Programme Friday 1st August 2008
Mindfulness
(Anneli Holm, SE)
I give the foundations to understanding Mindfulness and give you the chance to find out how different
mindfulness techniques can strengthen you in your work and in everyday life.
This is to help you to a state of restful alertness which provides you with the ultimate mindset to
identify chances in the present to reach any of your goals.
Visit my website: www.symicon.se to find out more - welcome!
Anneli Holm, local chairperson in Mensa Sweden section West.
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The Wikimedia Projects
(Alexander Blecher, D)
Everybody knows Wikipedia, most of us use it, but only a few work with it or know the system behind it.
It doesn't has to be like this: In this workshop we will show you how to obtain entry to the free knowledge.
Besides others we will thematize: The various projects together with its licenses and systems, the technic
(MediaWiki/Serve) as well as the financial aspect.
Further on we will participate in a project and you can ask your questions.
I'm Alexander Blecher, 16 years young, a Mensan from Germany. One of my hobbies is Wikipedia:
Here I write or correct articles or make pictures available under a free license.
After joining a great Mensa Juniors Weekend last year, now I will take part not only in EMAG,
but also attend Mensa Juniors Summercamp and a Mensa Seminar Weekend.
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Brainstorming Mensa-Style
(Abbie Salny, USA)
Mensans do a wonderful job of providing social activities and cultural events for our members. Some countries also provide recognition and rewards for the rest of the world. I will present some suggestions and “brainstorm” the audience for things Mensa can do to assist others by using our intelligence.
After receiving her Doctor's degree from Rutgers University in 1966, Abbie Salny was a professor at Montclair State University. She held positions as deputy chair and acting chair of psychology department as well as scholarship chair and director of the science department.
She was the Supervisory Psychologist for both American Mensa and Mensa International 1979 - 2002, Honorary Vice President of Mensa International 2003 - 2006, and has been Honorary President of Mensa International since.
Abbie has published 13 books of puzzles, including Mensa Genius series, 14 Mensa puzzle calendars, and Mensa puzzles in Reader's Digest, published in 10 countries. She has also worked on the Mensa culture fair quiz available on the internet.
Photo: Abbie Salny
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“Elected is elected”
(Kai Flesch, D)
Getting to a decision in a democratic system is not simple. First of all it has to be agreed on how to agree when some of those involved disagree.
The problems resulting from the search for a fair electoral system are old, in particular older than the necessary mathematical principles. Even modern voting systems exhibit weak points and may lead to paradox results.
“Gewählt ist gewählt” - “Elected is elected”: A brief survey of the history of voting and elections from the ancient world to present days.
Kai Flesch, born in 1976, grew up near Aachen and studied law at Cologne, where he currently works as a lawyer. He wrote the book “Gewählt ist gewählt” (“Elected is elected”) about elections and voting systems.
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European IQ Challenge - preliminary round (John Doktor, DK)
So you were able to successfully pass an IQ test and prove yourself as belonging in the top 2% range.
How about upping the ante a bit then? The European IQ Challenge brings Mensans from all over Europe together - to find
out just what country truly belongs on the IQ throne. Every European country represented on EMAG is encouraged to present their three
quickest brains for this IQ-test battle.
The concept was used last year for the Scandinavian IQ Challenge with great success, and now we're re-introducing it on an even grander scale.
Note that this event has been divided into two sessions; the preliminary round on Friday and the grand finale on Saturday.
See you on the IQ battlefield!
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“HIQ-SE = X - Who am I?”
(Marc van den Bempt, BE)
High IQ - Side Effects shares personal experiences on hiqh IQ, in past and present. We recognise, feel and think, we grow. Share your personal stories about us and our IQ in a moderated group talk, in an open and respectfull ambiance. Communicate, that's what the Belgian HIQ-SE is all about.
After a brief presentation of the HIQ-SE Concept, we'll exchange some experiences of our own. Before the start, think about something that happened to you, how you felt then, how it relates to your IQ and how you survived.
Marc Van den Bempt is member of Mensa Belgium since long. He is co-founder of the HIQ-SE concept. He promoted the concept in Belgium, where since 2001 some five 'closed' HIQ-SE groups regularly meet once a month.
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Living Las Vegas
(Megan Edwards, USA)
In the last quarter-century, Las Vegas has grown from a small town with a
strip of world-famous casinos into America?s newest metropolis. Join Las
Vegas resident and author Megan Edwards for a look at the Sin City of today
and how it has grown from its founding as a Mormon outpost through the days
of Bugsy Siegel, the Mob, Howard Hughes, and the Rat Pack into the
fastest-growing urban area in America.
Megan Edwards is a writer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The author of Roads
from the Ashes: An Odyssey in Real Life on the Virtual Frontier, she is the
founder of Living-Las-Vegas.com, a Web site for residents, prospective
residents, and visitors. She is currently working on a series of mystery
novels set in Las Vegas.
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Mensa E-Communities
(Andreas Weinberger, D)
Mensa as a community was founded in the pre-internet age and used a variety of means of communication for different purposes.
Now, in the age of the internet completely new communication technologies and types of communities are available to us.
This talk will show you what new E-Communities Mensa has spawned in the last years and what possibilities already exist.
Andreas Weinberger is a Bavarian living in exile in Konz (Rhineland-Palatinate) and working as Head of IT Service
at LBBW in Luxembourg. Since 16 years he deals with IT in banks and he knows what huge unused potential lies there.
He joined Mensa in 1997 and is one of the two founders of Mensa International Business ISIG.
He coordinates the roundtable in Luxembourg and the monthly meeting in Trier.
He is online at www.andreasweinberger.de
and www.itligenz.de.
Photo: Andreas Weinberger
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A Mensan School for Gifted People in Prague
(Jana Hesova, CZ)
Currently within the Mensa Czech Republic organization there are approx. 700 members who belong to so called Mensa for Children. These are kids between 6 and 14 years who achieved IQ score above the 99 percentile.
Mensa Czech Republic organizes several events for its young members throughout the year with a lot of events taking place in summer which focus on developing of various individual skills.
Mensa supports the formation of special classes for gifted children in various towns of the Czech Republic and is the founder of private secondary grammar school in Prague which fully focuses on tuition of gifted children.
At present Mensa Czech Republic representatives discuss future developments of gifted children care with the policymakers.
My name is Jana Hesová, 26 years old. I'm born in Pilsen, where I attended university and got a diploma in mathematics
last year. I am member of Mensa Czech and local secretary of Prague, supporting their activities.
I became a lot of friends in Mensa, which I meet every week in Pilsen Prague or other cities.
In September 2006, I organised an "Autumn Gathering" for about 80 Mensa members and during this year I'll prepare
several sport events. In the moment I live in Prague and work as SAP consultant in the automotive section.
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Entrepreneurism & Travelling: Off the beaten track
(Jeroen Komen, NL)
How do you make your company grow, if you want to find out everything by
yourself? What are the pitfalls, and how does quick learning help you to
climb out and not fall in again. How can you be a job-hopper, and still
stay at your own company for over 12 years?
Travel adventures, backpacking, rental cars and flying a Cessna, through
Oman, Kyrgyzstan, Djibouti, Japan, Panama, Mauretania, Mali and Iceland.
Looking for things that are worldwide standards, and for extremes.
Jeroen Komen (1968) is a member of Dutch Mensa for 8 years now. He is an
entrepreneur, flies a Cessna and traveled to over 70 countries in the
world.
Photo: Jeroen Komen
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“Folk dance and live music”
(Kristiaan van Brabant, NL)
As an enthousiastic member of the modern folk scene in Flanders Kristiaan will introduce you to popular folk dances whilst Wim and Koen will play the tune. Whoever feels up to an intense physical and emotional experience is welcome to join in for a jig, a circassian circle, a scottish, an andro or a bourrée. And maybe a waltz and the mazurka as well.
Quote Kristiaan: Don't be afraid to be the laughing stock: I used to have two left feet myself until I started folk and discovered how much fun it is to dance!
Kristiaan Van Brabant, Wim Vervaet and Koen van Poucke are member of Mensa Belgium. All three are intererested in different styles of music, all three dance, play (Clarinette, Bagpipe, keyboard) and compose music in their sparetime. Kristiaan studied textile engineering at different European universities (Tampere, Aachen, Guimaraes, Dresden) but works today in IT. Wim is a civil engineer but works as a teacher, and Koen works as a translator in Brussels.
Photo: Kristiaan van Brabant
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Astronaut's life
(Reinhold Ewald, D)
Reinhold Ewald will report to us on his own experience as an astronaut, his current assignment in Oberpfaffenhofen
(Southern Germany), where he is responsible for the operation of the Columbus laboratory at the ISS,
and of the tasks assigned to the DLR and ESA in general.
This lecture will start as a photo/video presentation and will then turn into an open dialog with questions and answers.
Reinhold Ewald: Born on 18.12.1956, married, 3 children. Doctor of physics. Since 1987 first with the DLR,
now with the ESA.
In March 1992 served as Back-Up Kosmonaut at the Russian mission control centre for the German-Russian MIR '92 mission.
From 10 February to 2 March 1997 he took part in the second German-Russian mission MIR '97.
There he flew as a research cosmonaut on the Russian Soyuz TM 25 vehicle and spent 18 days on board the Mir Space Station.
He performed experiments in biomedical and material sciences and carried out operational tests in preparation
for the International Space Station.
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Chocolate Tasting
(N.N.)
Many nations get together in Cologne - and if you do believe in statistics, there is something that they have in common:
Everybody loves chocolate, wherever they come from. At this casual event you will profit from the participants:
You can taste what has been brought from the different countries. What do you prefer, chocolate from Spain or Norway?
Or is it still chocolate from Switzerland or Belgium that you like most? We just say: Enjoy!
Photo: Christine Warlies
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Cultural Event
(Nathalie van der Wal, NL)
Cultural evening at EMAG. M-artists en M-starlets register for your 10 minutes of fame!
Stand up comedy, music (piano available), singing, magic; whatever your talent is, show it.
No matter if you have any stage fever, join Mensa-stardom!
Please e-mail the moderator and presentator Nathalie van der Wal from the Netherlands with a short description
of your presentation and your bio.
Nathalie van der Wal (1971) studied Molecular Sciences and Music. In her early years she started playing the violin,
singing and classical ballet. Art and Music are her greatest passions.
She worked as a teacher in chemistry and mathematics. In 2007 she started a business in Voicecoaching, Cecises.
www.cecises.nl
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Guided tour through the Ford factory
Since 1931 is Cologne the German headquarter of the Ford Motor Company.
On the 4th of May, within its new works in Cologne-Niehl, the new A-modell came off the assembly line.
Since 1998 is Cologne also the European Headquarters as well.
In the Ford factory in Cologne-Merkenich, which you are going to visit,
the models Ford Fiesta and Ford Fusion are produced.
The tour starts with a little refreshment and a multi-media presentation within the visitors
exhibition center. After that you will take the visitors train through the production hall where
you can see the car production at close range.
Photo: Ford Werke GmbH
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Guided tour through the German Aerospace Center (DLR)
DLR is Germany's national research centre for aeronautics and space. Space flight is one of the main research areas at the site in Cologne. The effects of microgravity on the organisms of humans and on materials revolving in an orbit around the Earth are investigated. A broad range of cross-disciplinary experiments involving the Institute of Space Simulation, the Institute of Materials Research, the Institute of Aerospace Medicine, the Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC) and the European Astronaut Training Center demonstrate close cooperation and expertise.
These activities are supported by numerous large-scale test facilities, e.g. wind tunnels, engine and materials testing systems.
During the tour you will visit the following institutes: Materials Physics in Space, Aerospace Medicine, Wind tunnel, solar energy and Astronaut Training Center.
Photo: Norbert Oberhoff
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Guided tour through the communal residual waste incinerator
The residual waste incinerator of Cologne is one of the most efficient and enviroment-friendly
waste incinerators worldwide.
In addition it provides a valuable share of the energy supply, because it is a combined heat
and power plant, producing electricity and steam for central heating.
The plant produces annually approximately 350.000 KWh of electricity and steam each,
as surplus energy and puts it into the communal network.
Especially impressive for most visitors is the cleanliness in and around the incinerator,
as well as the complex technic. During this extensive tour of the plant you will see the control room,
the energy centre, the purification block for the waste gases and the boiler house.
Photo: AVG Köln mbH
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Guided Tour of the Cologne/Bonn Airport
The Cologne/Bonn airport is Germany's largest low cost hub.
In 2007, approx. 10.5 million passengers departed here to over 130 destinations.
The airport has 19 boarding bridges, 55 gates, and 86 check-in counters.
By total transport performance, i.e. passengers and cargo, Cologne/Bonn is the nation's 4th largest airport.
It's on rank 6 by passengers and rank 2 by cargo.
This 1.5 hour guided tour provides a general overview of the airport.
Photo: Aiport Cologne
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Guided city tour - Cologne for beginners
On this tour, you will listen to elementary information about the 2,000 years of local city history. On a relaxed walk around the old town you will visit for example the historical city hall, which you can find in a lot of art encyclopedias due to its typical renaissance style. Continuing along the Alter Markt, you will enter the St. Martin's quarter, which is the heart of the city. Formerly, this quarter used to be an island, nowadays you can still find there a lot of historical sites, where the city's history is depicted.
Photo: Frank Spakowski
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Guided tour through Bay-Komm – Bayer Leverkusen Communication Centre
The Bayer-Communication Centre, in short BayKomm, is an experience world, a meeting place and a discussion forum. Here will sciences be explained, contexts brought down to an understandable level, prejudices taken seriously and dismantled, because the BayKomm draws its visitors into the process. From the development of new medicines, safeguarding the feeding of the world to the car made of plastic
– the BayKomm gives you an insight into the research and development of tomorrow’s world.
In the eight thematic rooms there are some 300 exhibits, models, short movies, pictures and posters
– a multi media expedition through the world of the inventive company of Bayer.
Photo: Bayer AG
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Fancy Dress Shopping
The gala dinner will be held in a typical Cologne style, meaning that we will combine the ballroom feeling of a formal gala dinner
with the atmosphere of the Cologne carneval.
We would be absolutely thrilled if lots of you would turn up in a fancy dress instead of in ball gowns and smokings to celebrate in style.
For all, who can't bring their costumes with them, we will go twice, on Friday and on Saturday afternoon to a fancy dress
supplier not far away from the hotel.
For sure you will find something appropriate here, either a complete fancy dress or just some funny (carnival) accessories to pimp up your ball gown.
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The Cologne Cathedral – A guided tour through the interior of the cathedral
The Cologne Cathedral was built between 1248 and 1880 AC and is an acclaimed masterpiece of medieval-gothic architecture. When it was finished in the 19th century, it was the tallest building of the world. Its covered area measures 7,914 square meters. The cathedral is framed by two mighty towers, each of which is 157 m high. Among the eight bells of the cathedral is the famous
“St. Petersglocke” (“Saint Peter’s bell”), which was cast in 1923 and weighs about 24 tons. It is the world’s largest, free-swinging bell. Besides the architectural highlights, this landmark of Cologne is also home to an abundance of renowned artwork, e.g. the “Dreikönigenschrein“ („Shrine of the three holy kings“) (1180-1225) and the altar of the city patrons (around 1450) by Stephan Lochner. Since 1996, the Cologne Cathedral is part of the UNESCO world heritage sites.
Photo: Birgit Schmitz
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The Cathedral of Cologne – a tour through the belfry
The cathedral of Cologne, built between 1248 and 1880, is regarded as a masterpiece of medieval-gothic architecture. One of the superlatives of the cathedral is its unique and significant bell-ringing. Some of the eight bells date back to the middle ages, like the Pretiosa (the Precious) with the tone
‘g’, hung up in 1448, weighing app. 10,000 kg. It was at it’s time the biggest bell in the western hemisphere. But the most important bell of the cathedral was cast in 1923, weighing around 24 tons, called St. Peters Bell. It is the biggest free swinging church bell in the world.
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Guided tour through the Printing Centre of Dumont
With large-scale investments, the M. DuMont Schauberg printing company has been investing in the future
of printing technology and thus in the future of newspapers since mid-1998.
The list of innovations contains the manufacture and printing plates (computer-to-plate, CtP)
and the new rotation with fully automated paper reel storage.
The core of the modern printing centre is an 1100 tonne heavy allrounder called "Commander".
The machine, 72 metres long and more than 13 metres high, prints, if it needs to, all pages in four colours.
The tour starts with some general information about the history of the publishing company and the
development of printing technology. After that you will go through the printing centre,
where you can see the newspaper production at close range.
Photo: DuMont Schauberg
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Experience of eating in the darkness of the „unsicht-Bar“
It is ABSOLUTELY dark inside the restaurant „unsicht-Bar“ (invisibleBar). You can’t even see your hand in front of you. For a moment you might feel helpless. But soon you realise that feeling, hearing, smelling and tasting are generating pictures inside your head. The lack of your sense of sight will sensitize and intensify all your other senses. During your visit a blind or partially blind waiter will guide you to your table and look after you during the whole evening.
The excellent three or four course meals cost between 36.50 Euro and 49.50 Euro. The exact ingredients of each course are a secret. You can select between vegetarian, cheese, fish, lamb, poultry or surprise. Find out for yourself what you will taste in complete darkness.
Photo: unsicht-Bar
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Pub Crawl through the Cologne pub scene
Kölsch is the 'national beverage' of the town of Cologne (Köln) and the only beer that has got its own convention. This ‘Kölsch-convention’, which ceremoniously passed in March 1986 for all 24 Kölsch breweries, is regulating for instance very strictly the market development concerning Kölsch. What usually seems very strange to Non-Cologne citizens and takes them some getting used to, is the fact that Kölsch is served in thin 0.2 l glasses. By the way, refills will come to you automatically in Cologne (though don’t get me wrong, they are not for free, you just don’t have to worry about ordering them).
On this pub crawl you can get firsthand experience on the quality of Kölsch and you will get to know the Cologne way of life, as in Cologne all pubs are communication centres and meeting places of their own special kind. No matter if you are tourist or native, you will never have to drink on your own for long. In this sense: Prost!
Photo: Frank Spakowski
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Linus Talent Test – Open Air Spectaculum
Once a fortnight during the Talent-Testing-Season some reckless but hopeful stars and starlets are drawn to the open air stage. What they do not suspect – the hardest audience of the world awaits them. Whistle pipes, placates, and banners are minimum equipment. It will be shouted, whistled, howled and hooted
– just to make sure the contestant is drowned by the noise. If the audience really gets going, they turn their back to the stage and start singing their own song at the top of their voice.
Six contestants per show are running the gauntlet, quite a few have left the stage prematurely. Well over 1 million people have seen this spectacle, now its up to you to experience it live.
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Linus Talent Test – Open Air Spectaculum – inclusive of an After Show Party
Once a fortnight during the Talent-Testing-Season some reckless but hopeful stars and starlets are drawn to the open air stage. What they do not suspect – the hardest audience of the world awaits them. Whistle pipes, placates, and banners are minimum equipment. It will be shouted, whistled, howled and hooted
– just to make sure the contestant is drowned by the noise. If the audience really gets going, they turn their back to the stage and start singing their own song at the top of their voice.
Six contestants per show are running the gauntlet, quite a few have left the stage prematurely. Well over 1 million people have seen this spectacle, now it’s up to you to experience it live.
Afterwards there is an After Show Party right next door. There you can let it all hang out.
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An evening at the Cologne Philharmonics with the Tango Musical Tanguera
Provocative, Sensual, Erotic. The most successful Argentinien musical export Tanguera is an emotional tango-firework.
Fantastic lighting designs, elaborate stage projections, award winning cheography, cliffhanging dramaturgy, moving music and really
impressive perfection of the excellent dance-ensemble results in an unforgetable, powerful vortex of passion, lust, pain and erotica.
Tanguera - oppulently staged - is a first class alliance between tango and musical.
Tickets available on www.koelnticket.de only.
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