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.


Discussion Groups

Ancient Civilizations SIG

John Halloran

This SIG is currently dormant, although Mensans interested in this subject are invited to contact John Halloran from his website for more information.

Please see L.A. Mentary for more information.

Answers to Everything

Jonathan Elliott

This discussion group was started in 1996, with the 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.

Our findings achieved to date are summarized in two documents. The shorter one is an

executive summary

that features just the bare-bones current findings themselves. The longer one is a

general summary

which includes fuller explanations of the more non-obvious findings.

Our SIG is now operating on a correspondence-only basis, as we review and refine our conclusions. 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.

After we finish our Third Pass, we will share our results with the outside Harmony Research Group which started this project, for reconciliation with the results of the other panels which they had working on similar agenda versions. They will arrange for the final reconciled version to be published.

Epiphanies, Epistemology, and Ample Eats

Pax Starksen, (562) 208–8314

A genuine philosophical discussion group heads the Wish List of many Mensa members. In response, GLAAM presents a SIG dedicated solely to the discussion and resolution of serious philosophical issues. Epiphanies, Epistemology, and Ample Eats is a monthly meeting of Mensa minds. All Mensans are welcome to this free, second-Thursday meeting at the Kountry Folks Restaurant, 8501 Sepulveda Blvd. (at Chase St), in North Hills. A position paper on the monthly topic is available by mail about one week in advance from SIG leader Pax Starksen. Contact Pax at (562) 208–8314 or by email. See Calendar for more information.

Investments and the Economy

Fran Shankle

Please See Calendar for dates and times and L.A. Mentary for more information.

San Fernando Valley Writers' Workshop

Alan Stillson, (818) 884–4282

The workshop meets at the home of Alan Stillson to critique each others’ work, mostly novel and short story fiction. See Calendar for dates and times.

Eating, Drinking, Etcetera

Brunch Davidians

David Lubman, (714) 898–9099

Tooth Tuesday

Carl Bryan

Please See Calendar for dates and times and L.A. Mentary for more information.

Music

Folksong SIG

Alan Stillson, (818) 884–4282

If singing is something you dig
You ought to come down to this SIG
The songs that we sing as a group
Are varied, like alphabet soup
The songbook this SIG chose to make
Has six-hundred songs, give or take
From ballads and marches and hymns
To Beatles and Tom Lehrer's whims
You're welcome to bring a guitar
Or drop over just as you are
We sit in a circle and sing
Together on most everything
We each take a turn choosing songs
Whatever you choose, it belongs
It's very informal and fun
And light snacks and soft drinks are done
We meet four or five times a year
And rotate those who volunteer
To host and sing songs that are great
To midnight, and starting at eight
So, join us if this is for you
On Saturday, week one or two
Now, if you want still more detail
Just call Alan Stillson or Gail.