MAINESCENE Year9 Issue1, Winter 2017-2018
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MAINESCENE Year 9, Issue 1 The Newsletter of Maine Mensa Winter 2017-2018 newsletter. (Insider tip: Bring containers for any leftovers from the massive Saturday dinner buffet-to take some From the LocSec home.) Anne W. Allen I am going to be a presenter at this year’s RG. I will be teaching Mah-jongg. I learned it from my sister a few years ago-and it is an awesome, diverse, always challenging game. This is my first time offering a presentation, and I The Spring will be a busy one for those who want to am excited. Look for it listed in the Program nearer to the participate in Mensa Events. We will have the opportunity date of the RG. (OPPORTUNITY!) to go to the NH Regional Gathering What do you ‘get’ at the NH RG? You ‘get’ to mingle in February. March is always pay-your-dues-month for me. with about 100-130 local Mensans – usually from RI, MA, In April we will participate in Culture Quest, and then our NH, and Maine. You ‘get’ non-stop food and drink (as in own mini-RG in Portland. May will bring the Cape Cod unlimited beer, wine, spirits, etc.). You ‘get’ to play games, mini-RG. I plan on attending all of these events – in 2018. have the kids do crafts, swim in the pool, maybe have a You should try to make a plan NOW to set aside some Hot Tub Tiara Party (aka http for you nerds). The speakers time for at least ONE of these for yourself. change every year. The topics range from travel, or supernatural, or books, or astrology- who knows. All free with your one- time registration. It would be great for all of you to try it at least one year. This type of event will not get any better or any closer to us than the NH Regional Gathering – see you there! New Hampshire Regional Gathering – Mind Games Bid for 2019 February 16-18: A Must-attend event! Well we didn’t get the Mind Games Bid to host in 2019, This year’s theme is SILLY WALKS – so plan on seeing a but we were up against 6 other bids. It is good to see that lot of Monty Python themed movies and events. this has gotten to be a very well attended National Event. We in Maine have the opportunity (OPPORTUNITY!) to Your ExComm will decide on a yearly basis – whether to attend a long-running, highly-attended, super-fun-for-the- bid for 2020 and going forward from there. We would whole-family, full-blown Regional Gathering – within really like to bring it nearer to you in Maine, but maybe a driving distance. The rooms are 88.00 per night! All your location in NH or MA might be the closest we can get for (adult registration) food, drink, entertainment, etc. is only you. Even then, it will be drivable, and for the value, it is 80.00 for the whole weekend from Friday at 3pm to one of the most affordable National Events available. Sunday noon. The registration form is included in this Newsletter 1 Member Dues and Where Do They Go By Trevor S. Mitchell, Acting Executive Director, Executive Committee American Mensa LocSec Anne W. Allen (207) 577-6362 I would like to take a moment and clarify a few things [email protected] based on what has been discussed on this list so far Asst LocSec & Sight so that you have the current facts. Coordinator Susan Flaherty (207) 210-0657 [email protected] • Items regarding staffing: Treasurer Gerald Nessmann (207) 564-7875 o The Executive Director is hired by the AMC and is [email protected] accountable to them for the duration of that Publications & agreement. The Executive Director has responsibility Robert S. Lagos (207) 846-3063 Editor and authority for the rest of the national office staff. [email protected] Any personal issues for the Executive Director are Program Chair Jim Sloan (207) 807-8594 [email protected] addressed through the Chair and AMC with all other staff addressed through the Executive Director. At Large & Membership o Of the staff listed on the website, two are focused Coordinator Leona Prodouz (207) 710-9072 [email protected] directly on the work of the foundation, two are Ombudsman Kat Masters (207) 233-5222 contractors that have a position title to carry out their [email protected] function, but we do not pay benefits on these two. Region 1 RVC Lisa Maxwell (617) 335-1484 o As part of our administrative agreement with the [email protected] Foundation, we receive income from the Foundation to cover those two dedicated staff as well as a portion of hours that the rest of the staff contributes to direct Mensa Foundation foundation programs such as scholarships, the MRJ, Scholarship Program 2018 Colloquium, etc. o The largest expense that organizations of our type By Chance Griffeth have are in the salaries and benefits line of the budget. The next round of the Mensa Foundation's annual What you are seeing is not out of the norm when we scholarship program is well underway. Applicants look at other organizations of similar membership and have until January 15th to submit a 550 word essay revenue size. It is reviewed annually by the Finance that outlines their academic/professional committee regarding the overall amount and what goals. After the deadline, our local Maine Mensa goes into it. members volunteer their time to read and score the • Outside Contracts – as mentioned by a few essays. Then I submit the best applicants in 15 different scholarship categories to the Region 1 people, these funds are set aside for specific scholarship chair for the next round of purposes. John provided one example of our election judging. The process completes with a third round process. Another would be the mailing house we use at the national level. In June, essay winners are during the renewal period to handle the collating, announced for one of 27 awards ranging from $500 stuffing, and mailing of the renewal statements. There to $2500. There are also regional and local are others in specific areas throughout the budget awards. This means that each year, at least one of areas. Each one is designated for a specific, short- our applicants will get a scholarship. If you are term purpose to provide a specific deliverable to interested in being a scholarship judge please send address a need. These agreements are reviewed me an email. For more information about the annually (or near the end of each agreement) to Mensa Foundation's scholarship program, go ensure that we are maximizing the dollars we spend to: http://www.mensafoundation.org/what-we- and getting the results that we need. Using outside do/scholarships/ contractors also allows us to engage with a specific Chance Griffeth resource and skill set for that short-term need instead Scholarship Chair of looking at hiring staff on to handle it that would incur Maine Mensa additional expenses with benefits. [email protected] (Continued on page 8) Newsletter 2 Why would smart people engage in an extreme sport? by John Gobel, Maine Mensan, Gorham, Maine Since you're flying with an open parachute at all times, It's been said that jumping out of an airplane that isn't on engine failure is not a problem. Well, not a big problem. fire makes no sense. Well, people do it anyway. If all goes When all goes unintentionally quiet, you float down gently well, they land on the ground. And if that goes well, they and under control, picking out a nice field or worst case, walk away. And then repeat the process. soft trees for your inevitable rendezvous with terra firma. And you hope it's not too firma. But 99% of the time, you After years of thinking, we improved on that rather banal can walk away from it with only your pride being seriously activity. Why not start on the ground, and then go up hurt. high? It only takes about 4 to 6 hours of lessons from an FAA Using my gift for reducing complexity to its absurd certified flight instructor with PPC rating to learn to safely minimum, this is how powered parachuting was invented. operate the machine. Single seat PPCs do not require an By the way, it's also been suggested by many that I return FAA license, but two-seaters need a Sport Pilot license - that gift and exchange it for a nice sweater. that can be obtained with 10 hours of instruction and a written test. So let me describe what a powered parachute is. Take a parachute that always works, attach it to a seat with We have about 50 powered parachute enthusiasts wheels, put a small engine with a propeller behind it, and throughout Maine - most belong to the Maine Powerchute you solved the problem. Sit in the seat, close your eyes, Association. We get together about 10 to 12 times a year, push the little thingy that makes the engine make lots of all through the year, to fly, to socialize, to tell lies, tell jokes, noise, and you go up in the sky. As high as you want! relate close calls, and to laugh a lot. While our fly-ins are When the engine goes quiet, or your fanny goes numb, family affairs, all our pilots are males at this time - we're you come back to the same place you left. Preferably. eager to have a woman fly with us! Sometimes some other place, but then you may not be greeted with the same enthusiasm that the Parisians To see these machines in action, see our web site bestowed on Lindbergh.