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[prufrock451]

You know, I say disparaging things about a lot of perfectly nice people.

So let's get back to it.

You've heard of Mensa- it's a group that allows geniuses to gather and socialize without the crutch of percentile dice.

What you didn't know is that they're having their annual convention in Orlando this year. In August. Orlando in August. Because they

Comments

[pyat]

Sounds like a furry convention! Except at a furry convention you have an invisible green dot tatooed permanently on your forehead.

[prufrock451]

I think staring fixedly at an imaginary dot on people's foreheads would be a very large part of my furry convention experience.

[magdalene1]

The hug dot thing is hilarious and knowing it kind of secretly makes my day in an evil fashion.

[prufrock451]

I think this should be an everyday thing.

[magdalene1]

See, but most people know the default settings for hugging people you just met (don't), or hugging new friends and acquaintances (think about the other person's body language, comfort zone, your history with that person, the situation, etc.).

Only MENSA must encode it in a system. I wonder how many incidents led to this policy?

[prufrock451]

I have no idea. I would love to see the meeting where this came up. I'm picturing the board of Mensa around a vast round table, in the middle of their mom's basement.

Someone mentions how awkward hugging makes them. So they start doodling up equations and flowcharts and measuring the exact body language and historical background you'd need to make a hug acceptable, and they spend three hours just modeling the human figures for their test run simulations, and then their mom comes in and suggests the dot thing and gives everyone lemonade.

Pointed here by magdalene1....

[crankyasanoldma]

Reading the FAQs make it sound like these people don't often poke their nose out of their houses. What do I tip? What if I need a rental car? Come on.

Actually, should I be surprised?

Re: Pointed here by magdalene1....

[prufrock451]

I reveal something now- I was, as a teenager, a member of Mensa.

I never went to the meetings because I was too painfully shy.

TRUE.

Re: Pointed here by magdalene1....

[crankyasanoldma]

Well, surely it still had its benefits. You could always pull the membership card out of your wallet and caress it during stressful moments, so there's that.

Apparently our local chapter has its monthly meetings at the Old Country Buffet. Now, I see the allure on one level--you pay separately, upon entrance, so no confusion with checks. And there is no tipping. It has a lot of choice for picky palates. But still, OLD COUNTRY BUFFET.

Midvale School for the Gifted

[magdalene1]

Could you imagine trying to split a dinner check with a bunch of Mensans?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!

[squigsoup]

FOX is also having its promotional meeting in July in Florida, although no one ever accused FOX of being geniuses. (Genuii?)

I would like some sort of color-coded "no touching me" button, to tell you the truth.

[prufrock451]

Especially at a gathering of FOX executives. Busy fingers.

[washeteria]

mensa is so last year

whats the new genius society
the one where they made their own IQ tests that is beyond challenging
where you ahve to understand a kind of imaginary science they invented for the test

do you think amensa convetion sounds terrible
what else woudl you spend your time doign except trying to brag about yourself
which apparently is the thing smarties love to do the most?

i bet its a room full of people
like at any other convention
they are looking to get drunk and hook up with the least ugliest person that will accept their come ons

oh by the way one of my coworkers is big into mensa
hes a curator of eurpoean paintings for what will be the 3rd largest art museum in the country
he has an art history PhD from Harvard
last week at a staff forum
he announced he has trouble crossing the street from the offices to the museum, and thinks we (a non profit) organization shold have a full tiem security guard posted to assist in this task (on a street of which has little traffic)

[prufrock451]

And see? Mensa tells him, "hey, that's okay, because you're a genius."

This is why hunting and gathering went on so long. Anyone who could invent their way out of it got eaten.

[washeteria]

great point

so i guess mensa is a lot like afirmative action
where affirmative action helps to provide minorites and the handicapped get college degree and jobs they may otherwise be looked over for

mensa provides geniuses with group therapy and a safe place awkward genius mating
whcih are thinkgs they would otherwise be looked over for receiving in society