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Palm-Mensa
Palm Beach County Mensa Newsletter
January, 2006
Contents
January 22nd is Answer Your Cat’s Question Day!
Have you ever noticed your cat looking at you quizzically?
Have you ever considered the possibility that they have a question?
Take a moment to figure out what they are asking you and do your best to answer their question!
Looking for an Editor
Due to personal reasons, I will no longer be able to edit the Palm Mensa newsletter. A replacement is needed. Elissa Rudolph will be the interim editor. I will have a complete toolkit for the new editor. All that is required is for the editor to have a computer with Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Word (preferably 2000 or better). Also, an Internet mail address to contact the editor is needed. This opening is a temporary position, but if you like it a lot, it can become permanent. Being the editor is not very difficult and you can go to lots of parties. Give Elissa Rudolph a call at: 561-496-0124, or drop her a line: elissa12@bellsouth.net
Next Newsletter
Next Newsletter Information due: January 15th
Send newsletter items, e-mail address changes, updates and announcements to mensa@ritchason.net
Notes from the Underground
by Barry Karas
RECESS – Our editor must take at least six months off. He has done a stellar job with this newsletter and I hope that he can assume the reins again. Meanwhile we need an interim editor. Please contact me [(561) 964-4360; bkaras@adelphia.net] if you want to be our editor and for more information.
CHARACTERS – No, I am not writing about wiseguys. I am writing about numbers, letters, etc. Do an online search for “The Windows Character Set” and “Brian Livingston” exactly [with or without the quotation marks depending on your online search engine – Google requires them]. This will allow you to type neat characters such as: ¡, ©, Q,and ,.
Try this URL: http://www.brianlivingston.com/winchars/WinChars.pdf
If you want a permanent copy of the Character Set, and want to use it without going online, print it. [You may need the Adobe Reader to do so, but it is a freebie – and your computer may already have it.]
Please note that this works for any edition of Windows 98+. I am not sure about Unix, Linux, DOS, or Apple/Mac.
HAPPY NEW YEAR – 2006 promises to be a good year for our chapter. Besides our regular events, I would like to have a superbowl party.
ELECTIONS – Our bylaws require us to have an election soon. The elected positions: Local Secretary [“LocSec”] essentially the president of this group; and Treasurer. Think about who you would like in an elected position, discuss the situation with that person, and perhaps nominate that person. I will appoint two of our members as an independent election committee. Discussions should be made during January 2006; nominations should be made during February; and elections held during March 2006.
Keep Mensa Up To Date
Some members do not receive this e-mail newsletter because their e-mail addresses are incorrect. When you change your e-mail address, please send us notification. While the national office makes changes to its records, sometimes the information doesn't make its way here. Therefore, please let me know about your e-mail address changes...as well as the national office.
Thank you,
Barry Karas
Webmaster's Note: One should be careful, however, in using special characters, as there are many proprietary character sets that don't conform to platform-independent standards, and can cause problems in data interchange. I think there have been some character-set problems with the text above, for instance; Barry probably didn't mean to state that the letter "Q" and the comma were "neat characters" that required special tricks to type, but whatever characters he originally placed in the article have been transformed into those somewhere down the line. For more info on character set issues, see my own pages here and here. -- Dan
The Tenth Story— (RVC Column)
By Maggie Truelove
Happy New Year! That seems odd to say, as it is not yet Christmas when I am writing it. In fact, I am writing this from Arizona, shortly after the 4th quarter AMC meeting. One thing that was a point of concern to many of youat this AMC meeting was the motion to begin an "Angel Fund" at the national level. Those of you who communicated your feelings to me will be pleased to know that the motion failed. Even so, from time to time there are members unable to pay dues who would benefit from some assistance. These members may be elderly or those with unexpected medical or other catastrophic expenses. Many of these members are folks who have given many volunteer hours to the organization. Hopefully more of our local groups will take it on their shoulders to assist suchmembers. I encourageyou to consider this.
Project Inkslinger is gearing up for major involvement with restocking libraries around the gulf region when they are rebuilt. The national coordinator told the AMC that he knows that many local groups have an Inkslinger coordinator, but he doesn't have their contact information. To build this network, if your group has someone doing Inkslinger, please either let national office know, or let me know and I will pass it on.
For National Testing Day, Region 10's results were disappointing. The region with the most candidates tested within the testing window tested more than 200. Region 10 tested the least of any region, with 53 candidates. I credit this poor showing to the fact that 1/3 of our groups were seriously affected by Wilma just before this testing. We will do better next year!
Many of our groups received a notice from National Office that it was time to review the bylaws and bring them into compliance with minimum standards as needed. Let me know if you need any assistance with this review and revision.
Next month is ValenTime in Destin, Florida, up in the panhandle. Details are available on their website (Northwest Florida) and on the Region 10 website (region10.us.mensa.org). And coming up in April is the next MindGames, this time in Portland, Oregon. Details are available on the national website.
Congratulations are in order for Howard Prince and the IT team at the national office. The website has received a national award for excellence. Kudos!
Maggie Truelove, RVC10
3333 Honeysuckle Lane
Orlando, Florida 32812
407-855-9078
truluvs@cfl.rr.com
Member News
Palm Beach County Mensa has one renewing member and four members who have moved in.
SIG Gathering
February 4-11, 2006 Guadeloupe Club Med, French West Indies Active Mensans of all ages, including children(!), are invited to join the Club Med SIG of American Mensa for a week of beach sports and fun at the Guadeloupe Club Med starting February 4, 2006. Sports include sailing, windsurfing, archery, flying trapeze, tennis, dancing, snorkeling, beach volleyball, and kayaking. All sports equipment, lessons, French/Caribbean meals, and drinks are included in the room price of $95 (D.O.). Just bring your swimsuit and passport. If you want to climb an active volcano, bring your hiking shoes. Meet the Mensa group Saturday evening in front of the main restaurant in Club Med at 7:25 P.M. for dinner, followed by a week of active fun on the Guadeloupe Riviera. Details are on the SIG website at www.MensaClubMed.org. Contact Erica Byrne, SIG coordinator, at EMByrne@attglobal.net with any questions. Registration is free. SIG membership is free.
Thank you.
Erica Byrne
Club Med SIG of American Mensa
Andy Ritchason
mensa@ritchason.net
23053 Old Inlet Bridge Dr
Boca Raton. FL
Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and DO NOT reflect opinions of Palm Beach County Mensa, its officers, or of American Mensa, Ltd., which holds NO opinions.
© 2000-2007 Palm Beach County Mensa. The Mensa logo is a registered trademark of Mensa International Limited and American Mensa Limited, all rights reserved. Mensa does not hold any opinion or have, or express, any political or religious views.