March 24 – Sunday

7p Channing Club. See April 28. (RSE 4 Su)

27 – Wednesday

5:30p Re-BORG. (NOTE ONE-TIME CHANGE OF WEEK.) Berkeley-Oakland Restaurant Group is reborn and revived in honor of the incomparable Cathy Roha, who initiated this event and hosted it for many years. Assimilate delicious food and interesting conversation at a good restaurant somewhere in the central East Bay. Bring cash, your vaccination card, and a mask. Limited seating. E-mail or call ahead for location up to a week ahead. RSVP by 3p on Tuesday, March 26. Roberta Maguire, robertamaguire/a/t/hotmail.com, (510) 292-6370. PC, NS, NMPCW, ACW (RSE 3 W)

6p A Crack in Creation Discussion. Join us for a discussion of A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution by Jennifer A. Doudna and Samuel H. Sternberg, one chapter at a time. This week we’re reading Chapter 8: What Lies Ahead. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

28 – Thursday

11:45a South Bay Lunch. See April 11. (RSE 2,4 Th)

30 – Saturday

4p “Blind” Wine Tasting. Join us for an afternoon “blind” wine tasting at the awesome Russian Hill home of a fellow Mensan. During this tasting, attendees will sample various red wines while chatting with fellow attendees and noshing on cheese and charcuterie. For more info and to RSVP, see www.meetup.com/sfmensa/events/299563666. Hosted by Katie To. PC, NC

April 1 – Monday

4:01p SFRM Salt and Pepper Shaker Exchange Program. Tired of the same old salt and pepper shakers on your dinner table? Register with the SFRM S&P Exchange Program – participants get a different set every three months, and are free to negotiate for a permanent swap. Note: use of kosher salt can be requested but not guaranteed; substitutes such as KCl are not allowed. Send a picture of your S&Ps, and contact details, to vcbag/a/t/dslextreme.com to register. Transportation TBD. Hosted by Gary Koerzendorfer. PC, NMPCW, FE

2 – Tuesday

5p Tuesday Tipplers will meet at San Rafael Joe’s, 931 4th St., San Rafael 94901, at 5p for drinks in the bar and then move on to dinner in the dining room after an hour. Park on the street or in the city garage behind the restaurant. If you have questions e-mail Ed Sabrack at edsabrack/a/t/comcast.net or call (415) 472-3725. PC (RSE 1 Tu)

5:45p Dinner, Drinks, Biorhythms, and Decarbonization. Join us for drinks, dinner, and another great science-based Wonderfest presentation at the HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato 94945. We meet for drinks and dinner at 5:45p. At 6:45p we’ll move to the session room for two talks. First up, Stanford biologist Mila Pamplona-Barbosa on “Biological Rhythms: From Ants to You.” How can ants possibly organize their behavior? An ant colony can have hundreds to millions of individuals and, even with all that complexity, the colony still manages to get work done. How does this time-dependent self-organization happen? And what does this have to do with the internal timings of the human body? Next, UC Berkeley computer scientist Ari Ball-Burach on “Complexity in Controlling Greenhouse Gases.” Social, technological, and economic systems are complex: they interact, and they exhibit both balancing and reinforcing feedbacks. Wise policy can use this very complexity to improve the “decarbonization” of the atmosphere. Complexity-aware decarbonization policy addresses climate change at local, national, and global scales. Complete details of this free event are at wonderfest.org/category/event/coming-events/. More information on HopMonk’s menu, etc. is here: www.hopmonk.com/novato. RSVP on the SFRM Meetup (preferred) or e-mail Valerie Taylor (northbay/a/t/sfmensa.org). PC, NMPCW, WCE, NS, NC, NXM

3 – Wednesday

6p Dominion Discussion. We will be reading Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 1, Athens 479 BC: The Hellespont. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

6 – Saturday

6p Start the Month Right is in transition. The April party will be the last at our house and we are looking for another host. See elsewhere in this Intelligencer for a description of what’s involved in hosting it. At Elna and Adrian Tymes’ home in Mountain View. Come celebrate the 44th year and longest running monthly social event in all of American Mensa (at Elna’s home every month since 1981)! Potluck dinner, unstructured socializing, games, and talk. We provide the main dish; you bring salad, bread, or dessert to share and YOB. $1 donation requested. No reservations needed. Info (650) 969-6650. Guests of Mensans must be accompanied by the member. Masks optional. PC, SO, WBC, WCD, C/D (RSE 1 Sat)

7 – Sunday

1:30p High School Robotics Competition. 125-lb. student- designed, built, wired, and programmed robots compete three-on-three to collect and score 10″ soft orange toroids in one of three goals, with varying degrees of difficulty. Matches are 2:30, with the first 15 seconds “autonomous” – robots operate only on preprogrammed instructions – thereafter controlled by students with joysticks or gamepads. In the final 20 seconds, robots can score extra points by hanging from a chain on the field, with a bonus for two robots on the same chain, but risking damage from the adjacent robot. Game video at youtu.be/9keeDyFxzY4. 60 teams participate, including ’bots from Australia, India, and Turkey; winning teams advance to the World Championships in Houston or Detroit. Competition runs Friday through Sunday, April 5 through 7, with matches starting at noon on Friday and 8:30a on Saturday and Sunday. Playoffs and finals start Sunday, April 7 at 1:30p. Spectators are free to visit the “pits” to see the robots up close. Berkeley HS, 1980 Allston Way, Berkeley. See http://www.firstinspires.org/team-event-search/event?id=70082 for more information. Hosted by Gary Koerzendorfer. PC, ACW, NMPCW, NXM

4p Albany Hill Hike. Join us for a one-hour scenic and historic hike up and around Albany Hill. The trail is steep in spots, but the views are expansive. Special bonus: We have scheduled the Sather Tower Solar Beacon to shine directly upon us as we arrive at the top of the hill. Meet under Pacific East Mall Jumbotron just behind the bus stop on the east side of Pierce St. between Central Ave. in El Cerrito and Washington Ave. in Albany. Free parking is available in the mall lot, which is seven tenths of a mile from the El Cerrito Plaza BART station. Please contact Roberta Maguire to make sure she is in town at robertamaguire/a/t/hotmail.com or (510) 292-6370. PC, ACW, NMPCW, NS, WCI, NXM (RSE 1 Su)

8 – Monday

4p San Francisco Pub Get-Together. Stop by after work or, if you don’t work downtown, just come anyway. All Mensans and their guests are welcome, provided that they are at least 21, at Patriot House in 2 Embarcadero Center (Sacramento St. between Front St. and Davis St.), SF 94111. Take the inside escalator to the 2nd floor, turn right twice, and then follow the sign to the stairs to the 3rd floor. The restaurant’s entrance is near the top of those stairs on the 3rd floor. Look for the Mensa logo on our table or ask one of the waitresses to find us. Starting at 4p, but arrive when you can and leave when you’re ready. We will be there for several hours. They have a Happy Hour from 4p until 6p, with the kitchen closing at 9p and the bar closing at 10p. RSVP preferred on Mensa’s Meetup site at www.meetup.com/SFMensa, less preferred by e-mail to fill-in host (April only) Ned Martini at nedmartini/a/t/hotmail.com. If you find that you can’t come after RSVPing “Yes”, please change your RSVP to “No” before the event takes place. PC, NC, NS, NMPCW (RSE 2 M)

6p Online Board Games. Come explore some board games that can be played on the Web. If you’re new, please create a (free) account at boardgamearena.com and follow the setup instructions. We’ll meet online with Zoom to establish voice contact, and then we’ll decide on a game to try out. RSVP on the Meetup calendar if possible, otherwise contact Karl Heuer at puzzles/a/t/sfmensa.org or (650) 648-3594. PC, NMPCW, ACW

9 – Tuesday

5:30p Apt To In Aptos Mensa Bar Group is held at Sevy’s Bar + Kitchen at Seacliff Inn, 7500 Old Dominion Court, Aptos 95003, www.seacliffinn.com/santa-cruz-restaurants on the second Tuesday of the month, running until about 7:30p. Come join Central Coast Mensans: Forget last month’s feces and anticipate this month’s blindsides. T(R)oast past friends, find new ones, and introduce current ones, all while contemplating how it all defaults to QM scaled. Courtesy e-mail to host Stew Gibson at LooseId/a/t/ix.netcom.com with subject “Sevy” for restaurant head count is appreciated, but not required. Tip 20% on the bill, with separate checks. PC, NMPCW (RSE 2 Tu)

6:45p Puzzled Pint. Who likes PUZZLES? The kind where part of the game is to figure out what you need to be doing in the first place? Want to do it as part of a team, so you can bounce ideas off each other, and let someone else do the parts that you find uninteresting? This is a monthly event held in the bay area (and simultaneously elsewhere in the world), at a convenient pub where we might order food and drink before or during the game. RSVP to Karl Heuer at puzzles/a/t/sfmensa.org or (650) 648-3594 (voice or text) to reserve your spot and learn the address. If Game Control has arranged a pub, it’s probably in Sunnyvale or Mountain View, near Central Expressway. Otherwise, the event host will select a non-pub location in Milpitas or the Berryessa area of San Jose. PC, NMPCW, NS, NXM (RSE 2 Tu)

Intelligencer Deadline. Deadline for calendar events, advertising, members’ free ads, and all other content. See above for information on submitting events. PC (RSE Tu after 1 Sa)

10 – Wednesday

6p Dominion Discussion. We will be reading Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 2, Jerusalem 63 BC: Jerusalem. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

11 – Thursday

11:45a South Bay Lunch. Meet at Scrambl’z, 5055 Almaden Expressway, San Jose 95118 (near Hwys. 85 & 87), (408) 269-2900. Voted one of the best breakfast restaurants around. Extensive menu online at scramblz-sj.com/. Sandra Anderson, (408) 997-3187. Vaccinated only, please. PC, NMPCW, WCE (RSE 2,4 Th)

12n Thursday Munchers, a lunch group in Marin dedicated to trying different restaurants. This month we will visit Creekside Pizza & Taproom, 638 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo 94960, (415) 801-3265, www.creeksidesa.com. RSVP by Sunday, April 7, to Elizabeth Calaway at (415) 456-9220 or elizterrycalaway/a/t/aol.com. PC (RSE Th after 2 Tu)

13 – Saturday

4p Big Ideas Reading Group: An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong. In An Immense World, Yong coaxes us beyond the confines of our own senses, allowing us to perceive the skeins of scent, waves of electromagnetism, and pulses of pressure that surround us. We encounter beetles that are drawn to fires, turtles that can track the Earth’s magnetic fields, fish that fill rivers with electrical messages, and even humans who wield sonar like bats. We listen to stories of pivotal discoveries in the field, while looking ahead at the many mysteries that remain unsolved. For May 11 on Zoom: How The World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We Are Going by Vaclav Smil. We have a list of books read at www.bigideasreadinggroup.com/BIRG2.html. For questions and invitations to our Zoom meetings please contact Chris Boyd at snoboyd/a/t/sbcglobal.net. PC, NMPCW, NXM (RSE 2 Sa)

14 – Sunday

2:30p Speaker Series: Let’s Talk About Money with Marci Grossman, CPA. On Zoom. This talk will be about money and the importance of financial literacy. Money is the medium by which we exchange what we have for what we want. The better you understand it, the better decisions you can make regarding how you use your money. When were you taught about money? How do you talk to your spouse, parents, or children about money? Do you understand the financial decisions you make every day, and how they impact your opportunities for the future? Grossman is a CPA with over 30 years of experience helping individuals and businesses to manage their financial needs. She is a financial literacy educator, author, and speaker passionate about encouraging people to take control and improve their relationship with money. In plain English, sharing true stories, she helps people to better understand the financial decisions they make every day. Please register early for this meeting at livepresentation.link/Register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from Zoom containing the link that you will need to join. Hosted by Judy Unger. PC

17 – Wednesday

5:30p Re-BORG. Berkeley-Oakland Restaurant Group is reborn and revived in honor of the incomparable Cathy Roha, who initiated this event and hosted it for many years. Assimilate delicious food and interesting conversation at a good restaurant somewhere in the central East Bay. Bring cash, your vaccination card, and a mask. Limited seating. E-mail or call ahead for location up to a week ahead. RSVP by 3p on Tuesday, April 16. Roberta Maguire, robertamaguire/a/t/hotmail.com, (510) 292-6370. PC, NS, NMPCW, ACW (RSE 3 W)

6p Dominion Discussion. We will be reading Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 3, Mission AD 19: Galatia. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

18 – Thursday

7p Palo Alto Dining at Tamarine Restaurant. About half a mile from the Palo Alto/University Avenue Caltrain station, Tamarine Restaurant features Vietnamese cuisine. It is located at 546 University Ave., Palo Alto 94301. Dishes include shrimp spring rolls, tea leaf beef, green papaya salad, lemongrass sea bass, and more. See their menu at tamarinerestaurant.com/menu. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s tasty. Join us for good food and good conversation. To reserve, contact Susan Heimlich at susan.heimlich/a/t/gmail.com or call/text (650) 714-4972 by Tuesday, April 16. Be sure to get a confirmation. Please bring cash. For last minute changes, call (650) 714-4972. PC, NMPCW

20 – Saturday

7p Teton Tea. Teton Tea Parties are folk-singing parties going back to the 1950s. We welcome both traditional folk singing and singer/songwriters. Our 3rd Saturday meetings are currently on Zoom. Join the Zoom meeting: us02web.zoom.us/j/6912937135?pwd=WvlpMEs1SCs0c1FoZk5seUhoREVaZz09. Meeting ID: 691 293 7135. Password: berkeley. Hosted by Kevin Langdon, kevinlangdon86/a/t/yahoo.com. PC (RSE 3 Sa) 

24 – Wednesday

5:30p Trivia Night at the Patriot House gastropub in San Francisco. The contest is free, starts at 6p, and lasts about 2 hours, but please arrive about 5:30p, so that we don’t lose the table that I’ve reserved. If you’re a member of our SFRM Meetup group, RSVP on Meetup if you’re planning on coming, so that I can be sure to reserve a large enough table. If you’re not a member of our SFRM Meetup group, RSVP by e-mailing host Barry Krasner at 3bwkbwk3/a/t/gmail.com. Guests are allowed, so be sure to include the number of guests that you’re bringing when you RSVP. If you RSVP “Yes” and then find that you can’t attend after all, it’s very important that you change your RSVP to “No” as far in advance as possible. The Patriot House is located in Embarcadero Center #2, on the 3rd (top) floor. Enter from Sacramento St. between Front St. and Davis St. Take the inside escalator to the 2nd floor, then turn right twice and follow the sign to the stairs to the 3rd floor. The restaurant is near the top of those stairs. You’ll recognize our group by the Mensa logo that I will have on top of our table. If in doubt, ask the wait staff for “The Mensa Group”. PC, NC, NS, NMPCW

6p Dominion Discussion. We will be reading Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 4, Belief AD 177: Lyon. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

25 – Thursday

11:45a South Bay Lunch. See April 11. (RSE 2,4 Th)

26 – Friday

6:30p Virtual Happy Hour. Mix up your favorite beverage. Bring out some happy-hour munchies and join us for a virtual relaxing time. RSVP on Meetup for the Zoom Link. Hosted by Judy Unger, junger2040/a/t/gmail.com. PC (RSE 4 F)

27 – Saturday

6p Online Board Games. See April 8.

28 – Sunday

7p Channing Club is a wide-ranging discussion group which has been meeting, in one form or another, for over half a century. There are no assigned topics; we discuss whatever is on participants’ minds. Our meetings are currently on Zoom. Join the Zoom meeting: us02web.zoom.us/j/6912937135?pwd=WvlpMEs1SCs0c1FoZk5seUhoREVaZz09. Meeting ID: 691 293 7135. Password: berkeley. Hosted by Kevin Langdon, kevinlangdon86/a/t/yahoo.com. PC (RSE 4 Su)

30 – Tuesday

5:45p Dinner, Drinks, Imperfect Communication, Growth, and Form. Join us for drinks, dinner, and another great science-based Wonderfest presentation at the HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato 94945. We meet for drinks and dinner at 5:45p. At 6:45p we’ll move to the session room for two talks. First up, UC Berkeley psychologist Sophia Li on “Imperfect Communication.” As a communicator, one wants to transfer information from one’s mind into the minds of listeners. Research shows that both listeners and uninvolved observers have overly positive perceptions of any communicator. They believe that the communicator knows more than s/he actually does and has articulated thoughts better than s/he actually has. Next, Stanford physicist Josh Tong on “Growth and Form.” Living creatures grow and transform their shape, to the awe of many scientists. What does it mean to grow? How do we compare an organism at different stages of its growth? Mathematics can help us find the way to understand this fundamental transformation. Complete details of this free event are at wonderfest.org/category/event/coming-events/. More information on HopMonk’s menu, etc. is here: www.hopmonk.com/novato. RSVP on the SFRM Meetup (preferred) or e-mail Valerie Taylor (northbay/a/t/sfmensa.org). PC, NMPCW, WCE, NS, NC, NXM

May 1 – Wednesday

6p Dominion Discussion. We will be reading Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 5, Charity AD 362: Pessinus. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

4 – Saturday

6p Start the Month Right. See April 6. (RSE 1 Sa)