SpecGram Vol CXLVIII, No 4 Contents Multiple Choice: The Ultimate Algorithm--Gotthilf Neuerblumenfeld

Epea Pteroenta

A Letter from the Managing Editor

This may be the last issue of Speculative Grammarian for a while, since I'm leaving Rice University and am not sure what I'll be doing in the future. If I secure employment at a university, or even if I don't, SpecGram may move with me, bringing an end to its century in the torrid Houston climate. Alternatively, I may try to find an appropriate successor as editor, someone based either at Rice or at some other university. But I won't be making any decisions on the editorship for several months at least.

The current issue features a picture of Eduard Sievers on the cover. Also, the cover is a different color than was used for other recent No. 4's of particular volumes. Having decided that the dull blue used previously was simply too dull, I switched to a more pleasing green. I hope that this improves everyone's mood and digestion.

Using different colors also will help me avoid getting Vol. CXLVIII, No. 4 confused with Vol. CXLVII, No. 4. Alert readers will have noticed that I claimed in last issue's letter from the managing editor that Holger Pedersen appeared on the cover of Vol. CXLVIII, No. 1. This claim was incorrect, of course. It was Rasmus Rask who appeared on the cover of Vol. CXLVIII, No. 1. Holger Pedersen appeared on the cover of Vol. CXLVII, No. 1, which was the same color as Vol. CXLVIII, No. 1. Rask and Pedersen did not look much alike; only one of them (Pedersen) had a beard.

I hope that the preceding paragraph had enough Roman numerals to suit you. Roman numerals are kind of going out of style these days, but they can still be useful if you find yourself trapped in a tiger-feeding room, as demonstrated by Bart in a rather odd episode of The Simpsons. I hate those Shelbyvilleans.

I will close with a more contextualized version of the paraphrase on the front of the current issue, which is taken from All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren.

And I said, "I don't reckon you will find anything on Irwin."

And he said, "You find it."

At about the end of eighteen minutes and twenty miles, I said: "But suppose I don't find anything before election day?"

The Boss said, "To hell with election day. I can deliver Masters prepaid, special handling. But if it takes ten years, you find it."

We clocked off five miles more, and I said, "But suppose there isn't anything to find?"

And he said, "Man is conceived in sin and born in corruption and he passeth from the stink of the didie to the stench of the shroud. There is always something."

Two miles more, and he said, "And make it stick."

Little Jackie made it stick, all right.

Multiple Choice: The Ultimate Algorithm--Gotthilf Neuerblumenfeld
SpecGram Vol CXLVIII, No 4 Contents