Mac +/- for Macs & Mac users, plus or minus, more or less.

UVa is a conservative school. Ask Anastasia, who was a TA here. These are, to a great extent, the children of privilege, power and pedigree.
Walking (say it with me) the mile from my car to my office this morning, I passed 3 different moving Free Ride to Vote for Obama vans. Every sidewalk was chalked up with reminder after reminder to vote today for Obama. Posters were up on every kiosk. A pro-Obama student with a signboard was in front of every major building, ready to help anyone get to the polls.

On that mile long walk, the entire evidence of the McCain GOTV effort was one white chalk "N" added in front of a single instance of the word "OBAMA" chalked on a walkway.

Two young ladies walking side by side, chatting.

The blonde with bug-eye sunglasses says "...I don't know, his roommate called me more than he did."

82° but about 80% humidity with a not very nice parking lot for a view. Nevertheless, the AT&T store in Charlottesville may have been one of the best places to get an iPhone yesterday. About 70 people were in line at 6 pm, with more coming, but news reports claimed that the store had enough stock that they would not sell out that night or even through the whole weekend.

I couldn’t tell if this Apple-polo wearing guy was excited that he had already completed his purchase, or downtrodden that the line was too long for him to put up with. He was not the first guy in line. But he was walking away at quarter after six.

From the Stadium Parking Lot

Life is full of contradictions. Or at least people are.

Technorati Tags: Around Grounds, Funny, UVa, Virginia

My freebie (thanks Kymber) bike had a rear flat. After a very messy attempt to use a can of Fix-A-Flat on it ("Warning: Do not attempt to use on bicycle tires." said the can.) I took it by Blue Wheel Bikes to get repaired. Quoted cost over the phone: $9.50.

Standing there as the owner(?) fixed something else, I asked if there was any way to fix my bike's broken shifter for less than the value of the bike. Since the value of the bike was apparently about $10, the answer was no. Still, planning to get it repaired, I look around at the bikes.  "Do you ever deal in anything used?" I ask innocently.

"We do take trade ins, and it happens I have something now that would fit you."
"Funny you should mention it, because I don't even know what size bike I should be looking for." See, I thought maybe I needed a 17 or 18 inch frame.

Nope. The owner rolled out a 21" frame mountain bike. Biggest I've ever seen. 

So after a test drive, I'm now the owner of the best bike I've ever had and the only bike that has fit me since I was 13 or so. I actually have to extend my toe out to touch the ground from the seat. I'm not hunched up between the seat and the handlebar.  Blue wheel even swapped my old, still new-ish front tire for the older, worn down to nubs front tire on the new bike.

With the fenders and the new lock, it only exceeded my vague budget by a bit and less than forty times the $9.50 flat repair quote.  Plus I got the silly looking fenders added, so I can finally ride my bike to work in the rain without getting mud splashed. 

As I was gathering up my stuff to go, the owner said "Most profitable flat repair I've done all day!" 

Two young female staffers walking out to lunch. One says:

"I found the whole situation very confusing....

I really didn't think he was into women."

The West Cafeteria in the Hospital makes some disturbingly addictive chicken fingers, but the pizza is terrible. Even when I put it in the toaster to reheat and crisp up, it tasted of bitter cheap cheese.

I miss Bambina's Pizza.

Technorati Tags: Around Grounds, UVa, Virginia

Preppy undergrad to his female friend: "I don't know how to explain it, but I'm like exploring things and shit."

Technorati Tags: funny, UVa

Much to my eternal shock, last week my appeal of a UVa parking ticket was actually upheld. My confusion comes from the capriciousness of it--last time I appealed, it was for exactly the same reason and they rejected my appeal. Both times, I got a ticket even though my E3 tag was visible on the dashboard.

I'm not complaining this time, but it only improves my trust of P&T (and officer 210, whoever that is) a little bit.

Technorati Tags: UVa