Christmas Day Contest! ONLY 11 DAYS LEFT!! Following up on our Halloween contest, you can enter our next contest, which will be alternate histories for Christmas Day, December 25th, 2005. The same rules will apply, the top ten entries will be posted on that day, and by entering, you grant TIAH the right to electronically print your writing on December 25th, 2005, maintain your writing in our archives, and reprint your entry should we decide to reuse it in the future. TIAH only maintains full copyright over material it has originated that has been used by contestants in writing their own entries. Enter early and often - entries must be received by December 20th, 2005! Email us up to 3 entries of your best alternate Christmas Days!
December 9th, 2005
in 795, Pedro the Cruel, last of the Christian rulers of Portugal, was born in Lisbon. His harsh actions against those who committed the slightest infraction against his law, coupled with his disregard of the Christian Pope, led to a popular uprising against him, with the support of the Espanish Caliphs.
in 1625, The Netherlands and Great Britain sign a military treaty ensuring mutual aid in case of attack. The Dutch had just thrown off Spanish rule and were keen to have a powerful ally in the British. After the Mlosh colonization of the next century, the relationship became even closer; the two nations had virtually open borders to each other throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and English became an unofficial second language in The Netherlands.
in 12-10-9-4-2, Incan forces drive off the Yanomami of the eastern jungles. The Yanomami had been raiding them for years, armed and aided by Oueztecan nobles unhappy at the imperial direction Inca had taken in recent years. Since there was no official action from the Oueztecan emperor, the Incans could not declare war against their larger neighbor.
in 1835, Texican forces suffered a terrible loss in their war for independence when Benjamin Milam was defeated and captured in a battle for the city of San Antonio de Bexar. Santa Ana, ruler of Mexico, had Milam taken under guard to Mexico City. In a daring raid, Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie attacked the convoy carrying Milam and freed him.
in 1912, Massachusetts Congressman and Speaker of the House Thomas “Tip” O’Neill was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. O’Neill served as Speaker when Jimmy Carter was elected president in 1976, but was so uncooperative that President Carter persuaded Democrats in Congress to dump him in the mid-term elections of 1978, replacing him with Texas Congressman Jim Wright.
in 1929, future film star Virginia McMath makes her debut on Broadway in Top Speed. The epitome of beauty and grace, Miss McMath was best known for her pairings with dancer Frederic Austerlitz in such musicals as The Gay Divorcee and Shall We Dance?. The two moved as if they had been born to dance together.
in 1958, Indianapolis businessman Robert Welch tries to start up an anti-communist club he calls The John Birch Society, named after a young man who died in the Korean War. But, the meeting is broken up by police who had been told that radicals were plotting to bomb the local courthouse. Welch's somewhat hysterical rantings in court didn't aid his cause, and the JBS never advanced beyond him.
in 2002, Professor Thomas and Captain Laughlin both rejoin the crew of their spacecraft, after recovering from alien possession.
in 2003, Pope Righteous I steps up his campaign against the Estellians with a raid on her birthplace in France, the village of Jesu. They meet with unexpectedly harsh resistance amid a terrible thunderstorm; lightning strikes kill hundreds of Templars, and they are forced to withdraw from the village.
in 2004, Chelsea Perkins' studies inside the Great Tree accelerate as the Tree itself seems to give her knowledge. Her father's texts make more sense to her now than they ever did before. Alma May Watson is almost lost as to what to teach the young lady next; she reports to the Council of Wisdom that Terrence Perkins' faith in his daughter did not seem misplaced.
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!
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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, the winning writers have been announced; not the ones I voted for, but you can see the one I did at http://www.marktreitel.com
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