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Tucson Mensa
Mensun
Excerpts from the latest issue of The Tucson Mensun.
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August, 2002
Report from the AG!Tucson had several "virgins" at the AG. Word is that they were pleasantly surprised by the programs, the friendliness of our extended "family", and the sophisticated arrangements by the Phoenix group. Those of who are habitual atten-dees were not surprised, but had our usual good time - and then some. Programs varied from Serious to Silly, and every level in between. Hospitality was lavish and the location was lush. For me, walking (boy, did we have walking!) into Hospitality and seeing friends from the East, West, North and South Coasts - and everywhere in between - was like a big HUG! This was the second AG I could drive to, and I hope there will be others near enough. However, an AG - or an RG - is worth the air or train fare. See you in Minneapolis! Or, as it is said, "Same time next year!". -Peggie Dearden Activities Coordinator
From the LocSec-To all members--the following are the minutes of a meeting held last April among selected Ms and friends who were interested in discussing a program or series of programs through the auspices of "Tucson Vision" at Access Tucson (Cox TV). They are self-explanatory, and we hope, they’ll interest a number of you in joining the project. As a special note, let me add that these minutes were at that time forwarded to National, along with information regarding the Tucson Vision service. I had a chance there to meet with Don Pendley, AMC Development Officer; also with Jim Blackmore, APR Marketing Director, my initial contact at National. Their immediate concern was (and is) how the Mensa name and logo might be used, in what context. After some discussion, and assuring them our primary goal would be to present a positive image to the community at large, they were enthusiastic. They are interested in eventually bringing our efforts out as a CD on "how to do it" for distribution to other interested Mensa chapters. (This was offered including a grant, should we have need or be interested in receiving one!) I’m also given to understand through local M Joan O’Dwyer that San Diego Mensa has been involved with community TV over a number of years, so we’ll be making enquiries there through Barbara Lytle, our Regional Vice Chairman. We aren’t there yet! So, please, all who have an interest in this going forward, contact me and we’ll set up another get-together. A SUMMARY OF THE FIRST MEETING ABOUT THE TUCSON VISION PROJECT Attendees - Scott Benjamin (LocSec), Bob Leff, Jeff Horowitz, Ken Morse (former LocSec), Ruth Pancost, Bill Taylor, and Jack Kerwin (first Tucson LocSec!) It was generally accepted that a public access tv program addressing the issue of Tucson Mensa’s image in the community would be a benefit--ergo, a program to be hosted by Tucson Mensa. Under the temporary title of Stimulating the Mind, topics were separated roughly into the following categories: EXTRINSIC- A. reflecting excellence in programs discovered in the community, e.g. active aging e.g SAGE for seniors, gifted children’s programs such as ODYSSEY OF THE MIND, gaming stores and emporia such as THINGS FOR THINKERS, special education programs, state educational testing programs, etc. B. topics of merit, stimulating to the mind - astronomy, a program about the brain itself a la Nova, art, music, invention, technology, etc. INTRINSIC- Mensa itself, about the organization; possibly a call-in show challenging the "experts". Lively discussion ensued, especially around the subjects of merit and how these ideas might be packaged and/or produced. One idea, a la "Literati" format, was that each subject would be under the guidance or direction of the member of our group most interested and/or familiar with the topic. The benefit of a tape library of individual shows that could be shared with National, other Mensa groups, or displayed at RGs was also suggested and widely accepted. An initial pilot show presenting a sampler of the topics above was proposed, in which Mensa could be gently profiled. Such a program might take the form of first introducing the theme of ‘stimulating the mind - what the mind is, in brief (by an expert from the UA, possibly); followed by local community programs that serve this stimulating of the mind, concluding with the profile of Mensa and how we fit into the picture. [A coda could propose that in subsequent programs of the series we will take these topics and/or special programs up in detail, with opportunity for audience participation by phone.] Arrangements are being made with Miguel Ortega, Director of Tucson Vision at Cox, for us to attend their special half-day workshop for non-profit groups. More on this very soon. To all who were not able to make this seminal gathering--join us! -Bill Taylor
KILLING GOPHERSRobert L. Lee Killing gophers consumed him. Killing gophers mattered more than beets, broccoli, or beans. More than carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, or corn. It almost drove me crazy. He had spent the late summer walking around the new place, testing the soil. A new neighbor had helped, donating a ton or so of topsoil and manure from his cattle and sheep corrals. The warm winter days of southern Arizona gave him time to mix the new soil with the old, and after work, weekends, and school holidays I helped him put up some fence panels to keep the chickens and rabbits out of the new garden. Early spring was planting time. He was pleased with his efforts, and excited when the seeds sprouted and the bedding plants grew. Then a cucumber vine wilted. A broccoli plant disappeared. The gophers had found the garden. He tried drowning the gophers and poisoning them. I tried gassing them and trapping them. Once in a while he’d catch one staggering around near a hole, looking more like a half-drowned sewer rat than a pocket gopher, and promptly dispatch it with a swing or two of his shovel. But the gophers prevailed. I volunteered that it need not happen again. I would rent a small tractor, move the top two feet of dirt off to the side, line the garden area with a carpet of wire mesh, then replace the dirt. It would take money, time, and energy, but the gophers would not be able to repeat their gluttony at our expense. "No, don’t do that," he ordered, as he planted that season’s even-larger garden. "I’m going to get those gophers." Now he spends his days with a hose in one hand and a shovel in the other. He’s tried pouring lye down the gopher holes, almost killing the dog but hardly slowing the gophers’ advance. Even in the rain, he’ll be out there, hose in hand. Pumping water down the holes. He loves it. He’s doing his job. Our vegetables come from the grocery store, now. It almost drove me crazy, but I learned a lesson: it’s easy to stay busy killing gophers, especially when you forget your original purpose. It’s as easy for an elderly ex-farmer/rancher as it is for a younger teacher or administrator. Or legislator, or school board member, or parent, or student. Too much of our educational energy is expended "killing gophers." We have forgotten our original purpose. We have succumbed to the temptation of the distraction. We believe we are succeeding whenever we manage to lay a shovel on a gopher, but the vegetables are shriveling, dying, and disappearing. Proponents of a school or school district plan for improvement might insist that we need more money for hoses and shovels. Critics of the same plan loudly denounce this wasteful spending, pointing out that hoses and shovels have not proven very effective. Instead, they propose more money for traps, or poison, or (if they really want to break the boundaries) for cats, dogs, and gopher snakes as more efficient gopher killers. Yet others will insist that the problem cannot be solved by throwing money at it, that "tightening up" is necessary. But we have forgotten our purpose. We are not here to kill gophers. Rather, we are here to grow vegetables. We are not here to stamp out drugs or to keep guns out of schools or to tinker with class schedules or to build our résumés or to insist loudly and repeatedly that "whole language" is better (or worse) than "phonics;" we are here to grow our students. Our forgetting takes many forms. It sneaks up on us. It takes advantage of our society’s pressures and our individual concerns and weaknesses. It even takes advantage of our strengths. Along the way, our forgetting lays waste to our individual and collective best: our sense of commonality and community and common sense. Then, just for good measure, it destroys our passion for teaching, for treating each student as an individual, for doing the best we can with what we have. ©2000 Robert L. Lee
Literati SIG Slowed By Antique Poison!The Literati met for a reading of Arsenic and Old Lace on Friday, July 26th. Fourteen present, including new Ms Cassandra Meynard and Jeffrey Nadeau. Lively discussion, with serious theater notes provided by David Qualls. Acts I & II were completed, with Act III deferred until August gathering on Friday 23rd (NOT the last Friday, but the 4th Friday.) This will be followed by the original movie version starring Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Gary Cooper, et al. (Suggested by Liz to take advantage of the brevity of Act III, a convention we will endeavor to adopt on future readings, if future directors like the idea.) By the way, sumptuous food. Thanks to each for your contribution.
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