If you have the WABAC Machine, where would you time-travel back?

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Last week I took my kids to see


SOO funny! So if you could time travel to any place you'd like, where would you go? What would you like to see?

I'd personally enjoy seeing how the nobility enjoyed their nobilityness in Ancient Rome....
  • Profile picture of the author Paul Myers
    I would travel back to when I was 17 and give myself the following advice:

    "Joke 'em if they can't fake a tuck."

    Beyond that... I'm good with Now.
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    Stop by Paul's Pub - my little hangout on Facebook.

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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    1971 If I'd known the what I know now. And it was a kewl time of being. There was a war going on, but the whole society was taking a new shape. I have no clue how it ended up from that to this so damned quickly. I miss those times, though, and my life would have been a whole lot different than it turned out - still awesome, but very different, if I had the knowledge I have now to spend back then.
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    Sal
    When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
    Beyond the Path

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    • Profile picture of the author barbling
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      1971 If I'd known the what I know now. And it was a kewl time of being. There was a war going on, but the whole society was taking a new shape. I have no clue how it ended up from that to this so damned quickly. I miss those times, though, and my life would have been a whole lot different than it turned out - still awesome, but very different, if I had the knowledge I have now to spend back then.
      I don't think I'd like to change my life at all back then - it was godawful (being bullied/zero self confidence/etc.) but going thru it transformed me into the rather amazinglyCaffeinated person you see today. Wouldn't change that for the world. Additionally, having gone thru it gives me quite the edge in raising one of my kids (carbon copy of me). That alone made it gold.

      Ideally, everything happens for a reason.

      About to have my breakfast date with the husband but will look up a trailer for a time-traveling series coming soon - Outlander (8th book due this year, utterly memorizing stuff)
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  • Profile picture of the author joseph7384
    I'd go back to 1898 and derail the publication of the book "War Of The Worlds" which inspired Robert Goddard to investigate rocketry.

    The amount of money spent on crummy space exploration can be better spent on programs like world wide hunger and cancer cure.
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by joseph7384 View Post

      I'd go back to 1898 and derail the publication of the book "War Of The Worlds" which inspired Robert Goddard to investigate rocketry.

      The amount of money spent on crummy space exploration can be better spent on programs like world wide hunger and cancer cure.
      And I'd follow you, Terminator 2-style, to derail your efforts.

      It's not an either/or funding issue. Space exploration expands mankind's reach and enriches our body of knowledge exponentially. It's our human duty to wonder, to search and to learn.


      Frank
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by joseph7384 View Post

      I'd go back to 1898 and derail the publication of the book "War Of The Worlds" which inspired Robert Goddard to investigate rocketry.

      The amount of money spent on crummy space exploration can be better spent on programs like world wide hunger and cancer cure.
      It would NOT have ended world hunger or cancer. As for space exploration, a lot has been a waste. I guess we could have logically expected better though.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author candoit2
    I would go back in time and meet my wife even sooner than I did.
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  • Profile picture of the author barbling
    Just remembered - the trailer!


    Wonderful book series of over 20 years..... wish I had Starz to watch it!
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    I think I'd go back to post World War I days and get ready for all the glitz and glamour of the Roaring 20s. I'd load up on high flying stocks and sell everything early in 1929. Yeah, a time trippin' Wall St. Wizard...
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    • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      I think I'd go back to post World War I days and get ready for all the glitz and glamour of the Roaring 20s. I'd load up on high flying stocks and sell everything early in 1929. Yeah, a time trippin' Wall St. Wizard...
      If you really want to profit from something that caused a lot of damage to the world, why not travel back to as recently as September 10, 2001. Take out a pile of put options on airlines, insurance companies, or even the various stockmarkets as a whole (ie DJIA, S&P500, Nasdaq, LSE, ASX, Nikkei, DAX, CAC40, etc.), all of which plummeted when they opened again after the 11th of September

      Then sit back and watch events unfold. While the rest of the world looked in stunned silence, you could've been dancing round the room with an open bottle of Dom Pérignon in each hand.
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      • Profile picture of the author HeySal
        Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

        If you really want to profit from something that caused a lot of damage to the world, why not travel back to as recently as September 10, 2001. Take out a pile of put options on airlines, insurance companies, or even the various stockmarkets as a whole (ie DJIA, S&P500, Nasdaq, LSE, ASX, Nikkei, DAX, CAC40, etc.), all of which plummeted when they opened again after the 11th of September

        Then sit back and watch events unfold. While the rest of the world looked in stunned silence, you could've been dancing round the room with an open bottle of Dom Pérignon in each hand.
        Funny. That's what the guy that owns those buildings was doing.
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        Sal
        When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
        Beyond the Path

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  • Profile picture of the author David Braybrooke
    Four minutes ago. So I can re-eat the same bowl of icecream.
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    I'd be one of the mountain men of the 1700 or 1800's.
    Unspoiled scenery.
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    "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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    • Profile picture of the author HeySal
      Originally Posted by bizgrower View Post

      I'd be one of the mountain men of the 1700 or 1800's.
      Unspoiled scenery.
      Um...Dude? You live at the bottom of the Geneva Basin. You can get unspoiled scenery in large doses in at least 2 directions from you. (N and S) and in a wide radius of that line. It must be a hard winter there. Sounds like a case of cabin fever to me. Go outside and find a few rams to feed bananas to. You'll feel better about being trapped in 2014.
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      Sal
      When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
      Beyond the Path

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      • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
        Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

        Um...Dude? You live at the bottom of the Geneva Basin. You can get unspoiled scenery in large doses in at least 2 directions from you. (N and S) and in a wide radius of that line. It must be a hard winter there. Sounds like a case of cabin fever to me. Go outside and find a few rams to feed bananas to. You'll feel better about being trapped in 2014.
        I've just always been fascinated by that time period in this country.
        Horses and mules, not cars and interstates.
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        "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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        • Profile picture of the author HeySal
          Originally Posted by bizgrower View Post

          I've just always been fascinated by that time period in this country.
          Horses and mules, not cars and interstates.
          Where you're at, you could go back and be the first guy to discover gold in CO.

          Instead of John H. Gregory - I'd have been telling the passengers on my shuttle that you found it when we went past the site of the discovery and you could have been sitting in the shuttle watching people being fascinated by you and been a closet famous guy.
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          Sal
          When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
          Beyond the Path

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  • Profile picture of the author hardraysnight
    1962 liverpool, might learn a few new chords
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  • Profile picture of the author GrandPlaton
    If i have the WABAC Machine,i'd like to back in 989 year
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Honestly, I'd go back to find myself when I was 18 years old. I'd talk to my younger self.

      So much wasted potential. So many bad mistakes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    I would go back to 1943 or whenever and convince Claude's 17 year old self that his older self is sinister and to not trust him when he comes calling a year later.

    Oh, and I'd convince him to invest everything he had in Pets.com stock.
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    Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

      I would go back to 1943 or whenever and convince Claude's 17 year old self that his older self is sinister and to not trust him when he comes calling a year later.

      Oh, and I'd convince him to invest everything he had in Pets.com stock.

      Ha! But what you don't realize is that you just told me your plan...before I made the trip back in time. So...now...I'll just go back to when I was 16 years old, give myself great advice..and warn my younger self about the "short gay man with the evil van dyke".

      Or, while I'm back in time....I could just look up your Mom in high school, and convince her to become a nun.

      I am Whitacre, hear me roar.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        Ha! But what you don't realize is that you just told me your plan...before I made the trip back in time. So...now...I'll just go back to when I was 16 years old, give myself great advice..and warn my younger self about the "short gay man with the evil van dyke".

        Or, while I'm back in time....I could just look up your Mom in high school, and convince her to become a nun.

        I am Whitacre, hear me roar.
        Now you just told to me your plan. Who's Captain Brainypants now, Whitacre? Who's Captain Brainypants now...

        You now what, screw this. I'll go back in time and hook up with your mother before she meets your dad.

        <my best James Earl Jones voice> Claude, I am your father.
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        Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

          Now you just told to me your plan. Who's Captain Brainypants now, Whitacre? Who's Captain Brainypants now...

          You now what, screw this. I'll go back in time and hook up with your mother before she meets your dad.

          <my best James Earl Jones voice> Claude, I am your father.
          Ok, but what you don't know..is that this was a fake plan!

          All of this was to trick you into having sex with my Mom. You see.....my father has been in a Turkish prison (for sex crimes in a Turkish Bath) for most of his adult life.

          Ipso Facto, I tricked you into being my dad, who is now in a Turkish prison. And now that you have left your wife, to be my dad, your wife is alone....and missing her husband (or a man who looks a lot like her husband...your son..ME!)

          So...to summarize (All super villains summarize their triumph)
          You were tricked into sleeping with my mom....so you're now my dad, who looks like me.
          You are now in a Turkish prison for the rest of your life.
          My original dad (who was in the Turkish prison), is now free to meet up with my mom (I introduced them after you were sent to Turkey)..and has adopted me as his son.
          Your wife is now dating me, because I remind her so much of her lost loving husband.
          I can still cheat on your wife, with my wife (who has no idea that any of this has occurred)....

          And, as your son, I look like me...except I'm 3 inches shorter.

          Check And Mate!

          Sinister? Stewie Griffin ain't got shit on me, Baby!

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=barWV7RWkq0
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          • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
            Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

            It is considered bad etiquette to cheer or clap when calling out
            check or finalizing the mate.

            -- Quoted from --
            Some rule book I read read in the 80's. Sorry I forget which one.
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            • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
              Originally Posted by kenmichaels View Post

              It is considered bad etiquette to cheer or clap when calling out
              check or finalizing the mate.

              -- Quoted from --
              Some rule book I read read in the 80's. Sorry I forget which one.
              I wasn't clapping. The people were clapping because of the hilarity of my post. Tell them not to clap.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    I swear listening to Dan and Claude go at it gives me some very strange flashbacks to my young childhood watching Rocky and Bowinkle cartoons.
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    Sal
    When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
    Beyond the Path

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    • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      I swear listening to Dan and Claude go at it gives me some very strange flashbacks to my young childhood watching Rocky and Bowinkle cartoons.
      The fact that you're hearing us could be part of the problem.
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      Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

        The fact that you're hearing us could be part of the problem.
        Dan;

        Well done. On several levels.


        Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

        I swear listening to Dan and Claude go at it gives me some very strange flashbacks to my young childhood watching Rocky and Bowinkle cartoons.
        Sal; Listening to you and Riffle go at it gives me some very strange flashbacks to my young childhood watching Barney and Betty Rubble on The Flintstone's. I'm talking about the episode where Fred's dad has been arrested in a Turkish bathhouse, and sent to a Turkish prison.
        Then Barney travels back in time, beds Fred's mom, becomes Fred's dad....

        Well, we all know the rest of that story.
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        • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

          Sal; Listening to you and Riffle go at it gives me some very strange flashbacks to my young childhood watching Barney and Betty Rubble (get it? You're into geology..Rubble. Damn I'm good)
          Sal and I could never be married. I'm pretty certain she'd murder me in my sleep.
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          Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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          • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
            Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

            Sal and I could never be married. I'm pretty certain she'd murder me in my sleep.
            But she wouldn't be guilty, because it happened during a flashback.
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          • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
            Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

            Sal and I could never be married. I'm pretty certain she'd murder me in my sleep.
            Dan; That's really not fair. Everyone wants to murder you in your sleep.
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