If you had a Time Machine...

[WhimsyTheFae]

Into the garage to grab an axe and a hammer, then I'd trash the time machine. Sorry, but if there is one thing that fiction has taught me, it's that messing with time is bad...

 

[Del]

I'd tell my dad to stay home and get some rest, rather then going back on the road to camp after too little sleep. Either that or personally fill in those potholes.

Not that these thoughts depress me, I never suffer from depression, but it would be cool to have him.

 

[physicscarp]

One trip, one destination...the beginning. I want to see how it all started, no matter what the mechanism was. All these other dates are just details.

 

[Templetroll]

The uproar was massive, and, IIRC, they introduced "Coca-Cola Classic" (i.e., the old formula) within a month or so. "New Coke" stayed on the market for a while (a decade or so, in some markets), but really never succeeded. There are those who suggest that the entire debacle was planned, in order to generate PR for the Coke brand in general (and it certainly did that, intentionally or not).

That's your Marketing 101 lesson for today, kids. This is kenobi65, your old-geezer advertising guy, signing off.

Yup, and there are still rumors about the sweetener in it.

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/newcoke.asp

 

[ZuulMoG]

And how many of you wanna-be Napoleons and Alexanders actually speak Ancient Greek, Middle French, or Latin? Yutzes, you'd be thrown down by snarling mobs and burnt at the stake as witches, or worse, before you even got started.

Time machines are for fixing historical errors, like every Yankees World Series win, or John Lennon's murder (or a lot of other people's murders). My God, 6 million Jews were exterminated in the early 1940s, what about them?

No, my timeline would rapidly develop into one where a nameless historical figure called The Hand of Fate stepped in to save or damn as needed. Mozart and Robert E Howard would not have died paupers, Hitler would have been found murdered in his youth, etc...

...and my MTG collection with roxxors your soxxors.

 

[Dakkareth]

One of these days I really have to get C°ntinuum. Damn Amazon Germany for not having it!

As for stuff I'd do ... mmhh, difficult. The really cool things (visiting Athens and talking to Sokrates, sitting in the Roman Senate, making a 'few' copies in the Library of Alexandria) all would require a -load of preparation. Being my lazy old self I'm not sure I'd do all that ...

But it *would* be cool.

 

[Desdichado]

Well, if you're the only one with the machine, this can probably be accomplished in a single trip - all it requires is a couple winning lottery tickets, after all. Then, with your mundane home-time comfort as secure as it can be (given that you're about to be mucking with the timestream), you're free to go and see the world.

Right. The Michigan lottery was up to $350 million just a few weeks ago. I'd go back to the week before it was won, and buy a ticket with the winning number.

Then, I'd go back to 1988 and see Depeche Mode play the "101" tour at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Then, I'd bounce all over the place. Wouldn't mind seeing if Cleopatra lives up to the hype, IYKWIMAITYD. Wouldn't mind having a T. rex head as a wall trophy either.

Dang, there's all kinds of things I'd like to see after that.

And to DMC--no way, dude! Everybody should be reading more Egar Rice Burroughs. The world would be a better place. Seriously.

 

[Warrior Poet]

Wouldn't mind seeing if Cleopatra lives up to the hype, IYKWIMAITYD.

The theory I've heard is that she wasn't necessarily a stunningly beautiful woman, but her mind was dead sexy.

Warrior Poet

 

[Desdichado]

The theory I've heard is that she wasn't necessarily a stunningly beautiful woman, but her mind was dead sexy.

I've heard the theory that it was her... ahem... technique.

EDIT: Post #69. Heh heh.

 

[WayneLigon]

The theory I've heard is that she wasn't necessarily a stunningly beautiful woman, but her mind was dead sexy.

But she did have a fine asp.

Ahem.

This is probably what time travel would wind up being used for, once it becomes available to the public. The Time Travel Commission will swear it has endless educational opportunities, but people only go to three places: Roman Coliseum, Gammorah's annual 'Flower Festival' and Cleopatra's Sweet Sixteen party.