The winner of the Five-Patel Limerick Competition will be announced in the September, 2005 issue of mini-AIR. The competition was announced in the August issue, which said:
Thecompetition involves a five-Patel paper that
was spotted by investigator Frederic Glasser. (The paper is also
now part of our Multiplicity of Monikers Collection). Please
submit an original (by you, done now, of good quality) limerick
that elucidates this study:
"Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Fatty Acid
Composition of Milk Fat of Krankrej Cows, II.
Effect of Dietary Conditions," G.K. Patel, M.J. Patel,
R.M. Patel, K.C. Patel and R.D. Patel,
Fat Science Technology, vol. 91, no. 4, 1989, pp. 164-7.
The winner will receive a free issue of the Annals of Improbable
Research.
Here are some runners-up.
INVESTIGATOR SHARON A MCKINLEY:
The milk fat of cows, we can tell,
Is what these researchers know well.
That’s M.J. and K.C.
and G.K. and R.D.
(and don’t forget R.M.) Patel.
INVESTIGATOR ELENA LONERGAN [who insists: "I don’t have any
personal grudge against the Patels — I’m sure that they’re a lovely
bunch"]:
(1)
From their boots to their spotted cravats,
The Patels are a right bunch of prats.
But their mutual strength
Lies in droning at length
About cows, and their milk, and its fats.
(2)
If the milk seems too fatty or thin
The Patels can explain all within.
They hold milk fat so dear
They can rave on all year.
But I beg you, don’t let them begin.
(3)
If the youngest Patel doesn’t know,
To the others in turn you must go;
What the milk must contain
Five Patels will explain.
They’re the flower of learning, you know.
INVESTIGATOR WALTER BROWN:
About milk the Patels made a study.
But their findings remain a bit muddy.
While they make it clear that
Milk contains more than fat,
They don’t say why skim milk tastes so cruddy.