When reading this story keep in mind that- according to the tale- John's presence alone changed the course of our timeline (and some of the experiences from his timeline didn't come to pass on our own). Also keep in mind how radically different access to information is now compared to back in the year 2000 when pagers were still popular and internet access was not nearly as prevalent as it is today.01-27-2001 12:45 PM
Greetings. I am a time traveler from the year 2036. I am on my way home after getting an IBM 5100 computer system from the year 1975.
My "time" machine is a stationary mass, temporal displacement unit manufactured by General Electric. The unit is powered by two, top-spin, dual-positive singularities that produce a standard, off-set Tipler sinusoid.
I will be happy to post pictures of the unit.
I have been communicating online with others who are interested in time travel.
He alludes to it a couple times through the story, but in this readers imagination John is very clearly asking why we think Y2K had very little impact on this timeline? Might this be because of his relationship with his grandfather in 1975, or the work he had done since arriving to stay with his parents?
In addition, did his online posts about the outbreak of CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or Mad Cow Disease) that would happen in the early 2000's put the powers that be on alert so they reacted swiftly when Mad Cow Disease made headlines, thus averting disaster? Did he take it a step further and go out of his way to alert the authorities of the outbreak?
Was the Civil and World War averted because of the meddling that John and his grandfather did on our timeline?
Or were those wars simply inevitable, and despite our timeline having been altered, are the events that John described back in 2000 a mirror image of what we now see playing out in front of our eyes?
What follows are the transcripts (and pictures) of those discussions posted for the preservation of this epic tale.
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November 2000
November 02, 2000 01:16
I was just about to give up hope on anyone knowing who Tipler or Kerr was on this worldline. The basics for time travel start at CERN in about a year and end in 2034 with the first "time machine" built by GE. Too bad we can't post pictures or I'd show it to you.
November 02, 2000 08:55
Is there a site where I don't need to register personal information to post pictures?
November 02, 2000 18:27
I'll be happy to send them to you and answer any questions you may have.
November 02, 2000 01:00
I saw the posting requesting the basic systems for a gravity distortion system that will allow time travel. Here they are:
1. Magnetic housing units for dual microsignularities.
2. Electron injection manifold to alter mass and gravity of microsingularities.
3. Cooling and x-ray venting system
4. Gravity sensors (VGL system)
5. Main clocks (4 cesium units)
6. Main computer units (3)
November 04, 2000
What does traveling in time look like?
The unit has a ramp up time after the destination coordinates are fed into the computers. An audible alarm and a small light start a short countdown at which point you should be secured in a seat.
The gravity field generated by the unit overtakes you very quickly. You feel a tug toward the unit similar to rising quickly in an elevator and it continues to rise based on the power setting the unit is working under. At 100% power, the constant pull of gravity can be as high as 2 Gs or more depending on how close you are to the unit. There are no serious side effects but I try to avoid eating before a flight.
No bright flash of light is seen. Outside, the vehicle appears to accelerate as the light is bent around it. We have to wear sunglasses or close our eyes as this happens due to a short burst of ultraviolet radiation.
Personally I think it looks like you're driving under a rainbow. After that, it appears to fade to black and remains totally black until the unit is turned off. We are advised to keep the windows closed as a great deal of heat builds up outside the car. The gravity field also traps a small air pocket around the car that acts as your only O2 supply unless you bring compressed air with you.
This pocket will only last for a short period and a carbon sensor tells us when it's too dangerous. The C204 unit is accurate from 50 to 60 years a jump and travels at about 10 years an hour at 100% power.
You do hear a slight hum as the unit operates and when the power changes or the unit turns off. There is a great deal of electrical crackling noise from static electricity.
What are your memories of 2036?
I remember 2036 very clearly. It is difficult to describe 2036 in detail without spending a great deal of time explaining why things are so different.
In 2036, I live in central Florida with my family and I'm currently stationed at an Army base in Tampa. A world war in 2015 killed nearly three billion people. The people that survived grew closer together. Life is centered on the family and then the community. I cannot imagine living even a few hundred miles away from my parents.
There is no large industrial complex creating masses of useless food and recreational items. Food and livestock is grown and sold locally. People spend much more time reading and talking together face to face. Religion is taken seriously and everyone can multiple and divide in the heads.
Will you show us more of the operations manual for your time machine?
I will consider it but I do not expect they are worth anything to most people except as a curiosity.
If you met yourself on another worldline, what would happen?
It has always surprised me why that concept is so hard for people to imagine and accept. Nothing would happen. The universe would not end and there are no paradox problems that threaten existence.
Temporal space-time is made up of every possible quantum state. The Everett Wheeler model is correct. I have met and/or seen myself twice on different worldlines. The first was a training mission and the second is now.
I was born in 1998 so the other "me" is 2 on this worldline. There is a saying where I come from, "Every possible thing that can happen or will happen has already happened somewhere".
How is our worldline different from this yours?
For starters, the fact that I'm here makes it different. I've also noticed little things like news events that happen at different times, football games won by other teams, things like that.
I would guess the temporal divergence between this worldline and my original is about 1 or 2 percent. Of course, the longer I am here, the larger that divergence becomes from my point of view.
What type of vehicle is in the picture you posted?
It's a 1967 Chevrolet.
Does your machine allow you to control time travel?
Yes, it can be controlled. However, the distortion unit has operational limits. Imagine your path through time is through a cone. The farther away from the center of the cone, the more differences you will see in the worldline.
The C204 begins to "break away" at about 60 years. This means the level of confidence drops rapidly after 60 years of travel and the worldline divergence increases. In other words, if I wanted to go back 2000 years and meet Christ, there is a better than average chance I would end up on a worldline where he was never born.
The computer units and gravity sensors "record" your trip and you are quite easily able to return to your point of origin. I am aware that research is being done on faster units with more accurate clocks. I imagine that they will be able to go back farther with a higher degree of divergence confidence.
Are you drawn back to your worldline of origin for any reason? Is instability a problem for you?
I'm not sure what you mean by stable. If you mean mentally, there are many things that bother me here but being with my parents right now is important to me. Physically, the only thing really wrong is the number of colds I get.
Are you able to return to your home?
Yes.
Is radiation a problem?
I'm not sure what radiation you mean. If you mean from the unit, it vents X-rays and Gamma radiation out of the rear. As long as you stay away from that, you should be okay. I keep a radiation detector with me to check my environment and make sure the unit isn't "leaking".
What does the light look like when you time travel?
The light bending only lasts a second. Its like driving under a tunnel and being in total black.
Do people know where you are? Can you communicate with your home?
No. They do not know where I am and I cannot communicate with them. Interesting idea though. From their point of view, I will return almost exactly at the same moment I left. From their viewpoint, I will only have aged more than expected.
Is there anything to add about what time travel looks like?
While the machine is on, everything is black. When the machine is turned off, it is the reverse affect. It appears you are driving out from a bridge. To tell you the truth, I'm usually sleeping when the unit turns off but yes, it does appear that the world fades in from black.
What's the largest technical problem when traveling in time?
The hard part of traveling through time is not the bending of gravity but the plotting of your course and holding to the basic "position" in your environment. This is done through a system called VGL (variable gravity lock).
Basically, the unit takes a reading of the local gravity and samples it during the "trip" in pulses. If the gravity is too far off, the unit stops or reverses itself to the last sample period where the readings were correct. If there is some sort of failure, the unit shuts down and drops out to where ever you may be.
Are there any physical effects from the machine?
The only real physical trace is a large chunk of ground missing from the point of origin and a large pile of dirt at the destination. The gravity field surrounds a small portion of the earth under you and takes it along for the ride. There is really no way around this.
November 06, 2000 09:04
Perhaps it's a bit easier to understand why time travelers do not revel themselves.
Yes, you can travel forward in time. No, you do not need an "invite" from the future. I first saw the car in 2036. The idea was to find a vehicle that would not draw too much attention for the time period. Unfortunately, there were not very many suitable vehicles around in 2036 and I sold the car when I arrived in 2000.
You do not rewrite history. I can only affect what happens here just as easily as you can. Why do people in this time period worry so much about time traveler's destroying their worldline when they have no problem doing it themselves every day?
My goal is not to be believed. Most people do not take news of the war very well but I find that everyone believes it's inevitable. Even in your own history, are not great inventions and discoveries made during a time of war in your effort to kill and maim in new and more efficient ways?
No, I do not work for GE or any other company. Are "stock tips" really the first thing you want to know about in the future? As a representative of your time period, do you realize what that says about you? You should probably know that this time is not remembered for its selflessness, charity or ability to work together.
Why would I want to talk to you? Why don't you believe you have something interesting or worthwhile to say to someone in the future?
November 06, 2000 09:08
No, the ice caps are not melting any faster than they are now. There is also far less smog and industrial waste in 2036.
November 06, 2000 16:43
You asked about the North Polar ice pack. I never said the environment wasn't a problem. Doesn't water expand when it freezes? If the polar ice cap melted, wouldn't sea level go down? I don't know if there's enough ice for this to make a difference and I'm not an expert on global warming.
November 06, 2000, 17:26
Yes, I realize people become hostile. I don't expect anyone to believe me and I have nothing to sell. I take no offense by it. Just out of curiosity, if you were a time traveler, what do you think it would take to get people to believe you?
I suppose we could agree that no particular era in history is famous for its development of humanity but just once I would like to hear questions like, "What is family life like in the future? How does society deal with poverty? Is AIDS, abortion and drug use still a problem?"
Why don't I give you a stock tip? The money you make would dilute the intelligence and forethought that a smart person had in picking the stock all by themselves. If I told you how to get rich, I would be taking money from them and giving it to you.
Getting back to my "proper" universe is tricky but possible. Yes, another jump would take me to a different family.
When traveling to other worldlines there is a system of clocks and gravity sensors in the machine that sample the environment before dropping out. It's called VGL, (variable gravity lock). If a cement block were there, the machine would "backtrack" until it sensed relative congruity to the original gravity sample. A great deal of time and effort goes into picking just the right spot since you cannot physically move during a displacement.
November 06, 2000 22:13
Please keep in mind a couple of points as I answer your questions. First, I am not a physicist. "Time travel" is only a tool that allowed me to do my job 1975. Most airline pilots are probably not aerospace engineers.
Second, let me give you an example of the position we are in. Imagine you live in the year 1900 and a "time traveler" attempts to explain how a jet engine works. Even though the invention of the airplane is only a decade in the future, he would have to find some frame of reference to explain the basics of flight. Then, he would have to outline the mechanics of how the engine works. As amazing as it would sound, the jet would be invented about thirty years later.
Time travel is achieved by altering gravity. This concept is already proven by atomic clock experiments. The closer an observer is to a gravity source (high mass), the slower time passes for them. Traveling at high speeds mimics this effect which = the twin paradox of faster than light travel. However, this type of gravity manipulation is not sufficient to alter your worldline.
The basic math to alter worldlines exists right now. Tipler first described a working "time machine" through his theory of massive rotating spheres. I apologize for the web site but it was the only one I could find quickly.
Certain types of black holes also exhibit the "time travel" abilities of Tipler cylinders. Kerr was one of the first to describe the dual event horizons of a rotating black hole. As with Tipler's cylinders, it was possible to travel on a "time-like" trip through a Kerr black hole and end up in a different worldline without being squished by the gravity of the singularity.
The mass and gravitational field of a microsingularity can then be manipulated by "injecting" electrons onto its surface. By rotating two electric microsigularities at high speed, it is possible to create and modify a local gravity sinusoid that replicates the affects of a Kerr black hole.
For those asking how come a microsingularity doesn't swallow the Earth or want to know details about the size, stability, mass, temperature and resulting Hawking radiation from such a thing, those details I must keep to myself.
Yes, you can travel into the future and it takes less energy than going into the past.
The computer system is connected to the unit through an electrical bus. There are actually three computers linked together that take the same signals from the gravity sensors and clocks. They use a Borda error correcting protocol that checks the integrity of the data and trips the VGL system.
I am not aware of any physical change to my DNA or "aura". I do however seem to be more susceptible to colds.
Yes, you will remember me if you want to. Worldlines do not change that way and I will only become an insignificant part of your history.
November 07, 2000 17:18
I would equate the "future" GE distortion units to their current jet engines. The first one worked great but they can always make it better. The C204 unit uses 4 cesium clocks. The C206 uses 6 cesium clocks but they use an optical system to check the oscillation frequency. This makes the worldline divergence confidence much higher.
November 07, 2000 21:23
Yes I believe in Jesus Christ and we pray to God in churches. There are some differences you may be interested in. Religion is a major part of people's life in 2036. Pain and change tend to bring people together and closer to God. However, religion is far more personal than it is now. There are no huge, centralized religions and people talk openly about their beliefs. It might also interest you to know that the day of worship is Saturday, the day God meant to be the Sabbath and the 10 commandments have been restored to the "10" that God gave us.
Life is much more rural in the future but "high" technology is used to communicate and travel. People raise a great deal of their own food and do more "farm" work. Yes, compared to now, we do work long hours. After the war, my father made a living selling oranges up and down the West coast of Florida. My closest friend raises horses and another works for a company that maintains "wireless" Internet nodes.
Life has changed so much over my lifetime that it's hard to pin down a "normal" day. When I was 13, I was a soldier. As a teenager, I helped my dad haul cargo. I went to college when I was 31 and I was recruited to "time travel" shortly after that. Again, I suppose an average day in 2036 is like an average day on the farm.
Yes, there is a post office. The Internet is still alive and well in the future. People spend more time talking because life is more centered on the community. I've noticed the same type of effect here when the power goes off. People tend to come out of their homes and actually spend time with their neighbors. There is a lot more personal trust and less paranoia.
When I'm with my parents, I live in a community made up of "tree houses" on a large river in Florida. The river floods sometimes and we have access to the Gulf. Most of our neighbors make a living off the sea or in moving cargo by boat.
There is a civil war in the United States that starts in 2005. That conflict flares up and down for 10 years. In 2015, Russia launches a nuclear strike against the major cities in the United States (which is the "other side" of the civil war from my perspective), China and Europe. The United States counter attacks. The US cities are destroyed along with the AFE (American Federal Empire)...thus we (in the country) won. The European Union and China were also destroyed. Russia is now our largest trading partner and the Capitol of the US was moved to Omaha Nebraska.
No new information there (on UFOs and aliens). I find that an interesting subject myself. Personally, I think "UFOs" might be time travelers with very sophisticated distortion units. But that might be a bit wacky.
One of the biggest reasons why food production is localized is because the environment is affected with disease and radiation. We are making huge strides in getting it cleaned up. Water is produced on a community level and we do eat meat that we raise ourselves.
Yes, genetic engineering is used but it's like any other technology. It can be good and bad. One thing we did not do was create more hybrid seeds. What are people thinking?
I am a Christian Gnostic. I do not believe faith alone is enough to get us back to God. I'm not sure what happens when we die but I'm pretty sure it's not a walk in the park.
We are working on it (HOST: space travel).
What future technologies can we look forward to?
I hesitate to answer but I'll give a bit. Hydrogen fuel cells and more efficient solar cells are big deals. Computer technology and software get MUCH better.
My greatest joy is sailing. For fun, I enjoy swimming, playing cards, reading, playing games on the net and talking with people who live in other countries. As a community, we celebrate much more and have bon fires and dances. My hobby is sorting through old magazines and videos of life before the war.
After the war, early new communities gathered around the current Universities. That's where the libraries were. I went to school at Fort UF, which is now called the University of Florida. Not too much is different except the military is large part of people's life and we spend a great deal of time in the fields and farms at the "University" or Fort.
Most of my memories growing up are not fond. Life was very hard. Simple things make me happy like hugging my mother and father. Yes, we have cameras. More digital. Film is used like painting is today. No hologram camera though.
Yes we have phones but the service is through the web. Most power generation is localized. It amazes me how much power is wasted now. Yes, solar is big. There is thought that a singularity generator could also be used but most people are against it.
The elderly are highly revered and looked after on a community level. So are orphans. There is always something people can do now matter what. The idea of avoiding work is looked down on. Everyone pulls together to keep the COMMUNITY strong.
Hats are more common in the future and flashy colors are less common. Dress is much more functional and we "dress up" whenever we get a chance. I have noticed that no one in this time dresses for occasions even when they have the clothes. Why do people wear shorts to church?
We do not spend nearly the amount of time on our hair as people do now. Women like to wear their hair longer and men have it much shorter. Both sexes shave it all off when they're in active military service.
Far less medical treatment in the future even though It's more advanced. People die when they now its time to die. No lasers. Genetic medicine and cloning organs are the obvious new techs in the future.
The Constitution was changed after the war. We have 5 presidents that are voted in and out on different term periods. The vice president is the president of the senate and they are voted separately.
We have cars, just not a whole bunch of them. There is public transportation from city to city.
November 07, 2000 22:18
If I could bring some material thing back to your time from 2036, it would be a copy of the new US Constitution.
Yes, you could travel to a future that was 0.5 seconds ahead of now but not with my machine. The C204 uses the second as the basic unit of measure. The C206 may be capable of .05 sec.
If you arrived a fraction of a second in my past or future on another worldline would I ever know that you arrived?
No "you" would not. But the "you" on that worldline would.
It is believed there is some sort of measurable quantum differences in worldlines. I am not an expert on that so I can offer little information.
You would be welcome in my home.
November 08, 2000 22:27
Can you explain what the purpose of time travel is on your worldline?
In 2036, a great deal of effort is going into "repairing" our environment. I was sent to 1975 to get a computer system and take it back to 2036. Time travel is not a secret in 2036 and I expect it will become more common.
Why is time travel used?
Right now, its used to get information or "items" that would be helpful in getting a post WWIII world back to a normal condition. There are 7 other time travelers in my unit.
Where do time travelers the most?
Right now, most of our practical missions are from 1960 to 1980. There is a great deal of research into later and future periods but the farther you go, the lower the divergence confidence of the worldline.
You said there is more than one time machine. Are they all being used?
Yes.
What type of vehicle will you get to go back in since you sold the other car?
It's a 1987 4WD. The vehicle needs a strong suspension system to handle the weight of the distortion unit.
Are you able to take other people with you when traveling in time?
Yes.
November 11, 2000 18:46
If you change cars do you have to re-adjust the time machine?
Yes. But it's a function of the VGL system. A gravity baseline is taken and rechecked every time the unit is used. A new vehicle would alter the gravity signature.
What type of system is used to maintain the singularity?
I am not a physicist so I cannot answer that to your level of sophistication. The singularities are held in an enclosed magnetic field.
Can you dimensionally travel with the time machine?
No. However, the longer the unit is on past a safe divergence confidence, the "stranger" the worldline becomes. The unit I have is safe to about 1% for every sixty years at max power.
November 11, 2000 18:56
If your time machine is accurate to the second then you must have a reason for choosing the moment you arrive.
My goal was to reach a certain date and time which is converted into seconds for the computer to make its calculations. I do not pick the second. It's more important to have a low divergence confidence number.
Are you here now to observe the results of the presidential election?
I would use the word "elections" a bit cautiously. Perhaps it's easier now to see a civil war in your future?
November 11, 2000 19:07
If you're here to get a computer, why are you are posting on a message board? I think you're committing treason!
Why would it be treason?
November 11, 2000 19:11
You're time machine travels at 10 years an hour? That would take you more than three hours? How can the air trapped in your vehicle last that long?
Yes, that's about right but my initial trip was to 1975, not 2000. I guess it's a question of how many technical details you really want or you feel I'm making up. We do take additional 02 and the air pocket is a bit larger than you might think.
November 12, 2000 16:41
Do you worry about anything happening to the people that help you here? What if someone tries to build a time machine based on what you've said?
Yes, I have considered it but it is very easy to remain hidden behind a veil of disbelief. The people who understand what they are seeing are not aggressive. Everyone else just finds them entertaining. The obvious first answer is that the only worldline of consequence is my own and I don't care what happens here. That however, is not the case. I have shown these documents in order that people might consider the possibility. I do not expect people to believe them.
What is the real reason you're posting these top-secret government documents?
The restricted nature of the documents I posted refers to the departmentalized nature of the technical information. The manual is supposed to remain with the unit. The current F-16 fighter jet probably has an operations manual. All the information in it is not secret but no one wants it to "walk" away from the plane.
Did your commander authorize you to post this information or is it something you did on your own?
I am here for personal reasons. For a few months now, I have bee trying to alert anyone that would listen to the possibility of a civil war in the United States in 2005. Does that seem more likely now? Actually it's quite amazing to see what's happening. I have been trying to get people to pay attention for the last few months but to see it unfold is very interesting. Before I leave, I'll try and post my report.
I am curious… will anyone be upset if Florida's votes are not counted in the Electoral College because of the current "confusion"?
Have you thought about the possible outcomes of your actions?
Yes.
12 November 2000 16:41
Have you considered the dangers for someone who helps you here while you remain covert? What about the people that read the information and might attempt to build a time machine?
Yes, I have considered it but it is very easy to remain hidden behind a veil of disbelief. The people who understand what they are seeing are not aggressive. Everyone else just finds them entertaining. The obvious first answer is that the only worldline of consequence is my own and I don't care what happens here. That however, is not the case. I have shown these documents in order that people might consider the possibility. I do not expect people to believe them.
November 15, 2000 13:56
A broken clock tells the right time twice a day.
November 15, 2000 14:12
Your vehicle looks new.
Thanks. I sold it when I arrived here. It attracted a great deal of attention. Perhaps that's why it was still around in 2036.
You must be in the Army.
More or less correct.
Your commanders must have larger time machines they can use to come and find you.
Why would they come looking for me? I'm expected back but I will only have been gone a few seconds from their point of view.
You should probably know that our government will find you.
Stupidity and greed are fairly predictable for a period of time.
If you're telling the truth, the last thing you should be doing is talking about the war and the government.
Have you considered that your society might be better off if half of you were dead?
Why don't you tell us everything about the stock market and future before you go?
I'm thinking about it. I'm waiting for my family to buy up all the good stuff cheap first...(joke).
November 15, 2000 14:20
I want to believe you. In order for me to do that, I need a prediction that comes true right now.
I appreciate the position you are in but you must realize that I am not affected in the least if you believe me or not.
Tell me who wins the (upcoming sporting event).
Off the top of your head, can you tell me if it rained in Atlanta this time last year? Do you think time travelers carry a sports reference with them?
Tell me anything like that and I will believe you forever.
It is a mistake to give anyone your unwavering belief...but you will find that out yourself in 2005.
November 15, 2000 14:33
Can anyone operate your time machine? Does it have a key? You would be welcome at my home.
The unit has two security systems to protect it from "most" people. One, it has a code that must be entered correctly. Second, and probably more effective now, the unit cannot be used by anyone who can't add and subtract.
November 15, 2000 14:41
Why did you go to 1975?
The first "leg" of my trip was from 2036 to 1975. After two VGL checks, the divergence was estimated at about 2.5% (from my 2036). I was "sent" to get an IBM computer system called the 5100. It was one the first portable computers made and it has the ability to read the older IBM programming languages in addition to APL and Basic. We need they system to "debug" various legacy computer programs in 2036. UNIX has a problem in 2038.
November 17, 2000 09:34
It is thought that being close to a gravitational field has a biological effect on all matter including cells. The effect is to slow the movement of electrons in the orbits of their nucleus, which slows the mechanical and biological functions of the observer close to the gravity. Thus the passing of time is a local phenomenon depending on how close you are to a gravitational source.
This is one example of a theory involving "time shells" progressing in size and intensity around a gravitational point from all matter. The more massive the object, the larger and more influential the time shells around it (like an onion). Another offshoot of this theory is that kinetic energy is actually the conversion of stored energy in the atom as it passes through time shells in a gravitational field.
November 20, 2000 17:16
You sold your car? How will you get back?
The unit is portable between vehicles. It is very heavy and requires a "stiff" suspension. The unit is currently in a 4WD.
How did you solve the normal problems of living in this time?
I am currently living with my parents on this worldline. They know exactly who I am and how I got here.
How did you get access to a scanner and computer?
There are numerous ways to do that. Any local printing shop allows you access to a computer system.
With all the things you could be doing here, why are you trying to find out about us on the Internet?
What suggestions do you have?
It seems like it would be hard to be from the future and fit in on this timeline.
You don't think you could blend into 1970? What difficulties would you expect to have that couldn't be overcome?
There are a lot of people here who think you are crazy.
I have nothing to sell nor do I want anyone to believe in me or take some action. What other people think of me does not affect me in the least.
If telling us about your time machine won't change anything, what would happen if someone built one based on your information?
What you do on your worldline is your own business. I can't think of any better way to start a war than for someone to figure out how to make a time machine. Go for it.
I'm not trying to ruin your reputation or credibility; I just want straight answers to my questions.
I will be happy to answer "almost" any question you have.
November 21, 2000 10:41
All of the questions asked have been answered in one way or another. You assume I am here to start a war?
Consider this: You are a time traveler who wishes to go back in time to 1941 because your grandparents live close to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. You realize you can't stop the war but you may be able to help them prepare for it. Strangely, December 7th comes and goes with no sneak attack. As the war in Europe rages on, Japan fails to join the axis power, there is no war in the Pacific and the United States remains neutral. Then, you watch as Germany begins to develop the atomic bomb… all by themselves.
For a change, I have a question for all of you. I want you to think very hard. What major disaster was expected and prepared for in the last year and a half that never happened?
As far as war goes, I have faith you are quite capable of starting one all by yourself. I am hard pressed to accept any criticism on my outlook on that subject. Growing up might have been a vastly different experience for me than it was for most of you. Personal responsibility, determination, honor, friendship and self-reliance are not just words we try to live up to or fantasize about.
On my worldline, life is not easy. We live in a world recovering from years of war, poison, destruction and hate. All of it, courtesy of the thinking and actions of people that live right now in the same world you do, worrying about which stocks to buy or whether or not a stranger is lying to them on the Internet.
I believe that hardship and challenge develop character and community. My first experience with war came when I joined a shotgun infantry unit at the age of thirteen. In the 4 years I served as a "rebel", I watched hundreds of people get shot, burn and bleed to death. I know exactly where I was and every detail of the exact moment the first nuclear warheads began falling on Jacksonville. I know the pain and regret of not acting soon enough to enjoy a relationship as a loved one dies of brain cancer from a war that gained nothing.
How can you possibly criticize me for any conflict that comes to you? I watch every day what you are doing as a society. While you sit by and watch your Constitution being torn away from you, you willfully eat poisoned food, buy manufactured products no one needs and turn an uncaring eye away from millions of people suffering and dying all around you. Is this the "Universal Law" you subscribe to?
Perhaps I should let you all in on a little secret. No one likes you in the future. This time period is looked at as being full of lazy, self-centered, civically ignorant sheep. Perhaps you should be less concerned about me and more concerned about that.
November 21, 2000 21:31
There have been a great many questions piling up that I do plan to get to. If anyone sees a question I have answered before, please feel free to repeat the answer. I do not plan on leaving this worldline for a while yet. I very much enjoy spending time with my family.
November 22, 2000 20:58
The observation of time travelers "appearing" suddenly in a worldline does not happen very often. There are two cases and two points of view to consider.
In the first case, the time machine does not move as it goes from one worldline to another and then returns. The people watching on the original worldline would wave good-bye and watch as the machine is turned on. There would be a static discharge and the air would appear to "ripple" as if it were getting denser. Then, it would stop and the machine will have appeared to have disappeared. If the machine doesn't move its position from worldline to worldline, the observer would not see it disappear at all.
In the second case, if the machine were moved, it would disappear from the viewpoint of the observer and return in a different location based on where it was moved and turned on from the destination worldline. In that case, the rippling seems to dissolve the machine and it disappears. If that happens while you are watching it leave and you expect it to return, you know it was moved or had a serious malfunction.
It is actually quite dangerous to get too close to a distortion unit as it enters or leaves a worldline. It vents radiation and has a very strong localized gravity field. Personally, I worry about that a great deal.
It can be adjusted to some degree (the gravitational fields). The CG (center of gravity) is adjustable within about 4 feet and the unit is effective about 10 to 12 feet in either direction from there. The vertical distance is quite a bit shorter and is determined by sensors in the unit.
Depending on whether or not you are going forward or backward, the footprint of the unit is different. I wouldn't quite say it "scoops" up the ground cleanly. It sort of vibrates it loose and takes it along for the ride. It looks like someone raked the ground an inch or so deep with a small hand hoe or shovel. The negative ergosphere "scoops" up the front and back areas of the field. The positive ergosphere leaves a longer area near the center of mass. It's about a cubic foot of dirt spread out over six square feet or so.
If your device was inside a building and used, what would happen?
It might not be as destructive as you think. Depending on how close any object is to the field, it might not do any damage at all except for the floor.
What would happen if something touched the distortion field as it is turned on?
It would be quickly spread out over the lateral length of the gravity field. Imagine being squished and stretched at the same time. I would imagine anything left after that would be vaporized and generate static electricity.
What is the temperature around the time machine during operation?
Very! Hot. Depending on the power setting, 100 to 120 degrees is average.
What position is the car in when the time machine is being used?
The car is off and the brake on.
Has the time machine ever been used while it was moving?
Not that I'm aware of. Its important that it remain as still as possible so the gravity sensors can get a good lock. The divergence confidence would be way off if the vehicle were moving.
Do you wear a uniform?
I wear a standard civilian service uniform during instruction and training. It's sort of a cross between an army uniform and overalls. We do have a quartermaster who distributes clothing appropriate to where ever we are going.
There is a patch. It is round and has a graphic of a Kerr singularity (sort of looks like an eye with gravity waves around it) with two spiral paths running through its center. One path represents the "safe" way and the other is the path to God. The bottom of the patch has my unit number along with "Temporal Recon" printed on it. However, we remove any identification and patches before we go anywhere.
How long will you be on our worldline?
I'll be around for a while yet.
November 25, 2000 09:10
I must apologize for the poor quality of the information. There's a running inside joke about the technical issues. If the unit has a serious problem its not as if anyone can use those drawings to take the electron manifold off the singularity housing with a flat head screwdriver.
What is number seven in your drawing?
That sensor detects various parameters from the singularity.
Why can't we see the atomic clocks?
There is another page that depicts the computer and clock systems. That technology is not new and not very interesting.
There is a cut-a-way drawing of the entire unit that I will probably post before I leave.
November 25, 2000 13:57
UFOs are as much as a mystery to me as they are to you. Would you be surprised to know that there are a great many people who don't believe in time travel on my worldline?
I do believe UFOs are a real mystery but I also know that chaos theory dictates that no matter what technology or knowledge we have, there are always unknowns.
November 25, 2000 13:59
On my worldline, it is known that the 5100 series is capable of reading all the IBM code written before the widespread use of APL and Basic. Unfortunately, there are none left that anyone can find on my worldline.
November 25, 2000 14:01
It is quite difficult to get used to some of the communication patterns I have come across here. Confusing conversational conflict for anger seems to be a common and typical problem. Why does the expression of differing emotion seem to threaten so many people? I do not feel accused nor was I trying to accuse anyone. Your opinions are as valid as anyone's and I do not suggest you change them because of anything I say. I never said I was here to start a war although I have strong opinions about what a war would do for you. I am not aggravated by words.
Imagine you are Jewish and you are able to travel back in time to Germany in 1935. All around you are the patterns of thinking and action that will lead to a great deal of harm, death and destruction in just a few years. You have the advantage of knowing what will come but no one will listen to you. In fact, they think you're insane and the situations you describe could never happen.
What I feel is not anger, it is sadness that you cannot see what I see.
November 25, 2000 14:03
I appreciate your offer for help but I am quite all right. The responsibility for the "disaster" is your own but I do not consider it a disaster. Rebirth is often painful. My worldline is not unified under a single government but I would say it is closer to a unified purpose. Isn't that what you want anyway?
No, I do not have the ability to make calculations that would affect worldlines to my advantage. Besides the fact that manipulating people for personal gain is wrong, I am of the belief that it is best to make the worldline you are on now better.
I like the incredible freedom you have on this worldline but I see it as a trap and I fear the cost is the loss of your sense of connection with family and community. Yes, you can self actualize your ambitions but at what cost to the people around you, or yet to be born? The incredible availability of art, literature and limitless resources is hardly taken advantage of as I imagine the number of people sitting in front of their TVs.
No, I have not tried any fast food. Thinking about where the food came from, how it was shipped and treated absolutely terrifies me. I have tried to tell people about CJD disease and it seems to be "catching on" in Europe.
Technologies themselves are not lost but some of the older tools and techniques have been lost. I think there is more detailed information about the war posted earlier. The energy stored in the singularity is used to create the distortion fields. That energy is created in a particle accelerator. I'm not sure what you mean by "temporal turbulence". What effect would that have that would need to be overcome?
When I leave, I will return to 2036. The computer I have is expected there. I am unaware of any "true" interdimensional device available on this worldline now. I would image the effects of such a device would be hard to hide.
My "ship" is not broken. I am here by choice. Don't you find current events interesting? Again, I'm not sure I understand your last question. Perhaps we should agree to the definitions of a few terms and basic physics before I try to answer that.
Can you tell us the foods that are unsafe now? Is there anything we can do to prepare for the war you are describing?
I tried to consolidate your questions into a basic list. I hope this helps.
1. Do not eat or use products from any animal that is fed and eats parts of its own dead.
2. Do not kiss or have intimate relations with anyone you do not know.
3. Learn basic sanitation and water purification.
4. Be comfortable around firearms. Learn to shoot and clean a gun.
5. Get a good first aid kit and learn to use it.
6. Find 5 people within 100 miles that you trust with your life and stay in contact with them.
7. Get a copy of the US Constitution and read it.
8. Eat less.
9. Get a bicycle and two sets of spare tires. Ride it 10 miles a week.
10. Consider what you would bring with you if you had to leave your home in 10 min. and never return.
What event started the war? Can it be stopped?
The war is a result of faulty politics and desperation from Western
leadership during the US civil war. Yes, I suppose you could stop it.
Are some areas of the United States safer than others?
Take a close look at the county-by-county voting map from the last
elections.
Were biological or chemical weapons used in the war? Were any weapons used that effected people's minds?
Yes there were biological and chemical weapons used. No mind control weapons but there are new "non-lethal" weapon systems that turn out to be quite lethal.
Has cancer or AIDS been cured yet?
Aids, no. Cancer, some progress.
What would you say to any world leaders who might be reading this right now?
Revel in your confidence today because you will not win tomorrow.
What is the one thing you would want us to remember?
Please, please wake up. Look at the signposts around you now.
Earlier you spoke about the patch you wear on your uniform. You said the spirals represented two paths. One was safe and the other lead to God. What does that mean?
The safe way is the one calculated to take you in time where you want to go, the other path will take you to God (death). Both are equally accepted and anticipated before each trip.