Now I look like a twitter failure

Nah, it's like everything else where there are tricks to getting attention. Post again with an update even if it's "now they're claiming they'll help but I've been told that before" or something. Basically, people like a story. And Twitter particularly likes a story where the third act is "I got no help until I started shouting about it here."

But good news on the used part! Does that mean they found a way around it having to be new?

You know, I understand that they can't just pull the part out of their ass, but it seems to me that they should either GIVE you a used car of equal value or give that amount of money toward a new one. Hopefully, this only happens once ina blue moon, so it wouldn't really hurt their bottom line. If this is happening a lot, then there is a problem they need to resolve with that make and model.

but it seems to me that they should either GIVE you a used car of equal value

Don't you remember Paul Dooley's character (a used car dealer) in Breaking Away having a heart attack when his son gives the money back on a used car?

Ah, so that's what the . does!

It's the shorthand. And I didn't understand it for ages so dull explanation follows for anyone who cares:

If you start a message with @Name, it will only appear in the timelines of people who are following both you and @Name. This is only when you start with the @. So if you're replying to someone and want everyone following you to see it, put something before @Name. People use a period since it's easy to ignore when you're reading, but you could say "Dear @Name" and it'd work the same way.

I stomped over to the JPL store and bought a 16g Nano. THE UNIVERSE CANNOT TAKE MY MUSIC AWAY TOO.

I would have gotten something nicer, but it was all they had in stock. And it's pink. So whatever.

Ohhh, thanks Strega. I'm a twitter newbie, so that's really helpful. Anyway, I tweeted with the @JoelEwanick tag Maria suggested, so hopefully you'll start getting some traction.

People at my university are reporting that they felt the quake, but I felt nothing. I was teaching at the time, and when I turned my phone back on, I had five missed calls from my mother trying to find out if I was OK. I vaguely recall hearing a bit of a rumbling around that time, but the room I was teaching in is right down the block from a construction site, so I didn't really pay any attention to a little rumbling.

My dad's office building in NYC was evacuated and everybody sent home, though nobody seems to know why.

Used part found in Philadelphia

Woot! good news, Allyson.

So i was all set to call the National Marine Fisheries Service about a project I have, but I can't because their website is down: [link]

I'm like, seriously? You're a federal agency and you can't do it more professionally than that?

Allyson, I've been away from the computer for most of the day. Remind me of your Twitter name so I can go find your posts and retweet them.

I hope all of our east coasters are okay.

Don't you remember Paul Dooley's character (a used car dealer) in Breaking Away having a heart attack when his son gives the money back on a used car?

I have worked in various permutations of customer service since I was15. If it was piece of meat at the grocery store, a peice of clothing or furniture at JC Penney, or a ticket to the theare, or a class for you or your child at my university.-- that is what I would do. Probably without calling my manager (except for that it is a car). It is like the root of all customer service-- there is a point where keeping the customer happy is worth more than the money you use to do so. If they did that, they would not only most likely gain Allyson as a customer for life, but she would also talk to many of her friends,perhaps not to the extent she is now that she is mad, but "Chevy gave me a car because they couldn't find a $50 part would warrant some talking about. And a bad situation would actually turn out for the benefit of everyone.