MAINESCENE Volume 6, Issue 2 The Newsletter of Mensa Spring 2015

From the LocSec

Anne W. Allen

Loc Sec Speaks – Anne Allen

Hello All, well here we are in a very important National Election Cycle, and I wanted to give you as much guidance as I can. However, the Loc Sec from NH, Rob Salkin of MONNY (Albany Mensa) is a candidate for Richard Conde, in his Loc Sec column for their newsletter, expressed his thoughts so well, I am reprinting Treasurer. I have met Rob several times, and listened to full them in entirety to you in my column: lectures about "How Mensa Can Respond to a Social Media Age". His vision, work, and qualifications are superb.

Lori Norris, our former RVC1, will be running for Secretary. From: Richard Conde, Loc Sec NH: I cannot endorse her highly enough. But regardless of who

you think should be on the AMC, check out the candidates At the end of March, around 11:59 pm Central Time, and vote. your dues for 2015-2016 are due. $70 for annual renewal, $190/3years, $310/5years. This year is an election year If you do not trust electronic voting, here's how to make sure for the Officers of American Mensa's Executive you get a paper ballot this election. Go to the American Committee, the ruling body of American Mensa. If you Mensa website, click on "my Mensa" at the top right of the are not renewed by the deadline, you cannot vote in the home page. Then click on "Member Profile". That opens the upcoming election. Login page, enter your member number (or email address) and password. (Yes, the same screen lets you say "forgot my If you view not renewing right away as a means of login information"). Then you will see the "Membership protesting any current policies, I'd argue that voting is a Profile" page. better protest, and certainly in this election. There is a clear distinction in not just one candidate, but a slate of Go to the bottom, look for the header "Mensa elections candidates and their objectives. And the primary objective materials delivery". Click on the option for "receiving is that annual dues have gone up too much, and certainly materials by US Mail". Then your ballot has to be on paper, too much without a clear explanation to membership. by mail. (Do remember to fill it out and mail it promptly.)

Furthermore, there is a need for much more openness and transparency from the National Committee to the Reminder from Anne Allen, Loc Sec Maine: Please renew general membership. Many recent decisions have been before March 30th, and please vote. made in an obscure cloud of "we can't tell you"s.

Finally, the Executive Director has yet to answer many questions about her leadership and goals. For the position of Chairman, I urge you to vote for our current NH Do you have a fact of interest, an article, an anecdote, puzzle, or Mensa Secretary, Deb Stone. Her experience, game you would like to share and would like to appear on qualifications, and willingness to help Mensans is MaineScene? Send an email to the editor, Rob Lagos, superlative. [email protected].

Newsletter 1

Executive Committee C ALENDAR OF E VENTS S PRING 2 0 1 5 LocSec Anne W. Allen (207) 577-6362 [email protected] Asst LocSec & Sight MONTHLY TRIVIA NIGHTS: Coordinator Susan Flaherty (207) 210-0657 [email protected] Mensa SoPo Trivia Treasurer Gerald Nessmann (207) 564-7875 [email protected] Jimmy the Greek’s in South Portland, Maine Last Tuesday of Every Month, 7:30 - 10:00 PM Publications & Hosts: Anne Allen & Susan Flaherty Editor Robert S. Lagos (207) 846-3063 [email protected] Program Chair Jim Sloan (207) 807-8594 Paddy Murphy's Irish Pub, Bangor, Maine [email protected] Second Wednesday of Every Month, 8:30 - 11:00 PM Testing Chair Nicole Bissonnette (207) 272-5870 Host: Gerald Nessmann, (207) 564-7875 [email protected] At Large & Membership Coordinator Leona Morgan (207) 710-9072 OTHER MONTHLY EVENTS: [email protected] Ombudsman Kate Masters (207) 233-5222 Mensa Does Happy Hour [email protected] Second Tuesday of the Month: from 5 o'clock on. Region 1 RVC Andrew Heffeman (518) 788-0019 Contact: Sue Flaherty, (207) 210-0657 or [email protected] [email protected].

Downeast Maine Mensa Dine-Arounds

Fourth Thursday of Every Month, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Inquire for details; restaurants in the Ellsworth area which will vary in food, ambience, and price. Contact Steve Weinreich and Linda Hayward at [email protected] to be placed on email list. We are still building teams here in Maine, and we hope to have an even stronger presence this year than last Mensa Movie Night year! Last year we had four teams compete - our First Tuesday of every month at the Nickelodeon in presence has grown over the last few years - and maybe Portland. we can even win a prize! Cheap $5 movie night, drinks afterwards. Movies and times TBD. Culture Quest will take place on Sunday April 26, at Contact: Jim Sloan, (207) 807-8594. 4pm. Across the country, Mensa teams of up to 5 will be competing starting at exactly the same time. We can have any number of teams. M & I Dinner 2014 Mensa, Intertel and I.S.P.E. Dinner

Great (Oriental) Buffet, 4th Fridays of the Month Even if you don't consider yourself such a great player, if Newington, NH you have strong knowledge concentrated in a particular RSVP Host Walter Wakefield (603) 436-7250. area - and even if not - you can still contribute!! Participation is of no cost to the members - Maine Mensa will pay the cost per team. New monthly event in Topsham. New location of Smitty's theater opening in June. For more information, email [email protected] or Anne will host a monthly dinner/theater with the day call Anne Allen at 207-577-6362. and date to be determined.

Newsletter 2

C ALEND A R O F E VENTS C ALENDAR OF E VENTS ( c o n t i n u e d from previous page )

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS:

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS: (continued)

Game Day at Sue's House, March 22 at 3:00pm. Mensa Does Happy Hour, May 12, 5:30pm. Susan Flaherty's house, 71 Vera Street, Portland, Maine Bonfire Country Bar, 37 Wharf St., Portland. Please join us for an afternoon of games. Bring any game Bacon Happy Hour. you would like to play. There will be plenty to eat and drink. Contact Sue Flaherty, (207) 210-0657 or

Contact Sue Flaherty, (207) 210-0657 or [email protected]. [email protected] . Math/Science Forum/Meet, May 23, time TBA Game s Day/Mensa Games Night (6:00-11pm), Rob's house, 385 Portland Street, Yarmouth, Maine. April 11. Math/science enthusiasts gather and discuss favorite current facts, discoveries, puzzlers or favorite articles in Part I (Open to the Public): Weekend Anime is hosting an Mensa Brainwave - or anything else! Snacks provided, all-day board game event at the South Portland High School. more details later. Contact: Rob Lagos, (207) 846-3063 Drop in any time between 10am and 5pm. For more info: or [email protected]. https://www.facebook.com/events/747566595311687 . Possible Booze Cruise in June. Part II (Mensans and their guests): 231 State St., Portland. Cruise in the Portland bay area.

Head back to Portland for a night of board games, snacks, Details at a later date. and drinks. Menu TBA but feel free to bring a favorite snack Contact Sue Flaherty, (207) 210-0657 or or beverage. RSVP for this part, please. [email protected]. Contact: Kat Masters, (207) 233-5222. Moxie Festival, Downtown Lisbon Falls, Mensa Does Happy Hour, April 14, 5:30. Saturday July 11, 11am on. Join us this month at Buck's Naked BBQ, 50 Wharf St., Hosted by Anne Allen: 577-6362 or Portland, Maine. There will be drink specials and some tasty [email protected]. appetizers to share - please join us! For more information contact Sue Flaherty, (207) 210-0657 or UPCOMING IMPORTANT NATIONAL [email protected] . EVENTS! Mensans Love ! April 25 at 5:00pm. We are going to an exciting Maine Roller Derby double ** April 15 through May 31: American Mensa header bout at the Portland Expo. General admission tickets elections. will be available on the MRD website or at the door. Contact ** April 26, 4:00pm - 5:30pm: Culture Quest XXVI. Jim Sloan, (207) 807-8594, for details. ** April 30 - May 3: Mind Games 2015, San Diego.

** June 30: Colloquium 2015: Brain Health: "Peter Pan", May 1 - performance at 7:30 pm. Research, Challenges, and Breakthroughs, Louisville, St. Lawrence Arts Center, Portland, ME. KY. We are planning on attending the Friday May 1st evening ** July 1-5, 2015: Mensa Annual Gathering, performance of Vivid Motion's "Peter Pan" This is sure to Louisville, KY. be a fun evening of dance and you may recognize someone in the cast. For more information and info on tickets, contact Sue Flaherty, (207) 210-0657 or [email protected]. AREA COORDINATORS

Games Night in Yarmouth, May 9 at 6:30pm. MID-MAINE (Lewiston/Brunswick) Anne Allen

Home of Rob Lagos, 385 Portland Street, Yarmouth, Maine. [email protected] (207) 577-6362 Games night at Rob's house in Yarmouth. Bring a game you would like. I will provide snacks and drinks but bring GREATER PORTLAND Susan Flaherty anything you would like! Please RSVP, Rob Lagos, (207) [email protected] (207) 210-0657 846- 3063 or [email protected]. BANGOR & SOUTHERN MAINE Vacant

Newsletter 3

2015 Elections: April 15 thru May 31 by Rob Lagos

It goes without saying that likely, you have by now, seen numerous communications about the importance of the upcoming elections. It is not hard to use the American Mensa site and the Mensa Bulletins to get informed.

You can find information including candidate information AND candidate statements, AND proposed bylaws ammendments, along with all pro/con statements, as well as the 2015 code of election procedures here: http://www.us.mensa.org/lead/amc/elections/

The Mensa Bulletins (including January and March) contain the bylaws and proposed bylaws ammendments information, as well as representative pro and con statements chosen by the election committee. This information, and the candidate statements, are also contained in the mail-delivered election materials which can be requested.

Maine Mensa Events Winter 2014-2015

DOWN EAST Dine-Around at the Shinbashi restaurant, in Ellsworth:

Newsletter 4 Maine Mensa Events Maine Mensa Events Winter 2014 -2015 Winter 2014-2015

(continued from previous page) (continued)

At the New Hampshire RG Games Night in Brunswick

Forming weird, different, and funny Bananagrams Swimming at the Mensa New Hampshire RG, word cross-patterns was a favorite that night! Best Western Wynwood Hotel

Second place in Scrabble and

Boggle Tournaments

Newsletter 5 ...and a very snowy winter!! HARLEY BLIFFEL’S HOUSE OF PUZZLES (continued)

Now, here are some more puzzles from Harley’s collections:

Here are two examples of hands of JOTTO, an elegant word and logic game (most recently published by Endless Games). The word list for each hand is a series of test words by a player trying to determine a five letter target word. The number after each test word indicates how many of the letters in that test word appear (in any position) in the target word. All you have to do is find the target word for each of the hands.

In case you’re wondering, a letter that appears more than once in the target word is reported as 1, unless it also appears more than once in the test word. And a letter that appears more than once in a test word, is reported as 1, unless it also appears more than once in the target word. PUZZLE SECTION

HARLEY BLIFFEL’S HOUSE OF PUZZLES by Steve Weinreich

First, old business:

As you’ve probably figured out by now, if you rotate the horse’s head 90° clockwise, you’ll see a WELL- KNOWN FIGURE, the State of Maine. No, Maine doesn’t actually have an eye, but the outline is correct.

Similarly, to solve the CRYPTOGRAM, rotate it 90° clockwise. That’s what I meant by, “It will help you to know that these two puzzles are mysteriously linked”. Once you realize that each of the cryptogram’s “characters” is a rotated (rather than upright) letter form, the cryptogram can be solved like any other. The plaintext is tucked away somewhere in this issue.

As it happens, the solution to the CRYPTOGRAM, suggests another puzzle. The answer to that puzzle will appear next time.

Newsletter 6 LEFTOVERS should be self-explanatory. If it isn’t, that’s part of the puzzle.

© 2015 Steve Weinreich all rights reserved

Newsletter 7 Answers to Last Month's Crossword Puzzle - "Maine Mensa Crossings" by Rob Lagos

As it turned out, the puzzle from last issue contained three clue-number errors, AND a wish which didn't come true. So, for those of you who haven't solved, or attempted, or even cared to look at (!) the puzzle, I'll just present it as another puzzle, within the puzzle: What were they? Can you still solve the puzzle? Here it is, reproduced from last issue. Answers are further on in this issue.

Newsletter 8 Understanding the National Budget: Where Your $70 Goes By Rob Salkin, J.D., M.B.A., M.S.

Without claiming this is entirely realistic, if we make American Mensa has revenue that exceeds $4 million a the assumption based on the budget area titles that year and well over 50,000 members. The bulk of about testing, events, and licensing & sponsorship have their $1 million in revenue comes from national event fees, revenue and costs entirely represented by their testing fees, licensing & sponsorship contracts, and respective budget areas, they are money makers for investments. The rest, the vast majority of revenue, is American Mensa. So, we can remove assignment of generated from dues fees, currently $70 for one year of dues money to those areas. The cost of publications membership. isn't entirely offset by related income, but we can reduce the dues allocation to that area by the amount The 2015 - 2016 proposed budget overview of income that area generates. So, we end up with a (PDF: http://bit.ly/mensabudget2015) shows income slightly different allocation: and expenses separately without analysis (i.e. profit/loss) on likely related budget areas (e.g. revenue from the Annual Gathering compared to costs Budget Area Cost Percent % X $70 associated with that event). Most of the overhead is Administrative & General $ 1,994,769.00 52.74% $ 36.92 lumped into the Administrative & General section, which makes it difficult for someone without more Local Group Support $ 567,014.00 14.99% $ 10.49 information to make an accurate comparison. Membership Services $ 279,225.00 7.38% $ 5.17 International $ 247,886.00 6.55% $ 4.59 For simplicity, we can break down the budget by how Publications-Communications $ 205,054.00 5.42% $ 3.79 the $70 is divided among all of the budget areas, Marketing $ 143,373.00 3.79% $ 2.65 ordered by allocation amount: Board Meetings $ 122,460.00 3.24% $ 2.27

Foundation $ 56,900.00 1.50% $ 1.05 Web Services $ 45,371.00 1.20% $ 0.84 Budget Area Cost Percent % X $70 Board Administration $ 30,158.00 0.80% $ 0.56 Administrative & General $ 1,994,769.00 46.87% $ 32.81 Name & Logo Protection $ 25,013.00 0.66% $ 0.46 Local Group Support $ 567,014.00 13.32% $ 9.33 Leadership Development $ 20,645.00 0.55% $ 0.38 Publications-Communications $ 282,730.00 6.64% $ 4.65 RVC Miscellanous Expense $ 20,000.00 0.53% $ 0.37 Membership Services $ 279,225.00 6.56% $ 4.59 Nominations & Elections $ 14,000.00 0.37% $ 0.26 International $ 247,886.00 5.82% $ 4.08 Gifted Youth Program $ 9,175.00 0.24% $ 0.17 Events $ 242,071.00 5.69% $ 3.98 Hearings & Ombudsman $ 1,400.00 0.04% $ 0.03 Marketing $ 143,373.00 3.37% $ 2.36 TOTAL $ 3,782,443.00 100.0% $ 70.00 Board Meetings $ 122,460.00 2.88% $ 2.01

Testing $ 106,945.00 2.51% $ 1.76 Foundation $ 56,900.00 1.34% $ 0.94 It should be noted that these figures are based on a Licensing & Sponsorship $ 46,755.00 1.10% $ 0.77 hypothetical reality in which all members pay $70 per Web Services $ 45,371.00 1.07% $ 0.75 year and a variety of other variables aren't a concern. Board Administration $ 30,158.00 0.71% $ 0.50 For example, the international component, the Name & Logo Protection $ 25,013.00 0.59% $ 0.41 amount of money American Mensa pays to Mensa International, is currently 6% of yearly dues or $4.20 in Leadership Development $ 20,645.00 0.49% $ 0.34 this case. However, not all membership plans are RVC Miscellanous Expense $ 20,000.00 0.47% $ 0.33 treated equally, such as a yearly membership compared Nominations & Elections $ 14,000.00 0.33% $ 0.23 to an existing life membership. Our calculations Gifted Youth Program $ 9,175.00 0.22% $ 0.15 generated values of $4.08 and $4.59 for that Hearings & Ombudsman $ 1,400.00 0.03% $ 0.02 international component. So, you can see that the TOTAL $ 4,255,890.00 100% $ 70.00 values are in the ballpark but not necessarily the exact figure we'd expect for a yearly membership. This

Newsletter 9 Understanding the National Budget PUZZLE SOLUTION COLUMN (continued from previous page) doesn't mean you shouldn't trust these figures to get a Solution to cryptogram from Harley Bliffel's House of feel for where your money is going. Rather, this Puzzles: should explain why informed members might notice that the figures are slightly different than what they might expect them to be.

Your take away from this article is up to you. If the numbers look right to you, then all is well. This confirms that your money is being spent appropriately. However, if you notice some things that don't seem quite right (e.g. do we spend enough on leadership development considering we rely heavily on volunteer leaders?), then this is a call to action. Write your Regional Vice Chair or another national office holder with your concerns, and be sure to vote in the election between April 1st and May 15th!

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Rob Salkin is a Mensa life member and has held many offices in American Mensa, including National Membership Officer, local group President (LocSec), Regional Gathering (RG) Solution to "Maine Mensa Crossings" Crossword Chair, and Special Interest Group (SIG) Coordinator. Rob is Puzzle: running for Treasurer of American Mensa. Please visit RobSalkin.com for more information on his campaign or to contact him with questions, comments, or complaints regarding his (Excel's) math.

Newsletter 10 Maine Mensa ExComm Meeting Sunday, March 8, 2015 Minutes (continued)

Type of meeting: Executive Committee Meeting Election Mailings / Newsletter: The meeting was held at Friendly's Restaurant, 210 Maine Mall Regarding the upcoming national election, starting April 15, the Road, South Portland, Maine. question regarding what to send to our membership was discussed. Officers present: Anne Allen (LocSec); Sue Flaherty (Assistant Some concern was discussed regarding what we should and should LocSec); Robert S. Lagos (Editor and Publications Officer); Jim not tell the members to vote for, but there was pretty much Sloan (Program Chair); Kathryn Masters (Ombudsman); Leona agreement that we should urge everyone to become informed and Morgan (At Large and Membership Coordinator); and Chance vote, if possible. Stevens-Griffeth (Scholarship Chair). Robert brought copies of three articles submitted for consideration Officers not present: Gerald Nessmann (Treasurer). for inclusion in the newsletter (by Shayna Mali, Dan Burg, and Minutes recorded by Robert Lagos Jared Levine). Anne brought the article written by the NH Loc The meeting was called to order at 11:15 am. Sec Richard Conde in the last NH Momentum newsletter, to reference as a model of what to write. There was some interest Old Business. expressed in Shayna's article. The minutes to the last meeting of November 22, 2014 were It was decided that a separate mailing to all Mensa members, approved. incorporating something written by Anne regarding the election, and one or more of those brought by Robert, would be done. In Vacancies Needing to be Filled: light of this, Robert will decide what to include in the newsletter. Proctor Coordinator/Testing Coordinator (does not need to be a Anne will also write something for the newsletter regarding the proctor); Gifted Children Coordinator; Area Coordinators for election. Bangor , Waterville/Augusta, and South of Portland. Phishing concern: Anne is currently filling in for Gifted Children Coordinator as well A concern about internet/email phishing over the last month was as Proctor Coordinator. discussed. There was communication with at least two members whose membership was questionable. After further research, the New Business. question was settled. It was decided to take no further action.

Maine Mensa MERF Scholarships: Mind Games / Maine Mensa RG: Chance mentioned that there were only 14 entries this year for It was decided, although unofficially, that we would make a Maine Mensa, and that last year we had nearly 50; also, across the resubmittal for the 2017 mind games and also plan a "games" board (different chapters), there were less entries. There was some Maine RG for sometime in 2017 or 2018, which would take place discussion about the possibility of some factor being the cause, but in a hotel. Anne will do more work on getting this started. no conclusion to that was reached. Discussed was possible ways of getting the word out about these scholarships. Possible sources: Five-year Plan: Women, Work and Community, colleges, guidance counselors, There was some discussion on this. We want to plan on increasing Facebook ads. the proctor count to 5 (currently there are only 2, Anne and We also discussed creating our own scholarship, managed by Chance); also, increase member participation in events; also, MERF, and with the approval of the National Office, with a increase clusters of members in areas such as Augusta and the minimum of $300. A form, in which our criteria is specified, must northern part, as well as resource access. Increasing the proctor be submitted no later than September 1, to apply for the following count is the most immediate priority. scholarship term. In terms of the criteria, Chance is leaning towards applicants who Report on events: are going through "second chance" career path development. Jim reported that many of the events, particularly monthly events, There seemed to be an overall group sentiment of approval toward for the past year have been doing quite well, such as trivia, games this. But this needs to be further solidified. nights, happy hour, sports (mini-golf and bowling). Also, summer Chance made the motion that Maine Mensa pursue this and create events, such as the boating "boose" cruises, at Old- a $300 award. The motion was approved. Orchard Beach, and Seadogs. Anne is hoping that we can have a Robert and Chance brought up the case of one of the applicants monthly movie event in Topsham soon when Smitty's opens there. who they thought had a unique story, but whose essay did not fit Also, maybe a trivia event at the Sea Dogs in Tospham. Discussed the contest guidelines well and so did not score well, but for whom also was events planned for the next couple of months or so. they would like to be some kind of award. Anne suggested, and Leona suggested a Meet and Greet (new member) event in the expressed approval of, polling all the judges regarding the question Southern Maine (York area); Jim suggested a Meet and Greet in of assigning the award for this unique essay for this year only. the Augusta area.

Guests at Events: Newsletter: A safety concern regarding events, especially events held at people's Robert hopes to have the newsletter out in the next week or so. homes, and particularly those involving non-Mensans was He urged everyone to either submit what they would like included discussed, and the possibility of instituting a policy of designating as soon as possible or let him know when to expect it. events as "Mensa-only", "Mensa-bring-guests", or "Non-Mensa" (i.e. just friends of Mensans, nothing to do with Mensa). After The meeting was adjourned at 12:55 pm. some discussion, it was decided to take no action on this.

Newsletter 11

Maine Mensa Maine Mensa on the Web [email protected]

Phone (207) 557-6362 Visit our web pages, and drop us a line!

Regional page: Region1.us.mensa.org

Mensa is an international organization of Maine Mensa page: maine.us.mensa.org people with an IQ at or above the 98th percentile.

Mensa provides a forum for intellectual exchange among members. Its activities include the exchange of Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaineMensa ideas by lectures, discussions, journals, special-interest groups, and local, regional, national, and international National Web Site: www.us.mensa.org gatherings. Mensa does not hold any opinions, or have, or express, any political or religious views. Opinions expressed herein are those of the individual contributors and of the editor and not of American Mensa Ltd or of

Maine Mensa. For more information go to the web site: http:// www.us.mensa.org. The MaineScene is a free publication for members of Maine Mensa #01/040.

American Mensa, Ltd. 1229 Corporate Drive West STAMP Arlington, Texas 76006-6103 REQUIRED

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Mailing Address Street Number and Name City, State 98765-4321

Newsletter 12