[nocar]

Just for a general perspective, I want to relate some facts about a World Heritage Industrial Site, Engelsberg, in middle Sweden that I recently came across while on vacation.

The site is a petroleum refinery which was in operation between 1850-1900 (approx)

In 1814 a German Academy of Science wrote in a report "Petroleum is a liquid without any significance for humanity due to it inherent qualities, primarily that it smells badly and is dirty. Petroleum can not be employed for any useful purpose" (Well this is translated from Swedish translated from German)

Despite this common viewpoint, the founder of Engelsberg started making kerosene from petroleum to use in kerosene lamps, a novelty at the time.
Gasoline was a troublesome and explosive byproduct. Wax for candles was also made.

The petroleum came from Pennsylvania in USA, transported by sailing ship, of course, across the Atlantic and then on inland waterways to Engelsberg.

If you could make a time-journey back to 1850, what would you tell people?

nocar

[lowem]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('nocar', 'I')f you could make a time-journey back to 1850, what would you tell people?

[evilmonkeyspanker]

Stop breeding

[Sencha]

I couldn't have said it better than auctionmonster. If only petroleum was that useless...

[JudoCow09]

I'd tell them everything that was happening now. That'll scare them.

[Doly]

There was actually a thread on this same subject already. I wonder if somebody remembers the title.

[Daculling]

Are you nuts? Do you know how the metally ill were treated back then?

[Specop_007]

I would use my current day knowledge to baffle and confuse them, leading to awe.
Then I would set myself up as Supreme Overlord of Earth.
By the time today came around, my great great.....children would be making sure ALL of you lowly peons would be hard at work at gunpoint, having no time to post on the internet. Any dissent whatsoever would lead to a swift and brutal punishment.
All to make us richer and more powerful.



Well, I can dream cant I?