Willy-nilly

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Into this Universe, and Why not knowing  Nor Whence, like Water willy-nilly flowing;  And out of it, as Wind along the Waste,  I know not Whither, willy-nilly blowing. Stanza XXXII of “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” by Edward Fitzgerald (1809–1883)

And Now For Something COMPLETELY Different

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A.k.a "The Chemists' Drinking Song"

Scientist and Sci-Fi writer Isaac Asimov (one of my favorite authors) suggested in a 1963 essay entitled "You, too, can speak Gaelic" suggested that "para-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyde" can be pronounced to the tune of the familiar jig "The Irish Washerwoman." Yes, the musician/scientist in me enjoyed this very much--hope you do too.


(ht: Futility Closet)

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