Mary & Jack; The Night Stalker

August 31st, 2005

in 1888, the first of a series of murders in London’s seedy Whitechapel district occurs; Mary Ann Nichols, a lady of the evening, is found in pieces on Buck’s Row. Although the crimes were never solved then, the murderer, Jack the Ripper as he was known, was later revealed to be none other than children’s author Charles Dodgson, who wrote under the pen name of Lewis Carroll.

in 1896, Charleston, South Carolina was evacuated as the local weather-control station had detected an earthquake coming; when the quake hit, some buildings were damaged, but no lives were lost. This was the first test of the new Congress of Nations regulations regarding weather control; they would allow catastrophic events to occur, as long as the inhabited areas could be evacuated, first.

in 1935, Leroy Cleaver, leader of the Semitic-African Resistance in the 70’s, was born in Wabbaseka, Arkansas. During the 60’s, he had chafed at the S.A.R.’s policy of not seeking out violence; with the election of George Rockwell to the presidency in 1968, he moved to the forefront of the Resistance, organizing several attacks on the American Bund and other Nazi-sympathetic organizations.

in 1945, Pascal-Edison’s electric cars finally get a competitor – British Motor Works produces the Apollo, an electric car which recharges its power cells with solar power. It sells fairly well in the U.K., but does extremely well in warmer climes, such as the American Southwest and the Arabian peninsula.

in 1959, common sense maven Dr. Garilyn Taylor-Strawn was born in Texas. After revolutionizing the family dynamic with her ground-breaking bestseller A slap upside the head, Dr. Taylor-Strawn is now in semi-retirement, working on her latest project, Serenity Knitting. Dr. Taylor-Strawn is married to Bob Strawn, world-renowned author/inventor, with whom she raised Devon, Nathaniel, Taylor and Natalie Strawn - the first siblings in history to win a joint Nobel Prize in Mathematics.

in 1959, the ship carrying Li Huang-Sen and his young lover, Huan Yue, is buffeted about by something very large underwater. Li gets Huan Yue to a life boat, but then dives into the water himself to confront what he knows is there – only to find nothing. The waters calm and the ship’s crew calls off the emergency. Li anxiously returns, wishing he knew what it was that was following them beneath the sea.

in 1985, a Los Angeles mob takes justice into its own hands as they attack and kill Richard Ramirez, an Angelino suspected of being the Night Stalker murderer/rapist. Ramirez, who shouted at the crowd that Satan would avenge him, was proven guilty of the crime by fingerprints he left on the scene of one of his grisly murders.

in 1994, after 39 years of violent resistance, the Irish People’s Army renounced armed conflict against the United Kingdom. The withdrawal of support by the Soviet States of America had left the terrorists without appreciable sources of funding.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney and Professor Malcolm Thomas return to what has become their prison: the object at Edwards Air Force base. Dr. Courtney says, “I think we need to set a higher priority on finding out if this old wreck can still move.” Professor Thomas agrees whole-heartedly.

in 1998, Titanic became the most expensive failure in Hollywood history when distributors gave up on it and stopped trying to sell it to theaters. It had cost over $200 million to make, and had brought in a little under $38 million. After this disaster, director James Cameron found it hard to get a job again.

in 2004, several members of the advisory staff for Premier Sun Bigan are named as Elders, spies of the galactic civilization responsible for destroying the Lalandians 17 years ago. When they are dragged into the street in Beijing, there is a flash of light; by the time everyone recovers their sight, the 7 accused advisors are gone. Panic begins spreading across Asia at this news, and stability is threatened even in the western democracies.


TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST

In order to provide for the upkeep of our new historian, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - make a donation at our Paypal link, then email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Boring contest information is available on our Forum link below. Enter early and often!

Also, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - Boring legal info on the TIAH Halloween Contest!
Fresh New Poll - Shall we use future dates in our entries?

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy. Speaking of which, you can vote for the winner until Sept. 2 at http://aol.com/situationcomedy

Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Cleopatra's Victory; Attack On The Elders

August 30th, 2005

in 723 AUC, the combined forces of Egypt and the legions under the command of Marc Antony spell defeat for Octavian of Rome as they battle at Alexandria. Marc Antony, with his defeat of Octavian and the Senate, names himself Dictator of Rome. Although her forces are responsible for his victory, he ignores Cleopatra after this success, and she breaks diplomatic relations with the Empire; Egypt turns into a dangerously hostile neighbor to Rome.

in 1682, William Penn set forth from England to found a colony in the Americas. Unfortunately, his ship was lost in a storm with all hands. In his memory, land he had been given was named Pennsburg.

in 1797, the mother of the science fiction genre, Mary Shelley, was born in London, England. Her novels Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, Icarus, and The Seed of Cain brought into the world of literature the ideas of robots/cloning, space travel and genetic modification, respectively.

in 1916, on a test trip into the Germany of the past, neo-Nazis Astrid Pflaume and Kurt Weimer run into Vladimir Ilyich Ulianov, better known to them as Lenin. They shoot him to death; much to their relief, they find on their return to their home time of 1968 that this only creates a branch timeline, rather than altering their own.

in 1935, in an attempt to win a few electoral votes in the elections coming up, Socialist President Franklin Roosevelt passes the Wealth Tax Act, which taxes wealthy people and businesses at 25% of their total profits or income. The business community cries that this measure will break them, but there is little sympathy among the working class for them, so the measure remains in effect even after Roosevelt is voted out in 1936.

in 1959, Li Huang-Sen and Huan Yue set sail for Canada from Japan. While on board the ship, Li begins sensing that something is pacing the ship. He begins watching the water to see if he can spot whatever it is visually, but it is hidden for now.

in 1970, with their ratings in the basement, The Brady Bunch was cancelled by ABC. The series about a widower and widow blending their families together simply had no appeal to America in the middle of the Hippie era and had failed to draw an audience.

in 1984, John Lennon raises a quarter million dollars in a charity auction of Pete Best memorabilia. The collection he had been saving since their days in Hamburg together brings in $257,650, in addition to promoting Lennon’s book about Best, I Want To Tell You.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney and Professor Malcolm Thomas wake up in the infirmary at Edwards Air Force base. While being shown the images of the ancient crash, they have been in a coma. The doctors at the base are happy to see them come around, but the brass at the base just want to hear what happened; once they get the story, they set the pair back to work on the object.

in 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, was in a horrific car crash after paparazzi harassing her forced her driver to speed into a tunnel in Paris at a dangerously high speed. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, was killed, and the Princess lost her leg. She won millions in the lawsuit against the news organizations that employed the paparazzi.

in 2004, Chinese soldiers surround the suspected Elders and begin shooting. To everyone’s surprise, the suspects vanish into thin air. Many of their supporters turn back to the government, but there are still agitators in China who are using the chaos to overthrow the established order.


TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST

In order to provide for the upkeep of our new historian, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - make a donation at our Paypal link, then email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Boring contest information is available on our Forum link below. Enter early and often!

Also, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - Boring legal info on the TIAH Halloween Contest!
Fresh New Poll - Shall we use future dates in our entries?

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy. Speaking of which, you can vote for the winner at http://aol.com/situationcomedy

Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Atahuallpa's Sacrifices To Inti

August 29th, 2005

in ≈3000 B.C., Dr. Melvin Courtney and Professor Malcolm Thomas watch several items on the object they are observing self-destruct. When one particular section of the command area is destroyed, they suddenly find themselves someplace else…

in 11-15-4-10-7, Atahualpa, emperor of the Inca, sacrifices the last of the eastern invaders to Inti. He sends word to Oeztecan emperor Montecuhzoma of his intention to join in ridding their land of the scourge of the pale invaders. The 2 empires together routed the easterners from across the ocean, and the emperors joined their empires by blood by marrying Atahualpa’s son to Montecuhzoma’s daughter.

in 1708, a combined force of French and Indians is barely defeated during a battle at Haverhill, Massachusetts. Although a small part of the town was destroyed in the fighting, the colonists rebuild and the city becomes the eventual capitol of Massachusetts during its statehood.

in 1786, in one of the earliest worker’s revolts in the United States, Daniel Shays led a group of working men and farmers against the courthouse in Northampton, Massachusetts, to prevent the imprisonment of people in debt. Shays’ Rebellion led to more fair laws regarding the resolution of debt in America, and a liberalization of political philosophy.

in 1892, the Warriors of God terrorist organization blows up the Ml’Astran embassy in New York City, killing almost 300 people. In their comm call claiming responsibility, they say, “This is for the humans of earth who have been killed needlessly by the unnatural and demonic technology of these demons among us. All who collaborate with them will be sent to hell with them.”

in 1943, Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hitler parades with his troops down the Champs Elysee in Paris, France. Though they are made to wave the flag of Germany, many Parisians watch the event with tears in their eyes; the Greater Zionist Resistance had governed well, and are sorely missed by the French.

in 1957, while in the middle of one of the longest filibusters in Senate history, Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina has a heart attack and dies on the Senate floor. Taking this as a sign, the Senate passes the civil rights measure he was opposing with a quick vote.

in 1959, in a small Japanese village, Li Huang-Sen and Huan Yue rest for the night in a small inn. Huan Yue has a dream that night in which she is running from something terrifying that is unspeakably powerful and fast; when it catches her, it turns into Li. She tells him hesitatingly of this dream, and he reassures her that he will never be anything she needs to fear.

in 1977, 3 people were arrested digging up Elvis Presley’s grave. When no body was found inside, mourners outside Graceland began shouting, “He is risen!” Several people declared that they had seen him walking among them; some even claimed that they had been cured of various maladies by the singer.

in 4697, a Star Fleet detachment of 5 Shen-class ships set out for the Yang Gao colony to see why they had lost communication. The fleet was under the command of Admiral Hu Jintao, a veteran of several interstellar missions.

in 2004, President Gore meets with the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. and carefully informs him that Elders may be behind the chaos currently happening in China. The ambassador is somewhat skeptical at first, but Gore shares the data from ELS-3 with him. “We will destroy them,” the ambassador says, leaving the White House and heading to his embassy.


TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST

In order to provide for the upkeep of our new historian, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - make a donation at our Paypal link, then email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Boring contest information is available on our Forum link below. Enter early and often!

Also, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - Boring legal info on the TIAH Halloween Contest!
Fresh New Poll - Shall we use future dates in our entries?

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

King Cetshwayo's Ruse; Dr. King's Dream

August 28th, 2005

in @3000 B.C., Dr. Melvin Courtney and Professor Malcolm Thomas witness the crash of the object from Edwards Air Force base crash into the New Mexican desert. Most of the creatures inside are killed by the crash; the two witnesses find themselves following one survivor of the crash through the object as it sends off a distress signal and then locates the Chimanimani object and fires at it one last time. It then seems to die.

in 1249, Caliph Amal bin-Yusuph convenes the Conference of Cairo to recodify Sharia law in Islam. bin-Yusuph favors a more liberal interpretation of the Koran, and hopes to change the Sharia to reflect this.

in 1879, King Cetshwayo of the Zulu allows himself to be captured in a daring ruse that allows his warriors to fall on and decimate a company of British soldiers. He continues to be a thorn in the side of the British occupation of southern Africa for several years more.

in 1938, Northwestern University awards an honorary degree to Edgar Bergen’s dummy Charlie McCarthy. The jocular mood of the occasion is broken when the “dummy” comes to life and flees the stage, leaving a dead Edgar Bergen behind.

in 1959, having left China behind, Li Huang-Sen and Huan Yue journey through Japan, avoiding any place where they might be asked for official documents of Huan Yue’s citizenship. Li speaks fluent Japanese, and is able to pass Huan Yue off as a young bride, too shy to speak.

in 1961, Robert A. Heinlein’s novel Stranger in a Strange Land becomes the first science fiction novel to reach the top of the New York Times’ bestseller list. Literary critics begin reexamining a genre that they had disdained for many years and the field experienced a renaissance in popularity, both critical and commercial.

in 1963, Martin Luther King, chairman of the Semitic-African Resistance organization in America, gave his stirring I have a dream speech in Washington, D.C. As he called for the nation not to fall under the sway of the European New Reich at the end of the speech, Chairman King was arrested.

in 1963, President Kennedy himself made a surprise visit to Martin Luther King’s rally on the Washington Mall, and is so deeply moved by Dr. King’s speech that he immediately runs up to the podium and embraces the reverend before the gathered multitudes. Promising that he will do more for American blacks, he introduces the Civil Rights Act of 1963 before Congress as soon as they come back from their summer recess.

in 1996, Prince Charles of England reconciles with his estranged wife, Princess Diana, before their divorce can be finalized. In what has been repeated in countless recreations of the moment, he met her at the entrance to a subway station, and while both were in disguise, rode a train for 3 hours while they talked out their differences.

in 4697, contact between the Chinese Empire and its Yang Gao colony in the Tchou star system is lost. Imperial officials press for a fleet to be sent to the system to see what has happened to Yang Gao, and Emperor Xiao Yang authorizes his Star Fleet to send one out with all possible speed.

in 2004, searching for the power signature of the Elders on earth, the ELS-3 picks up a very strong signature in China. This one doesn’t fade out. They alert the other two ships patrolling the outer system, ELS-1 and ELS-2, and the captain of the ELS-1, Jeffrey Bainbridge, uses one of his old school contacts, a senator from Idaho, to inform President Gore that their lines have already been breached by the Elders.


TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST

In order to provide for the upkeep of our new historian, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - make a donation at our Paypal link, then email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Boring contest information is available on our Forum link below. Enter early and often!

Also, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - Boring legal info on the TIAH Halloween Contest!
Fresh New Poll - Shall we use future dates in our entries?

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Birth Of Master K'ung; Indra's Land-Speed Record

August 27th, 2005

in @3000 B.C., the two objects that will eventually end up in Chimanimani National Park in Zimbabwe and Edwards Air Force base in California met up with each other at lunar orbit and proceeded to get into a firefight. Dr. Melvin Courtney and Professor Malcolm Thomas, who feel like they are standing inside the Edwards’ object, see strange creatures crewing the object and directing the fight against the other object. Both of them are damaged by the fight and are forced down onto the earth below; before their own object enters the atmosphere and loses track, they see the other object heading to Chimanimani. They seem to be crashing down in the southwestern U.S.

in 2145, philosopher/scientist K’ung-Fu-Tzu was born in China. Master K’ung defined the role of benevolent monarch that the Chinese Emperor should aspire to be; as his philosophies were studied and followed by the nobility, they also adopted his patronage of the sciences, especially after the Shen Dynasty declared its goal of mastery of the sky.

in 1864, the Congress of Nations publishes The Declaration of the Rights of Sentients, written by North American Stephen Douglas, Ml’Astran Mandawuy Yunupingu and Britain’s Tlal’Min. This became the foundation for world government, and the standard by which all governments were judged.

in 1937, George E.T. Eyston, driving Pascal-Edison’s Indra electric car, sets a world land-speed record of 347.18 miles per hour. While the Indra is not an automobile for sale to the public, Pascal-Edison’s electric car sales soar by association with the Indra.

in 1947, actor Herbert Streicher was born in the Bronx. Despite appearing in some films of questionable morals in his youth, Streicher went on to a great comic career, starring in such films as M*A*S*H and Love & Death before landing the role of Jack on the hit TV series Three’s Company.

in 1953, aristocratic young actress Audrey Hepburn-Ruston is introduced to the world in Roman Holiday, a romantic comedy co-starring Eldred Gregory. Her slim frame was considered too thin by many executives, and after Roman Holiday, she was put on a weight-gain regimen, and soon grew to very voluptuous proportions, rivaling even Norma Jean Mortensen.

in 1954, Gospel and EZ listening star Georgia Bishop is born in Bryan, Texas. First discovered in Bethany College’s choir, Mrs. Bishop went solo with her album Keep Your Eyes On Him in 1975, and was a regular feature thereafter on the Gospel circuit. She had some secular appeal with her 1982 album, Guantanamera, some of which she sang in Spanish, but her fame still rests on her solid Gospel roots.

in 1968, while the Democratic Party’s National Convention rages in Chicago, President Lyndon Johnson makes a secret trip to Hanoi to speak with President Nguyen Van Thieu of South Vietnam. He personally convinces Thieu to accept a solution like the Korea’s have, and Johnson is able to end the fighting in Vietnam before leaving office, albeit with a sizeable force protecting the newly-created Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone.

in 1979, Lord Mountbatten was assassinated by the Irish People’s Army, a terrorist organization with ties to the Soviet States of America. Although the killing was denounced by Comrade President John Anderson, he refused to give the British any information on the I.P.A.

in 2000, after leaving young Xiu Juan with a Chinese family in Vancouver, British Columbia, Li Huang-Sen, Mikhail von Heflin and Velma Porter have a night out on the town. Li is particularly interested in getting very drunk and insensible, and the Baron and his new Baroness practically have to drag him away from the bars. Once they get him into a hotel room, he begins to tell them what happened to young Huan Yue…

in 2004, the Lalandian-style ship designated ELS-3, containing a crew of scientists, scans the system for some line of communication between earth and the Elders. They believe that the Elders are already influencing what’s happening in China to soften earth up before they arrive. Meanwhile, ELS-1 and ELS-2 continue to patrol the outer reaches of the solar system, looking for any signs of the Elders showing up.


TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST

In order to provide for the upkeep of our new historian, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - make a donation at our Paypal link, then email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Boring contest information is available on our Forum link below. Enter early and often!

Also, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - Boring legal info on the TIAH Halloween Contest!
Fresh New Poll - Shall we use future dates in our entries?

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

English Defeat At Crecy

August 26th, 2005

in 698 AUC, Julius Caesar attempted to add Britannia to his list of conquests. Fresh from his conquest of Gaul, he felt the island-bound Britannians would be easier, but he’s met with unexpectedly tough resistance from a Welsh chieftain named Artorius. Caesar was driven off the island in 704 AUC, and Britannia remained free until the 10th century AUC.

in 1346, King Edward III of England led a force of 10,000 longbowmen against a larger force of the French at Crecy. Although they caused intense devastation in the French ranks, a tactical error let the French knights flank the English and the bowmen were forced to withdraw. Although it was a victory for the French, it was costly; a third of their force lay dead on the field.

in 1883, Krakatoa, a volcano near the island of Java, was prevented from erupting by Mlosh weather-control technology, but a brief earthquake still hit the island, causing over a hundred deaths. For some reason, this concerned the vulcanologists who had stopped the eruption.

in 1920, the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing men the right to vote, is formally adopted into the Constitution by Secretary of State Carrie Chapman Catt. The record of the 36th state legislature to ratify the amendment had arrived from Tennessee that day, and President Edith Wilson had Secretary Catt perform her duties as quietly as possible, with no reporters present.

in 1933, the last patent issued to Thomas Edison is made for the Radiometric Compass, a device that allows the user to position himself on a globe using radio waves bounced off the horizon. Edison had died 2 years before the patent was issued.

in 1968, radical activists rioting around the Democratic National Convention in Chicago are quieted briefly when President Lyndon Johnson pays a surprise visit to them. Johnson meets with Yippie organizer Abbie Hoffman and Black Panther leader Bobby Seale for almost 7 hours while nervous Secret Service agents and peace activists eye each other on the street. At the end of the historic meeting, Johnson announces that the Vietnam War will be ended before he leaves office.

in 1971, fascist defector Charles Lindbergh dies at his home in Nice, France. When the Fascist Control Act was enacted, Lindbergh fled the Soviet States of America for the country that had loved him since he had been the first man to make a solo flight across the Atlantic.

in 4687, Prince Zeng-Hou of the Yang Gao colony starts using the alien Y’T’T’li as servants in his household. When they seem to pose no threat, other elected officials also begin using the Y’T’T’li in this manner. The Y’T’T’li seem to have no problem fulfilling this function, often claiming that they are born to serve.

in 1996, after much trial and error, Dr. Melvin Courtney and Professor Malcolm Thomas get the controls they have translated as archives to function on the object hidden in Edwards Air Force base. Suddenly, the two of them begin receiving images in their minds of things that happened long ago…

in 2000, Li Huang-Sen, Mikhail von Heflin and Velma Porter smuggle young Po Xiu Juan into Canada. Li finishes the tale of his debt to Po cryptically; “Huan Yue isn’t with me anymore, obviously.” Pressed to tell them what happened to her, he doesn’t say. They head down to Vancouver, where Li knows some people in the Chinese community who will take in young Xiu Juan.

in 2004, the three Lalandian-style ships that have been manufactured rendezvous around Neptune and discuss what has been happening on earth. On the ship staffed with scientists, there has been some speculation that the Elders might have the ability to communicate with earth before they arrive. Dr. G. Madhavan Nair, an Indian scientist, says, “I think they may be influencing what’s happening in China.”


TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST

In order to provide for the upkeep of our new historian, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - make a donation at our Paypal link, then email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Boring contest information is available on our Forum link below. Enter early and often!

Also, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - Boring legal info on the TIAH Halloween Contest!
Fresh New Poll - Shall we use future dates in our entries?

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Council At Nicaea; Chaos In China

August 25th, 2005

in 1078 AUC, a council of the Christian cult at Nicaea in the eastern empire broke apart due to wrangling about which part of their triumvirate god was more equal than the other. The religion, which had been quite popular in some of the eastern cities the century before, was now in its death throes and soon faded from Roman history.

in 1849, Mlosh crooner P’Tako’K recorded his first vid, Sounds of Love from Above, a collection of love poems set to music by Brahe colonist Benjamin Starkweather. Starkweather and P’Tako’K had a number of successful collaborations afterwards, including the classic No One For Me in 1856.

in 1943, the Greater Zionist Resistance lost Paris to the German Underground. They let the city go rather than have it be destroyed in combat, earning them a great degree of gratitude from the French; in the dark days that followed, many French people hid Zionists from the Nazis.

in 1949, famous educational advocate Chaim Witz was born in Haifa, Israel. After emigrating with his parents to the U.S., Witz became an elementary school teacher in New York, where he soon took up the cause of poor children in this country. His outspoken criticism of segregation and the sorry state of schools in poor districts led to a national system of public education.

in 1950, President Truman’s daughter, Margaret, releases her jazz album, Swingin’ the White House, which she recorded with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. It is a surprise hit, critically as well as commercially, and Miss Truman follows it up with 10 solid albums before retiring in 1977.

in 1954, one of London’s most popular folk artists, Declan McManus, was born. Although rock and roll was all the rage during McManus’ youth, he turned to the more traditional sounds of Britain and Ireland when he began making his own music, and created a large following with songs that were as old as the hills of the Emerald Isle themselves.

in 1959, Li Huang-Sen and Huan Yue leave the land of her birth with saddened hearts at the curses her father had thrown at them. Huan Yue says, “I want nothing more now than to be far away from Shanghai, Huang-Sen.” He promises her that they will travel the world now, and never look back at Shanghai.

in 4691, monarchist Liu Wu was arrested at the home he had been hiding at in the eastern province of Lakota. Wu had been bombing voting precincts throughout the furthest regions of the Chinese Empire, and was imprisoned for life after he was caught.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney thinks that he has translated the majority of the writings on the object at Edwards Air Force base. The writings are mainly routine markings such as bridge, helm, attitude control, and the like. The one that most interests him is the one that he believes says records or archives. He wonders if these controls are still functioning, and plans to try them the next day.

in 2004, China descends into the chaos of a civil war as mediators desperately attempt to bring order to the situation. Several astronomers who had been working on the cloaking program of Dr. Emilio Carrera’s design are spirited out of the country so that they can continue work, but the manufacture of the long-range ships of Lalandian design is halted.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Vesuvius Warning; Brief Panic Of 1857

August 24th, 2005

in 832 AUC, Vesuvius begins spewing smoke and small streams of lava. Alarmed by this, the citizens of Pompeii and Herculaneum flee the region. This turns out to be a wise move, because Vesuvius erupts the next day, burying the two cities.

in 1572, Pope Charles IX orders the Protestant city of Rouen destroyed. The Protestant leader Alexander Martine had called for popular election of cardinals throughout the Holy British Empire, and this angered Charles so much that he called out the Templars to crush Martine’s home. Thousands died in the purge.

in 1814, the young American nation suffers a tragedy as British forces take Washington and captured President Madison, who had delayed leaving the city too long. With this leverage, British General Robert Ross was able to force the Americans to surrender; he was feted in England as one of the greatest military minds the empire had ever produced.

in 1853, Chef George Crum of Saratoga Springs, New York, created a side dish he called the potato chip. It was a thin slice of potato, fried and salted, made especially for a customer who complained that Crum’s fried potatoes were too thick for him. While this one customer enjoyed the dish, it never caught on with the general public.

in 1857, the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company’s New York branch closed, taking much of the economy with it. New Communist President Walt Whitman used this as an excuse to institute several reforms, which passed Congress easily as the people panicked about their future. One of these reforms was the nationalization of the insurance industry, which halted the dangerous slide that Ohio Life’s closing had started.

in 1950, thousands of Jews escape to Yemen from territory conquered by the New Reich. This has the unfortunate consequence of bringing Nazi attacks on their Arab brothers; Islam mobilizes against the New Reich after Nazis take and desecrate Mecca.

in 1954, the U.S. Congress, in a rare fit of rationality, narrowly defeats the Communist Control Act, in spite of dire warnings from such anti-Communist Senators as Joseph McCarthy. This marked the end of McCarthy’s influence in the Senate, as well as the anti-Communist hysteria that had swept the capitol since the end of World War II.

in 1955, Pascal-Edison rolled out its new operating system for the Univac series of Eddies, OS 55. The new system featured a dazzling vocal interface and artificial intelligence-created response. It became the best-selling difference engine program in history.

in 1959, arriving back at Po Zhizuan’s farm, Li Huang-Sen and Po’s daughter Huan Yue inform him that they are leaving China. Po is furious with Li, and rails about his ingratitude as well as his daughter’s. To appease the farmer, Li promises him a service when he returns to China. Po says he will never take him up on this service, but Li insists. The pair of lovers leaves the house amid stony silence from Huan Yue’s family.

in 1996, after shakily describing what he has seen in the specimen room, Professor Malcolm Thomas tells Dr. Melvin Courtney that he doesn’t think he can work on the object they have been assigned much longer. Dr. Courtney says, “I don’t believe the Americans consider us as guests, Malcolm; I’m afraid that we’ve seen too much.” The pair glumly return to their translation of the writings on the object in Edwards Air Force base.

in 2004, the Chinese government is overthrown virtually overnight in a palace coup as several hard-liners take control. Their leader, a new minister named Sun Bigan, announces China’s withdrawal from the world-wide effort to find a way to combat or hide from the Elders. This is a serious blow to the international space program as well, since much of the manufacturing had been done in China. Negotiators arrive in Beijing immediately to ask them to reconsider.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Lutheran Empire; Travolta Defects To Britain

August 23rd, 2005

in 1861, Allen Pinkerton, having discovered that Washington socialite Rose Greenhow was a Confederate spy, suggests using her to feed false information to Johnny Reb rather than arrest her outright. With her unwitting assistance, the Union is able to cripple Confederate spy operations and trick the southern rebels in such important battles as Bull Run.

in 1866, in the middle of the Austro-Prussian war, Johannes Bittlemeyer, a young Lutheran minister, began encouraging soldiers on both sides to lay down their arms in the name of God. The widespread success of the peace movement threatened to topple the Austrian and Prussian governments, and they sent assassins to kill Bittlemeyer; unfortunately for them, the assassins joined the other side. The theocracy that became known as the Lutheran Empire took complete control of the central European nations in 1871 and was overthrown at the end of the Great War in 1947 when a long-suppressed democratic movement gained power.

in 1892, in a world-wide address, (and across hyperspace to the ships fleeing earth’s recent seismic troubles), the Executive Council of the Congress of Nations announces that henceforth, Mlosh weather-control technology will only be used in extreme circumstances. “This should save us a repeat of these circumstances,” First Chancellor Rabah told the world. In the aftermath of the disturbances, terrorist activity against the Mlosh picks up again.

in 4610, the Japanese province began its secession struggle against the Chinese Empire. Emperor Chengzu, grandson of Min-Yuan, was reluctant to war against his own subjects, and employed a different strategy, instead. The Eastern Fleet formed a blockade around the island, and the Empire used economic sanctions against the rebellious Japanese. While slower than conventional war, the strategy was effective – the Japanese begged for return to the Empire by 4618.

in 1934, actress Barbara Jean Moorhead was born in Tucson, Arizona. After several years of bit parts, she became a star when she landed the role of Samantha on the TV series Bewitched, due in part to having a similar name to the actress who played Samantha’s mother, Oscar-nominee Agnes Moorehead.

in 1959, Li Huang-Sen and Huan Yue find themselves on the coast after evading a group of soldiers. Huan Yue was suddenly seized with the desire to leave China, and she asked Li if he could get them away. Although he wanted to fulfill her wish, he felt that he shouldn’t spirit her out of the country without at least informing her father, and he tells her that they must go back to Po’s farm before departing the country.

in 1968, drummer Ringo Starr left the band the Silver Beatles, which had only been trading on their history as Pete Best’s band for the last 6 years. His solo career was somewhat better, and he was able to make a few movie appearances over the years. He even played for Pete Best, himself, on Best’s Reconciliation tour in ‘77.

in 1979, American actor John Travolta defected to Great Britain during a publicity tour for his latest film, Grease, a hard-hitting musical about the harsh life of auto-mechanics in capitalist countries. Travolta denounced life in the Soviet States of America as controlled by the two political parties, with little freedom left for the artistically or politically inclined. Travolta was declared a traitor by Comrade President John Anderson of the Socialist Party.

in 1363, Said Aouita of the Caliphate of Morocco won the Trials of Sport in Al-Meshuk. Aouita defeated infidels of the freed European nations, proving the glory of Allah over their blasphemous ways.

in 1989, after assurances that the United States would not interfere in an “Arab-Arab conflict”, Iraq took control of the tiny but oil-rich nation of Kuwait. When the stock markets posted a hefty gain, based mostly on oil stocks, the U.S. issued a statement that there would be no action to free Kuwait.

in 1996, Professor Malcolm Thomas, working late on the object at Edwards Air Force Base in California, stumbles into a room that has some very strange specimens preserved in a clear liquid. He runs from the room and tries to forget what he has seen there.

in 2004, a diagnostic of the Elder early-warning system reveals no flaws. Many scientists begin to wonder if the earlier “false” positives were actually true. They make a few quiet recommendations to their respective governments about searching the local populations. As discreetly as possible, governments around the world begin screening their people to see if any of them are Elders in disguise.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Carla Lambert's Diva; Standoff Ends In Idaho

August 22nd, 2005

in 1485, the destruction of King Richard III at Bosworth Field leaves Henry Tudor with the largest army in England. When he reaches London to take the crown for himself, he finds that his distant cousins, Edward and Richard, are in fact still alive in the Tower of London. Since their “deaths” had been a rationale behind his own invasion, he would have had them killed, but his soldiers spread the news too quickly; he was forced to crown Edward instead of himself, and pledged his allegiance to the young king.

in 1750, Captain Lionel Greystoke, using a new Mlosh naval vessel, landed on the continent of Australia, and established a brutal British colony there. The natives were often hunted for sport by the British. When the Mlosh liberated the continent a quarter-century later, the Aboriginal population was universally allied with them.

in the Dreaming, Wandjina descends to the land and speaks with the wise among the people. They have much to rebuild, trust being chief among these things. Wandjina begins by telling them that he will trust them again if they simply build no more webs into the Heavens.

in 1931, Carla Lambert delivers her Oscar-winning performance in Diva, the tragic story of an opera singer stricken with throat cancer. Lambert does her own singing for the movie, and is offered many musical roles afterwards, but found the singing so tiring that she declines any musical roles after this.

in 1942, American poet Langston Hughes publishes his epic poem, Whitman In Repose, an unflinching portrayal of the first Communist president, Walt Whitman. Although the work is flattering in the extreme to Whitman, many Communists object to Hughes’ references to Whitman’s alleged homosexuality, and in the first few editions of the poem, these parts are excised by government censors.

in 1959, Huan Yue and Li Huang-Sen, while chasing down a chicken that has escaped from Huan Yue’s father’s farm, run into a small group of soldiers. Although he has promised to hide rather than fight, Li cannot help himself when they try to separate the two of them. He uses his power to blur the minds of the soldiers, though, rather than kill them, and he escapes with Huan Yue. Rather than go back to her father’s farm, they run in a different direction, hoping to lead any soldiers that follow them away from the Po family farm.

in 1968, Cynthia Lennon is sued for divorce by former Pete Best bandmate, John Lennon. Mrs. Lennon, apparently unsatisfied by her husband’s lack of musical success, had begun seeing other musicians, and Lennon had had enough. The bitter court battle was eagerly watched by Bestmaniacs, because several salacious details about Pete Best’s time in Germany came spilling out during the hearings.

in 1989, the Texas-based improvisational comedy troupe Deranged Durang appeared on The Tonight Show. Their routine was bleeped out so many times that only half their act was heard; but it generated so much interest that HBO gave them an uncensored special, which became its top-rated show of the year. This sparked a wave of improvisational comedy across the U.S.

in 1992, during an FBI standoff with a white separatist family in Idaho, an FBI sharpshooter gets a clear shot at the separatist leader, Randy Weaver, and takes him down. Weaver’s family comes out of their cabin, firing wildly around them, and are cut down in a blaze of return fire. The only survivors were Weaver’s wife, Vicki, and their daughters, who had stayed behind in the cabin when they men rushed out.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney and Professor Malcolm Thomas confirm that the object being kept at Edwards Air Force base in California is virtually the same as the object they found in the Chimanimani National Park in Zimbabwe. There is some writing that is very similar to a few ancient African languages, and they work on translating those. Their host, Colonel Jim Carver, tells them, “If you can figure this one out, we may be able to go after the other one.”

in 2004, the probe at the edge of the solar system sends another signal back; it has been watching for the power signal of the Elders. Having been through a false positive once, the scientists monitoring the signal examine it carefully. It seems to be false as well, which leads them to wonder why they are getting another false signal. They begin a diagnostic of their entire process.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Black Spartacus

August 21st, 2005

in 1831, the African Insurrection is started by the Virginian slave, Nat Turner. After killing his owner, Turner and the other former slaves on that plantation traveled to Jerusalem, Virginia, gathering hundreds of other African slaves into their ranks. When 3000 whites met them after their raid on the Jerusalem armory, the African ranks had swelled from escaped slaves across the south, and they continued their quest for freedom until November, when they were decimated in Florida as they prepared to set sail for Africa.

in the Dreaming, the people who have allied themselves with the enemies of Wandjina are now known as the Hunted, and they are hated above all others. The people who have repented their actions remain on the land and leave Heaven to the great spirits and their enemies.

in 11-15-3-9-13, the Pueblo, allies of Ouezteca, fought off an invasion on their northeastern frontier by pale-skinned barbarians. The barbarians claimed that they were fleeing an empire across the Eastern Ocean that enslaved their kind. The Pueblo sent word to Emperor Intlitlatl that this foreign empire might pose a danger to their land.

in 1892, seismic and volcanic activity returned to normal levels; the surviving members of the Bandai group were feted as world saviors. At the Congress of Nations, though, the Executive Committee began a meeting in which they discussed the possibility of scaling back the use of Mlosh technology on earth.

in 1911, a priceless treasure was taken from public view forever when the Mona Lisa, DaVinci’s masterpiece, was stolen from the Louvre. Though much suspicion fell on a guard who disappeared the same day, neither he nor the painting were ever seen again. One can only hope that the maestro’s most famous work is suitably appreciated by whatever thief currently possesses it.

in 1946, Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hitler of the New Reich dealt with a nascent pacifist movement in Germany by arresting and executing all of its leaders. “Pacifism is simply undisguised cowardice,” he said by way of justification.

in 1959, when Li Huang-Sen and Huan Yue leave Po Zhizuan’s farm, he has a change of heart, and tells them that they can stay. But the farmer wishes no more trouble, and asks that Li merely hide if more soldiers come. Li agrees, but insists that Huan Yue hide with him if that situation arises.

in 1961, in yet another example of the new unrelenting colonialism the British enacted after World War II, Kenyan independence leader Jomo Kenyatta is executed. Although they were still fighting Indian unrest after the Gandhi execution, the British insisted on killing the leaders of any resistance movements, and Kenya, like India before it, erupted in chaos.

in 1968, after a flirtation with communism known as the Red Summer, Czechoslovakia was invaded by fascist troops to bring them back in line with the White governments of Western Europe. The move was roundly denounced by the Soviet States of America, which sent several planes to assist the Czechs, but who didn’t feel moved enough to bring any further aid, which might have sparked a war in Europe.

in 4684, the Chinese Empire was rocked by a huge earthquake around the Himalayas. Hundreds were killed amid the first true test of the new, democratic China – Emperor Chou En-Lai dispatched aid for the citizens and troops to restore order. The disaster proved that democratic processes worked well – people were assisted without the need for martial law.

in 1994, aging acid rocker John Denver, stoned and drunk, plowed his Porsche into a tree, killing himself. He had been on a comeback, having played a few major tours in the 90’s due to younger acts remaking his old hits.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney and one of his few remaining academic associates, Professor Malcolm Thomas, arrive in America, landing in Los Angeles. A military escort is waiting for them when they arrive, and they are driven out to Edwards Air Force base, where Colonel Jim Carver is waiting for them. “Doctor, I believe we found something that will look quite familiar to you.” He shows them to a hangar where an object very similar to the Chimanimani object is sitting. At the request of the Air Force, he begins work on the writing found on the object, comparing it to his notes on the Chimanimani object.

in 2004, the 3rd Lalandian-style ship is produced by Boeing’s Washington shipyard, and this one is claimed by the world’s astronomical community. Although it will eventually be stationed outside the Oort cloud, they take the opportunity of the long trip there to study the planets on the way; some of the astronomers joke that they’ll brave the Elders for such a close look at the rest of the solar system.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Cauvin Executed By Edward VI; Menendez Slaying

August 20th, 2005

in 1564, Protestant leader Jean Cauvin is executed by Pope Edward VI of the Holy British Empire. As the noose is slipped around his neck, Cauvin was asked by the hangman if he was afraid, to which Cauvin replied, “Seeing that a Pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness.”

in 1739, Mlosh colonists settled Alaska, merging with the Inuit people there. They also began a trade route in the North Pacific among the North Americans, Russians, Japanese and Chinese. In 1779, the Union of the North Pacific enjoyed a brief period as an independent nation before being subsumed again in 1821 by Russia, Japan, and the North American Confederation.

in the Dreaming, the people, stranded on the land, cry out to the enemies of Wandjina for aid. The enemies climb down their own ladder to the land below and gather up most of the people; some, who repent their actions, remain behind and sue for peace with Wandjina. Those who leave the land become a hunted race.

in 4572, the Star Sailor program manages to send a panda into space and return it alive. A monkey previously rocketed into space had been dead on splashdown. This cleared the way for the Chinese Space Program to finally do what it had been created for – fly a human being to the stars and return him safely to earth.

in 1882, Tchaikovsky’s 1862 Overture premiered in Moscow. Commemorating the unsuccessful Southern Rebellion against American President Walt Whitman, this incredibly percussive piece made musical history by the use of cannons as instruments. It was wildly successful, especially in the U.S., where it is still played at patriotic occasions.

in 1890, H. Philip Lovecraft was born in Providence, Rhode Island. Phil, as he was known to his friends, inherited a mysterious mansion from relatives while in his 20’s, and spent most of the rest of his short life there. He only surfaced to send manuscripts to the world of the strange goings-on at the mansion; in 1929, Phil and the mansion disappeared altogether.

in 1940, Leon Trotsky, Russian sympathizer of the Greater Zionist Resistance, is killed by stormtroopers as he attempts to assassinate Heinrich Himmler, security chief of the German Underground. Trotsky had been recruited by Astrid Pflaume herself, back in the 20’s, and had been successful on many other missions; his luck simply failed him this day.

in 1959, when more government soldiers arrive to see what happened to the others, Li Huang-Sen makes Po Zhizuan’s farm invisible to them. They leave, unable to explain the mystery of these deaths. Po is furious with Li and tells him he must leave the farm. His daughter, Huan Yue, says that she will be leaving with Li when he goes.

in 1968, in spite of intense pressure from the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia’s First Secretary Alexander Dubcek continued to reform and liberalize life in the satellite state. Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev, remembering the world’s condemnation of the Soviet invasion of Hungary the decade before, decided that diplomacy was the best way to bring this errant sheep back into the fold, and negotiated with the Czechs to slow down their movement towards democracy.

in 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez of Beverly Hills, California, were shot and killed by Michael Walters, a drifter who had come to the house for a handout. The Menendez’ sons, Lyle and Eric, wrestled the intruder to the ground, but tragically too late to save their parents. In the struggle, Walters’ gun went off and killed him, wounding Lyle at the same time. The brothers’ heroic story was made into a TV movie, starring real-life brothers Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen.

in 1996, using a few contacts he made in his youth, Dr. Melvin Courtney manages to track down an American military officer who works in the space program, Colonel Jim Carver. “Colonel Carver, I understand that you might be able to shed some light on my situation,” he says. “Indeed I can, Dr. Courtney,” the colonel says, much to Courtney’s surprise. “There’s a plane waiting for you at Heathrow. You’re coming to America.”

in 2004, the first Lalandian-style ship is fully staffed and sent to the outer reaches of the solar system to patrol. The next ship come off the line at Boeing, is tested, and then sent to join its companion. Boeing estimates that, with the assistance they’re receiving from around the world, they should have a sizable fleet out by the end of the year.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

King James Embraces Judaism

August 19th, 2005

in 477, Saracens armed with the one true faith defeated Christian infidels in the Battle of Ascalon. Combined with the defeat of the Crusaders at Jerusalem, this served to push Christians out of the Holy Land altogether.

in 1263, King James of Aragon embraces Judaism, and announces his conversion to the ancient faith. The shock of this announcement sends ripples throughout Europe; James is excommunicated immediately, but Jews flocking to Aragon swell his land into one of the mightiest on the continent.

in the Dreaming, all the great powers of Heaven descend upon the people, both on the land and in Heaven. Unprepared for this assault, they are unable to fight off the powers, even with the aid of the enemies of Wandjina. The powers force them back to the land and cut off all of the webs connecting the people to Heaven.

in 1892, the Curies lead a last-ditch effort to repair the earth’s mantle, with the last ships working on the North American continent. During this heroic effort, both of the Curies are killed as their ship is swallowed by magma in a sudden violent explosion. The rest of the team manages to finish, though, and the remaining population of the earth waits to see if their work was successful.

in 1913, author H.G. Wells releases the followup to his game Little Wars, Little Warriors. In this game, the players are able to take on the role of the individual warriors in a battle, while a War Master plays the part of enemy combatants. It is even more successful than Little Wars, and spawns a new genre of games called role-playing games.

in 1921, television producer Bob Wesley was born Eugene Roddenberry in El Paso, Texas. After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Wesley came back to civilian life with a vision of a Wagon Train to the stars, which he turned into his hit series, Star Trek (1964-1973). He is credited with starting the sci-fi craze of 70’s television, as well as bringing real issues and morals to the genre. He died in 1991, and is sorely missed.

in 1959, government soldiers come to Po Zhizuan’s farm, and he hides Li Huang-Sen from them. While Li is hiding, they accost Po’s daughter, Huan Yue, and Li is forced to come to her rescue. He kills the soldiers in his rage; this display of naked power frightens the Po family, but Huan Yue is now even more in love with him.

in 1967, another song by international superstar Pete Best hits #1. She’s not the only girl in town, a mournful tune of lost love, stays on top of the charts until it is knocked down 3 weeks later by another Best song, I can’t do without you, now.

in 1977, art impresario Julius Marx dies in New York City. The brother of famed harpist Adolph Marx, he had managed his brother for many years before opening his first gallery. His keen eye for new artists such as Andrew Warhol placed his galleries at the top of New York’s art scene.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney is informed by the professional organizations that he belongs to that they no longer consider him a member; he is also contacted by a solicitor from the BBC, telling him that the network is considering charges against him for the hoax. Professor Malcolm Thomas visits him at his home to let him know that his reputation is being trashed throughout the British academia. “I’m sorry, Melvin,” Thomas says. “I don’t know what to do.” Courtney replies, “I do.”

in 2004, the first ship based on Lalandian designs capable of carrying passengers comes off the assembly line at Boeing’s new plant in Washington. A small international crew takes it for a test run; it is capable of a full quarter of the speed of light. For their test, they fly to Mars and back in a day. Virtually every astronomer and astronaut in the world applies for positions on the next ship.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Temujin Dies; Begin Captured

August 18th, 2005

in 3923, the Mongol wise man, Temujin, dies in camp with his tribe around him. The son of a chief, Temujin was forced out of his tribe at his father’s death, and his wanderings in exile led him to the seat of learning in Beijing. He brought the teachings of the Chinese to the Mongols, and led them to join the empire.

in 1590, the governor of Roanoke colony in the Americas, John White, returns from a trip to England to find his home completely bereft of human life. His 100 fellow colonists seemed to have just vanished into thin air; the only clue they left behind was a carving in a tree that read fnord.

in 1750, Antonio Salieri was born in Italy. The famed composer of Tatare, Salieri also taught legendary composers Beethoven, Liszt and Schubert. Beethoven, in particular, called him the greatest musical talent of his era, and much of Beethoven’s music shows Salieri’s influence.

in the Dreaming, the people dare to move a star from Heaven and drain it of its power for their desires. A native race of Heaven dies when they do it, but they are far from remorseful; indeed, they are proud of what they have done, and the enemies of Wandjina rejoice with them. The great spirits of Heaven gather to decide what can be done about the people.

in 1892, transport ships began evacuating Great Britain, the North American Confederation, Japan and Ml’Astra as the Bandai Group’s mantle repair appears to be unsuccessful. French scientists Pierre and Marie Curie beg the Congress of Nations for more time to rebuild; the Executive Committee votes, narrowly, to give it to them.

in 1914, Socialist President Woodrow Wilson declares that the United States will remain neutral in the European war. The Communists in Congress hold him to his pledge, in spite of much pressure from Great Britain and France to join the war on their side.

in 1937, Charles Redford, Jr. was born in Santa Monica, California. The good-looking actor originally played pretty-boy fluff roles in such films as The Sting and Barefoot in the Park, but used the money he gained in these roles to finance later projects such as the Sundance Film Festival, which he started to bring attention to independent film.

in 1949, Menachem Begin and his personal bodyguard are captured as they are attempting to plant bombs at the New Reich Embassy in Salonika, Greece. They are taken to Berlin, where Hitler shoots Begin himself. “This is what we shall do with all of your kind,” he shouts at Begin’s men, before they are executed themselves. With Begin’s death, the Greater Zionist Resistance is practically destroyed; only a few holdouts remain to fight against the Reich in Eurasia.

in 1952, dancer Patrick Swayze was born. Hailed as the greatest talent in ballet since Nureyev, Swayze’s movie-star good looks and subtle moves made him the most famous dancer in the world by his 30’s. He even had a few small movie roles, usually as a dancer of some kind.

in 1959, Li Huang-Sen, working at the farm of Po Zhizuan, begins charming Po’s daughter, Huan Yue. The young girl is completely taken with Li, who has had centuries to master the art of seduction. This time, though, Li is himself smitten, and falls in love with Huan Yue. The two carry on their love in spite of Po’s disapproval; Li is fairly certain he can win over the farmer.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney wakes up in his own bed, feeling very sore and disoriented. He bathes, then eats some breakfast, then turns on his television. After watching for a few minutes, a news program announces that evidence has been uncovered that proves the Chimanimani object was a hoax. Dr. Courtney watches in stunned disbelief as the program makes him out to be a fraud.

in 2004, in one of the many continuing emergency meetings of the U.N. these days, the ambassador from Egypt announces that he is being withdrawn back to his country, and that Egypt will no longer participate in U.N. deliberations until some sense of order can be restored to the country. It is one of many nations thrown into disarray since the translations of the Lalandian signals have become public knowledge. Even some of the western democracies are having problems, and many of them are considering declaring martial law.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

American Capitol Moves; Dr. Courtney Is Questioned

August 17th, 2005

in 1786, statesman David Crockett was born in Tennessee. Woodsman, legislator and hero of the successful battle of Texican forces at the Alamo, Crockett returned to Tennessee and American politics in 1838 by winning the governorship of his home state. The Whigs nominated him for president in 1840, but he lost by a narrow margin to Martin Van Buren, who was widely considered one of the worst presidents America has ever elected. Crockett was nominated again in 1844, and won, but died before taking office. His vice-president, John Tyler, took office in his place.

in 1790, the young United States of America moved its capitol from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Richmond, Virginia. The southerners in power, including President George Washington, had pressed hard for the capitol to be in the south, and there was much rejoicing when the new president rode into his home state.

in the Dreaming, the enemies of Wandjina show the people places in Heaven that were previously unknown to them; places that increase their knowledge and power, if not their wisdom. The people bask in this new power and curse the spirits that formerly guarded and guided them.

in 1892, the Mlosh scientist Cen’dlast dies as he is directing the mantle rebuilding project in southeast Asia. Several other Bandai members perish as they try to save him, and more importantly, the equipment they need to repair the mantle. Many of the Bandai members are ready to give up at this point, and broach the suggestion to their respective governments that it might be in everyone’s best interests to evacuate the earth.

in 1274, Menelik II became King of Ethiopa, the unconquered country. As the only Christian nation within Islam, Ethiopa maintained its place by strength of arms, and Menelik ensured that his nation need not fear during his reign – he traded with the Chinese for the new firearms they had invented, and was feared across Africa for the skill his warriors displayed with them.

in 1938, citing the importance of the field in virtually all scientific endeavors, the Nobel Prize Committee in Sweden announces a new category, a Nobel Prize in Mathematics. Scientists around the world applaud the decision, especially mathematicians.

in 1948, Alger Hiss denies being a fascist spy in front of Congress. In spite of his strong denial, and profession of loyalty to Communist ideals, Congress finds him guilty of un-American activities, and orders him jailed. Ironically, when the reactionary intelligence networks open their books at the end of the Cold War, Hiss is vindicated; he had never been employed by any of the capitalist nations.

in 1959, Po Zhizuan, a farmer outside of Shanghai, sees a young traveler coming up the road to his house. This traveler introduces himself as Li Huang-Sen, and offers to work for the farmer in exchange for lodging for a few days. Po looks the stranger over, then decides to take a chance on him; “You will sleep with the animals, though.” Li agrees, although there is a funny look in his eye when he sees Po’s daughter, Huan Yue.

in 1962, the Silver Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, meets with their former drummer, Pete Best, and begs him to rejoin the band. Best, infuriated, tells Epstein, “They missed out on their chance at stardom, mate,” and storms out of Epstein’s office. Best’s 1st album had just gone gold in the U.K., and the Silver Beatles were having a hard time selling anything.

in 1965, Deputy Reichsfuehrer Rudolph Hess commits suicide after speaking with a mysterious visitor. The stranger had barged his way into Hess’s office in Berlin, and spoke with Hess for a few moments as Gestapo waited to take him away. Hess closed the door on the Gestapo, and continued speaking with the stranger for over an hour. The Gestapo heard a shot, and rushed into the room to find only the Deputy Reichsfuehrer, with a gun in his hand, dead from a bullet to the head.

in 4687, the Yang Gao colony of China in the Tchou star system makes contact with the alien species the Y’T’T’li, a race of robotic individuals. Prince Zeng-Hou of Yang Gao, in negotiations with the Y’T’T’li, finds them easily manipulated, and eager to please their new friends.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney wakes up in a darkened room, highly disoriented and feeling sluggish. A man dressed in black walks into the room and shakes him. “You’ve been drugged, doctor,” the man tells him. “You’ll be giving us answers to a lot of questions, now.” Over the next few hours, Dr. Courtney goes over every detail of the Chimanimani object and the day it was taken from him.

in 2004, the probe at edge of the solar system sends back a blip that resembles the Elder power signature; all of humanity holds its breath as scientists nervously study the reading. After intense examination, they determine that it’s a false positive, and everyone relaxes.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy

Detroit Massacre; Jesse Presley Dies

August 16th, 2005

in 1812, in the bloodiest massacre of the War of 1812, American General William Hull, a veteran of the American Revolution, refuses to surrender Fort Detroit to the overwhelming English and Native force surrounding him. He had managed to spirit his daughter and grandchildren out of the fort just before the enemy arrived, and was determined not to go down without a fight. The British destroyed the fort and everyone inside it was put to the death.

in the Dreaming, the overthrow of Wandjina brings out many enemies that he had been keeping down. They feign friendship with the people, saying that Wandjina had been jealous of them, and wanted to keep them from giving the people the secrets of Heaven. Drunk with their own power, the people took the enemies in among them.

in 1892, as the Bandai group is about to rebuild the mantle around it, the Hawaiian island chain erupts in a series of volcanic explosions and earthquakes. Ships quickly evacuate most of the residents, but thousands die before the Bandai group can finish its work.

in 1904, Thomas Edison established his Edison Endowment for the Electronic Arts at Princeton University. This scholarship helped develop the best and brightest minds in the electronic fields in America.

in 1913, Menachem Begin was born in BrestLitovsk, Russia. When the Greater Zionist Resistance took BrestLitovsk in 1925, Begin joined the movement and proved an able leader. In 1935, when Astrid Pflaume was assassinated, he assumed leadership of the GZR.

in 1948, Herman Ruth, greatest player in the history of Town Ball, died in New York. Ruth left behind a legacy of home runs that wouldn’t be broken for decades. In his own lifetime, was such an impact on the game that other Town Ballers in his own time couldn’t even approach the half-way mark of his home runs.

in 1948, the United States of America, after a national referendum on the subject, was renamed the Soviet States of America, to reflect the deep connection of the nation with its workers and people. The move was denounced by Socialists and other right-wingers as part of the Communist agenda to turn America into a one-party state, but those reactionaries were ignored in the general celebrations.

in 1977, the most famous singer in the world, Jesse Garon Presley, died of a heart attack at his mansion in Tennessee. Jesse, as he was known to his fans around the world, had been in worsening shape over the last few years, succumbing to drug addiction. He was buried next to his mother and his twin, Elvis Aron, who had died as an infant.

in 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 188 crashed on takeoff from Detroit. Everyone on board was killed, except for one small boy, who emerged from the wreckage with burned clothing, but not a scratch on him. He also survived a car crash that killed his grandparents in 1995; a fire that burned down his foster parents’ house in 1998; and the collapse of his apartment building in 2001 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was taken into custody by the U.S. military shortly after this.

in 1996, Dr. Melvin Courtney appears on parapsychologist Brian Acevedo’s BBC television show, with all the copies of his evidence, including photographs of the Chimanimani object. “I never thought I’d say something like this,” he tells the studio audience, “but it appears as if someone is trying to suppress this evidence.” As Dr. Courtney is leaving the studio, three men jump out of a black van, overpower him, and shove him inside.

in 2000, somewhat curious as to the debt that Li owes the old man, Velma Porter asks, “What did he do for you that you’re willing to smuggle his granddaughter out of the country?” Li tells her that is a long story, which he begins by saying that 40 years before, the old man had a very beautiful daughter…

in 2004, after a very realistic, if depressing, discussion, it is generally agreed among the space agencies that a good 20 years is needed to prepare earth for the Elders. Dr. Emilio Carrera’s masking program is the only thing that stands a chance of being completed in less time, and Carrera’s most optimistic projections place implementation of his program at the end of 2010. They take no time to dwell on the hopelessness of their cause, but simply get to work.


Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link - we need your comments on the possible new format to the site
New Poll - Tell us what you think! More or less repeats? Our fate may be in your hands!

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy