# You meet your counterpart from Earth-Prime. What happens? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 10, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339 "2008-10-10T16:15:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/41 "2008-10-11T22:32:50Z")
What does it mean, “Fool of a Took”? Aside from the obvious LOTR reference. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/42 "2008-10-11T22:34:45Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Fool of a Took! As if I don’t have spies reporting on your every move and preventing you from getting youself killed, arrested, or made to squeal like a pig by backswoodsmen! > > Not for any sentimental reason: it’s just that my current plan to destroy New Zealand requires that you and carniverous plant remain live and relatively unbuttfucked until December 3rd, 2009. Oddly enough, that plan also requires that everyone know your survival is vital to it. By the way, I’m getting rather low on Flying Monkey Meat. Can you send some by? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/43 "2008-10-11T22:37:56Z")
Superficial alliance, whilst each simultaneously plots the other’s downfall - absolutely, that’s how this would go. How could it be otherwise? We’d both love the same woman, hope for the same jobs - hell, we’d be bidding against each other on Ebay. Mr. Excellent-Prime must be put at ease - and then he must be destroyed utterly. I don’t much care whether he’s framed for murder, killed, or what - but he must be destroyed. Also - am I the only one here who would _not_ have sex with his alternate-universe self? Novelty aside, it just isn’t that appealing - I’m not my type. For one thing, I’m a dude. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/44 "2008-10-11T22:44:36Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > By the way, I’m getting rather low on Flying Monkey Meat. Can you send some by? I’ve moved on from flying monkeys. There’s a memo someplace. [QUOTE=carnivorousplant] What does it mean, “Fool of a Took”? Aside from the obvious LOTR reference. [/QUOTE] That’s all it means. Writing that is one of my cliches. I was in character? [QUOTE=Mr. Excellent] Superficial alliance, whilst each simultaneously plots the other’s downfall - absolutely, that’s how this would go. How could it be otherwise? We’d both love the same woman, hope for the same jobs - hell, we’d be bidding against each other on Ebay. [/quote] If Skald-Prime is EXACTLY like me, he’d refuse to risk hurting Mrs. Rhymer even emotionally, so I’d be safe and would also have no motive to harm him. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/45 "2008-10-11T23:00:08Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Oddly enough, that plan also requires that everyone know your survival is vital to it. Dude, you’re giving me flashbacks of a guy named Loan Nguyen I used to know. Now there was a dangerously insane nutbag. Died close to the age of 30 because he became convinced he was this great powerful occult figure and refused to believe the minor strokes he was having were anything other that part of some mystical transformation he was undergoing. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/46 "2008-10-12T00:02:40Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Dude, you’re giving me flashbacks of a guy named Loan Nguyen I used to know. > > Now there was a dangerously insane nutbag. Died close to the age of 30 because he became convinced he was this great powerful occult figure and refused to believe the minor strokes he was having were anything other that part of some mystical transformation he was undergoing. :eek: My strokes are not minor! In fact: [QUOTE=Gerry Hopkins] ``` Not out of his bliss Springs the stress felt Nor first from heaven (and few know this) Swings the stroke dealt— Stroke and a stress that stars and storms deliver, That guilt is hushed by, hearts are flushed by and melt— But it rides time like riding a river ``` (And here the faithful waver, the faithless fable and miss). [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/47 "2008-10-12T00:15:01Z")
We find each others behaviour, personality and presence mortally embarrassing and try to negotiate residence on separate continents. However, neither of us has the balls to move (we each think the other should do it) and the remaining duration of our lives is made a living hell. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/48 "2008-10-12T00:16:16Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > We find each others behaviour, personality and presence mortally embarrassing and try to negotiate residence on separate continents. However, neither of us has the balls to move (we each think the other should do it) and the remaining duration of our lives is made a living hell. Living hells aren’t nearly as bad as people think. At least you know the people. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/49 "2008-10-12T00:17:26Z")
That’s the trouble. I know this one. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/50 "2008-10-12T01:57:21Z")
Our existence at the same time and place would, of course, result in our immediate mutual annihilaton. However, the amount of energy released by the explosion would be enough to propel the Enterprise back in time with enough force to allow Kirk and Spock to meet Gary Sevin AND help Zephraim Cochran invent the warp drive and meet the Vulcans… Did I understand the question correctly? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/51 "2008-10-12T02:08:05Z")
I’ve always secretly wanted to know what the interior of my own skull looks like. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/52 "2008-10-12T02:17:52Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Did I understand the question correctly? No, no, no. How can they time travel and save Edith Keeler? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/53 "2008-10-12T03:26:26Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > my current plan to destroy New Zealand requires that you and carniverous plant remain live Does this mean I have to quit hang gliding? What about climbing [Pinnacle Mountain](http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/pinnaclemountain/)? Can I still go to jazz clubs? And what’s with the Secret Plans being blabbed all over the web? The last time I heard somebody bragging about Secret Plans like this, it was the Italians, and you know what happened to Il Duce. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/54 "2008-10-13T00:50:11Z")
I blab my secret plans all the time. The more I blab, the less people believe me or pay attention. Blabbing your plans to everybody is actually a marvelous method of concealment. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/55 "2008-10-13T01:18:19Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I blab my secret plans all the time. Unless, of course, you are hiding your _real_ Secret Plans which are really secret, and the ones you blab about are a clever ruse to lull others into a False Sense of Security. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/56 "2008-10-13T09:51:43Z")
… identical-identical? We’d roll dice. One of us goes to college to get a degree in translation while the other one stays in consulting, then we flip. Unless our ancestors also came over, in which case we’d get fresh consulting projects somewhere and not tell our families. I love my brothers, but I’m NOT going to put up with two Grandfathers from Hell, two Grandmothers from Hell, two of Mom, two of Auntie… nooooo way! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/57 "2008-10-13T17:06:01Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Our existence at the same time and place would, of course, result in our immediate mutual annihilaton. However, the amount of energy released by the explosion would be enough to propel the Enterprise back in time with enough force to allow Kirk and Spock to meet Gary Sevin AND help Zephraim Cochran invent the warp drive and meet the Vulcans… > > Did I understand the question correctly? Please put down the pipe. This is not a dorm room. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/58 "2008-10-13T17:08:13Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Does this mean I have to quit hang gliding? What about climbing [Pinnacle Mountain](http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/pinnaclemountain/)? Can I still go to jazz clubs? > > And what’s with the Secret Plans being blabbed all over the web? The last time I heard somebody bragging about Secret Plans like this, it was the Italians, and you know what happened to Il Duce. You can continue your dangerous hobbies, as there are already a platoon of mind-controlled Kandorians assigned to keep you from breaking your skull stupidly. Just avoid the vicinty of glowing green rocks, as you’ll be on your own thereabouts. ETA: who said anything about the plan being SECRET? I don’t tell you guys my secret plans. That’s what “secret” means. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/59 "2008-10-13T17:14:36Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > We find each others behaviour, personality and presence mortally embarrassing and try to negotiate residence on separate continents. However, neither of us has the balls to move (we each think the other should do it) and the remaining duration of our lives is made a living hell. But you could compare your found lone glove photo collections and see if there are any matches, left to right. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339/60 "2008-10-13T20:09:03Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > …Also - am I the only one here who would _not_ have sex with his alternate-universe self? Novelty aside, it just isn’t that appealing - I’m not my type. For one thing, I’m a dude. Ditto. It just doesn’t appeal to me, really. Although the possibilities for threesomes (or foursomes?) are intriguing… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-meet-your-counterpart-from-earth-prime-what-happens/467339.md?page=4)