Mind Oct-Dec 2002

VOLUME-I

OCT - DEC. 2002

www.indianmensa.org www.mensa.org

Editorial

Contents

It is exciting to edit a magazine like MInd where there are new writers who are also new members. This issue introduces some of them to you along with the regular features like The Body and Soul of MInd and The Top 1 Percentile.

From the Chairman’s Desk ............................... 2

From Mensa International, we have Chairman Dave Remine writing to us this time.

Survival : HOPE ............................................... 6

While Amish Mody, my co-editor, left for a graduate program to the USA for two years, new members from Kolkata and Bangalore have kept the spirit of MInd up as have our Mensans from USA like Dr. Sumita Anant.

The Top 1 Percentile ........................................ 8

Lessons for Life ................................................ 3 Money out of Thin Air ...................................... 4 Readers’ MInd .................................................. 5 AstroSIG .......................................................... 7 The Body and Soul of MInd ............................. 9 Linux and the Free Software Movement ........... 10 You might be a Mensan if ... ............................ 11 Lensa : The Photography SIG ........................... 12

We gratefully thank the increasing eulogy and encouragement of Mensa leaders from around the world in Readers’ MInd. More members writing in with feedback and more articles will surely continue to make this magazine realize it’s raison d’etre.

Solution to Puzzle ............................................. 14 Ah! To be Beautiful .......................................... 15 Milestones of Indian Stock Markets ................... 16

While I am enjoying being a part of the MInd team, I will hope more will join and exercise their freedom to help change the shape of Mensa in India.

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 and views expressed.

Here is also wishing you a great and a wonderful festive season this quarter !

Nirav Sanghavi Editor niravsanghavi@hotmail.com

Your letters, ideas, feedback, brick-bats and bouquets are all very welcome at : amody@vsnl.net OR at Readers’ MInd Mensa India (Mumbai) 184/87, S. V. Road, Jogeshwari (West), Mumbai 400 102.

Send in your articles / contributions in plain text format to : amody@vsnl.net Next Issue Deadline : NOV. 30, 2002

1

From the Chairman’s Desk

Mensa. More than a triple play on a Latin word, meaning “mind”, “meeting”, and “month”; giving us minds meeting monthly. It is much more than that. It is first a concept founded by two barristers in 1946 in England, a concept envisioning the brightest people coming together to meet and yes to even make a positive impact upon society. Our Constitution sets out our mission statement: “to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity; to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence; and to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members.”

We do quite well on meeting the third part of that mission and in some cases we also meet the other two.

what it has become for so many members. Mensa is not full of strangers, but only friends you haven’t met yet.

Shortly after writing this I will be chairing the International General Council meeting in Zagreb, Croatia.

Present will be Chairmen (or their representatives) from almost 30 countries scattered across six continents. Some of those present will come from countries whose national governments are not on friendly terms, but within Mensa there is little notice paid to real world borders and conflicts. Members are just that – members! Travel to another country and you will be welcomed by that country’s Mensa group just as warmly as a member from the next town down the road. Within Mensa we all work together for the society, members from hostile nations respect each other and find true friendship in working and partying together. I have seen representatives from nations at war become friends during the course of our international meetings. Mensa truly is a shining example of people being able to disagree without being disagreeable. Would that the real world leaders only learn the secret from us.

It is second and in my opinion foremost people!

People of such diversity that I challenge any other organization to equal our level of diversity. It is people of all colors, all religions, from all social and economic levels, of all different political parties and persuasions, some with very advanced educations and others without much formal education at all. It encompasses male and female, young and old, rich and poor, and just about any other adjective one can use to describe people. People join for many different reasons. Some join to prove to themselves (and perhaps others) that they can qualify; others join to meet like minded people to share interests with; others to meet a mate of like intellect; others to network for business or employment; and still others to simply have smart people to compete against at playing games.

I look forward to the day when Mensa India will take its place at the International Board table. To that end we have some volunteers who have already made a commitment to Mensa. There is Nirav Sanghavi in Bombay-Pune, Amit Das in Calcutta, and Casper Abraham in Bangalore. They are folks I am aware of working hard to grow Mensa India. We are putting together a network in some key locations in India, and this seems promising for our future development in India. However there are never too many volunteers.

Please think how you can help Mensa India grow and prosper and then volunteer also. With enough people pitching in and doing some work the day Mensa India becomes a fully recognized National Mensa can’t be far off.

Whatever your reason for joining or whatever one or more of our stated purposes you think important, Mensa is whatever YOU make of it. It is pretty much a do-it-yourself organization. If you want a Special Interest Group (SIG) on a topic you are interested in you have to start one or join an existing one. Mensa officers cannot read minds (at least not most of us) so we need you to tell us what you want in the way of services and activities. You will get out of Mensa in proportion to what you put into Mensa. Sit back and wait for Mensa and its members to come to you and likely you will be disappointed. Jump in and get involved, attend a meeting, join a SIG, and you will likely think Mensa is an extended family, for that is Dave Remine, Mensa International Chairman dremine@optonline.net

To receive meeting information etc. by e-mail, request the same by emailing your chapter and membership status (life or annual) to niravsanghavi@hotmail.com. Renew the same before making this request.

2

Lessons for Life

The spontaneous reaction that I get from quite a few people, when they hear that I am a student of karate is, “...then I must keep away from you. You must be a dangerous guy!” I am unhappy that people have this misconception that karatekas (and all martial artists) are “fist-happy”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

who were slow learners was practically non-existent.

But karate changed all that. I am an average karate student, and since I joined martial arts at the age of 19, my body is not all that flexible. (I was never much into any physical activity as a kid.) I need more time to get certain stances, kicks and techniques right as compared some other karatekas. Outside the dojo, whenever I tend to get impatient with someone who is slow to learn “intellectual” things, I am reminded of myself in the karate dojo. Just as I have accepted that I am average in karate, I have learned to accept “average intelligence” in people. My ability to empathise with people has increased and this has added value to my life.

I will not deal with the history and philosophy of karate, for it can easily be found in books authored by authoritative martial artists. Instead, I would like to share the lessons that karate has taught me.

Since joining karate, my self-discipline and commitment standards have increased. No matter what the weather, I have to be in the dojo (training hall) by 6:15 a.m. This is tough, especially in winter.

But I have done it, and now I find that I am able to translate the same dedication in all other channels of life and this has been a revelation. My productivity and effectiveness is at an all-time high.

The ability to tolerate physical pain is the other hallmark of my karate training. Even in my wildest dreams, I had never thought that I would be able to tolerate punches in the stomach or to the solar plexus.

About a month ago, during sparring, my opponent’s kick landed on my left palm. There was a sharp pain, but I ignored it and finished the bout. Afterwards, I noticed that one of the fingers was swollen. I figured it to be an injury to the muscle and went about my work.

I must admit that it was paining all through, but I did not think it to be serious. However, the next day the swelling was even more and when the finger was x-rayed, and was found to be broken in 2 places. I still cannot believe that I was able to walk around for over 24 hours, with a finger fractured in not one, but two places! I am confident that as I progress in my karate training, I will be able to tolerate a lot more pain than the average individual and I am sure that this will be a handy ability.

In karate, the tradition is to bow to those who are your seniors, by belt. Age does not matter. If a karateka is wearing a belt senior to your own, you bow in respect first. The emphasis is on competence. This facet has become one of my core values. Respect for competence above all else. One of the sempai (black-belt instructor) at our dojo is just 13 years old. I am 21. Yet, I bow to him. This has taught me to be humble enough to learn from a “junior”.

Much can be said about the ability to persevere and the rewards that it brings. But nowhere is it illustrated better than in karate. Each kata (a sequence of movements) is performed hundreds of times so as to perfect it. To the outsider, it may seem monotonous, but each time I repeat a kata, I invariably find some new thought behind it or a way to improve how I perform it. This ability to stick to one task and do it till it is absolutely right has helped me outside the dojo. I can now ponder over a puzzle for hours and not get frustrated. I am able to look at the same situation in many angles, by iteration.

I joined karate to learn self-defence. All I wanted from my training was the ability to ward off any attack.

Sure, I got that...but I learned five other lessons that have contributed immensely to my life.

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.

Karate keeps my ego in check. Right from my school days, I was classified as a “bright kid”. (I am a Mensan, right?) My ability to empathise with those

Links : www.kenkokan.net and www.hanshi.org Pradyot Anand., Mensa Bangalore blackbelt@ToughGuy.net

3

Money out of thin air

Quick money making schemes are perhaps as old as money itself. They rely on clever mathematical manipulations to give the illusion that money is actually being made. Just like “conservation of energy” which states that energy can neither be created or destroyed unless some mass gets converted into energy, money too cannot be created out of thin air unless actual value is added by the work of an agency.

Consider this purely hypothetical story as a sample. Suppose there is a community of people (I mean ordinary people not Mensans) and among them a bright company. It made computers costing Rs 20,000 each but wanted to sell them at Rs 40,000. Of course nobody wanted to buy them at that price.

Somebody jokingly suggested to the CEO that the machines would sell like hot cakes if they sold them at Rs 10,000. Next day there was an ad in the newspapers.

Hot Pentium III multimedia computers for Rs 10,000 only. Call 123-4567 for details.

Somebody fell for the ad. What that person got for the Rs 10,000 was not a computer but 4 coupons, which he/she had to sell to 4 of their friends for Rs 10,000 each. They gave the Rs 40,000 more they collected to the company and promptly had their computers home delivered as promised. Now these four friends got four new coupons each from the company in return for their old ones, sold them at Rs 10,000 each, gave the Rs 40,000 to the company and got their computers. For each subsequent steps the company sold 16, 64, 256, … computers at effectively Rs 40,000 each. While the customers only spend Rs 10,000 on each machine. And this went on happily ever after.

So where is the catch? This scheme can only go on for ever if you have infinite number of people in the community. Consider the rate at which more and more people get involved in the scheme. If one transaction takes one week, the the number of people needed to be involved will be more than the world population of 6 billion within 17 weeks or four months. It can be shown by simple geometric progression that at any point of time 80-75% the

people have only coupons bought at Rs 10,000 each, while less 20-25% of them have real tangible computers. Now as the number of total people already drawn into the scheme increases toward the total number of available customers it would become increasingly difficult and ultimately impossible for the coupon holders to find customers for their coupons.

And when you can’t sell a coupon its market value becomes zero. So in fact it is those who bought the coupons but could not sell theirs, sponsored the company’s gigantic sale. So you see that money actually did not come out of thin air after all.

Occurrences like these are rare, mostly because people are not so foolish to participate in such schemes. But it has occurred more than once in the Soviet Union and also elsewhere in the world.

Further reading - “Figures For Fun” - J. Perelman Meeting Announcement for Mensa Mumbai Hello M’s A recreational evening has been organized for late October.

It is to comprise of a Quiz and several Lit Games. The best part is that entrance is free for all Mensans (those who don’t get pocket money, YAY!), you get to sit in the AC in sultry October and, Nirav is sponsoring the winner and a guest to Mauritius (tentatively, hehe!)

The particulars are as follows Day Time Address

Sunday, 27th October, 2002 5:30 pm onwards Doodhwala Builder, Doodhwala House, 292, Bellasis Road, Next to Hotel Sahil, Mumbai Central, Mumbai-400008 Contact No. 3063333 / 3093333 (our member Mr. Saigara)

Looking forward to a whopping attendance and fantastic time-pass! Adieu!

Rahul Lalmalani Mensa Mumbai mr_cool25@hotmail.com

Sayan Chakraborti, Mensa Kolkata sayan@peacefulaction.org

4

Readers’ MInd

Dear Nirav: The issue of MInd was an incredible effort, and one which will be greatly appreciated by both your membership and those international officers you chose to send copies to! Congratulations on a job very well done!

David Felt Ombudsman Mensa International And Past Chairman, Greater Los Angeles Area Past Chairman, American Mensa

Hi Nirav, Thank you, I did receive the copy of Mind some weeks ago but promptly mislaid it. It has just turned up again.

It’s an excellent first issue. I felt it was pitched at just the right level. Good articles and informative to volunteers and potential new members. There were a good few puzzles, quizzes and crosswords which everyone in Mensa seems to like and I’m also sure that once you get your letters page up and running that will be very popular.

Hi, I’m Raunak K. Onkar, life member. I’d like to have the info about the recent AGM held at Pune. I checked the site,but it didn’t show anything about the latest AGM. I’d also like to know about the monthly meetings.

I’d like to congratulate U for MIND, it’s really fabulous.

Your’s mensanly...

I never realised that Mensa had such a long history in India. With continued effort I am sure there is every prospect of Mensa India thriving in coming years.

Best regards Noel Burger Treasurer, Mensa International Hi, Nirav —

Dear Nirav, ‘Mind’ is becoming a very inspiring magazine.

Best Wishes K.C.Shroff.

Past Chairman, Mensa India

Circumstances have been such that I’ve been unable to reply before now about your lovely magazine! It certainly does not read like a newly born endeavor! You’re doing a great job as is, and I’m hoping to see the further evolution of the piece sometime after you’ve been putting it out for a while.

Again, thank you for sending it to me.

I have to apologize twice for being so rude by not acknowledging the arrival of “MInd” and leaving your mail pending for such a long time. When I received “MInd” after quickly going through it I put it some inches away from my keyboard to read it right away...however many things did pile up on top of it which I planned to do...right away. I enjoyed reading it’s well balanced content and in particular the one titled “Intelligence and Education” from Dr. Girish Bapat which I would like to propose to our national editor.

Having been Secretary of Mensa Belgium/Luxembourg for some while I’m currently Mensa Be’s Ombudsman (Mensa Belgium). Walter De Backer Mensa Belgium

Currently, I edit a pro-Mensa newsletter, although not sanctioned officially by Mensa, about Mensa issues. It is called Going Forward. The content on the web version and in the printed version are the same, but I prefer the printed version because the graphics help enlarge the content. Still, since we have no way of sending it overseas, you can see it on the web at: http://www.amyx.org/mensa/goingforward —TJ Lundeen Mensa U.S.A. Former editor of InterLoc, American Mensa’s national business magazine.

Contd. on page ... 7

5

Survival: HOPE

This is a useful rule in politics, business, religion and family relations. One needs to consider the validity of the terms of opprobrium placed upon the other, but applying Hoffer’s words to the accuser can give delightful insights to individual psyches. People seek power, trying to control what they cannot control, because of fear of inner or exterior systems.

Gary Zukav, “Seat of the Soul,” 1999, p232, writes that “When you seek to impose your intelligence or your way of seeing upon another, you are reaching for love, ... but [you are] routing your reach through the wants of your personality, seeking external power.”

This attempt at domination disempowers the self.

Pokemon game players learn the good and bad qualities of adversaries, and act accordingly. I am not familiar with all the diversions of Pokemon.

David, 6, collects Pokemon Cards. Tom, 12, is into Harry Potter. Others are into the Star Wars movies, and some are into games. The delight is that these children are learning about sentient beings which are different, and are beginning to understand them. I have not spent much time with Pokemon, although David keeps showing me his collection. I AM a Harry Potter advocate, having read the first four books and am awaiting the next three.

Readers who are Muggles or non wizards may not understand how we can interact with those who are different. Wizards and perceiving Muggles follow the adventures of Harry, Hermione, and Ron at Hogwarts School for Wizards. They are comfortable with Messenger owls like Hedwig, the feral cat Crookshanks, Buckbeak the hippogrif , house elves, poltergeists and resident ghosts. Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore and even Lord Voldemort, a.k.a.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the evil wizard and Harry’s nemesis, give substance to the characters in the boarding school, Hogwarts, somewhere in Northern England.

Author J. (Joanne) K. Rowling places Harry and friends in perilous situations, yet Harry is able to overcome adversity. Harry is the best at Quidditch, the game where teams play on Nimbus Two Thousand or Firebolt brand name flying brooms.

Muggles, or non wizards, can learn to overcome trials and tribulations by reading about Harry Potter. Some may discover they have talents that allow one to discover the delights of wizardry, although unable to attend Hogwarts or the other great schools. Science, arts, and other forms of education are different at Hogwarts.

These readers are learning that one needs to recognize the feelings and worth of others. Even Lord Voldemort is named by Harry, as one does not deprecate an enemy. To do so destroys ones ability to cope, for then the enemy is forced to run or vanish, to grovel or to kill! Then he becomes dangerous, becoming an unknown adversary.

We have abilities. So off to MIT, to Princeton, to the U of MN, or the neighborhood colleges. Today, by the Internet, one can continue the delight of education, of discover and of understanding. To know oneself dissolves the need to find someone lesser to make oneself special. We are special in ourselves, and we can continue the journey accordingly. Perhaps the children, the young people, will teach that there is no need to hate. We can have freedom from fear, as we begin to know one another. Not just humans, but other sentient beings, are they among us???, and the cosmos universal. There is hope!

Potter readers and Pokemon collectors may be able to remove the need for “authority figures” or for “someone lower than I am,” by developing an inner awareness of personal strength and value. I listen to people defaming others, and to people groveling before martinets or oppressors. For a short while I observe the defamed one, then I quickly begin to apply Eric Hoffer’s epigram, “You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.”

Ray Voet, Troublemaker. ravoet@earthlink.net Mensa Minnesota, USA

6

AstroSIG

This article is second in the series of my articles.

Hope the first article in the last issue has created enough interest for readers to carry on reading further.

The first article was aimed at creating an interest in astronomy with basic guidelines and where to begin.

This article is aimed at taking the reader a step further.

It is a basic introduction to use of observing equipments.

compact and lightweight. But roof prisms split light into two beams & recombine them. Hence there is loss of light leaving the exit pupil (where we look into).

Also, such binoculars tend to be more expensive. So I’d recommend binoculars with Porro prism.

Many binocular manufacturers advertise antireflection coating optics. Multi-coating on all air-to-glass surfaces improves transmission thereby reducing reflection. Traditionally, binoculars were coated by magnesium fluoride (MgF). Modern day binoculars have multi-layer coatings which tend to be better. It is difficult to compare quality of coating between binoculars. One general test for coating is to cup your palm on the eyepiece and look into the objective lens. If the coating is of good quality you will not observe a reflection (which means greater transmission i.e. object appears brighter). Colour of coating has nothing to do with its quality. Also check to see if the inside of the binocular is dark and does not have stray reflections when you look at a bright object.

The next best thing to the eye is the binocular. It is a simple magnification device that most Mensans would have access to. The advantage of using the binocular is that the step in magnification is intermediate to the telescope. Binoculars magnify 4x to 20x whereas telescopes would magnify anywhere from 30x to 250x. It really helps to incorporate the binocular in getting perspective of the sky.

If you’re looking to buy binoculars, this article will come in handy. Read ahead…

If you’re a first time buyer, you may be over whelmed by the information available from the manufacturer. There are some things you might want to know before you spend some cash purchasing one.

A few more things are worth mentioning here.

Bak4 type glass has higher transmission than commonly used Bk7 type providing brighter images.

Check the collimation of the two barrels (of the binocular). See that at all inter-barrel distances the images appear smooth and undistorted.

Two bare basic pieces of information are printed on any binocular: magnification and aperture expressed as 7x35 or something similar. First number indicates magnification or more popularly known as power. It is the number of times the object in view is magnified. The second number is the aperture, i.e. the diameter of the objective lens (or the “eye”) of the binocular. At this point lets compare the human eye with an average binocular. The pupil of the eye (the opening through which light enters) is 7mm at birth & reduces down to 5mm for middle aged & older people. Say we choose a 7x35 binocular. The “eye” of the binocular is 35mm big, gathering light not in linear but exponential proportions. For example, a 7x50 will gather twice as much light as a 7x35.

So get your hands on a binocular, kick back, relax and enjoy the night sky!!!

Readers’ MInd ... (contd.)

Hi , But I really don’t have any feedback. The issue is perfect. Good luck !

Dorota Szeliga

Editor-in-chief of Mensa Poland newsletter , ForuM Past Local Secretary for the Lower Silesia Regional Group, Past Local Secretary, Warsaw Regional Group, Member of the National Board as SIGHT, SIG and Regional Groups Coordinator.

Binocular designs are of three types: the “Roof prism”, the Zeiss or “German” style, and the “American” style. Both German & American style binoculars have Porro prisms. Well, don’t look confused; it isn’t that difficult to understand the merits & demerits. Roof prisms allow the binocular to be

Mensa Poland

Ravi Shroff, Mensa Mumbai

Co-ordinator, AstroSIG, ravihris@hotmail.com

7

The Top 1 Percentile

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15. Which European nation has above 40% of its land reclaimed from the sea?

16. Which word in English means both “to join” and “to split”?

17. What name is given to the stick with which a conductor directs an orchestra?

18. Hyperglycaemia involves an excess of what is blood?

19. Of which country is the cow the national animal?

20. Who first gave his voice to the comic character Mickey Mouse?

Puzzle

I have an interesting puzzle for anyone who likes solving puzzles. This took me 8 hours to crack, so don’t insult me by taking 4 hours only!!!! Take at least 7!!!!!

There are 13 balls, all identical in size shape and weight, except for one which, though of similar size and shape, differs in weight. The task is to find out the ball which is different, by using a Balancing Scale and using it only 3 times.

Best of luck, Anirban Ray Chaudhuri Mensa Kolkata rcanirban@indiatimes.com (Solution on page 14)

Lead Nargis Dutt Opus Chennai Somnus Braking the sound barrier (supersonic flight) Edwin Hubble Koran Jamnalal Bajaj Pandemonium `My God I am hit’ Vinegar Hauwa/Hawwa Flora Holland Cleave Baton Sugar Nepal Walt Disney

2.

What does Uranium turn into once it loses all its radioactive properties?

Who was the first film actress to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha?

What is the singular for Opera?

Which was the only Indian city to be bombarded by the Germans in World War I? In Roman Mythology, Who is the God of Sleep?

In 1947, what feat in aviation did Chuck Yeager flying a Bell X-1 rocket aircraft perform?

Which American astronomer discovered that there are galaxies other than our own?

The name of which holy book translates literally as “Recitation”?

Which industrialist and treasurer of Congress Party did Gandhiji informally adopt as the fifth son?

Which world for confusion and uproar, coined by the poet Milton, literally means “The abode of all demons”?

What, according to special Agent Kellerman were the last words of John F. Kennedy?

How is diluted acetic acid better known in culinary terms?

In Muslim Theology, by what name is the Eve referred to?

In Roman Mythology who was the Goddess of Flowers and Springs?

Congratulations from Mensa International Dear Nirav, It is with the greatest pleasure that I have read the note that you sent to Ed Vincent for distribution to IBD and IGC. The rapid growth in the number of members is highly commendable and I, together with all my colleagues, look forward to welcoming Mensa India very soon to its rightful place on the General Council and then to the International Board of Directors. Please convey my best wishes and sincere congratulations to all your members.

David (David Schulman, Dublin, Ireland - Hon. President, Mensa International)

ANSWERS :

Sanjeev Mohta, Mensa Mumbai sanjeev.mohta@kotak.com

8

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

1.

The Body and Soul of MInd

Connections: You just can’t live without them

If you are happy and you know it clap your hands!

This line from a childhood song nicely illustrates the range of activities controlled by our brain.

The roughly 10 trillion nerve cells in our brain control our emotions, motor coordination, learning and cognitive abilities and memory. Being happy, realizing you are happy and clapping your hands in response to being happy all involve incredibly rapid communication between neurons that dwell in different regions of the brain. This communication occurs through an intricate network of connections.

Neurons talk to each other and to their various targets, such as skin, muscle, heart, and other organs through junctions called synapses. At the synapse, the message carried by the neuron in the form of an electrical signal is converted to a chemical signal. This signal is released in the form of molecules, which diffuse across the tiny gap separating the transmitting cell from the receiving cell. The receiving cell, present in various target organs, has receptors on its surface precisely aligned to capture as much of the signal as possible. The signal is then processed and the cell responds accordingly.

For example if the target were a muscle cell, it would respond by contracting.

A large number of human diseases arise due to a breakdown in synaptic communication.

In a disease known as Myasthenia gravis, the molecular receptors on muscles are destroyed leading to loss of signal transmission. This impairs muscle activity leading to weakness. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive abilities. In the brains of these patients there is a widespread loss of synapses. Abnormal synaptic function is observed in other neurodegenerative diseases as well. Thus synaptic defects either cause disease or occur as a result of diseases; in both cases normal cognitive and motor abilities are compromised.

Mechanical injury to nerves and muscle caused by accidents can also damage synapses, in some cases leading to paralysis. Current therapies for these ailments target synaptic molecules by replenishing them or stimulating them so they respond normally.

Scientists in California’s Salk Institute are studying how synapses develop. Using the synapse between a nerve and a muscle as a simple model system, they have identified key molecular components of the synapse. Their experiments used genetically modified mice lacking specific components of the synaptic machinery.

The deficiency causes improperly assembled synapses. Such experiments, when coupled with the fact that mice and men are very similar at the molecular level, may help identify targets for therapy.

One way to do this would be to treat the patient with drugs designed to repair damaged synapses or boost synaptic function. Newer technologies such as gene therapy may be used to deliver genes that can make the molecular components needed to build a synapse.

Yet another option might be to replace the damaged neuron by an entirely new one using stem cell therapy. Stem cells have the potential to generate a dizzying array of mature cell types such as neurons or muscle cells in a laboratory tissue culture dish.

Neurons derived from stem cells could then be transplanted into a patient.

Would such neurons be able to find their correct target cells and make synapses? These are difficult tasks.

However, by studying normal synapse development in animal models we gain insights into the conditions needed to remake synapses lost by injury. For example, if we knew how a TV is assembled, it would not be very difficult to repair it when it is broken.

Lastly, the study of synapse formation and function is relevant not only to disease but also to our daily life. Throughout our lives, synapses are formed and lost. This process underlies our ability to constantly learn new skills, while those used less often get “rusty”.

In response to activity, synaptic form and function can be altered, sometimes permanently, leading to the formation of memories. This property, termed synaptic plasticity, holds out hope for all of us who want to surpass our limited abilities.

Dr. Sumita Anant, Mensa Mumbai anant@pblserver.salk.edu

9

Linux and the Free Software Movement

Almost anyone who is related to computers in some way has surely heard of something called Linux.

The word Linux has different meanings to different people. To some it is something that is associated with computer nerds with Mohawk hair cuts, to some it is simply another operating system, and to some, it is a revolution. I would place myself in the last category, and in this article I would try to explain why I see GNU/Linux and the Free Software Movement (here Free means “Free as in free speech, not as in free beer") as a concept in computing.

One of the greatest things about GNU/Linux is that it is not owned by any company or any individual.

This means that anyone can modify it according to his/her own wishes and needs. The only catch is that you will have to make the modifications public, and release its source code to the public. This is the reason why computer enthusiasts worldwide have contributed to the phenomenal growth of GNU/Linux.

Today, thousands of coders worldwide for this operating system, and today, large companies like IBM, Sun, HP are actively into GNU/Linux development and deployment. As the gurus say, the developers code “just for fun”, and in this process, they have created one of the most powerful and scalable operating systems in the world.

Many people think that this “open model” of development can be very dangerous, as everything is out for the potential cracker to see, and exploit.

However, this is totally wrong. In fact, the “open model” does just the opposite - as more and more people see the code, there is a meticulous “sand boxing” effect, and each and every bug or flaw in the code is removed as soon as it is detected.

As Torvalds, the co-ordinator of the Linux kernel development system says, “Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow”. For example, a few days back, there was a security bug affecting both GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows systems. The bug was dealt with by the GNU/Linux developers within 90 minutes of its detection, while Microsoft is yet to release a fix.

GNU/Linux is known to be one of the most secure operating system in the world, and (the US military, for example) with sensitive data are increasingly

starting to move over to GNU/Linux for storage and protection. What’s more, GNU/Linux is entirely virus resistant, there is not a single destructive virus that can affect GNU/Linux. It is also famous for its stability, GNU/Linux systems are known to have run for years without a single crash or reboot. Imagine how much trouble that saves - no costly anti-virus , no regular upgrades, and best of it all, no headaches.

A common myth about GNU/Linux is that it is difficult to use and manage. This was true a few years ago, but now the scene has changed a lot. Today, working on a GNU/Linux system is one of the easiest things that can be done on a computer, and according to some, it is easier than most of the other operating systems around. Many ordinary desktop users who are migrating to GNU/Linux (mostly because of the cost factor) have found it to be better than anything that they have ever used. Getting support is also easy nowadays - GNU/Linux enthusiasts worldwide have formed Linux User’s Groups or LUGs which help new users (newbies) get familiar with the system and its philosophy. And, yes, even in India, almost each and every major city has a LUG of its own.

Another myth about GNU/Linux is that it does not have much applications software to go with it. This is also wrong, as everyday, thousands of projects worldwide are releasing application softwares that runs on GNU/Linux. Moreover, commercial software vendors are also releasing their products for GNU/Linux. Examples of such vendors are Oracle, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Corel, etc. Moreover, a company called CodeWeavers has recently released a tool that enables users to run Microsoft Office and other similar suites on GNU/Linux. Anything that an ordinary user needs, is available in GNU/Linux today, and the best part of all this is that most of these tools are free (both in the speech and the beer sense).

GNU/Linux is also considered to be a developer’s dream system. As it was developed by the members of the hacker community, whose lives revolve around coding, it is no surprise that innumerable number of “dev-tools” exists for GNU/Linux.

Continued on page 11 Sayamindu Dasgupta, Mensa Kolkata unmadindu@softhome.net

10

You might be a Mensan if ...

parallel processing clusters of computers run GNU/Linux. For example, in our country, we have the Simputer, which is basically a very cheap handheld device running GNU/Linux designed for use in the rural India and on the other hand, there is some news that C-DAC is implementing GNU/Linux in one of its high performance computer labs. However, GNU/Linux is most commonly used as web/mail/database servers due to its high security and stability. Moreover, it is also becoming the ideal platform for non-English language computing, as volunteers worldwide are working on translating the entire operating system into their own mother tongues. Even in India, the user interface of GNU/Linux is being translated to the various regional languages. The Hindi translation team already has some impressive results, and other languages are soon to follow. In fact, I believe that in two to three years, a person with zero English knowledge will be able to use a computer powered by GNU/Linux. Another advantage of GNU/Linux lies in its cross-platform capabilities. GNU/Linux runs on a number of platforms, ranging from the most common Intel 32 bit to the obsolete Amiga/Atari systems. This means that an organisation with a variety of hardware platforms can provide an uniform, platform independent GNU/Linux based interface to its users.

o You play Scrabble with your Cheerios. o You have trouble understanding words with less than

five syllables.

o You speak at least two languages: Latin and Aramaic. o You can take your computer apart and put it back

o

o o

o o o o o

o o

o

o o o

together again in 30 minutes but you’re up all Christmas Eve night trying to put your kid’s bicycle together.

You know the names and populations of all the Indonesian Islands but you have trouble with your ZIP code.

You can’t cook any dish with less than 10 ingredients.

You’ve found a way to increase the power output of Boulder Dam but you have to call a plumber to fix a leaky faucet.

You can find anything on the Internet in five minutes but it takes 45 minutes to find two matching socks.

Your children are named after planets or philosophers.

It will take three pages to write your epitaph.

Your favorite food is alphabet soup.

You mailed your Christmas cards on Valentine’s Day. You could probably build a working model of a space ship in your garage but you can’t change a tire on your car.

You speak French to your poodle and German to your shepherd.

You love Johann Sebastian Bach but you never heard of Travis Tritt. You got your first degree when you were 12.

You remember all the capital cities of South and Central America but forget your spouse’s birthday.

You can read Beowulf in the original Old English.

You spend more time in bookstores than you do at work.

You think “going to the store” means going to Borders or Barnes and Noble.

When you have a little money you buy books. If there is anything left you buy a little food.

By Judith L. Newkirk, a member of Mensa 76

In a poor country like India, GNU/Linux is the solution for cheap and standardised computing. A new computer buyer has to shell out a few thousands for the software. Using GNU/Linux can be a considerable cost saver. Moreover, organisations that use computers on a large scale can save millions by switching over to Free Software. Moreover, GNU/Linux can be made to run on very old hardware, and hence, companies and other organisations can save lakhs by utilising their old 386s and 486s as firewalls, gateway machines and routers.

First printed in the April issue of the Spirit of 76, Mensa 76 (Fort Worth, Texas, and points thereabout and beyond).

The Free Software movement is not just a new style of software development, but it is a revolution in computing, and like many others in world of hackers, I believe that the future lies in the Freedom of Software. Come to GNU/Linux - enjoy the freedom and experience the magic !!

Linux ... (contd.)

The uses of GNU/Linux are innumerable, thanks to its immense scalability. All kinds of systems, ranging from the small Web TV and the handheld to massive

11

Lensa : The Photography SIG

photo. This is because the light bulbs are much warmer than daylight and the daylight-balanced film will get a pronounced yellow cast.

Welcome back to the gallery of M Ind. In this issue, we continue our exploration to shed correct light on taking photos.

Taking photos of landscapes at mid-day is rather difficult because when the sun is directly overhead, it is difficult to judge the correct shape of the landscape.

However, occasionally, we can get a decent photo if the subject is compelling. This is generally the case for the photographs printed in travel brochures.

Flash

Light from a point source like the on-camera flash falls off as the square of the distance from the source.

That means things close to the camera will be washed-out, the subject that is focused will be properly exposed, and the background will be nearly black.

To take pictures in dark or indoors, this is what you can do : Look for some light. Move your subjects underneath whatever light sources are handy and see how they look with your eyes.

Load higher-speed film. ISO 400 and ISO 800 colour films.

Steady the camera against a tree/rock/chair/ whatever as you press the shutter release.

Leave the camera on a tree/rock/chair/whatever and use the self-timer so that the jostling of pressing the shutter release is not reflected on film.

Use a little plastic tripod, monopod, or some other purpose-built camera support.

Overcast Skylight

A high overcast is what will give us the best results as the shadows are then at the minimum. This type of day is perfect for taking photographs capturing architectural details, as these details would not be obscured by shadows. Overcast or rainy days are also perfect for clicking trees.

On the flip side though, try to avoid sky in the frame, as the white sky looks very monotonous and dull.

Twilight

This is the best time to take photos as they will have even illumination and warm tones. However, here you might have to use exposures of 30 seconds or longer.

Street Lights

Lens

As they are blackbody radiators, there is not much colour present in them to talk about. They radiate light in narrow spectrum that is not really predictable.

Mostly, they photograph as eerie green which some may find interesting enough for photos.

After having covered the aspects of light, we will move to the next part – Lens.

It is the lens that you use that will let you compose your frame. In your frame, you have to adjust the relative size of objects in it. How you place the various objects in the frame will decide the aesthetic quality of your picture. This is where your composition comes into place. But we’ll talk about that later in subsequent issues.

There are basically just three types of lenses – Wide Angle, Normal and Telephoto.

Wide Angle – Any lens of 35 mm or less is considered a wide angle lens. You would use this type of lens to show more of the object in the frame. This lens would capture a wider detail in the frame and hence it is called a wide angle lens. A wide angle lens does not distort the perspective of the picture but if the

Indoors Fluorescent Lights

This is almost like streetlights as they too, give light in a narrow band. For both, streetlight & indoor fluorescent light, we may use the FL-D filter to cut off the unappealing green light. This is true for indoor colour photography. For black and white films, the tubelight offers an unobtrusive diffused light that is perfect for taking a good photo.

Incandescent Lights

Here, we have to use tungsten-balanced film or a daylight balanced film with a blue filter to get a good Rishi Lal, Co-ordinator, Lensa rishi_lal@hotmail.com

12

Lensa (contd.)

user of the image does not take the viewing angle or viewing position correctly, it would appear to do so.

In today’s times, people generally like to see the 24 mm as the default wide angle lens. Anything more is not really appreciated much. However, these lenses are expensive and anything less than 24 mm is found generally with professionals.

Normal – This is the lens with which if you take a picture from standard distance, you would not have any distortion, be it wide or telephoto. It will have no unusual perspective. 50 mm is considered the normal or standard lens.

These lenses are relatively cheaper and will outperform all the other lenses in a manufacturer’s range. They allow photography in low light without the help of any flash or tripod. A standard SLR (50/1.8) makes viewing and composition easier as it is brighter in comparison to a mid-range telephoto lens(f/4). This will gather 4 times the light of the mid-range lens. A 50/1.4 will gather 8 times and a 50/1.0 will gather 16 times the light of f/4 lens.

However, as you’d have guessed, the price would keep on increasing exponentially.

Telephoto – These lenses are high magnification lenses. These are used for taking photographs of subjects that are either unapproachable due to distance or when you want to flatten perspective.

Production of a high-quality telephoto lens is both difficult and expensive. Good quality telephoto lenses of over 300 mm have appeared only in the last 20 odd years.

These lenses are most useful for portraits in the 85-180 mm range. Large animals can be captured by lenses between 300 – 600 mm. To capture birds on film, one needs lenses of 600 mm or more.

A useful accessory to go with your telephoto lens is a teleconverter.

Teleconverter – These are special type of intermediary lenses that increase the magnification of the telephoto lenses and reduce its effective aperture.

So, a 2x teleconverter turns the 300/2.8 into a 600/5.6 lens. However, please note that this does not mean that buying a teleconverter to increase the magnification of the lens is going to be cheaper. A

good teleconverter is expensive, maybe not as expensive as a proper lens, and it also suffers from a phenomenon called vignetting, i.e. darkening of the corners. This will happen if you use it with typical zoom lens. One more thing to note is that these teleconverters will work only with expensive lenses.

Their primary use is again with the professionals, who want to reduce the weight that they carry. In addition, they are useful with specialized tilt-shift lenses that minimize you buying lenses of different focal length.

You might say that what is the use of all this if we could just buy a zoom lens that goes from 80-300 mm or a 28-200 mm? The only problem with this is that they are not very good.

They appear good as people rarely enlarge or closely inspect images. Lenses are subject to various distortions and these are difficult to manage in a typical zoom lens. Another negative is that these lenses are typically slower, .e., they admit less light than a proper fixed lens. So, a person has to use a tripod or flash to make up for the lost light.

However, they are useful in their own right especially for amateurs and impatient photographers as they offer a huge convenience.

MIndclutter

Ideas whizzing bouncing echoing inside my head Information overload is gonna make me dead Numbness that refuses to go away I am blinded by photons that sway Millions of channels zooming in Using every appliance that’s beamin’ Sensory deprivation is what I crave I am the epistemological data slave I this and e that I am a victim of info chat Get this mindclutter off my brain Is it already the end of this quatrain Struggling against the verbal tide Caught in a vortex, I can’t hide Deprogram me like HAL I don’t wanna be another Blaise Pascal The future gets more complex We are destined to go like T. Rex Before I turn into a silicon wuss Please hand me slide rule and abacus

By Gautam Godse Printed in April 2002 LaMentary, Los Angeles mensa@gautamgodse.com

13

Solution

(for puzzle on page 8)

Here we have more unknowns, but more information about them, which we use; so using the same thought as in W2O1, were we had two on one and one on the other, so : P1 - A1, A2 P2 - A3, OB (the padding of OB’s) Now that is not enough, so we repeat the same thing with the B’s; P1 - B1, B2 P2 - B3, OB Add the two together making W2O2 to be: P1 - A1, A2, B1, B2 P2 - A3, B3, OB, OB OS - A4, B4, OB x 3 Now again if the pans balance exactly it is clearly either A4 or B5, the remaining 11 being OB’s We’ll call this stage weighing 2 option 2 result 1 (W2O2R1), lets at the same time rename A4 and B5 to Z1 and Z2 So we have: W2O2R1: Z(1,2) + OB x 11 Now if it does not balance perfectly, then; Now if P1 is heavier, that would mean that either one of the A balls on P1 is heavier, or one of the B on P2 is lighter; the rest all being OB’s We’ll call the result - weighing 2 option 2 result 2 (W2O2R2) lets at the same time rename A1, A2, B3 to Z1, Z2, Z3 (these are the A’s and B’s we just spoke about).

As in W2O1 we’ll use the variable PH = 0, since Z1, Z2 are the heavier pair.

We get: W2O2R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 0 Similarly if P1 is lighter, it means one of the B’s on P1 is lighter, or A’s on P2 is heavier, we end up with weighing 2 option 2 result 2 (W2O2R2) having B1, B2, A3 as Z1, Z2, and Z3 - with PH = 1, as Z1, Z2 are the lighter pair, i.e., we get: W2O2R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 1 At the end of the day (of W2) we get: W2O1R1: Z(1,2) + OB x 11 W2O1R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 0 W2O1R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 1 W2O2R1: Z(1,2) + OB x 11 W2Ol2R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 0 W2O2R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 1 Continued on page 15

Split the balls into three groups: A(1,2,3,4); B(1,2,3,4); C(1,2,3,4,5) Weighing 1: Pan1 (P1) - A1, A2, A3, A4 Pan2 (P2) - B1, B2, B3, B4 On Side (OS) - C1, C2, C3, C4 Weighing 2 (option 1) (W2O1) Now say the pans balance exactly. This means that the 4+4 = 8 balls on the pans are ordinary balls (we’ll call them OB - no numbering).

P1 - C1, C2 P2 - C3, OB OS - C4, C5, OB x 7 Now again if the pans balance exactly it is clearly either C4 or C5, the remaining 11 being OB’s We’ll call this stage weighing 2 option 1 result 1 (W2O1R1), lets at the same time rename C4 and C5 to Z1 and Z2 So we have: W2O1R1: Z(1,2) + OB x 11 Now if it does not balance perfectly, then it is either C1, C2 or C3, the remaining 10 being OB’s.

We’ll call the result weighing 2 option 1 result 2 (W2O1R2) lets at the same time rename C(1,2,3) to Z(1,2,3) Now there are again one of two possibilities when the two pans are unequal either the pan with two unknowns is heavier or it is lighter lets make a variable PH - and if the pan with two is heavier it equals 0 if lighter 1.

So we have the following.

W2O1R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 0 W2O1R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 1 Weighing 2 (option 2) (W2O2) So now if they do not balance, we’ll say that the pan containing the 4 A’s is heavier. So now the 5 C’s are all OB’s, and we know that either one of the A balls is heavier or one of the B balls is lighter.

Now what we try to do is get into a similar situation (result) as the one above in W2O1 - because we know that if we can narrow it down to a set of three, as well as knowing which set is heavier, or simply to two, we can corner the odd ball in one more weighing.

What had be done in W2O1 - 2 unknown on one pan, and one on the other.

14

Ah! To be Beautiful

Many years ago I learned the adage, “You can never be too rich nor too thin.” To that can now be added, “nor too beautiful!”

I have always been fascinated by the Rich and Famous. Now I know why I am neither. I’m not beautiful either! A recent study has been released carried out by four Dutch and American economists.

They studied 1,282 black and white photos on the basis of beauty. They reached the amazing conclusion that Beauty pays off.

I can see the headlines. “Not for brains but for beauty. Discrimination! Discrimination!” Shall I rush to a plastic surgeon? Is there a guarantee I will become wealthy?

The Brothers Grimm and other fairy tale tellers are right. Who is successful in their stories? Those who are the most BEAUTIFUL. What principal character in any one of their stories was not beautiful or handsome?

SOLUTION ... (contd.)

And now we can move onto weighing 3: Weighing 3 (option1) (W3O1) This is used for W2O1R1 and W2O2R1 W2O2R1: Z(1,2) + OB x 11 W2O2R1: Z(1,2) + OB x 11 Both have the same information, obvious, we do: P1 - Z1 P2 - OB OS - Z2, OB x 10 If it balances then it is Z2, Else it is Z1 Weighing 3 (option 2) (W3O2) This is used for W2O1R2 and W2O2R2, with each of their two possible outcomes, so for those four results: W2O1R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 0 W2O1R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 1 W2O2R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 0 W2O2R2: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 ; PH = 1 All have the same given information: Z(1,2,3) + OB x 10 and a value for PH. So do the following: P1 - Z1 P2 - Z2 OS - Z3, OB x 10 Now if they balance exactly then it is Z3 if P1 is heavier and PH = 0 then it is Z1 if P1 is heavier and PH = 1 then it is Z2 ... you can see that in every but case W2O1R1 (with a little change in how you would treat the result of W2O2R1) it is aso possible to know whether the ball is lighter or heavier.

Did the princess kiss the frog and get an ugly prince? No, the frog turned into a HANDSOME prince. And what about the handsome prince who searched for the owner of that tiny glass slipper? When he found the owner, was she ugly with buck teeth? No, the mean sisters were thus, but dear little Cinderella was lovely. The theme seems to be that BEAUTY begets BEAUTY. And was the wicked stepmother successful and happy? No. The Fairest of Them All she was not. It was some unknown girl who was Beautiful.

The surveyors did their task for 289 Dutch advertising firms. After they chose the most beautiful in the photographs, they did some further research about their subjects. They learned that the most attractive were also the most successful moneywise.

They made more money for their employers.

Now, why was this so? They reasoned that people who are easy on the eyes, make their co-workers happier. And happy people work better. And of course, this happiness was reflected back to the Beautiful People.

No wonder employers employ good lookers! Here I thought it was for more devious reasons. But no, it is the bottom line. Beauty brings in money. The company with attractive employees attracts more clients, and co-workers are happier and work more productively.

P. D. Johnston[Reprinted from “Neva-Mind”, newsletter of Northern Nevada Mensa, September 1997; Carole Preisach, Editor]

15

Milestones of Indian Stock Markets

Late 18th Century : One of the earliest security dealings were recorded with transactions in loan securities of East India Company.

1994 : Wholesale Debt Markets and Capital markets go online (Screen Based) with introduction of on-line screen based trading on NSE.

1830’s : Corporate shares introduced and assumed significance with the enactment of Companies Act 1850.

1995 : Online (Screen Based) trading introduced by BSE on BOLT. 1996 : Setting up of , first depository in India and commencement of trading & settlement in Dematerialised form.

1875 : (1st Stock Exchange of India comes into being) Informal Association of Brokers known as “ The Native Share & Stock Brokers Association” (now known as the Bombay Stock Exchange) formed to fight out the depression caused due to American Civil War in 1860-65.

1997 : BOLT extended to other cities of India (BSE reaches out to nation) 1998 : Launch of followed by BSE’s Certification programme for proffessionalising the broking business.

1894 : ‘Ahmedabad share & Stock Brokers Association’ (now known as Ahmedabad Stock Exchange) formed. As with BSE the Cotton Textile industry was the major contributor for the development of Ahmedabad Stock Exchange.

2000 : Commencement of Internet, WAP & Index futures Trading.

March 2, 2001 : of Ketan Parekh’s payment problem circulates. K-10 stocks crash.

1908 : 1904-08 period boom gave birth to Calcutta Stock Exchange. The industries that contributed to its birth were jute, coal & mining.

2001 : Ban on badla mechanism and Commencement of Index options and options on individual securities.

First & Second World War : The 3 stock Exchanges flourished & many Regional Stock Exchanges were formed as imports to India ceased and Indian manufacturers were faced with a boom.

2002 : Launch of Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) on NSE. Manish Balwani Co-ordinator, FinSIG Mensa Mumbai manishbalwani@hotmail.com

1956 : Securities Contract (Regulation) Act and Capital Issues Control Act came into force for regulating the functioning of the stock exchanges.

If you want to buy a Mensa cap or other Mensa merchandise, write to : Niravsanghavi@hotmail.com

1980’s : Slow pace of growth of Stock Markets.

1992 : Capital Issues Control Act was repealed and the regulation of the Primary market came under Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Act.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ratio of millionaires in Mumbai’s Malabar Hill to millionaires in the US’s Beverly Hills: 1:1

1992 : Over the Counter Exchange set up for trading in low-cap companies.

FINANCIAL WISDOM

April 23,1992 : Harshad Mehta Scam revealed.

Borrow a Lakh from the bank—- You are a Borrower.

1992 : Incorporation of National Stock Exchange with a purpose of secondary market for Debt instruments.

Borrow a crore—— You are a client.

16