Puzzles and puzzle-solving techniques.

Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Clouseau, the rubix cube, poker tricks mysterious disappearances. Some puzzles are for amusement, some are for entertainment. A puzzle could be solved to dazzle friends or even an audience. What can not be seen is infused by the assumed and you might be bamboozled. Other times a puzzle occurs in the legal field and could be the difference between life or death. Yet further the puzzle could be determining the real cause of a death. Whatever the case, all puzzles hinges on the declared challenge: "Solve me, if you can !" 

Dr. Ryan Blumenthal

Dr Ryan Blumenthal is a Senior Specialist Forensic Pathologist at the University of Pretoria’s Department of Forensic Medicine. His chief field of interest is the pathology of trauma of lightning (keraunopathology). He has been involved in the publication of numerous articles and textbooks on lightning and electrothermal injuries and has helped generate international standard operating procedures and guidelines for lightning strike fatality and electrocution victims. He has published widely in the fields of suicide and other areas involving the pathology of trauma.

The author pushing a needle through a copper block in a matchbox

Today however Ryan wore another hat - most literally - and showed us the magic of puzzles.

Beverley and Kolver with Ryan's signature illusion.

Pretoria Chapter - ready for magic !!

Listen to the Presentation

View the slides

SAD BUT FUN 

Some time ago I suggested we call the new members evening what it really is - half party and a full-on social. 'Tis the stuff of dreams, pulling out all the stops to show new members, new almost members and their curious significant other's, plus one's or chaperones the true social character of this glorious chapter of ours. OK I suggested we also invite the philosophy SIG - the actual one, not the social SIG after some tequila and we are looking forward to that !!

That was the fun part, the sad part hinges around the subsequent closure of one of the stall wards of new members evenings, the ever popular dimly lit hideout where we felt welcome, were welcomed and served the best dishes - the timeless

'Tings and Times.

We salute you old friend and thank you for nights of wisdom and banter in your belly!!

The Gang at 'Tings

Bev and Kolver - laughing at me..not with me - hehehe

4-eyes and the rest

   

Ilze and Pieter - always lang technical!

Solid Waste in South Africa – what is your role?

South Africa generated an estimated 108 million tonnes of solid waste in 2011, of which

only 10% was recycled.Every year, we throw away an estimated R17 billion worth of

resources as waste, which could have been fed back into the South African

manufacturing economy.

How are we, as consumers, part of this problem? 

How do we maximise the opportunities that waste presents as a secondary resource as we move towards the vision of a Circular Economy?

 And what are some of the key challenges facing the growth of a local secondary resources economy?

Prof Linda Godfrey

Prof Linda Godfrey is a Principal Scientist with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and an Associate Professor at Northwest University, and holds a PhD in Engineering from the University of KwaZulu­Natal. She currently heads up the Waste Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Roadmap Implementation Unit on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology.The Unit is tasked with implementing South Africa’s 10­year Waste RDI Roadmap.Her research interests include the role of the waste sector in transitioning South Africa to a green economy; waste innovation;waste economics; the governance, social and behavioural aspects of integrated waste management; and the role of waste information as policy and behaviour ­change instrument.

Prof Godfrey has provided strategic input to a number of waste and green economy initiatives for the European Union, Departments of Science and Technology and Environmental Affairs; Development Bank of South Africa; Academy of Sciences of South Africa; Institute of Waste Management and several universities. She has been invited to speak at numerous local and international scientific conferences, technical expert panels and meetings.She has published extensively in the field of solid waste management and provides review to both local and international peer reviewed scientific publications.

Beverley thanking Prof.Linda

Pretoria Mensans - eager to learn!

Listen to the Presentation     View the Slides

MENSA INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2016

The art of photography is an area where Mensans from over 50 countries with different languages, customs and traditions can converge with a single, visual language!  

Use your creativity, skills, and technical expertise to produce your entry in this year’s PhotoCup competition. 

The theme for 2016 is 

“UNEXPECTED!” 

Let your imagination run wild.

Your Mensa chapter is holding a national competition to select entries for the International phase. 

The Mensa International Photographer of the Year 2016 could be you!

      MENSA PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

Intercontinental Project Convergence “IPC”

The Search for the International Mensa Photographer of the Year 2016

RULES OF THE COMPETITION FOR PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

• This competition is organized by the National Mensa of South-Africa as part of the International Project Convergence.
• The theme for 2016 is UNEXPECTED!
• There is no fee for entry into the Competition. The entrant must be a financial member in good standing of Mensa South-Africa for the duration of the competition.
• Photos should be in JPG format not exceeding 1 MB.  Entries in the national competition must be received by 20 July 2016 [NB: Winning prints will be scanned into JPGs for entry into the International competition.]
• Name, membership number and title of photograph should be included in the photo information/label or in the text of the email.
• The photos should be in .jpg format and e-mailed to the following national mailing address: marketing@mensa.org.za
• Each entrant may submit up to three images only.
• All entries must be the sole work of the entrant.
• The three best entries in the national competition will be selected by a locally organized Judging Panel. Entries will be judged on the effectiveness of how they convey the theme as well as composition, technical and other considerations. The decision of the Judging Panel is final. The national winner will win the title of Mensa South-Africa Photographer of the Year 2016.
• The three best entries in each national Mensa competition will be included in the Mensa World PhotoCup competition run under the supervision of Mensa International. The closing date for the (International) Mensa World PhotoCup is 20 August 2016. The International winner (MIL Photographer of the Year) will be selected by a professional judging panel which will include the Mensa International Chairman ex-officio.
• Winning photographs will become part of the “Mensa IPC Collection” and will be exhibited at the Annual Gatherings and otherwise publicized, inside and outside Mensa.
• Entrants will retain copyright of their photos but will grant Mensa non-exclusive rights for publication in Mensa journals, on Mensa websites, on Photo SIG posters, for display in exhibitions, or other appropriate places as part of the Mensa IPC Collection without any financial reward to the contestant.
• Contestants agree that their name and country may be published nationally and internationally.
• By submitting entries for the competition, the entrant accepts all the conditions listed above.

DOWNLOAD

HiQORA on FaceBook

    2016 HiQORA World Champion - Tammy McLeod

Meet the HIQORA 2016 World Finalists

Results of ROUND 2   Round 2 TOP40

Results of ROUND 1  Round 1 TOP40

REMEMBER - to REGISTER!!

DOWNLOAD

AMATEUR RADIO 

Old-school? No..very cool !

We have grown accustomed and reliant upon mobile phones, WiFi and satellite communication in our society and surely amateur radio passed it sell by date long ago?  What could it possibly offer and what does it entail? Suffice to say Andre showed us amateur of ham radio is till the gateway to affordable dependable communication, an introduction to electronic and mechanical engineering principles but above all a self-sufficient lifeline when disaster strikes and conventional communication networks are compromised.

Ham Radio's 

About Andre du Plessis

Andre du Plessis

Andre is an Amateur Radio Operator with 33 years experience in this hobby. With some family and friends of his parents being radio amateur operators, he was aware of the hobby and relevant electronics and started playing with electronics while in elementary school. He started with crystal set receivers and then transistor receivers and amplifiers. He built an FM wireless microphone with some of the first integrated circuits available in South Africa.

Andre studied electronics at Tuks until A lack of funds halted his studies. Thereafter Andre started working at the Department of Post and Telecommunications in 1976 and obtained his Higher National Diploma in Telecommunications, operating as a “Jack of all Trades”. He retired as specialist from Telkom SA after nearly 39 years. Early during 1981 a colleague urged him to write the Radio Amateur exams. His operating call­sign has been ZR6AGA since ever since contacts include NASA Space Shuttle Columbia and South African Mark Shuttleworth on board the Russian space station.

He was member of the South African Radio League and served in Centurion Amateur Radio Club for many years as member of the technical team and Chairman. He was the owner of a computer and electronics company for 10 years in his private time during his tenure at Telkom. Other hobbies include travelling, electronics, photography and genealogy. He has been married to Petro for 40 years and has two sons in the IT industry.

Beverly presenting a thank-you-hamper to Andre

Listen to the Presentation                 View the Invitation

Tequila - it is a well known saying that when life hands you lemons, make lemonade...well some of us at Mensa Pretoria carry tequila and salt around - just in case life gets liberal with the lemons !! 

The speaker scheduled to talk about the paradoxes of time travel ran into unexpected difficulty and could not make it to the venue on time (pun intended - hiehie) but on a serious note he had no lasting side effects from the event.

With Mensans from far and wide expecting a talk on time travel and no-one to present yours truly suggested an open mic on the topic.

It was a roaring success to the extent that it was decided to have at least on open mic evening per year. So send us your topics of choice lest we use a voting poll on social media!!

DOWNLOAD

DOWNLOAD

Orania's Yellow Brick Road: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Orania is an intentional Afrikaner community on the banks of the Orange River in the Bo-

Karoo (Northern Cape). The community was founded in 1991 when Prof. Carel Boshoff and a number of supporters bought the dilapidated town from the Department of Water Affairs for approximately R1.5m. Today the investment has grown to an estimated R400m. The town currently has a population of 1,100. 

From inception Orania positioned itself as a community serious about sustainability in 

respect of environment, resources and culture. The presentation provided a bird’s eye view of the town’s history, the political questions the Orania ­idea had and still has to deal with, the revised strategy of becoming a “rural city” and why Orania is more relevant today than in 1990.

The Orania approach of creating a de facto reality before expecting de jure recognition was also be explained with a brief reference to the philiosophy of an active citizenry engaged in the community via various voluntary associations and institutions, as

opposed to one centralised authority.

Parallels with Israel and the Zionist movement could also be drawn when it is explained 

how interested parties can get involved.

About Gawie Snyman:

He grew up in the Northern Cape, being well aware of Orania, but never really interested in the Volkstaat concept. He obtained his LLB and LLM degrees from the University of Pretoria and practiced law in Nylstroom before leaving for the United Kingdom on a 2 year working holiday. The 2 years ended up being 10 years of mostly work and not enough holiday. It is during his time in the UK that Gawie became convinced of the sustainability and justness of the Orania model ­ he subsequently helped to facilitate several networking events for the Orania Movement in the United Kingdom. 

Gawie returned to South Africa in February 2015 and is currently the Manager of the Orania Movement’s Pretoria branch, primarily tasked with organising events and networking with other Afrikaner cultural organisations, role players and opinionators.

View the Invitation

DOWNLOAD

Cockpit Psychology

Advances in technology requires society to adapt to changes beyond the increased pace and efficiency, to increased safety and social accountability. 

To that end the pilot takes responsibility for human life both on board and on terra firma, while trying to protect his/her own livelihood by not being unnecessarily grounded. 

To assist in managing this process the aviation bodies of the world rely ever heavier on the psychologist. Johan Erasmus is such a psychologist, and commercial pilot advancing the quest in South Africa.

Johan Erasmus of Erasmustherapy.com

About Johan Erasmus

Johan is a registered Clinical Psychologist in private practice. He has a keen interest in Medical psychology and consults in various hospitals apart from his practice in Lynnwood Manor. He also has a keen interest in Aviation Psychology and sits on a National Advisory Panel on complex medical matters for the Director of Civil Aviation. He holds a Commercial Pilots Licence and Flight Instructors rating. During the time in private practice, he participated in various national, international workshops and conferences. He also co-­published various articles in popular magazines and also appear as a regular guest in a medical journal program on a community radio station, covering topics relating to psychology. 

Johan has a specific interest in the field of Aviation Psychology and Medical Psychology and apart from sessions done at the rooms in Lynnwood Manor, conduct hospital visits on request from medical specialists and personnel, or patients themselves. His keen interest in Aviation Psychology also stems from the fact that he is the holder of a Commercial Pilots Licence and Flight Instructors Rating. He is a member of the Civil Aviation Authority`s (CAA) Aviation Medical Committee where the purpose is to advise the Director of the CAA regarding complex medical problems that may place limitations on licence holders. 

He is part of the Pretoria Head and Neck Forum specialist group, associate member of the European Association for Aviation Psychology and a lifelong Honorary Rotary Foundation member.

View the Invitation     View the Presentation