Saturday at the RG

7:30 A.M. to 1:00 A.M.
Hospitality
Magnolia Room
Snacks, beverages, good company: Enjoy any and all of these things, and check the schedule for special events! (Closed during lunch.)

7:30 A.M. to 9:30 A.M.
Continental Breakfast
Hospitality

9:00 A.M. to noon
Young Ms
Room 155
Kids up to age 12 get their own room and their own roster of things to do. See Teresa Manzella for details.

9:00 A.M. to 9:50 A.M.
How Your Myers-Briggs Type Affected Your School Performance
Deborah Ruf
Cedar Room
Dr. Deborah Ruf uses the Myers-Briggs types to help participants understand why they might not have done well in school and might have gotten into a lot of trouble (even though they were smart). Others will learn why even though they did well in school, life as an adult has been much more problematic (even though they are smart).

9:00 A.M. to 9:50 A.M.
Making a Web Site
Tina Bernu
Room 133
Always wanted your own Web site but didn’t know where to start? Tina Bernu will offer instruction and hints on building your own personal Web site with tools that are available on the Internet. Many of the creation tools are free, and there are many affordable options for businesses.

10:00 A.M. to 10:50 A.M.
Carnelli
Lin Rockler
Cedar Room
Carnelli is a party game invented by Jan Carnell, a long-time member of Metropolitan Washington Mensa.A little like charades, a little like ghost, and a lot likefree association, Carnelli requires no materials orprops; players need only quick-wittedness, a good memory, and an acquaintance with modern culture. As always, the decisions of the judge are arbitrary, capricious, and final.

10:00 A.M. to 10:50 A.M.
The World on a String
Mick Lunzer
Room 133
When juggling became his passion, Mick Lunzer made the vital connection between play and productivity.Using the yo-yo as a guide, Mick will show some of his innovations and talk about changing the world around you with your unique talents and ideas.

11:00 A.M. to 11:50 A.M.
The Joy of Mushrooms
Ron Spinosa
Cedar Room
They are beautiful, colorful, bizarre, deadly, delicious, and you wouldn’t be here without them! Come and celebrate the wonderful world of Kingdom Fungi. The presentation will include an introduction to mushrooms and other fungi, and it will also reveal the essential role of fungi in the ecosystems of our planet.

11:00 A.M. to 11:50 A.M.
Opening the Ark of the Covenant
Frank Joseph
Room 133
The Ark of the Covenant was a technological device millennia ahead of its time and ours, built by a pre-Israelite people to harness the powers of the Earth for good or ill. What was its original purpose? Where is its present location? How would its discovery change ourworld?

Noon to 1:00 P.M.
Deli Buffet Lunch
Hilton Lobby
Go across the street to enjoy the deli buffet: sliced roast beef, ham, turkey, and assorted cheese, gourmet breads, condiment tray, garden salad with assorted dressings, a second salad, or soup.

1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Young Ms
Room 155
More fun for kids after a break for lunch.

1:00 P.M. to 1:50 P.M.
Liar’s Club
Hilton Grand Salon
Is prolix an adverb meaning lengthy, tediously wordy, or a verb meaning cheerful, drunken playing? Come test your vocabulary, or pick out the nonsense definitions. John Sokalski will MC a panel of four Mensans: Bill Chantry, Cheryl Laurent, Linda Seebach, and Pat Shepard.

1:00 P.M. to 1:50 P.M.
Nonprofits: Starting One, Leading One
Room 133
Michael Cavitt
Everyone connected with nonprofits suffers from the problems created when a nonprofit is started. Participants will learn of some of the most troublesome problems. The group will identify and discuss solutions tothese problems. This will help you, as a volunteer leader, get the best results in the nonprofits with which you work.

2:00 P.M. to 2:50 P.M.
A Living Lifestyle
Daniel Barrett
Cedar Room
Two out of three will die of heart disease or cancer. We are drowning in misinformation on the causes of disease. You will hear a stunning exposé of the leading cause of death, powerful miracle stories from practice, and simple tools you can use tomorrow to keep from becoming a victim of the three big killers.

2:00 P.M. to 2:50 P.M.
The Minnesota Crime Wave
Ellen Hart, William Kent Krueger, and Carl Brookins
Hilton Grand Salon
The Minnesota Crime Wave’s M.O. is to appear in costume, engage unsuspecting convention attendees in a sometimes serious, sometimes amusing panel discussion on a wide-ranging number of mystery, writing, and publication topics.

3:00 P.M. to 3:50 P.M.
The Kennedy Conspiracy
Jim Koepke
Cedar Room
Jim Koepke describes his personal research into the death of President John F. Kennedy. He provides new information and some startling and controversial revelations, including his interviews with former CIA directors Richard Helms and William Colby. This presentation is certain to create some stirring discussions.

3:00 P.M. to 3:50 P.M.
Going Green to Save Green
Diana McKeown
Hilton Grand Salon
Money is tight and energy prices are rising. Come hear from the experts how you can find no-cost and low-cost ways to save energy in your home and business. These methods include everything from weatherization to energy efficient technology. There are a number of ways to reduce your energy use by taking simple steps.

4:00 P.M. to 4:50 P.M.
The Internet Ate My Newspaper!
Linda Seebach
Room 133
Newspapers are struggling financially, their business model destroyed by the loss of advertising to online alternatives such as Craigslist. My paper, the Rocky, closed in February after nearly 150 years. How did newspapers generate revenue to support the news they published? What, if anything, will replace them? If nothing does, will it matter?

5:00 P.M. to 5:50 P.M.
Silent Auction
Gordon Andersen
Hilton Grand Salon
Come hear Gordon Andersen be silent! Turn your hours of volunteering for Minnesota Mensa (the Mensabucks you earned) into tangible goods! Mensabucks are the only accepted currency for this treasure trove of loot.

5:00 P.M. to 5:50 P.M.
New Member Reception
Room 133
Did you join Mensa after 2006? There’s a receptionespecially for you and others who have signed up in the last three years. Find out what other new Mensans have learned and get to know your “Class of” group.

6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Social Hour and Cash Bar
Hilton Lobby

Banquet
Hilton Grand Salon

Minnesota’s High Performance Democracy
Mark Ritchie
Hilton Grand Salon
An overview of the 2008 U.S. Senate recount and the lessons learned.

9:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M.
Texas Hold’em Tournament
Room 133
Leave your weapons at the door. This is a relaxed, low-stakes game.

9:00 P.M. to 10:30 P.M.
Improv Workshop
Joette Poehler and Bill Fricke
Main Lobby
Stop worrying about that next presentation. Learn to think on your feet. Join us for an introduction to improv. In this interactive session, you will learn a few of the basic rules of improv and a couple of games. Improvisation techniques can help you develop poise, spontaneity, and self-confidence. We’ll also give you some resources if you’re interested in pursuing further training.

11:00 P.M. to 1:00 A.M.
Feeding Frenzy
Hospitality
See Friday night! Hungry after interacting in the Improv Workshop or bluffing at Texas Hold’em? Come to Hospitality!

Chocolate, Chocolate, and More Chocolate
Cake, cookies, chicken mole. Bring your best chocolate dish to compete in the chocolate contest. Please bring it to Hospitality at least 15 minutes ahead of time. Everyone there is eligible to judge.