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!

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