# Time Machine: Destination, When, Where, and Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484 "2003-03-19T06:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/1 "2003-03-19T06:08:51Z")
You have one shot to use a time machine to move in either direction on the timeline as far as you like, past or future. What year would you choose, what location, and why? Bonus Q: What 3 modern items that you could carry would you take with you? ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/2 "2003-03-19T06:44:16Z")
The Library of Alexandria, say a century or so before it’s destroyed. To save one of the greatest repositories of information in the during the Antique era. **Bonus Q:** A modern day copier hooked to an electric generator that’s powered by fire or running water… and a VERY large supply of paper. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/3 "2003-03-19T07:50:57Z")
Tahiti, in the year… ooh, say 1437. In order to experience paradise first-hand. I’d bring nothing. And I’d never go back. ---
**Author:** ![lexen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@lexen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexen)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/4 "2003-03-19T10:57:58Z")
1. Jerusalem, about 2000 years ago. You never know who you may bump into. 2. A certain ocean liner on the Atlantic on april 1912. 3. Wandering around my town (Brugges) 700 years ago. I’d bring a gadget that lets me return to the present in a hurry if needed (see point 2). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/5 "2003-03-19T14:17:10Z")
I refer you to this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=122691&perpage=50&highlight=time%20AND%20machine&pagenumber=1) where **Happy Lendervedder** proposes a novel time-travelling pursuit. For my part I’d go back to just before I posted this, and then I’d be funnier. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/6 "2003-03-19T14:32:45Z")
New York or Philadelphia, 110 years ago. I could still make a living as a writer and editor—women could, back then. The company I work for now existed, in fact, so I could keep my benefits and vacation time! What would I bring back? Something non-scary that could be exchanged for cold, hard cash. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/7 "2003-03-19T18:29:55Z")
Chicago or New York, Feb. 1938. I’d buy several copies of Action Comics #!, then jump forward and buy several copies of Detective Comics #37. Then I’d get a long term contract on a safe-deposit box and retrieve them today. I’d sell all but one of each. ---
**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/8 "2003-03-19T19:32:51Z")
man, you people have small dreams. Money??? Moments of historical significance??? I’d rather experience something completely unpredictable/incredibly sensational. Year 2500. Drop me into the Pacific, within swimming distance of Central America. I’ll take a (1) waterproof, buoyant case containing a (2) portable cd player with Boards of Canada’s “Geogaddi”, and (3) proof of identification. The wonderful world I would (potentially) be sucked into is worth the risk. Surely by that time the limitations of today’s technologies would virtually be no longer an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/9 "2003-03-19T19:33:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Freyr \* > **The Library of Alexandria, say a century or so before it’s destroyed. To save one of the greatest repositories of information in the during the Antique era.** I’ll second this choice. It’s the first thing that popped into my head. Oh, and **Eve**? > [@](#): > > The company I work for now existed, in fact, so I could keep my benefits and vacation time! Since it’s the same company, wouldn’t you end up owing them vacation time??? After all, you earn days off accumulating from a specific date you start, so if you go back in time before that date, your days earned would be negative. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WillSantini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@WillSantini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillSantini)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/10 "2003-03-19T19:51:08Z")
Tun Tavern, Philly, PA, Nov 10th, 1775. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/11 "2003-03-19T20:17:20Z")
1. London. Taking with me: Diamonds ( for currency) book of world history & medicine. the keeper. ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/12 "2003-03-19T20:38:27Z")
Flippin’ eck! Freyr said _exactly_ the same thing that I normally say to answer this question. I bet he and Atrael’s read _Cosmos_ as well… OK, in that case, I’ll choose a stormy night in March, 1286 - on the Northern shore of the Firth of Forth, near Pettycur Bay in Scotland. I’ll take an oil lamp, a Goretex® jacket and some sugar lumps for the horse. If I time it just right, I’ll be able to prevent King Alexander III of Scotland from plunging off a cliff to his death, so he can continue riding on to see his bride at Kinghorn. Maybe then he’d have produced an heir and the throne of Scotland wouldn’t have been taken by Edward I. Worth a shot, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/13 "2003-03-19T21:42:15Z")
Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863 I’d take a Confederate Officer’s uniform a laptop computer a loaded glock a lemon I’d prevent General “Stonewall” Jackson from being shot by his own troops. Then I’d show him a program detailing the disastrous outcome of a charge at Gettysburg. I believe that he would have been the one voice that could have changed Lee’s mind. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/14 "2003-03-19T23:11:37Z")
> [@](#): > > You have one shot to use a time machine to move in either direction on the timeline as far as you like, past or future. What year would you choose, what location, and why? If we can only use this thing once, how are we supposed to get back? ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/15 "2003-03-20T00:35:46Z")
[Hijack] Actually, what I really want is to know everything I know now and put all of that knowledge into my 10 year old self. I’d like to start my life over. Downside is I may never see my children again. [/Hijack] ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/16 "2003-03-20T00:50:30Z")
1863, South Carolina I would bring some Afrikaaner mercenaries and Ak47s… oh wait, thats been done… 1938, Germany, Hitlers bedroom, and I would shoot him while he sleeps, and time travel back before anyone can catch me. ---
**Author:** ![FabioClone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5f8ce5/32.png) [@FabioClone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FabioClone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/17 "2003-03-20T01:03:12Z")
The only rational thing to do in this situation is for me to go back, kill my past self, and take his place. Then I go on living my life with advance knowledge of the future. I correct all the mistakes I made the first time and end up as the ruler of some small European nation. However, knowing that my future self has this plan, I have to be on guard at all times. If I ever get my hands on a time machine, my future self could return to kill me at any moment. ---
**Author:** ![Novus\_Opiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Novus\_Opiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novus_Opiate)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/18 "2003-03-20T02:20:33Z")
That’s pretty damn funny, **FabioClone**. I think I would set my dial for 4003 C.E. and cross my fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/19 "2003-03-20T04:51:21Z")
Man, I don’t know_how many_ times that’s happened to me, and I still can’t get used to it. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484/20 "2003-03-20T06:10:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DreadCthulhu \* > \*\*1938, Germany, Hitlers bedroom, and I would shoot him while he sleeps, and time travel back before anyone can catch me. \*\* Why 1938? That’s way too late. Do it during World War I instead. Not that I’m sure it’d help much. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-destination-when-where-and-why/162484.md?page=2)