You wake up, it's January 1st 1980.

[JPantaleo]

Your house has been transported to the past, you remember everything as usual in the OTL... So... what do you do next?

[catboy637]

ASB form. Please move it.

[Grey Wolf]

Go to school ? Or do you mean, I am me now aged as I am, living where I am but in 1980 ? In which case I've got some pretty neat gear and had better seek out Clive Sinclair and Alan Sugar at once so I can make my fortune before the council throw me out for being an illegal tenant !

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

[Spitfiremk1]

I'd start investing shares in a little company called Microsoft...;)

[dcver]

Debate with myself if I should try to stop 9/11, and if I chose to how I would. Also invest in companies that will do well. Possibly become a cheap fortune teller and predict what will happen using history

[Grey Wolf]

Debate with myself if I should try to stop 9/11, and if I chose to how I would. Also invest in companies that will do well. Possibly become a cheap fortune teller and predict what will happen using history

Of course if you're correct, then what happened in "Branch Line" could happen to you !

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

[Grimm Reaper]

I am disappeared by intelligence services once they spot my computer and see some of the books I own. Probably when I miss my second or third day of school and friends in middle school wonder why I'm suddenly...29.:D

[clintonforever]

If I'm an engineer, try to get in NASA and change O-ring design on Shuttle boosters.....proabably get ignored though....

[tallwingedgoat]

I'd make billions copyrighting my music collection. I'd create a venture capital firm to invest in some soon to be famous Silicon Valley startups. Also fund some key green technologies, give them a head start. Then I'd create a charity to address some of the social injustices of the last 30 yrs.

Try to seduce some 80s babes.

[Presbyman]

If they have political betting pools, it would be fun to predict exactly how the 1980 election will turn out.

Also, as Wimbeldon begins in 1985, place everything on a German teenager named Boris Becker. I assume you can bet on Wimbeldon even if it seems awfully vulgar to bet on tennis.

And what someone else said about Microsoft. I'd add Wal-Mart to that.

[Presbyman]

If they have political betting pools, it would be fun to predict exactly how the 1980 election will turn out.

Also, as Wimbeldon begins in 1985, place everything on a German teenager named Boris Becker. I assume you can bet on Wimbeldon even if it seems awfully vulgar to bet on tennis.

And what someone else said about Microsoft. I'd add Wal-Mart to that.

[Presbyman]

If they have political betting pools, it would be fun to predict exactly how the 1980 election will turn out.

Also, as Wimbeldon begins in 1985, place everything on a German teenager named Boris Becker. I assume you can bet on Wimbeldon even if it seems awfully vulgar to bet on tennis.

And what someone else said about Microsoft. I'd add Wal-Mart to that.

If I was in an evil mood I could give away the great plot twist in The Empire Strikes Back. :D

[MarkWhittington]

(1) Get rich with a little strategic investing and sports betting.
(2) Become a major campaign contributer to one Ronald Wilson Reagan. Also Newt Gingrich ad a few others.
(3) Write a book predicting "future trends" that of course I know in advance.
(4) se my wealth to start the equvilent of Fox News ten years early. Branch out into radio, magazines, newspapers, and eventually the Internet when it comes online to become the Bill Gates of media. This anticipates the end of the Fairness Doctrine. Use my power to run investigations of Bill Clinton and a few other future public enemies.
(5) Use my contacts with the Reagan administration to head off trouble; for instance, warning them that Ollie North is going to be a problem and needs transfering to some place where he can't do harm.

[Presbyman]

(1) Get rich with a little strategic investing and sports betting.
(2) Become a major campaign contributer to one Ronald Wilson Reagan. Also Newt Gingrich ad a few others.
(3) Write a book predicting "future trends" that of course I know in advance.
(4) se my wealth to start the equvilent of Fox News ten years early. Branch out into radio, magazines, newspapers, and eventually the Internet when it comes online to become the Bill Gates of media. This anticipates the end of the Fairness Doctrine. Use my power to run investigations of Bill Clinton and a few other future public enemies.
(5) Use my contacts with the Reagan administration to head off trouble; for instance, warning them that Ollie North is going to be a problem and needs transfering to some place where he can't do harm.


This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

[clintonforever]

Get my hands on a Platinum edition of MJ's Thriller when it comes out....

Clinton lost his re-election bid for governor that year...so I would donate to Reagan's campaign....

Invest in Microsoft.....

Is there a way to prevent Micheal Jordan from getting picked by the Bulls?

[Dilvish]

If I was going back in time, I'd rather be 25 or 26 than my 41 years. Plus that means my pancreas is still working. I really don't know if I would want to remember everything about the future.

[President Al Bundy]

Place bets on sports events (If they are the same as in OTL), and make a lot of money.
Use the money to invest in companies, that were small in the 80's, but came out big in the 90's. Like Microsoft, or Nintendo. And of course, make more money.
Then I fund guerrila troops in Africa (But only under the premise, that they become liberal democracies after the revolution. If not, they won't get any money) and Asia. Money can move things you know.
If the revolutions succeed, I would establish companies with my money. You know, to give the people labour in Africa and Asia, and elsewhere where my revolutions succeeded. But not sweatshop-like companies. Fair pay, and enough worker's rights.
Then, bring the revolutionaire states together to form a new bloc.
Maybe convince Michael Jackson to do a therapy, or something else. So he won't end up like the person he was in his last years.
Fund enough money for the democratic campaigns in '84 and '88.
My final step, bring down the chinese government and maybe prevent the Tianamen massacre.

So if everything goes well, I'm one of the richest persons of the world, own some of the biggest companies on earth and have power over 1/3 of the world's governments.

Still, this should belong the ASB-Thread.

[RogueBeaver]

1. Ensure that Joe Clark wins a majority, thereby preventing PET destroying Canada's finances.

2. Warn Marcos that assassinating Aquino will send the economy into a tailspin and cause him to be ousted.
3. Cause bad weather over Delhi on June 23 1980, thereby Sanjay Gandhi survives

4. Tell Mrs. Gandhi to put her security in the hands of the Army

5. Tell her to pick Rajiv over Sanjay

6. Ensure that Mrs. Thatcher doesn't go off on a Eurosceptic tangent, thereby preventing her overthrow.

[wilcoxchar]

First I'd probably spend a few weeks in Boulder to see how the cities was 30 years ago at the tail end of the hippie and beat generation here. Then...not sure what I'd do, maybe go to Dallas to try and find my parents I guess.

Oh, and to everyone who thinks they can invest in companies, money looked different back then. You'll probably be arrested for trying to pass counterfeit bills. ;)

[Tellus]

Hug my USB drive with Wikipedia on it, upload it on my BBS, and charge entry. :p

And buy Microsoft stock. Probably would have fun as a political advisor too.

Treasure my precious hardware, knowing I wont get another quad-core CPU that can run Prototype before 30 years. sigh.

[Markus]

Try to seduce some 80s babes.

Best plan so far! :D

[Venusian Si]

Especially, if my housemates who where alive back then come for the ride...

Still, I'll most likely spend months in legal hassles over the land my family owns in the present but not in 1980.

Also, I'll probably do the invest in future dominate companies, enjoy 80s Culture/Party Scene, etc.

Sadly, I'll probably wallow over how I'll have to wait years for "future" technology. :rolleyes:

[Euroman26]

I would send myself a letter to warn myself not to fall in love with a specific girl! That b**** !

And invest in Microsoft!

[Odysseus]

-Invest in Microsoft.

-Donate Money to Ronald Reagan's Campaign, try to become an adviser to the Reagan Admin.

-After being a political adviser to Reagan, get onboard the Bush Campaign and shy him away from a certain "Senator Quayle". :D

-Write a book on why Reagan Revolution will lead to a Democratic President in 92 or 96, have it flop and then come back to be a best seller when Clinton wins in 92.

-Secretly donate to the Gore Campaign in 00.

-Donate to the inevitable Campaign of Rudy Guiliani in 04.

[Claudius]

Definitely invest in Microsoft, Nintendo and a few years later a little start-up biotech called Amgen. Sell everything in September of 1987 and buy back in one month later, doubling my money in another year. Set up shop in Washington as a political consultant, where I identify and help fund the folks I know will win. Also, start dating a young Reagan speechwriter named Laura Ingraham. Later, assuming all goes well, invest everything in the dot-com boom of the 1990's, selling everything in 1999 and retiring with Laura to my estate in Tuscany:)

[wilcoxchar]

Definitely invest in Microsoft, Nintendo and a few years later a little start-up biotech called Amgen. Sell everything in September of 1987 and buy back in one month later, doubling my money in another year. Set up shop in Washington as a political consultant, where I identify and help fund the folks I know will win. Also, start dating a young Reagan speechwriter named Laura Ingraham. Later, assuming all goes well, invest everything in the dot-com boom of the 1990's, selling everything in 1999 and retiring with Laura to my estate in Tuscany:)
Actually, more likely get accused of insider trading, and retiring to a nice life in prison. ;)

[AltSptHst]

1. Invest in Microsoft, obviously.
2. Tell my Dad to stop having an affair with that witch. She is not the key to happiness. She is messed up, and her son will be a criminal.
3. Somehow tell the NBA hierarchy not to elect a guy named David Stern commissioner in four years. He will ruin your league's integrity.
4. Somehow tell Ed O'Neill that he is going to be the star of a funny show in 7 years on a new network. Then, I would tell him to do everything he can to insure that the show has it's spinoff(NO MA'AM) by 1998, which could have kept the Married thing going, even without Kelly and Bud on all the time.
5. Tell Metal bands in the 80's to not be too excessive so they don't burn out and fade away in the 90's, which leads to a future of lame music.

[Pyro]

Just to be different, I'll invest in a little company known as Nintendo and cash out at the height of the NES era. :cool:

[Mr_ Bondoc]

Here are some quick items on my agenda:

* Purchase stock in Microsoft, Apple Computer, Sony, and Toyota Corp.

* Inform George Lucas that the idea of "Ewoks" is a bad idea, letting him know I know about the Empire Strikes Back...

* Purchase stock in Hoffmann–La Roche, the manufacturer of the first HIV/AIDS drug treatments...

*Send reporter Jack Anderson information about William Casey and Maj. General Richard Secord, Colonel Oliver North, aides to Ronald Reagan, and their meetings with Iranian officials in Paris, France...

* Purchase land in San Jose, California (Silicon Valley) and New York City, New York (especially after 1977 NYC bankruptcy) at deflated prices, and sell with at profit...

[Grey Wolf]

5. Tell Metal bands in the 80's to not be too excessive so they don't burn out and fade away in the 90's, which leads to a future of lame music.

Tell fire not to burn :eek:

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

[The Red]

Tell John Smith to get his heart checked out.

[Domoviye]

This would be VERY BAD for me. And is my apartment building transported over, or only my apartment? Does my wife come with me?

Since I'm in China, I would proceed to grab all money and things that would give the government a leg up on the West (they're improving but not exactly nice in 1980). Then I would pull out my hard drive from my desktop computer and destroy my computer, and a few other things that I could not carry.
Then with my laptop, small electronics, a few books, money, and clothes, I would proceed to FLEE the country. If my wife is with me this is much easier as she is Chinese. If not I'm in extreme trouble rather than just serious trouble.
If I do manage to get away, my plan is long but simple.
- Get to Canada, find a Canadian electronics company, and sell them my cell phone, mp3, camera, and laptop for a nice sum, and ensure I get a small percentage of the profits.
- Write several songs and books that no one has thought of yet.
-Make some bets to help me get more money.
-Send warnings to various governments about disasters and acts of war that will cause serious problems.
-Use my money to hire people to visit certain criminals in Canada and make sure they never do anything bad ever again.
-Buy some comic books, tapes, and other collectors items that will become very valuable in the future.
-Find my family and without making it known who I am help them in certain ways, and kick myself in the ass for being a dumbass in the future.

[Grey Wolf]

It occurred to me that the first thing that would happen is that we would realise that we don't have ANY money. Our bank balances don't exist, and even if we had an account back in 1980 we don't have valid ID, valid bankbooks etc to access it and any check they made relating to date of birth would be obviusly failed. Any currency we have on us, except perhaps the very occasional bit of small change, would be post-1980 and thus unusable, unless the shop assistant is particuarly asleep. No credit cards etc work. Our only assets are ourselves, our memories and whatever is in the house. We probably don't even own the home, and even if legally we do in 1980 (some sort of family home etc) the police are going to be interested in the disappearance of the original inhabitants and the sudden appearance of somebody else, even if they claim fantastically to be the original person

In my case the council would evict me as a squatter, and the cops want to know what I'd done with the previous tenants, so homelessness or jail is a pretty quick possibility unless I were to do something about it

All that I have by way of things TO DO this is whats in the house, and how much of it is any worth ? In the immediate term , I could go through my record and tape collections and see what 1980 or pre-1980 stuff there is which I might be able to sell, but due to it being an extra 29 years old its going to look very tatty compared to just-new stuf from 1980. Stuff from the future might be saleable enmasse, but anyone looking closer is going to think its forged

The best chance is to

[Jeremak]

Firstly I must flee form that *** comunist bloc. But... I will wait for the holidays, go to Gdansk, and as "brilliant student from Warsaw" I'll find one electrician with the mustaches from the Gdansk shipyard. And now, after "August strikes", just before 13 december 1981, escape from the country and shake Reagan hand as one of the leaders of the opposition. After that i can begin writing books in Paris or London about "fate of Polish history" or technothrillers and invest money from their into all that small firms. Last, but not least, in 89 I can return to Poland, and address the policy as an icon of Solidarity, or business: there are many privatized companies to buy for western money.

[Grey Wolf]

Tell John Smith to get his heart checked out.

Its probably fine in 1980 :)

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

[MonsooN]

It occurred to me that the first thing that would happen is that we would realise that we don't have ANY money. Our bank balances don't exist, and even if we had an account back in 1980 we don't have valid ID, valid bankbooks etc to access it and any check they made relating to date of birth would be obviusly failed. Any currency we have on us, except perhaps the very occasional bit of small change, would be post-1980 and thus unusable, unless the shop assistant is particuarly asleep. No credit cards etc work.

Ha Ha! I was wondering when someone would point that one out!

The only current small change in the UK that's been minted since 1980 are coppers. 2p and 1p coins. You could probably get away with a shop assistant not noticeing the dates on them, or you could take them to a bank to change them for a couple of £1 notes.

I've probably got about £4 worth of copper in my penny jar, so I'd try to get that changed at the bank.

What I did with it would probably depend on wethear I could still access the internet. If I could, I'd use my £4 on some carefully placed sports bets - probably look at some outsiders on the horses or maybe place an accumulator bet on the football (if accumulators exist in 1980) Possibly even play the pools.

I'd also make a phone call to the CEO of Ford and tell him that, in my garage, I have a 2001 Ford Mondeo and I'd invite him over to take a look at it. I'd broker a deal with him that will let him take the car, so it can be reverse engineered and, in return, I get a share of the profits. This technology could save countless lives on the roads every year and bring automotive technology forward by 20 years!

[Domoviye]

It occurred to me that the first thing that would happen is that we would realise that we don't have ANY money.


Yeah I forgot about that.
I'm a dead man.
My only hope would be to destroy nearly everything, maybe shoving certain things like an MP3 player into uncomfortable places, and run to the nearest police.
Then I have to make up some story of being kidnapped from the high seas, getting into the Canadian, British, or American embassy and claiming asylum. Then telling my entire story and hope that my tiny bit of technology will keep me out of the loony bin.
I'm definitely a dead man.

[Grimm Reaper]

None of you have cars either, unless you have a garage, and your old cars or your mum and dad's cars...do you still have the keys? Good thing I had public transport down the block back then.


I've got a few ounces of silver, some Wedgewood and silver service and such so I can probably round up a bit of starting capital.

Just a few hundred dollars, then I go bet on a few races at the tracks after reviewing a few old books and 'get lucky'.

Actually I just remembered I keep a stash of currency for emergencies and haven't updated in (many) years so I have enough in 1980 cash at hand to handle the first week or two in comfort!:)

Either way if I want to lay low I have to take what I can, hop a bus to NYC(the commute never changed), and start a few bets.

Alternatively, if I want to make a buzz I have to decide who to contact with my books and magazines and such, not to mention a pair of computers and other tech(microwave, ancient word processer, DVD player, only God knows what else).



Grey Wolf, so those board members living in the homes their parents were in back in 1980 have erased their parents from history?:eek:

[the_lyniezian]

An "ISOT the house" type scenario probably wouldn't work- the authorities are likely to be too quick to catch on. Whether the government are likely to want to seize any advanced technology I don't know- but they, or various technology companies- might be wiling to pay a fair bit to obtain them for R&D purposes...

If I were living at my great aunts' place it might be different matter, seeing as they have been living there since around 1961 and had the mortgage paid of quickly- though the neighbours and various members of the family would wonder why my great-grandparents are no longer there and my aunts are a considerable amount older. As it is, we only moved into our present house in 1990.

Technology aside, I suppose we have a few old books that could be sold second-hand for a fair amount. (Possibly collector's items, I don't know- though how valuble in 1980 I don't know).

Now if this was some sort of Life On Mars type thing- we actually wake up in the past, with everything as it would be in the past, and us actually having some identities- that might be better.

[the_lyniezian]

And whilst we're at it- this should be moved to ASB. The only place for it.

[Grimm Reaper]

I suppose none of us have any choice but to find authority figures who, we hope, will turn out to be sympathetic. How else will we get all the essential identification documents in 1980?

If I try to convince Social Security that they got my birth date wrong, it should be 30 years earlier, how long before someone notices I was born before my parents?