August 7th, 2005
in the Dreaming, the people pick themselves back up after the great fire that rained down on them from the Heavens. Now, with the great spirits from above at their side, they travel their webs and search out the flies; they are going to eradicate their threat once and for all.
in 1912, the Progressive Party, better known as the “Bull Moose” Party, nominates Theodore Roosevelt to run for President against Socialist Woodrow Wilson and Communist John Reed. Roosevelt pulls enough votes from the Communists to elect Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt’s cousin, Franklin, actually will end up as President in the 30’s, albeit for only one term.
in 1925, Thomas Edison realizes that if he can record music onto his Maggies, he can certainly record other kinds of data, as well. He sets his engineers to work on plugging a Maggie-style device into an Eddie for storage of data. His engineers, fired up by the possibilities this kind of storage capacity could have with the Eddie, work ceaselessly at it, and the Eddie-Maggie marriage becomes a reality in 1927.
in 1928, the “Amazing” James Randi was born in Canada. A spiritualist and medium, Randi created a multi-media and marketing empire hawking magical goods, spiritual remedies, and séances where he would speak to the dead, for a hefty fee.
in 1944, New Reich soldiers capture Kishnev, Romania, from the Greater Zionist Resistance, and promptly put every Jew in the city to death. Since many of them were civilians, this does provoke an outcry from the international community, but Hitler ignores them. The GZR prepares to respond in kind.
in 1338, the Franks are given their independence by the Caliphate of Mali. Many of their ancient religions spring back up, but Islam remains the majority religion for many decades afterward.
in 1976, the Viking probe enters Martian orbit. This activates several mechanisms buried deep underground in the Martian soil, and the automated process to awaken Mars’ natives begins. Scientists on earth announce that Viking has found the strongest indications to date of life on Mars – they don’t know how right they are.
in 1996, after a blisteringly scornful meeting with his department head at Cambridge, Dr. Melvin Courtney resigns his position in the archeological department. A television show in Germany wants to interview him about the Chimanimani object, though, and he agrees to appear.
in 1997, country singer Garth Brooks performed at a free concert in New York’s Central Park, singing virtually no country songs; instead, his set is driven by Kiss and Billy Joel covers. At the end of the concert, Brooks announces that he is no longer going to be performing country music, but will sing his first love, hard rock.
in 2000, with the presence controlling Las Vegas, newlywed Velma Porter and Mikhail von Heflin think about calling in reinforcements; the Baron knows 2 more people like himself, but they are very far away and he doesn’t know if they will respond to his call for help with anything more than derision. When the presence begins to grow, he puts out the call.
in 2002, graduate student Alexander König examines some of the notes Richard Tolman left behind at the California Institute of Technology on parallel universes. After reading some of the more bizarre claims, König decides to apply the principles involved, and disappears.
in 2004, by the intense light of the nova that used to be Lalande 25372, scientists work on jamming the radio signals that are coming from earth. Most of them think that it’s no use; the signals have already been leaving earth for a century, which means that the Elders could have been receiving them from Lalande or any other star within 100 light-years.
An alternate birthday wish
Your humble alternate historian is about to leave the pleasant decade of the 30's behind and enter into the downhill slope of the 40's on August 14th. Before he does, he would like one simple 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 birthday wish!
Thanks to everyone for their generosity!
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