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From: jensenj@stolaf.UUCP (Joel A. Jensen)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: How to Get Rich with a Time Machine
Message-ID: <1680@stolaf.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 29-Apr-84 12:11:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: stolaf.1680
Posted: Sun Apr 29 12:11:23 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Apr-84 00:51:03 EDT
Organization: St. Olaf College, Northfield MN
Lines: 51



Thank due to Will Martin for opening up this interesting topic,
How to Get Rich With a Time Machine.  Here are my thoughts:

1)  I would play off of the idea that, at certain points throughout
	History, there have been situations in which a great many
	people would gladly have paid a dear sum for what, to others,
	may seem mundane and ordinary.  The problem is that the
	Clock Broker (our agent we use to make us rich) cannot change
	History appreciably.  Therefore, trading modern technology
	(Sony Betamaxes and Walkmans) to lesser developed cultures
	is right out.  Are there periods in History when mundane,
	ordinary objects commanded a high price?  Sure!
	What about the California Gold Rush of 1849?  Such ordinary
	things as pickaxes, shovels, lodging and food were sold at
	ridiculously exorbitant prices and they were paid for in
	gold, a sure commodity all through the ages.  Developing
	a pipeline from a modern day hardware store to 19th century
	California is as simple as turning a few knobs.







	And what about water?  Haven't there been literally
	thousands of situations in which people would pay anything
	for a glass of water?  (No, I haven't seen Ice Pirates yet.)

2)  My second thought concerns mankind's tendency to make war.
	At those times men will pay dearly for supplies, ammunition,
	etc.  It seems to me that, as long as the time traveler
	knows in advance who is to win what battle and why that he
  	can indulge in a little black marketeering without affecting
	his own future.
	As an example, take Patton near the end of the European conflict
	in WWII.  His push northward into Germany was halted due to a
	lack of fuel.  Since, in an historical sense, the Allies were
	destined to win anyway, it may not have made a great deal of
	difference who reached Berlin first.  Patton would have liked
	to do it himself and I'm sure, if offered the fuel from somewhere,
	he would have paid enough for it to make it worth one's while.

Those are my thoughts for now.  Lets open this topic up and have some
serious discussions about it!

					Joel Jensen
				     today, tomorrow, and forever
					ihnp4!stolaf1jensenj