APRIL, 1949 BRIEF ENCOUNTER A 7-ray one sunny day Was traipsing o n its merry way T h m u g h vacuum, continuum, Through plumbum and germanium; When, prompted by afooliah whim, A @-rayaccosted h i m And said: "Now, podner, hold your bosses; Let's undergo a Compton process." Alas! No sooner said than done; There was a loud e%plosion And, i n a microsecond's time, Our r was a r'. -Peter Linde University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore.