredient is willingness to work by the original members, allied to perseverance. It can be likened to a snail climbing the wall of a well. For every yard gained it will have slipped down a few inches but, eventually, it will reach the top. The members who have joined may find that there are not enough fellow members to create and maintain a good programme of events so they drift away. It is essential that a good newsletter or magazine be produced and that events are organised wherever there are sufficient members to warrant it. There are two essentials to ensure growth. Firstly there is the recruitment of members. This may seem to be obvious but cannot be emphasised enough. The media have to be utilised at every opportunity. Give them any item of interest however unimportant it may be. Provide them with relatively simple puzzles and always try to ensure that a contact telephone number, e-mail or postal address is published. Websites are the main source of membership enquiries in all the major Mensas. Every member can help by recommending prospective new members. Always be friendly and open with the media and avoid any actions that could be construed as elitist or which might portray you as a know-all society. The second essential is the retention of members. Let them know how valued they are and let them know what they have gained by becoming a member. It may not have happened in India yet but, sooner or later, the whole population will know of Mensa and its acceptance in the world. In many countries, particularly Britain, the United States, Ireland, Germany and some others, Mensa is almost a household name. The media approaches us whenever the subject of intelligence, in any form, is in the news. Our name is used in crossword clues and answers and membership is sought after and is prized by most of those who have been accepted as members. The international scene is tremendous. In a relatively short time Mensa has established chapters in
40 nations. Every Mensa member (Mensan) is automatically a member of Mensa International. That organisation is made up of officers elected by every Mensan and the International Board of Directors (IBD) is made up of representatives from every NatM. The Board is advised by the International General Council (IGC), which comprises every Mensa, irrespective of size. As a Mensan each member is entitled to the use SIGHT, which is hospitality to travelers. Most countries have a SIGHT officer and any visitor will be entertained and, possibly, given accommodation with a SIGHT host. There are web sites on the Internet and most countries have several, with chat rooms and discussion groups. There are hundreds of international Special Interest Groups (SIGs) covering different topics and, if you wish, you can start your own provided you can obtain a few members of like interest. The International Journal (IJ) is published ten times a year and is available to every member. Pride of membership is essential. Not simply because you have been blessed (or cursed) with a high IQ but because of the position Mensa holds in the civilised world. Entry requirement is the same everywhere and our standards are stringently maintained. Mensa has no opinions and membership confers no superiority on anyone but, just to have been accepted, is an achievement in itself and an achievement that is much prized by the majority of Mensans. The Annual Gatherings (AGs) and Regional Gatherings (RGs) are held in most countries and are always an attraction to visitors as well as the local Mensans. India, with its large population could, statistically, be one of the largest NatMs. Those of you who are reading this are fortunate to be in during the early of days of Mensa India. With perseverance you will reach the goal of NatM status, poised to become one of International Mensa’s largest and, perhaps, most vibrant Mensa. I wish you every success in your endeavours. Floreat Mensa.
*
David Schulman - Dublin, Ireland.
may Mensa flourish, flower
Honorary President - Mensa International
3
Beginning of Mensa in India
Brussels and has settled down in Luxembourg. The three others did Ph.D. from USA and Canada and are now established scientists.) From 1966, the Calcutta Ms started meeting visiting Mensans from different countries through the SIGHT service of International Mensa. Two Australian FMs were so interested in the problems of Calcutta that we made an appointment with the Ford Foundation experts of C.M.P.O. The town planners gave such an impromptu seminar about the 25-year perspective plan for Calcutta that we Indian Ms also could also learn a lot. A Californian ecophile praised Indian garbage highly for its bio-degradability. A young German M was so concerned about power shortage in India that he kept the fan shut in the room he was staying at the residence of a Mensan host. The number of Ms in Calcutta increased steadily from 1963 to 1970. Most of the active members were students of the same age group. Starting from 1970 within two years a large majority of them completed their studies in Calcutta. Then suddenly a large number of them moved out of the city for higher education or for employment. I remained in Calcutta but had to disengage from organising Mensa by the pressure of M.Tech study and the subsequent research fellowship. Just when Mensa was in a poor shape in Calcutta, in 1973 we heard that Dr. V.V.Pendse of Pune had met Mensa International officials in Europe and wished to play an active role in organising Mensa in India. In September that year, two Mensans, Prabir Mukhopadhyay (working in Bombay after studies in Calcutta) and myself visited Pune and met Dr. Pendse at Jnana Prabodhini, the school for intelligent children. The school had impressive facilities by Indian standards and he offered to use them to set up a permanent headquarters of Indian Mensa with the ready availability of qualified psychologists. Then “Mensa India” was launched in Pune shortly afterwards and the headquarters of Mensa India are still there. There were a number of problems that held up the growth of Mensa in India. But, to understand the prospects, let us see how the number of Mensans in India have grown as compared to USA and the whole world :
In 1963, when I was cramming for my Higher Secondary exams in the following year, I qualified for Mensa through a test sent by post from London. Then Mensa had about 4,000 members worldwide, nearly three-fourths of whom were in Britain. When I wrote to Mensa, the Chairman Victor Serebriakoff himself replied and encouraged me about getting Mensa going in India. Victor, probably THE most important person in the history of Mensa, took a keen interest in the development of Mensa worldwide. The main thrust of International Mensa was then to expand in USA, but in1965 we too received permission to conduct supervised testing in Calcutta and to charge much lower rates than prevalent in Britain. From 1966 we started inserting personal column ads in newspapers and the membership in India grew from 12 then to about 100 in 1970, much of which was in Calcutta. From ‘66, regular Mensa meetings were held in Calcutta at residences of some members. Most Mensans were then college and university students and often they were very argumentative. Often it was necessary for the host to produce a dictionary to settle disputes about the meaning of a word. From 1966, the then “Indian Mensa” had a cyclostyled newsletter of irregular periodicity that was sent by post. We conducted some opinion surveys and one interesting result was that a majority of the members responding to a survey thought that India should try to reduce the population to 300 million! The percentage of FMs (female Mensans) was always rather low, but some of them were very good hosts (i.e. the snacks they served were superb). We had some very interesting people. Pranab Ghosh, who had a photographic memory and always came first in all exams, was ardent about his hobby of flying kites (i.e. the ones made of paper). Trinanjan Mitra and Raghu went on exchanging witticisms like an unending game of table tennis. He had shortened his original name Raghupati Raghavan because of “that damn song”. Devinder Singh Garewal, whose father was a Brigadier, was ultra-patriotic, and anyone criticising the Indian armed forces could expect a verbal lashing from him. (Trinanjan got a MBA in Amit Das Mensa Kolkata adas@onlysmart.com
4
(continued on page 15)
AstroSIG : Amateur Astronomy SIG
Where to begin in Astronomy? - An attempt to answer this serious question.
the object is in the eyepiece. I don’t recommend such a telescope since it kills the real fun. The real fun is in learning to do it yourself.
Start with binoculars.
Our AstroSIG has come a long way since January 2000 when it was formed. My experience with the question “Where do I begin?” is what I’d like to share with you all. Astronomy for most people begins as a fascination for the starry sky. Many people have a belief that when a wish is made upon seeing the first star at night it comes true. This first star is not generally a star. It’s the planet Venus, seen just during and after sunset near the setting sun. Many people have seen shooting stars. Well, these shooting stars aren’t really stars. Then what are they? They’re meteors. OK, enough about myths. Lets get down to business. Some tips on how to go about being an astronomer. Trust me, it’s easy. Else, I wouldn’t be an astronomer.
Surprising but true. I learnt it the hard way. I bought a telescope first up. I figured out my way around the sky. But now, guess what? I want to buy a pair of good binoculars. Not that the telescope isn’t good. The trouble is that most telescopes aren’t easy to carry around. I enjoy travelling. Many times the telescope can’t go where I can. In such a situation it is best to have binoculars. There are other advantages of starting with binoculars. Almost any pair of binoculars is a great start. They provide a wide-angle view of the sky making it fairly easy to find objects. To add to all this, the image is upright unlike most types of telescopes (where it is inverted).
Good time to get your hands on a sky map.
Learn as much as you can about the night sky with the naked eye.
The binoculars and the sky map are almost all that an amateur astronomer would need to make a good start. Start sweeping the sky. Let your curiosity get the better of you (this does not mean peep into that pretty girl’s apartment). Observe the moon. Learn to recognize constellations. Observe the “neighbourhood” of prominent stars. Where to get a sky map & how to read it? Hmmm.... read on.
The first lesson I recommend is to observe the sky with the naked eye. There’s lot to learn just by simple observation. Krunal, member of AstroSIG, has learnt some skills from simple observations. He can tell time by just looking at the position of stars. I have learnt that the moon rises 52 minutes later today than yesterday, everyday. These are just some examples. There’s a lot to learn just by simple observations.
Find other amateur astronomers.
Be patient.
This is by far the best way to make progress. Amateurs are often best teachers. They are learning themselves. When would it be a better time to teach others? Knowing an amateur astronomer is like hitting a gold mine. He can guide you where to obtain sky maps from, help you to read them, even help you when you decide to make your first telescope purchase.
I have observed one common mistake people make. They rush to buy a telescope thinking that they can “buy” their way into astronomy. This just leads to frustration. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone said “How do I see anything with this #^*@%$ telescope?” Again, be patient, it has great rewards in astronomy. Knowledge of the sky and ability to read star charts is a must. That’s why it is listed as an objective of AstroSIG. Of course, we do have an expensive short-cut here. It’s called a GO-TO type telescope. It’s like an astronomy genie waiting for your command. Make a wish (equivalent = punch the right code) and voila,
Don’t forget the World Wide Web.
It’s all there for the taking. Any information you need about sky maps, tips and tricks, new comet discoveries, how to observe a meteor shower or absolutely anything else is available on the internet. (continued)
5
AstroSIG (contd.)
You’ll know when it’s time to buy your first telescope.
Rules to Follow :
All optical equipment (telescopes, cameras, lenses, binoculars) are fragile so they must be handled very carefully (especially if it does not belong to you). Field trips for observation are generally done outside Mumbai on open fields (generally belonging to someone else). Members of the SIG making the field trips are expected to maintain discipline.
Don’t jump to buy the first telescope you see. If you think that you can wait another year or so, save up, and buy a better telescope. It may really be worth it. Play around longer with your binoculars. There are lots of things binoculars will show. You’ll be surprised when I say that I have seen galaxies, moons of Jupiter, Saturn’s rings, all with a pair of binoculars.
Activities :
Lose your ego.
AstroSIG was formed in January 2000. Since then, AstroSIG has conducted number of field trips to Vangani (80 Kms from Mumbai). Leonid Meteor shower was observed with great success. Three extended field trips (1 week each) were also conducted in July 2000, Dec. 2000 and Dec. 2001 in Kutch, Gujarat. The active members of the SIG are Ravi Shroff(Co-ordinator), Nirav Sanghavi, Rishi Lal, Bhavya Mehta, and Krunal Cholera. Other members include Pramod Pai, Ashish Patwardhan, and Amish Mody. The AstroSIG is 45 M objects old. Ravi, Bhavya & Krunal presented a lecture on Black Holes to fellow Mensans and Dr. J. J. Rawal of Nehru Planetarium.
Two important lessons learnt by being an astronomer - patience and humility. You can’t do anything about the fact that nearly half a year is lost to clouded skies. You can’t do anything about the fact that some objects are visible only at certain times or the fact the comets show up once in several years. Learn the two lessons and you’ll have good friends for life. I mean it. I see constellations as my friends who I don’t meet so often. But each meeting brings me as much joy. Amateur astronomy should be calming and fun. If you find yourself getting wound up over your eyepiece’s aberrations or Pluto’s invisibility, take a deep breath and remember that you’re doing this because you enjoy it. Take it only as fast or as slow, as intense or as easy, as is right for you.
Equipment :
3" Reflector, 4" Reflector, 4.5" Reflector, 5" Reflector, 20 X 60 Binoculars (with tripod). Eyepieces: 40mm Plössl, 14mm & 12mm wide angle and various other eyepieces.
Objectives : n n n
n n n n n
Monthly stargazing field trips/ monthly meetings when stargazing not possible. Astrophotography Interacting with other astronomy SIGs, and other groups like Amateur Astronomers’ Association, Mumbai. Ensuring that all members of the SIG can read the basics of star charts. Visits to observatories and planetariums whenever they are accessible. Organizing lectures on subjects of interest. Ensuring growth of the SIG. Using the internet as source of information and informing members of SIG about interesting websites.
Membership :
The only criterion for membership for any Mensan is contribution in some way towards the objectives of AstroSIG. At present, the membership is FREE. Non-Mensans can only join some activity of AstroSIG as special invitees when permitted by the co-ordinator. MInd is currently published on a shoe-string budget from Mensa India (Mumbai). Ads from sponsors, financial contributions from persons and organisations are solicited and welcome. Mensa India can offer 8OG certificate to donors. Members are requested to use their skills and determination to raise funds for better forthcoming issues..
Ravi Shroff, Mensa Mumbai Co-ordinator, AstroSIG, ravihris@hotmail.com
6
Your Mensa
Mensa Bangalore is now growing fast. Mr. Casper Abraham has been a member since 1990, some others joined in the ‘90s. His report is as below : In July 2001 supervised IQ testing of applicants for Mensa recruitment was started in Bangalore. In about eight months, over 125 aspirants were tested. Of them, 60 have qualified. The new members are mainly students and fresh graduates working mainly in the computer and software industry. Such persons obviously are more likely to get information through e-mails and websites. In the absence of promotions it was easier to reach them. Efforts are being made to correct this and reach out for testing to older, other professions, and more women. Currently there are only 4 lady members in Bangalore. We have now met 4 times, starting December once a month, typically first Saturday afternoon. More interesting events are being planned to build and maintain an interest among existing members. The Mensa Bangalore website www.in.mensa.org/bangalore is alive and starting to kick. It is the place to be. Each local member is being assigned a membership number, use rid and password access. We wish to thank the support of Casper Abraham and Ionidea for their support in this regard. The official email for Mensa Bangalore is currently mensabangalore@ionideainteractive.com. Thus, with increased testing and members, SIG’s would be introduced, committees formed and more formal meetings organised. The founder of the Bangalore group is Casper Abraham. He visited the London office of Mensa International and with their support launched Mensa in Bangalore. His internet company, Ionidea, is providing the office, testing and meeting facilities to Mensa Bangalore.
ACROSS 6 Bloom. 7 Holy writings. 8 One robbing the honey bees. 9 Derived form of capacitance. 10 Aliens. DOWN 1 A person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity. 2 One who does not know how to read or write. 3 Squandering. 4 Old French for writing desk. 5 Internet roamers.
Annual Membership expires every March 31, without notice. Please issue your cheques / drafts in favour of “MENSA INDIA” for an annual fee of Rs. 200.00. You can also opt for a one-time Life Membership of “MENSA INDIA”, by paying Rs, 2,000.00.
You can buy a Mensa cap with a raster-based embroidered Mblem. Desk and car stickers (white and blue - innies and outies) and limited sweatshirts (blue and grey) are also available from the Mumbai office. Mensa merchandise is for members’ use only.
Mensa brochures are available from the Mumbai office for putting up on notice boards or providing to influential persons. Other promotional material including posters are in production.
If MxE = 6; NxS = 20; ExS = 15; ExN = 12; SxA = 30; Then M x E x N x S x A = ? [Answer on page 15]
7
ISIG : The Internet SIG
searches needed to find information. For example, Web search engines send out robots that crawl from one server to another, compiling the enormous lists of URLs that are the heart of every search engine. Shopping bots compile enormous databases of products sold at online stores Bots were not invented on the Internet, however. Robotic software is generally believed to have been created in the form of Eliza, one of the first public displays of artificial intelligence (Visit www-ai.ijs.si/eliza/eliza.html for a live chat with Eliza!). Eliza is a computer program that can engage a human in conversation: Eliza asks the user a question, and uses the answer to formulate yet another question. Seems pretty useless, huh? Well, it’s not! This was a major contribution to the field of artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence is an advanced form of computer science that aims to develop software capable of processing information on its own, without the need for human direction. At times, Webmasters look on some forms of robots as a nuisance. A spider robot may uncover information the Webmaster would prefer would remain secret; occasionally, a bot will misbehave as it crawls through a Web site, looking for URLs over and over, and slowing down the server’s performance. As a result, search engine developers have formed and how they can be excluded from Web sites.
The personal computer has come long way from being a simple word and data processor. Would you believe it if one were to tell you that your PC today has more processing power than the entire computer system aboard the first space craft which landed on the moon in 1969? And the best part is that as a user, you are not expected to have a PhD in computer science to harness its power. All you’re expected to have is a little bit of curiosity and a little bit of patience to learn and adapt this power to your application. Today the computer with the right software can be converted into your digital secretary. It can help you remember your appointments and important events. You can maintain an address book, phone book, and even have your computer dial phone numbers for you! The right software will offer comprehensive help on using just about any software or even the Internet. The best part is all this processing and assistance is provided to you using natural language. Simply put, you’re not expected to be a top-notch programmer or expected to understand a couple of hundred lines of code to get the job done. All you need to do is to simply instruct or question your PC in plain English! Speech recognition software has even eliminated the active use of the keyboard to input data. All one has to do is speak aloud. A large amount of this simplification for end users has been made possible by the advent of Bots. To get a taste of the true power of a bot, try going to the site and downloading a bot called Hal (Remember “Space Odyssey”?)
If bots have tickled your fancy, here’s some interesting links that you might like to check out:
What is a bot?
www.botspot.com This is one of the most comprehensive internet sites about bots. BotSpot classifies Bots and Intelligent Agents by subject. Most of the bots you’ll find discussed at BotSpot can be downloaded and used on your computer; some require a fee for permanent registration. Others are completely free. This site has several types of bots such as: Surveillance Bots: These monitor Internet publications, discussion forums, bulletin boards and electronic mailing lists for references. Surveillance bots written specially for monitoring financial data also monitor things such as public reputation, rumors, stock manipulation and insider trading.
The word “bot” is short for robot of course, which is derived from the Czech word robota meaning work. A bot is a script written to respond to commands given by the owner and users, and also certain events that take place Bots can be fun and/or annoying, depending on what they do. There are also different types of bots, which perform different commands (e.g. a data-mining bot is a software tool for digging through data). You can give a bot directions and make it bring back answers. On the Web, robots have taken on a new form of life. Since all Web servers are connected, robot-like software is the perfect way to perform the methodical Indraneel Pandit Co-ordinator, ISIG, Mensa Mumbai indraneelpandit@hotmail.com
8
The Top 1 Percentile
manner. What did they create that later had a special significance for India in 1998? 19. What was founded in 1694 to fund the battle against the Dutch? 20. What was the first patent in the world given for?
1. At the Barcelona Olympics, why did Michael Jordan drape himself with a U.S. flag on the victory stand? 2. Who co-invented CD technology? 3. “Now geography is history” was the ad-line for the satellite telephony service provider Iridium. Why did they name it Iridium? 4. In an employee-employer relationship, what is a “threshold agreement”? 5. Which is the longest word in the English language that is typed only with the left hand? 6. Which is the only 10-letter English word that can be typed with the top row of a QWERTY keyboard? 7. The Oberoi group of hotels was the first Indian hotel chain to recruit female housekeepers in the 1960s. Who was the first female housekeeper recruited by the Oberoi group? 8. Wal-mart has the second largest database in the world. Who has the largest? 9. What is the significance of the ZIP codes 10047 and 10048? 10. Which strategic location did Nike use to display their logo at the 1997 Wimbledon? 11. In the tourism industry, what are “cruises to nowhere”? 12. In advertising, what is known as “spare part adveritising”? 13. What invention of the confectioner George Smith was named after a famous racehorse of the 20th century? 14. Which Indian company had a team of ‘consultants’, none over the age of 16 years, for product development and feedback analysis? 15. Why did Rupert Murdoch become a U.S. citizen? 16. April 1 is known as All Fool’s Day. However, an eminently sensible financial reform was introduced by the government of India on April 1, 1957. What was it? 17. India’s first TV commercial was aired on January 1, 1976. What was the brand? 18. The central bank of Sweden celebrated its 300th anniversary in 1968 in an extremely memorable
If you want to receive meeting information etc. by e-mail, please request the same by emailing your chapter and membership status (life or annual) to niravsanghavi@hotmail.com. If your membership has expired, please renew the same before making this request. “Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty; a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture, without the gorgeous trappings of painting or music, yet sublimely pure and capable of a stern perfection, such as only the greatest art can show.” - Bertrand Russell 1. The Reebok-sponsored U.S. team had to wear Reebok tracksuits and Michael Jordan is a Nike man. 2. Philips. 3. They had planned 77 satellites to cover the globe and the atomic number of Iridium is 77. 4. Pay hike if inflation rises above a certain percentage within a specified period in time. 5. Stewardesses 6. Typewriter 7. Mona Chawla, mother of Juhi Chawla 8. The Pentagon. 9. They are for WTC 1 and WTC 2. 10. Monica Sele’s underpants. 11. Tourist spots where gambling is banned. People sail to international waters, only for the purpose of gambling, and come back when they are done. 12. Ads in which only a part of the model’s body is shown e.g. hand for watches or legs for shoes. 13. The lollipop. 14. Candico, the South-based candy and chocolate company. 15. For taking over the FOX TV channel. In the U.S. foreign nationals are forbidden from owning national TV channels. 16. Introduction of decimal coinage i.e. Re.1 = 100 paise (replacing the archaic system of annas). 17. Gwalior Suitings 18. They instituted the Nobel Prize for Economics that Amartya Sen won in 1998. 19. The Bank of England. 20. Epsom salts in the year 1698.
Answers:
Sanjeev Mohta, Mensa Mumbai sanjeev.mohta@kotak.com
9
SIGLit : The Literary SIG
When an addict gets a high, Does he see the downside? When you see you can’t fly, Does it hurt your pride?
LITERARY...LOVERS To write is to love; to read is to be loved. The intensity of passion, which a writer tries to pen on paper, is a laudable and a remarkable attempt. The happy facility of the reader to devour it is a sincere one. The genius of great writers makes to be loved, seem, a greater feeling than to love. The genius of a great reader makes that seem possible. Both the reader and the writer are equally important. For love. is made in a pair. The simplest of sentences can make, the greatest of literature, if it’s meaning truly felt, its passion truly experienced; for beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Great writers like true lovers raise the fiercest tempests of passion, and great readers like true lovers brace them. Love but is a soothing balm, which heals our bleeding wounds. The reader and the writer make a wonderful pair, one understanding, the other caring and the same words healing both. They say love never ends and the story goes on. For to write is to love, to read is to be loved.
When a thief tiptoes into your house, Does he think of prisons? When your neighbor has a grouse, Does he think of your relations? When a kid drops out of school, Does he realize what he’s lost? When we make war like fools, Does man reflect on the cost? When your mind is strong, Does a provocation hurt? When you have heard this song, Does it seem short and curt?
Vigneshwar. K. MM16, Mensa Baroda I ain’t no Indian. I am a World Citizen!! India is a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. So who doesn’t know that? But, one question has been haunting me for a very long time. The freedom that we claim we have achieved…do we have it or is it just like the fire we visualize when we can hardly smell the smoke? I racked my brains to find arguments that might have pacified me. I found none. This is an honest confession of my opinion on the matter. Here are some thoughts I share with you. First is social freedom. Apparently, we have social freedom because we are not tied to chains, we are not subjugated by people with lesser melanin and we think we donot have to bow our head to anybody in this world. But, social freedom is much more, and I emphatically say, we are still bound by a lot of factors. Every teenager here will say she/he is oppressed by teachers and parents. Every woman in India today will say she is oppressed by our male-oriented society and every man here will say that he has to kneel before authority in India because his boss will promote him only if he butters the latter like a juicy leg of chicken. So, social freedom has gone out of the window for us Indians!
Malhar Vadke. Mensa Mumbai malharisme@rediffmail.com
WHEN… When a Priest forgets to pray, Does his conscience leave him alone? When a soldier cannot mercilessly slay, Does he get shot through the bone? When a bull can’t till the land, Does it expect to live for long? When a failure is unplanned, Does it strike you as wrong? When the corrupt leader has been elected, Does the society repent? When you are elated, Does this crooked world seem bent?
10
SIGLit (contd.)
In which the man of the match was Aamir Khan The political situation was just the same Where the politicians just wanted fame Many politicians were good, that’s what many thought But at last the police had them caught. The highlight was the summit at Agra To solve the problem at the border of Bagah. But that did not succeed Soon after which Osama took the lead And that was the worst part As terror filled in many a person’s heart Nepal too received a setback Because of Dipendra who drank If you think I have forgotten then you are wrong ’Cause I know that the quake destroyed all Gujarat ground What a thing to happen at what a time When India’s Republic Day was at its shine All in all it is a year that should not come again The experience is just for us to gain.
Next in line is judicial freedom. Take any of our rights. Say the right to property, for instance. It is flaunted so evidently and people on the wrong side of the law escape or rather ‘aren’t caught’. If you still believe you have this right, try buying a house in Mumbai and tell the local don to go to hell when his men ask you to pay them their commission. You won’t live long to observe what happens because one of his henchmen would have put a bullet in your head and probably will never have to see the interiors of a prison for that. And what about the famed Mr. Veerappan? So much for judicial freedom! What about the green stuff that makes the world go round?? Economic freedom is the last thing we will get on this planet as long as the USA, the EU and the Middle East exist as they are. Take anything around you for an example. Take the car parked outside. It is shipped in from Germany. Opel, you see! The radiator and tires and come from the USA, Purolator and Goodyear, you see! And what about the petrol? It was lying under the UAE for a million years until a Sheikh came along. He came, he pumped, he sold it to India!!! How can any sane person claim economic independence when our rupee falling like an anvil dropped from the Eiffel tower against the dollar and the euro?? So what can we do? Not much. Put on the happiest face possible and instead of saying “I am a proud Indian”, say “I am a World Citizen”. ‘Tis far truer and besides… its much more fashionable!!!
Mihir Mangalvedhekar MM13, Mensa Mumbai mihirmangal@hotmail.com
HOPE AND PEACE After the rescue workers arrived on the scene There was no piece of peace to be seen. Bewilderment, perplexity and confusion They were like colours of illusion. The two buildings crumbled like a house of cards Stony debris were thrown by many yards. Death was certain, no hope of life Gleamed in the eyes of both husband and wife. Inside was trapped their only son Seeing him alive was their intuition. Rescue workers searched day and night But the parents couldn’t sleep of fright. Till one day they couldn’t stand it any longer Their will to see their son was much stronger. A rescue party was organized by them both “We’ll find him alive”, was their oath. They worked tirelessly, day and night They knew what they were doing was right. After a few days their son was found Amazingly, he was safe and sound. After they drew back their sorrow and pain The parents were united with their son again.
Vigneshwar. K. Mensa Baroda vigneshwar_k@hotmail.com
THERE GOES 2001
There goes 2001 And many say ‘Thank God, the year is done.’ Its been a year of down and ups As many people have had great hiccups Terrorism dominated this year As people lived in great fear Sports may have been dominated by India As they experienced the death of Scindia Tehelka became very famous But for India it was very dangerous For India cricket was not too good As the captain did not excel with his wood But the best cricket match was in Lagaan
Mehul Mangalvedhekar MM11, Mensa Mumbai mehul_gm@hotmail.com
11
The Math World
Once upon a number, there was a math planet consisting of six continents. The names of the continents were the lands of Division, South Multiplication and North Multiplication, the lands of Addition, the island continent of Subtraction, and the infinite land. There was a positive and negative pole. Roman numerals and Arabic numerals lived happily here. The land of Subtraction was a wide, lush green continent. There were hardly any cities. In fact, there was only one. It was the capitol and its name was Minusopolis. All the buildings were very short. When the numbers tried to build taller buildings, every time they tried to add a story, some number would take it away. The numbers in Subtraction preferred to take away for some reason. Addition was just the opposite. It was desert and mountains all over. There were a lot of cities; Plus, Add, More, Increase, and Greater to name a few. The capitol city of Addition was Higherville, where the buildings were very, very high. The King kept ordering that more stories be built onto every building to house all the numbers moving into Addition from the other continents. The continent of Multiplication kept getting larger because volcanoes were always erupting and all that lava made the continent grow. On this continent, the cities were named Multiply, Tables and the capitol was an X. The numbers that lived here were having a population explosion. It was already more than the continent could hold. Factor trees lined the streets, but no prime numbers were allowed to live there. Division was on the opposite side of the Math planet from Multiplication. Division was completely forest. Some of the numbers in Division tired of being divided in half and moved away to other lands. Zero lived there, too. He was especially fond of bragging that he was the best number because no matter how many times he was multiplied or divided he would always be Zero. He felt very special and proud. Infinity Land is where numbers greater than a quadrillion lived. As a group, they were simply called
infinity because they were so large. Infinity Land was where old numbers lived. The numbers never die because every year they live, another one is added into the ones column. All the numbers go to infinity to take their holidays. To relax on their holidays, the numbers would go swimming in the Sea of Fractions. But, they had to be greater than four to go into the water. All of the numbers were afraid of the terrible 1/10-bergs that floated by and sunk ships. All the numbers were careful to stay clear of the bridges so they could not get swept out to the positive pole. One day, Roman numerals I, V, and X were swimming in the Sea of Fractions when a 1/10-berg caught them. They had no choice but to hold on. Luckily, they found a wide crack in the 1/10-berg and it was wide enough for them to go in all together, by three. Luckily, they had brought food supplies with them for snacks: a bag of pretzels, a bag of candy, a bag of cookies, and an apple. After a rough month at sea, the little Roman numerals finally bumped into the shore of Addition. The numbers there gave them help and took them to the bridge back to Infinity. When they arrived back to Infinity, the vacationing numbers were just about to depart for their home country of Multiplication. I, V, and X joined them and lived happily ever after. The end.
BRAIN TAX A man received a tax rebate and he found that mistake had been made. The rupees had been transposed for paise and vice versa. Since it was to his advantage, he cashed the cheque. On spending Rs.4.50 he realized he now had twice what the cheque should have been worth. How much ought he to have received? Answer on page 15
Hospital : A place where, if at all one manages to fall asleep, one is woken up to be given a sleeping pill.
The Math World By George C. Leef (age 7) [Reprinted from “Head Line�, newsletter of Mid-Michigan Mensa, September 1997; John H. Garrison, Editor]
12
The Body and Soul of MInd
This page has a format that we will devote a part of the page to the latest scientific and medical updates, possibly a laughter section along with a “Do You Know?� that will feature interesting facts. We shall also have articles shedding light on a particular topic in science from time to time.
associated with it. The tibia and the fibula are the bones of the legs, which articulate, with the talus (it is one of the metatarsals) of the foot. The talus bears a head, neck and body. When we plantarflex our foot (the movement which occurs when we stand on our toes), the narrow part of the talus articulates with the tibia and the fibula. This increases the range of eversion and inversion of the foot, which is carried out at the transverse talar and the subtalar joints. However the range of inversion increases more than eversion because the fibula is longer than the tibia because of a longer styloid process. This is the reason why ladies with heels having their legs in the unstable plantarflexed position generally fall by inverting their foot and tripping.
I would appreciate a feedback and I sincerely hope that you will send in articles and contributions for the forthcoming issues. Let us now move on to a very interesting concept called the countre coup mechanism that explains the reason why the boxers usually suffer from blindness. To understand this we have to first know the major lobes of the cerebrum or the big brain. It is divided into the
Another hazard of wearing heels has been implicated as a danger during childbirth because the baby has to maneouver its way through the birth canal. For this we have to understand that the normal uterus has an anteverted and an antiflexed position [this means that at the junction of the body of the uterus and the cervix (the terminal part) and the cervix onwards is bent forwards]. After wearing heels this angle changes and the fetus during delivery tries to reach the cervix at that inclination it jams into the wall of the uterus because the internal os (opening) position has been altered. Hence surgical intervention becomes necessary.
1) frontal lobe in the front concerned with decision making and primary motor and sensory activities. 2) paired parietal lobes by the side and situated posteriorly. 3) the occipital lobe situated at the back concerned with integration, association and perception of vision. 4) Paired temporal lobes by the side and below the parietal lobes. When we a person is hit on his forehead, the brain moves behind with the skull but the occipital lobe is stripped of the connection with the skull and a partial vacuum is created. After the recoil of the head when the head stops, the skull becomes stationary but the brain moves due to inertia and its occipital lobe collides with the skull causing damage. So instead of the frontal lobe which is in the front and more likely to get damaged by the blow the occipital lobe is damaged. Now since the occipital lobe is concerned with vision, vision is affected leading to partial blindness or complete blindness.
DO YOU KNOW? n
One can suffer from a heart attack merely by sleeping with the legs propped up against a pillow. This is because the venous return to the heart becomes sluggish and slow flow of blood is conducive to the formation of clots that may move with the blood (a moving clot is called an embolus) and enter the heart causing an attack!
n
The strongest bone of our body is not the femur but the mandible i.e. the jaw bone.
The hazards of wearing high-heeled shoes are generally tripping. Why is it so? This can be explained on the basis of the articulation of the bones and the movements
Nishaki Mehta, Mensa Mumbai nishaki_m@hotmail.com
13
My Visit to JPL
I reached US on February 7, 2002 in the evening. I had a look around in the city of Pasadena where the center of NASA is situated. Our actual training program was to start from the 11th. The accommodation arrangements of all the 8 students had been made in one hotel itself. On 11th I along with the other students were taken to JPL. There, the officials at JPL took us to a round around the campus. We were given information of the various activities of JPL and also given information of the various missions that JPL had undertaken thus far. Our job over there was to navigate the rover through a Simulated Martian Terrain. Since we knew the functioning of the various instruments, we were also told to analyse the readings of those instruments. First, for the next two days, we were given training on how to operate the rover through the use of a computer program known as Web Interface for Tele Science [WITS]. The training gave us an idea as to what we were supposed to do on the next day – the actual mission day. On 14th we were again taken to JPL. Now we had to do everything on our own. We formed 2 groups of 4 students each. We then made a list of around 25 commands that the rover was supposed to execute. This was a very complex process as many things had to be taken into consideration like power limitations and scientific achievements. After the two groups had made their command sequence, we combined both the sequences and made a final sequence and told the rover to execute it. It took about 2 hours for the rover to do that. After that we went to Mars Yard where the rover was situated. It was about 200 m away from our lab. We then saw how the rover had done its job and also took some snaps along with the rover because this same rover along with some slight modifications will be going to Mars in 2003-2004!! It was a very great experience working with the NASA scientists. They are technologically very advanced but they treated all of us very nicely and respectfully. Out of the 8 students 2 were from Australia and America each, one from Poland and the maximum, 3, from India! Back at home, everyone was very happy. I was one of the representatives among the three from India and I feel that I have done my country proud by doing so. I am interested in nuclear science and cosmology and will be looking forward to working with NASA again!
The Stars and Planets in the sky always fascinated me and it was my dream to work at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory [JPL] that is a part of National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA], which is also one of the topmost institutions in the world in the study of Astronomy. I got this opportunity when I visited JPL on 11th February 2002. How did all this happen? How did a 15 year-old like me go to a place like JPL? Read on. In 2003 NASA is going to send another of its missions to Mars – The Mars 2003 Surveyor Mission. On this mission, NASA will send a spacecraft to Mars. It will consist of an orbiter, lander and inside the lander, a rover. The orbiter will go in orbit around Mars and with the help of the onboard instruments it will make a complete study of the Martian surface. The lander will land on a specific region on Mars. That region will be a safe one with not too many boulders but will also be interesting from the point of view of finding water over there. The rover will travel across the surface of Mars in search of interesting places. In order to include the participation of students from all over the world in such a planetary exploration, Planetary Society in co-operation with NASA had organized a worldwide competition called “Red Rover Goes To Mars”. Tests were held in various countries and finally from all over the world 8 students were selected. I am one of them. I got the training from the Planetary Society via the internet. The training included information on nuclear science, various instruments and geology. I used to get the material from them over the internet and then based on the material, they used to ask me questions and I used to answer them. The training was divided into various activities and each activity had a stipulated time like, say, a month. In nuclear science, I was given the basic information on the atom and radioactivity. Then, in the second phase of the training, I was given information of the various instruments onboard the rover the APXS, Mossbauer Spectrometer, the various cameras etc. The functioning of various other Imaging Instruments like CCDs was also given to me. The last of the activities was that on geology. It dealt with the various kinds of rocks and also how to read the spectrum of such rocks. Comparing the geology of Mars to that of Earth was also one of the aspects. Bhushan Mahadik Mensa Mumbai bhushan_m@sify.com
14
Miscellanea
(continued from page 4 ...) Year
IQ TEST
[Reprinted from “Broadcast”, newsletter of French Broad Mensa, February 1998; Wayne Stanko, Editor] Fill in the blanks to give the word defined by the one on the right. 01) _ I Q _ _ _ _ _ C o rd i a l s 02) _ _ _ I Q _ _ _ Make new items look old 03) _ _ I Q _ _ So le 04) _ I Q _ _ _ Sp u rre d 05) _ _ I Q _ _ E xcl u si ve gro u p 06) _ I Q _ _ _ C a rd ga me fo r two 07) _ I Q _ _ _ Flu i d 08) _ _ _ _ I Q _ _ Decorate with cutouts 09) _ I Q _ _ _ _ Sp i cy 10) _ I Q _ _ _ _ M e lt 11) _ _ I Q _ _ _ _ _ Pro p ri e ta ry 12) _ _ _ _ _ _ I Q _ _ _ Official announcements 13) _ _ _ I Q _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Occurring twice in three months 14) _ I Q _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Converting assets to cash 15) _ _ _ I Q _ _ Sla n ti n g 16) _ _ _ _ _ I Q _ _ _ Sta n ch i n g d e vi ce
Approximate number of Mensans in India
USA
Whole world
1964
4
800
4,000
1970
100
13,000
17,000
2001
700
50,000
100,000
If we can organise Mensa properly in India, there is no reason why in the next few years it should not grow here the way it did in USA between 1964 and 1970. (continued from page 8 ...) Game bots: These bots can help you, such as ones that patrol certain game play areas for you. Some also can be tough opponents. If you’re a serious gamer, you should know about these bots. Shopping bots: These are intelligent agents doing price and other information comparison live on the World Wide Web. There are many more types of bots. Explore them!
Calling first-time, never-been-published, amateur writers for future issues of MInd. You get published, famous and read the world over by intellectuals. All absolutely free! Now, you didn’t think you’re going to get paid for it too, did you?
For those who are enthused after reading this article, this site also has a list of resources which help you in actually building a bot. http://www.robotstxt.org/wc/faq.html This is a pretty comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about web robots.
ANSWERS
1. Liqueurs; 2. Antiqued; 3. Unique; 4. Piqued; 5. Clique; 6. Diquet; 7. Liquid; 8. Applique; 9. Piquant; 10. Liquefy; 11. Etiquette; 12. Communiques; 13. Semiquarterly; 14. Liquidates; 15. Oblique; 16. Tourniquet. ANSWERS TO IQ TEST:
15
n
Gearing Up (from page 1) : 24 revolutions
n
The Philanthropist (from page 1) : Rs: 31500 . In this puzzle there is no need to know how many men and women there are.
n
Brain Tax (from page 12) : Rs: 46.98
n
(from page 7) : MxExNxSxA = 720
Bowling Them Bulls Over
To Research a Stock is like watching a cricket match. Each one can do it
comes in the form of match fixing between the Bookies and the cricketers.
Ask a person, who would win the India – West Indies Series, or who would the man of the series be? He would have the answer perhaps even before the start of the series. Ask him which is the stock to invest in? He needs to contact his broker.
Cricket involves sentiments of a few thousands of cricket fans under their nationality while the stock markets involve millions purely for money. What makes the task difficult and different is that there are 7000 listed companies as against 14 teams playing the game. One can count the external factors affecting cricket on one’s fingertips namely weather, pitch and outfield condition and an umpire (if biased or incompetent). Stock market involves a host of external factors from economic outlook, rains, export- import parity, demand-supply scenario, policies to Finance Minister’s health, President Bush, Kashmir, Bin Laden, Ganpati drinking milk…………..
To Research a stock is as simple as passing judgments while watching a cricket match. Here’s How… & The products: The company’s (i.e. the team’s)
performance depends on how well its products (players) perform in the market. Having products with good market share gives the company an edge over its competitors. India has been known for its single-handed wins by its star perform er Sachin.
Manish Balwani Co-ordinator, FinSIG Mensa Mumbai manishbalwani@hotmail.com
& The Crowd Support: That reminds me of the
1999 Indo-Pak World Cup match at Bangalore. The crowd support for a company comes in the form of the money support it enjoys from the borrowers as against its own funds and its capacity to bear the cost of the borrowed funds.
Mensa is for the benefit of its members too. If you need to rent a new house, want guidance in biomechanics, or simply like playing chess but have no one to survive you, you can make that request here. Write to the Editor.
& Quarter-on-Quarter Evaluation: This is done to
estimate whether the company would reach the set target. Personally to me, a score of 100 runs in first 25 overs looks comfortable for a team to get a score of 225.
VIRUS KILLER A ribozyme, an enzyme which can be used to kill the deadly hepatitis e virus was designed by Indian scientists. It was designed by using viral clones and would kill the virus by cutting the RNA. The efficacy of the enzyme is being tested at the cellular levels after which it will be tested on animals. It can be used for diagnostic purposes by producing recombinant viral proteins that are capable of generating antigen and antibody reactions. The potential for creating drugs based on information of viral genome is enormous. Kudos to our Indian scientists.
& The
Reputation: Reputation plays a very important role in judging the performance of the companies as it does for any other field. South Africa’s performance on the field, its professional approach is surely ranked higher than that of India.
& Technical Analysis: The information about the
past performance of the team gives a judgment about its future performance. The same is true for the price of a stock. A win at a final against Zimbabwe after losing 9 finals consecutively shows a turn and good hopes for West Indies series.
& Insider Information: One thing vividly common
to both are the scams in both these fields. Insider information, that is leaked in the corporate world,
16