September 6th, 2005
in 1522, the somewhat inaptly named Vittoria, the last of the ships that Ferdinand Magellan had attempted to lead in a circumnavigation of the world, limps back into port in Spain. Its captain, Juan Sebastian de Elcano, cursed Magellan’s name and told the whole country that he had led them all right to the edge of the world; only de Elcano’s skills as a navigator had kept the Vittoria from sharing the fate of the others. Spanish exploration was effectively halted after this.
in 1628, the radical Christian sect known as the Puritans arrives in Salem, Massachusetts. The wild, hard-living cultists turn Salem into a reborn Sodom and Gomorrah; tales of the debauchery in the colony still censor most of the activities that it is known the Puritans indulged in.
in 1847, David Thoreau left his meditative sanctuary at Walden Pond, New Hampshire after hearing of the German immigrant, Karl Marx. After a meeting which found the two quite compatible, they collaborated on a series of political pamphlets, including their Communist Manifesto of 1851.
in 1901, President McKinley is working the crowd at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York when an agent of the newly formed Secret Service shoves him to the ground. The agent had seen a man cover a handgun with a handkerchief; when the president goes down, the gunman starts shooting wildly, injuring two people in the crowd, as well as the Secret Service covering the president with his body. McKinley’s gratitude served the agent well; with the president’s patronage, Steven Allman eventually made it all the way to the Senate.
in 1915, actress Carla Lambert married Spanish director Jose Contreras. It was mainly a marriage of convenience; Contreras was homosexual and needed the respectability that marriage could give him, and Lambert, who didn’t want to be married, needed someone to appear to be the father for her son. The pressures of this public lie finally came to a head in 1923, and they divorced. Lambert never remarried.
in 1941, Greater Zionists who surrendered to soldiers of the German Underground in Vilna, Poland were shipped back to German territory and never seen again. This fueled the Zionist contention that the G.U. was killing prisoners; this would not be confirmed for some years, however.
in 1959, Li Huang-Sen lands in Canada and uses his powers to take command of a ship sailing to China. He is going to challenge the man on the water for his love, Huan Yue. Once the boat sets sail, he puts himself in a deep meditative state and reaches out for Huan Yue’s mind.
in 1996, Professor Malcolm Thomas barely makes it to a small gas station outside Polk Flats, Nevada before succumbing to hunger, thirst and injury. Weak, but still able to talk, he asks the owner to call Edwards Air Force base and tell them where he is. Just a couple of hours later, he is picked up by Air Force security and taken back to the base.
in 4697, the 5 Shen-class ships commanded by Admiral Hu Jintao enter the Yang Gao system and attempt to establish contact with the colony. The ships detect many transmissions coming from the main planet, but none of them seem to be in Chinese. Admiral Hu orders the ships into orbit, but councils caution to all his captains.
in 2003, Estelle Gerard, with her mother at her side, speaks to a throng of people in Jerusalem, telling them that he who sits on the holy throne of the Holy British Empire is not who the Father of all men desires to lead Christendom. As Templars arrive to arrest the toddler and her mother, a bright light blinds the crowd; when the light fades, the Gerards are gone.
in 2004, the delegation of Elders begins spreading out to the countries where the political situation has deteriorated. When the population sees how ordinary they are, calm is restored. Many governments begin to mistrust what the Lalandians told them about the Elders, and start working with the delegation.
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, voting for the winner is now over. Be sure to watch Sept. 9 for the winner, and watch the pilots 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!
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