Amazon "One-Click Purchase" Speedmaster Pro

Mitch Buchannon

I thought this was quite good ....



From: Holly Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 10.16am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Amazon order

Did you order something from Amazon with the credit card for $3,280 on Tuesday?


Holly




From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 10.22am
To: Holly Thorne
Subject: Re: Amazon order

I'm offended by the question. How irresponsible do you think I am?




From: Holly Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 10.31am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Amazon order

I'm at work, I don't have time to write the ten page elucidation that question demands. It was charged to the credit card on June 7. If you didn't order something, I will call the bank and find out what's going on. Did you buy something for $3,280 or not?




From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 10.42am
To: Holly Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Amazon order

Yes. But I blame Amazon's 'Buy with 1 click' button. Evaluating the consequences of clicking it takes longer than clicking it and you know how little patience I possess.


You experienced first hand the button's seductive propensity last week when you were browsing for books about glassblowing and purchased a kayak.




From: Holly Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 10.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Amazon order

The kayak was under 300 dollars and you bought a model of the space shuttle and an orange NASA jumpsuit at the same time. At least we can both use the Kayak. It's good to try new things. What the hell did you buy that cost $3280?




From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 10.59am
To: Holly Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Amazon order

It's not a jumpsuit, it's a flight suit. Discovery doesn't jump into orbit.


I purchased an Omega Speedmaster Professional. Apparently it keeps terrible time, can't get wet, has to be wound daily and its Hesalite crystal face scratches in a mild breeze, but it was the first watch worn on the moon.


Buzz Aldrin wore the exact model during the Apollo 11 mission and it has the words 'Flight qualified by NASA for all manned space missions' stamped into the back. It also has a tachymeter.



From: Holly Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 11.14am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Amazon order

Fantastic, that will come in handy the next time someone asks "Has anybody got a tachymeter?" I don't care if it was the first watch worn on the sun, $3,280 is a ridiculous amount of money to pay for a watch. Even if it has a tachymeter.


We're supposed to be saving money, not buying everything that has ever had the NASA logo stuck on it. I'm going to get home one day and find a space shuttle in the driveway and you sitting inside wearing your jumpsuit. When I didn't finish my food at Jalisco's last night you said "There are children in Africa who would kill for that taco." How does a $3,280 watch fit in with your newfound altruism?




From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 11.33am
To: Holly Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Amazon order

I'm pretty sure the kids in Africa would want me to have the watch. And given the choice between a watch and a taco, I doubt any African child would choose the watch. It's not as if they have business meetings to attend or need to know when it is dinner time. They could probably use a kayak though. When asked "what's the time?" by passersby, they would reply, from beneath the shade of their new kayak, "Why? Are you late for a business meeting?" and the passersby would respond "Sarcasm is the lowest form of... is that a taco?"


The passersby would then continue on their way which is what passersby do.


I'm also fairly sure that if I showed the African kids the watch and asked "Should I have sent you a cheque instead?" they would reply "No, charity is detrimental unless it helps the recipient become independent of it. Besides, I'd rather have a taco.” They would probably then ask what the tachymeter is for and I would have to admit that I have no idea.


While I am all for altruism, it shouldn't entail exclusive concern for the welfare of others over one's own needs. It is all about balance; I ate all of my tacos so I get a watch. Which, incidently, was actually only $3,100. As it retails for nearly $4000, this means I have effectively saved us nine-hundred dollars. If I were to do this every week, by the end of the year we would have saved 1.7 million dollars. We could purchase as much altruism as we want with that kind of cash. And jetpacks. It's good to try new things.



From: Holly Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 11.41am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Amazon order

You're terrible, Muriel. And 1.7 million? Even with a space watch I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for NASA to call as they probably like their astronauts to be capable of basic math. If we were in space and ground control asked you to plot the trajectory for re-entry, we would burn.


If the watch was only $3,100, what did you buy with the other $180? And does it also have a NASA logo on it?



From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 11.44am
To: Holly Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Amazon order

No, the extra $180 was for a pair of pants.



From: Holly Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 June 2011 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Amazon order

Did Buzz Aldrin wear them on the moon?

MiCr0

Both myself and my wife felt that Holly was being very calm.
I don't think I'd fair as well, although I have considered buying that watch on several occasions :-)