This node does not attempt to answer the question of whether or not backwards time travel is possible.

It instead attempts to answer definitively and without chance for appeal the question: "Will backwards time travel ever be of practical use to me, me personally, me who is reading this, me specifically?"

I have already answered this question for myself, and for me, the answer is ...incredibly, awesomely "Oh, hell yes!!!" I just checked my bank account... Holy crap!... $3.5 billion!!! Woohoo!

Just kidding. No time travel for me, it seems. Damn.

So how can you play this game?

Simple.

Just promise yourself, if you ever get a chance to use a functioning time machine, you will go back in time and mail yourself some advice "from the future". Make sure to promise yourself to go back in time to some time that has not occurred prior to your having conceived the experiment to avoid forks in the space-time continuum, (or something like that). I performed this experiment in 1983 when I was around 14 years old or so ... (I will tell myself to "buy MSFT, CSCO and SUNW", if I ever get a ride in a time machine, which I already know that I won't, on account of me not being a billionaire and all.) You must also have a secret codeword in mind so that you will recognize yourself. You cannot tell anyone the secret codeword, lest you fall victim to a practical joke, in which your so-called friends send you (e)mail "from the future." :-D (Oh man, it was fun being 14, with other dumbass 14 year-olds for friends. ;->

So, go on, check your (e)mail, check your bank account. Did you get anything? Are you a billionaire? No?

Damn, that's a bummer, ain't it?

And if you are a billionaire, you owe me man!!! (and if not, well, hey, at least you can take that "time machine" you've been working on in the garage and chuck it, eh?)

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