Calendar of Events

TO LIST YOUR EVENT – Length limit: 120 words. Submit items to the Calendar Editor at . Items must be received by the deadline listed in the calendar to guarantee inclusion. Items must include host’s name, date and time, location, and applicable codes (above), and should also include phone (including area code) or e-mail address. Notices are published on a space-available basis subject to the discretion of the Calendar Editor. The policy for inclusion in the calendar is based on the SFRM bylaws.

CODES – ACW all children welcome; BYOB bring your own beverage; CO clothing optional; C/D cat/dog at residence; FE fictitious event; FFE fragrance-free event; FFO finger food only; LCR light carpet rules (no red wine or other staining substances; can also mean no shoes); MO members only; NC no children; NPC, PC no public calendar, public calendar; NMPCW new members, prospects, and candidates welcome; NS, S, S/NS, SO no smoking, smoking, provisions for both, smoking outside; NXM not exclusively Mensa event; RSE regularly scheduled event; WBC well behaved children; WCD, WCE, WCI, WCP wheelchairs difficult, easy, impossible, possible; RSEs are reprinted verbatim unless an update is received by the deadline for the issue in which a change is requested.

WEB CALENDAR POLICY – Our policy is not to list events on the Web calendar unless requested to do so by inclusion of the “PC” (“public calendar”) code. If the PC code is not included, your event will default to NPC (no public calendar) and will not be included in the Web calendar. Home addresses (and directions to same) are not listed on the Web, but city and contact information such as telephone and e-mail are unless requested otherwise.

MEETUP – SFRM maintains a MeetUp group for events announced on short notice. See meetup.com/SFMensa

CHILDREN UNDER 18 – Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

GIFTED YOUTH PROGRAM EVENTS: sfmensa.org/gifted-youth-program/gy-events/

WEEKLY EVENT

Every Sunday

4p SPR (Sex, Politics, and Religion) Revival. Sex, Politics, and Religion – everything you are not supposed to discuss at the dinner table. This is for those people who would like to participate in a group that fosters considered, civil discussions, that is open regarding subject matter, i.e., this is not for those who want to “shock somebody” or “troll”. Optionally brown bag for those who would like to pay homage to SPR’s history as a San Francisco dinner/restaurant discussion group. This is a Zoom event: Meeting ID: 996 5500 8587, Passcode: 279931. Hosted by James Monschke. PC (RSE Su)

End of January

January 27 – Tuesday

5:50p Dinner, Drinks, and the Physiology of Consciousness. 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, “Physiology of Consciousness” with Art Wallace, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Anesthesia at UC San Francisco. Dr. Wallace is also Chief of Anesthesia at San Francisco’s Veterans Affairs Medical Center. One of the great mysteries of science is how the brain creates conscious experience. Even though neuroanatomy and neuron-control are well understood, and modern tools have revealed many neural circuits, the neuroanatomic center of consciousness remains elusive. We aren’t even really sure how to measure consciousness! If we could build a mathematical model of consciousness, would this help us understand how the brain works its magic? How does an anesthesiologist, who routinely eliminates and then restores consciousness, define and measure the wonder of conscious experience? 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 Hugh Bonney (hfbonney/a/t/sonic.net). PC, NMPCW, WCE, NS, NC, NXM

7p The Loop Discussion. We will be reading The Loop: How AI Is Creating A World Without Choices And How To Fight Back by Jacob Ward, 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 12: Higher Math. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Tu)

28 – Wednesday

5:30p Trivia Night. See February 25. (RSE 4 W)

31 – Saturday

10a Language Hoax Discussion. We will be reading The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language by John McWhorter, one chapter per week. Come to the discussion with your questions and observations. Join us for one, a few, or all meetings. This week we’re reading Chapter 4: Dissing the Chinese. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

7p East Bay Game Night. See February 28. (RSE last Sa)

February 1-7

February 1 – 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)

3 – 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)

4 – Wednesday

11:30p First Wednesday Lunch. Join old friends and meet new ones at West Park Bistro, 788 Laurel St., San Carlos 94070, www.westparkbistro.com/. There is ample parking available behind the restaurant. Hosted by Adele Satterfield, (650) 339-1431. PC, NMPCW, NS, WCE (RSE 1 W)

5 – Thursday

7p Santa Cruz Italian Dinner. Join us at Sugo, 1116 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz 95062, sugoitalianpastabar.com. It’s a European concept-restaurant of traditional Italian cuisine; a modern and dynamic service, that allows customers to enjoy fresh, organic and authentic Italian food through a selection of appetizer, main course, salad, and obviously their specialty: “Pasta”. Hosted by Pia Smith, (415) 572-4470. PC

7 – Saturday

10a Language Hoax Discussion. We will be reading The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language by John McWhorter, one chapter per week. Come to the discussion with your questions and observations. Join us for one, a few, or all meetings. This week we’re reading Chapter 5: What’s the World View from English? This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

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 (RSE 1 Sa, 3 M)

February 8-14

9 – 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)

10 – 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 Sea Zombies. 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, “Zombies of the Nearshore: Sea Urchins in a Changing Ocean” with Daniel Okamoto, Assistant Professor of Integrative Biology, leader of the Okamoto Lab at UC Berkeley. Earth’s oceans are warming. Such large-scale aspects of climate change are disrupting important ecological balances, including the delicate service sea urchins perform in California’s kelp forest ecosystem. The implications are broad and alarming (and addressable): a warming planet may cause collapse in wild populations of vital marine life. 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 Hugh Bonney (hfbonney/a/t/sonic.net). PC, NMPCW, WCE, NS, NC, NXM

6p Santa Cruz Board Game Playtesting at Peoples Coffee, 1200 17th Ave. #130, Santa Cruz 95062. We’re piggy backing on Golden Gate Gamemaker’s Santa Cruz event. Let’s meet as a group and test a game. Come to Peoples Coffee, the official Santa Cruz location for the southernmost most events for the Golden Gate Gamemakers! Come join us as a branch under GGG known as Game Designers of Santa Cruz! Hosted by Pia Smith, (415) 572-4470. PC

6:30p 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 on Shoreline Blvd. in Mountain View, or downtown San Jose. Otherwise, the event host will select a non-pub location, probably in Campbell. 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)

11 – Wednesday

5:30p Lafayette Trivia. Enjoy some delicious fare as we play against local teams in a fun-filled two-hour competition hosted by Head Games Trivia at Headlands Brewery, 3420 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette 94549. An RSVP is required, as teams are limited to six players each. We meet at 5:30p for the 6p start time. Daniel Phillips, umpolung13/a/t/yahoo.com, (304) 975-0066. PC, NS, NMPCW, ACW, WCP, NXM (RSE 2W)

12 – Thursday

11:45a South Bay Lunch. Meet at Bill’s Cafe, 1401 Kooser Rd., San Jose 95118 (Off Hwy 85 at the Camden Ave. exit at the corner of Kooser Rd. and Stanwood Dr. near Blossom Hill Rd.), (408) 264-1900. Cocktails available, large menu (online), friendly fast service, Breakfast and Lunch, closes at 2p. Sandra Anderson, (408) 997-3187. 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 El Tucan Tacos & Beer, 15 Harbor St., San Rafael 94901 (old Pier 15), www.tacoseltucan.com. RSVP by Sunday, February 8, to Elizabeth Calaway at (415) 456-9220 or elizterrycalaway/a/t/aol.com. PC (RSE Th after 2 Tu)

14 – Saturday

10a Language Hoax Discussion. We will be reading The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language by John McWhorter, one chapter per week. Come to the discussion with your questions and observations. Join us for one, a few, or all meetings. This week we’re reading Chapter 6: Respect for Humanity. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

4p Big Ideas Reading Group. Psych: The Story of the Human Mind by Paul Bloom. On Zoom. Bloom reveals what psychology can tell us about the most pressing moral and political issues of our time – including belief in conspiracy theories, the role of genes in explaining human differences, and the nature of prejudice and hatred. Bloom also shows how psychology can give us practical insights into important issues – from the treatment of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety to the best way to lead happy and fulfilling lives. Psych is an engrossing guide to the most important topic there is: it is the story of us. For March 14 on Zoom: Material World: A Substantial Story of Our Past and Future by Ed Conway. 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)

February 15-21

15 – Sunday

2:30p Speaker Series: From Earth to Mars – Steps Toward the First Human Journey to the Red Planet with Dr. Pascal Lee. The first human mission to Mars will be humanity’s greatest adventure in space exploration this century. As with all expeditions, its success depends on planning. The first steps are already under way, as we build more efficient rockets, achieve longer space flights, plan our return to the Moon, and work in extreme environments on Earth viewed as Mars “analogs”. We will discuss progress made around the world, from the Arctic to Antarctica, from basement labs to the International Space Station and the Artemis Program, to achieve the first human voyage to Mars. We will examine in turn the what, why, how, when, and who of the first human mission to Mars. Dr. Pascal Lee is a planetary scientist with the SETI Institute, the Mars Institute, and NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View. On Zoom. Please register at livepresentation.link/FEB. You will receive a confirmation e-mail from Zoom that will contain the link needed to join the presentation. Hosted by Judy Unger, junger2040/a/t/gmail.com. PC

16 – Monday

6p Online Board Games. See February 7. (RSE 1 Sa, 3 M)

18 – 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, February 17. Roberta Maguire, robertamaguire/a/t/hotmail.com, (510) 292-6370. PC, NS, NMPCW, ACW (RSE 3 W)

19 – Thursday

6:30p Peninsula Dining at Rara, a Nepalese restaurant at 201 California Ave., Palo Alto 94306. Ever had Nepalese food??? I haven’t yet, but the menu looks interesting. They feature momos (dumplings), flavorful curries, and a variety of vegetarian options at reasonable prices. How about water buffalo? Rooster?? Goat?? To reserve, contact Susan Heimlich at (650) 714-4972 or at susan.heimlich/a/t/gmail.com at least 2 days before the event. Be sure to get confirmation. For last-minute changes, call/text cell (650) 714-4972. Please bring cash. PC, NMPCW

21 – Saturday

10a Equality Machine Discussion. We will be reading The Equality Machine: Harnessing Digital Technology for a Brighter, More Inclusive Future by Orly Lobel, 20 to 40 pages per week. Come to the discussion with your questions and observations. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 1: Why We Need an Equality Machine. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

12n Saturday Sizzle. Meet fellow Mensans for lunch at Sizzler restaurant, 1515 Fitzgerald Dr., Pinole 94564, sizzler.com/locations/sizzler-pinole/. Is their menu only for carnivores? No, they also have a large salad bar. RSVP to Lorna at lornagruber/a/t/yahoo.com by noon the day before so that we can put together a large enough table. Look for a Mensa sign on the table, in case you’re new. PC, NMPCW, NS (RSE 3 Sa)

2:30p M-Wisely’s Café provides thought-provoking presentations to intelligent beings throughout the galaxy. (NOTE ONE-TIME CHANGE OF WEEK.) The presentations focus on space science, speculative science, and science fiction. This month’s topic is “Wormholes, Spacewarps, and Tunnels to Otherwheres” with Shane Larson, Professor of Physics, Clarkson University. The advent of general relativity transformed our understanding of gravity and introduced us to the idea that the underlying fabric of the universe is a tapestry we call “spacetime.” That fabric is a dynamic entity, constantly evolving and changing. It can be bent, twisted, warped – and perhaps ripped. In the hundred years that we have been aware of spacetime, our understanding of it has been informed by astronomical observations, detailed mathematical calculations, vast computer simulations, and wild speculation. Some ideas and predictions, though exotic, have been found to be wholly true; others we are skeptical of, but cannot disprove; of others, we still have no idea what to think. This talk will discuss the nature of spacetime and our measurements of it, and examine some of the most remarkable predictions we have made about it: black holes, wormholes, and time warps. Please register at space-talk.link/FEB. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with the login information. PC (RSE 2 Sa)

February 22-28

22 – Sunday

12:30p Santa Cruz Sunday Lunch at Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery, 49A Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz 95060, makaisantacruz.com. You’ll find them near the last bend in the wharf, a fully immersive escape into the world of tiki. To step inside Makai is to enter an exotic world of bamboo, woven rattan cane, palm fronds, and colorful Japanese glass fishing buoys. It is a place of island melodies and intoxicating aromas. Makai’s menu enjoys a similar attention to detail. Each dish features traditional elements subtly reimagined to reinforce the entire tiki experience. Hosted by Pia Smith, (415) 572-4470. PC

24 – Tuesday

5:50p Dinner, Drinks, and Multi-Messenger Astronomy. 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, “Multi-Messenger Astronomy” with Dr. Raffaella Margutti, Associate Professor of both Physics and Astronomy at UC Berkeley. Dr. Margutti received the 2022 New Horizons in Physics Prize, and she advises three recent Wonderfest Science Envoys. The most energetic phenomena in the universe tend to reveal themselves through intense, short-lived signals. These violent transient events include novae, supernovae, and mergers of both neutron stars and black holes. Their signals – their natural messages – can span the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and may include gravitational waves as well as bursts of subatomic particles. The burgeoning field of multi-messenger astronomy inspires new technical observing abilities as it challenges our understanding of astrophysics. In so many new ways, however, the glorious cosmos and its contents come into clearer focus. 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 Hugh Bonney (hfbonney/a/t/sonic.net). PC, NMPCW, WCE, NS, NC, NXM

25 – 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 bwkbwk/a/t/pacbell.net. 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 (RSE 4 W)

6p Santa Cruz Trivia Night at Front & Cooper, 725 Front St., Santa Cruz 95060 (located within Abbott Square Market). Arrive at 6p to put a team together, with the trivia contest starting at 6:30p. Come test your knowledge, have fun, and have some hand crafted cocktails! Hosted by Pia Smith, (415) 572-4470. PC

26 – Thursday

11:45a South Bay Lunch. See February 12. (RSE 2,4 Th)

28 – Saturday

10a Equality Machine Discussion. We will be reading The Equality Machine: Harnessing Digital Technology for a Brighter, More Inclusive Future by Orly Lobel, 20 to 40 pages per week. Come to the discussion with your questions and observations. Join us for one, a few, or all chapters. This week we’re reading Chapter 2: Behind the Hiring Curtain and Chapter 3: Knowing Your Worth. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE Sa)

7p East Bay Game Night. Join us for fun and games in the East Bay! We’re playing word games, card games, board games, all kinds of fast-action social games (not long strategy games). Choose from my shelves of games or bring your own fast-action social games. Please also bring a snack to share. The fun is in Oakland near Piedmont Ave. and Pleasant Valley Ave. No RSVP needed; just show up at 7p (when I unlock the door) or later. We have about 20 people every month, most of whom do not RSVP. For more information or directions, contact Alan at alan.winson/a/t/gmail.com or (510) 653-2685 (voice only). Please pull forward to park four cars in my driveway. Free street parking is available in the neighborhood; don’t give up! SUPER-SPREADER EVENT NOTICE: If you haven’t kept up your vaccinations, or don’t feel well or may have COVID, a cold, or anything else contagious, please stay home and join us next month! PC, NMPCW, NS, WCP (RSE last Sa)

FUTURE FLASHES

March 1 – Sunday

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

3 – Tuesday

5p Tuesday Tipplers. See February 3. (RSE 1 Tu)

4 – Wednesday

11:30p First Wednesday Lunch. See February 4. (RSE 1 W)