Check out our calendar to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings of all the SIGs listed below, as well as other GLAAM activities.
Current contact information for all SIGs can be found each month in L.A. Mentary. Some contact information has been supplied here by permission only. If you would like to add or remove any contact information, please contact the Webmaster. For more information on Special Interest Groups, please contact the SIG Coordinator. Email addresses appear in the L.A. Mentary.

Discussion Groups

Answers to Everything

Contact: Jonathan Elliott

This discussion group was started in 1996, with the allegedly-impossible mission to construct a single nonpartisan agenda comprising solutions to all the Political, Economic, and Social problems facing America today. It took over 20 years, and nearly 300 separate discussion sessions, but we finally completed our First Pass in 2019, and our Third Pass in 2022.
Our findings are presented here in two documents. The shorter one is a general summary which features just the bare-bones findings themselves. The longer one is the complete Final Report which tells the whole saga of our group, including explanations for all our conclusions, along with colorful descriptions of all the times that we went in the wrong direction and needed to change course. A shorter ‘executive summary’ listing only the major points appears on the website a2e-highlights.net, which does not mention the Mensa name at all.
Our SIG is now operating on a correspondence-only basis, as we review our conclusions, consider possible enhancements, and discuss how best to spread the word that this model exists. If we can achieve consensus among our active participants on any further additions or changes, then we can arrange to convey those findings to the outside Harmony Research Group which started this whole project, and which is now in the process of comparing the full results of this ‘blue panel’ with the partial results achieved by other panels which have attempted the same project independently, so that the reconciled version can be brought before the general public and the political community for adoption and implementation.
Contact us through the e-mail address listed in the GLAAM newsletter if you are interested in participating in this process, or follow us on Twitter using the @a2e_project name or the A2E hashtag.

Contemporary Issues SIG

Contact Jana Bickel at janabickel@earthlink.net

The Contemporary Issues SIG meets once a month on the second Thursday at the Horseless Carriage in Van Nuys. We meet in a private room and have our dinner around 5:30. Discussion starts at 6:30. During the year we select a general topic for each month. At the meeting we take turns giving our opinion, avoiding the subject of politics, trying to find common ground rather engage in a debate. See Calendar and the description in the L.A. Mentary for more information.

Inland Empire Mensa Zoom

Contact Wilbert Woo at calwoow@aol.com.

Zoom discussion group for Mensans who live in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties that meets on second Saturday of the month from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Discussions are serious and jocular, deep and shallow. Contact Wilbert Wood for the Zoom link and passcode. For more information see the Calendar entry on the website and the description in the L.A. Mentary.

Investments and the Economy

Contact Fran Shankle at franshankle@aol.com

The Investments and Economy SIG meets on the first Saturday of the month at the home of Fran Shankle to discuss investment strategies and compare notes on investments. For further information contact Fran. For more information see the Calendar entry on the website and the description in the L.A. Mentary.

Writers’ Workshop

Contact: Alan Stillson at (818) 884–4282

The workshop meets at the home of Alan Stillson to critique each others’ work, mostly novel and short story fiction. For more information as to the time and the place see the Calendar entry on the website and the description in the L.A. Mentary.

Zoom Book Discussion

Contact Jana Bickel at janabickel@earthlink.net.

The Zoom Book Discussion meets twice a month on Zoom on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. The second Tuesday’s meeting is “Bring Your Own Book”. During the year, group members make suggestions make on what book to read. On the second Thursday a specific book, author, or subject is selected for the group to read. For more information please see the Calendar entry on the website and the description in the L.A. Mentary.

Eating, Drinking, Etcetera

Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Later and Lingerers

Contact Michael at 818-859-4228

The “Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Later and Lingerers” group meets for good conversation at Kathleen’s at 595 N Lake Avenue in Pasadena, usually on the second Saturday of the month. For more information, see the Calendar entry on the website and the description in the L.A. Mentary.

International Dining

Contact Kedem at kedem524@yahoo.com

The International Dining SIG dines out at different international restaurants throughout the City usually on the Third Sunday of the month. For more information as to the time and the place see the Calendar entry on the website and the description in the L.A. Mentary.

Santa Monica Dinner Night

Contact Perry at 310-922-3422

The Santa Monica Dinner Night meets on the third Thursday of the month at El Cholo Restaurant in Santa Monica on Wilshire Blvd. Strictly social event, no meeting or agenda.

South Bay Salon

Contact Kedem at kedem524@yahoo.com

The South Bay Salon dines out at a different restaurant in the South Bay area usually on the 4th Sunday of the month. For more information as to the time and the place see the Calendar entry on the website and the description in the L.A. Mentary.

Thursday at Sizzler’s

Contact Jana Bickel at janabickel@earthlink.net

Thursday at Sizzler’s meets for dinner at Sizzler’s at 5161 on Van Nuys, just south of Sherman Way, every fourth Thursday of the month for plenty of good food and conversation. We start eating at 5:30 PM and stay until 8 PM. Please See Calendar for specific dates and times and a description in the L.A. Mentary for more information about the restaurant.

Music

Folksong SIG

Contact Alan Stillson at (818) 884–4282

The SIG usually meets twice a month–the second Sunday of the month, which is in person, and the 4th Sunday which is a ZOOM meeting. See Calendar for more information. For more information as to the time and the place see the Calendar entry on the website and the description in the L.A. Mentary.