An Irregular Compendium of Reminders of the Universe’s Randomness and Occasional Wonderfulness

No RespectOn Jan. 3 a Town Taxi cab driver turned up at the D4 police station to complain that he had been given a counterfeit $100 bill. The cabbie reported picking up a fare at 74 West Newton Street and transporting him to Dorchester Ave. The fare, who identified himself as “Woody,” paid for the $12 ride with the phony Benjamin and the cab driver gave him $87 in change. The cabbie didn’t have the same luck when he attempted to purchase a money order with the bill later on. (South End News, 1/7/09)

Violinist Plays for Those Who Saved His ArmThe melodic strains of a violin that emanated Friday from a lobby at Barnes-Jewish Hospital carried the gratitude of a former patient who nearly lost the ability to play the instrument. “I suppose it’s a way of saying ‘thank you’ to the hospital, but it’s a lot of things.” Ken Wollberg said. “It’s a way to share a beautiful thing.” (AP, 1/23/09)

Where the Rubber Meets The WordJose Gouveia, 45, recently published “Rubber Side Down,” a book of poems by bikers about the open road (including 17-syllable “baiku”), some from the educationally upscale Highway Poets Motorcycle Club of Cambridge, Mass. (Boston Globe, 10-21-08)

Bad Samaritan?Police in New Britain, Conn., arrested Joel Rubin, 42, in January and charged him with using a stolen credit card, but unanswered was why Rubin also tried to use his own store discount card to get a lower price on the merchandise. It was Rubin’s name on the discount card that tipped off police, and it was not immediately clear why Rubin wanted to save a few bucks off a bill that would be sent to someone else. (Hartford Courant, 1-13-09)

Deep ThoughtIs there a Model ZOG that runs our Model UN?