I get this on the ATI on my MacBookPro 15 as well. It may have something to do with usplash:
<a href="https://launchpad.net/ bug/63558">Bug 63358</a> - usplash corrupts VTs -- No video on VTs https://launchpad.net/bugs/42974 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
