From the Editor |
Once a year, National Mensa reimburses the local chapters for sending their newsletter to all the other editors. I therefore had the opportunity to read several other newsletters this month. Generally, the MAAM holds its own well. I think it has a simple and easy to follow format with essential information provided in an easy to access form. For example, the calendar is always on the middle signature. A "signature" is the piece of paper as it comes off the printing press. One signature printed on both sides and folded in half yields four pages of MAAM. By putting the calendar on this signature, it can be detached if desired and put up on the refrigerator, home bulletin board or whatever. I like that feature.
Many of not most newsletters essentially waste their front page with some kind of design that conveys no particular information. Ours normally features the forum with minimum wasted space.
One thing I did notice about a lot of the other newsletters is that they covered the activities of the chapter in more detail than we do. The only activity we have that is covered in most every issue of the MAAM is the Shoestring Gourmet. Not, by the way, that every activity should necessarily be covered in every issue. Still and all I am more than willing to give our local activities more coverage if I am provided with input and especially if I get some pictures to include.
One last item is material sent to me. Even the US Postal Service is not perfect. Last month I did not get my MAAM in the mail. That, of course is why we print up some extra copies each month. I always have a few extra copies and so does Jerry Corbin. My system is not perfect either. There are various reasons why you might send me something and I would not process it. Cyberspace simply loses material at times. If even one character is wrong in an email address, the piece can go off into never never land. So, to minimize anything getting lost, I will confirm any submissions I receive from now on. If you send something and you do not get a confirmation, please get in touch with me and we can resolve the problem.