October 29 – Tuesday

1p Naked Economics Discussion. We will be reading Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 13, Development Economics: The wealth and poverty of nations. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Tu)

5:50p Dinner, Drinks, and the Mathematics of Coloring. 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 5:50p. At 6:50p we’ll move to the session room for the talk, “Color Me Curious: The Mathematics of Coloring” with Dr. Cornelia Van Cott, Professor of Mathematics (and department chair), University of San Francisco. Mathematicians have spent decades wrestling with questions about coloring. Here’s one famous example: how many colors do mapmakers need to ensure that no two adjacent regions have the same color? Mathematicians struggled with that for over 100 years! In this colorful presentation, we’ll share these coloring problems, the exciting breakthroughs, and the problems which still need to be solved today. As a geometric topologist, Dr. Van Cott studies knots, surfaces, and … the occasional color map. 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

30 – Wednesday

5:30p Dawn of Everything Discussion. We will be reading The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 8, Imaginary Cities – Eurasia’s first urbanites – in Mesopotamia, the Indus valley, Ukraine and China – and how they built cities without kings. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Stanley Ng. PC (RSE W)

November 2 – Saturday

10a People Love Dead Jews Discussion. We will be reading People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn 20 to 40 pages per week (or however the chapters fall). Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 3, Dead American Jews, Part One and Chapter 4, Executed Jews. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

11:30a Pizza and Pop. Join us for our first annual Fall “Pizza and Pop” get together at Amador Valley Community Park, 4301 Black Ave., Pleasanton 94566. At this family friendly (and dog friendly) event, people can relax over pizza, soda pop, and cake while enjoying our mild Fall weather in a socially distanced setting. This event is sponsored by SFRM so it is free for members, their guests, and their kids. Please note that RSVP is required for this event as I need to know the guest count for planning purposes. RSVP at www.meetup.com/sfmensa/events/303833329/. Note: Hamburgers and hot dogs will not be available at this event. Hosted by Katie To. PC

6p Start the Month Right is continuing at its new location at Karl Heuer’s home in San Jose. Come celebrate the 44th year and longest running monthly social event in all of American Mensa (formerly at Elna Tymes’ home from 1981 to 2024!). We’ll have a potluck dinner, unstructured socialization, games, and talk. Host will provide the main dish; you bring salad, bread, or dessert to share and YOB. $1 donation requested. RSVP encouraged; use Meetup (preferred) or e-mail stmr/a/t/sfmensa.org or phone (650) 648-3594. Masks optional. PC, NMPCW, WBC, NS, WCD, LCR (RSE 1 Sa)

3 – Sunday

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)

5 – Tuesday

1p Naked Economics Discussion. We will be reading Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Epilogue, Life in 2050: eight questions. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Tu)

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)

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)

6 – Wednesday

5:30p Dawn of Everything Discussion. We will be reading The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 9, Hiding in Plain Sight – The indigenous origins of social housing and democracy in the Americas. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Stanley Ng. PC (RSE W)

9 – Saturday

10a People Love Dead Jews Discussion. We will be reading People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn 20 to 40 pages per week (or however the chapters fall). Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 5, Fictional Dead Jews, Chapter 6, Legends of Dead Jews, and Chapter 7, Dead American Jews, Part Two. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

4p Big Ideas Reading Group: A Field Guide to Lies by Daniel J. Levitin. On Zoom. It’s raining bad data, half-truths, and even outright lies. Info Literacy means understanding that there are hierarchies of source quality and bias that variously distort our information feeds via every media channel, including social media. We need to think critically about the words and numbers we encounter if we want to be successful at work, at play, and in making the most of our lives. Readers learn to avoid the extremes of passive gullibility and cynical rejection. For December 14 on Zoom: Quanta and Fields: The Biggest Ideas in the Universe by Sean Carroll. 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)

11 – 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 (November 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

12 – 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)

5:50p Dinner, Drinks, and Inverse Darwinism. 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 5:50p. At 6:50p we’ll move to the session room for the talk, “Inverse Darwinism: Complementary Natural Selection” with Dr. Terrence Deacon, Professor of Anthropology, UC Berkeley. Darwin’s theory of natural selection sheds light on nearly every aspect of evolutionary biology. However, it does not address the source of varying structures and functions that are subsequently culled or preserved by natural selection. Advances in cellular and molecular biology are now bringing these generative processes to light. Such technical advances hint at processes that are complementary to natural selection (but on which natural selection depends) that can be called Inverse Darwinism – and that are changing our understanding of evolution. Dr. Deacon is the author of two particularly influential books: The Symbolic Species: The Co-evolution of Language and the Brain and Incomplete Nature: How Mind Emerged from Matter. 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

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, or maybe San Jose. 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)

13 – Wednesday

5:30p Dawn of Everything Discussion. We will be reading The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 10, Why the State Has No Origin – The humble beginnings of sovereignty, bureaucracy and politics. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Stanley Ng. PC (RSE W)

14 – 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 Emma’s Restaurant, 817 Francisco Blvd. W, San Rafael 94901, (415) 492-1638, emmasrestaurants.com. RSVP by Sunday, November 10, to Elizabeth Calaway at (415) 456-9220 or elizterrycalaway/a/t/aol.com. PC (RSE Th after 2 Tu)

15 – Friday

6:30p Palo Alto Dining. Our group will return to nearby Menlo Park enjoying Chinese cuisine this month at The Mandarin, located at 1029 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 94025. The food is tasty and the conversation pleasant. See the menu online at order.online/business/the-mandarin-864607 to whet your appetite. To say you’ll be there, contact Susan by Wednesday, November 13 and be sure to hear confirmation. At the restaurant, ask for Susan and please bring cash. Contact info: Susan.Heimlich/a/t/gmail.com or call/text cell phone (650) 714-4972. For last minute changes, call/text cell. PC, NMPCW

16 – Saturday

10a People Love Dead Jews Discussion. We will be reading People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn 20 to 40 pages per week (or however the chapters fall). Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 8, On Rescuing Jews and Others (pp 108-143). This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

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) 

17 – Sunday

2:30p Speaker Series: The Enigma Machine with Timothy Bentley. On Zoom. During WWII the Germans used a machine that was supposed to encrypt communications beyond the possibility of deciphering. If the allies hadn’t obtained an Enigma machine and devoted considerable resources to decoding the German military communications, the outcome of WWII may have been very different. Tim will discuss the importance of Enigma in WWII, the inner workings of Enigma, how the allies were able to obtain a machine, and the deciphering of messages at Bletchley Park. Bentley was born in England where he attended the Kings School in Chester, a school founded by Henry VIII in 1541. He immigrated to the US in 1976 and earned an MBA from CSULB. Tim has been a member of Mensa for 40 years, is active in many discussion groups, and is usually the MC for the Speaker Series. Please register at livepresentation.link/SignUp and Zoom will send you the link. Hosted by Judy Unger. PC

20 – 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, November 19. Roberta Maguire, robertamaguire/a/t/hotmail.com, (510) 292-6370. PC, NS, NMPCW, ACW (RSE 3 W)

5:30p Dawn of Everything Discussion. We will be reading The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 11, Full Circle – On the historical foundations of the indigenous critique. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Stanley Ng. PC (RSE W)

23 – Saturday

10a People Love Dead Jews Discussion. We will be reading People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn 20 to 40 pages per week (or however the chapters fall). Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 8, On Rescuing Jews and Others (pp 143-166). This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

6p Online Board Games. See November 11.

24 – 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)

26 – Tuesday

5:50p Dinner, Drinks, and Hacking Gerrymandering. 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 5:50p. At 6:50p we’ll move to the session room for the talk, “Hacking Gerrymandering” with Dr. Ellen Veomett, Associate Professor of Computer Science, University of San Francisco. In principle, we all love to hate political gerrymandering. But how can we learn to deal with it, to manage it, … to hack it? In the past decade, mathematicians and computer scientists have developed inventive and revealing tools to find all kinds of gerrymanders: from the pretty-but-partisan, to the hidden firewall. Join us to explore some ugly maps and some beautiful ideas about how to hack gerrymandering. Veomett helped design the nationally-acclaimed GEO metric to analyze redistricting maps created since the 2020 census. 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

27 – Wednesday

11:45a South Bay Lunch. (NOTE ONE-TIME CHANGE OF DAY.) See November 14. (RSE 2,4 Th)

Trivia Night is cancelled for November and December. We’ll be back in January 2025. PC, NC, NS, NMPCW (RSE 4 W)

5:30p Dawn of Everything Discussion. We will be reading The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow one chapter at a time. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 12, Conclusion – The dawn of everything. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Stanley Ng. PC (RSE W)

29 – Friday

5:30p Virtual Happy Hour. Happy Hour is on the LAST Friday this month – hope to see you at the RG on the 22nd. 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)

30 – Saturday

10a People Love Dead Jews Discussion. We will be reading People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn 20 to 40 pages per week (or however the chapters fall). Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter Chapter 9, Dead Jews of the Desert. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

December 1 – Sunday

4p Albany Hill Hike. See November 3. (RSE 1 Su)

3 – Tuesday

5p Tuesday Tipplers. See November 5. (RSE 1 Tu)

7 – Saturday

10a People Love Dead Jews Discussion. We will be reading People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn 20 to 40 pages per week (or however the chapters fall). Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 10, Blockbuster Dead Jews. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

5p SFRM Holiday Party. Come join us at SFRM’s holiday bash. This event will be held in the fabulous Diamond Heights neighborhood of San Francisco which overlooks downtown. (The exact address will be provided to attendees the week prior to the event.) Please bring your favorite hors d’oeuvres for our finger-food potluck and help us celebrate the season with drinks and plenty of good company. Mensans and an adult family member or friend are welcome. As the capacity is limited to 50, RSVPs are REQUIRED and each member is requested to limit their number of guests to +1. RSVP on Meetup at meetu.ps/e/NwXnl/9Vhvz/i. Hosted by Katie To. PC

6p Start the Month Right. See November 2. (RSE 1 Sa)

14 – Saturday

6p Lighted Boat Parade Open House. Discovery Bay has an imaginative parade of lighted boats which sails by our backyard dock every other year. It should reach us at about 7p. Come join us on our deck or by the fire for some appetizers and parade watching. RSVP on Meetup at www.meetup.com/sfmensa/events/303469896/?utm_medium= for the address. If you want to watch from outside, bring a warm jacket. Call or e-mail Judy Unger for questions at (714) 356-4873, junger2040/a/t/gmail.com. PC, D, NS