Neva-Mind, Northern Nevada Mensa Volume 37, Issue 5, May 2013

Northern Nevada Mensa Volunteers

Executive Committee
LOCAL SECRETARY Robert McAllister LocSec@northernnevada.us.mensa.org FIRST VICE-SECRETARY Ken Wright TREASURER Carole Preisach Treasurer@northernnevada.us.mensa.org PAST LOCAL SECRETARY Ed Hanley

SECOND VICE-SECRETARY Gerald Lockhart

NEVA-MIND EDITOR Anna Wright Editor@northernnevada.us.mensa.org

Appointed Officers
PROGRAM CHAIR Richard Arbib Calendar@northernnevada.us.mensa.org GIFTED CHILDREN COORDINATOR Volunteer needed WEBMASTER Mindy Hsu Webmaster@northernnevada.us.mensa.org TESTING COORDINATOR Mindy Hsu Testing@northernnevada.us.mensa.org TEST PROCTORS Fallon Anna Wright REGIONAL VICE-CHAIR Reno/Sparks Annemarie McTaggart Mindy Hsu Volunteers Needed: SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR Anna Wright OMBUDSMAN Gloria Dondero Pedro S.I.G.H.T. COORDINATOR TEST PROCTORS HISTORIAN UNR PROCTOR Debra Reiger rvc8@us.mensa.org RECRUITMENT Don MacGregor MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Sandra Lackovic Other Areas Volunteers needed NEVA-MIND DISTRIBUTION Robert McAllister AREA COORDINATORS Churchill County Ken Wright

Welcome!

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico

Cinthia Reyes (www.cinthiareyes.com)
Id like to take this opportunity to introduce one of my favorite friends from Mensa Mexico, Cinthia Reyes. I met Cinthia three years ago at the Denver AG. She is a delightful, energetic young woman, and a chemical engineer who has chosen to become a teacher. She has also been Chair of Mensa Mexico for two terms and served as our International Liaison during Renos 2012 AG. I asked her to write a few words to help us understand the Cinco de Mayo celebration and, hopefully, clear up some of our misunderstandings. Thank you, Cinthia! Anna Wright

Cinthia Reyes

Mexican history is filled with negotiations, interventions and more negotiations with countries like the United States of America, Spain and France. Nevertheless, some of our commemorated dates are subject to confusion outside of the country, and I believe this may be the case with the 5th of May. Therefore I present to you a very short review of what happened in this area prior to this famous date and afterwards I will explain what happened with this battle. Before Christopher Columbus discovered America (from the European point of view) in 1492, the Mexican territory was split in two areas: Aridoamerica and Mesoamerica. Aridoamerica was the north area, dry and mostly nomadic. The strongest group living there was the Chichimecas (which is a nhuatl word for barbarian or uncivilized). Mesoamerica in contrast, had a very rich pre-Columbian history featuring famous sedentary and developed groups like the Aztecs (also named Mexicas it sounds sort of like mechjias) and Mayans. And yes, if you are guessing Mexican and Mexico comes from Mexicas, you are right! One important detail that is questioned sometimes is why werent the Spanish attacked when they first arrived this continent? One hypothesis says they looked like Vikings, who had been long time visitors to the continent. Another hypothesis considers a prophecy of the return of Quetzalcatl (also known as Kukulkan by certain groups), a man-shaped god represented as tall, white and bearded, who is said to have taught science to Mayans, Olmecs, Aztecs and others. Hernn Corts, was a Spanish conqueror who led in the fall of the Aztec Empire. The Aztec Empire was ruling the Mexicas area and also had other enemies, some of which became allies with Spain to take them down. Unfortunately for everyone in this area, the Spanish indeed vanquished the Aztecs and took the cultural and astronomical legacy of Mesoamerica down as well. Much of the written material was destroyed. Although, Europe gained some fancy things from Mesoamerica: like the sewage system idea (which was pretty well implemented here), cocoa, corn, potatoes and tomatoes.

(Continued on page 4)

(Cinco de Mayo continued from page 3)

The Spanish rule over the now Latin America and part of the United States territory lasted long. They imposed language, religion and brought cows, bulls, horses, rice and Mediterranean products. It is said that Brazil was given to Portuguese as a mandate of a Catholic Pope (Alejandro VI) who cut the map in two parts to give each of the Empires a geographic part. The Mexican territory was the first one to begin a war of Independence (16th of September, 1810). This concept has been debatable, though. Mexicans are taught in school that the war was meant to make an independent country from Spain. Although, the first intention was actually meant to change the political organization but remain at the service of Spain, and not just for internal reasons. Napoleon Bonaparte had invaded Spain, forcing King Carlos IV and his son to abdiAn extra bonus detail in my story: this is the original Mexican cate the throne in faterritory as in 1821. The current Mexican territory is delimited by vor of Napoleon. The the black-segmented line which unites at the east of Paseo del official independence Norte with the red one. date of Mexico is considered to be the 27th of September, 1821. Our country was then named: Estados Unidos Mexicanos and became independent from Spain. (Mexico is actually not the real name of the country, its just for short and to avoid confusion with the U.S.A.) During the time of the dictator Mexican President Santa Anna, the people living in Texas expressed their desire to become independent from Mexico. The U.S. also wished to expand its territory and invaded Mexico, taking the very president as prisoner to force him to accept Texas as non-Mexican territory. Several years and struggles later between the U.S. and Mexico (in 1848), Mexico accepted the territorial conditions of its northern neighbor in exchange for peace. The U.S. gained more than half of the Mexican territory and paid a symbolic amount to Mexico to recover from war.

And at last we get to the 5th of May event. Mexico had been in internal and external battle since 1810, and at that time was still split in two main groups: those in favor that Mexico should be driven by an external country (the conservatives) and those against that idea (the liberals). This struggle required money. Earlier, Santa Annas period was not peaceful, and he left a bankrupt state with external debt to France, England and Spain. Benito Jurez, as president, declared that Mexico could not continue to pay them back. This caused a new military invasion from England, Spain and France. The four countries signed a treaty in hope that Mexico could afford paying them back again as soon as possible. But, France had clear intentions of establishing a French empire in Mexico (or what was left of it!). According to French Wikipedia, once order could be restored to this land, they (France) could help it develop and become the first industrialized region of Latin America as well as a Catholic empire allied to France capable of competing against the U.S. and stopping the Anglo-Saxon and protestant expansion along the American continent. The French military forces arrived at Port of Veracruz and headed towards the capital city, breaking the treaty, and with clear intention of taking over the country. On the 5th of May, the Mexican General, Ignacio Zaragoza, faced the French in Puebla. The French, one of the most glorious armies of the time (hardly defeated besides Waterloo), were not alone. Conservatives supported and accompanied them. Porfirio Daz, who would become president eventually (and a new dictator), led the right wing. Mexico was outnumbered and had fewer resources. Yet the French were defeated that day in that battle. The story doesnt end there. Mexico lost the war against France anyway and we had a French Emperor: Maximiliano I. He actually was Austrian but represented France, and by the way, was kind of liberal and tried to help Mexicans. The 5th of May is commemorated in Mexico probably because its inspiring to recognize the Mexican armys capacity to defeat one of the most dreadful armies of the time. It should not be confused with our independency and it is not the most important date in our civic calendar. Its a kind of David and Goliath symbol where the weakest faces and defeats (temporarily) the strongest. We do have a military parade in Puebla that day and its an official day off in the whole country. But, it is almost certain that it has become far more celebrated as a party outside of the Mexican territory.
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intervention_franaise_au_Mexique Image with Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license by Sodro Cedeo, Reynaldo; Sierra Moncayo, Mara Julia (2010) Atlas conmemorativo 1810, 1910, 2010; ed.Siglo XXI Editores, Mxico; ISBN 978-607-03-0141-4; pp.84-85. Basado en Zorrilla, Luis G. (1977) Historia de las relaciones entre Mxico y los Estados Unidos de Amrica 1800-1958, ed. Porra, Mxico pp-208-209.

Happy Birthday! Feliz Cumpleaos!

May
1 5 8 8 20 23 23 24 27 29 30

Heather Dorsey-Hirt Mary Weber Joseph Van Alstyne Kevin Foley Ellen Hendricks Howard Beckerman Karin Dixson Frank Baird, Jr. Constance Black Jo Sherwood Kelly Smith

Reno Reno Reno Reno Reno Incline Village Reno Reno Carson City Spring Creek Sparks

Welcome and Welcome Back!

John Scanlon
Hola! idos. Bien Ven
Incline Village Reno Reno Reno Yerington

Jerri Campbell Gary Campbell Elizabeth Hecklin George Johnson

Northern Nevada Mensa wishes to thank

Grassroots Books
660 East Grove Street Reno, NV 89502 (775) 828-2665 For donating their space for Mensa Admissions Testing.

Thanks!

Show this paragraph for a free unstickered book. More than 10,000 to choose from, any genre. Limit one/person from any promotion in a calendar year.

Meet a Mensan

by Ashley Cullins

Meet Annemarie McTaggart, a Mensa member since 1966. Favorite quote: It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross What talent would you most like to have? I wish that my voice had been larger so that I could have been an opera singer. I did have a good career as a singer of German Lieder and French songs and am now quite happy playing the piano, but I do love opera. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Paris, if I could afford to live there. What is always in your refrigerator? Yogurt. If you were stranded on a deserted island, whats the one thing you would bring? My volume of the complete works of Shakespeare and a Bible. Who is your real-life hero? My mother. She was a doctor, graduating from medical school in the late 1920s. Because she was a woman, she couldn't get a residency at any other hospital so they had to give her one at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This was sad, as my father was able to get a residency in Seattle, where we eventually lived. When we moved to Seattle, she could get no work as a doctor because she was a woman. So she had her five children, and when the war came in the 40s she was able to find employment with the Seattle Health Department. They normally had three doctors but all three were in the service, so she ended up doing all the work while holding my father's practice together (he was in the service) and raising her children. After the war, she ended up as Superintendent of Medicine for the Seattle Public High Schools and served on many boards and in many helping capacities in several organizations. She did an excellent job in everything she was involved in, was a wonderful and caring mother, and she is my ideal.

Annemarie McTaggart

Puzzle Page
Science, the final frontier. Whoops, wait...

by Travis McCord

Below are 10 interesting little science stories... but not all of them are true. (Well, read in line with current theory for true these may be all false by the time you read this. Aint science fun?) Can you spot the fake stories? 1. In the middle of our galaxy is a massive cloud of organic compounds which has scientists very excited. And not just because its mainly alcohol. It also has traces of a compound called ethyl formate which happens to be what gives raspberries their flavor. Which would mean the center of our galaxy includes about 10 billion billion billion liters of something close to raspberry rum. According to extensive genetic research, 200,000 years ago in Kenya there lived Mitochondrial Eve, a woman... well, female whose mitochondria we all carry, making her the mother of us all. And yet, were even closer related... it was only 3000 (thats right, three thousand) years ago there lived the Most Recent Common Ancestor, one ancestor of every single person on earth this despite the fact that he had about 50 million contemporaries. If you get scared by stories of things hitting the earth, brace yourself: the current theory of where the moon came from is that somewhere around 4.5 billion years ago the proto-earth was hit by a planet the size of Mars. Needless to say this left a huge mess, part of which coalesced via gravity into our satellite. In 1997, researchers for the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) recorded a mysterious sound. They were using a hydrophone setup derived from equipment used to detect Soviet submarines. The noise in question rose rapidly in frequency over a minute while being of sufficient amplitude (i.e., loud enough) to be heard by hydrophones 5000 km apart. Best guess says it was from a remote part of the South Pacific. A scientist at NOAA said he believed it was from some sort of animal, despite it being much, much louder than the loudest noise any animal has been known to make. Olbers paradox the one that says the sky should not be dark, because if the universe is infinite any point in the night sky should have the light of a star is part of what prompted the theory of dark matter. Something out there has to be absorbing light energy, hence the name. The GPS system has to adjust itself for the Theory of Relativity. Because the satellites that make up the system are in orbit, and therefore subject to much less gravity, they run a tiny bit faster than clocks on earth... by about 38 microseconds per day. Without that adjustment, your location would be about 10 km off each day.

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You may have heard that uranium is so volatile that you just need to get enough of it together to get a reaction that's how atom bombs work. You may also have heard of the Tunguska Blast, which flattened forests in Siberia in 1908. Current theory says those two facts are related... radiation levels measured immediately after the blast are consistent with a uranium blast, which leads to speculation that something say, the seismic event measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale measured at about the same time somehow brought two uranium-rich rocks together, and that it was enough to achieve critical mass, and boom. Either that, or someone was doing atomic theory many years before anyone we've heard of... Climate scientists go down to Antarctica to drill holes in the ice. They take the ice from those holes and go over them millimeter by millimeter to check out the temperatures and air composition in the past since the ice down there never melts, they can go very far back. Among other things, their studies show that the amount of CO2 in the air is not just at a recent high, but is in fact the highest its been in over 100,000 years. A team of astronomers from Johns Hopkins university has determined the average color of the universe. After surveying over 200,000 galaxies, and adding the light gathered together, they came up with an average color that is a very light beige. After jokingly saying they were looking for a name for the color, they got several suggestions mailed in, and eventually settled on Cosmic Latte.

8.

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10. The tallest wave ever recorded on earth was a tsunami (boosted by a big chunk of a mountain falling into the water) that hit Alaska in July of 1958. Its height was recorded as 1720 feet the height of the Empire State Building, plus 40 stories. There were 5 deaths. Answers on page 26

Membership

by Sandra Lackovic

The Mensa membership year begins April 1 and ends March 31. If you havent already done so you can renew your Mensa membership online at www.us.mensa.org/renew. Join your Mensa friends at our newest event:

Lets Tango!
Have you ever wanted to learn this beautiful and sensual dance? Then join us for a beginning tango lesson at The Ballroom of Reno on Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. Cost is $10. No partner is necessary. Wear comfortable clothing that does not inhibit your movements. Try to avoid sneakers and shoes with rubber soles. Wear shoes that will stay on your feet and pivot easily: thin leather soles are ideal for this. If you have a pair of tango shoes, wear them, but they are not necessary. Any questions, concerns, suggestions, brilliant ideas, or just want to say hi, please feel free to contact me at , NNM Facebook group, NNM Yahoo group. I look forward to hearing from you!

From the LocSec

by Bob McAllister
Conclusion of The Celts
Along with the new Irish (Scoti) visits came the incursions of the Vikings. The Vikings from Norway were able to occupy the Shetland Islands, the Orkney Islands, work their way down the Scottish west coast and take over the Hebrides Islands and make incursions into the Kintyre Peninsula. One confrontation between the Scots at the northern end of the Kintyre Peninsula, resulted in a bargain struck to avoid a battle that promised much bloodshed. The Vikings would be allowed to lay claim to an area that they could circumnavigate with one of their boats in a days time. A Norwegian king, Viking, named Magnus Barelegs (sometimes called Magnus Barefoot) had a surprise in store. (History has it that he was called Barefoot because he emulated the Irish practice of riding barefoot. Another has it that he adopted the Celtic form of dress favored by the Scots and Irish of wearing a short tunic that left his legs bare. Thus, Magnus Barelegs. He sailed a boat up Loch Tarbert, a long inlet that cut almost all the way across the peninsula to a very short isthmus (less than a thousand yards) that led to the Firth of Clyde, a part of the Irish Sea. He had one of his hardy crews portage a boat across the narrow isthmus and laid claim to the entire peninsula. The isthmus is located at a place called Tarbert. The etymology of the word means, roughly, carry/ drag-boat. Eventually the Vikings had made incursions as far as the Isle of Man where Magnus became King of Man. As the Scots had their harbors fortified against direct attacks of Vikings boldly sailing their longboats directly into the Scottish harbors, the Vikings took the tactic of beaching their boats a few miles away from protected harbors and conducted sneak attacks from behind the unsuspecting villages. The Vikings soon discovered that the Scots had planted plots a half mile thick of Scotch thistle. The barelegged warriors approached the death of a thousand cuts to their exposed legs well before making any headway. The national flower of Scotland isnt observed as such merely because of its attractive purple color. The eleventh and twelfth centuries in Scotland came to be known as Scotlands Golden Age. There was little strife in an otherwise harsh place. Farming became verdant. A black stone was discovered that actually burned, giving the Scots warmth during winters. Coal was a primary source of energy there for a long time afterward. King Alexander III approached the Norwegian King Haakon (also Haco) and offered to buy the Hebrides (the Western Isles) from Viking occupation. Haakon refused just as he had refused when Alexander II previously had offered. One of Alexander IIIs nobles, the Earl of Ross launched an attack on the Isle of Skye. This infuriated Haakon and he began to amass an invading army. He brought more than 150 longships from

(Continued on page 21)

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Events and Activities:

May 2. New Event: Lets Tango!
Join us for a beginning tango lesson at The Ballroom of Reno, 2540 Sutro St #1, Reno, on Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. Cost is $10. No partner is necessary. Wear comfortable clothing that does not inhibit your movements. Contact Sandra at , NNM Facebook group, NNM Yahoo group.

Mensa Admissions Testing: First Saturday from 3-5 p.m.

May 4. at Grassroots Books, 660 E. Grove St., Reno June 1. New Location: the Clubhouse at Skyline Villas. Contact Mindy Hsu: Testing@northernnevada.us.mensa.org

Mensa Programs:
Second Saturday at 6 p.m.

by Richard Arbib

May 11. Potluck at 6:30 p.m., speaker at 7:30 p.m. at the Reno home of Loren. RSVP (helpful but not required) at . Speaker: Loren MacArthur worked for five summers as a seasonal ranger for the U.S. Forest Service aboard the Alaska Marine Highway ferry the Columbia. She told passengers stories about Alaskas fascinating history and its bears, ravens, whales, glaciers, volcanoes, and disasters. Along the way she took or collected photos of Americas wild and stunningly beautiful state. Shell show the slides and tell you some of the best stories after the potluck. Directions: .

June 15. Pot Luck dinner, 7 p.m. speaker at the Washoe Valley home of Bob. Our speaker will be from the Audubon Society. Contact Richard Arbib Calendar@northernnevada.us.mensa.org

May 19. Multi-Dimensional Physics Practical Exercise (Involving Shotguns and Clay Targets) 11 a.m. until ? Sage Hill Clay Sports, 7370
Desert Way, Reno. (775) 851-1123. http://www.sagehillclays.com/ We are all smart people, but can we apply our knowledge of ballistic trajectories and time in a real-world setting? You simply say Pull! and a clay target is thrown into the air. Your goal is to quickly evaluate the speed, distance and direction of the target and intercept it with a stream of pellets from a shotgun. Directions: From U.S. 395, exit at Damonte Ranch Parkway and drive EAST. Turn LEFT onto Steamboat Parkway. Turn LEFT onto Rio Wrangler. Follow Rio Wrangler onto the access road and into the shooting facility (We're up on the hill above you). Your contact is John . (Trap or Skeet: $8/25 targets, Sporting Clays: $45/100 targets, Gun rental $25) 11

More Events and Activities:

Dinner and the Opera: Wednesdays at 5:00 p.m.
May 15. Last opera of the season, Handels Giulio Cesare, new production. The opera that conquered London in Handels time comes to the Met in David McVicars lively production. The worlds leading countertenor, David Daniels, sings the title role opposite Natalie Dessay as Cleopatra. Baroque specialist Harry Bicket conducts. 5 p.m. Dinner at the Chocolate Bar, 95 N. Sierra St, Reno. 6:30 p.m. Opera, Century Riverside, 11 N. Sierra St, Reno Contact Barbara or Sandra, or NNM Facebook group.

Supper Club: Third Tuesday at 6 p.m.

May 21. Oceano at the Peppermill Reno Hotel Casino, Reno, (866) 821-9996. www.peppermillreno.com/dining/casual-dining/oceano/ Voted Reno's Best Seafood by the Reno Gazette Journal. Extensive seafood menu set in a dramatic undersea environment. June 18. Wild River Grille, Reno For more information or to offer suggestions for future dinners contact Sandra.

Sushi Lovers Not Just Sushi! Everyone is Welcome!

May 21. 6 p.m. Oceano at the Peppermill Reno Hotel Casino, Reno, 2707 S. Virginia Street, Reno. Combined with Supper Club this month. June 29. 6 p.m. Sushi Pier 2 Contact Sandra or NNM Facebook group.

Games at Tahoe: Saturday 4 p.m.

May 25. Join us for games at Sandy's place in Incline Village. Bring food and/or drinks to share. Space is limited so please RSVP for address and driving instructions to NNM Facebook group. June 22.

Lunch Bunch: Fourth Tuesday at 11:45 a.m.

May 28. B.J.'s Brewhouse, 13999 S. Virginia, Reno, 853-7575 was picked by Natalie Sera. It will be held on May 28 and, in keeping with the Hispanic theme of this Neva-Mind, you could select a spicy Cinco de Mayo lunch. June 25. Let's head to Hi Point Coffee and Caf, Reno

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Contact Don or Laura .

May 2013
Sun Mon Tue Wed
1 May Day

Thu
2 New Event: Lets Tango! 3

Fri

Sat
4 Game Night at Joes & Mensa Testing 11 Mensa Program & National Train Day 18

5 Cinco de Mayo

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12 Mothers Day

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15 Dinner and the Opera

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20 19 Skeet/ Trap Shooting

21 Supper Club & Sushi Lovers 28 Lunch Bunch

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25 Games at Tahoe

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27 Memorial Day

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June 1 Game Night at Joes & Mensa Testing

Game Night at Joe's Place: First Saturdays, 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Potluck. May 4. June 1. Contact: Joe .

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Spanish to English

by Anna M. Wright

Everyone knows a few Spanish words (fiesta, taco, sombrero, etc.) But, the hidden words below are so commonly used in the English language that we sometimes forget that they came originally from Spanish too. Use the clues to identify these words first, then find them in the puzzle. Spellings can go in any straight line direction and overlap too.

T O T N E

Q O M C H

H L G U E R R I L L A

O I S T A M P E D E Y

O S E N O L A B A V R O A B C

S F T Y K R E J V I R N L A A

E L A B I N N A C K O K L H N

G D L K F V S A C E G L E B Y

O T A T O P N O W I I Y G Y O

W A N O J D E C M I G G N A M D F D K A A T A A

O I R F A R Z T D T A B R L O

N C R M K N O Q S V A P O A C

A R K E A R R U Q R G E C P N

G Z A N T D M O G V V T C A O

E F O N P E I O T N P O A C R

R B T Y C R F L N G L Y B H B

O C T J G H D A L N A O O E L

L Y O T A M O T C O Z C T T L

B A R R A C U D A V A L M L L

M O I P L A T I N U C O L A T E X H

W R U C M A C N

M M E N L T

M H

Copyright 2008 Anna Wright. www.WordSearchMaker.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Also called cherry pepper American animal that takes it's fortress with it. Biscayne is one. Clever and wise Crawling bug that infests homes Desert canine Diner who eats not with the neighbors, but the neighbors Do you remember when Dan Quayle had trouble spelling this vegetable? Dried meat treat

10 Favorite food espoused especially by Mensans 11 Freshmen often line up for meals here 12 Gold rush exclamation. (Also a popular 60's TV show.)

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Answers on page 26

13 Grain storage location 14 Green gemstone 15 Herb that's usually associated with Italian cuisine. 16 Horse that needs to be tamed. 17 Huge storm from the Atlantic 18 It's a small boat 19 It's cousin is a crocodile. 20 Metal with atomic number 78, often mistaken for silver 21 Narrow space between mountains 22 Not a cigarette or a Tiparillo 23 Partial or complete prohibition of trade 24 Pipe filler 25 Red vegetable that's actually a fruit 26 Southwest Indian tribe famed for it's fierce warriors 27 Tasty mollusk that's larger than a clam 28 That large slab of concrete in your yard. 29 The slammer 30 This fish has a long jaw with powerful teeth. 31 Town square (or 5-star NY hotel) 32 Twister 33 Warrior who uses stealth and surprise as main tactics 34 When the cattle go wild 35 Where the hands tend the dogies 36 Wild horse native to Nevada

Cover Credits: Loren MacArthur

On the cover: The Don Quijote school in Guanajuato, where I studied Spanish, blazed with the colors of Mexico bright yellows, blues, oranges, greens and shades of rust. The alcove I photographed was bright yellow and blue softened by the green shades of the foliage. If you receive the Neva-Mind in black and white, you can check out the colors on the net version. I miss the bright colors of the houses I passed every day walking to school there. If I were a house, Id be bright blue trimmed in bright green living in a beige neighborhood. Loren MacArthur 15

Postcards from Oaxaca

I traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico, in October 2011, as part of a Witness for Peace delegation funded by the Hagedorn Foundation. Witness for Peace is an organization that supports peace, justice, and sustainable economies in the Americas. My group was sent to study the issues surrounding migration because of the hostile climate for migrants on Long Island. Our mission on return was to share the experience and knowledge we gained with our communities in an effort to increase understanding and ease tensions. It was an amazing life-changing experience!

by Sandra Lackovic

Parade as part of a celebration of the many native cultures, Matias Romero, 2011

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View from Paulina hostel, Oaxaca, 2011

Mural in support of migrants, Oaxaca 2011

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The Boiler Room Scammers

by Mark G. Simkin
Imagine an entire room full of con men whose only job is to convince their victims to write them big checks. These are the boiler-room scammers those well-organized, fast-talking, and often personable individuals who commit fraud for a living. What they sell varies for example, oil and gas leases, mutual funds, vending-machine routes, or cell phone kiosks. What they want is always the same your money! And they know how to get it. Here are the four stages of their frauds: The Front: Things typically begin with an advertisement Buy Gold in a newspaper or an infomercial on TV, extolling the The Safest Investment virtues of whatever product theyre selling see the adon Earth! vertisement for gold included here. If you call that 800 Call now for a free number, youll talk to one of these con artists, who will brochure. explain in general terms how terrific his product is and 1-800-123-4567 how lucky you are to have called today they have only one or two memberships left. He will also ask personal questions about you and reveal personal facts about himself. But tucked into this exchange will be one critical question: can you write him a big check? For a gold scam, for example, he might casually say Mr. Smith, we have a minimum investment requirement of $10,000. Is that a problem for you? If you say yes, hell hang up as quickly as possible. If you say no, hell ask for your address and send you an amazingly slick, four-color brochure that cost in excess of $75,000 to print. Hell also ask for your phone number so that he can call you back after youve read it. The Drive: Sure enough, the brochure arrives quickly and the con man calls back. For most scams, hell enthusiastically reinforce some of his earlier points, and attempt to tailor his pitch to your particular interests. For example, if you tell him you think gold is a safer investment than stocks, hell say No one has ever lost money buying gold. Its better than money! Widows are particularly susceptible to such pitches because their husbands made all their investment decisions, and safety is important to them. But even single males are susceptible to such tactics for example, because theyve lost money in the stock market and are seeking better returns elsewhere. The scam artist will also ask you if you are ready to buy now, completely glossing over the fact that he might be selling gold coins, not gold bullion. If you ask yet additional questions, he may even act a little rude, indicating, for example, that such questions are trivial or that hes already answered them. Hes especially likely to wonder out loud why you are not jumping at the chance to buy this amazing investment today whats the matter with you?

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The Singer: The one question that a scammer cannot easily deflect is a request to speak to other customers. This would probably be important to you, for example, if the scam involved franchising. When asked, the scammer will act as though he is delighted to fulfill the request, and will appear to randomly pick the names of other customers for you to call. But the individuals youll get to speak to are all singers who work for the scammers organization. They arent the customers they pretend to be, and theyll carefully read from a script, singing the praises of the company and bragging about all the money theyve made since signing up with it. The Close: This final phase of the fraud occurs when the victim agrees to invest with the company. Often, this requires him or her to liquidate 401k plans or other assets, or even to take out a second mortgage tasks for which the organization has inhouse specialists. And once they receive your check or wire transfer, there is a good chance youll never hear from them again. The gold coins or vending machines never quite get delivered, and repetitive calls to the company are deflected or never answered. Before you can hire a lawyer and file a law suit, the company is out of business. But even if its still in operation, your lawyer may discover fine print in your contract that says, for example, that you agree to buy gold coins at huge markups and or that you realize some of the coins may not even be authentic. In short, youve been scammed big time! For further reading: Doug Shadel, Outsmarting the Scam Artists (New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2012). Mark G. Simkin is a Professor of Information Systems at the University of Nevada, Reno.

We were all saddened by the news of the loss of Mensa member and dear friend, Maurice Pollack. Mauri was great at sharing unusual tidbits of information and always had a cheerful thing to say to everyone. He helped us create the Mensa for Kids! pages and contributed the always inquisitive character, Geronimo Jones. Mauri will be sorely missed.

We dedicate this issue to Maurice Pollack (1929 - 2013).

Anna M. Wright, friend and editor

19

Ask the Doctor by Dr. Howard Chen

Question: I know you are trained in the art and science of acupuncture. What are some ailments acupuncture can ameliorate? Does it hurt? Answer: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of therapeutic modalities that were first developed over five thousand years ago. Branches of TCM include Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Herbal Medicine, Massage, and Bone setting. Up until the last century, when Western Allopathic Medicine became the standard of medicine throughout the world, the modalities of TCM functioned as the sole primary and specialty medical care for Asian populations throughout the Orient. In the Western hemisphere, practitioners of TCM generally practice Acupuncture and Moxibustion, as well as Chinese Herbal Medicine. Today, due to its traditional use as primary and specialty medicine, the various branches of TCM are together able to treat most common medical conditions. For instance, on any given day, patients in my acupuncture clinic are seen for conditions such as low back, neck and joint pains, migraine headaches, anxiety / depression / stress, digestive disorders, peripheral neuropathy, allergies and respiratory issues, tobacco and substance abuse, infertility, and the common cold or flu. Acupuncture can also be effective in treating many other chronic systemic conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. For the sake of completeness, both the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture as well as the World Health Organization have developed lists of conditions treatable by acupuncture. http://medicalacupuncture.com/acu_info/faqs.html The training of acupuncturists is worth understanding. There are two broad categories of acupuncturists: Non-physicians trained in TCM and Acupuncture as well as physicians trained in Medical Acupuncture. In the United States, non-physician acupuncturists attend 3 - 4 years of graduate level studies at a facility accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), and are generally designated with the title of Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac), Oriental Medical Doctor (OMD), or Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM). While they cannot prescribe Western medications or make Western Diagnoses, non-physician acupuncturists are trained to understand Western Allopathic Medicine. In addition, they are, of course, well trained in all aspects of TCM, including both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology. Physician acupuncturists, on the other hand, generally undergo a 300 hour course in addition to their medical school and residency training. This initial course enables them to practice Medical Acupuncture, but not the full range of TCM, which requires additional studies in Chinese Herbology, Chinese Massage, etc. Physician

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acupuncturists generally achieve medical board certification through the American Board of Medical Acupuncture. In selecting an acupuncturist, both categories of practitioner are acceptable. For those patients who have multiple medical problems and who take multiple medications, I recommend seeing a Medical Acupuncturist. For healthier patients who are more interested in general wellness and Chinese herbs, I recommend seeking a nonphysician acupuncturist. Http://www.acpuncture.com maintains a list of acupuncturists in the U.S. An acupuncture treatment generally lasts between 30 and 90 minutes and is usually done in a relaxing environment where you may rest or sleep. Pain from acupuncture needling is generally minimal, but is dependent on needle location, insertion technique, and type of needle used. If needle pain develops after needle insertion, please inform your acupuncturist.

Ask the Doctor yourself: Email editor@northennevada.us.mensa.org

Dr. Howard Chen is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, and Medical Director of Preventive and Integrative Medicine Services at Renown Health, Reno.

(LocSec continued from page 10) Norway and stopped briefly at an Orkney island where he had hoped to recruit more. Haakon wasnt all that successful and, as they set sail, the would-be invaders unnervingly experienced a total solar eclipse. Alexander III stalled Haakons forces with negotiations that were engaged so that Haakons fleet, vulnerable while still at sea, would be caught in the eventual onslaught of early winter storms. This succeeded and Haakon, feeling defeated by the fates, retreated to Norway and his son, King of Man Magnus Barefoot, negotiated a payment for the territories of Man, Kintyre and the Hebrides and then joined Haakon back in Norway. Alexander IIIs wife and two sons died unexpectedly, leaving him with no heir to his kingdom. He briefly married a French princess, Yolande, with whom he hoped an heir might be gained. One night during a storm, Alexander III found himself at the Edinburgh Castle after conducting business of state and found that an exceptionally wild storm had arrived. Against counsel of his advisors, he and two bodyguards saddled up and rode to a ferry to cross the very large Firth of Forth. Against all odds, they did not drown. They galloped on, but Alexander III became separated from his guards in the storm. His horse arrived home the next morning, rider less. His body later was found at the foot of cliff. The Scots council of nobles found themselves without a ruler. They turned for assistance and direction to their trusted southern cousins and friends, the English. The English promptly turned on the Scots. And thats a whole bunch more of history. A lot of it is even good. Some, anyway. Ive written about this to show that an incredible amount of effort has gone into history, not just in Europe, but worldwide. Thousands of years have passed and humanity has fought its way to the here and now. What has gone on before is in large part forgotten. Much of what we do today will be forgotten tomorrow. People have lived their lives at the edge. There has been almost continual strife. And all that we know is what the victors of those strivings have recorded for us to believe. 21

Mensa for Kids! (and kids at heart)

by Maurice Pollack and Anna Wright
Dining Out Mexican Style:
Rearrange the letters to spell these foods. Then use the numbered letters To decode the message below.

Computer Zone
All links are from National Geographic.

Back to the Future? Build your own hoverboard with

plywood and a leaf blower. http://youtu.be/0yFMF1sSb2E

Bugging the bugs. How much do we really know

about the Mormon cricket? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy3dQJYquoY

Mexico, an introduction especially for kids. http://

kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/ places/find/mexico/

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Hi, I did not learn this poem in elementary school. Maybe you did. I think that it is very funny. Geronimo Jones

Henry the VIII (by Eleanor Farjeon, 1881 - 1965)

Bluff King Hal was full of beans He married half a dozen queens For three called Kate they cried the banns And one called Jane, and a couple of Annes. The first he asked to share his reign Was Kate of Aragon, straight from Spain But when his love for her was spent He got a divorce, and out she went. Anne Boleyn was his second wife. He swore to cherish her all his life, But seeing a third, he wished instead He chopped off poor Anne Boleyns head. He married the next afternoon Jane Seymour, which was rather soon, But after one year as his bride She crept into her bed and died. Anne of Cleves was number four. Her portrait thrilled him to the core, But when he met her face to face Another royal divorce took place. Catherine Howard, number five, Billed and cooed to keep alive. But one day Henry felt depressed, The executioner did the rest. Sixth and last was Catherine Parr Sixth and last and luckiest far For this time it was Henry who Hopped the twig, and a good job too.

Research project:. 1. In the first line, what does Bluff King Hal mean? (Hint: Its not the same as in todays English language.) 2. And, in the last line, what do you think is meant by the phrase Hopped the twig? How does that relate to the poems theme?

Rock, paper, scissors. Piedra, papel, tijeras.

Answers on page 25

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Notes from Your ExComm: April 14, 2013

Minutes of 08-893 April ExComm meeting: Present were LocSec: Bob McAllister, Past LocSec: Ed Hanley, 1st Vice-Secretary: Ken Wright, 2nd Vice-Secretary: Gerry Lockhart, Treasurer: Carole Preisach, Neva-Mind Editor: Anna Wright. Also present were Membership Chair: Sandra Lackovic, Program Chair: Richard Arbib and Member John Preisach. Meeting convened 8:56 p.m.at Bangkok Cuisine South. Preisach, C.: Discussion regarding $25 testing payment received from American Mensa national office. Wright, A.: Move to pay Grassroots Books $25 (one time only) as a gift for allowing NNM to use their facility for testing. McAllister: Second Unanimous approval McAllister: Appointment of Gloria Dondero Pedro as NNM Ombudsman (AKA Mediator/Arbitrator) Discussion of position responsibilities. No motion necessary. Appointment stands. Lackovic: Request permission to publish calendar events in community calendars accessible by the general public (where appropriate) in order to facilitate public interest and recruitment. Wright, A.: Motion to approve, with condition of protecting all members personal data. Wright, K.: Seconded Unanimous approval Member Preisach, J.: Request calendar entry for skeet shooting event date to be decided. Wright, A.: Will coordinate for open dates and publish when scheduled. Preisach, C.: Motion to make payment for guest speaker meal when meeting is held in a restaurant, standard operating procedure. Wright, A.: Seconded Unanimous approval Lockhart: Motion to adjourn Wright, A.: Seconded Unanimous approval 9:12 p.m.

Kenneth Wright

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From the RVC

by Debra Reiger
What does your Mensa membership mean to you? Opportunities to meet and socialize with other smart people? Access to games, articles, and member discounts via the American Mensa website (www.us.mensa.org)? The Bulletin and local newsletter? RGs and AGs? The Mensa Foundation (MERF) and its research and scholarship programs? My membership means a lot to me, and on several levels. When I joined Mensa in the 1980s, it was because I had read a magazine article about Mensa which listed test scores that would provide prior evidence to qualify. Wow. So I dusted off my old ACT scores, sent them in, and was delighted to join, just because I could. Then I sat back and lurked, enjoying the Bulletin and my local newsletter, a little shy about actually participating. Eventually I took a deep breath and went to a local event wow. Everyone was friendly. Some were shy; some were talkative, but there was so much interesting conversation! So I started going to events, and then I volunteered to organize some events, and along the line I made friends, met the man who is now my spouse, and have had many years of fun, good conversation, and intellectual stimulation. Active or observing, I hope your Mensa experience is a good one. Keep an eye out for social networking opportunities being developed by our national organization, which may provide some good ways for the tech-loving crowd to reach out and stay in touch. Have a great month. Debra Reiger, rvc8@us.mensa.org

Mensa for Kids!

answers:

Dining Out

Research:
Bluff means portly or fat. Hopped the twig means to die, which is the information related about the queens in the poem.

25

5: False. Olbers paradox is real, but its explained by the universe still expanding, Many, many thanks to the Font of All which means light tends to red-shift and Human Knowledge (i.e., Wikipedia) for then go out of the visible range. The exisnice basic articles on these concepts. tence of Dark Matter is speculated be1: True, strangely enough: http:// cause of gravitational effects; one of its www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/apr/21/ hallmarks is that it doesnt interact with space-raspberries-amino-acidslight at all. Wikipedia: Olbers paradox astrobiology 6: True. Wikipedia: Error Analysis for the 2: True. Mitochondrial Eve: Wikipedia: Global Positioning System Mitochondrial Eve. Most recent common 7: False. Current theory blames the ancestor: http://www.stat.yale.edu/~jtc5/ Tunguska blast on a comet impact. papers/CommonAncestors/ Wikipedia: Tunguska event NatureAncestorsPressRelease.html 8: True. Some records go back as far as 3: True. The other planet has been 400,000 years. (Desert Research Institute named Theia. Wikipedia: Giant impact here in town does some of this research.) hypothesis Wikipedia: Ice core 4: True. The sound known as The Bloop 9: True. Wikipedia: Cosmic Latte is now believed to have been Antarctic 10: True, including the numbers. ice calving. Wikipedia: Bloop Wikipedia:1958 Lituya Bay megatsunami

Puzzle Page answers:

Spanish to English answers:

pimento armadillo key savvy cockroach coyote cannibal potato jerky chocolate cafeteria bonanza silo jade oregano bronco alligator cigar tomato patio hoosegow barracuda
O I R F A R Z T D T A B R L O N C R M K N O Q S V A P O A C A R K E A R R U Q R G E C P N G Z A N T D M O G V V T C A O

plaza tornado guerrilla

E F O N P E I O T N P O A C R R B T Y C R F L N G L Y B H B O C T J G H D A L N A O O E L

stampede ranch mustang

L Y O T A M O T C O Z C T T L B A R R A C U D A V A L M L L

hurricane platinum embargo Apache canoe

T O T N E Q O M C H

canyon
H L G U E R R I L L A O I S T A M P E D E Y O S E N O L A B A V R O A B C

tobacco
S F T Y K R E J V I R N L A A E L A B I N N A C K O K L H N G D L K F V S A C E G L E B Y

abalone
O T A T O P N O W I I Y G Y O W A N O J D E C M I G G N A M D F D K A A T A A

M O I P L A T I N U C O L A T E X H

W R U C M A C N

M M E N L T

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M H

Mensa-Speak What are we saying?

AG AMC AML ExComm LDW LocSec M/Ms MERF MIL NNM PRP RG RVC SIG SIGHT WG Annual Gathering (Conference) American Mensa Committee (National Elected or Appointed Officers) American Mensa Ltd. (National Office Employees) Executive Committee (Local Elected Officers) Leadership Development Workshop Local Secretary (Local President) Mensans Mensa Education & Research Foundation Mensa International Ltd. Northern Nevada Mensa Publication Recognition Program Regional Gathering (Conference) Regional Vice-Chair Special Interest Group Service of Information, Guidance and Hospitality to Travelers World Gathering (Conference)

DISCLAIMER Mensa as an organization holds no opinions. All views and opinions expressed in the Neva-Mind are those of the individual writer or the editor. All material published in the Neva-Mind, with the exception of expressly copyrighted material, may be reprinted in other official Mensa publications, including the newsletters of recognized local chapters. Proper credit to the author and publication must be included in any reprints. All statements of fact contained herein, as well as legal or medical advice, are neither confirmed nor denied by Mensa, and should not be relied upon without consultation with and confirmation from other appropriate and reliable sources.

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American Mensa Ltd. 1229 Corporate Drive West Arlington, TX 76006-6013

TIME DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DELIVER PROMPTLY TO:

IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT The Neva-Mind is published monthly by Northern Nevada Mensa. Members of American Mensa local group #893 receive the Neva-Mind for a $9.84 portion of their annual membership. Subscriptions to others are available at $10.00 per year payable by check to Neva-Mind Subscriptions, c/o Robert McAllister, 350 Old Washoe Circle, Washoe Valley, NV 89704. Known Office of Publication: Anna M Wright, 510 Michael Dr., Fallon, NV 89406. Postmaster: Send address changes to: American Mensa, Ltd., 1229 Corporate Dr. West, Arlington, TX 76006-6103.

Check us out at: http://northernnevada.us.mensa.org/