W.W.G.D.?
What Will Geekdom Do?
The October issue of the MENSA BULLETIN has as its cover story “HEROES”. Turns out, they are having a little fun and inviting members to help pick the greatest hero of all time!
Here’s what they have done: Set up like the brackets of a “March Madness” contest, there are 4 Regions/Categories, each with 16 “Champions”. They seeded the 16 contestants within each category, and the first round will consist of seed # 16 facing off with seed #1, # 15 goes against #2, etc. Who was on this panel of experts has been kept secret and how they arrived at these seeds should lead to some interesting debate. Regardless, the categories are: Super-Heroes, Literary Heroes, Theatrical (Movie) Heroes, and Historical Heroes.
During Week # 1 (Nov 1st – 7th), Mensans are invited to go to Mensa’s website and vote for the winners of round one. The next week (Nov. 8th – 14th), members will vote on the winners of round 2, and so on. The finals will begin on December 6th. They won’t announce the overall winner until – the March issue, of course.
Now those of you who know me well or have followed my posts for a while, know that I loves me a contest! So…I’m going to take this (full credit goes to American Mensa for the lists and idea) and have a contest within the shop. Your job: given the choices (whether you agree with them or not!), try to get into the minds of a group of Mensans and guess what THEY would pick!? Got a headache, yet?
I will reproduce (copy) their bracket and make it available at the shop. Your deadline for submission (No purchase necessary to enter!) is November 7th, since after that, the field will have already been narrowed to 32. Different points will be awarded for each matching answer you have, depending upon the round.
FAQ:
1. Do I have to come to the shop to enter? Yes, another ploy to get you in here!
2. Do I have to buy anything to enter? Eh, that was already answered above. Maybe, you shouldn’t bother trying do think like a Mensan. Ah, what the hell, it’s FREE, do it anyway!
3. This isn’t going to be covered in the papers or TV, so how does a non-member get results? I will post the weekly winners on this site and in the shop on a big board.
4. Can I enter more than once? I could see different family members (wink, wink) also entering, as long as you, er, they, meet the deadline.
5. What is the actual scoring method? At this moment, don’t know, yet. It will be on the entry sheet.
6. When will the entry sheets be made available? Any day now. Any day now. Check at the shop, and, yes, in the event of a tie, earliest entry wins! UPDATE (10/18). Entry forms are NOW available at the shop!!
6. When will the winner be announced? Oh, it’s you again… the final winner won’t be given until the March issue of the MENSA BULLETIN. so…
7. What do we win?! What do we win?! Haven’t decided, yet. Maybe a big yellow map pin (Oops, I gave away a secret!)
Now, to get you pondering, below is the list of matches. The magazine gives a short description about each “Champion” and his/her/its assets and attributes that helped the “panel of experts” whittle the choices down to these 64. A copy will be available at the shop for your information. To tell you the truth, not being a big movie go-er or particularly well-read, I didn’t know who some of these were until I read the blurb. Before each name is the seed number that “Champion” received.
REGION 1: LITERARY HEROES
1. Gandalf vs. 16. Charlotte (of the Web)
8. Jane Eyre vs 9. Hercules
5. King Arthur vs 12. Elizabeth Bennet
4. Sherlock Holmes vs. 13. Calvin (Hobbes)
6. Odysseus vs. 11. Robin Hood
3. Harry Potter vs. 14. Scarlett O’Hara
7. Albus Dumbledore vs. 10 Zorro
2. Atticus Finch vs. 15. d’Artagnan
REGION 2: SUPER-HEROES
1. Superman vs. 16. Blade
8. Lara Croft vs. 9. Captain America
5. Wonder Woman vs. 12. Punisher
4. Spider-Man vs 13. Ghost Rider
6. Hulk vs. 11. Thing
3. Wolverine vs. 14 Aeon Flux
7. Optimus prime vs. 10. Hellboy
2. Batman vs. 15. Catwoman
REGION 3: THEATRICAL HEROES
1. Yoda vs. 16. Juror #8
8. Han Solo vs. 9. Jack Sparrow
5. Rocky Balboa vs. 12. Rick Blaine
4. Jason Bourne vs. 13. Beatrix Kiddo
6. Captain Kirk vs. 11. Ash Williams
3. Indiana Jones vs. 14. George Bailey
7. John McClane vs. 10. Ellen Rigley
2. James Bond vs. 15. Clarice Starling
REGION 4: HISTORICAL HEROES
1. Abraham Lincoln vs. 16. Florence Nightingale
8. Charles Darwin vs. 9. Michelangelo
5. Thomas Edison vs. 12. Alexander the Great
4. Martin Luther King, Jr. vs. 13. Marie Curie
6. Joan of Arc vs. 11. Beethoven
3. George Washington vs. 14. Jonas Salk
7. Isaac Newton vs. 10. Winston Churchill
2. Albert Einstein vs. 15. Louis Pasteur
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