"Betty when you call me, you can call me Al!" (or "Roll over, Descartes, tell King Gustav the news!")

Earlier this year, there was a buzz in the blogosphere (I can't remember where) about Einstein's theory of evolution being obsolete. The heir-apparent to explaining the nature of the universe was reported to be something called "the vortex theory." The news was published on a website called www.thevortextheory.com, but the link isn't working as this is being written.

"Einstein was a genius
As smart as he could be.
He wrote one equation every day.
On Mondays he wrote three,
On Mondays he wrote three."

Nevertheless, it seems as good a time as any for a fitting tribute to Einstein:

"Albert dance around, Albert be profound,
Albert let your hair stick out, and your socks hang down.
Albert dance around, Albert be profound,
Albert let your hair stick out, and your socks hang down."

The above are the first verse and chorus of "Einstein the Genius" by Henry Jankiewicz, for the Kicking Mule label.

"A man got in a spaceship
and flew a million miles.
He busted through the speed of light
And he came back a child,
Yes, he came back a child."

An audio sample by Ron Sowell for a children's album can be found by entering http://www.ronsowell.com/clips/op/einstein.mp3 into Quick Time or other player.

"A wave and a particle
Were walking side by side.
One to the other said
Which one of us am I?
Which one of us am I?"

Of course, I first heard the tune several years ago on West Virginia Public Radio's "Mountain Stage," performed by a band of the Mountain State known as Stewed Mulligan. I'm going to get that CD real soon so I can play it on the banjo for my parish's annual "no-talent night."

"Albert played the fiddle.
He loved to shout and sing.
Now if that ain't genius,
Well, that ain't anything.
No, that ain't anything."

I can't argue with reasoning like that, can you?