Pulp Fictions

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 30th, 2006

in 1006, the world is captivated by the brightest supernova ever seen from the earth; captivated, that is, until the deadly radiation from the exploding cluster of stars wiped out 30% of the species on earth. In the harsh, post-apocalyptic world that arose from the ashes of the extinction, humans were the prey of mutant species that hunted them - for sport!

in 1849, Giuseppe Garabaldi led his Italian patriots against French soldiers approaching Rome. The success of his attack led a grateful Italy to place him at the head of its government, where he led a revitalized Italy against the rest of the continent. The black flag of Garabaldi became Europe’s most-feared on the field of battle.

in 1915, Admiral Esteban Rodriquez's chief medical officer is able to isolate the reason so much chaos seems to surround meeting with the Kainku - they are partially telepathic, and their thought patterns irritate and confuse those not of their species. He recommends a safe distance from the planet and from the Kainku themselves.

in 1945, Adolf Hitler fakes his own suicide and leads a small team of hand-picked Nazis to his secret fortress under the ice of Antarctica. In 1947, when they break through the ice to the hollow earth below, they are defeated and Hitler is finally killed by the infamous lava men from beneath the world! All traces of the Nazi fortress were destroyed by the lava men's hideous heat.

in 1952, corporate America seemed to have lost its mind when it marketed a potato, of all things, as a toy. The Mr. Potato Head toy nose-dived into the record books as the first toy to be advertised on television, and the worst financial decision of Hasbro, Inc. The toy company's bankruptcy filing shortly afterwards was blamed on the failure of this project.

in 1975, North Chile surrenders to the South Chilean military. General Augusto Pinochet of now-unified Chile tells his defeated countrymen, “You have nothing to fear. Between Chileans there are no victors and no vanquished. Only the Americans have been beaten. If you are patriots, consider this a moment of joy. The war for our country is over.”

in 1993, a deranged German fan of Steffi Graf nearly stabbed her opponent, Monica Seles, during a tournament in Hamburg, Germany. Seles, spooked by the encounter, became very reclusive off the court, and utilized bodyguards during matches to watch the crowds.

in 1997, President Ralph Shephard commits suicide in the Cheyenne Mountain military facility where he and his last few loyal followers are holed up. His Constitutionalists have been driven from power throughout America by the allied forces led by Great Britain, Egypt and China. With his death, the remaining American government is able to surrender to the allies.

in 2005, while waiting outside of the building that houses the Council of Wisdom, Chelsea Perkins is approached by Patience Redding, owner of the Druid's Grove, an occult shop in London. Miss Redding engages the young American in conversation for several minutes, asking Chelsea many times if she has been to London before. Chelsea has, but only to see the Council, so she says no. Miss Redding leaves with a strange expression on her face.

Timelines in today's post: the Mlosh, Communist America, the Ralph Shephard timeline and the Chelsea Perkins timeline.

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect Toy Story to Star Trek - and for an extra point, tell me why it's relevant to today's post ;). Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -

Hitler Marries; Andersonville Liberated

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 29th, 2006

in 1429, a young French peasant girl who had convinced the French Dauphin that God had sent her to liberate Orleans led French soldiers against the British besieging the town. When the British cut her army to pieces and captured her, they put her on display as proof of the lunacy of the French cause. The young girl, Jean D'Arc, was then imprisoned in a British nunnery, where she spent her days asking God why he had abandoned her.

in 1915, a minor mutiny on one of his ships causes Admiral Esteban Rodriquez to rethink his report on the Kainku. Crew that had been in contact for several days with the aliens had refused orders and almost caused the ship to crash into the Kainku world below them. Admiral Rodriquez decided to stay and investigate further.

in 1945, German Reich Fuehrer Adolf Hitler marries his niece, Angelika Raubal. Although his neo-Nazi benefactors do not approve of the union, he is quite insistent on it, so they give it as little publicity across the Reich as they can. When he kills her in a jealous fit over her affairs two years later, that is hushed up, as well.

in 1969, Comrade Edward K. Ellington received the Medal of Freedom for his lifetime of work popularizing the communist lifestyle abroad. As a composer and musician, Ellington was allowed to travel to the European monarchies that didn’t approve of the Soviet States of America and speak freely to his audiences about life in the S.S.A.

in 1988, one of Hollywood’s happiest couples wed. Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson have defied Tinseltown’s jinx on marriages and are still in wedded bliss today, almost 20 years later. Their two sons, Burt Jr. and Quinton Reynolds, have even appeared with their parents in shows like Cannonball Run.

in 1992, under intense pressure, the jury hearing the case against the officers who had beaten Los Angeles motorist Rodney King found all the officers guilty as charged. Although the officers protested, the rest of L.A. breathed a sigh of relief at the verdict. Even though the sentencing was exceedingly light – 2 years was the maximum time any of the officers spent in jail – the black community felt that they had finally been given justice.

in 1997, the Andersonville death camp, an old Civil War prisoner camp that had been reopened by the Constitutionalists, was liberated by British and Egyptian forces. Hardened soldiers wept openly at the plight of the men, women and children who had been forced to live in this camp.

in 2005, dimensional rips caused an outbreak of the plague at the Alternate History Academy, delaying its regular posting of important events in history that never occurred today. Although steps were taken to seal such rifts, they opened again the next year and caused another break of plague. The Academy is still working on sealing such holes.

in 2005, Chelsea Perkins meets Debra Morris at the Council of Wisdom and together they run into Alma May Watson. The three young women had lunch together and went for a walk about London, ending up the day in a small shop called Druid's Grove. The proprietor, Patience Redding, seems a little surprised by Chelsea, almost as if she recognizes the young American.

Timelines in today's post: the GZR, the Mlosh, Communist America, the Ralph Shephard timeline and the Chelsea Perkins timeline.

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -

One Singular Disappointment

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 28th, 2006

in 1442, Pope Edward IV of the Holy British Empire was born in England. His 22-year reign should have marked the end of the infamous War of the Roses, but the devilish Lancastrians were not put down even after two decades of holy rule by their cousins, and seized power from his brother Richard shortly after Edward's death.

in 1789, the crew of the Bounty staged a mutiny against its captain, William Bligh. Although the crew were captured when they attempted to resupply in Tahiti, Bligh and 18 crewmen loyal to him were never found after being set adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Fletcher Christian was found guilty of mutiny and murder and was hung in full view of all sailors at the docks of London.

in 1818, President James Monroe builds up the naval bases along the Great Lakes as a defense against the British colony of Canada to their north. Hostilities between the two countries led to the development of the longest hostile border in the world today as the twin superpowers of America and Canada stand off against each other.

in 12-14-2-12-0, the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes surrender their communal lands to the Oueztecan Empire. They had maintained their own tribal government for almost half a century, but with their land infested by Oueztecan colonists anyway, they saw no further need in pretending that they had control over the land.

in 1915, another meeting with the Kainku leaves Admiral Esteban Rodriquez feeling that he has come a long way for nothing. The Kainku seem to be a peaceful, advanced people who would never foment chaos in another people. He prepares a scathing report to send back to the Congress of Nations in which he accuses the Q'Bar of blaming any people but themselves for their troubles.

in 1965, in an effort to prove that he believed in bolstering democracy rather than just shoring up anti-communist allies, President Lyndon Johnson sends over 20,000 US troops to aid the Dominican Republic's reformist leader, Juan Bosch. The action endeared Johnson to all of Latin America, and even provided cover for him when he withdrew American forces from Vietnam later that year.

in 1969, Charles de Gaulle is deposed in a bloody military coup in France. His violent solution to the Algerian rebellion had made him highly unpopular, and the military felt that he was vulnerable. The General Staff ruled France in a government modeled after Franco’s in Spain until they themselves were overthrown by the Second Revolution and the birth of the 6th Republic in 1995.

in 1970, Comrade President Gus Hall approves the expansion of the Chilean conflict to the Bolivian bases of the South Chilean guerillos. Although officially denied for years, this expansion raises anti-war sentiment throughout South America and contributes to the region's turn from communism to the reactionary expansionism of the European capitalists.

in 1976, after a dismal run of just a few months, the musical A Chorus Line closes on Broadway. It had been hoped that the inside look at the world of Broadway auditions would be a hit with New Yorkers, but they apparently thought of Broadway musicals like many people thought of sausage – they loved them, just didn't want to know how they were made.

in 1987, Tony Bennett’s top-selling Art of Excellence was released on vinyl rather than CD. This marked the beginning of the end for the compact disk format which had briefly flourished in the 80’s. The expense of the players for the small musical disks placed them out of the reach of virtually all consumers.

Timelines in today's post: the Holy British Empire, the Oueztecan timeline, the Mlosh and Communist America

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect A Chorus Line to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -

Satori; Captain Midnight

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 27th, 2006

in 1773, the British Parliament decided not to aid the East India Company in keeping the American tea trade; they had requested a lower tax since Dutch traders could smuggle tea into America and sell it far more cheaply than they could. Although there had been some grumbling about British rule among the colonists, this acquiescence to colonial priorities quells them.

in 1805, American Marines captured Derna, home of the Tripolitan pirates. President Adams of the U.S. decided that it was in America’s national interests to maintain a standing force in Tripoli, which became the first colony of the fledgling nation. Adams added the islands of Jamaica and Hispaniola during his 4 terms in office, as well as purchasing Louisiana from France to enhance America’s continental presence in North America.

in 4537, Imakita Kosen, Zen master, has his satori, or moment of awakening. His teachings spread across the Chinese Empire and form the basis for the eventual acceptance of democracy after the Empire’s contact with the Chdo Democracy.

in 1870, Heinrich Schliemann discovers Atlantis, the lost island of legend. Most classics scholars and archeologists had believed Atlantis to be spun wholly from Plato’s imagination, but Schlieman found it in the Mediterannean near the island of Crete. The civilization on the island apparently rival classical Rome at its peak, but had been destroyed by a volcanic eruption.

in 1915, Admiral Esteban Rodriquez of the Congress of Nations space forces meets with representatives of the Kainku government in the P'Karsai nebula. The Kainku prove far more charming than the Spaniard expected, and he leaves the meeting unconvinced that they are a threat to the CN. The Q'Bar, his first officer reminds him, were quite accommodating at first, too. Admiral Rodriquez sets several officers to monitoring Kainku communications.

in 1964, Write Now, international superstar Pete Best’s humorous observations on life, is published in America and rockets to the top of the best-seller lists. Although critics panned it universally, fans of the musician rushed to the bookstores to buy it. Marketing execs across the country drooled at the prospect of more Best products.

in 1978, Comrade Fernando Garcia, president of the Guatemalan People’s Republic, is overthrown and murdered by reactionary capitalists who are trying to break the Soviet States of America’s hold on North America. This plunges the tiny nation into a war between American forces and European-supplied rebels.

in 1986, video pirate Captain Midnight began his vendetta against the pay-cable service Home Box Office. Over the next 2 months, he would regularly interrupt HBO’s signal with derogatory messages about the service and hints on how to descramble it for free. He was never caught, but stopped on his own in June.

in 1997, Mexican partisans capture Manuel Barrientos, National Action Party leader and puppet president of Mexico under the control of America’s President Ralph Shephard. While awaiting trial, he is saved by a loyal PAN air force member, but their plane crashes during the escape.

in 2005, Alma May Watson leaves the Great Tree and Debra Morris suggests that she and Chelsea Perkins visit England for a couple of days. Miss Morris has to report to the Council of Wisdom, and she thinks that Chelsea might like to see the UK without having to attack anything while she's there. Chelsea agrees quickly and the pair cross over to England.

in 2087, Captain Marcus Mobutu of the African Union's Space Force claims the Harare asteroid for the AU. It is the first major claim in the outer solar system for the fledgling space program, and creates more interest from the Indian and Chinese superpowers than they had wanted. From this point onward, the African ships are watched carefully.

Timelines in today's post: the Chinese Empire, the Mlosh, Pete Best, Communist America, the Chelsea Perkins timeline and the Ralph Shephard timeline.

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect On the Air live with Captain Midnight to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -

Defoe Dies; Meteorites Fall On Paris

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 26th, 2006

in 1731, British author Daniel Defoe died en route to the moon. One of the first notable Englishmen to embrace the Mlosh, Defoe wrote 30 books about them, and even lived for a few months on the colony ship in Ireland. Although most Europeans of his time feared them, he felt that they provided “the most pure adventure ever presented before mankind,” and jumped at every opportunity to convince people of it.

in 1803, thousands of meteorites rained down on Paris, France, killing 34 people and leveling buildings throughout the city. Although excited astronomers across Europe felt that they were evidence of material from outer space, the Archbishop of Paris called the judgment of God and spearheaded the angry mobbing of the Sorbonne, which had survived the meteor shower.

in 1865, presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth is captured by Union soldiers while hiding in a farm in Virginia. Although stoically resistant to questioning at first, he soon cracks and begins giving details of a conspiracy to do away with Lincoln that reaches up to the highest echelons of American society; his testimony does what all the Confederate armies couldn't, and brings down the government of the United States.

in 1920, Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan emerged from surgery weak, but alive. A cancerous tumor had been removed from his stomach barely in time to keep him from dying. Ramanujan lived another thirty years, co-authoring papers with Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer, and popularizing the teaching of special relativity in his native India.

in 1937, the German Underground’s air force, the Luftwaffe, supplies air support to Spanish fascists fighting the Greater Zionist Resistance. Employing jet designs from 1968 supplied by their neo-Nazi benefactors, the Luftwaffe was able to smash G.Z.R. positions across Spain, one of the first G.U. victories in their long war.

in 1982, the leader of the band The Clash, Joe Strummer, disappears. A month later, he is recognized at London’s Heathrow Airport, handing out flowers as a member of the Hari Krishna sect. He announces to the world that he has given up music for his new spiritual life.

in 1985, President Ralph Shephard’s Constitutionalists in Congress pass the American Future Act, which, among other things, creates a separate school system for minorities, leftists and the poor. The regular school system, which consumes almost all of school funding, is only used by children of the elite; the new schools are starved of funding and are shut down completely by 1990.

in 1986, there was an explosion at the Cooper Nuclear Power Plant in the Nebraska Soviet. Although only a few dozen people died in the initial blast and fire, thousands were killed by the radiation that was released, and much of America’s food supply was contaminated for years after. The Soviet States of America tried to keep it quiet, but the Mexican government reported the disaster to the world when radiation levels in their own country spiked.

in 2001, Colby Ross and Samantha Robinson burn everything in their grandfathers’ hidden basement in order to prevent anyone from repeating their mistake. The two vow never again to delve into the hidden mysteries of the past, and move far away from each other.

in 2005, Alma May Watson pays a visit to the Great Tree and she and Chelsea Perkins have a tearful reconciliation. Chelsea confesses to Miss Watson about her secret trip to see her mother; Miss Watson understands, but warns Chelsea, “we're the only ones who can understand you, now, dear. We're your family.” Chelsea promises to keep away from her mother from now on.

Timelines in today's post: the Mlosh, the GZR, Communist America, the Chelsea Perkins timeline and the Ralph Shephard timeline

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect the 1954 Robinson Crusoe to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -

Vespuccia; Yes, Helga, There Is An America...

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!


April 25th, 2006

in 1507, Martin Waldseemuller, a German geographer, gave a name to the 2 mighty continents in the western hemisphere. Rather than naming it after the man who had established contact with them, he named them after the man who had proven they were new continents, calling them Vespuccia.

in 1599, the most successful Conqueror of the Speaker’s Line, Oliver Cromwell, was born in Huntingdon, England. For a few years, he held control of the British Empire, and used it to further the goals of his faction as much as he could before his death and the loss of Britain back to those not descended from Telka.

in 4340, a scandal erupted in the Forbidden City when royal cousin Ssu Tsung committed suicide. Unwilling to believe one in his bloodline could commit such an act, Emperor Po sealed off Beijing and ordered the interrogation of all who had contact with Ssu. When the evidence of his depression was undeniable, Po opened the city back up and ordered a mourning period for his cousin.

in 1831, The Lion of the West opened in New York City. The play celebrated the life of Davy Crockett, who had been influential in negotiating the acquisition of several former Spanish territories by the North American Confederation. It particularly emphasized his acceptance by a Mlosh community as a young man after his parents had raised him to hate the aliens.

in 1968, in a decision that would earn him much goodwill, international superstar Pete Best announces that he will perform at the British Olympic Appeal Fund show. It sets the stage for other benefit concerts he gives in the 70’s, making him music’s benefit king.

in 1983, Comrade President John Anderson wrote to 10-year old Helga Schmidt, a grade-school girl in Germany who had written him after Kaiser Louis-Ferdinand referred to the Soviet States of America as the “Evil Empire”. Comrade Anderson used his reply to the young girl to show her the human side of America, and let her know that the Soviets were not the monsters that she had been raised to believe.

in 1989, new evidence coming to light proved that James Richardson, a Florida man convicted of poisoning his children in 1968, had been innocent, and that his neighbor had committed the crime. Unfortunately, harsh sentencing laws that had been enacted in 1965 had sped up his execution, and Richardson was electrocuted in 1974.

in 1995, the entertainment industry mourned the loss of one of its great leading ladies, the ever-graceful Virginia McMath, who had become famous as the dancing partner of hoofer Fred Austerlitz in several movies in the 30's and 40's. She became an unusual icon for feminism in later years, when the comment arose that she did everything that Austerlitz did, “backwards – and in high heels.”

in 1997, the Chinese joined up with the British and Egyptians, splitting America down the center. President Ralph Shephard called for all Americans to fight the allies, but for all intents and purposes, his Constitutionalist government is finished. Many Americans welcome the invaders, since the Constitutionalists had been so repressive on their own people.

in 2083, the African Union elects its first woman chairman, Dalila Lolosili, a powerful Kenyan who is responsible for the AU's emergence as a balancing force between the superpowers of India and China. Her space program, headed by Ronald Mabandla, becomes the envy of the two great powers in short order, because they don't have to worry about securing themselves against the other powers.

Timelines in today's post: the Speaker, the Chinese Empire, the Mlosh, Pete Best, Communist America and the Ralph Shephard timeline

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect Ginger Rogers to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -

End Of The World As We Know It

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 24th, 2006

in 1061, a monk named Robert DeBerge at the Abbey of Bath saw a comet in the sky. He prayed the night through over this, and the following day told all of England that God was sending this errant star to destroy the nation. He was proven correct when the comet smashed into the earth, killing most life in northern Europe.

in 3881, the brilliant tactician Minamoto Yoshitsune finally meets his match at the Battle of Dan no ura as the Taira clan overpowers his forces in spite of his numerical advantage. This infighting is the reason that China was able to conquer the Nipponese with relative ease in the coming decades.

in 1781, former American general Benedict Arnold, now fighting for the Canadians, clashes with British General William Phillips at the Battle of Hudson Bay. Phillips had wanted to establish a fort that he could begin moving troops from to strike at any point in Canada, but Arnold saved Canadian independence by defeating him soundly and driving his forces back to sea.

in 1833, Jacob Evert and George Dulty patent their soda fountain, a machine which makes sweet carbonated beverages. They almost lose their shop when a smooth-talking inventor tries to get them to start selling ice cream sodas, but recover after knocking the unpopular sweet off of their menu.

in 1915, Admiral Esteban Rodriquez's ships reach the P'Karsai nebula and find a habitable planet, populated by the race known to them as the Kainku. Rodriquez sends out a greeting asking for a meeting with the ruling government of the planet; it is responded to quickly in the affirmative.

in 1942, David O. Selznick refuses to let Ingrid Bergman out of her contract and appear in Warner Brother’s Casablanca. The producers use Olivia de Haviland instead, and her marvelous performance as Ilsa opposite Humphrey Bogart earns her an Oscar as best actress.

in 1980, President Reagan sent a small team of Marines into Iran to attempt a rescue of the 50 American hostages being held in Tehran. Unfortunately, desert storms knocked the choppers out of commission, killing 8 of the Marines. President Reagan took full responsibility for the mission’s failure, and this more than anything was why Senator Kennedy beat him in the presidential elections that year.

in 1992, the British withdraw their meager forces from Zaire in the face of the brutal South African onslaught. With Terreblanche winning victories across Africa and Constitutionalist President Ralph Shephard consolidating his hold on the western hemisphere, it looks dark for the anti-Fulcrum allies. Fortunately, a new ally is just about to join them and turn the tide.

in 1996, mere days after rescuing Sally Ann Moore from kidnappers at Aggiecon, Bartholomew Thompson, Moore, and several of Thompson’s friends are approached by the alien race known as the B’han and asked to accompany them to their homeworld, where Thompson’s peculiar talents are needed. The group agrees, to the misfortune of most of them.

in 2001, most of Miller, Wisconsin goes up in flames as desperate National Guardsmen blow up building after building in an attempt to halt zombie Hitler on his rampage through the small town. During the chaos, Colby Ross and Samantha Robinson locate the hidden basement where their grandfathers had hidden the means to dispel Hitler and complete the ritual, banishing the Nazi forever.

Timelines in today's post: the Chinese Empire, Canadian Independence, the Mlosh, von Heflin and the Ralph Shephard timeline

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect Casablanca to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -

Diocletian Pardons Djiordjius; New Coke

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 23rd, 2006

in 1056 AUC, Diocletian pardoned the Libyan hero Djiordjius, famed for slaying a crocodile in order to save the young daughter of a tribal chieftain. Djiordjius had become entangled with the cult of the Christos, but Emperor Diocletian felt that such a mighty warrior deserved to live his life in spite of his anti-Roman beliefs.

in 1014, pagan northmen, known as the Vikings, murder Archbishop Brian Boru of Ireland and attempt to carve the Emerald Isle out of the Holy British Empire. Pope Aethelred the Unready, who had been losing the Empire’s continental possessions for years, was finally stirred into action, although he was unable to take back Ireland during the final two years of his papacy.

in 1564, William Shakespeare is born in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Bard was a controversial Illuminated One, giving away many secrets within his plays and angering the other Chosen Ones. After the sorcerous incantations of MacBeth were performed, they decided he had gone too far; he was killed secretly and replaced with a double.

in 1616, William Shakespeare recovers from a heart attack and returns to the King's Men, where he pens 4 more plays before retiring for good in 1620; these are probably his most famous works, as well as his most controversial. The Archbishop of Canterbury almost brought him up on charges of heresy for Adam & Eve, for instance.

in 1616, William Shakespeare, the actor who provided a front for Francis Bacon’s early playwrighting career, died in poverty in London, England. After his falling out with Bacon at the turn of the century, he was never again able to make a decent living in the theater.

in 1975, Comrade President John Anderson says that the Chilean War is over for America. “Today, Americans can regain the sense of pride that existed before Chile. But it cannot be achieved by re-fighting a war.” The North Chilean government was shocked by this admission, and an exodus of Communists to the Soviet States of America began. It was only halted by the South Chilean takeover of the country a few days later, when they closed off the borders of the country.

in 1985, the Coca-Cola Corporation changed its world-beating secret formula for the first time in a century with the marketing of New Coke. The bland, sugary new product turned customers away in such droves that the Coke Corporation collapsed and was acquired by its arch-rival, Pepsi.

in 1994, the American Air Force began the Michelin Raids against Great Britain; President Ralph Shephard designated each site awarded stars in the famous Michelin Guides as a prime target. Although the devastation caused by the raids was disheartening, the British carried on against the Constitutionalists and their South African allies.

in 2001, as Hitler’s resurrected corpse ravages the small town of Miller, Wisconsin, Colby Ross and Samantha Robinson desperately search for the spell to banish him again in the notes of their illustrious grandfathers, Dr. Elliot Ross and Jake Robinson. The tension of the dangerous situation gives rise to romantic feelings between them, and they just know they're going to have to sleep together before this is all done.

in 2005, when Chelsea Perkins is untied to use the restroom, she climbs out of the window of her mother's apartment and runs for a few blocks. When she feels comfortably far from her mother, she activates the spell to return her to the Great Tree, where she dispels the illusion of herself that has been keeping Debra Morris, her teacher, company for a few days. Chelsea is stricken with the realization that she can't really go home again.

Timelines in today's post: the Roman timeline, the Holy British Empire, Communist America, the Ralph Shephard timeline and the Chelsea Perkins timeline

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect Shakespeare in Love to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -

Jones Torches Whitehaven; Astley-Army Hearing

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 22nd, 2006

in 1659, Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell disbands the English Parliament. The Conquerors of the Speaker’s Line have achieved their greatest victory with his ascension to power over the British, but they are not prepared to rule, which leads to the fall of Cromwell’s government in a few short years. The Conquerors gather after the failure and refine their techniques.

in 1778, in defiance of John Jay's orders of truce with the British, John Paul Jones and a small detachment of men from his boat put the town of Whitehaven, England to the torch. Jones was publicly tried and executed as a war criminal by the American Congress, mollifying British cries for vengeance and driving most Americans still thirsting for revolution north to Canada.

in 1864, Congress mandated that all U.S. legal tender bear the inscription In God We Trust. In a landmark case brought immediately by the Unitarians, the Supreme Court declares this to be an unconstitutional establishment of religion, and the phrase is removed, much to the consternation of the Democratic Party, which uses it, fairly successfully, as a campaign issue for years afterwards.

in 1886, Ohio passes a law making the seduction of women illegal. The rightness of this law caused the Prohibition Movement to catch fire across the nation and penetrate even into the chambers of the U.S. Congress, where a similar law was pushed through and burst upon an unsuspecting nation in 1890. The national birth rate skyrocketed, caused by now-irresistible illicit seductions.

in 12-13-14-9-12, the Oueztecan Empire opens up the Great Northern Plains to imperial colonists. The rush of peasants to grab land for themselves displaces much of the native population, but strengthens the empire by giving them access to the bountiful farmland of these plains.

in 1937, flamboyant director John Nicholson was born in Neptune, New Jersey. Although his films never achieved great box office, his personal life was always a great draw for the paparazzi, as he dallied with actresses such as Anjelica Huston and models like Winnie Hollman.

in 1954, the Astley-Army hearing began as anti-capitalist Senator Ted Astley of Washington began probing into possible capitalist infiltration into the American military. The televising of the proceedings destroyed Astley’s reputation as he was seen as a demagogue rather than someone seriously interested in protecting the Soviet States of America.

in 1997, President Ralph Shephard admits to his staff in Norad that the war is lost. British soldiers and Egyptian Marines are pounding through the eastern U.S. as the Chinese sweep across the west, both heading to Cheyenne. “Suicide is our only recourse,” he told them, passing out cyanide capsules to his most trusted subordinates.

in 2001, Colby Ross, the grandson of Dr. Elliot Ross, and Samantha Robinson, granddaughter of adventurer Jake Robinson, come across their illustrious forebears’ notes on their Antarctic adventure. Ross tells Miss Robinson that something like this couldn’t possibly have happened; to prove it, he performs the ritual calling Hitler’s soul back from beyond death.

in 2005, Chelsea Perkins' mother, convinced that her daughter is possessed by a demonic power, convinces the local priest who heard her confession to perform an exorcism on the child. The uneventful and unsuccessful ceremony leaves Chelsea feeling that perhaps her visit to her mother was a bad idea, after all. She resolves to leave as soon as her mother unties her.

Timelines in today's post: the Speaker, Canadian Independence, the Oueztecan timeline, Communist America, the Ralph Shephard timeline and the Chelsea Perkins timeline

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect Good Night and Good Luck to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

Get yourself into TIAH!

And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

The Forum lives again!

Good long fiction from the AH. See a review of Warp at Universe Pathways Magazine

Help the Alternate Historian get a better day job!
My email address for contacting me with your good news, or for more direct goodness, go to the web site and leave a comment, buy a book, or leave a Paypal donation! Remember, it's only 6 degrees of separation between you and anyone else - and thanks again!

You can also visit the Co-Historian's store -