Grandfather Paradox

I'm going to propose something to you:

I have a time machine. I go back in time to Salt Lake City, Utah in July of 1987. A hotel in the area is hosting a big awards ceremony for a major national insurance company's annual chart toppers banquet. A husband and wife are at this event trying to enjoy their time on this vacation. More so than the event itself, the couple are looking forward to an open bar and a hotel room to themselves for some intimate alone time.

Unfortunately for the planners of this event, the local weather patterns didn't get the memo on the event and have really turned on the faucet on the rain clouds. Buckets and buckets of rain are coming down. Me, having never been to Salt Lake City before, I have to figure out where I'm going. I am from the technologically advanced, far off time of 2009 where we have iPhones and GPS systems so the prospect at hand of using a map to find this hotel is something I'm not used to.

In the confusion of the map reading, the inclement weather, and general excitement of adventuring through time, on a curvy road, I accidentally lose control of my rented 1985 Chrysler LeBaron and get into a head on collision with a taxi carrying our previously mentioned husband and wife while they are en route to the banquet.

Due to my carelessness at the wheel, I have just killed my own parents before I was conceived.

Here is where we run into an issue known as the Grandfather Paradox. Under this philosophy, we assume time to be a straight, unalterable line. Now, if I jump back in time before my timeline existed and screw something up in the delicate balance of events that led to my conception, I have erased my timeline before it was even created. Another way of putting it is if I kill my parents before I'm born, I could never have gone back in time and killed my parents. Logical paradox. Get it?

So, now what happens to me? Wouldn't I just cease to exist?

The Nerdiest Book Ever Written

I found it.

Turns out it was hiding in the common room of a hostel on a remote island off the western coast of Ireland.

Before I get into explaining anything about the book, I feel like I need to clarify something: I am a nerd. That being said, let's get to work.

The subject in question is a book called Star Trek: First Frontier. This book is the nerdiest book ever written for three reasons, each nerdier than the last:

1) It is about Time Travel.
2) It is a Star Trek book
3) Talking dinosaurs.


I'm gonna say that again because I believe it bears repeating. This book has talking dinosaurs.


The gist of the story is that while doing something Kirk-y, full of bravado, and hugely important to the Federation, Captain Kirk and the crew """accidentally""" fall into another flow of time where humanity never existed. Pretty intense.

This book explores an understanding of timespace as a series of events that, if changed, the flow of time is altered and based upon these new variables, a new reality takes shape. I'll herein refer to this principle as a "mutable timeline". I'll get into the layman specifics of that concept another time.

At any rate, this book is very entertaining. The planets aligned and the leading dinosaur dorks and Star Trek nerds of the early to mid 90s came together to bring us this gem. It will satisfy all your sci-fi wants and needs. I call upon all nerds, physicists, trekkies, archaeologists, and starship captains to pick this one up and enjoy.

No Time Like the Present

I started writing a blog at 2:18:23AM on September 15th, 2009.

That statement will be true forever. I will probably lay awake after I write this wondering how my life would have been different if I had started this blog a month earlier. Now, that isn't to say that this blog is a component of regret, but more like exploring what could have or may yet happen due to certain circumstances, decisions, scenarios, and variables.

Let me go back a bit. I've started this blog to share my fascination with all things related to Time and the travel through such. Now, onto the matter at hand.

I can guarantee, without a doubt, everyone alive has wondered about time. You might not know it, but you have.

Have you ever wondered about a decision you've made? Would I have gotten food poisoning if I hadn't ordered the chicken sandwich from Wendy's? Have you wondered what your life would have been like if you'd kept up those guitar lessons or hadn't got that abortion? Who killed JFK? Was Jesus real?

Or, perhaps, you wonder more about future events... What will I have for dinner Thursday night? Will I get the job? Who wins this year's superbowl? What will my wife or husband be like? What will my kids be like? How do I die?

Both subjects are very interesting, but something to get your brain and soul searching going is which topic interested you more? Were you more curious about past or future? I might argue that if its the former than you're living your life through your regrets. I might argue that if its the latter then you don't believe in controlling your own fate and destiny.

I'd like to journey and explore all of the above. In this notepad I'll sketch out interesting concepts, popular time travel destinations, further reading/viewing/studying materials, and things related to Time Travel that just plum keep me up at night.

I hope that something here engages your curiosity and imagination.