Less Than Cake

Maybe you can make sense of this? The picture shows the current bidding history of a computer auction on eBay. Up for auction is a brand new computer worth around $300 - while you can find some decent deals on the BAY, most electronic items end up being sold for close to their retail value (This is important to keep in mind when bidding). The current high bidder, xquizitt1, was the first to place a bid on the item. His high bid remains unknown at this point.

The wonder and amusement in this auction is brought to you by bidders cpt. morgun, bluenhra, and sixerwv. Sixerwv was the second person to bid - from the bid amount we can see that his bid was $12.90.

Explain me this - what went through sixerwv's mind when he thought hmm I am going to bid for this brand new computer that regularly sales for $300, and I can win this baby if my high bid is $12.90...yeah baby, I'm gettin' this comp for twelve bucks...sweeet!!!! Logical explanation anyone? Anyone?

Unfortunately for sixerwv he underbid the value too much, and xquizitt1's yet undisclosed bid trumped the low ball offer. Thanks for playing sixerwv, but maybe you should shop for your hardware at the Salvation Army? Exit stage right, please.

Enter stage left bluenhra. Now, bluenhra was obviously smarter than sixerwv, because he had the wise sense to bid a whoppin' $13.90. This was a rather smart bid you see, because this put him exactly $1 closer than sixerwv to the actual ebay market value of the computer. Nice try. Thanks for playing, but you just wasted your time. You see bluenhra, xquizitt1 trumped you as well - maybe we should call him "The Donald?" Let's reserve judgment until xquizitt1's high bid is revealed.

Fortunately for bluenhra, there exists one ebayer both smarter and stupider than he. This ebayer is the great cpt. morgun. Cpt. morgun displays extreme intelligence by submitting the high rolling $25 bid. Is that what a new computer is worth these days? No, of course not cpt. morgun - that is why you were instantaneously outbid by xquizitt1, whose high bid remains a secret. Just as you showed you were smarter ( in the smallest degree) than bluenhra, you then displayed a new level of stupidity. That's right. You thought to yourself, shoot man I really want this computer...maybe if I up my bid of $25 by $5, maybe then I will win this fan dangled computer. Yes, I will bid $30. The bid to top all bids!!!

And therein lies your stupidity. Another $5 dollars? Is that all you have to spare? Is your child's education worth nothing more? You spent another 60 seconds (err let's not kid ourselves it probably took you another 12 minutes to figure how to bid again) on ebay to up your $25 bid a measly $5. You are kidding right? You didn't seriously think increasing your bid by $5 would make a difference. Or did you?

Maybe it's time to unplug the internet in Arkansas...are you with me?