(Link to PDF version for printing)

May 2007
Newsletter

"MAY I?"

 

Contents

LocSec Column The Tenth Story Humor for your summer vacation flight Tampa Bay Mensa's Regional Gathering May 25-28, 2007 (Memorial Day weekend) DAG (Dining Adventure Group) Review Happy Birthday to our members with birthdays in May AMC in Action

 

LocSec Column

Spring is in the air, rain has finally come to our southern counties, and Mensa dues are due.

Mensa membership is growing; let's not have a decline from un-renewed subscriptions. Broward Mensa is adding many events in Palm Beach County. Lets support them, and they will continue. We have a dearth of Palm Beach members willing to organize activities for their local group.

If you have an interest in world events, particularly events which result in global warming, or gross social injustice, consider the second Wednesday open to the public presentation and discussion meetings at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation (Church) at 665 Prosperity Farms Road in Palm Beach Gardens. Call (561) 627-6105 for the next event.

Why does one belong to Mensa? I am interested in why you, faithful members, belong to Mensa. Is it for the prestige, being part of the 2%. Is it for the convivial or caustic conversation, or is it just to meet intelligent members of the opposite sex? Game nights anyone, some are addicted, China is trying to un-addict people from electronic game playing. I guess scrabble would be OK, but in Chinese, how does one play scrabble? Solstice celebrations are fun, Elissa Rudolf has one each season to usher in the new. Then there are the RGs when we can meet folks from farther away than our local group, and get some new ideas. I think the latter is one of my favorite reasons for belonging to Mensa, New Ideas. They are not easily come by, and a good thorny discussion cane spin off several if everyone is firing on all cylinders.

So good Palm Mensans, let me know why you choose to belong to Mensa. We will do our best to encourage members to contribute by having them organize events that are fun and challenging.

If you are planning a summer vacation, let us know about it, drop me an email and we'll publish them in the Newsletter as time and space permit.

Enjoy the spring; it's a time of renewal, and growth.

Brian K. Johnson / LocSec Palm Beach Mensa

 

The Tenth Story

Here is an interesting tidbit for you: As part of the MIL budget process, Stacey Kirsch did an analysis of all the national Mensa's and their dues rates, converted to British pounds for comparison sake, as well as the testing costs. UK was at the top of the list for dues, charging 45 pounds. US is 9th on the list, charging the equivalent to 29.89 pounds. For testing costs, Canada was at the top of the list, charging the equivalent of 44.31 pounds. 

US is 7th, charging the equivalent of 17.24 pounds. I am probably as surprised as you are to see how many other national Mensa's actually charge more than American Mensa does for both dues and testing, but 'tis true.

American Mensa is growing well! The membership numbers are up, retention is up, to the point that we almost hit the 55,000 mark in membership by the end of the fiscal year, which coincides with the end of the dues year, March 31.

There is another special promotion for testing going on in May. 

Please do spread the word to friends you think are qualified, as this would be a good time for them to save a bit of money. During the month of May, Home Tests will be sold for $13 (as opposed to the usual $18). Then returning the Home Test before June 30 earns a coupon worth $5 off the Mensa Admission Test, valid until August 31.

Janice Johnson of Palm Beach Mensa is helping me organize a Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) for this coming fall, probably in November. Current plans are to hold it in the Orlando area, based on its central location in the state. Questionnaires were sent to officers and others around the state, inquiring about areas of interest and need, but that doesn't mean that those are the only members able to attend. If you have any interest in learning more about being an active Mensan, please do consider attending. More information will be forthcoming; for now, just keep it in mind.

Have you checked out www.mensaforkids.org  yet? Sponsored by the Foundation, this website is for young Mensans and other bright kids everywhere. There are games and activities, learning activities, and all sorts of child-oriented things. So check it out yourself, or let the bright kids in your world know about it! Spread the word!

See you Memorial Day Weekend at ARRR-G (Tampa Bay's RG), 4th of July in Birmingham (the Annual Gathering), and Labor Day Weekend at Florange a Trois (Broward's RG).

Maggie Truelove

 

Humor for your summer vacation flight:

After a lengthy delay at the gate while waiting to depart, the Captain finally came on the PA system and announced, "I'm sorry for the delay, but the machine that smashes your baggage and pulls the handles off is broken, so the ground crew is having to do it by hand!"

 

Tampa Bay Mensa's Regional Gathering May 25-28, 2007 (Memorial Day weekend)

SEEK HIDDEN BOOTY in the Trolley Treasure Hunt!

PERFORM FEATS of fearless fun in The Plank Show talent contest!

SHARE TALES OF BRAVADO in the Hospitality Pirate Galley! l

INVADE the local museums, restaurants and bars!

MATCH WITS in Games, Tournaments, the Trash Bowl and more!

St. Petersburg Hilton Bayfront 333 First Street South St.

Petersburg, FL 33701 www.stpetersburg.hilton.com

Special Mensa rate is $82 (+ tax and $5 parking) for a double plus $10 per additional person. Visit the special hotel registration site for our event online at http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/sptshhf_men/index.jhtml or call (727) 894-5000 or (800) 445-8667, mentioning that you are part of the Mensa group. Last day to reserve at this special rate is May 11, 2007.l SHARE TALES OF BRAVADO in the Hospitality Pirate Galley! l INVADE the local museums, restaurants and bars!

Prices:   $75 before May 12         Meals included in registration!

       $85 thereafter

Make check payable to: Tampa Bay Mensa Mail check   to:

Kathy Crum, Registrar 7164 Quail Hollow Blvd Wesley Chapel, FL 33544

 

DAG (Dining Adventure Group) Review

The April DAG hasn't occurred as this is written -- review next month. Is there a restaurant in your area that you've been wanting to visit? Let the DAG group know and we can check it out together. Contact Elissa (elissa12@bellsouth.net) with your suggestions.

 

Happy Birthday to our members with birthdays in May

Monty L Preiser	Laverro Charles Radiante	Joel Norman Morrison
Sheldon Glassberg	Dale Ruth	Donna S Bognar
Sandra Margolis	John F Payne	Glen G Gates
Joanna L Cunningham	Milo R Eischens	Simon Charles Mozley
Kendrick V Cooper	Ondine Fraher	Lynden Steele
Dr Samuel Walter Askinas	Kirk Orlovsky
Juliann Isabelle Cooper	Louis Vincent Priore

 

AMC in Action

MINI MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THEAMERICAN MENSA COMMITTEE (AMC)

March 25, 2007, Oak Brook, Illinois

Appointments: Doug Parr, Assistant SIGs Officer; Mary Lee Kemper, Assistant Chair of the 2009 AG; Cyndi Kuyper, Fifth NatRep if AML's membership total reaches or passes 55,000 by March 31, 2007; Larson, Allen, Weishair & Co.

LLP (formerly Langan Associates) as the auditor for the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Colloquiums will now be an American Mensa, Ltd. event, sponsored by the Mensa Education & Research Foundation (Mensa Foundation) and presented by host groups.

Effective 4/1/2007 testing fees will increase to $40 and local group reimbursement will increase to $15. Tests given between 4/1/07 and 6/30/07 at the old rate of $30 will be funded to the groups at the previous $12.50 per test rate.

The modified proposed budget for FY 2007-2008 was adopted. Changes to the proposed budget included an increase of administrative fees paid by the Mensa Foundation which will offset additional staff time and benefits.

Annual Gathering bids must have approval from the governing body of the local group whose territory encompasses the site proposed for the AG by the bidder.

Potential Annual Gathering host groups will be offered up to $400 reimbursement for all costs associated with presenting an AG bid at an AMC meeting that is not held in conjunction with an AG.

Rejected a proposal to limit a host group's obligation of an AG loss to 100 times the annual regular American Mensa dues at the time the AG is awarded.

Reaffirmed the Research Review Committee as a standing, action committee of the AMC and updated the guidelines.

All of the proposed changes to the Minimum Standard Bylaws and Model Bylaws for Local Groups were approved.

Added a time slot for the Mensa Foundation to present a report at the AML Annual Business Meeting.

The Local Group Funding Task Force, AG Bid Process Review Committee, and the Local Group Charter Review Committee were thanked and dismissed.

The next meeting of the AMC will be July 7, 2007, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Respectfully submitted,

Marc Lederman, Secretary, AMC