Cover Photo: Durva Mayee This picture was taken at Aksa Beach using a point-andshoot camera (Cannon SX130). Manual Settings: Tv : 1/2000 Av : 4.0 ISO speed : 80 focal length: 5mm
A new perspective for a new year
In this Issue:
I was catching up with a friend over a cup of coffee when he remarked how people were suddenly discovering the need to join associations, to signup for society memberships and for mindless networking in general. He wondered how many of these groups had well-defined purposes for their existence and whether the members usefully leveraged their connections.
An opinion on Opinions …2 Numb3rs …2 Letter Swap …2 A Striking Issue …3 An Object of Worship …4 The Small Bee-eater …5 From the President’s desk …6 Mensa Love Stories …6 Solutions …6
This automatically got me thinking about Mensa. The International website states three purposes: to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity; to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence; and to promote stimulating intellectual and social opportunities for its members. But I like to think of Mensa more as a coffee house. In an interesting TED talk, Steven Johnson observes that it was no coincidence that the period between 1650 and 1700 saw the beginning of The Enlightenment –the cultural revolution of intellectuals– and the emergence of Coffee Houses in Europe. He explains that the coffee house served as a meeting place for writers, poets, painters, philosophers, politicians, businessmen –intellectuals– and encouraged diverse groups of people to think and discuss on various topics. It was where ideas had sex. I believe that Mensa nurtures a similar philosophy where we are encouraged to bring differing views and diverse perspectives to a ‘table’ of equals and evaluate ideas and opinions in the fairest light of non-judgmental acceptance. Every outing, meetup, article, emailthread is an opportunity to connect and engage with all those Mensan minds and transform disparate sparks into illuminating ideas. As we welcome a new year with new beginnings and wondrous opportunities I leave you with Steven Johnson’s words: “Chance favours the connected MInd.”
Submissions: Send in your articles and contributions in plain text format and pictures in high resolution .jpg format to: editor.mensaindia@gmail.com
Disclaimer: 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
~N V Krishnamoorthy, Editor, MInd Cover Photo: Durva Mayee
1
What’s your take? An opinion on Opinions
About:
In today's excessively opinionated media culture that is driven more by "popular sentiment" rather than sensible introspection and evaluation –not to mention a wide, disparate range of topics and discussions on which the "thinking man or woman" is "expected" to have an opinion –do we truly have an opinion of our own? Or do we merely repeat, without processing, what we hear, and vomit it out in the guise of intellectualism?
“What’s your take?” is a column that poses an argument and invites Mensans to take a strong stand of ‘Agree’ or ‘Disagree’. The aim is to explore the subject –not so much as a debate, but as an exercise in analyzing the argument from within the restricted framework of a specific stand.
Sarfaraz Memon presents an argument of why our opinions are not necessarily ours: Let’s be honest with ourselves. We don’t really examine every idea thoroughly on its merits and demerits to come to a conclusion. We don’t have the time or energy for that. We live in times where information is churned at rates that far outstrip any individual’s ability to assimilate it all. So we rely on experts and imitate what they have to say. We identify people whom we agree with or like and adopt their points of view. It isn’t intellectual laziness –rather it’s a way of making sense of all that’s happening around us. But the flipside is that when the experts present their opinions to us as irrefutable facts we have no way of knowing otherwise. Of course we disagree with them sometimes. We are not stupid. But the real question is that if we had access to the same level of information as them, would we have come to similar conclusions every time? And if not, then is our opinion truly our own or is it just a reflection of someone else’s? An opinion is a response to the ideas and information that one is exposed to. So when collectively exposed to certain ideas and view points long enough, people would largely begin to form similar opinions. Look across the world and you will find that people with similar preferences in food, music and lifestyles live together. They did not choose to live together because they have similar preferences – they have similar preferences because the live together. And don’t we prefer listening to stories rather than dry facts? Are we not more likely to recall stories heard in childhood rather than dates, facts and formulae we might have mugged up then? The heroic exploits of historical figures are far more entertaining as stories than as dates and names in history. As Winston Churchill remarked, ‘History is written victors.’ Our preference for a narrative over cut-and-dried facts means that the narrator gets to influence who we side with. Thus the narrator’s bias is transferred to us and slowly morphs to become our own opinion. Thus, whether it is in ignorance, apathy, pretense or deception, not all the opinion we profuse as ours or even believe to be our own are truly so.
2
If you would like to participate in “What’s your take”, drop us a mail at editor.mensaindia@gmail.com
Numb3rs:
Draw paths to connect circles with same numbers to each other, with no two paths intersecting.
Solutions on page 6.
Letter Swap: A and B are two variables. How can you swap their values without employing a third variable?
Solutions on page 6.
What’s your take? (Contd…) MInd, counter view:
A Striking Issue:
An ‘opinion’, as opposed to a ‘conviction’, is not a deep-set belief but ‘a view’. It is merely one’s judgment of a matter in the light of available information. The intensity of our opinion is directly correlated to the relevance of the subject under consideration to our sphere of influence. So a person might have a stronger opinion on the team strategy for a football team she passionately follows than on an issue of corruption over which she believes her influences are highly diluted. But that does not mean that she is un-opinionated or lessinformed –merely that she prioritizes one thing over another. In this day and age of hyper-real time information where conversations are often anachronistic owing to multiple, parallel media over which they occur, information changes non-linearly. Terms like ‘trending’ highlight the momentary, transient nature of such information. Consequently, opinions on such issues are generally ad hoc fragments assembled only to serve a short attention span. In matters of public interest, often the ‘more passionate’ voices crowd out the ‘less passionate’ ones. These voices then reverberate in the selfamplifying cocoon of a media culture to emerge at levels of volume that purport to belong to the society-at-large. Consequently, people unwilling accept this opinion forced upon them as their own. It is true that we often espouse causes and adopt opinions with only superficial considerations. But that isn’t enough to dismiss ourselves as a society of unthinking sheep manipulated by a willing few. On issues that we deem important to ourselves, we certainly have our opinions. And these opinions shape us as much as we shape them. So it is less a question of holding opinions than of choosing the matter that we hold the opinion on. Benjamin Franklin said, “For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise.” In the wisdom of his words, we would do well to hold opinions on matters worth consideration as long as we remain aware that our loyalties lie less with the opinions themselves than the correct course of action on the matter. Opinions cannot exist in isolation. While we may be influenced by what we read, hear and see, the conclusions we infer are what are unique –the thought processes we devote in order to derive meaning from it all. So, interpreting the statement of the argument as an enquiry of our capability to form independent opinions: we certainly make, unmake and remake our opinions; and while our choice of subjects to hold opinions upon may or may not be suspect, our opinions on subjects that matter to us are truly our own.
There are 10 boxes containing 10 matchsticks, each. Matchsticks in all boxes except one weigh 10 grams, each. The defective matchsticks in that box weigh 11 grams, each. Given an electronic weighing machine and exactly one chance to use it, how can you identify the box with defective matchsticks? (Clue: You are allowed to take matchsticks out of the boxes)
Solutions on page 6.
Join the team: Quizzes and Puzzles: The MInd editorial team is looking for a quiz-and-puzzle master for the magazine. If you like asking questions, playing with trivia or maybe designing conundrums, shoot us a mail. Technology: The MInd editorial team requires a technology editor for covering software & open source, digital trends, cool gadgets & gizmos and the social & cultural impact of science and technology. If you’d like to come onboard mail us right away. Send in your mails at editor.mensaindia@gmail.com
Terms to know: Web 1.0 –content access Web 2.0 –content generation Web 3.0 –content interpretation
3
Wordsmith
An Object of Worship
About:
It was about to leave its pedestal. The mindless bustle around afforded it a very grave serenity. The entire din of activity around the one focal sequence of its entrance and exit gave it an ethereal, reverential quality. In the midst of this gaudy, uncouth mass worship, one atheist stood quietly.
“Wordsmith” is a column that invites poems, stories, essays and anything else that weaves with words, paints with prose or evokes vivid scenes, smells and sounds through artistic assembly of letters.
The surreptitious un-convert surveyed with mechanical watchfulness for the slightest trace of suspicion, lest his cover be blown. Experience assured him that the zealots would not see him – leave alone fathom his intentions. But he wasn’t here to partake in their garish rituals either. He merely came to witness the fervent, conceited performances they put on display, every single time the steely deity arrived or departed. Timid minions running helter-skelter in mindless frenzy, hoping to appease the sacred metal void. They worried of its propensity to leave them stranded on the dock or, sometimes, inside, while yet they feared its whimsical dispense of unjustified punishment in severing limbs or cutting lives. In their eagerness to earn the grace of its lordly trail, often the devotees would dance away in assaultive choreography –sometimes targeted, at other times unmethodical. But mostly, the fondness of their sentiments would be emoted in saccharine-soaked effusions celebrating each other’s rich ancestry, admirable relatives or wellendowed body parts. Such dedication that united a people was indeed worthy of being lauded. And still venerable was that holy divine who unified this motley gathering of kindred spirits. The entire grand spectacle brought a heavy tear to his nonbelieving eye, for his lack of faith had rendered him unable to participate in this glorious celebration. He wiped the drop with his philistine palm. He wore his hat. And as he turned to leave the platform, he heard the train start to chug.
If you would like to send in articles for “Wordsmith”, send in your mails to editor.mensaindia@gmail.com
The Tesseract: In the movie, The Avengers, the Tesseract is an ancient Asgardian artifact with unimaginable power. One of its capabilities is to open rifts through space and time for inter-dimensional travel. This alludes to a fourth dimension. The Tesseract has an actual scientific reference. In geometry, it is a fourdimensional hypercube.
~N V Krishnamoorthy
"The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they are genuine."
~Abraham Lincoln Source: the Internet
4
An interesting exploration of theoretical dimensions is Edwin A. Abbott’s 1884 satirical novella, Flatland. Read it here:
http://www.geom.uiuc.edu/ ~banchoff/Flatland/
Lensa About:
The Small Bee-eater
Lensa is a platform to showcase your photography skills. There is also a Lensa-SIG where photography enthusiasts and camera exponents meet up to discuss, explore and exchange ideas in photography and related things. If you’d like to know more or see your captured photograph published in MInd, drop us a mail at editor.mensaindia@gmail.com Additionally, MInd also invites contributors to its cover images. If you’d like to see your photograph on the cover of an issue of MInd, fling us a mail at the above email id.
Backwards Day: These are the images of the 'Small bee-eater'. This bird is known to catch its prey (little insects and dragonflies) in flight. Commonly found throughout the sub-continent, it prefers open country, forest clearings, fallow land, etc where it can spot its food. Known for its social instincts, one may get lucky to spot a series of bee-eaters perched on telegraph wires, taking turns to scan the surroundings for insects and circling back to the perch with its food in its beak. The image on the right is from a cold winter morning, with the birds huddled up, probably in a warm (and cute) response to the cold.
31st January is celebrated as Backwards Day. Suggestions for celebrating it include getting around walking backwards; eating your meals in reverse order (starting with dinner in the morning and ending with cereals and milk at night); and wearing your shirt back-in-front.
‘Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves –slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment.’
Place of photography: Amravati
~Thich Nhat Hanh
~Durva Mayee
Source: http://zenhabits.net/about/
5
Mensa International Elections
From the President’s Desk
Solutions:
Hello M-friends,
With inputs from Sumit Goyal
The Mensa International Election for its board of directors (popularly known as International Board of Directors or IBD) is being held between April 15, 2013 and May 15, 2013. It is important that all dues paid members of Mensa India vote for in this election. The Candidate Materials and Ballot papers will reach you at the address you mention.
Numb3rs: The paths are as follows:
For this I request you to immediately – 1. Ensure your membership fees are paid to your local chapter. 2. Email your full name and address to mail@indianmensa.org with the SUBJECT mentioned as "IBD ELECTION 2013".
A Striking Issue:
Thanking you,
A = A +B
Best Regards, Nirav Sanghavi, President, Mensa India
B = A –B A = A –B
Editor’s Note: Election material including Voting Instructions, Candidate Material and List of Candidates & Constitutional Referenda are attached at the end of the magazine, after the pages from the January Mensa World Journal.
And now the values are swapped!
A Striking Issue:
Mensa Love Stories
Select 1 matchstick from the first box; 2 from the second; and so on till 10 from the tenth and last box.
The Australian Mensa magazine is collecting Mensa love stories from around the world.
Ideally, the total weight of this set should be
If you have a personal story that you’d like to share with the community, send it in to us. We’ll print it in MInd as well as share it with the Australian Mensa magazine.
(1 + 2 + 3 + … + 10) x 10 = 550g
If you would like to read some of the stories on their site, visit http://begoodcat.com/love/
The number of extra grams measured would be the number of the box that contains the defective matchsticks. For eg, suppose the weight admeasured is 554 grams. The extra 4 grams is from four defective matchsticks. Hence the defective matchsticks are in box 4.
The following pages are from the Mensa World Journal (Formerly called the Mensa International Journal)
6
men sa wor l d j o u rn al from the chair...
january, 2013 issue 001
The First Issue of Mensa World Journal!
I proudly present… the new international magazine, the Mensa World Journal (MWJ). A number of decisions were made at the 2012 IBD meeting to improve the International Journal (IJ) and to improve international communication
as a whole. Here you see the first result, a new publication that shall replace the IJ. The MWJ will be published in its entirety online and the mandatory parts of the MWJ to be published will be included in the national publication in your national Mensa. There will no longer be the standard four pages that must be published. Instead, there will be mandatory articles where the national editor will have the ability to fit these articles in the best place in the national magazine. For example, some national Mensas have a section dedicated to what is going on in other national Mensas and these articles combined will create an
excellent “International section”. We, Mensa International, will continue to release twelve issues of the journal each year. These will constitute mandatory and non-mandatory international articles. You can read the details of the changes in the minutes of the 2012 IBD meeting, expected to be on the website early January. This change is yet another in a number of small steps that move in the direction of a more flexible approach to present information to the members worldwide
Willem Bouwens Chairman, MIL
from the executive committee... Thanks to Mensa Croatia for organising an excellent International Board of Directors (IBD) meeting in Dubrovnik in October! The agenda focussed on finance, communication and development issues. As well as passing the motions needed to bring you your new publication, the Mensa World Journal, the IBD meeting resulted in a number of new initiatives and appointments, notably the reappointment of Dr Abbie Salny as Honorary President, the appointment of a new ICT development team chaired by Mark Dettinger (Mensa Switzerland) and the establishment of a new Finance Advisory Committee. mensa world journal january 2013
The Executive Committee (ExComm) introduced certificates of appreciation to recognise special service to Mensa International during the past year and these were presented to Richard Kingston (outgoing International SIGHT Coordinator), Kate Nacard (IJ Editor), Bengt Wendell (Lead Moderator) and Jean-Marc Rakotolehy (Constitution Review Officer). Appointments made by the ExComm prior to the IBD meeting included International SIGHT Coordinator (Steve Mai - Mensa Germany); ISIGs Coordinator (Barbara Kryvko American Mensa) and Kate Nacard has been appointed editor of the new MWJ.
For Minutes of ExComm and IBD meetings, full list of appointees, news and further information about Mensa International, please check out the website at www.mensa. org. A date for your diary - the 2013 IBD meeting will be held in Calgary, Canada in September.
Sylvia Herbert Director of Administration 01
men sa wor l d j o u rn al Financial Report April 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012 The following are copies of the audited financial reports from year ending 31 March 2012. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact me.
Cyndi Kuyper, Treasurer
mensa world journal january 2013
02
men sa wor l d j o u rn al
mensa world journal january 2013
03
men sa wor l d j o u rn al The Apollo Syndrome – Are Mensa Teams Doomed to Failure? “The most disaster-prone team is the one that is exclusively composed of very clever people.” ~ Jay, 1980
came in first place three times or 12% of the time. The most common ranking for the Apollo Team was sixth place out of eight teams 24% of the time and fourth place 16% of the time. The Apollo Teams also provided an interesting spectacle with Belbin commenting “we were seldom disappointed with the lessons that Apollo companies taught both their own members and the ever-interested onlookers from other Belbin developed management games originally intended to companies.” Belbin’s researchers documented these common Apollo teach promising executives about strategic decision-making Team flaws. Do any of these flaws strike a chord with fellow at Henley Management College of Cambridge, in the UK. Mensans? However these games served as a brilliant laboratory to study team behavior. THE EME - Executive Management Exercise - was a week-long game where participants formed Flaw 1 Excessive time spent in abortive or destructive debate. teams called companies and competed against each other. Apollo Team members spent a lot of time trying to convince The object of the game was to finish with the largest share of possible resources. This measure of success was objective. other team members to adopt their own point of view. Team members also demonstrated a strong flair for spotting Belbin’s team of researchers studied the characteristics weaknesses in others’ arguments. of the members of successful teams and compared their Why is this so? Do members of Apollo teams aspire to personality, creativity and IQ test scores to those of less apply their critical minds to the most difficult and intellecsuccessful teams. After nine years of study the researchtually enticing parts of the exercise with an emphasis on ers were able to successfully forecast the performance and analysis and counter-analysis? Do we suffer from paralysis ranking of a team before the game commenced, based on the attributes of the people on the team. The research was so by analysis? Competitive debating skills do not bind people together – they cause rifts and divisions. It also begs ground-breaking and proved to be so accurate that Belbin the question – why do people join Mensa to interact with has turned his Team Role Theory into a lucrative business their intellectual equals and then arrogantly try to prove that is used internationally by many well-known successful they are still the smartest in the room? organizations and management consulting firms. Initially teams were formed randomly but the researchers started engineering teams to crystallize the effects of certain Flaw 2 psychometric characteristics. It seemed obvious for the reApollo Teams experienced difficulties in decision making. searchers to form a team of the brightest participants. Game There was little coherence in the decisions reached. Several participants and researchers initially assumed this Company pressing and necessary jobs were often omitted. A (later called the Apollo Team) had an sadvantage and Perhaps the emphasis on analysis derails critical decision would win the game. Instead the first Apollo Team proved making? Or do we think there must be a better idea out to be “an astonishing disappointment.” It finished last out of there and forget that a large part of any exercise is eight teams. implementation of the idea rather than its generation? Any experiment yielding unexpected results begs to be repeated. The Apollo Team appeared to be an irresistible Flaw 3 combination which Belbin’s researchers repeated on 25 Apollo Team members tended to act along their own occasions. The results were not good. Apollo Teams only favourite lines without taking into account what other team
Canadian Mensan Vicki Herd takes a look at Team Dynamics after reading an article based on Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail (Belbin, 1980).
mensa world journal january 2013
04
men sa wor l d j o u rn al favourite lines without taking into account what other team members were doing and the team proved to be difficult to manage. Why are intelligent people difficult to manage? Intelligent team members showed remarkable resistance to any form of imposed organization. Their preference is for socially satisfying but anarchic autonomy. Intelligent people also have difficulty distinguishing between their role and what they see as the leader’s role. If thwarted by the “leader” of the group, intelligent people are likely to disrupt, rather than contribute to, the effective functioning of the group. “Herding cats” is the oft quoted phrase that springs to mind here. Flaw 4 In some instances Apollo Teams realized what was happening but overcompensated by avoiding confrontation which equally led to problems in decision making. These common flaws led the researchers to conclude: - destructive tendencies in Apollo Teams can lead to underachievement -people with high analytical skills are not necessary creative - a person gifted with creative ability will not necessarily flourish on an Apollo Team - Apollo Teams were not effectively creative teams We must not forget that some Apollo Teams were successful. What characteristics did these successful teams exhibit? - the absence of highly dominant individuals - a particular style of leadership works for Apollo Teams. Leaders were suspicious and skeptical people who impose mensa world journal january 2013
some shape or pattern on group discussion and outcomes of activities. Tough but not dominant leaders are required. Belbin’s team theory discovered there are nine team roles required to be performed by any team for that team to be successful (see inset). Although each team needs someone to fulfil each of the roles identified, one person can satisfy more than one role. Of course Mensa is not the only organization composed entirely of highly intelligent individuals. Think Tanks, universities, research and development laboratories all would consist of classic Apollo Teams. Interestingly, Belbin relates an anecdote of how NASA contracted him to conduct a seminar on team performance as its teams were not working as effectively as the mission desired. Ironically NASA management could not even agree to go ahead with the seminar and instead paid a cancellation fee to Belbin. Belbin’s theory posits that badly composed teams exhibit team role clashes, overlaps and voids. It would appear that Mensa, being a classic Apollo Team, probably has members all vying to perform the same team roles and all avoiding other necessary team roles. Fortunately, the first step in fixing a problem lies in acknowledging the problem exists. Knowledge of Belbin’s team role theory gives Mensa a starting point to address its problem points and work on plausible solutions. Sources: Jay, A. 1980, ‘Nobody’s perfect – but a team can be’ Observer Magazine, April 20, pp. 27ff Belbin, R. Meredith, 2010, ‘Management Teams: Why they succeed or fail’ Third Edition, Elsevier Ltd.
Team Roles Necessary for Effective Teamwork Shaper: task-focussed, needs to achieve and win, dynamic, shakes things up, sees obstacles as challenges Coordinator: sees the big picture, confident, recognises others’ abilities, delegates, clarifies decisions Teamworker: keeps the team running smoothly, good listener, diplomatic, low profile, often noticed more by their absence Completer: perfectionist, double checks, internal sense of accuracy, high standards Implementer: turns ideas into actions, efficient and self-disciplined, motivated by team loyalty, often takes on the unpleasant jobs Monitor Evaluator: fair and logical, unbiased, takes the broad view, moves slowly but comes up with the right decision Plant: creative, generates ideas (sometimes eccentric), innovative, free-thinking, doesn’t get bogged down in detail Resource Investigator: enthusiastic, pursues contacts and possibilities, outward focus, excellent networker Specialist: passionate about their own field, knowledgeable, improves expertise continually, will find out if they don’t already know
05
men sa wor l d j o u rn al
as I recall...
Since the late 1930s - the era of Sigmund Freud - psychoanalysts have known that emotions affect our cognition, without our awareness of the affecting mechanism. Emotions have a powerful impact on our memory; and it is well-acknowledged that our most vivid autobiographical memories are associated with emotional events. Memories of this type are recalled with clarity and sharpness of detail, and much more so than “neutral” memories. Our emotion-enhanced memories are remnants of human evolution, and they have evolved through the process of trial and error. We have learned behavioral patterns that are now called the flight or fight response. The flight or fight response (or instinct) is a fundamental physiological response that forms the foundation of modern day stress medicine. The flight or fight response is our body’s primitive, automatic, inborn response that prepares the body to “flee” from or “fight” a perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival. The flight or fight response, even when artificially induced, heightens our memory retention by exciting neurochemical activity in areas of the brain responsible for our memories’ encoding, retrieving and recalling. (This heightened memory retention that surfaces at or about the time the flight or fight instinct appears has been tested and proven many times in laboratory studmensa world journal january 2013
ies). When we find ourselves in a tense, emotional situation and we are feeling “stressed out,” our respiratory rate increases. Blood is shunted away from our digestive tract and directed into our muscles and limbs, which require extra energy and fuel for running and fighting. Our pupils dilate and our awareness intensifies. As our sight sharpens, our impulses quicken. Our perception of pain diminishes and our immune system mobilizes with increased activation. We are now prepared - physically and psychologically - for flight or fight. We scan and search our surroundings, and we look for “the enemy.” In our 21st century world, we use adrenaline to help protect ourselves from a perceived enemy, whether it is an angry boss (whose name we suddenly cannot remember in a delicate social context) or a casual acquaintance we are introducing our girlfriend or boyfriend to - and the acquaintance just may be a rival for the affection of our new girlfriend or boyfriend. When we process information in an elaborative manner, our memory is enhanced. When we extract meaning from items, we form inter-item associations, thus enhancing memory. Arousal enhances perception and memory of emotionally-arousing stimuli. Arousal also enhances perception and memory of stimuli that are high priority items and, in turn, impairs perception and memory of low-priority
thomas hally
stimuli. The likelihood of processing emotional items is increased as attention is focused and limited. High levels of arousal will lead to the narrowing of attention so that information central to the source of the emotional arousal will be encoded. However, extraneous details will not be encoded. Like arousal, the concept of valence (highly positive to highly negative) enhances our affective memory experience. Non-arousing memories with marked positive or negative valence are remembered better than neutral items. Memory consolidation is both the stage of memory where storage takes place and the process of creating a permanent record of the information we have encoded. The mood-congruence effect and mood-state dependent retrieval are contextual effects of emotion on memory. The mood-congruence effect explains our tendency to retrieve information more easily when it has the same emotional content as our current emotional state: i.e., being in a depressed mood increases the likelihood of remembering negative events, while being in a happy, upbeat mood increases our chances of remembering positive events. It is generally agreed that our current mood affects that which is attended, encoded and retrieved. The mood-state dependent retrieval effect is a type of contextdependent memory. The retrieval of
06
men sa wor l d j o u rn al information from the memory is more effective if the time-of-retrieval mood matches the emotional state at the time of encoding: the moments when the memory was first born or formed. The probability of remembering an event is greatly enhanced by evoking the original emotional state - the state of mind during the initial processing of the memory. In conclusion, our memories are enhanced by emotional content or our understanding of items or events. Emotionally-charged events are remembered more easily than unpleasant ones. Positive memories contain
more contextual detail than negative or neutral memories, and this in turn, helps memory. Strong emotion has a tendency to impair memory for less emotional events and current information (emotion experienced at the time of retrieval). Our memories are helped or hindered by our emotional state, whether we are emotionally aroused (angry or elated) or in a neutral mood (somewhat objective). The mood-congruence effect refers to our mood when it matches the mood we were in when we first experienced the information. (The stronger the emotions aroused, the greater the effect on memory).
supplementally
Emotions can be evoked or “minimalized” by role-playing as we express or suppress our emotions. The amygdala is the key player in the emotion-processing phase of memory. Other areas of the brain are also involved, namely, the cerebellum and the prefrontal cortex. Emotion and attention are related phenomena. Finally, emotion acts on memory at all points of the memory cycle: encoding, consolidation and retrieval. Emotion produces stress hormones, uses working memory capacity and involves related regions of the brain.
tjh@thomas-hally.com
john
Prostate Progress ScienceDaily, 8 October 2012. “Scientists find blood signatures for aggressive prostate cancer.” (Lancet Oncology) Many men with suspected prostate cancer wish there was a better way to test for aggressive disease than with a biopsy. Thanks to a study at Britain’s Institute of Cancer Research, the wish might eventually be granted. Researchers have found two different blood markers for aggressive forms of prostate cancer. They look for patterns of active genes that have been associated with the nastier forms of the disease. By reading patterns of gene activity like a bar code, they can tell the difference between cancers that will spread, and those that would happily stay within the prostate for many years.
Undeciphered Writing System.” Imagine trying to decipher 5,000 year old clay tablets containing protoElamite writing when you can’t be sure of reading the characters properly. It’s no fun at all. To deal with this, scientists at University of Oxford and the University of Southampton are photographing cuneiform texts in a dome equipped with 76 discreet photo lights. The system takes a picture under each individual light, then a computer puts the images together in a way that lets researchers look at the texts side by side, as if they were lighting them with a flashlight from all different angles. This is part of the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. Newly photographed text is available to the public at http://cdli.ucla.edu.
Tackling Cuneiform ScienceDaily 26 October 2012. “Technology Helping to Crack Oldest
Halloween Hurricane Science News online edition, 17 October 2012. “How the Frankenstorm
mensa world journal january 2013
blinke
came to life.” Hurricane Sandy was the freakish Halloween horror of 2012. It came from the Caribbean instead of the coast of Africa, where most hurricanes originate. And it hybridized with two other weather systems, one of which prevented the jet stream from dissipating Sandy, the other of which added some helpful spin to let Sandy take advantage of the tropical heat it was carrying. Scientists immediately put computer modeling to use, simulating the storm’s current state so they could predict its near future path. Of these, a European program did the best job of predicting the devastating left hook the storm delivered to the U.S. east coast. The reason for the simulation’s success was simple: European models used higher resolution data than other efforts.
Johnb44221@cs.com 07
men sa wor l d j o u rn al Mensa Canada Annual Gathering at Niagara Falls Friday, May 3 to Sunday, 5, 2013 Come enjoy the best company, stimulating speakers, challenging competitions and great food, set amid the natural splendour of Niagara Falls. We gather just across the street from the amazing Horseshoe Falls. Early arrivals are invited to golf at the beautiful Whirlpool Golf Course or take a winery tour. Post-Gathering events will also be arranged. To register online and for information:
mensacanadaag2013.wildapricot.org
Check the Mensa website for all national events open to members internationally www.mensa.org
officer directory
Chair: Mr Willem Bouwens Trompenburgstraat 6-G, 1079 TX Amsterdam The Netherlands chairman-mil@mensa.org Tel: +31 (0)20 661 2718 Director Admin: Ms Sylvia Herbert 16 Farley St, St John’s, Worcester, Worcestershire WR2 6JD England admin-mil@mensa.org Tel: +44(0)1905 422231 Director Development: Ms Bibiana Balanyi Mensa HungarIQa, H-1426 Budapest 72, Postafiok 99 Hungary development-mil@mensa.org Tel: +36 209 135175 Treasurer: Cyndi Kuyper 2606 Henderson St, West Lafayette, IN 47906-1537 Tel: +1 765 463 1393 Cell Phone: +1 765 714 2272 treasurer-mil@mensa.org Dir. Smaller National Mensas: Mr Björn Liljeqvist Knektvägen 1, 196 30 Kungsängen, Sweden +46 (0) 730 394199 skype: bjorn.liljeqvist dsnm-mil@mensa.org Hon. President: Dr Abbie Salny 407 Breckenridge, Wayne NJ 07470 USA Tel: +1 973 305 0055 SIGHTCoordinator: Mr Steve Mai, 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 2048 Australia mwjeditor@mensa.org Tel: +61 2 9516 1024 Science: Mr John Blinke, Johnb44221@cs.com Books: Mr Tom Elliott, tme01@verizon.net Feature Articles: Mr Thomas Hally, tjh@thomas-hally.com 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) 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 january 2013
08
2013 International Mensa Election INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS - PLEASE READ BEFORE VOTING You should have received an International Election Ballot Paper and an Envelope addressed to your Mensa Office. If you wish to vote, you must vote on the ballot paper provided. Election of International Officers In the election of International Officers, members are asked to vote for: one of two candidates for the position of International Director-Administration; one of two candidates for the position of International Director-Development; and one of two candidates for the position of International Treasurer. The order in which the candidates appear on the ballot has been determined by lot and does not reflect any rank, seniority or recommendation. You have ONE vote for each office. Please put an X mark in the box next to your preferred candidate. If you mark more than one candidate your vote in that category will become invalid. PLEASE NOTE: Since there are only two candidates in each category the preferential voting system will not be in effect in the 2013 International Election. DO NOT MARK ANY SECOND PREFERENCES, since this will invalidate your vote. Constitutional Referenda There are actually seven constitutional amendments, although five of them have been almalgamated by the International Board of Directors (IBD) into the first question and the other two are presented separately to all Mensa members for ballot. Please put an X mark into the YES or the NO box on the ballot, depending on whether you wish the respective amendments to take effect. Returning your Ballot Paper 1.
2.
3. 4.
Put your ballot into the envelope provided, then close and seal the envelope. If not already marked, write clearly in the upper left front corner of the envelope "International Mensa Ballot". ON THE BACK OF THE ENVELOPE, write your name, address and membership number in block letters as they appear in your Mensa records. Your national Mensa will use this information to verify that you are a member in good standing that is entitled to vote. If this information is not on the back of the envelope, your vote will be invalid and WILL NOT BE COUNTED. Should you be uncomfortable with this information being openly visible on the envelope, you may place this envelope into another one that you address to the national Mensa office (address see below). Put a stamp on the envelope suitable for Domestic Delivery. If no envelope is provided use one of your own, complete the front and back as instructed in points 1 and 2 above and return to the following address, ensuring its that it will arrive no later than the 15 th of May 2013.
The envelope should be addressed to: Mensa India Office, Jnana Prabodhini Bhavan, 510 Sadashiv Peth, Pune 411 030. Maharashtra. DO NOT SEND YOUR BALLOT ENVELOPE TO ANY OTHER ADDRESS. If two or more members live at the same address but you received only one ballot form, each additional member may copy the ballot paper and vote following the above instructions using
2013 International Mensa Election a separate envelope. Any member who returns more than one ballot form will have all of his/her ballot forms declared invalid. Only ballots received by May 15th, 2013 will be counted. Do not place anything else in the envelope because it will be forwarded unopened to an independent counting agency, which will discard any other materials in the envelope.
END OF INSTRUCTIONS.
Mensa International Elections Candidate Statements that, and the fact that societies can profit much more from HIQ than they have done untill now, makes Mensa worth all the effort we put into it. All Mensans are international! When Mensa International is clear about what it does and why, how it works and how that can be influenced, many Mensans will join the international community to enjoy, exchange, develop, volunteer and have a great time! Answers to IBD Questions 1. What do you see as the most important aspect of the role for which you are standing?
Grethe van Geffen Candidate for International Director-Administration Biography I was born in a christian-orthodox environment where women were supposed to marry and get children, not study. Me and my sister were small when the church leader visited our parents, hoping to prevent them from sending us, talented girls, to grammarschool. I was scared because I loved school. In orthodoxy people always go back to the written rules. So my mother took the bible and read the parable about using all the talents one has. The church leader nodded: yes, that was the word of God, yes, this was true. Then my mother said: “and now tell me, where do you read that this is only for men, not for women?” It was very silent in our house for five minutes, then my mother said: “OK so the girls will go to grammarschool and study”. This was one of the most decisive moments in my biography. www.grethevangeffen.nl Campaign Statement I am passionate about Mensa, it is great, it is fun and it is unique. It is hard to find an organisation where so many different people from all countries and parts of society participate and feel they share something essential. Mensa is so lively, with booming creativity and a wealth of activities. All
The role of the Director of Admin is important in the overall ambition (my campaign statement) that Mensa International should be transparent and accountable to show added value to the members. The Director of Admin can particularly influence that in: • communication, being leading in the field of IJ/ Mensa World, the external and internal website and other communication means to be used or developed • processes, especially decision making processes and nomination procedures • support of ICT ambitions and webteam Supporting the Executive Director and his staff is of course a key responsability for the Director of Admin. Ambitions can only be achieved with the invaluable cooperation of our staff and volunteers. 2. Why have you volunteered for this role, and what in particular qualifies you for it? As business woman (www.seba.nl) I met with many dilemma’s including ICT problems. As experienced board member in both small and large organisations, I know how to support directors who run an office at any size. I have fulfilled complex assignments in the field of democracy, governance, decision making processes and the effects of different participation structures. Let’s bring Mensa International forward to the next step of international governance insights! Chair of Mensa the Netherlands since 2008, I realized 36% growth in membership (3200 > 4340 members) and our Mensa 5000+ administrative reorganisation to facilitate
it; innovative volunteer program; start of Dutch Mensa Foundation; publications on intelligence (both for education + work); Mensa visit to Princess Máxima etc. Recent international achievements: • realizing 2nd EMAG Utrecht 2009 = guaranteing continuity of this great German initiative • co-founder Leadership Ambassador Exchange Program 2010-2012 • initiator 2012 IBD-motion to create the new webteam 3. What do you see as the most important issues facing international Mensa at the present time and in the next few years? Opportunities are mega in growing Mensa: we expect to reach the milestone of 120,000 members July 2013! Mensa International needs to redefine itself, coming from a period concentrating on regulations and rules many members now ask for more added value like: • our common website as meeting point for all Mensa members • transnational gathering like EMAG/AMAG • the leadership program encouraging exchange and mutual learning
So far Mensa International could only partly include these activities at Excom level and be transparent and accountable about them. Mensa International faces a dilemma in the question what it is supposed to be, to mean, to do on one side, and what that might cost on the other side. It is increasingly important that Excom works as a team. Individual Excom roles no longer do the job, future goals must be achieved by shared efforts for common responsibilities. 4. What do you wish to achieve during your term of office? 1. transparency about how Mensa International works, and how that can be influenced by all parties / persons involved with the international field 2. accountability: Excom being willing and able to explain what decisions are made, why and what the consequences are – questions being answered – finances being explained – and the like. 3. stabilisation and further development of the Leadership Program 4. come to conclusions what we want the international website to be, and realize that 5. make Mensa International (more) attractive for volunteers, find new ways to involve them 6. be a good colleague, supportive for all the common goals we want to achieve
Therese Moodie-Bloom Candidate for International Director-Administration Biography Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, with strong musical and philosophical childhood influences. Degree in Politics and Philosophy. Travelled widely, living and working on several continents as musician, music tutor and English teacher. I currently write weekly columns for the Australian national newspaper and the Sunday Herald Sun, enjoy bushwalking, reading, music and experiencing different cultures. Member of the IBD for eight years, first as chairman of Australian Mensa and then as International Director of Administration. Recruiting Officer, Proctor. Served on several international committees, including MIL’s Awards Committee, Licensing Committee and Constitutional
Review Committee. As Editor of the Mensa International Journal I was in close contact with all Mensa countries and their national editors. World Events Coordinator for Mensa’s Diamond Jubilee in 2006. Currently co-coordinate the Mensa International Photographer of the Year competition each year. I follow international Mensa matters closely, attending 18 of the last 20 IBD meetings. Campaign Statement Mensa International is a unique and wonderful organization. It faces exciting challenges as it moves ahead, expanding its cyberspace presence to accommodate a world that relies more and more on electronic social media. We are a prime example of a whole being greater than the sum of its individual parts and the Director of Administration is charged overall with the smooth running of that ‘whole’. If elected, I will work hard to ensure that Mensa International remains a strong and cohesive group, a stable core family to all members with well-integrated components, well able to fulfill our constitutional aims. I will implement centralized website facilities to ease the administrative burden on many national and regional groups, allowing officers to concentrate more on local members and enriching individual experiences of Mensa. My family has always subscribed strongly to the notion that one should give back to the community where possible. Mensa has given me much: lasting friendships, contacts around the world, mental encouragement and inspiration, a sense of esprit de corps, and both unlimited and unlimiting cerebral fodder. I would like to give back to the Mensa community. If you would like further information before casting your vote, please write: therese@mensa.org.au Answers to IBD Questions 1. What do you see as the most important aspect of the role for which you are standing? The Director of Administration has overall responsibility for the running of the MIL office, its publications, agendas, membership benefits etc. In short, the Director of Admin is the International Secretary, the entire role being the underlying ‘glue’ that brings together all Mensans under the common international umbrella. Perhaps the most important aspect of the role will be guiding Mensa International through the rapidly-changing social environments and maximisiing the benefits of this global transition whilst remaining within budget. This includes two innovations recently implemented by
the International Board of Directors. The traditional paper publications, the Mensa International Journal and Mensa World have merged into the Mensa World Journal and the IBD has appointed an enthusiastic team of international members for a complete overhaul of Mensa’s cyberspace. It is essential that there be a smooth transition from the ‘old’ systems of communications to the exciting future innovations which await us. 2. Why have you volunteered for this role, and what in particular qualifies you for it? I would like to ‘give back’ to Mensa. There is much to return and election to this position would enable me to do so with maximum effect. I have garnered a wealth of experience through the volunteer positions I have held. Former roles include Chairman and CEO of Australian Mensa, MIJ editor, Coordinator of World Events for the MIL Diamond Anniversary, a member of the International Awards Committee, Licensing Committee, membership on both national and International Constitutional Review Committees … I have also held the position of Director of Administration, although the role has evolved in exciting and challenging ways during the intervening years. I have attended meetings in several countries (including leadership workshops in the USA), have experienced the unique and wonderful Mensa @ Cambridge, and attended the recent Asia Mensa Gathering in Bali. I attend most IBD meeting and follow international Mensa affairs with interest. 3. What do you see as the most important issues facing international Mensa at the present time and in the next few years? Like most clubs internationally, Mensa faces a loss in membership. One major factor is the effects of our social media: the things that once drew people out into the community – shopping, interaction with friends, movies and entertainment – these are now available from the home. Added to the overall global financial situation, many clubs are losing their appeal. Mensa needs to turn this disadvantage into an advantage by utilizing the same social media to enhance the proposition of membership in Mensa. The challenge to the Director of Administration will be to enhance membership benefits whilst curtailing expenditure. This can be done in part via implementation of website facilities to ease the administrative burden on many national and regional groups, allowing officers to concentrate more
on improving the individual ‘Mensa experiences’ of their members. Quality of membership can also be gained through improved member-to-member communications via the social media and our website. 4. What do you wish to achieve during your term of office? Together with the new international IT team, I look forward to • Significant expansion of our website • A smooth transition to new website and our increasing cyberspace presence; • Enhancement of Mensa-to-Mensa communications • An extension of MIL’s facilitatory role to intensify international cohesion including:
• Provision of a central website library of administrative guidelines, templates, blueprints (or ‘road maps’) for all aspects of local and national administration, compiled by mensans worldwide and available to officers, organizers and coordinators who wish to avoid reinventing the wheel. This would relieve local leaders of more cumbersome aspects of administration, leaving them freer to concentrate on local member benefits, enriching individual experiences of Mensa; • Enhancement of membership benefits including SIGs and SIGHT. • Enhancement of member-to-member communications; Overall, to help bring Victor Serebriakoff ’s golden vision of Mensa International as a ‘global village’ one step closer to fruition.
of Direct International Members. Cinthia focused on the establishment of infrastructure and communication channels during her presidency, creating the oficial website, blog, YouTube channel, Facebook page, Twitter account and an internal membership database to automatize administrative processes. Internationally, Cinthia has participated since 2011 as a Committee member of the Leadership Exchange Ambassador Program and Chair of the International Media Advisory and Creation Committee, created thanks to a motion she wrote. Highlighting the importance of communicating and sharing knowledge, she built AnimusM.com, which holds Mensa events media and provides a platform for other projects. Professional profile: LinkedIn.com/in/CinthiaReyes
Cinthia Reyes Candidate for International Director-Development Biography Cinthia Reyes has been Mensa member since 2007. State representative ( Jalisco, 2007) and the National Chair of Mensa Mexico (2008-2012). She organized the first three AGs in the country, registered Mensa Mexico as a nonprofit organization, and led the way for Mexico to become a Provisional National Mensa in 2011 starting from a group
Campaign Statement Mensa helps members to gain friends, abilities, spaces, ideas, passion, love, understanding, personal growth and many more invaluable things. Happier members have a better chance to positively influence their environment. Also, there are cases where organized members have worked together providing resources to a library or helping in many other different ways to their community. Assisting the growth and development of Mensa is a unique opportunity of empowering people. If elected, I will enable a more efficient communication between Mensa and its members. I will do my best to find mechanisms where our creative members and/or our
historical good practices help us solve issues. My personal communication website is: www.cinthiareyes. com
head, LEAP Committee member, chair of IMACC. I recieved the National Chair Service Award from American Mensa.
Answers to IBD Questions
3. What do you see as the most important issues facing international Mensa at the present time and in the next few years? Many problems are derived from a lack of knowledge/communication, on the importance of certain policies, the needs of a group of members, etc. Mensa must use faster, more efficient, and more human ways of interacting throughout our rich global community. We must learn better uses of technological resources. Making sense through an open communication of milestones, strategic planning, needs, objectives, possibilities and problems, is a must and our better chance to face internal issues and external threats. I will focus on maintaining communication channels. I will document good practices and find solutions, with the help of our many members, to prevent chapters from reinventing the wheel. I have already started with this task in the form of a wiki (mideas.cinthiareyes.com).
1. What do you see as the most important aspect of the role for which you are standing? Encouragement and guidance. The director of development is responsible of encouraging, guiding, accompanying and helping along the way isolated members and emergent structures to grow and become Full National Mensa Chapters. In order to achieve this, the director of development should help understand the objectives, bylaws, philosophy, available resources of this international community. Proper understanding of what Mensa is and provides to its members is a key component and fuel to this volunteer and global organization. On the other hand, the director of development should be able to identify emerging structure needs and help provide solutions from Mensa International setting policies, adequate resources, including educational and supportive spaces for volunteers. For example, different but close countries in Latin America could work together on PR strategies having a focal working group supporting on this, publish LATAM newsletters, etc. 2. Why have you volunteered for this role, and what in particular qualifies you for it? I wish to empower members through Mensa and help enrich their life; foster positive PR while fulfilling Mensa’s objectives; structure and develop chapters for their members’ and our global community’s benefit. People on International roles usually come from organized, FNM chapters. It is hard to empathize with the challenges of starting out from scratch, with a dream but no resources. But I can. I have development experience derived from my work with a group of Direct International Members, which resulted in the creation of Mensa Mexico and the achievement of the PNM status. I have learnt Mensa dynamics from different angles and proven my commitment with results. I have attended IBD meetings, written and gotten motions approved. Lecturer to AMAGs, EMAGs, American Mensa NatComm meeting guest once, AMAG’s volunteer, SIG’s coordinator, AG’s
4. What do you wish to achieve during your term of office? • A wiki-based collaborative document of “Mensa Good Practices” with help of members. This will also serve to compile and work on suggestions to solve problems within Mensa. • Help improve communication between members / ExComm • Support development of group of members, chapters and special projects, creating international task force groups on PR, strategic planning, etc. • Focus on development on regions like Latin America, India, China. • Undertake special development issues like testing and resources on emerging regions. • Help analyse necessary infrastructure for MIL to assist groups and improve online services for members • Support volunteers with learning resources and communication spaces. • Help analysis of chapter reports for this material to become future “good practices”. • Help improve general public image of Mensa by communication and support of ongoing member projects and gifted children programs. • Analyze the possibility to define a Mensa corporate image manual.
Björn Liljeqvist Candidate for International Director-Development Biography 2011- Director – Small National Mensas, MIL Executive Committee 2007-2011 Chairman of Mensa Sweden, IBD member 2004-2007 Board member and national test coordinator, Mensa Sweden Born in 1975, joined Mensa in 1991. Various volunteer positions at local level since then. Professionally, I have a MSEE degree and a background in systems engineering. I currently run my own business in education, lecturing on learning strategies at companies and universities. Languagues: English – fluent; Spanish – good; French, Japanese – fair; Mandarin – learning; Swedish – native. As chairman, I focused on developing Mensa Sweden internally, in order to enable further growth in members and activities. During this time, membership was almost doubled. As IBD member and later as D-SNM, I have worked actively on issues of policy and procedure, helping to improve communications and decision making, while being the link between the Small National Mensas and the ExComm. Campaign Statement Mensa needs to grow globally, in numbers and in
importance. Development can mean geographic expansion, certainly, but it also means improving how Mensa International does business and what we can offer national groups at various stages. I see a few areas as especially important. • Latin America. I look forward to coaching several groups in the Spanish speaking world so they can develop their chapters. • China and India. Two important countries in different stages of growth. I will make it a priority to help them reach Full National Mensa status. • Providing a voice for the DIMs. Direct International Members are represented by the DoD on the IBD. I will use the international forum to maintain an ongoing conversation with them, so Mensa International can cater to their interests, and benefit from their points of view. • The Learning Organization. Knowledge transfer and knowledge management is absolutely essential to a society as diverse and disparate as Mensa. We have an urgent need to turn information into knowledge and use it intelligently. This includes having and using good communication and IT services online. It also requires providing training of volunteers and leaders. More information at www.braingain.se/BjornForDevelopment. Answers to IBD Questions 1. What do you see as the most important aspect of the role for which you are standing? The role of helping groups grow into Full National Mensas and beyond. To successfully do this, Mensa International needs the appropriate infrastructure and a culture focused both on growth and internal development. 2. Why have you volunteered for this role, and what in particular qualifies you for it? As a long time Mensa volunteer, my main interest has always been how Mensa can spread, grow and improve, providing more value to both members and the public. The Director of Development is the best position from which to work toward this end, and that is why I volunteer for it. I have already made a difference in the IBD, where a handful of motions drafted by me have been passed. I have extensive experience of many aspects of Mensa: small, local groups, the national board, the IBD and not least the ExComm. This makes me particularly qualified. I have a diplomatic and cooperative mindset and will combine hard work with
sound judgment. As I have a record of concrete results from my previous and current positions, I am confident that I, if elected, will achieve concrete results with the development of Mensa International. 3. What do you see as the most important issues facing international Mensa at the present time and in the next few years? With ideas in abundance, but very limited resources, it is essential that international Mensa continues on its current path of increased cooperation and cohesion between groups, where the resources at our disposal are put to efficient use. We have to become better at sharing and adopting solutions between countries; new groups in these days should be able to start from a more mature point than the first groups,
without reinventing the wheel. Concrete issues such as support for gifted youth and research, improved IT services, recruiting in new countries and so on, all depend on good governance and solid finances. Setting our priorities straight and then taking one thing at a time will bring good results. 4. What do you wish to achieve during your term of office? A few more Full National Mensa groups. Better incentives for development within national groups. Better services for DIMs. More training material online. I want to identify which services to national groups that could better be provided by MIL as opposed to having a multitude of separate local solutions. Also, I want to bring continuity to the new ExComm and make sure that we all benefit from what each director brings to the whole.
in general management from the University of Klagenfurt, Austria. Professionally I work as Chief Financial Officer for Siemens in Mexico. Former jobs included Project Manager for different challenges (technical, commercial, business process re-engineering), Head of Accounting and Controlling, IT-Manager, ... For my work I travel internationally, lived in Scotland, China, Mexico, France, Italy, Canada and other locations. My main hobby (besides Mensa) is travelling. I visited about 100 countries. This means I saw a lot of cultures and life styles which is very useful for an international position within Mensa.
Rudolf Challupner Candidate for International Treasurer Biography Born in Vienna (Austria) 1954, but living in the countryside, near beautiful lakes, forests and mountains. Married to Doris, also a member of Mensa. Mother tongue German, fluent in English, quite fluent in French and Spanish. Education: primary and secondary school, commercial highschool, technical college, studies of economy and computer science, degree in electrical engineering, MBA
Campaign Statement I joined Mensa Austria 1980, where over the years I had more or less all positions possible: Local Secretary, Regional Secretary, Proctor, SIG-officer, SIGHT, editor, organizer gatherings, co-ordinator Young Mensa, Treasurer, Director Administration, Executive Director and presently Chairman (since 1991). As chairman, but also before, I attended most IBDs and many other international gatherings during the past 30 years. I supported actively National Mensas, especially in Eastern Europe, and served in the Election Committee. When elected chairman, we had 160 members only. My first success was the creation of a team of young Mensa enthusiasts. Together we started Mensa Austria to grow to a sustainable membership surpassing 600. Now I feel free for
a challenging position within Mensa International. I am sure that my way of approaching both Mensans and Non-Mensans will help Mensa growing internationally. I am strongly service oriented and I intend to use the budget with a maximum effect for the development of Mensa. I will increase the clarity of the financial structure to be easily understood also without a financial master degree. My source of energy for the new task are the many Mensa contacts, but also my love for nature, esp. mountains and gardening. Answers to IBD Questions 1. What do you see as the most important aspect of the role for which you are standing? Until now both the budget and the actual annual financial figures and reports are very difficult to read and to understand. In many items desirable clarity and transparency is missing. I want to improve the informativeness as well as the relevance and reliability of all reports. Moreover I plan to improve the co-operation with both the IBD and with all national chapters of Mensa. This includes not only to improve the speed of the accounting and of providing prompt responses to requests, but also to get in closer contacts with all members of Mensa by regularly publishing the most important financial key figures. Only then everyone is capable to make his own judgement, how the financial funds of the international component are used. 2. Why have you volunteered for this role, and what in particular qualifies you for it? More than 30 years of activity on a national as well as on an international level gave me a solid background and understanding of the different needs of all groups and individuals within Mensa. When I was elected for the position as treasurer of Mensa Austria (in the 1980’s), the financial situation was “challenging”. Since then and still we are financially healthy. Additionally I have a sound international experience, and my professional knowledge (details please see above) is enriched by a lot of best practice examples.
All these things are the best guarantee and permit me to ensure you that I know how to handle financial matters in a reliable and professional way. Additionally I have clear ideas how our funds can be used to support the growth of Mensa internationally. 3. What do you see as the most important issues facing international Mensa at the present time and in the next few years? Mensa should grow internationally faster than at present and move into new countries. This task I don’t consider to be the responsibility of the Director Development only, but of all leaders within Mensa. A good basis was set, this work has to be continued, the ideas have to be transferred into initiatives. As Treasurer I consider it as my responsibility to provide the necessary funds. Life becomes more electronical and sometimes more complicated. We must meet the new opportunities, put the right persons – and the necessary financing – into these opportunities. We have to attract young people, we have to foster them and their development. Only then Mensa will not only meet its promise to offer a friendly social environment but also its mission to foster intelligence and to contribute to a better world. 4. What do you wish to achieve during your term of office? I would like to present the financial figures in an easy way of understanding. I also like to see a worldwide growth of Mensa, in membership and in attractiveness. Whereas with attractiveness I do not mean that Mensa only should be interesting for Non-Mensans to join, but also for actual and past members. As a Treasurer I would like to support this general target as much as possible by maximizing the financial support for all National Mensas and SIGs worldwide, so that we all feel to be part of a dynamic group. Within ExComm I see myself not only as the keeper of the money, but also as the representative of a variety of cultures and ways of life. All these aspects also have to be reflected in the financial proceedings, so that each single Mensan can rely on strong and prompt support from the top of our organization.
fairs of the organisation are sound. A Treasurer will by definition present a static position, but a good Treasurer will add value by balancing risk and opportunity and with innovation and efficiency suggest ways to advance the organisation by astute management of resources. This is an area of specialisation that I offer the IBD. I see an opportunity to bring the partners to our business (the IBD) into a discussion that is based on full disclosure. That discussion should not confuse with technical detail, but enable those with even the most modest financial skills to grasp the essential points and see the main strategy clearly. There are many opportunities that do not proceed because a financial appreciation has not been offered. This is something I would bring to the Treasurer’s role and deliver to the IBD.
Jacek Cywinski
2. Why have you volunteered for this role, and what in particular qualifies you for it?
Candidate for International Treasurer
I have been a Board member of Mensa Poland for four years, and then Chair of Mensa Poland for two years which allowed me to attend IBD meetings and gain an appreciation of the role of the IBD, and the relationship it has with national Mensas. My professional background is within the Treasury Control Office in Poland, and as a Taxation specialist for the Ministry of Finance, Poland, which led to my appointment as a Taxation Specialist for Shell, Poland. I am currently a Taxation Consultant for one of the big four companies, and work out of their offices in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Biography I was born in 1983, in Poland. Member of Mensa Poland 2005-2012, currently a member of Mensa New Zealand. 2011 - now Member of Leadership Exchange Ambassador Program Committee 2010 - 2012 Chairman of Mensa Poland, IBD Member 2006 - 2010 Board member and testing co-ordinator, Mensa Poland In professional life I am a tax consultant for one of the big four Accounting companies in Christchurch, New Zealand. I have had several years experience of accounting/ taxation at both national and international levels which I gained at Shell Oil, the Ministry of Finance, Poland, Polish Treasury Control Office, my own chartered accounting practice and several other places. I have got an M.Sc. in finance and banking major: accounting, am a certified accountant in Poland, I have a provisional membership at New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants. Answers to IBD Questions 1. What do you see as the most important aspect of the role for which you are standing? The core role of the Treasurer is to ensure the financial af-
3. What do you see as the most important issues facing international Mensa at the present time and in the next few years? There are three main issues which are interconnected: • Member retention • Balancing the Budge • New technology We are now in the age of iPhones, Androids, Face Book, and Twitter. We should have a website that can take advantage of the many platforms that exist, for example having access to a Mensa website from a smart phone. We are an international organisation but do not see
much interaction at an international level. Many of these platforms are very cost effective, and would attract new members and thus revenue to our Society. 4. What do you wish to achieve during your term of office? To present a balanced budget that shows MIL to be financially sound. There are three foundations: • Full disclosure • Management of costs • Stimulation of growth initiatives We do not harness the potential we have. Improve investment returns - our interest income is reported as 770 GBP on invested capital of over 100,000 GBP. Ensure we adapt to modern strategies rather than continue to pursue the costly and outdated methods of last century. Provide Treasury assessments of potential to add value that would assist the IBD to make decisions, rather than see many IBD initiatives that would produce growth and revenue not receiving the support they deserve.
END CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
2013 International Mensa Election LIST OF CANDIDATES AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDA International Elected Officers The International Election Committee (IEC) has received and approved the following nominations for the positions of International Elected Officers. All nominations have been submitted by National Mensa Committees, there are no nominations by members’ petition. The IEC had to determine solely the compliance with the rules and regulations and does not make any statement as to the content of the materials received. The order in which the candidates are listed has been determined by lot and does not reflect any rank, seniority or recommendation. The same order is used on the ballot paper and in the presentation of the candidate materials. For each position the candidate obtaining the highest number of valid votes will be elected.
Candidates for International Director-Administration: 1
2
van GEFFEN, Grethe (Netherlands): nominated by Belgium, Brazil, British Isles, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA MOODIE-BLOOM, Therese (Australia): nominated by Australia, British Isles, Hong Kong, Hungary, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Candidates for International Director-Development: 1
2
REYES, Cinthia (Mexico): nominated by Argentina, Australia, Belgium, British Isles, France, India, Indonesia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, USA LILJEQVIST, BjĂśrn (Sweden): nominated by Brazil, British Isles, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA
Candidates for International Treasurer: 1 2
CHALLUPNER, Rudolf (Austria): nominated by Austria, Switzerland CYWINSKI, Jacek (New Zealand): nominated by Australia, Belgium, Brazil, British Isles, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden
Page 1 of 5
2013 International Mensa Election Constitutional Referenda - Introduction The International Board of Directors (IBD) has submitted seven proposed amendments to the Constitution of Mensa on the 2013 ballot and has decided that they shall be presented as three questions. The first question shall have five of the amendments, those five being the amendments passed by the
Board in ASIEs 09-30 (unopposed candidates for the position of D-SNM may be declared elected without balloting), 09-31 (IEOs may not nominate candidates for the position of D-SNM, nor may IEOs vote in D-SNM elections), 11-15 (clarify that the D-SNM works with smaller Full National Mensas), 12-23 (standardize on the term “national constitution”), 12-51 (a candidate may not run for more than one IEO position simultaneously); the second question shall have the amendment passed by the Board in ASIE 09-33 (reduce the number of petition signatures for candidates for international office from 200 to 100); and the third question shall have the amendment passed by the Board in ASIE 11-38 (eliminate the provision that members of PNMs are simultaneously retained as DIMs). According to the Constitution of Mensa each amendment will take effect if the result of the referendum satisfies at least one of the following conditions: more than half of all votes received are in favour AND in more than one third of the national Mensas the vote is in favour more than two thirds of all votes received are in favour
Constitutional Referendum - Question 1 (five amendments) Shall the Constitution of Mensa be amended as follows: In Article X, section B.4, delete “The” at the start the section and replace it with: “If there is only one valid nomination, the Election Committee SNM shall declare that candidate elected. If there is more than one valid nomination, the” In Article X, section B.3, delete the first sentence and replace it with: “All members of the Board, other than members of the Election Committee SNM and International Elected Officers, are eligible to nominate candidates. Nominations must be received no later than February 1.” In Article X, section B.5, delete the current language and replace it with: “All members of the Board, other than members of the Election Committee SNM and International Elected Officers, are eligible to vote.” In Article IV, section C.6, change “smaller national Mensas” to “smaller Full National Mensas” In Article X, section B.3, last sentence, change “national Mensa” to “Full National Mensa” In Article III, section C.1.c, change “constitution or bylaws” to “national constitution” In Article IX, section A.4, delete “or bylaws” In Article IX, section B.2, change “constitution or bylaws” to “national constitution” In Article IX, section B.3 (two occurrences), change “constitution or bylaws” to “national constitution” In Article IX, section B.4, change “constitution or bylaws” to “national constitution” Page 2 of 5
2013 International Mensa Election In Article X, add a new sentence at the start of the Article, before section A, as follows: “No person may run for more than one International Elected Officer position simultaneously.”
Explanation by the IBD “This amendment corrects several omissions and ambiguities and clarifies terminology. Several of the omissions and ambiguities relate to the position of International Director - Smaller National Mensas, which was created and added to the Constitution of Mensa in 2005. “One of the items related to the position of International Director - Smaller National Mensas position is, what happens if only one person runs for the office? If a candidate for the positions of International Chairman, International Director - Administration, International Director - Development, or International Treasurer is unopposed, he or she is declared elected without balloting. This system was not put in the Constitution of Mensa for the position of International Director - Smaller National Mensas, with the result that an election must be held even when there is only one candidate. Holding such an unopposed election wastes time and resources. This proposed amendment corrects the omission by allowing unopposed candidates for the position of International Director - Smaller National Mensas to be declared elected without balloting. “Another of the items related to the position of International Director - Smaller National Mensas is, do the International Elected Officers have a role to play in the selection of the ID-SNM? The IBD intended that the International Elected Officers not be eligible to nominate candidates and that they not be in the electorate for this position. The constitutional clause at issue can be read that way, but it also can be read the opposite way, i.e., as meaning that the International Elected Officers may nominate candidates and that they are part of the electorate for this position. This proposed amendment makes clear which of the two meanings is intended, i.e., that the International Elected Officers are not eligible to nominate candidates for this position and that they are not in the electorate for this position. “Another of the items related to the position of International Director - Smaller National Mensas is, what is meant by “Smaller National Mensa” in the position’s title? Does it mean only Full National Mensas below the 10,000-member level, or does it mean all national Mensas below the 10,000-member level? This proposed amendment makes clear which of the two meanings is intended, i.e., that the International Director - Smaller National Mensas works with Full National Mensas below the 10,000member level. (The International Director – Development works with national Mensas that are below the Full National Mensa level.) “Another ambiguity relates to the words used in the Constitution of Mensa regarding the governing document of a national Mensa. The Constitution of Mensa currently uses several different terms to mean the same thing; the proposed amendment standardizes on the term “national constitution” to mean the governing document of a national Mensa. “The last item being clarified in this question is that no person may run for election to more than one International Elected Officer position simultaneously, what is currently implied in the international election rules. “There is a discussion forum on this proposed amendment on the Mensa International website. The IBD endorses this amendment.”
Pro and con statements by the IBD: Statement pro: “This improves efficiency and clears up ambiguities in the Constitution of Mensa. Regarding a person running for two positions, it can be seen from the election rules that a person is not allowed to run for more than one position at a time; putting the prohibition in the Constitution of Mensa makes it even stronger.” Page 3 of 5
2013 International Mensa Election Statement con: “A person should be allowed to run for two International Elected Officer positions and, if elected to both, decide in which position he or she wishes to serve.”
Constitutional Referendum - Question 2 (one amendment) Shall the Constitution of Mensa be amended as follows: In Article X, section A.5.a, delete the number “200” and replace it with the number “100”.
Explanation by the IBD “This amendment changes the number of petition signatures required in order to run for international office. Currently, a member who wishes to run for the positions of International Chairman, International Director - Administration, International Director - Development, or International Treasurer by petition must submit nominating petitions signed by at least 200 members in good standing as of the January 1 prior to the election. This amendment reduces the number of signatures required from 200 to 100, in order to make it easier for candidates to get on the ballot by submitting petitions. “There is a discussion forum on this proposed amendment on the Mensa International website. The IBD endorses this amendment.”
Pro and con statements by the IBD: Statement pro: “This will lower the threshold to stand for election and to seek nomination by petition.” Statement con: “Having to get 100 signatures will make it hardly any less difficult for a member to stand without a national Board nomination, the effect will be virtually zero. Beside that, a nomination from only one national Mensa is sufficient to be a candidate.”
Constitutional Referendum - Question 3 (one amendment) Shall the Constitution of Mensa be amended as follows: In Article III, section B.3 (two occurrences), change “Full National Mensa” to “Full or Provisional National Mensa” In Article IX, section C, delete the following sentence: “The members of a Provisional National Mensa shall remain Direct International Members.” In Article XIII, section A, first sentence, change “Full National Mensas” to “Full and Provisional National Mensas”
Explanation by the IBD “This amendment deletes the requirement that members of Provisional National Mensas remain Direct International Members at the same time. If this amendment passes, members in a country that has a Provisional National Mensa will be members of that PNM, but not at the same time also Direct International Members. The current system is confusing in several ways, and can even lead to legal complications. The amendment clears those issues up and makes the membership status of members of Provisional National Mensas clear. Page 4 of 5
2013 International Mensa Election “There is a discussion forum on this proposed amendment on the Mensa International website. The IBD endorses this amendment.” Pro and con statements by the IBD: Statement pro: “Currently, the members of Provisional National Mensas also remain Direct International Members. There were no doubt good reasons for this policy when it was written thirty years ago, but today it can potentially cause problems for both the Provisional National Mensa and for Mensa International, such as financial issues for the Provisional National Mensa; the members of the Provisional National Mensa being subject to two disciplinary systems; and even legal issues. This policy has outlived its usefulness and should be deleted; members of Provisional National Mensas should be members of that national Mensa only, the same way that members of Full National Mensas are members of that national Mensa only.” Statement con: “While complicated, the current system is not broken and does not need to be fixed. The proposal appears to be change for the sake of change, with no more specific reason than that. ”
Page 5 of 5