Special Interest Groups
Special Interest Groups, or SIGs, are member-led groups built around a shared interest. Contact the person listed to join in. Meeting dates appear on the chapter calendar.
Answers to Everything
Contact: Jonathan Elliott
A discussion group started in 1996 with the mission of building a single nonpartisan agenda of solutions to the political, economic, and social problems facing America. After nearly 300 sessions the group completed its first pass in 2019 and its third in 2022.
The group now works by correspondence while it reviews its conclusions. Contact through the email address listed in the newsletter, or follow @a2e_project and the A2E hashtag.
Contemporary Issues
Contact: Jana Bickel (janabickel@earthlink.net)
Meets the second Thursday of each month in a private room at the Horseless Carriage in Van Nuys. Dinner around 5:30 p.m., discussion at 6:30 p.m. Each month has a general topic. Members take turns giving their opinion, avoid politics, and look for common ground rather than debate.
Inland Empire Mensa Zoom
Contact: Wilbert Woo (calwoow@aol.com)
A Zoom discussion group for Mensans in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, meeting the second Saturday of the month from noon to 1:30 p.m. Contact Wilbert for the link and passcode.
Investments and the Economy
Contact: Fran Shankle (franshankle@aol.com)
Meets the first Saturday of the month at Fran Shankle's home to discuss investment strategies and compare notes.
Writers’ Workshop
Contact: Alan Stillson ((818) 884-4282)
Meets at Alan Stillson's home to critique each other's work, mostly novels and short fiction. See the calendar for the exact time.
Zoom Book Discussion
Contact: Jana Bickel (janabickel@earthlink.net)
Meets twice a month on Zoom, on the second and fourth Tuesdays. The second Tuesday is “Bring Your Own Book”; the other meeting covers a selected book, author, or subject.
Folksong
Contact: Alan Stillson ((818) 884-4282)
Usually meets twice a month: the second Sunday in person and the fourth Sunday on Zoom.
Dining out and cuisine groups
- International Dining — Kedem (kedem524@yahoo.com). Different international restaurants around the city, usually the third Sunday of the month.
- Santa Monica Dinner Night — Perry (310-922-3422). Third Thursday at El Cholo on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. Purely social, no agenda.
- South Bay Salon — Kedem (kedem524@yahoo.com). A different South Bay restaurant, usually the fourth Sunday of the month.
- Thursday at Sizzler’s — Jana Bickel (janabickel@earthlink.net). Fourth Thursday at Sizzler’s on Van Nuys just south of Sherman Way, 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Starting your own group
SIG Coordinator
Vacant
The coordinator post is open, so contact the Local Secretary if you want to start a new group or list an existing one.