February 25 – Sunday

7p Channing Club. See March 24. (RSE 4 Su)

28 – Wednesday

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 4: Command and Control. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

6p Commonwealth Club Talk: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Join me at the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, 110 The Embarcadero, San Francisco 94105, to hear Charles Duhigg talk about the importance of successful communication in our lives. In his new book Supercommunicators, Duhigg blends deep research and storytelling skills to show how people can learn to identify and leverage the hidden layers that lurk beneath every conversation. Duhigg says communication is a superpower, and the best communicators understand that whenever we speak, we’re actually participating in one of three conversations: practical (What’s this really about?), emotional (How do we feel?), and social (Who are we?). If you don’t know what kind of conversation you’re having, you’re unlikely to connect. “Supercommunicators” know the importance of recognizing – and then matching – each kind of conversation, and how to hear the complex emotions, subtle negotiations, and deeply held beliefs that color so much of what we say and how we listen. He says that our experiences, our values, our emotional lives – and how we see ourselves and others – shape every discussion, from who will pick up the kids to how we want to be treated at work. Learn why some people can make themselves heard, and to hear others, so clearly. From the writers’ room of “The Big Bang Theory” to the couches of leading marriage counselors, Duhigg will show how to recognize these three conversations – and teach the tips and skills needed to navigate them more successfully. RSVP via SFRM Meetup at www.meetup.com/sfmensa/events/298467906. Hosted by Katie To. PC

March 1 – Friday

6:30p Near Palo Alto Dining gets fishy. Willing to take a risk? Cook’s Seafood at 751 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 94025, doesn’t take reservations. Harrumph. It has a good reputation, so we are going to see if we can all sit together when we show up. See their menu online at www.cooksseafood.com/menu.html to whet your appetite. To say you’ll be there, contact Susan no later than February 28 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

2 – Saturday

6p Start the Month Right. 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)

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

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

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 5: The CRISPR Menagerie. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

9 – Saturday

4p Big Ideas Reading Group: The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find our Place in the Universe by Jeremy Lent. On Zoom. Lent investigates humanity’s age-old questions – Who am I? Why am I? How should I live? – from a fresh perspective, weaving together findings from modern systems thinking, evolutionary biology, and cognitive neuroscience with insights from Buddhism, Taoism, and Indigenous wisdom. It offers a compelling foundation for a new philosophical framework that could enable humanity to thrive sustainably on a flourishing Earth. For April 13 on Zoom: An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong. 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)

10 – Sunday

2:30p Speaker Series: Medical Realities from Star Trek with Dr. Ped Bunsongsikul. On Zoom. The first Star Trek episode aired on September 8, 1966. The TV show, set in the far future, imagined technology far beyond anything of that time. We still don’t have warp drives or transporters. Amazingly, in some areas the technology of Star Trek is now real. It was a sight gag when Scotty tried to talk to a computer. Virtual Reality is very similar to the Enterprise’s holodeck. In the area of medicine Star Trek introduced several advanced technologies. Dr. Bunsongsikul will discuss medical predictions that are realities today. Dr. Ped Bunsongsikul has been a Kaiser Permanente family physician for over 20 years. He is board certified in Family Medicine, Geriatrics, and Clinical Informatics. He has a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering and a master’s in health informatics. He enjoys computer programming, traveling, and solving puzzles. Please register early for this meeting at livepresentation.link/SignUp. 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

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 Barry Krasner at bwkbwk/a/t/pacbell.net. 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/sevys-bar-and-kitchen-aptos.htm 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)

13 – Wednesday

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 6: To Heal the Sick. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. 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 www.scramblzalmaden.com. Sandra Anderson, (408) 997-3187. Vaccinated only, please. PC, NMPCW, WCE (RSE 2,4 Th)

12n Thursday Munchers. Rising up from the old Ethnic Dinner, a lunch group in Marin dedicated to trying different restaurants. This month we will visit Maya Palenque, 349 Enfrente Rd., Novato 94949, (415) 883-6292, mayapalenque.com. RSVP by Sunday, March 10, to Elizabeth Calaway at (415) 456-9220 or elizterrycalaway/a/t/aol.com. PC (RSE Th after 2 Tu)

16 – 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) 

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

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 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 7: The Reckoning. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)

22 – 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)

23 – Saturday

6p Online Board Games. See March 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)

27 – Wednesday

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 March 14. (RSE 2,4 Th)

April 2 – Tuesday

5p Tuesday Tipplers. See March 5. (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

7p SFRM ExComm Meeting online. See March 3.

6 – Saturday

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