Nico's post in the comments is totally right:  <a href="http://www.bokane.org/archives/000318.html" title="bokane.org">this is totally cyberpunk</a>.

<quote class="conversation">This morning, on my way to classes, I was biking along Chengfu Lu, minding my own business, when I heard a "Hello." I turned, and smiled, and said "Hello" back, as per my usual habit - it was a couple of high-school age kids on a bike. One of them reached into his bag and pulled out something rectangular-shaped, in a silvery plastic packet.

--"You speak Chinese? OK, cool - want this? 80-gig hard disk, completely new, 200 kuai."
"Nah, thanks."
"Want RAM? Ethernet cards? Graphics cards?"
"Um, not today," I said. "Good luck selling them."

--They kept on going - the one who'd been showing me their merchandise, perched on the back, waved at me as they went off.
And I continued on my way to class.</quote>

Chinese noodle restaurant owners avoid having to wash dishes by <a href="http://www.thecenterofthenet.com/4images/details.php?image_id=44">lining their bowls with plastic bags</a>.  Certain (American) persons thought that this was the most unsanitary thing.  I thought it was genius.  On a related note, I have found -- sadly -- no decent noodle places in Ann Arbor.  No pho!  Maybe Chicago is my only hope.