March 2007 eSounding - Tampa Bay Mensa

Tampa Bay Sounding
A PUBLICATION OF TAMPA BAY MENSA
VOLUME 32, NO. 2
Inside this issue:
Call for Candidates 11
Fourth Friday Madness 18
LocSec’s Report 5
Looking for Links 20
Proposed Charter 10
The Tenth Story 5
Wise Guy 8
ARRR-R G!
Register now,
me hearties!

A PUBLICATION OF
TAMPA BAY MENSA
Tampa Bay Sounding (USPS 305-830)
Tampa Bay Mensa
9091 St. Andrews Dr
Seminole, Fl 33777
Mensa is an international society whose sole
qualification for membership is a score at or
above the 98th percentile on a standard IQ
test. Mensa is a not-for-profit organization
whose main purpose is to serve as a means of
communication and assembly for its members.
All opinions expressed herein are those of the
individual authors, and not necessarily those
of the editors or officers of Mensa. Mensa as
an organization has no opinions.
Tampa Bay Sounding is the official
newsletter of Tampa Bay Mensa. Tampa Bay
Mensa serves Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco,
Hernando, and Sumter counties.
Visit American Mensa at
http://www.us.mensa.org
For full instructions on how to join
tbm-gm and tbm-discussion, our two
Yahoo groups, visit TBM at
http://www.tampa.us.mensa.org
Submission Guidelines
Tampa Bay Sounding encourages
submissions from all members. Submissions
must be signed, but names may be withheld or
pseudonyms used if requested. All letters to
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material submitted will be considered for
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Everything is subject to editing. Please keep
the following guidelines in mind:
• Articles, casual essays, opinion pieces,
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You may send your submissions by
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Please reference Mensa in the
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Unless otherwise specified in the
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Tampa Bay Sounding is the official newsletter of Tampa Bay Mensa, American Mensa local group number 10-335.
© 2007 Tampa Bay Mensa. All rights reserved. All material in this issue not copyrighted by individual contributors
may be reprinted in other Mensa publications, provided that credit is given to the author or artist and to the Sounding.
Prior written consent of the editor is required for any other reproduction in any form. Any Mensa publication
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SUBSCRIBE!: The subscription cost for local members is partially remitted from annual dues paid to American
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ADVERTISING POLICY: The Sounding offers free classified ads to Tampa Bay Mensa members for services,
items for sale, jobs wanted/available, personals, etc. Ads should be no longer than 50 words. Classified ads need to
be renewed on a monthly basis if you wish them to appear in consecutive issues. Tampa Bay Mensa and the
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2 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

Don’t Miss Out! Special activities in addition to those found in the Sounding are
frequently announced on the tbm-gm membership e-mail list. To be kept up-to-date on
these opportunities, visit www.tampa.us.mensa.org and select “Member Community”
from the right-hand menu.
MENSAVERSARIES
37 Years Dr. James F. Perry
32 Years Mary Anna Muka
31 Years Constance E. Miller
21 Years William M. Keller
21 Years Phoebe S. McCann
18 Years Richard C. Pasco
17 Years Albert A. Church
16 Years Douglas Keith Linkhart
14 Years David K. Palmer
14 Years Dolores Puterbaugh
12 Years Karen M. Stowe
9 Years Melvin Stanley Cutler
9 Years James E. Spencer
7 Years Ted Carrier
7 Years Don Greenwood
7 Years Joseph Hudson Lucas
7 Years Gregory S Pitts
6 Years James Vernon Johnston
6 Years Sally Buffum Marnell
5 Years John R. Bailey
5 Years Lilianne DeGrasse
5 Years Brian T Walkowiak
3 Years Thomas N Gordon, Jr.
3 Years Hannah E Rhodes
2 Years Matthew G Eason
2 Years Joseph Earle Juston
2 Years Dr. Kenneth Maliq Louis
2 Years John MacKay
2 Years Yvonne Robin Meadows
2 Years Danny Ervin Taylor
1 Years Neil F Lewis
1 Years Benjamin Moore
1 Years John D. Pierce
1 Years Ferdinand P Pointer
1 Years Brandy Robinson
1 Years Wallace Edward Siebert
BULLETIN BOARD
EPSON INK full set of 6 - black and
color $40, retails @ $80+.
Picture Mate by Epson, new, factory
sealed, $15, retails $29-$34.
Cable/DSL 4-Port Router, new in
box $25. 727-461-4979
WELCOME TO
TAMPA BAY MENSA!
*Mitchell M. Bernhard
Whitney Bord
William P. Dixon
Sean Dobes
*Sabrina Foley Puentes
Joseph Giffee
*Ethan Hall
*Rachael Hargrove
John R. Hurayt
Kevin Andrew Lawrence
Stephen Paul Morrill
*Michelle Nicely
*John Wesley Parker
*Margaret Rubino
Michael S. Wolynski
* indicates new members; others are moves in,
preferences in or reinstatements.
MARCH BIRTHDAYS
01 Nelson Crowle
04 Patrick A. Bastien
07 Melvin Stanley Cutler
08 Christopher J. Clement
08 Vel E. Jaeger
08 Terra D. Maggiolino
12 Francis Brierton
13 John Alfred Crandall
14 Sylvia B. Cesanek
15 Cornelia Anderson Biggers
15 Erin Anne Wells
18 Maureen Brush
18 Benito Enriquez
18 Dr. Thomas M. Riedhammer
20 Darryl Olenchalk
21 David W. Hadfield
21 LTC Jon R. Smith
22 James Browning
22 Richard C. Hardy
23 Ronald Dubs
23 Richard E. Duncan
23 Steven Michael Graves
24 Frederick Raymond
24 Dana A. Sims
27 Anthony Di Angelus
27 Karen M. Hamlin
27 Joan Barker Lambert
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 3

The Tenth Story
T
hank you, Region 10!
I am reelected due to
there being no opposing
candidate. You
sure make it easy for me!
In case you haven't heard
yet, at the January AMC
meeting, a motion was
passed that will give local groups 10
cents more per member per month, as
well as 57 cents more per second
member in the household per month.
And did I mention that there are no
strings on how the local group uses
their funds I am very proud of this
motion passing, as I was on the Local
Group Funding Task Force that
worked for many months, examining
local group finances and whether or
not local groups needed more money
and so on. I am also proud of the AMC
for approving our motion.
Another issue that came up before the
AMC at the January meeting is the
Local Group Charter. This motion was
tabled until March for a couple of reasons.
First, many on the AMC felt that
the wording needed some polishing.
Second, and perhaps more importantly,
some of us felt that the concept
of the Local Group Charter needed to
be clarified for the membership, some
of whom have expressed that they felt
it was a move toward control by the
AMC. And that's not what it is, at all.
In actuality, the Local Group Charter
is just codifying the relationship that
is already in place between national
and local groups. It explains what is
expected of the local group and what is
Maggie Truelove
expected of national. In my
opinion, this would be especially
useful each time a
new LocSec takes office. It
would give them a blueprint
to follow. If you are
unsure of that, I think you
will be able to download a
copy from the national
website and read it for yourself.
If you missed Smarti Gras and Valentime
this winter, you may be well into
RG withdrawal. But take heart, because
the Tampa Bay ARRR RG
is approved and on the calendar. It is
coming up on Memorial Day weekend.
And while we are talking RGs, Broward
Mensa's RG-FLoRanGe a trois
is moving . . . from October to Labor
Day weekend! Just think, two three
day RGs in a row! What more could a
region want
March 25-26 is the next AMC meeting.
As always, the agenda for that meeting
will be available on the national website
for you to read. If you have comments
to share about any of the issues
coming before the board, please do
email or call me or another AMC
member.
Maggie Truelove
RVC 10
3333 Honeysuckle Lane
Orlando, FL 32812
407-855-9078
rvc10@cfl.rr.com
4 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

LocSec’s Report
This month we welcome Erica
Rogers as our new editor. Here’s
wishing her the best! In other volunteer
news, Kaye Ryan has volunteered
for the last spot on the election committee.
We are still in need of a circulation
officer, however. If you would
like to become more involved in your
local group, maybe get to know some
friendly, interesting folks, we have a
job for you. The circulation officer
supervises FSM once a month, completes
a little paperwork, and drops
the Sounding at the P.O. Please contact
me if you’d like to volunteer.
Honcho Thomas Thomas continues
preparations for the ARRR-RG! Our
early bird registration rate, $65 for the
four day weekend, is good until March
15 th when it goes up to $75.
Online registration is available:
http://www.tampa.us.mensa.org.
You can see the hotel here:
http://www.stpetehilton.com.
It’s Renewal time. Dues should be
paid by March 31. I renewed on line at
http://www.us.mensa.org.
You wouldn’t want to miss an issue of
the Sounding, would you
Until next month,
Maxine
Maxine Kushner
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 5

Letters
The following letter has been reproduced in its entirety and with the permission of
the author. It will appear in several other Mensa publications at the local level.
Some long-time Mensans have observed
an unwelcome change of
character that has come over our
organization in recent years. Newer
members may wonder what kind of
difference they are talking about.
We were once a society that held
dear its unaffiliated status (no commercial
tie-ins! none! the selling of
our name was unthinkable, in fact)
and its essential metaphor of the
round table, an Arthurian image
that members used to be well
enough educated to comprehend: a
society wherein all are on an equal
footing, members participate freely
and voice opinions fearlessly,
elected and appointed officers take
care of the business of running the
organization but are neither governors
nor celebrities, the national
office staff serves administrative
and membership needs under the
direction of the AMC and supports
but does not oversee or assert authority
over any members for any
reason, the words "official" and
"approval" are hardly ever used in
any context, members have ready
access to one another (since that is
basically all our dues pay for), and
pretty much any way that Mensans
choose to affiliate with one another
through events, publications, gatherings,
correspondence, national
and local SIGs, etc., is fine as long as
it is legal and does not bind or speak
for Mensa.
If our society is supposed to be anything,
it is that.
I have been accused of being an oldtimer
pining for the good old days,
and there is some truth in that; I
miss that earlier Mensa the way I
miss the warm and bright family
“We have been better and we
have been worse, but we have
never been altogether good.
Christmases of my childhood, likewise
irrecoverable. But let it be remembered
that Mensa politics have
been with us practically from day 1
and that there was never a time
when we simply proceeded harmoniously
and got things done in the
best, most effective, and most principle-respecting
way possible. Affection
among Mensans was always
unevenly distributed. We have been
better and we have been worse, but
we have never been altogether good.
Right now we are worse.
So when I hark back to the organizational
model of earlier times, it is
not to express a nostalgic yearning
but to plant, I hope, a potent seed of
possibility in the minds of younger
members who will shape the Mensa
of the future, if there is to be a
Mensa of the future.
The day after 9/11, when all sorts of
emergency measures and extreme
strictures were going into effect in
panic mode and there was no telling
what was going to happen to our
freedom in the name of an unattain-
6 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

LETTERS CONTINUED
able "security, " I sat my two teenage
sons down on the living room
sofa and addressed them with every
ounce of urgency and conviction in
my being. "You must remember: it
was not always like this. It was not
always like this. You must remember,
or how will we ever put it
right"
I don't believe that all the blame for
painful changes can be laid on people
who deny or refuse to look at
problems in the society. I think the
well-meaning and optimistic yeasayers
have been cynically taken
advantage of by those with other
agendas. But all of us have the obligation
to ask questions.
No Mensan should fear to ask questions.
No Mensan should fear to
voice opinions.
How can fear have any place in
Mensa Fear in Mensa should be
viewed as the redness and swelling
that tell you where to look for the
infection.
Meredy Amyx
Former editor
Beacon (Boston)
Mensa Bulletin
Editor's Handbook (1982)
Intelligencer (SFRM)
Member since 1972; Life member
Your article could be here! Contribute to the Sounding by e-mailing your items
or article ideas to TBMEditor@gmail.com.
Ask not what your newsletter can do for you...
“Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth -- more than ruin -- more
even than death.... Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and
terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable
habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great
and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.”
—Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
801 West Bay Drive, Suite 436
Largo, Florida 33770
The Wachovia Bank Building
727-559-0863
puterbaugh@mindspring.com
balancedlifestylecoaching.com
Services Include:
• Individual counseling
• Family & couples counseling
• Anxiety, depression, grief, stress, anger
• Children’s behavior problems
• Personal growth/development
• Consulting/Coaching services
• Presentations for organizations
Memberships:
Clinical Member of American Association for Marriage
& Family Therapy; American Counseling Association;
Mensa; TNS
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 7

Wise Guy
Thomas George Thomas
A Corporate Social Club
Although I joined
Mensa for the first time a little less
than twenty years ago, I don't consider
myself a “long-time member”
in the sense Meredy Amyx uses. My
participation was sporadic at best,
and although we have a significant
percentage of the membership who
are satisfied with the card and
magazines, I'm the kind of person
who doesn't feel like a part of a
group unless I participate. In fact, I
barely even noticed the National
organization until just before my
first Annual Gathering experience
nearly two years ago.
Part of that has to do with my personal
slant on Mensa. Ms. Amyx
speaks of a “society”, and in fact
Mensa does promote itself as such,
but my own focus has never been
that grandiose. I joined because I
wanted to belong to the club --
someplace where I could use words
that seem normal to me (such as
“sporadic” and “grandiose”) without
having my conversation partner feel
like I was talking down to them.
I suspect that most members don't
notice the National organization at
all, any more than they notice the
local organization. And those who
do participate in Tampa Bay Mensa
don't spend much time thinking
about American Mensa unless they
consider going to an Annual Gathering.
Meredy has a point that the National
organization today is different
than the organization I initially
joined. At that time it was a more of
a social club. Now it's being treated
like a big business, with a development
office, a marketing director,
and apparently many legal consultants
who advise the corporation on
a regular basis how not to get sued
when they wish to remove a member
(which makes such a process
extremely expensive).
Here's the thing: I can't imagine
anybody getting excited about joining
a corporation.
“I already work for a company.
I want to belong to a club.”
To me, Mensa remains at its core a
club. As such, we hold meetings,
parties and gatherings of many
sizes, and something for every level
of participation one chooses As long
as the National Office doesn't interfere
in the existence of the organization
at that level, where's the harm
But there are indications that they
do interfere. Two cases in point involve
the “protection of the brand”
message that came out of the Communications
office last year, stating
a number of rather trivial restrictions
on the use of the Mensa
“Table” logo and even the use of the
word “Mensa” itself, which prevented
their use in our ARRR-RG!
logo. We can have a Gathering, but
we can't incorporate the logo How
insane is that And there is an exclusive
agreement with an external
for-profit company called “Mensa
8 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

WISE GUY CONTINUED
Process” where members of Mensa
may volunteer their ideas and brainstorming
to that company, without
those members (or Mensa) reaping
the benefit.
Most of our dues go to support that
National organization. The local
group gets less than a dollar per
member per month to put on programs
for you.
I already work for a company. I
want to belong to a club.
Mensa will be what members allow
it to be. As long as there is a lack of
participation (note that there are
usually no challengers for the RVC
seat in Region 10 nor the ExComm
seats in this chapter), the people
who do participate will create the
Mensa Experience for everyone else.
Cryptopoem
Sylvia Zadorozny
PLANT BED DIG LEFDW TULSGN LUHG,
IEND EO DIG IBG UNS FOUSG,
JBL FOLANT AF IGLG, UNS AD AF DAYG
DB IURG DIG TULSGN YUSG. ...
SBN'D MUFDG WBEL DAYG AN DLWANT DB DGZZ
DIG PEZPF JLBY MBLDIZGFF MGGSF;
SAT DIGY UZZ EO; DIUD'F GUFAGFD, UNS
WBE'ZZ NGGS DIG LBBY JBL FGGSF. ...
DIGN MIGN WBE'RG TBD DIG TULSGN SET,
DIG FGGSF UZZ BED BJ FATID,
WBE'S PGDDGL IALG U TULSGNGL
DB SB AD BRGL LATID.
--FBYGLRAZZG CBELNUZ, "U FBNT BJ DIG FGUFBN"
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 9

Comments on the Proposed "Charter"
Ralph Rudolph, Editor of New Mensican
This year marks my 38 th year in
Mensa. For most of that time I've
been either a local group or national
officer, and I pay close attention to
what is happening. I read the agendas
for AMC meetings and express my
opinions to my RVC. When I saw
Agenda Item #20, the proposed
"charter", I became quite concerned
and wrote a column as Asst. RVC 6
that Ray O'Connor immediately distributed
to our Region's editors and
which I distributed to all other RVCs.
Partly due to my efforts (I hope) the
item was tabled until the March AMC
meeting. My concerns remain:
1. It has been claimed that the reason
for the charter is because lawyers
and auditors want it. But precisely
why they want the charter has never
been explained. A vague example was
brought up that when a group hosts
an AG and has a profit, it is difficult
to explain this one time profit to IRS.
Perhaps so. It seems we have been
successfully doing so since our first
AG, so this "reason" seems spurious.
And it holds no water for AGs that are
hosted by consortiums such as the
2010 AG by Gen-X & Y. So the first
thing I want is the real reason
for this. It certainly didn't come
about from popular demand of
our members.
2. Even votes on dues increases require
advance notice to the members.
Why was this item just "sprung" on
us without much time for comment
3. Previously, the job of checking
whether local groups were in compliance
with the MSBs (and if not, why
not) was left to the RVCs as the
COOs. No doubt, certain national
office staffers or perhaps the Pubs
Officer could inform the RVC of
transgressions, but whether a group
needed help such as an RVC visit or
LDW was left to the RVC. The charter
changes this responsibility to "AML"
which (to me) means any and all
parts of AML from AMC to the National
Office to committees or hired
counsels. This is a fundamental
change which severely reduces our
democratic representation. As such, I
believe it should be a Bylaws change,
not an ASIE, and the charter should
be presented to the entire membership
as a referendum item.
4. Both McBean and Bakke (our chair
candidates!) express that part of the
motivation for the charter is to be
able to more effectively kill off local
groups that they feel are not performing
adequately. That is part of
the reason for transferring "power"
from the RVCs to AML. Is there any
reason to believe that AML, as a
whole, has any deeper understanding
of a local group's problems than the
RVC I think not. Part of my stance is
that RVCs should focus on helping
out smaller groups as they need the
most help. By working together and
independently, they multiply the
chances for reinvigorating moribund
groups, something AML as a body
cannot do. Merging an underperforming
local group with a nearby
large group decreases opportunity
rather than increasing it. Large
groups have always had the problem
of not serving their peripheral areas,
and this would only increase that
problem. I don't see this as serving
our membership better, which
(supposedly) AMC is all about.
10 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

Call For Candidates
Tampa Bay Mensa 2007 Elections
Pat Tuley, Election Supervisor
Our annual TBM elections are in June,
and Tampa Bay Mensa invites members
to pursue a term on the Executive
Committee of our Chapter. In accordance
with TBM bylaws, the terms of
five members of the Executive Committee
will expire in 2007. These positions
are currently held by Dana
Groulx, Ronan Heffernan, Maxine
Kushner, Barbara Loewe, and Thomas
Thomas. These openings are for twoyear
terms.
Executive Committee meetings are
held six times each year, and officers
enjoy the satisfactions that come from
being “in” on what is going on in the
chapter, leaving their mark on these
activities, and, of course, the great
camaraderie that comes from associating
with fellow members.
Interested members should contact
members of the Election Committee to
clarify any details of the election process.
Candidates are responsible for
fulfilling all requirements as prescribed
in the bylaws of Tampa Bay
Mensa, contained in the Member
Handbook, and this Call for Candidates.
The Election Committee is composed
of:
Pat Tuley (Election Supervisor)
10912 Carnelian Lane
Riverview, FL 33569
813-654-2259
patuley@aol.com
Carole Austin
2019 Nantucket Dr.
Sun City Center, FL 33573
Kaye Ryan
2419 Gulf To Bay Blvd, Lot923
Clearwater, FL 33765
Members in good standing of Tampa
Bay Mensa seeking seats on the Executive
Committee in the upcoming
election must provide to the Election
Supervisor no later than Sunday, April
15:
1) a nominating petition, and
2) a campaign statement.
Nominating petitions must contain
the printed name, address, telephone
number, and signature of the candidate,
plus the printed names and signatures
of five (5) members in good
standing as defined by the bylaws of
Tampa Bay Mensa. Campaign statements
must be limited to 250 words.
Note that, since campaign statements
will be printed in the Sounding, they
must comply with current editorial
policy. Petitions and campaign statements
must be mailed to:
Pat Tuley (Election Supervisor)
10912 Carnelian Lane
Riverview, FL 33569
GENERAL INFORMATION
ABOUT THE ELECTION:
Ballots will be counted at the June
2007 Election Committee Meeting.
The exact time and location will be
announced in the June issue of the
Sounding. Ballots will be printed in
the June issue of the Sounding. Members
who do not normally receive the
Sounding will be mailed ballots separately,
or will be provided their own
copy of the June Sounding. Complete
details of the voting method will be
published with the ballots.
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 11

March 2007
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3
WINE
TASTING
5:00PM
CARD NIGHT
7:00PM
4 5 6 7
READING
GROUP
7:00PM
8
BREAKFAST
GATHERING
7:30AM
LUNCH
BUNCH
12:30PM
9 10
GAMES
NIGHT
7:30PM
11 12
SECOND
MONDAY
LUNCHEON
(OPTIONAL
MOVIE)
1:00PM
13 14
PASCO
READING
GROUP
7:00PM
15
LUNCH
BUNCH
12:30PM
16
NTN TRIVIA
7:00PM
17
CARD NIGHT
7:00PM
18 19 20 21
22
23
24
READING
GROUP
7:00PM
LUNCH
BUNCH
12:30PM
FOURTH
FRIDAY
MADNESS
6:00PM
25
26 27 28
29
30 31
ADVANCED
WEAVING
2:00PM
PASCO
READING
GROUP
7:00PM
LUNCH
BUNCH
12:30PM
LAST
SATURDAY
GAMES
NIGHT
7:30PM

Calendar Events
Mensa events are open to all Mensans, their spouses, and accompanied guests.
A party at a private home is a private event, and who may or may not attend is
at the complete discretion of the host. While kitty amounts are mandatory,
hosts often spend far more than the specified amount. Donations in excess of
the kitty amount will be appreciated.
Dana Groulx (813-996-5552) is the Calendar Editor. Please e-mail your
calendar event notices to llama@sports-pac.com, or visit
www.tampa.us.mensa.org/cal for complete instructions. Your deadline
for the following month’s calendar is the 12th of the preceding month.
Hosts: Please remember to mention any special concerns about your location,
such as limited access for the handicapped, smoking restrictions, or presence
of pets.
Guests: If you have special needs or restrictions, it is prudent to discuss them
with your host before attending an event.
Renew your Mensa membership
Visit www.us.mensa.org or call
(817) 607-0060 0060 ext. 199
Thursday, March 1 — 12:30 PM
Lunch Bunch
We meet at Piccadilly Cafeteria, on 11810 North Dale Mabry Highway (next to Barnes
and Noble Bookstore), in Tampa. For directions, descriptions, and/or encouragement
to attend, call: Jim Perry - 813-837-3473 - philart@gte.net
Friday, March 2 — 5:00 PM
Wine Tasting
Come for a frolicking good time as well as fine wine. Look for the Mensa table's yellow
sign. By 5:30 seating may be difficult to find. For this monthly event of the hotel,
the ballroom runs short on seating. Even with an RSVP, come early on.
March Host: Open for volunteer.
Location: Belleview Biltmore Resort , 25 Belleview Boulevard, Belleair, FL 33756
Directions: Southbound from downtown Clearwater Follow Ft. Harrison south.
Go right (west) on Belleview Blvd. at light Northbound. Follow Clearwater-Largo Rd.
Go left (west) on Belleview Boulevard at light. Continue west on Bellevue Blvd. at
Indian Rocks Rd. stop sign. Bear left to hotel guardhouse for a free wine tasting
parking permit. Once inside hotel's main entrance follow main hallway; the ballroom
are on the right.
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 13

Saturday, March 3 — 7:00 PM — Kitty $2
Card Night
Either bring a card game that you like to play or we will play Hand and Foot (a type
of Canasta, played with partners. It's great fun!). Please make sure that you RSVP at
least two days in advance.
Location: Victoria Palms , 712 Lyndhurst St. #303 Dunedin Fl. 34698
RSVP: Phone: 727-734-9646 , Cell: 727-698-7973
Directions: Get on Main Street(580) going West from US 19 or Belcher. Main
Street(580) splits right before Mease Dunedin Hospital. Follow Main Street. Turn
left on Milwaukee(at Mease Hospital). Travel South to Lyndhurst- turn left- go to
end of street- turn left into Victoria Palms. Go to 4th Building on right (712). My
Unit 303 is downstairs in back- entrance on side Call if lost!!!!!!
Wednesday, March 7 — 7:00 PM
Reading Group
Location: Perkins Restaurant - 612 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa
We meet twice per month (on the first and third Wednesday) at Perkins on Dale
Mabry, just north of Kennedy. Bring along books you'd like to exchange or give away.
RSVP: Ronan Heffernan - 813-732-2310 - ronansan@gmail.com
Thursday, March 8 — 7:30 AM
Breakfast Gathering
Location: Village Inn at Walsingham Road in Largo
Gather for food and conversation.
RSVP: Lori Puterbaugh at 727-399-2419 for directions and so we have a headcount.
Thursday, March 8 — 12:30 PM
Lunch Bunch
Location: We meet at Piccadilly Cafeteria, on 11810 North Dale Mabry Highway
(next to Barnes and Noble Bookstore), in Tampa. For directions, descriptions,
and/or encouragement to attend, call: Jim Perry - 813-837-3473 - philart@gte.net
Saturday, March 10 — 7:30 PM
Games Night
Location: Sylvia Zadorozny's in Oldsmar , $2 kitty
Games & Goodies, Friends & Fun (a sonnet)
Though I don't claim to have an Irish name
And though the Emerald Isle lies far away,
When searching March for holidays I came
Upon the Irish one, St. Patrick's Day.
So I've bedecked my house with shamrocks green,
And little people (leprechauns) abound.
I hope that you will join this happy scene
Where games & goodies, friends & fun are found.
I must request that smokers smoke outside
(To breathe I need to keep a smoke-free home),
And if you've allergies, I must confide
I have two cats that round the house may roam.
Oh, won't you come, and maybe bring someone,
To share our games & goodies, friends & fun
RSVP: Sylvia Zadorozny - 813-855-4939 - sylviachocolate@juno.com
Directions: 651 Timber Bay Circle West - Oldsmar (call for directions)
14 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

Monday, March 12 — 1:00 PM
Second Monday Luncheon & Optional $2.50 Movie
Join us in Spring Hill every second Monday at 1p.m. for lunch at
Perkins Restaurant, then optional Movie at Spring Hill 8 Cinema.
RSVP: Reservations are not needed, ask for the "Mensa Table"
Host Victoria Foust 352-596-8242
kfoust@tampabay.rr.com
Location: Perkins Restaurant
4685 Commercial Way Spring Hill, 352-596-2223
Spring Hill 8 Cinema
2955 Commercial Way Spring Hill, 352-686-5661
Wednesday, March 14— 7:00 PM
Pasco Reading Group
Location: Denny's in New Port Richey
We meet twice per month (on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday) at Denny's corner of
Hwy 19 and Trouble Creek Rd., right in front of Sam's Club in New Port Richey. This
group has a sci-fi theme, and there will be free VHS tapes from my own collection for
you to keep.
RSVP: Jay Johnson - 727-934-9575, jayjohnson5295@yahoo.com
Thursday, March 15 — 12:30 PM
Lunch Bunch
We meet at Piccadilly Cafeteria, on 11810 North Dale Mabry Highway (next to Barnes
and Noble Bookstore), in Tampa. For directions, descriptions, and/or encouragement
to attend, call: Jim Perry - 813-837-3473 - philart@gte.net
Friday, March 16 — 7:00 PM
NTN Trivia
NTN Satellite Trivia is a nationwide contest held in assorted restaurants and bars in
our region. Three short rounds of five questions each are interspersed with breaks
for conversation and socializing. We have moved to Carrollwood to yet another
trivia- friendly sports bar, this one being Prime Time Sports Grill (this one puts the
trivia games on a BIG screen!) Look for the table with our mascot, Owlbert. Come
join the party!
RSVP: Thomas Thomas - 813-994-3981 - FardleBear@aol.com
Saturday, March 17 — 7:00 PM — Kitty $2
Card Night
Either bring a card game that you like to play or we will play Hand and Foot (a type
of Canasta, played with partners. It's great fun!) Please make sure that you RSVP at
least two days in advance.
Location: Victoria Palms (still under construction)
712 Lyndhurst St. #303 Dunedin Fl. 34698
RSVP: Phone: 727-734-9646, Cell: 727-698-7973
Directions: Get on Main Street(580) going West from US 19 or Belcher. Main
Street(580) splits right before Mease Dunedin Hospital. Follow Main Street. Turn
left on Milwaukee(at Mease Hospital). Travel South to Lyndhurst- turn left- go to
end of street- turn left into Victoria Palms. Go to 4th Building on right (712). My
Unit 303 is downstairs in back- entrance on side Call if lost!!!!!!
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 15

Wednesday, March 21 — 7:00 PM
Reading Group
Location: Perkins Restaurant - 612 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa
We meet twice per month (on the first and third Wednesday) at Perkins on Dale
Mabry, just north of Kennedy. Bring along books you'd like to exchange or give away.
RSVP: Ronan Heffernan - 813-732-2310 - ronansan@gmail.com
Thursday, March 22 —12:30 PM
Lunch Bunch
We meet at Piccadilly Cafeteria, on 11810 North Dale Mabry Highway (next to Barnes
and Noble Bookstore), in Tampa. For directions, descriptions, and/or encouragement
to attend, call: Jim Perry - 813-837-3473 - philart@gte.net
Friday, March 23 — 6:00 PM
Fourth Friday Madness
Come party on down with us every fourth (not necessarily last) Friday at the Olive
Garden Italian Restaurant in Pinellas Park from 6pm to whenever. Location: Olive
Garden Italian Restaurant, 6700 U.S. 19 N. in Pinellas Park SE of Gandy Boulevard.
RSVP: Phoebe McCann at (727) 546-4030, theboogiewoman1@yahoo.com
Sunday March 25 — 2PM
Advanced Weaving for Children and Adults
Just trimmed you tree, and don't know what to do with the fronds Getting ready for
Palm Sunday but don't know how to fold the palms Come out and learn some basic
folds or some more advanced weaving.
Location: 897 Crestridge Cir., Tarpon Springs, Fl 34688
RSVP: theresahohmann@yahoo.com
Wednesday, March 28 — 7:00 PM
Pasco Reading Group
Location: Denny's in New Port Richey
We meet twice per month (on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday) at Denny's corner of
Hwy 19 and Trouble Creek Rd., right in front of Sam's Club in New Port Richey. This
group has a sci-fi theme, and there will be free VHS tapes from my own collection for
you to keep.
RSVP: Jay Johnson - 727-934-9575 , jayjohnson5295@yahoo.com
Thursday, March 29 — 12:30 PM
Lunch Bunch
We meet at Piccadilly Cafeteria, on 11810 North Dale Mabry Highway (next to Barnes
and Noble Bookstore), in Tampa. For directions, descriptions, and/or encouragement
to attend, call: Jim Perry - 813-837-3473 - philart@gte.net
Saturday, March 31 — 7:30 PM — Kitty $2
Last Saturday Rotating Games Night
Location: At the home of Dana Groulx
21416 Cypress Tree Court, Land O' Lakes, FL 34637
Directions: In Wilderness Lake Preserve, located on US 41 halfway between SR54
and SR52. It's across from Land O' Lakes High School. Turn into the community,
then follow the main road for 1.5 miles. Turn left onto Kickliter Lane into Osprey
Point. Turn right onto Cypress Tree Court. Dana's house is the 2-story with green
shutters.
RSVP: Phone: 813-996-5552 , lemmiwinks@tampabay.rr.com
16 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

Fourth Friday Madness
Phoebe McCann
January 26 th , 2007
I claimed to be a rose among the thorns.
There was an immediate outcry of outrage
from the eight men in attendance.
You younger gals don't know what you're
missing here in these meetings. These
guys, however charming, are wasted on
me because not only am I much older
than most of them, I'm married and
don't mess around.
The evening was mostly political at first
as RONNIE DUBS, RICHARD
MANNO and BOB LUCKENBACH
had at it with Ron and Bob saying the
media was owned by left wingers and
academia was virtually the same. Ron
said that teachers were cowards who
hide in the teaching field and get paid by
taxes because they don't have the guts to
get into an field in industry where they
actually have to work for a living. I
howled with protest. I said, "You've obviously
never had to stand up in front of a
class of 64 middle school kids, keep order
and try to teach them something at
the same time. And who, pray tell, would
teach all these people what to do in order
to make it in the industrial world if it
weren't for teachers"
KERRY FITZPATRICK and Richard
debated Hilary's chances of winning the
Democratic nomination. We all jumped
on that subject and her chances rapidly
climbed from 30% to 85% with John
Edwards bringing up the rear with a
sorry 20%. Richard said she has a huge
war chest, great name recognition and
the Democrats want to be sure the war
ends without them being blamed.
I can't remember who asked the question,
"Who here believes in prophets"
Well that set us all off on a religious
tangent. We had, I think, three devout
atheists, three devout Catholics, JUAN
LELITO who was brought up Protestant
but considers himself spiritual in a complicated
way now, an agnostic and one
Hindu.
We got into who was known for what.
PAUL SHARP teaches GED students
which has got to be extremely rewarding.
PAPAN DEVANNI had the most stellar
and diverse career starting as a child
in India, went to Germany to study
chemistry, moved to Cincinnati in the
states and got an MBA, then moved to
Cleveland and went to law school and
became a patent attorney.
Kerry was the youngest child to have a
social security card (at 5 months) and
was a nationally known child model,
advertising War Bonds, Texaco and even
made the cover of "Parade." He made $5
an hour ... an unheard of sum in those
days but his career was finished by age 4.
He then held, at age 12, the national
Little League record for most home runs
but did it with an illegal bat (weight and
length) and managed not to get caught.
Ronnie Dubs says he was born a poor
Black child with no sense of rhythm. My
husband, DAN McCANN said virtually
nothing. When we got home he asked,
"Am I allowed to talk at these meetings
or what" I said, "Good Gawd, y'awl,
you've been coming to these meetings for
10 years and NOW you ask me that You
don't have to be a member to TALK!"
Someone asked if any of us had security
clearance. Only Papan and myself did.
Richard asked Papan what he did with
his security clearance and was told that if
Papan told him that, he'd have to kill
him. Nobody asked me why I had Secret
clearance so my cover is safe.
Ron particularly wanted me to mention
that he had expressed admiration for a
stoic Saddam Hussein "dying like a
man," and showing us all the courtesy of
not making a big fuss at his own execution.
And in conclusion ...
A man from Texas, driving a Volkswagen
Beetle, pulls up next to a guy in a Rolls
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 17

Royce at a stoplight. Their windows are
open and he yells at the guy in the Rolls,
“Hey, you got a telephone in that Rolls”
The guy in the Rolls says,”Yes, of course
I do.”
“I got one too ... see” the Texan says.
“Uh huh, yes, that’s very nice.”
“You got a fax machine” asks the Texan.
“Why yes, actually, I do.”
“I do too! See It’s right here!” brags the
Texan.
The light is just about to turn green and
the guy in the Volkswagen says, “So do
you have a double bed in back there”
The guy I the Rolls replies, “NO! Do
you”
“Yep, got my double bed right in back
here,” the Texan replies.
The light turns green and the man in the
Volkswagen takes off.
WELL! The guy in the Rolls is not about
to be one-upped so he immediately goes
to a customizing shop and orders them
to put a double bed in the back of his car.
About 2 weeks later the job is done. He
picks up his car and drives all over town
looking for the Volkswagen beetle with
the Texas plates. Finally he finds it
parked alongside the road so he pulls his
Rolls up next to it. The windows on the
Volkswagen are all fogged up and he
feels somewhat awkward about it but he
gets out of his newly modified Rolls and
taps on the foggy window of the Volkswagen.
(It’s okay, the joke is CLEAN.)
The man in the Volkswagen finally opens
the window a crack and peeks out.
The guy with the Rolls says, “Hey, remember
me”
“Yeah, yeah, I remember you,” replies
the Texan. “What’s up”
“Check this out ... I got a double bed
installed in my Rolls.”
The Texan replies, “YOU GOT ME
OUT OF THE SHOWER TO TELL
ME THAT”
Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to
it.
Phoebe McCann
18 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

Looking for Links
Off the cuff, links
mean different
things to different
people. Oldtimers
think of
sausages, hooked
together like train
cars, destined for
a human’s mouth
rather than for a
tunnel’s. Yuppies think of golf
courses. Those who embrace technology
recognize links as computer addresses
leading deeper into cyberspace
in search of truth, justice, beauty, answers
to endless queries, or more
links.
Cheryl Frances Ellis, my somewhat
confused sweetie-pie of significance,
follows endless links, which is how she
found her way into my heart and residence
thirteen years ago, but that is
another story. Today she looks for
links with her checkered past. Long
before we met at the Atlanta Annual
Gathering, she had found and rubbed
the genealogy bottle, unleashing her
quest for links with her gene pool.
Her pool is DEEP.
I look forward to the day when I can
answer questionnaires asking for
NEXT OF KIN with “No living relatives.”
Cheryl, conversely, cannot get
and find enough of them. Her family
keeps breeding, and her life has been
an endless cycle of engagement parties,
weddings, baby showers, and
birthdays, all frightening to me.
In times I refer to as B.C. -- Before
Cheryl -- she would rent microfilms
from genealogy reference suppliers.
She has documented links to Lebanese
Eastern Orthodox Arabs and Nansemond
Indians. She has sniffed out an
escaped black slave named Moses
Bass -- probably half Jewish and half
fish -- swimming in her gene pool.
Ronald Allan Charles
She even carries Caucasian genes.
Ever the mixed-breed minority, Cheryl
relishes the recipe by which she was
made.
During a camping trip out West, our
Mensamobile needed new tires, so we
headed for Salt Lake City, nearest
haven for those seeking retirement.
Cheryl wanted me to drop her off at
the Mormon Temple library, a Mecca
for genealogists.
After a tiring experience, I returned to
the Temple to discover a Lebanese
restaurant with an all-you-can-eat
lunch buffet, ending in half an hour.
Mmm. Lebanese food. Last time I
had any was in Lebanon in 1968.
Double-parking, I rushed into the
Temple’s huge library and asked the
receptionist where I could find my
sweetie.
“Where’d her ancestors come from
We group documents accordingly.”
“Let’s see. Middle East, Africa, America,
possibly elsewhere.” I imagined a
policeman hovering over me with
ticket in hand. Hurry, I thought.
The receptionist proceeded to tell me
what floors housed documents from
which ethnic groups. Trying to remember
who was where and what
Cheryl looked like from behind, I
dashed off in search of my lost soul
woman. Eventually I found Cheryl,
her face glued to a microfiche projector
screen showing a ship’s manifest.
This was B.C., Before Computers. She
excitedly pointed to one handscrawled
name, yet another link to
Adam and Eve. I was hungry, possibly
a manhunt target for my parking violation,
and in desperate need to flee,
just as most on the manifest probably
were, but Cheryl did not appreciate
my predicament.
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 19

I pried her pianist’s fingers from the
keyboard where she had been digging
up roots. After copying more information,
she accompanied me to the Mensamobile,
which had remained ticketfree.
We scurried to the restaurant,
where she asked the Lebanese owners
if they knew her ancestors. Nobody
knew anyone. Some things are better
left undiscovered, though lunch, we
discovered, was delicious.
Cheryl found out that at age 60 one
could take college courses free. Now
she’s taking a course – Terrorism -- at
The Citadel. (THAT aged cat now is
out of the bag.) One of her classmates,
about to deliver his course speech,
asked if any Arabs were present.
Cheryl, raising her hand halfway, volunteered,
“Half-Arab.” Consequently,
there is no telling what he omitted,
though some things are better left
unsaid. His might have been a coarse
speech. And some hands are better
left unraised.
Answer to February's Cryptopoem:
A cup of water timely brought,
An offered easy chair,
A turning of the window blind,
That all may feel the air;
An early flower bestowed unasked,
A light and cautious tread,
A voice to softest whispers hushed
To spare an aching head--
Oh things like these, though little things,
The purest love disclose,
As fragrant atoms in the air
Reveal the hidden rose.
--Author Unknown
I suppose, if we continue with this
link, that some things are better left
unwritten, unpublished, and unread,
but if you got this far, I will keep my
mouth shut. Some things are better
left unsaid.
20 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

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!
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.
ARRR-RG!
Registration Form
Prices: Only $65 before March 15
Register early and save!
$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
Name: ___________________ Nametag(s): ______________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Phone: __________________ E-mail: ___________________________
(Choose a pirate name for your nametag at http://www.piratequiz.com !)
March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 21

2006-07 TAMPA BAY MENSA OFFICERS
Local Secretary
Maxine Kushner
7442 Hollylake La.
New Port Richey, FL 34653
727-841-6043
maxine.kushner@verizon.net
Deputy LocSec
Sylvia Zadorozny
651 Timber Bay Cir. W.
Oldsmar, FL 34677
813-855-4939
sylviachocolate@juno.com
Treasurer
Kathy Crum
7164 Quail Hollow Blvd.
Wesley Chapel, FL 33544
813-907-0526
katshe@aol.com
Gifted Children’s
Coordinator
Theresa Hohmann
897 Crestridge Cir
Tarpon Springs, FL 34688
727-942-7735
theresahohmann@yahoo.com
Calendar Editor
Dana Groulx
21416 Cypress Tree Ct.
Land O’Lakes, FL 34639
813-996-5552
llama@sports-pac.com
Member At Large
Barbara Loewe
P.O. Box 764
Land O’Lakes, FL 34639
813-968-3343
bloewe@juno.com
Web Spinner
Ronan Heffernan
27504 Breakers Dr.
Wesley Chapel, FL 33543
813-732-2310
ronan@tampabay.rr.com
Education Outreach
Coordinator
Richard Manno
mannorichard@yahoo.com
RVC, Region 10
Maggie Truelove
3333 Honeysuckle Lane
Belle Isle, FL 32812
407-855-9078
RVC10@cfl.rr.com
Scribe
Jay Johnson
5051 Cardiff Dr
Holiday, FL 34690
727-934-9575
jayjohnson5295@yahoo.com
S.I.G.H.T. Coordinator
Susan Anderson
10733 Dowry Ave.
Tampa, FL 33615
813-855-4020
susiea1000@aol.com
Sounding Editor
Erica Rogers
520 11th Ave N. #4
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727-204-4230
eurekakid@hotmail.com
OTHER CONTACTS
Ombudsman / Membership
Officer
Frank Clarke
150 Colette Court
Oldsmar, FL 34677
727-452-7399
mvsrexx@tampabay.rr.com
Elections Officer
Pat Tuley
10912 Carnelian Lane
Riverview, FL 33569
813-654-2259
patuley@aol.com
Activities Coordinator
Gina Boogher
717-887-8743
gmboogher@yahoo.com
American Mensa Ltd.
1229 Corporate Dr. W.
Arlington, TX 76006-6103
817-607-0060
AmericanMensa@mensa.org
Testing Coordinator
Barbara Counts
4610 Catalonia Way S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33712
727-864-6796
barbruns@earthlink.net
Proctors
Barbara Counts
Thomas Thomas
Publisher
Sylvester (Les) Milewski
9091 St Andrews Dr
Seminole Fl 33777
727-397-8483
LesMiles@aol.com
Open Positions
Election Committee (1)
ARRR-R G! volunteers
Tampa Bay Sounding (USPS 305-830) is published monthly by Tampa Bay Mensa at 9091 St. Andrews Dr, Seminole, Fl 33777.
Periodicals postage paid at St. Petersburg, FL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Tampa Bay Sounding, c/o American Mensa
Ltd., 1229 Corporate Dr. West, Arlington, TX 76006-6103.
22 Tampa Bay Sounding March 2007

March 2007 Tampa Bay Sounding 23
Postmaster:
Send Address Changes to:
Tampa Bay Sounding
c/o American Mensa Ltd.
1229 Corporate Drive West
Arlington TX 76006-6103
Periodicals Postage Paid
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