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\noindent Welcome to Q138!  Following from our recent cover art experiment,
this issue's cover features a contribution from the talented Al-Rifaie
family, this time from Asmaa. Asmaa is currently studying for a BSc in Creative
Computing through the University of London's International Programme, and
sister of last issue's artist and committee member, Mohammad.  Details of the
algorithm that created the image can be found on the front endpaper.  If you would like to submit your artistic interpretation of the Q, please contact the editors for further details.

Q138 features three articles. In the first one, Lars Kotthoff introduces the Craft of algorithm selection: With the growing scope of the systems we build came the realisation that different algorithms were better suited for different parts of the problem at hand, and the ingenuity may lie in the selection and combination of the most appropriate algorithms.

Hector Zenil authored the second article, which returns to the foundational problem of universal computability, and the apparent contradiction that arises when one attempts to separate levels of abstraction by hypothesising local features of computation. Hector proposes a way to resolve this conflict by integrating the notion of information, as originally proposed by Shannon and others.

In the third article, Stephen McGregor describes a system he designed to synthesise English sonnets based on prosodic information.

Finally, Nonso Nnamoko and Blay Whitby report on conference they have attended,
with the support of the Society. Their contributions are followed by
Fr.\ Hacker's sage advice to troubled souls.

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The year 2014 is important for AISB, as it commemorates both the 50th
Anniversary of the Society, and it has been sixty years since the death of Alan
Turing. This year's Convention will be a memorable celebration, and we are very
much looking forward to seeing many of you at Goldsmiths, on April 1-4. If you
have not yet registered, you can do so at http://aisb50.org.

The Society's steering committee will also see a number of changes this year.
After eight issues, Dr David Peebles is retiring from the position of editor.
Prof. Mark Bishop is also stepping down from the role of Chair of the Society.
Mark was elected Chair in January 2012.  His enthusiasm and leadership
contributed greatly to the Society.  One member of the Committee is standing
for election to replace him as Chair, Dr. Bertie M\"{u}ller, currently
Treasurer of the Society.  Bertie's Mission Statement concludes the present
issue.

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\noindent \textbf{\emph{The Q editors}}

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