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VANITY You Are Transported To The Year 742 AD Europe And Allowed To Bring 3 Items From The Future
Internet | 10-14-12 | Internet

Posted on 10/14/2012 8:02:34 AM PDT by trailhkr1

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To: trailhkr1

ping for later


121 posted on 10/14/2012 9:34:37 AM PDT by gleeaikin
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To: Eye of Unk

Look at it this way.

The native Americans had as much time to develop technology as the Europeans, African and Asians....and they didn’t.

They were content in their lives of what ever depending on the part of the continent.

As an example the north eastern Indians, slashed and burned, exploited the land and moved on.


122 posted on 10/14/2012 9:35:37 AM PDT by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: DManA
A great SciFi read based on the Connecticut Yankee theme is
“Least Darkness Fall”, a modern man (I think it was written in the 1930s, I seem to remember a Mussolini reference!) transport to Ostrogothic Italy. The hero survives and pieces back together the Western Empire.
123 posted on 10/14/2012 9:38:16 AM PDT by Reily (l)
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To: trailhkr1
1) Cheese
2) A moose
2) A stuned beeber.

Bring those three things and the natives would think you were a God.

Do I spend too much time on this site?

124 posted on 10/14/2012 9:42:16 AM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult (Liberals make unrealistic demands on reality and reality doesn't oblige them.)
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To: trailhkr1

Depends on where you landed in 742 AD. The world was much less populated at that time. There’s a good chance that you land somewhere that a human being has never put eyes on. Or for that matter you may end up in the middle of the Pacific, or Antarctica. It says when, not where. I could shoot a pound of gravel out of a musketoon and do a hell of a lot of damage before my demise, and 25lb of black powder can make a very nasty bomb(s).


125 posted on 10/14/2012 9:42:38 AM PDT by factoryrat (We are the producers, the creators. Grow it, mine it, build it.)
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To: trailhkr1
Being transported too far back in time could be extremely hazardous due to people of the era not being noted for their tolerance and enlightened attitudes. Suddenly showing up unable to communicate in the local language and appearing radically different from the local population would likely result some sort of unpleasant mob action against you. Your personal safety is priority number one.

Before I can answer your question, I'd need to know if I would be able prepare ahead of time by doing such things as learning the language and customs of the people as well being able to wear period appropriate attire?

126 posted on 10/14/2012 9:51:57 AM PDT by fso301
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To: jsanders2001

Solar powered note book full of all technological advances

Kevlar vest

100 pounds of peppercorns


127 posted on 10/14/2012 9:54:08 AM PDT by Tuanedge (Warriors victorious in a hundred battles, flee when a tiger enters their tent.)
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To: trailhkr1

Does the Library of Congress count as one item?


128 posted on 10/14/2012 9:54:46 AM PDT by Hieronymus ( (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. --G.K. Chesterton))
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To: trailhkr1

1. The best 21st century knife I could find.
2. The biggest piece of flint I could carry.
3. A combined copy of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution to bring enlightenment to the backward masses.

This does assume that my Latin training of 40+ years ago comes flooding back to me.


129 posted on 10/14/2012 9:59:35 AM PDT by anonsquared
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To: trailhkr1

A really good tri-lingual Greek-Latin-English dictionary.

A document or book with a detailed description of the metallurgy, engineering and chemistry needed to construct match-lock era fire-arms and cannon (ideally also tri-lingual).

A large sack of gold.

(742 is an unpleasant choice — the Empire is in the hands of the Iconoclast Constantine V Copronymous — of course at this point Rome is still Orthodox, so I think I’d hope to end up in Rome and offer my services to Pope Zacharius.)


130 posted on 10/14/2012 10:04:31 AM PDT by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know...)
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To: trailhkr1
1. A good looking dude

2. A mattress

3. carton of cigarettes

131 posted on 10/14/2012 10:04:45 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (r)
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To: trailhkr1; RJS1950

Actually, being killed as a heretic for technical knowledge would be vanishingly unlikely in 742. Before the 11th century, the Church, both East and West, followed the wisdom of the Fathers that the execution of heretics was a horror to be avoided — heretics needed to be silence, but they also need to be given a maximal chance of repenting — all the great heresiarchs of the Christological controversies (and the Orthodox they accused of being heretics when they had the ear of the secular authorities, cf. the treatment of St. John Chrysostom) died in exile. Likewise the belief in witchcraft was condemned as pagan superstition until about the 11th century, so it’s unlikely technical prowess, especially if one showed how it was done, would be treated as witchcraft.

(In the East these attitudes continued until they finally broke down in Russia in the 17th century — in the West, heresy as a capital offense and the belief in witchcraft seem to have been picked up from Muslim Spain in the 11th century.)


132 posted on 10/14/2012 10:13:21 AM PDT by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know...)
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To: svcw

Rosehips. The rugosa varieties get the size of small grapes.


133 posted on 10/14/2012 10:16:50 AM PDT by Free Vulcan (Election 2012 - America stands or falls. No more excuses. Get involved.)
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To: trailhkr1

HitchHikers Guide to the Universe

Towel

BabelFish


134 posted on 10/14/2012 10:21:00 AM PDT by HangnJudge
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To: wardaddy

endless supply of STD defeating antibiotics since I am sure to be rather popular with the girls given my tools will make me popular
***************************************************
The “French Pox” (if in England) or the “English Pox” (if in France) can be defeated with pills ,, however you will have to get used to women with hairy legs and pits who bath once a year...


135 posted on 10/14/2012 10:22:47 AM PDT by Neidermeyer
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To: trailhkr1

OK, here is my go at it.
year 742, 3 things.
1) A modern made sailing ship capable of carrying cargo. (I’ll hire crew there.) it will have solar powered water desalination with a few solar powered luxuries, and a small solar powered engine, so I can pilot it myself if need be to a port (slow, but needed until I get some crew).

2) modern sea charts showing the full world and major currents. I will let cartographers copy them for a fee.

3) A solar powered computer (kept on my ship) with a detailed history including the recipe for gun powder and the locations of early Spanish goldmines in Cuba.

The goal, hire some crew, including armed and armored fighters, make raids on the Aztecs, take some quick and easy gold. Use that to convince the English to conquer Cuba, and the new world. and push Britain into world power status long before anyone else is even aware of what is going on.

I would be the new Columbus and hated by the Left today.


136 posted on 10/14/2012 10:29:53 AM PDT by Cyclops08
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I’d say the most obvious choice is some sort of survival/swiss knife...depending on your balance of protection vs tool.

But while certain books are a good idea, large volumes, or anything large you are going to have to carry around, keep dry and hope no one gets curious about until you, hopefully, can develop some sort of secure base...but who knows how long that could be?

So imagine having to actually carry or wear what you have, and most likely not want anyone to see it.

As for language, I would also say you can LEARN a lot of things before going, and those who have good memories might be able to absorb a lot of knowledge rather than just count on a huge book that might disappear two days in.

Another big question is how bad one’s eyesight is and how much that factors in...tough call there.


137 posted on 10/14/2012 10:30:04 AM PDT by Crimson Elephant
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To: trailhkr1
1: A modern pharmacopoeia

2: A good book on metallurgy

3: Special Forces field manual on medicine

In other words useful knowledge.

138 posted on 10/14/2012 10:32:13 AM PDT by fella ("As it was before Noah, so shall it be again,")
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To: Gaffer

AND you need the time machine to get home to a Hero’s welcome.


139 posted on 10/14/2012 10:34:42 AM PDT by MtnMan101
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To: Cyclops08

And if you’re plopped down right in the middle of Aquitaine or the Dordogne high and dry? All but useless other than the solar powered computer. I’d be interested in seeing one of those, by the way. Who makes one? If we’re talking vaporware I’m going to change one of mine to a solar powered flying car, lol.

Funny how many people on FR are relying upon solar for this little exercise in time travel. Every thread I’ve ever been on that broached the subject, solar is trashed. I’d like to see it succeed and become broadly viable, personally, but many FReepers appear to disagree.


140 posted on 10/14/2012 10:38:48 AM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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