Crackin' the latest "Order of the Occult Hand" phrase.

[Gleb Gamow]

Dec. 6, 2006: http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/greenberg120606.php3

But I couldn't just let the Order die. It had become a … tradition So at the next annual editorial writers' convention, I called an after-hours meeting of all those who might be interested in adopting a new secret phrase. It couldn't be just a simple piece of purple-as-a-bruise prose that would leap out of our copy as if written in neon. What we needed was some language bad enough to be spotted by the cognoscenti but likely to get past the casual copyreader. Call it lavender prose.

...

But I'm proud to report that the Order is in business again with, at last count, 11 certified members who've submitted proof that they've actually snuck the magic phrase into a reputable publication, 14 candidates who have yet to submit their documentation, and one honorary member who seems to spin out this kind of prose naturally.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Occult_Hand

The Order of the Occult Hand is a whimsical secret society of American journalists who have been able to slip the meaningless and telltale phrase "It was as if an occult hand had…" in print as a sort of a game and inside joke.

I propose we, the Bitcoin community, put our collective heads together and crack this son of a bitch, whereupon our reward would be the recognition that it was a quasi-crypto group of sleuths who cracked it.

It's a given that the first use of the unknown phrase was sometime before Dec. 6, 2006, perhaps at least once on Thanksgiving day less than two weeks prior.

I like to believe that one of the members, if not Paul Greenberg himself, opted to pen the unknown phrase on the anniversary of first use of the "occult hand" phrase. On birthdays of leading members or of notables in the printed word space are other dates in which the unknown phrase may have been published.

Are you game? If so, weigh in with whatever insight you have to offer so that others can expand upon it

At the very least, we'll learn some shit we probably wouldn't have if we didn't embark upon this weird-ass quest.

Here's the 2004 exposé: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-07-25/news/0407250346_1_phrase-editorial-page-editor-journalism

We can eliminate "nostalgic windup, even though I could see the curve ball coming" gleaned indirectly from here: http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/greenberg1.asp

[1715212967]

1715212967

[Gleb Gamow]

Dec. 6, 2006: http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/greenberg120606.php3

But I couldn't just let the Order die. It had become a … tradition So at the next annual editorial writers' convention, I called an after-hours meeting of all those who might be interested in adopting a new secret phrase.

Paul was referring to what happened on July 25, 2004, then states that at the next NCEW he and his cohorts adopted a new secret phrase.

July 25, 2004|By James Janega, Tribune staff reporter: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-07-25/news/0407250346_1_phrase-editorial-page-editor-journalism

The next NCEW just so happened to be only a couple months away in Chicago, of all places, hosted by the Chicago Tribune, the rag where Paul's quasi-nemesis pens for (how fitting):

http://web.archive.org/web/20040723025747/http://www.ncew.org/Convention/2004%20Chicago/2004%20Chicago.htm

Please join us in Chicago from September 29 to October 2, 2004, when the Chicago Tribune plays host to the 2004 National Conference of Editorial Writers.

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/greenberg1.asp



The extreme earliest article penned by Paul Greenberg in which the secret phrase could've been embedded is The Angel's Dictionary, a fitting title given that the prior secret phrase included "occult hand". I'm gonna read it now to see if I get lucky. Wish me luck.

Please, don't be afraid to join in on the quest. I promise, it'll be fun.

http://www.cjr.org/currents/talk_to_the_hand.php

Janega was pleased to hear that his article hadn’t destroyed the Order, and that a “new phoenix” had risen from the occult hand’s ashes to “fly through the Internet.” So long as it isn’t easily Googleable, he thinks, the secret should remain wrapped in mystery for another four decades. What is it? I’ll never tell.

[Gleb Gamow]

Okay, after reading for the past hour, I think I found it. Paul used the phrase 04/05 which was never printed in news media prior, but a couple hundred instances since his penning. Now that I found it, what should I do with it? Contact James Janega?

BTW, thanks to all those who've helped in this quest. You guys are the bestest!  

http://www.cjr.org/currents/talk_to_the_hand.php

Janega was pleased to hear that his article hadn’t destroyed the Order, and that a “new phoenix” had risen from the occult hand’s ashes to “fly through the Internet.” So long as it isn’t easily Googleable, he thinks, the secret should remain wrapped in mystery for another four decades. What is it? I’ll never tell.

I'd say it's near time for them to come up with another phrase, eh?

Hey, maybe I can extort them ... say for 35 BTC (my standard extortion fee) ... to not let the cat outta bag.