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Letter from the National Chairperson
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NAG Teaser
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Turning the Page
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MIL Positions open for appointment
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MIL MY Camp
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Gifted Elders
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Photographer of the year
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E-mails: admin@mensa.org.za Webpage: www.mensa.org.za National Chairperson: Simone Deyzel-O’Brian chairperson@mensa.org.za National Treasurer: Schalkwyk van der Merwe National Secretary & National PR Co-ordinator: Amanda Horn marketing@mensa.org.za
I am very excited to be taking over the position of editor of the Chronicle. As my first duty I need to say a big thank you to Russell Bennett for all the hard work and hours put into being the editor – there is no doubt I have big shoes to fill. I will be aided by a super-efficient team of Kate Bohnen and the joint efforts of the Executive Committee. Congratulations to Luna Chencinski of Gordons Bay and Jessica Steyn of Somerset West for being awarded the Mensa Education & Research Foundation (USA) Scholarships of $1000 for 2016/2017. More than 11 000 students competed for 190 scholarship awards at the local, regional, national and international level with a value of more than $90 000. For more information, go to www.mensafoundation.org. In terms of social networking, Mensa SA has two Facebook pages; Mensa South Africa and Mensa Riddles. These are closed groups. Click on Join Group in the top right corner and group admin will approve your request. There are also pages for the members in the individual regions. Please bear in mind that there are unspoken rules of etiquette and courtesy in what you say and how you say it. Be mindful of what you post as a single written sentence can be misconstrued in so many ways. With written words it is so easy to mistake the tone which can lead to unnecessary tension. As Maya Angelou said “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.”
National Admin Officer: Yvonne Steyn
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FROM THE DESK OF THE SA NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON Hi there Mensans, I hope some of you are as happy as I am that we’re finally heading into some colder weather. El Niño was making my life particularly uncomfortable living in Pretoria this summer. I’d like to start off by thanking those members who’ve been reaching out to us with feedback both negative and positive throughout the last couple of months. We have drafted a new constitution for Mensa ZA, as per request from Mensa International (MIL). After several National Committee reviews, a final version is ready and our next step is to have the members ratify it by way of a vote. A two thirds majority will cement it as our new version. We will implement an electronic voting system to make it easier but we will naturally also count votes that arrive via e-mail or “snail” mail. On the International Board of Directors, we also voted in electronic voting for the 2017 international elections.
If members have any objections against anything that is in the constitution, they are welcome to submit a motion to the Executive Committee but I would encourage consultation with the relevant Regional Chairperson first. The National Committee was actively involved in shaping the constitution and would be able to provide explanations or clarifications. If we end up with a change, we will document an Action Still in Effect (A.S.I.E). This is in line with the MIL standard of documenting in the A.S.I.E register, changes brought as a result of motions, or National Committee vote, as and when they occur. Regarding our SARS registration status, we have submitted all required documentation to SARS to become a registered entity and will then apply for a directive exempting us from paying any tax. This has been a long time coming and we are nearly there now. This brings me to another very important point. We have some members who are utterly devoted to
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this Mensa Society. Devoted. And as committed as they are to Mensa, they are equally as committed to other interests and at times they believe there is an opportunity for both domains to merge. Please remember that Mensa as an entity has no opinion. Please don’t present your membership details at events in order to gain a platform where you intend for those credentials to position yourself as an authority who can speak on behalf of the organisation.
I know we consider ourselves to be emotional lepers of society but really, I don’t think we’re that bad. Especially not when in each other’s company. Well, mostly. So don’t be so anxious when a social event invite drops in your inbox or appears in your notification list. Just try to get involved. Try and get value out of your membership. I’m quite certain you’ll be happy for trying and your experience and feedback is the only way we can measure performance and implement fixes. Think about it.
On a happier note: Please guys and girls, take part in the photo competition and LEAP programs. The initiatives are here to add some fun to your Mensa membership. Also go and attend a speaker evening or a new members’ or games evening. There is even a social SiG, wine farm picnics in the Winelands Chapter, and wonderful hikes there as well.
Cheers and please feel free to drop me a mail if there is anything you’d like to chat about. Simoné Deyzel-O’Brien National Chairperson Mensa South Africa chairperson@mensa.org.za
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WANTED – YOU AT OUR NATIONAL ANNUAL GATHERING MENSA PRETORIA IS HOSTING THE 2016 AGM GET READY TO KICK UP YOUR HEELS, ‘CAUSE WE’RE MAKIN’ A BIG DEAL DATES: FRIDAY, 19 AUG 2016 14:00 ‘TIL SUNDAY, 21 AUG 2016 10:00 VENUE: INTUNDLA CONFERENCE VENUE (Hammanskraal Road (R628), Dinokeng, Pretoria) Prepare y’all for a weekend of foot kickin', finger clickin', leather slappin’, hand clappin' good grub, hookin’ up with good friends, testin’ your mental and muscle mettle at High Noon , enjoyin’ a tush pushin', thunder footin', no resistin', steel twangin' ride into the wild green yonder at sundown, a good ol’ fashioned floor scufflin', leg shufflin', big grinnin', body spinnin', rompin' stompin', pumpin' jumpin', slidin’, glidin' hoe-down and even gettin’ down to the serious business of havin’ our Annual General Meeting. A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse. For those of you who still got the energy on Sunday mornin’, y’all can choose to go ridin’ on this here iron horses, known as “quads”. If you climb in the saddle, be ready for the ride! DRESS CODE: For High Noon and Hoe-down it’ll serve you well to pack your boots and your hat, and remember the words of a wise ol’ cowboy: Don’t squat with your spurs on… REWARD: There are many rewards to be won, so keep your eyes peeled for ways to enter. COSTS: Early Bird Special (if booked before 24 June 2016): R2 500.00 single; R2 050.00 per partner sharing OPTIONAL EXTRA EVENT: R350.00 per person Quad Iqembu - Quad Biking Adventure (refer to the Booking Form for full particulars) BOOKING: To book, visit http://mensa-mentor.blogspot.co.za/?m=1
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SMART BENEFITS TURNING THE PAGE Another ancient and revered pastime is dying. But you can save it for yourself, thanks to the introduction of Mensa SA Smart Benefits.
depending on the whims of the author, coerce it into going places it wouldn’t ordinarily be comfortable going. And in complete safety.
Books, and reading, have been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember. I burn through them at a ludicrous pace – averaging around ten a month these days. Although as our National PR Co-ordinator recently pointed out, I am a brat with far too much time on my hands which obviously is a boon in this endeavour. I’m currently reading a slim volume by John Parkin called “F**k It: The ultimate spiritual way”. Although I am in no way averse to reading for the sake of learning, or perhaps evolving in this particular case, it isn’t my primary reason for flipping open that cover. Ordinarily I read for entertainment. For the enjoyment of it. For the way this format of leisure activity is able to tap into the very core of my emotional self and,
And yet this unique engagement with the self is increasingly under threat of extinction. Readership statistics in our country in particular are damning. Although according to UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) the country has a literacy level of over 98%, a figure which is on par with developed economies and comfortably ahead of the regional average, we are not building a culture of reading 5
despite this capacity to read. Sure, AMPS and ABC figures suggest that almost two-thirds of this population read print newspapers regularly, while just over a third read monthly magazines of their choice. But books… the last study conducted by the South African Book Development Council (worryingly enough, delivered in June 2007) shows a mere 14% of South Africans enjoy reading books. And even these are classified by the study as “casual readers”, with just 1% actually purchasing. Which in turn led the surveyors to conclude that the main barrier to strengthening a culture of reading in our society was the price of books. Sensible enough, in an economy in which a R30 magazine is considered a luxury, a R200 paperback is the entertainment-reading equivalent of the Royal Pizza concocted by upmarket Dubai restaurant Pierchic (just over USD$200k! Check out the ingredients). Lack of availability is a bookreading hurdle which can and is being addressed, by a large number of society-led NGOs and sponsored reading clubs,
as well as directly through the development of libraries and associated formal reading infrastructure across the country. However not all agree with the analysis of the survey
data. In an interview for The Mail & Guardian four years ago, Tebogo Ditshego, founder of the social media campaign Read a Book South Africa, rejects the notion that the lack of a widespread reading culture is economically driven. "South Africans, for example, spent R10.4-billion on gum and chocolate in 2010. In comparison, the book industry only makes about R3.5-billion a year, so I am sure more than 1% of the population can afford to save up and buy four books a year," he said. "The challenge is to create a culture of reading books by 6
educating parents about the importance of reading books to their children." Bringing it back to 2016, there is another huge threat to this pastime looming to put paid to these efforts as well. And it isn’t one which just our nation faces. Despite both my wife and I being voracious readers, and exposing our children to reading books every day since before they were even able to formulate words, our oldest (nine and ten respectively) have absolutely no regard for the pleasures of the printed word. They both read beautifully, from a capacity perspective they are more than adequately equipped. They have been led and cajoled and encouraged at every turn down an almost classic path to literary fulfilment. But their daily lives, the everyday experiences and wants and desires which drive them, are built upon an entirely different set of principles than the patient, long-tail approach which underpins the reading bug. Entertainment is no longer something you take your time over to derive the most pleasure from. It’s an instant-hit, limited-gratification
experience which you can cram as much of as possible into as many hours as you are awake. The breadth of the personal experience it offers is nonexistent. It doesn’t. But there’s an endless amount of it always instantly available to assuage whatever your right-now desire might be, whether that’s fluffy pink unicorns going mental over the latest fad, or broody foulmouthed teenagers streaming questionable gaming content live. I am in no way a technophobe. I pulled apart my first PC in the same year I first finished reading Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and the two spheres have developed side by side ever since. One of my wife’s best friends is a firm advocate (and practitioner) of the complete no-screens approach with her children, both of similar ages to ours. Whereas my kids have grown up in an environment with controlled access to all the tech infrastructure required to live a modern, digital childhood. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, those kids are slightly more open to the concept of reading for pleasure, although still in no way committed to the idea. If any other form of entertainment 7
happens to be available, the books quickly fall. And the price for this marginal uptick is severe. They have literally no common ground to engage with their peers on. Now sure, reading itself is intrinsically isolated and solitary. But what we glean from the process, what we learn about ourselves as well as others, then transposes into more refined tools with which to make our personal, structured little societies richer. Perhaps a diatribe for another day however. For now, I’d like to draw your attention to an intriguing initiative which you may find somewhat perturbing at first, but which I believe has more chance to become a groundswell of reading as a passion than any of the stiffly structured, carefully considered and generously funded activities of promotional NGOs or government initiatives. Nakedgirlsreading. It’s a live show which kicked off in Chicago 7 years ago, and has since spread to more than 26 cities across the world including our very own Cape
Town and chapters.
Johannesburg
Regardless of your particular views on taboos and public decency, the common thread which struck me across all the actual attendees who spoke to interviewers at these events was this – although the initial drive to attend may have been based in an altogether different part of the brain, the experiences of these selflabelled literary salons were very similar. Attendees tend to express their surprise with just how quickly the novelty of nudity evaporates before the spell weaved by the powerful works of literature chosen melts it away, leaving the experience of being read to as the most profound take away from the event. This result in my opinion makes it not matter what the initial allure may have been. If it can work on more people and in the process reveal to them the magic of the written word, it will have achieved more than many such targeted initiatives. Perhaps all it needs is variation – guys can read just as well after all, and get naked just as easily! Sure, it isn’t necessary. I agree. But if it’s this or the slow death 8
of the book as a form of expression, well…
Mike Joyce, Editor-in-chief of Literary Orphans interviewed founder Michelle L’Amour and she summed it up beautifully; “It’s so easy as an adult to just not read things that are good for you, everyone’s reading People Magazine or just this trash all the time. I don’t read that stuff because I think it’s unhealthy. I wanted an excuse to read more, because it’s so easy just to NOT. To not grow intellectually as an adult as much as you do as a kid. You have to read these books when you’re in school. But you don’t have to do anything as an adult, so most people don’t. It’s great because we’re exposed to a lot of new stuff that I haven’t necessarily read–or go back to some old stuff that I haven’t read in forever. The audience members get really excited, and we have a lot of repeat audience. I like to think they’re coming for the literature. Hey, they’ve already seen us naked. That’s not changing. They get excited–“oh what was that
passage” oh “I should really get back to that book”–I think it’s really important to get people excited about literature. We’re also very passionate about using books. No one is allowed to use a Kindle on our stage ever. EVER. It’s a rule across the board for all chapters–no Kindles. I think it’s tacky and we’re not into it. The book is super sexy, it has a smell and the pages have a certain feel and weight. It’s a very sensual experience, why take that away. So books it is. That’s it.” So, whether you’re expanding your horizons with something educational, or giving your soul the freedom to roam in a fictional world with made up characters (but, importantly, real feelings), the key thing is to remember why we are reading what we are, or at all for that matter. Remember that it’s about feeding a part of you that isn’t tended to in the course of regular living, which needs its own time and space and attention to be kept fighting fit and healthy.
With that, Mensa SA is proud to introduce the first of a new range of Smart Benefits for 9
members. Our National PR Co-ordinator has arranged a special discount on books bought from online book store The Book Shelf, and although they do sell e-books the traditional kind are still their bread and butter. So go buy a book. Buy a couple of books. Winter is clamping down quite hard in some parts of the country, and there is literally nothing better when the mercury falls than to just take a few moments to live that old cliché and cuddle up with a good book. And maybe a crackling fire nearby if you’re lucky. Tonic for the body, mind and soul all squeezed into a few hundred pages of old trees. For my money, that’s always going to be worth the price of admission.
Mensa SA Smart Benefits –
www.bookshelf.co.za
Process: 1. Register on the site here. 2. Once registered, send an email to marketing@mensa.org.za including the email addresses you used to register on the site, as well as your Mensa SA membership number. 3. Enjoy a 15% discount on any purchases. Although you will only be shown a figure of 3%, this is on top of the 12% discount the store offers as standard. 4. It’s that simple. No reason not to go set it up right now!
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REMINDER!
GPAC Committee (Chairman and members)
MIL POSITIONS/COMMITTEE S OPEN FOR APPOINTMENT
Gifted Youth Committee (Chairman and members)
If you are interested in serving Mensa International in an appointed position, now is your opportunity to apply. These positions are open to all members worldwide. All are for terms of two years unless otherwise stated, with the term commencing after the IBD meeting in Japan, 2016. The following International positions/committees are due to be appointed in 2016:
Leadership Exchange Ambassador Program (LEAP) Committee (Chairman and members) International Archivist Editor Mensa World Journal Events Coordinator
Marketing and Product Advisory Committee (Chairman and members) International Name and Logo Protection Committee (Chairman and members) International SIGs Coordinator International SIGHT Coordinator
Members currently serving in a position or on a committee are requested to reapply if they wish to continue to serve in that role. The application form is available on the Officers/Appointees page of the members-only section of the Mensa International website at https://www.mensa.org. You must be logged on. Job descriptions for each position are linked to each role. Both the application form and the job descriptions are also available from the Mensa
Reprinted from Mensa World Journal, issue #040, May, 2016 Editor Kate Nacard
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International Office by emailing mensainternational@mensa. org or by post to the address given in the Officers Directory of this issue. Applications for the above posts must be received by June 20, 2016 and must be sent to the International Office mensainternational@mensa. org, copied to the Director of Administration adminmil@mensa.org.
Therese Moodie-Bloom Director of Administration
CORRECTION
In the October MWJ, it was reported that the Mensa Education and Research Foundation (MERF) supported development of Mensa in Africa. The Chairman of MERF has corrected this noting that while all such efforts are “commendable and very worthwhile they in no way involve the Foundation. The Foundation is very happy to see Mensa develop anywhere in the world but we do not get directly involved in recruitment of members or development of Mensa chapters, since neither effort falls within our Mission Statement. We are not seeking funds for any African development of Mensa nor are we spending funds to support what is rightly a Mensa International development matter.�
Reprinted from Mensa World Journal, issue #040, May, 2016 Editor Kate Nacard
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MY-CAMP X DENMARK 15-24 JULY CELEBRATING THE 10TH CAMP: IT’S EXTRA LARGE, EXTRA WILD, EXTRA LUXURIOUS AND YOU ARE ALL EXTRA WELCOME! Join the International Mensa Youth SIG Camp for an epic 10-day summer camp. We celebrate 10 glorious years of MYCamps by going back to where it all started: Denmark.
MY-Camp has a target age of 18-30 but welcomes all
young-at-heart mensans. It’s a 24/7 party with a wide variety of activities. Join the gaming, discussions, poker tournament, open mic night, bonfire, chess, poker and pool tournaments and a pool party - all the usual, and more! Enjoy culture through the times: visit the castle of Hamlet, marvel at medieval Copenhagen and 1000-yearold churches, visit the hippie commune Christiania, or challenge your perceptions at the world-renowned Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. The location of the camp is a luxurious conference centre that we have entirely to ourselves. It comes complete with an indoor pool, sauna and climbing wall; a bar with pool table and chill-out lounge; a large indoor/outdoor restaurant and 22 meeting and event rooms - and all in the same wing of the hotel. The centre even offers the option of double beds and single rooms, and all rooms
Reprinted from Mensa World Journal, issue #040, May, 2016 Editor Kate Nacard
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are double-doored soundproofed!
and
This eXtravaganza break the bank:
won’t
EUR 300 pp in Standard room (for 2-3 people) EUR 335 pp in Room with double bed (for 2 people) EUR 370 pp in Single room (for 1 person) The event lasts 10 days and includes dinner and the famous eternal brunch (we cater for vegetarians, vegans and most food allergies). Drinks, snacks and activities will be provided at (the usual low) extra cost.
MY-Camp & movement
the
youth
What is it, where did it come from and how can I join the fun? MY-Camp is just one of many exciting activities organised by or associated to the international Mensa youth
movement, also known as MY-SIG (Mensa Youth Special Interest Group). MYSIG is the umbrella organisation behind MYCamp, uniting young Mensans with a target age of 18-30 primarily around Europe. MY-Camp is a 10 day summer camp offering a wide variety of activities as well as opportunities for spontaneously organising your own activities. The venue is usually 100% exclusive to the camp, facilitating 24/7 activities. The logic goes like this: why go to bed, if you are in the middle of a ____ (insert: discussion, board game, pool party, karaoke or whatever you fancy)? Hungry at 4 in the morning? No problem! The eternal brunch kitchen is set up to accommodate the round the clock camp life. MY-Camp started as a one-off international version of the
Reprinted from Mensa World Journal, issue #040, May, 2016 Editor Kate Nacard
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Danish MY-SIG summer camp in 2007, celebrating the 25th anniversary of Mensa Denmark. Many Dutch attended and loved it so much that they decided to organise a MY-Camp in 2008. That started the ball rolling to organise a MY-Camp in a new country each year: Denmark, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Spain, Sweden, Lithuania, UK, Germany, France - and now back to Denmark. You can join the SIG by participating in a camp, by joining the MY-SIG Facebook group or the forum on mensa.org. The FB group has 1600 rather active members and has lists of youth related activities around the world.
Facebook group: MY-SIG www.facebook.com/groups/9 2025890346/ Facebook event: MY-Camp X (join MY-SIG first): www.facebook.com/events/1 644595235794062/ MY-Camp sign up and more info: www.my-camp.org MY-NY sign up and more info: www.my-ny.org
For information on iSigs, contact the International SIGs Coordinator, Barbara Kryvko at SIGs@ mensa.org
MY-SIG is an official international SIG (iSIG) recognised by Mensa International, officially belonging to Mensa Denmark and led by SIG General Mikael Jensen. iSIGs are open to members from the whole wide Mensa world. Reprinted from Mensa World Journal, issue #040, May, 2016 Editor Kate Nacard
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GIFTED ELDERS: A FORGOTTEN GROUP Gifted Elders Initiative; Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)The Gifted Elders Initiative dedicates itself to learning more about those who have nurtured so many gifted children and grandchildren and who have been instrumental in bringing the world’s dreams into reality. We know that gifted children remain gifted as adults and into later life. Fiedler (2015) describes six stages of giftedness in adulthood. In Late Adulthood (ages 65 and beyond), Actualizers (65 – 80) can journey on paths of both self-actualization and helping others to actualize their goals and dreams. Cruisers (80 and beyond) can continue use their intensely active minds, regardless of their physical conditions, knowing who
they are and what they want in their remaining years. The giftedness of many other gifted elders, however, is never recognized during their lifetimes. For gifted seniors, knowing about their giftedness and about their social and emotional needs can help them live happier and more fulfilling lives.
Experiences seniors
of
gifted
Not much is written about gifted seniors’ social and emotional or other needs. However, noted educator Annemarie Roeper wrote an illuminating account of her own experiences and feelings as a gifted elder when she was more than 80 years old (Roeper, 2007; Roeper, 2011).
Reprinted from Mensa World Journal, issue #040, May, 2016 Editor Kate Nacard
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Older gifted people may only discover their giftedness late in life, or they may never find out that they are gifted at all. In either case, they may sense that they are “different” and may feel “different.” Some have developed small problems; others have much bigger difficulties. In private life or at work, some gifted elders experience psychiatric challenges, such as anxiety or depression. (See, for instance, Nauta & Corten, 2002; Nauta & Ronner, 2013.) However, some of these challenges may actually be societally created and misdiagnosed as pathology. Other psychological problems require a dual diagnosis of “giftedness with psychological needs” (Webb et al., 2005). Still other gifted seniors practice their intellectual, scholarly, creative, and leadership strengths until their deaths, despite the onset of disability and even dementia (Friedrichs, 2013). Whether gifted elders achieve highly or not, their feelings of
being different may continue to the end. Many gifted seniors withdraw from other people because there are fewer and fewer individuals left to talk with at the same level of perception and thinking. The normal activities offered to their age group, like bingo or crafts, may be quite unappealing to them. These activities can sometimes make them feel even lonelier. However, gifted seniors who work in areas of strengths or who find “kindred spirits” can feel more purposeful and more fully alive (Friedrichs, 2013). Two studies on more and less purpose-filled gifted seniors were recently conducted in The Netherlands. One was on the needs of gifted seniors themselves (Bouwman & Geertsma, 2015). Another dealt with the relative knowledge of giftedness among people caring for the elderly (Aryee, 2015). These studies help to develop our understanding of concerns for older gifted adults
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and of potentially helpful approaches for their caring professionals.
Recognition and attention Basic recognition that giftedness exists in older adults really helps both those adults and their caregiving professionals. For both groups, a practice-based list of characteristics can be very helpful in building understanding (IHBV leaflet, English version, 2014). Yet recognition must be followed up by action. In the Netherlands, Nauta and her colleagues, from 2011, asked for more attention to gifted elders. A nationwide Dutch newspaper then published an article on these citizens. After that, some workers in care facilities asked the advice of the Gifted Adults Foundation, leading to a leaflet and journal article on giftedness in the aging (Nauta & Jurgens, 2012). There are now several initiatives in the Netherlands in which bright
seniors can enjoy activities other than those undertaken by elders in general (e.g., cultural cafĂŠs, scientific cafĂŠs, philosophical groups, or programs of documentaries). With a grant from the Mensa Foundation in the Netherlands, an author wrote two portraits about gifted seniors. An English translation of the portraits is in preparation and will soon be posted on the Dutch website, ihbv.nl, while a film documentary about gifted elders in the Netherlands is also planned. It would be interesting to collect case studies and vignettes, from all over the world, in which gifted seniors tell us how their varied needs are fulfilled. These examples may help a range of gifted seniors and their caring professionals to better formulate their needs, in their homes or care facilities. -for further information on cited research, please see the longer article on this subject
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http://ihbv.nl/international/english/pu blications/- KN
The authors:
Noks Nauta Ph.D., is an M.D. and psychologist. She detected her own giftedness when she was 52 and became a member of Mensa. She co-founded and now works for the Gifted Adults Foundation (known as IHBV in the Netherlands), an organization that wishes to improve living environments for gifted adults. Contact Noks at noksnauta@ihbv.nl
the Lifespan, and wrote chapters on gifted adults in Off the Charts: Asynchrony and the Gifted Child and in Living with Intensity. Adults. Contact: ellenfiedler@comcast.net
Terry Friedrichs, Ph.D., Ed.D., has been a teacher, researcher, and activist for decades with gifted GLBTQ, twice-exceptional, and high-potential elder populations. Contact Terry tpfriedrichs@stthomas.
at
Ellen D. Fiedler a Professor Emerita of Gifted Education from Northeastern Illinois University, has a Ph.D. in Counselling and Guidance, and an M.S.E. in Education. A past gifted-program coordinator and past state consultant for gifted, she is the author of Bright Adults: Uniqueness and Belonging across Reprinted from Mensa World Journal, issue #040, May, 2016 Editor Kate Nacard
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MENSA INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2016
The art of photography is an area where Mensans from over 50 countries with different languages, customs and traditions can converge with a single, visual language! Use your creativity, skills, and technical expertise to produce your entry in this year’s PhotoCup competition. The theme for 2016 is “UNEXPECTED!” Let your imagination run wild.
national office or board. Direct International Members and members from countries not holding national contests are eligible to enter the International competition directly. The Mensa International Photographer of the Year 2016 could be you!
Therese Moodie-Bloom Director of Administration, admin-mil@mensa.org
MIL CONTACT DETAILS Office Tel/Fax: +44(0)1400272 675 mensainternational@mensa. org
If your Mensa chapter is holding a national competition to select entries for the International phase, a set of the rules and closing dates will be available from your Reprinted from Mensa World Journal, issue #040, May, 2016 Editor Kate Nacard
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MENSA PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION Intercontinental Project Convergence “IPC� The Search for the International Mensa Photographer of the Year 2016
RULES OF THE COMPETITION FOR PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES 1. This competition is organized by the National Mensa of South Africa as part of the International Project Convergence. 2. The theme for 2016 is UNEXPECTED! 3. There is no fee for entry into the Competition. The entrant must be a financial member in good standing of Mensa SA for the duration of the competition. 4. Photos should be in JPG format not exceeding 1 MB. Entries in the national competition must be received by 20 July 2016 [NB: Winning prints will be scanned into JPGs for entry into the International competition.]
5. Name, membership number and title of photograph should be included in the photo information/label or in the text of the email. 6. The photos should be in JPG format and e-mailed to the following national mailing address: marketing@mensa.org.za 7. Each entrant may submit up to three images only. 8. All entries must be the sole work of the entrant. 9. The three best entries in the national competition will be selected by a locally organized judging panel. Entries will be judged on the effectiveness of how they convey the theme as well as composition, technical and other considerations. The decision of the judging panel is final. The national winner will win the title of Mensa South Africa Photographer of the Year 2016. 10. The three best entries in each national Mensa competition will be included in the Mensa World PhotoCup competition run under the supervision of Mensa International. The closing date for the (International) Mensa World PhotoCup is 20 August 2016.The International winner (MIL Photographer of the Year) 21
will be selected by a professional judging panel which will include the Mensa International Chairman exofficio. 11. Winning photographs will become part of the “Mensa IPC Collection� and will be exhibited at the Annual Gatherings and otherwise publicized, inside and outside Mensa. 12. Entrants will retain copyright of their photos but will grant Mensa non-exclusive rights for publication in Mensa journals, on Mensa websites, on Photo SIG posters, for display in exhibitions, or other appropriate places as part of the Mensa IPC Collection without any financial reward to the contestant. 13. Contestants agree that their name and country may be published nationally and internationally. 14. By submitting entries for the competition, the entrant accepts all the conditions listed above.
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