IVTIAHD; Luther's Excommunication, Apple's Incorporation

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: It's International Visit Today In Alternate History Day! Just for today's post, the feed has been turned off in an effort to encourage everyone who reads us through one of the various feeds to come to the site so we can find out how many of you there are. While you're here, we'd actually like to encourage you to use the Feedburner feed on the side of the page to read us via the RSS feed reader of your choice. That way, we can have a clearer picture of how many of you there are. To sweeten the deal, everyone who comments on IVTIAHD on our Forums will be entered into a drawing to get their own alternate history entry! Thanks for participating in IVTIAHD, and the feed will be turned back on with tomorrow's post!
PS - we would really appreciate it if you nominated us for one of these.

January 3rd, 2006

in 47,391 BCE, after a year of walking, Telka the Speaker stands at the southeastern Asian shore and ponders a way across the ocean. Swikolay, her great-granddaughter and traveling companion, has an idea for going out into the waters. She hollows out a tree and they ride it into the South Pacific.

in 902, the wizard Atticus enters Merlin's place of power.

in 1521, German monk Martin Luther was excommunicated by Pope Henry VIII of the Holy British Empire. Brother Martin was disgusted with the corruption of the British Papacy, and nailed a series of theses on his local church door, enumerating and protesting the wickedness of the English Church. Pope Henry, who had never been one to tolerate protestants, excommunicated then executed Brother Martin.

in 1804, during the Irish War of Independence, Agent K’Tan’Jir of British Intelligence captures an Irish Mlosh agent, Pri’Kato’Mli. Although the Irish agent manages to escape, K’Tan’Jir has placed a tracking device on him, and uses him to find the base that he has been operating out of. With his young assistant, James Watson, K’Tan’Jir storms the base, only to find that he has been outfoxed – Pri’Kato’Mli had over a hundred rebels with him. The two British agents barely manage to escape with their lives.

in 1889, deep in the woods of Michigan, Mikhail von Heflin encounters a creature that the natives call a Wendigo. It is an extra-dimensional beast that can see what he really is and attacks him out of fear. He manages to escape from it, and flees to the south.

in 1892, the scholarly giant of modern England, John R. R. Tolkien, was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. At Oxford, Tolkien penned some of the greatest literary criticisms of the 20th century, delving into the mythic roots of Beowulf, the legends of King Arthur, the Germanic and Celtic influences in English literature, and dozens of other subjects. In recent years, his son Christopher published a few of the bed time stories Tolkien wrote for his children, of which the most famous are his Father Christmas stories. There has even been talk of making a movie of these stories, although no one really expects they would be very popular.

in 4620, Egyptologist and adventurer Luo Gan discovers the ancient tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, and its hideous curse. Over the next five years, he and the twenty members of his team die gruesome deaths. Although most dismiss this as mere coincidence, the Imperial Ministry of Antiquities has forbade further digging into ancient Egypt’s past.

in 1961, the Soviet States of America severs its diplomatic and economic ties with the Caribbean island nation of Cuba after it reorganized its economy along European lines and strengthened its ties with the Eastern powers. “The West cannot tolerate a reactionary nation so close to our borders,” Comrade President Rosenberg declared, “and so, we will take the steps necessary to punish those who leave the Community of Trade for the oppression of capitalism.”

in 12-17-10-5-15, Pachacamac, Incan musicians famed throughout the Empire, give their first performance before the emperor at Oueztec City. The music of the sweet mountains of their birth lofted throughout the court, bringing smiles and tears to the assembled courtiers. The emperor himself is so moved by their performance that he ennobles them all.

in 1967, Jack Ruby's cancer went into remission, allowing him to be placed on trial for the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald. From the stand, Ruby spun a story of conspiracy, deception and treason, and the judge was forced to place a gag order on news from the trial. When the courtroom blew up the next day, it was blamed on a “gas leak” under the courthouse.

in 1977, the number one computer company in the world, Apple Computers, was incorporated by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in California. From humble beginnings as a machine for hobbyists, Apple computers soon made their way onto desktops in businesses and homes around the world with the introduction of the Macintosh line of computers. They might have stumbled in the 80’s when IBM’s operating system supplier, Microsoft, made a graphical interface to match the Macintosh, but a successful lawsuit against the company crushed that upstart.


Timelines in today's post: the Speaker, the Holy British Empire, the Mlosh, Communist America, the Chinese Empire and von Heflin.

Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. In addition to a link to a long-form entry and the real timeline source of 2 alternate entries, at the bottom of the post you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that.

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!

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!

Our 1000th Blogger Post

The state of TIAH

February 11th, 2007

Digg this

Alternate Historian's Note: Here we are – 1000 posts on Blogger. Thanks to our temporary exile to Wordpress, we actually passed the 1000 mark a week ago, but we won't count that. Since we started not quite 3 years ago, we've been visited almost 300,000 times, have published close to a million words, and have gotten mentioned in a few cool places. We've written a couple of books based on the web site, and put one of them up for sale – with the other one on the way. Many of you contributed to our financial health by either buying that book or donating directly to the web site – we showed our appreciation for our donors by researching your alternate selves and featuring them in posts (which we will still do, by the way). Before we get to our Guest Historian's work for today, we're going to go through a little retrospective of some of my favorite moments in TIAH – please feel free to add your own reminiscences about TIAH in the comments, or email them to me. I truly appreciate the dedication that you have shown to TIAH in all of our ups and downs over the last three years, and hope that the future holds much brightness and many happy alternate pathways for us all. Now, on with today's retrospective, followed by Guest Historian Stephen Payne's work – be sure to check out his collection, Crimson Kiss, available for free on Lulu, and put up a review!

This one is from December 29th, 2005 – I love it – it is my favorite entry!
in 1769, a French patisserie began offering its bread sliced to its patrons. It was the greatest thing ever.

My favorite timeline is hard to pick, because it's usually whatever I'm writing at the time. However, some of them are closer to my heart than others. And, when I think fondly of what I've written for the site, my 'summer blockbuster' series involving the Australian scientists, the Sheridans, always comes first. It all started June 2nd, 2004, with this innocuous-seeming post:
in 2003, the European Space Agency launched the Mars Express probe. Martian forces terminated it in December, prior to the invasion.
I chronicled their exploits the rest of that summer, and then returned to them February 26th of 2005 with the discovery of the insidious methane crabs of Titan. This was the first entry in that series:
in 2004, exploiting the technology they had adapted from the Martians after the invasion the summer before, the United Nations land an exploratory ship on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. The strange, cold world has seas of liquid methane and an atmosphere similar to earth’s, and scientists had been longing for a close up view for decades.
Follow the entries from then on through July for the thrilling conclusion of the Methane Crabs from Titan story. I love the Sheridans, and they will be included in the collection we're putting together.

My most controversial post was the first September 11th post in 2004. Oddly enough, the two since then have generated nary a peep. I guess time really does heal all wounds.
in 2001, something happened in New York.

Judging by the positive responses I've gotten for it, what most of you consider my best continuing timeline is The Fall – the alternate reality where Lucifer was accepted back into Heaven's fold after his rebellion, but evil still manages to work its way into Paradise. Although it's not my favorite, I do like it, too, and it started with this line on December 29th, 2005:
in 1000 Post-Creation, Gabriel visits Lucifer in Heaven.

What I consider my best work on TIAH is the Lascaux Caves timeline, which started on September 12, 2006 and ended up, appropriately enough, on Halloween. I like it because I was experimenting with the longer form then, and got some good dialog in it, as well as some dramatic tension. Anyway, it started innocently enough, with 4 boys in 1940...
in 1940, the discovery of a cave in Lascaux, France by 4 teenage boys causes a major stir in the archaeological communit...click to read the rest

My favorite time in all of this, of course, was the acquisition of a new historian for our Alternate Academy, on March 26th, 2005 – something that wasn't announced until the following day, with this post:
New Historian Added To Academy!

In an effort to bring you the finest in important events that never occurred, the Alternate History Academy has acquired the services of a brand-new historian. Young Catherine Ann entered the Academy on March 26th at 12:58 PM. Although small, (20 inches, 7 pounds, 1 ounce), she seems to have all the prerequisites we require (10 fingers, 10 toes), and is brimming with energy and is ready to get working at life with her senior historians. Now, all she needs to do is learn how to read and write…


So, that's a little retrospective of our time with you over the last three years. We hope you've enjoyed it all as much as we have, and come back to us every day just waiting to see what never occurred today – just as we enjoy finding it out and bringing it to you!

Enough of our sentimentality! On with Guest Historian Stephen Payne's post!

Harrry Turtledo..	In 1993 Harry Turtledove published the counter-history novel Alas Trafalgar, in which he posed the question – what if a more cautious Admiral Jellicoe had prevented the sinking of the British Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in 1916? The outcome is that the British rather than ..
.. the Germans gained the North Sea Oil windfall in the 1920s.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1858 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes and the time of languishing is finally at an end.	Blessed Virgin ..
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Reza Cyrus Pahl..	In 1979 the septuagenarian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in Iran. Deteriorating relations with the West and the Embassy Hostage Crisis ended in a catastrophic war with the United States. The rule of His Imperial Majesty Reza Shah II was established in 1981 following a two-year ..
.. interregnum in the House of Pahlavi.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1981 100,000 gallons (380 m³) of radioactive coolant leaked into the containment building of TVA Sequoyah 1 nuclear plant in Tennessee, contaminating 8 workers. Officers of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) descended upon Richmond, Virginia to meet with Confederate President ..	Jimmy Carter
.. James Earl Carter demanding an explanation for this outrage. The Georgia Giant refused to meet with them sensing Yankee manipulation behind the protests. Of course the United States was not sufficiently advanced to have a nuclear program of their own and the refusal of the Confederacy to share technology with their northern neighbour was the core of the dispute.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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Dreams

The state of TIAH

November 18th, 2006

Alternate Historian's Note: November is NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. In 2004, we produced our novel Warp, and last year we got a start on The Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion during this annual event. Both of these novels were based on timelines from TIAH – Warp was based on the Mlosh timeline, and Protocols on the Greater Zionist Resistance timeline. Although we posted numerous links to these novels on Lulu, TIAH didn't post any excerpts from them. We're going to do it a little differently this year. This year, the November posts on TIAH will be excerpts from the novel that is being written by us for NaNoWriMo. We will still have Guest Historian entries – Stephen Payne (who has compiled several and made them available on Lulu for free – just go through the Add to Cart system to get it) has some already written and waiting – so, if you want to make a Guest Post this month, go ahead and send it to us, and it will appear along with our novel post.

in 1872, on board the Mary Celeste and during a routine inspection of the cargo at nightfall, seamen Boy Lorenson and Volkert Lorenson are spooked by the rattling noises of three barrels. They hurry back to the deck without reporting the noises to Captain Briggs. That night, they both share a terrible dream. Playing the part of Isaac, they are about to be sacrificed by father Abraham. Instead of being substituted however, Abraham turns into a terrifying goat and prepares to stab them… at which point they wake up screaming. -entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!-

in 1946, former British Prime Minister Winston Spencer Churchill opens his daily post in his suite at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York City. The headline of the German newspaper Die Zeitung reads 'This man of hate' reporting the execution of RAF Wing Commander Guy Gibson two days before at the Nuremberg Trials. The Nazi paper shows two pictures. One of the destruction of the Moehne and Eder dams by "bouncing bombs" on May 16, 1943. The other shows Gibson in a prison cell with his beloved black Labrador. The dog's name is a racial slur in English. The Nazi press makes great show of this racist tag, describing the British as hypocrites and bigots. -entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!-

in 2126, the showcase trial of Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majidida al-Tikriti versus the redneck George Walker Bush gets underway in Doha, Qatar. The Peace and Reconciliation Committee of the Reconstructed United Nations permits the Al Jazeera television channel to deliver live coverage across the globe. Arch-conservative Mullah Elijah Rafsanjani confidently anticipates that the twenty-first century's greatest hate figure will generate the equivalent of a nuclear reaction in post-Jihad society. The Committee will then be forced to authorize the use of the Hussein-Sadat time dilation device to correct historical injustices by sending jihadists into the past, rather than just summoning arch-criminals such as Bush, Columbus, Captain Cook et al. for retribution in the present-day. -entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!-

Before(cont.)
Kevin felt doubly fortunate that there was a branch of his bank within 7 blocks of the lottery building, and that it was open. Not too many people working, and he was also the only customer. He walked up to the teller and said, “Hi. I'm gonna need to make a deposit.”
The young man handed him a slip without turning from the television that was playing the EBS. There was a map of central Texas with a large circle centered on Crawford showing on the screen. Kevin put that out of his mind and filled out the deposit slip. He endorsed the cashier's check from the lottery, and then decided that he wanted a little walkin'-around money. He put down on the deposit slip that he wanted a hundred grand in cash. He then slid the check and slip over to the teller.
The young man turned away from the TV and looked down at the deposit slip. “Whoa.” He looked at the check, then looked up at Kevin. “You won the one last night?”
Kevin nodded and smiled ruefully. “Yep.”
The teller laughed and leaned over to the other teller working there. “Hey, this guy just won the lotto.”
She and the other people who had been watching the EBS turned away and looked over at him. She took a look at the check and said, “Hey, you wanna get married?”
Everyone laughed, and Kevin said, “Maybe later. I'm in kind of a hurry, though,” he said. “I have to report in to the National Guard.”
The male teller blinked and shook his head. “Man, talk about the good and the bad comin' all at once.” He tapped a few keys on his keyboard, then looked a little sheepish. “Uh, well, normally, Mr. Bradley, we only allow customers to get as much cash as they have in their account when they deposit a check.” A well-dressed woman behind Kevin shook her head and waved dismissively at the teller. “But, I guess we can make an exception today.”
“I appreciate that,” Kevin said. He was tapped on the shoulder and turned around to see the well-dressed woman holding a camera-phone.
“Sir, can I get a picture of you with Don, here? Kind of the one bright point today?”
“Sure,” he said, leaning over towards the teller as the teller leaned towards him. The camera buzzed, and the teller straighted up. Kevin just stayed there for a minute.
“You OK, sir?”
Kevin nodded. A little lop-sided smile sat on his face as he said, “I'd been plannin' on buying a nice car soon as I got the cash, but I guess I'm gonna have to wait, now.” He looked over at the teller heading towards the vault to get more money. “Why'd they have to do it today?”
“Why'd they have to do it at all?” She patted him on the back. “You're a good man for going in. I bet most people would take this money and just run off for Mexico or someplace.” She smiled in pride at him.
“Believe me, I thought about it.” She laughed. “Some days, you just gotta stand up, though.”
“Today's sure one of those days.”

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Visit the Co-Historian's store -

Arnold Sacks Richmond

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: International Visit Today In Alternate History Day is over, and we have a winner from our Forums, who will appear in their very own alternate history entry - aylinn, would you please contact us.
PS - we would really appreciate it if you nominated us for one of these. And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

January 5th, 2006

in 47,385 BCE, Telka the Speaker reaches her final home. The hard journey across the ocean to Australia left the Speaker weak and feeling her age. Her great-granddaughter, Swikolay, had brought her mate and two sons with them, and they nursed her back to health slowly.

in 1000 Post-Creation, Lucifer informs the Creator that the rebellious host will not be turned from their course and the Creator gives him the authority to cast them down. Lucifer is also ordered to destroy the man and woman, as much as it saddens Him. Lucifer travels back to earth, heavily conflicted about carrying out the Creator's orders.

in 1066, Pope Edward the Confessor died in England. His death led to the beginning of the Norman line of Popes for the Holy British Empire, the most famous of which were the Plantagenets, founded by Pope Henry II. The expansion of the British Church’s power into France was ultimately responsible for the Last Pope, Righteous I, and the savior, Estelle Gerard.

in 4288, Shehzaada Khurram, venerated Indian governor for the Chinese Empire, was born in Agra. His patronage was responsible for the creation of the finest art and architecture to grace southeast Asia. The Taj Mahal, his greatest achievement, is almost as impressive a palace as the Forbidden City, itself.

in 1781, American rebel Benedict Arnold sacks the city of Richmond, in one last act of defiance before fleeing to Canada. With the American revolution largely at an end, Arnold and his revolutionary comrades felt that a statement had to be made against those who capitulated so quickly to the British. General Arnold, of course, was an instrumental figure in the fight for Canadian independence.

in 1861, the Star of the West, the famous deep-space exploratory vessel built by the North American Confederation, launches from the N.A.C. base in Fort Sumter, Carolina. Over its twenty years of service, the Star maps and explores almost one hundred stellar systems and contacts ten new sentient species.

in 1945, the Soviet States of America recognizes the pro-American socialist government of Canada, newly elected by America’s neighbors to the north, who had finally decided to throw off the shackles of their imperialist patrons in Great Britain and join with their southern neighbors in the everlasting bonds of Marxist-Thoreauvian brotherhood.

in 1953, the side-splitting slapstick comedy En Attendant Godot by the playwright Samuel Beckett, made its debut in Paris. Widely regarded as Beckett’s masterpiece, it has been translated and filmed in several languages, delighting audiences around the world.

in 1959, Buddy Holly’s record It Doesn’t Matter Anymore was released by Coral Records. Supported by the winter tour he was on, the record rose to number 1 on the charts, and became the title track of his summer album, It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.

in 1994, former Speaker of the House Thomas ‘Tip’ O’Neill dies at his home in Boston. O’Neill had a short reign at the top of the House’s hierarchy after being elected to the position in 1977. He feuded with the newly elected President Carter, and was notoriously unhelpful in passing the Democratic president’s agenda. He was replaced in the next election cycle by Texas Representative Barbara Jordan, who was much more willing to stand up for the party’s values.

Timelines in today's post: the Speaker, the Holy British Empire, the Mlosh, the Chinese Empire, Canadian Independence, and Communist America.

Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. There are links to the real timeline source of 4 alternate entries, and at the bottom of the post you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that.

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! And don't forget to nominate us for one of these.

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!

Henry Pym Caught; Nader Assassinated

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: International Visit Today In Alternate History Day is over, and we'd like to thank everyone who participated. As we said yesterday, we'd also like to encourage you to use the Feedburner feed on the side of the page to read us via the RSS feed reader of your choice. That way, we can have a clearer picture of how many of you there are. The 5 people who commented on IVTIAHD on our Forums are going to be the pool from which we draw a lucky winner who will get their own alternate history entry! Thanks for participating in IVTIAHD!
PS - we would really appreciate it if you nominated us for one of these.

January 4th, 2006

in 47,390 BCE, Telka and Swikolay reach the island of Sumatra and find a few small tribes. Telka has much to teach them, and becomes a shaman to them. Swikolay teaches them the making of ships, and takes a mate from among them.

in 1000 Post-Creation, the Second Rebellion began.

in 902, Atticus, wizard of lightning, reunites with Merlin, wizard of fire.

in 1642, the spies of King Charles intercepted Member of Parliament Henry Pym just as he was fleeing London. The rebel parliamentarian was brought before the king, who declared Pym a traitor and had him executed in order to quell the rebellious streak that the legislature had been showing. This has the opposite effect, and Parliament and the king were at war the next month.

in 1869, the Mlosh colony ship near the Sahara Desert was briefly taken over by terrorists of the Human League. They had gained passage on board by holding the Mlosh philosopher Toa’Kil’Pi hostage and threatening to kill him unless they were allowed aboard. The Mlosh eventually overpowered them, but not before losing the hostage and several other citizens of the colony.

in 1891, German Underground general and New Reich leader Alfred Jodl was born in Wuerzburg, Germany. Jodl, a ground troop captain during the initial days of combat with the Greater Zionist Resistance in the 1920’s, instantly grasped the uses of the aircraft technology that the G.U.’s neo-Nazi benefactors supplied them with. His blitzkrieg attacks were one of the favored tactics of the G.U.

in 1914, actress and future First Lady Sarah Mayfield Reagan was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. She married B-movie star Ronald Reagan in 1940, and although they experienced some troubles in the late 40’s, rode it out with him for the sake of their children. Their marriage settled down considerably after Reagan entered politics in the 1960’s, and she became First Lady in 1981 after her husband won the presidential election of 1980.

in 1950, the essay collection The God That Failed was published. 6 authors explored their connection to capitalist movements in the early 20th century, and their disillusionment with it that led them back to good old American communism.

in 1960, the French existentialist Albert Camus might have been in an automobile accident that killed him, but is anything really an accident? And, is there really such a thing as death, or simply a transference to another realm of existence?

in 2001, President-elect Ralph Nader, who had been chosen by the people in the biggest election shocker in a century, was assassinated before he could assume office. Although there was some constitutional question about it, the Vice-President-elect, Nader’s running mate Winona LaDuke, took the oath of office later that month and became the first woman president in American history.

Timelines in today's post: the Speaker, the Mlosh, the GZR and Communist America.

Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. In addition to links to 2 long-form entries and the real timeline source of 3 alternate entries, at the bottom of the post you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that.

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! And don't forget to nominate us for one of these.

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!

A Wizard's Journey; Sid Vicious On Trial

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE, in an effort to find out exactly how many readers we have, Today In Alternate History will be holding an International Visit TIAH Day. Our Atom feed will be turned off for tomorrow, January 3rd, 2006, and we encourage you all to visit our site on that day to read our material. The feed will be turned back on January 4th, so you can return to reading TIAH normally. Remember, the site's URL is http://althistory.blogspot.com.

January 2nd, 2006

in 47,392 BCE, Telka the Speaker and her great-granddaughter Swikolay begin walking away from the Himalayas to the southeast. In her dreams, she had seen a great island in that direction, and she thought that it might have a better vantage point from which to reach the sky.

in 902, the wizard Atticus journeys to see Merlin.

in 870, the infidel rulers Ferdinand and Isabella fall to the righteous forces of Caliph Boabdil. Allah saw fit to give the Moors control of Espagne, and from there, a foothold on the rest of Europe, so that His word might reach the poor northerners who had not heard Its beauty.

in 1818, Lord Byron finished canto IV of Childe P’Tir’Losh’s Pilgrimage, his epic poem of the journey of a young Mlosh across the hard and often unforgiving world.

in 1889, Mikhail von Heflin reaches the American border and crosses over into Michigan. From there, he heads to the Mississippi and follows it south. He has sent word ahead to his family in Texas to expect him shortly.

in 1903, after appointing a black postmistress to the post office in Indianola, Mississippi, President Roosevelt sent reinforcements along with her to ensure that she would be able to do her job. Roosevelt’s commitment to the civil rights of the African-American population of America gave him a hitherto unmeasured degree of support in the south. His Civil Rights Act of 1904, ensuring the voting rights of blacks across America, is credited with landing him his unprecedented 3rd term of office in the election of 1908.

in 1905, Russian reinforcements manage to stave off a Japanese attack on Port Arthur, the Russian base in China. It marked the turning point of a war that had been going badly for the Russians, and heartened by this victory, they were able to go on to greater glory and eventually win the war against the island nation. This defeat dimmed Japan’s hopes of becoming a world power to rival the western nations.

in 1960, Senator Joe Kennedy, Jr. threw his hat in the ring for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Kennedy’s inspiring tale of recovery from injuries suffered in a horrific plane crash during World War II made him a natural choice, and he won the nomination handily. He had a little more difficulty defeating Vice President Nixon in the general election, but squeaked by with a margin of half a million votes.

in 1979, punk rocker Sid Vicious goes on trial for the murder of his girlfriend/manager, Nancy Spungen. Vicious attempts suicide several times during the trial process, until he is finally placed into custody and put under a suicide watch. He is found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled in 2002, a shell of his former self.

in 1980, Comrade President John Anderson denounces the British invasion of the People’s Soviet of Argentina. He organizes the tattered remnants of the now-defunct Community of Trade into their last concerted action; a boycott of all goods produced by Great Britain. In addition, Comrade President Anderson arms and trains the rebel guerrilos in Argentina, a move which will come back to haunt the Soviet States in years to come.

Timelines in today's post: the Speaker, the Mlosh, Communist America and von Heflin.

Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. In addition to a link to a long-form entry and the real timeline source of an alternate entry, at the bottom of the post you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that.

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!

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!

A New Day

January 1st, 2006

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE, in an effort to find out exactly how many readers we have, Today In Alternate History will be holding an International Visit TIAH Day. Our Atom feed will be turned off for one day, January 3rd, 2006, and we encourage you all to visit our site on that day to read our material. The feed will be turned back on January 4th, so you can return to reading TIAH normally.

across the timelines, Dr. Richard Tolman and his crew of dimensional travelers battle to close the hole that has been torn across the barrier between parallel universes.

in 47,425 BCE, a young girl of a tribe in central Africa conceives of a unique idea; she can make hundreds of sounds, each easily distinguishable to the human ear. She thinks that if she attaches a specific sound to an idea, or to a thing, that she would be able to communicate her very thoughts to other people. The first sound she designates is for herself, and she calls herself Telka, the Speaker.

in 1000 Post-Creation, Lucifer confronts Gabriel in Eden.

in 1764, the child prodigy Wolfgang Mozart performed for the Royal Family of King Louis XV in Versailles, France. Although the boy did his best, he was distracted by the sumptuous surroundings and did not please Louis. Discouraged, the boy’s father gave up on his dreams of making the boy Europe’s foremost musician. Mozart went into mathematics after being given his choice of direction in his life, and published many important papers during the early 19th century.

in 1905, a ship is detected coming from the Mlosh homeworld. Long-range scans indicate that it is neither of the vessels sent by the Congress of Nations. A general alert is ordered for all military forces in the solar system.

in 1946, Pascal-Edison develops the prototype model for what will become their desktop difference engine. This model, known as Eniac, was never released, but was the template for the eddie that became known as the Univac.

in 1952, the New Reich forms the Eurasian Union to coordinate their control over the disparate countries they have conquered in their war against the Greater Zionist Resistance and their Asian and African allies. It is largely a rubber stamp for German programs, created to give the appearance of international support for them.

in 1962, Pete Best, just starting his rise up the music world’s ladder, signed with Capital Records. His former band, the unknowns called The Beatles, were rejected by Decca Records after an abysmal audition.

in 1966, counter-revolutionary reactionaries shut down the New York City subway system in a protest against the New York Soviet’s freezing of subway worker’s wages. Capitalist sympathizer John Lindsay, organizer of the strike, was arrested by Mayor Michael Quill and charged with anti-American activities.

Timelines in today's post: the Speaker, the Mlosh, Edison Steampunk, the GZR, Pete Best, and Communist America


Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. In addition to links to 2 long-form entries, at the bottom of the post, you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that.

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!

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!

Challenge To Heaven; Lord Weatherby's Militia

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: We would really appreciate it if you nominated us for a Bloggie! This is the last day for nominations - we need as many of you to nominate us as possible. And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

January 10th, 2006

in 47,383 BCE, after her second rainy season with the Australian tribe she had married into, Telka the Speaker falls ill, and calls out for her great-granddaughter. Swikolay had been traveling around the continent, and it took several days for Telka’s tribesmen to find her. By the time she arrived, the Speaker was almost dead. “I will not touch the sky,” she told Swikolay. “Touch it for me.” Those were her last words; she lapsed into a coma and died within hours. Swikolay asked that she be burnt and her ashes thrown into the wind so that she might touch the sky in death.

in 1000 Post-Creation, Gabriel issues his challenge to Heaven.

in 704 AUC, rather than live with the ignominy of being named an Enemy of Rome, Julius Caesar surrendered to the Senate and disbanded his army. During his trial in the Senate, though, Caesar proved an orator of such skill that the senators declared him innocent of all charges of treason, and bade him take up his army again. Although Caesar led the Republic again as Consul, he was always wary in the uses of power, and future consuls followed his example.

in 12-7-19-10-17, Caohtchihuan of Tegucigalpa, renowned for his plain speech and rational thought, published the tome that has come to be known as Rationality. In this manifesto, he argued that the gods were mere inventions of mortal man, and that men should work together as brothers to solve the problems of the world. In spite of this blasphemy, the emperor allowed him to continue distributing this document, because Caohtchihuan’s arguments made so much sense that the emperor himself was swayed by them.

in 1779, Quebec's British governor attempts to rally what few loyalists remain in the province to the cause by issuing a call for a militia to defend the province from the Canadian nationalists. Lord Weatherby's militia is so shot through with spies that it quickly becomes of more use to the nationalists than to the British fighting to keep them down.

in 1889, Mikhail von Heflin battles the Tsombie, a man who had attempted to cross over the planes of existence and trapped himself in the area between. Its hideous powers were almost a match for von Helfin’s but the Baron of Death prevailed in the end, and banished the Tsombie from this dimension forever.

in 1904, a small fleet of ships from the Mlosh homeworld is seen approaching the outer solar system. The ships are completely unlike the Mlosh “beehive” colony ships; they have the sleek look of warships. The Congress of Nations braces the entire system for their arrival.

in 1920, the League of Nations formed in Geneva, Switzerland. The European-led organization has provided an alternative to war for over 8 decades, and has provided the framework for international trade and commerce that has made the world run so smoothly. Although the League could have been torn apart in its early days, its swift action against Japan and Germany in the 1930’s proved that it was capable of providing a voice for all nations, large and small.

in 1921, Zion City, Illinois, made smoking, drinking, and listening to jazz music mandatory for all citizens over the age of 21. The town fathers had grown very tired of Prohibitionists in their community.

in 1972, President Hubert Humphrey welcomes the last American soldiers home from Vietnam. Although the withdrawal was slow, the peace secured by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 seemed to be holding. Humphrey had crushed his opponent in '68, former Vice-President Richard Nixon, and with America finally out of the conflict in southeast Asia, was cruising to reelection in November.

in 1980, Comrade Secretary George Meany, who had served since 1956 as Secretary of Labor, died at his home in Washington, D.C. Comrade Meany had been a young man when Comrade President Joel Rosenberg appointed him to the office, and the comrade grew into it as no man before or since ever had. American labor was unified and strengthened by his strong hand at the wheel.

Timelines in today's post: the Speaker, the Roman timeline, Canadian Independence, the Mlosh, the Oueztecan timeline, von Heflin, and Communist America.

Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. There are links to the real timeline source of 4 alternate entries as well as a long-form entry, and at the bottom of the post you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that. Also, we are holding another contest! Please send us entries for an Alternate Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2006. You may send us up to three entries for the day, and we will choose the best 10 to appear on February 14th. Enter now - deadline will be February 10th!

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! And don't forget to nominate us for a Bloggie.

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!

Adams' Despair; The Cat Came Back

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: We would really appreciate it if you nominated us for a Bloggie! Only 3 days left - and we need as many of you to nominate us as possible. And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

January 7th, 2006

in 1000 Post-Creation, the angelic host of Heaven, led by Lucifer, descends upon the smaller number of angels led by the rebel Gabriel, who is defending the human couple of Adam and Eve, as well as Gabriel's child Emmanuel. Gabriel's host is forced to flee from the paradise of Eden to the Abyss; Lucifer halts his forces in order to give Gabriel time in the Abyss to consider his rebellion.

in 902, after a couple of days of consultation with Merlin, Atticus, wizard of lightning, leaves the legendary wizard's castle to journey to his next destination, the witch Rhonwen, mistress of the sea, on the coast of Wales. Meanwhile, the forces of the Christian zealot Lebuin march into Wales.

in 1536, former consort to the Pope, Catherine of Aragon, dies in London. She is the first of many consorts to Pope Henry VIII to meet an untimely end. His Holiness had little respect for women to begin with, and when his consorts did not produce living sons for him, he disposed of them as callously as some men would dispose of soiled clothing.

in 1601, the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereaux, overthrew Queen Elizabeth in a nearly bloodless coup. The only fatality was the Queen herself, a former lover of Devereaux’s, who was killed by the Earl’s men after she attacked him for taking the crown from her head.

in 1779, American revolutionary Samuel Adams writes “the revolution sleeps not, but is dead,” in a letter to his friend, James Warren, who had joined the Canadian nationalists. Since the election of the accommodationist John Jay to the presidency of the Continental Congress, revolutionary fortunes had dimmed in America, and Adams was soon on his way to Canada as well.

in 1785, adventurers Jean-Pierre Blanchard of France and John Jeffries of the British Massachussetts Commonwealth become the first men to ride a human-made spacecraft to the moon. After nearly crashing into the lunar surface, the pair brush death again on the way back when their craft nearly sinks into the English Channel. They had borrowed heavily from Mlosh ships in their design, but ended up with a uniquely human craft that was hailed the world over as humanity’s first true spaceship.

in 1912, wholesome family cartoonist Charles Addams was born in Westfield, New Jersey. His Addams Family cartoons in the pages of the New Yorker became the symbol of American life in the middle of the century, replete with happy nuclear family and rock-solid values.

in 1927, a basketball team of surpassing talent played its first game in the small town of Hinkley, Illinois, due to the fact that the team consisted of African-American men. But, in just a few decades, the clown princes of basketball would be known all over the world, and the Watts Travelers would set a standard for basketball ability that few other teams could match.

in 1959, the Soviet States of America formally recognizes the new government of Fulgencio Batista, a revolutionary who had just assumed power in the island nation of Cuba. Although the Cuban people had been an ally and member of the Community of Trade for over half a century, Batista reveals his reactionary stripes shortly after assuming power, and by 1961, the S.S.A. has severed all ties with him.

in 1969, a cat appears inside a time machine in the lab of Faisal Yassin and Wilhelm Schoemann. They had just begun training the cat to press a button when it saw a light so that they could make it activate its own return trip. The cat was healthy and unharmed, if a bit perturbed at what it had just seen while time-traveling. Yassin and Schoemann activate the light that is the cat’s cue, and it presses the button that sends it forward in time. The pair of scientists break out champagne to celebrate their most successful test to date.

in 4675, Khmer rebel Pol Pot was captured by Imperial Chinese forces as he fled with his band of thugs into the jungles of southeast Asia. Pol had been attempting to overthrow the Imperial Khmer Governor and return the land to its ancient kingdom. This separatist plot died with him.

Timelines in today's post: the Holy British Empire, Canadian Independence, the Chinese Empire, the GZR, and Communist America.

Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. There are links to the real timeline source of 4 alternate entries, and at the bottom of the post you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that.

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! And don't forget to nominate us for a Bloggie.

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!

Birth In Heaven; Songs Of The Popol Vuh

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: We are holding another contest! Please send us entries for an Alternate Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2006. You may send us up to three entries for the day, and we will choose the best 10 to appear on February 14th. Enter now - deadline will be February 10th! By entering, you grant TIAH the right to electronically print your writing on February 14th, 2006, 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. And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

January 11th, 2006

in 1000 Post-Creation, the daughter of the rebel angel Derdekea is born while the battle for Heaven rages. The young half-human has no wings, but is beautiful beyond measure. When Derdekea feels the labor beginning, she is escorted from the battle by Emmanuel, Gabriel's son, who assists with the birth of young Achazia; when the girl's cries are heard, battle halts in Heaven, and Yahweh Himself goes to see the child.

in 902, the Christian zealot Lebuin burns the village of Wark ab Artur, claiming that it was harboring witches and wizards. Meanwhile, Atticus, wizard of lightning, reaches the coastal fortress of Rhonwen, mistress of the sea, to warn her of the approach of the Christians and include her in the strategy he has been planning to save the wizards of Wales.

in 1519, Spanish explorer Cortes saw the strange fruit known as momochitl among the Aztecs and tasted it. A kind of heated maize, the momochitl lacked the flavor and sweetness of the maize, and Cortes could understand why the Aztecs mainly used it as decoration. After European control of the Americas was secured, momochitl was never cultivated again, and its small white kernels no longer decorated the heads of Aztec women.

in 1787, the first expedition to reach Uranus’ moons Titania and Oberon was led by William Herschel. Although colonization was still decades away, the information gathered during Herschel’s Mlosh-led expedition across the outer reaches of the solar system expanded human knowledge exponentially.

in 1885, Alice Paul, founder of the National Women’s Party, was born in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. Her bright version of a world where the voice of women would be the equal, if not the superior, of men’s, propelled the National Women’s Party to their control of the House in 1920, the Senate in 1926, and the Presidency in the 1928 elections.

in 1928, Leon Trotsky, having gained the upper hand in the struggle for power in Russia, has his arch-rival Joseph Stalin executed. Stalin's death brings many crocodile tears of sympathy from governments that would have opposed him if they felt that he had the slightest chance of taking Trotsky's place.

in 1929, President Eugene Debs, as he prepares to leave office, announces that he will travel to Russia to assist with the nascent socialist and labor movements there. It is after returning from organizing the Russian soviets that he popularizes the term in America and leads to its common adoption here.

in 1945, Greek resistance to the German Reich was unified when the National Liberation Front, the Democratic National Army and the few survivors of the Greater Zionist Resistance signed a peace treaty promising equal rights of governance for all after victory against the Germans. The Greeks held out for a few years, mainly because the Germans felt no need to take over the small nation.

in 1946, singer Diana Judd was born in Ashland, Kentucky. Sterile after a childhood illness, Judd devoted herself and her music to love for all of humanity, and she became a beloved figure in the light country/easy listening genre. She never married, but was rumored to have had affairs with several leading men of the music scene, including Kenny Rogers and George Jones. Her beauty will sadly fade with her and not be carried on in any children.

in 1964, Surgeon General Luther Terry, after several meetings with tobacco company executives, released his report stating that there was inconclusive evidence to prove that cigarettes were harmful to one’s health. Terry’s daughter, who had strangely enough not been seen in public for several weeks prior to that, appeared with him at the announcement.

in 12-18-4-9-17, the African writer Manda Buthelezi won the Emperor’s Staff for her powerful work Songs of the Popul Vuh. It was a massive tome detailing the difficulties of African immigrants in the Oueztecan Empire, and was widely read across the civilized world.

Timelines in today's post: Canadian Independence, the Mlosh, the Oueztecan timeline, the GZR, and Communist America.

Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. There are links to the real timeline source of 4 alternate entries and at the bottom of the post you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that.

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! And don't forget to nominate us for a Bloggie.

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!

The Post Of The Beast (#666)

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE ON THE POST OF THE BEAST: Today's post is the 666th made since we started, so we felt it rather appropriate, (although entirely coincidental), that it starts off with a Fall entry. Of course, we all know that the real number of the Beast is 616, so we should have done this a couple of months ago... Please send us entries for our next contest, which will be an Alternate April Fool's Day, April 1st, 2006. Just send us the entries for now - we'll decide on a deadline later. (Contest rules) And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!


March 16th, 2006

in 1123 Post-Creation, Lucifer arrives in Eden just as his “priestess”, the para-angel Kiria, has brought death to paradise by slaying a young, mostly-human child named Elisheva in sacrifice to the bright angel. As Lucifer holds the child in his arms, trying to heal her with his power, he cries out to the Creator, “I am the cause of this; let me feel the hand of death, not this child.” As the girl fights for her last breath, Lucifer's tears move the Creator, and He declares, “So let it be.”

in 1792, King Gustavus III of Sweden was killed by Count Ankarstom as they attended a ball at the Royal Opera. The Count then seized the throne, plunging Sweden into a bloody, 6-year civil war. Most of Scandinavia was drawn into the conflict, which devastated the northern lands of Europe and reduced their influence in world affairs considerably.

in 1852, a young Kentucky hothead, Roy Bean, is hung by a mob in San Diego, California, after he killed a man during a bar fight. Although the young lady over whom he started the fight arrived to cut him down, she was too late; the rope had not snapped his neck, but had strangled him while he waited for her to free him.

in 1861, the Arizona Territory leaves the Union and joins with the Confederate states. This begins an exodus of western territories to the Confederate side, including California. Within the year, the Union is isolated to a handful of northeastern states struggling to hold together in the face of an enemy who surrounds them from all sides but the north.

in 1925, rocketeer Robert Goddard was prepared to send up a liquid-fueled rocket, but his notes and materials turned up missing, along with his assistant, Kadin Prideaux. Prideaux, a Conspirator of the Speaker's Line, brought his stolen goods to the Conspirator's Flight Committee, which was developing a rocket of its own.

in 1962, the American plane Constitution disappears while flying over the Pacific Ocean. The 167 people on board are presumed dead until the plane lands the next day in Bombay, India, thousands of miles off-course and unable to account for the time they were missing.

in 1964, Pete Best’s album Your Love Is Mine was released, and immediately started breaking music industry records. It shattered Elvis Presley’s record of concurrent hits on the Top 100, it held all 5 top spots at one point, and it was the best-selling record of its time, among others.

in 1968, a platoon of Marines destroy the small North Chilean village of Chiu Chiu. Led by Comrade Lieutenant Bill Calley, the platoon razed the small settlement, thinking that capitalist guerillos were using it as a base from which to attack soldiers from the Soviet States. As one observer put it later, “After that massacre, every surviving man in that village who wasn’t a capitalist became one.”

in 1996, allied troops push the South Africans out of Namibia and British soldiers raise the Union Jack in Lindetz, a particularly bloody battleground in the small African nation. South Africa now has been pushed back to their original borders, as has their ally, the United States. The writing is on the wall for the two powers, but neither President Terreblanche of South Africa nor President Shephard of America will give up.

in 2004, Livinia Sheridan orders the 7 ships they have with them to do a visual search of the Athena without using their sensors. Since the Titanian methane crabs seem to be invisible to tracking devices, the only way to find them will be to see them. After several long hours without leaving their ships, the Australians report no sighting of the crabs. The Sheridans, under pressure from the Australian government, then destroy the Athena and the Huygens, the spaceship it is carrying.

Timelines in today's post: the Fall, the Speaker, Communist America, Pete Best, the Ralph Shephard timeline, and The Sheridans

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

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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!

Mexican War Begins; Death In Mason

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: We are holding another contest! Please send us entries for an Alternate Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2006. You may send us up to three entries for the day, and we will choose the best 10 to appear on February 14th. Enter now - deadline will be February 10th! By entering, you grant TIAH the right to electronically print your writing on February 14th, 2006, 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. And, another cool thing - Let us know where you are on Frappr!

January 13th, 2006

in 1000 Post-Creation, as Achazia swiftly grows to adulthood, the rebellious angels and the faithful angels attempt to reintegrate in Heaven. Gabriel, in particular, is finding it hard to take orders again, and Lucifer does not see the other rebels having it much easier. He decides to approach Yahweh about it, and see what the Creator can do to help.

in 902, the Christian zealot Lebuin kills the messenger sent to him by Rhonwen, mistress of the sea, saying, “I shall not suffer even the couriers of witches to live.” He directs his forces to the coast of Wales, where several wizards and their assistants are working feverishly to prepare Rhonwen's fortress for his arrival.

in 1846, the United States began the disastrous Mexican War by advancing troops into New Mexico. President James K. Polk attempted to stir up war fever with outrageous claims about Mexican perfidy, but the war was highly unpopular in America and was fought without enthusiasm. Mexico managed to recapture Texas and maintain its hold on all its northwestern possessions with it successful prosecution of the war.

in 1863, Thomas Crapper demonstrated his flushing facility to a convention of plumbers in London, England. Although he had an excellent design, Mr. Crapper was unable to secure financing for his indoor toilet system, and another man, Michael Proops, was able to claim the title of the man who invented the indoor toilet. It was a dubious honor, as his name has become synonymous with the product of the toilet ever since.

in 4578, composer Zhang Wan Qin finished his epic opera Jie the Tyrant. Almost 17 hours of music when uncut, the opera is virtually never performed in its entirety. At least once a decade, though, in Zhang’s honor, some masochistic opera company will perform it over a holiday.

in 1889, Mikhail von Heflin enters the town of Mason, Texas. It is during his brief stay here that he is given the vision of his descendants’ future by Sarah and John Thompson from their vantage points at either end of the universe. While there are forces at work in the town of Mason that attempt to prevent him, he knows that he must reach Karen and Jedediah Thompson before they have a chance to move to the town of Beaumont.

in 1904, the earth-born Mlosh Ambassador of the Congress of Nations, Li’Kanto’Mk, meets with his counterpart from the ships that have journeyed from the Mlosh homeworld. Ji’Mish’Miko, the alien representative, does not seem to be a Mlosh – his appearance is vastly different from the Mlosh who have been on earth since 1720. Nevertheless, he greets Li’Kanto’Mk as a long-lost cousin, and extends the welcome of their homeworld to the lost Mlosh of earth.

in 1929, the legendary star of the first Westerns, Wyatt Earp, dies at his home in Los Angeles, California. Coming to Hollywood in his 60's, Earp, already a mythical figure in western lore, was asked to star in a couple of movies by director Bill Henson, and the rest was history – by the time he died, Earp has appeared in over 30 films, even appearing in one western shot 2 weeks before his death. Hollywood and the Wild West both mourned the loss of a true giant.

in 1942, Ford Automotive introduced cars made from plastic rather than metal, in an effort to save metal and conserve fuel for the war effort. The cars were so wildly successful that Ford stopped making metal-body cars, and the other auto manufacturers in Detroit followed suit. It was this move that made dependence on foreign oil completely unnecessary, as America produced enough fuel to power these highly fuel-efficient autos.

in 1960, to protest the inclusion of the capitalist Brazilian representative in the League of Nations, American Ambassador Comrade Jacob Malcolm walked out of the security council meeting where the Brazilian representative was joining for the first time. Including the reactionary Brazilians instead of the man that the Soviet States considered the rightful People’s Republic representative, “encourages lawlessness among the nations of the earth. Even the most reactionary of governments must recognize the rightness of the Soviet States’ position,” Comrade Malcolm said.

in 1969, after the cat sent through to their past selves returns with a collar, Schoemann and Yassin begin to theorize that they are able to create branching timelines with their device. This is much preferable to being able to change their own past, since their existence would not be threatened by changes in the past. They inform their neo-Nazi benefactors that the machine should be ready for human testing.

in 2005, Jeanna Best, a native of Austin, Texas, shows some notes on her U.S. Representative, Carl Worthington, to her friend Dave Lange. In several appearances, he is seen making a “clawing” gesture with his thumb, index and middle finger towards certain people, and he does so fairly consistently. Lange has been researching some material on the people that Worthington is “clawing” towards, and the pair begin wondering if they have stumbled onto something strange.

Timelines in today's post: the Fall, the Wizards of Wales, the Chinese Empire, the Mlosh, von Heflin, the GZR, and Communist America.

Yet another AHN - today's post has something a little different about it. There are links to the real timeline source of 4 alternate entries and at the bottom of the post you will find links to the ongoing timelines that are written about in this post. This is extraordinarily time-consuming, so give us some comments about it to let us know if you would like us to continue doing that.

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!

The Forum lives again! My esteemed Co-Historian has brought the forum back to life, and in spite of the issues we've had with the forum in the past, we think that this time, it'll stay up!
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

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!