By Duke Heath

M-Ark wins again!

American Mensa announced the winners of the Publications Recognitions Program at the Annual Gathering in St. Paul on July 4.

We had been nominated for our abortion issue as well as for "Best Theme " issues. We won the "Best Theme Issues" competition.

This competition was not just against groups our size, but against all of American Mensa. Many groups have thousands in their group and many times our monthly allowance. They also have many working on their editorial staff.

So, we did okay. Your editorial staff is happy.

I want to thank the following nonmembers for writing articles and providing information on education;

• Wynne School Superintendent Darrell Smith.,
• Friend and coworker Billie Ford,
• Rick Ford, President Des Arc School Board,
• Rick Burns, Principle, Des Arc High School,
• Judy Denton, teacher Des Arc Schools,
• Harvey Joe Sanner, of Des Arc.

It seems like there is someone else I am forgetting to thank ....Oh yes, my wife, Debi Heath, whom I finally got an article from after four years.

If more had her attitude toward education our state, our world, would be a better place. The great thing is, many do. The future of Arkansas is bright because of them.

I also want to thank Don Wyatt for his spooky tale. I warned him that he would really catch it from this group but he wanted to get the story out and see if others have had similar experiences. I can tell him they have.

We have at least one member who has seen the shadow people that sound so much like his amorphous blob. The description of the Yoda like character is eerily similar to author Michael Chrichton"s own story of his life from the book Travels.

I have heard hundreds of stories which are so similar to his, yet I have never given them a second thought. I am skeptical of everything I hear or read. It sounds as though some of the odd occurrences could be explained away easily, (harmonic vibration for the light chain causing it to swing enough to get caught and jerked off by the fan, pack rat or theft for the objects missing etc.) but would I be dismissing it too quickly?

It is always fun to reexamine strongly held viewpoints. It may be time for us to revisit the paranormal.

I am hopeful to get an opportunity to ride out a major hurricane again this season. As I write this, there is a potential monster forming. If anyone wants to ride one out with me, e-mail me.

But be forewarned, hurricanes don't play. Your life will be at risk. My goal is to get a video of myself flapping in the breeze like a flag. At my weight, it will take a strong 4 or even a 5 to get even one flap out of me.

Topic next issue? How about great natural catastrophes of the past and future? There are only so many of these, so, e-mail me to claim the one you want to write about.

Finally, two recommendations. Seabiscuit is the best movie I have seen in some time.

I am also reading A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. Best science book since Sagan.