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.

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Shakespeare's Birth/Deathday; The Tragedy Of New Coke

April 23rd, 2005

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, 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.


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Girl, You Know It's Not True

November 15th, 2004

in 1597, actor William Shakespeare is cited by St. Helen’s Parish for failure to pay his taxes. Sir Francis Bacon had been using Shakespeare as a front for his theatrical work, but Shakespeare’s unreliability, evidenced by behavior such as this, forced Bacon to come out as the author of his work in 1599.

in 1751, Anglican minister/racist demagogue William Cowper was born in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Cowper was haunted throughout his life by mental illness that he refused medical treatment for, believing Mlosh techniques to be sinful. He founded the anti-Mlosh communities in Olney and Chelsea Downs.

in 1859, a great literary work is left unfinished because of Charles Dickens’ untimely demise at the hands of his estranged wife. A Tale of Two Cities, due to come out in his circular All The Year Round on this day, was instead never published. Catherine Dickens, mother of their 9 children, had become enraged at him over the terms of divorce he had offered her, and stabbed him to death the month before. A tragic ending to one of literature’s giants.

in 1889, Brazilian emperor Pedro II survives a close call when members of his military attempt a coup. Although Pedro had guided Brazil to unprecedented prosperity and stability for a South American nation, his leading military staff felt that he was becoming too progressive. With the aid a hastily-raised peasant army, Pedro II fought off his staff and retained his throne, and took measures afterwards to ensure that no military leader would ever wield that kind of power again. His daughter, Empress Albertina, was beloved by the military for her wars of conquest against Argentina and Uruguay.

in 1891, Erwin Rommel was born in Heidenheim, Germany. Astrid Pflaume recruited Rommel for the Greater Zionist Resistance herself, in spite of his gentile background, because she felt that they needed his military prowess. It proved to be a wise choice; Rommel pulled victory from many hopeless situations in their early struggles, and lasted them in good stead until the neo-Nazis from the future brought in superior weaponry in the 40’s.

in 1919, Comrade Joseph Wapner, Chief Justice of the People’s Supreme Court, was born in the Louisiana Soviet. Comrade Wapner witnessed first hand the lives of sailors from capitalist nations when he worked the docks of Louisiana, and vowed that justice for the people of his own land would always be his first concern.

in 1990, Frank Farian, producer of the group Milli Vanilli, pulled off one of the best hoaxes in music. At a live press conference, when reporters asked the duo to sing, Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan apparently broke into one of their songs, matching the vocals on their album exactly. Unknown to the press, and only revealed after Pilatus’ death in 1998 from a drug overdose, the incident was carefully choreographed and rehearsed. The reporter who asked them to sing was an assistant producer in disguise, and their voices were piped in from a production van outside. Because of this hoax, Milli Vanilli was able to keep their act going for 8 more years and 3 more Grammys.

in 4695, representatives of the Chinese Emperor, the Chdo Democracy, and the Galactic Commerce Commission sign a treaty granting the Chinese Empire full membership within the G.C.C. The Chdo Democracy, after seeing the advances made in Chinese civilization since their initial contact, sponsored the Empire to the organization.

Lucifer's Rage

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January 22nd, 2006

in 1000 Post-Creation, Lucifer rages in Heaven.

in 902, with their temporary truce over, the wizards of Wales leave Rhonwen's fortress. Although she complains bitterly that they are not going to stay to help her repair the damage, she is most upset at losing the companionship of her fellow wise ones. She approaches Atticus, wizard of lightning, and broaches the possibility of a Welsh Wizard's Council.

in 1183, Velma Porter and Mikhail von Heflin, having walked many miles around the island, are convinced that they are no longer in the Bermuda of their own time period. Although immortal, they are both somewhat reluctant to just wait out the problem, and so they make the decision to build another boat and head back towards the rift they came out of.

in 1561, Sir Francis Bacon was born in London. Since he was a notable political figure, he initially hid his play-writing hobby from other nobles by using an actor named William Shakespeare as a front. After the wide-spread acceptance of his work, he came out openly and took credit for his work. This made a pauper of Shakespeare, who spent the rest of his days plotting revenge against Sir Francis.

in 1878, the anti-Mlosh terrorist known as The Lone Bomber is caught by North American Confederation officials in the Pacific Northwest. Although great care was taken in his apprehension, several officers died during the search of his house when they triggered hidden explosives. The Bomber, Theodore Morris, is convicted of a dozen murder counts and sentenced to life in prison, without possibility of parole.

in 1901, Her Holiness, Pope Victoria, died in her Scottish residence. Pope Victoria, at first a strong-willed leader of the Holy British Empire, waned in her later years after the death of her consort, Albert. Victoria wore the Shoes of the Fisherman longer than any other Pope, and during her papacy, the Empire grew to enormous heights.

in 1905, Russian communists, with the support of the communistic American government, attempt to overthrow the Russian Tsar and replace him with a socialist democratic government. Unfortunately, the Oprichnina crushed them before they could gain any popular support, and the Tsar’s suppression afterwards kept the Russian people under his yoke for decades.

in 1918, the Provincial Parliament of Manitoba, Canada, directed its film censor board to ban all dramas and allow only comedies to be shown in movie theaters. After the Great War, the town fathers decided that dramas made everyone too serious.

in 1946, the Central Intelligence Group, precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency, was established by President Truman after advisors from the Bilderberger Group and the Bavarian[REST OF POST CLASSIFIED FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS]

in 1985, President Ralph Shephard begins his first full day in office. His first task is to assert control over the Congress; although members of his Constitutionalist Party form the largest bloc in both houses, they don’t command an outright majority, so he makes overtures to several Republicans who lean in his direction, convincing them to join his party.

in 2005, Jeanna Best, coming in to work a Saturday at the law firm she is employed at in Austin, Texas, notices her boss, Jack Armstrong, using the “claw”. Suddenly frightened, she tells him that she has taken ill and goes to her friend Dave Lange's apartment, where it takes a few drinks to calm her nerves. The two of them are now utterly convinced that they have stumbled onto something real – and dangerous.

Timelines in today's post: the Wizards of Wales, the Holy British Empire, the Fall, the Bacon/Shakespeare timeline, von Heflin, the GZR, the Ralph Shephard timeline, and Communist America.

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World Cup

The state of TIAH

June 29th, 2006

in 1613, London’s Globe Theatre burns down. Suspicion immediately falls on William Shakespeare, who had been presenting himself as the author of several plays penned by Francis Bacon until Bacon revealed himself as the author. Shakespeare’s life had taken a sharp downturn since that time, and the entire theatrical community knew that he harbored a deep grudge against Bacon for stealing that prestige from him. After the fire, Francis Bacon pledged to rebuild the theatre, and King James generously provided the funds for one of the most lavish theatres in all of Europe. With Bacon's reputation and the opulence of the New Globe, British theatre became the envy of the western world.

in 1776, South Carolinian Edward Rutledge writes what will become the most influential letter of the brief war for American independence to John Jay of New York. Rutledge urged Jay to find a way to turn his Continental Congress colleagues from independence, hoping that there was still a way to “effectively oppose” the headlong rush toward nationhood that the colonials were in. When Jay took control of the Continental Congress and began negotiating for a rapprochement with the Crown, he sent Rutledge to Great Britain to argue on behalf of increased autonomy for the colonies if they would yield to continued British rule. Rutledge found many in Britain's Parliament eager to accede to American demands in order to free up forces for the disastrous war in Canada, and his own affinity for the British won him enough allies to push his measures through and end the war between the American colonies and Great Britain.

in 1942, the 4th World Cup kicks off in Venezuela. Because Europe was raging in the middle of a war, it was thought that the European teams would want a postponement of the great football tournament, but after Germany announced it would be sending a team, the Allies felt obliged to follow. Held in Brazil, the tournament drew 16 nations, mostly from the western hemisphere; the only European teams that showed up were Germany, Ireland, Spain and Switzerland. Of the four, Germany and Ireland broke out of the first round, then Germany was eliminated by host Venezuela. Ireland made it all the way to the final, where they played the former world champions, Uruguay, to a 1-1 draw before losing 2:3 in penalty kicks. When Hitler received the news that not only had Germany been eliminated, but that a team from Great Britain came in second, he eliminated all funding for German football and said, “The German people will never again play this corrupt English game.” Of course, immediately after the war, West German football surged back from their years in the wilderness and captured the 5th World Cup in 1946 when the tournament was held in neighboring Switzerland, beating Brazil 2-0 in a game that became the newly democratic nation's baptism into the international community.

in 2017, the small craft from the Dyson sphere comes within a kilometer of the Pokor and scans them, then sends a brief message over their communication system. It is completely incomprehensible to the Quarai and humans on board the Pokor, but Captain Mawrao of the Pokor replies with a Quarai message of friendship. Once the small craft receives this message, it turns around and shoots back to the Dyson sphere. “Let's follow,” Captain Mawrao tells his crew. The human crew of the Eagle wonders if they can jettison their ship before the Pokor reaches the huge sphere.

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Tom Pardue's Comeuppance

December 2nd, 2005

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: One of today's entries has something a little different, a link to a longer document which gives more space to the entry. Please let us know if you like that by leaving a comment or emailing us.

in 1603, As You Like It, a clever comedy of sexual ambiguity, was performed at the Earl of Pemboke’s home. The author, Francis Bacon, directed the play himself, with the actor who had been his literary cover, William Shakespeare, playing a small role in the production. Tension between the two almost boiled over into a fist fight, as Shakespeare missed the prestige he had as an “author”.

in 1822, the legislature of the tiny Central American nation of El Salvador votes to incorporate into the United States of America. When the U.S. Congress agrees in 1824, the Latin American nation becomes the U.S. toehold in the region; this leads in later years to the establishment of Communist governments throughout the American hemisphere, with the creation of the Community of Trade by President Haywood.

in 1904, a second message pod from the expedition to the Mlosh homeworld reaches our solar system. The contents of this one are not released; the Science Ministry goes into a closed-door session to discuss the information contained in the pod.

in 1952, George and Ethel Landermeyer of Poughkeepsie, New York, became the first couple to have the birth of their child broadcast on television. This shocked the nation so much that a federal law was enacted to keep cameras away from delivery rooms from that point on.

in 1983, the television channel MTV, dedicated to airing rock and roll music videos, showed a video by singer Michael Jackson entitled Thriller. The overly long production, although featuring scintillating choreography and a catchy tune, totally failed to catch on with audiences, and soon disappeared from the airwaves. Jackson complained that MTV should have aired it on Halloween, a time when the subject matter of the video might have more appeal, but the network blamed Jackson’s overbloated production for the video’s failure.

in 1985, the United States landed a man on Mars, right on schedule. The NASA space program had moved from triumph to triumph since the moon landings in the late 60’s and early 70’s, and the building of a working space station in 1973 had laid the groundwork for travel to other worlds within the solar system. Gary Davis, the first man on Mars, had been a teenager during the moon landings, and remembered vividly the sight of Jim Lovell walking on the moon during the successful Apollo 13 mission; it had inspired him to become an astronaut himself in America’s thriving astronaut corps.

in 1990, following the long power struggle after Adolf Hitler’s death, Albert Speer seizes the reigns of power in the New Reich. The power of the Reich in Eurasia and Africa is challenged only meekly by the few remaining independent nations of the western hemisphere. The United States of America had openly thrown its support behind the Reich’s aims, and Canada would soon follow. The only major power in the hemisphere to still oppose the Nazi domination of the planet was Brazil.

in 2002, Dr. Courtney broadcasts a message to earth to let them know that they have Professor Thomas and Captain Laughlin, and are on their way back. Thomas and Laughlin, after being checked out in the sick bay, are allowed to go back to their quarters. Instead, the pair go the spacecraft's engines and attach a small device that Laughlin had brought in with him from the planet.

in 2003, Pope Righteous I has a young maid executed at Buckingham Cathedral. The maid had reportedly found him in flagrante delicto with a woman of ill repute. During the televised execution, she called upon God, Jesus Christ and Estelle Gerard to save her. At the moment when flames engulfed her body, an angel was seen soaring down from the heavens to lift her up and carry her away.

in 2004, Tom Pardue receives his comeuppance.

Christmas Day Contest! ONLY 18 DAYS LEFT!! Following up on our Halloween contest, you can enter our next contest, which will be alternate histories for Christmas Day, December 25th, 2005. The same rules will apply, the top ten entries will be posted on that day, and by entering, you grant TIAH the right to electronically print your writing on October 31st, 2005, maintain your writing in our archives, and reprint your entry should we decide to reuse it in the future. TIAH only maintains full copyright over material it has originated that has been used by contestants in writing their own entries. Enter early and often - entries must be received by December 20th, 2005! Email us up to 3 entries of your best alternate Christmas Days!

We still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

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Magellan Shipwrecks; Estellians Storm The Tower Of London

November 28th, 2005

in 1520, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator seeking a western route to the riches of Asia, hits the straits at the southern tip of South America and, in a series of bad decisions, is stranded when his ships are dashed against the rocks. The small company of survivors, including Magellan, strike north and are rescued by the Inca, with whom Magellan negotiates trading rights for Portugal.

in 1582, 18-year old William Shakespeare leaves his pregnant bride, Anne Hathaway, at the altar and runs to London to join the theater there. When Miss Hathaway dies during childbirth, her father hunts down young Shakespeare and kills him in cold blood outside a pub the actor frequented.

in 1907, Louis B. Mayer, a scrap dealer in New England, diversifies his business by opening a movie theater in Haverville, Massachusetts. His enormous ego eventually led him to try his hand at producing films, but clashes with other theater owners forced him to sell his theaters in 1920 at a loss.

in 1943, German Underground forces captured a meeting of Greater Zionist Resistance leaders in Teheran, Persia. The G.Z.R. had assembled a small group of strategists in Persia to plan a counter-attack against the G.U. forces in the west. This capture was a serious blow to the G.Z.R., as it took many of their best generals.

in 1954, the U.S. military becomes interested in Richard Tolman’s parallel universe cult when nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi disappears after attending a cult meeting. Military investigators at first suspected Fermi had been killed by the cult, but could find no evidence they had done any foul play. One of the investigators also disappeared a couple of weeks into the investigation, further complicating matters.

in 1964, after hearing his advisers roll out a plan for an escalation of the bombing of North Vietnam, President John Kennedy, newly re-elected just the month before, approved the plan and accelerated the timetable. The disastrous increase in the military involvement in Vietnam proved to be the death blow for Kennedy's reputation. As the Viet Cong refused to die, protesters against the war began chanting, “Hey, hey, JFK, how many kids did you kill today?”

in 1987, New York teenager Tawana Brawley returns home late after a long night with an ex-boyfriend and faces a withering punishment from her mother, who had already grounded her.

in 1989, in yet another blow to the Communist Movement, the government of Venezuela stepped down voluntarily and transferred power to an elected committee of industrialists and bankers. The Congress of the Soviet States of America pleaded with Comrade President Ann Richards to halt the erosion of the people’s power in the American hemisphere, but she again refused, just as she had in Panama.

in 2002, the lines across the skin of the comatose patients become large webs of a hard sticky substance. Dr. Courtney orders everyone to stay out of the medical chamber on their spacecraft, and puts a force field around the entire room. He sends a message to earth that they will be delayed, and changes course. He is going to seek help from an alien race that has no reason to aid him.

in 2003, Estellians, the followers of Estelle Gerard, storm the Tower of London and free hundreds of their brethren held there. The guards at the Tower were so weak from the plagues striking across the Holy British Empire that they were unable to resist the Protestants, and many crossed over to their side. Pope Righteous I excommunicated all guards who did so.


Christmas Day Contest! Following up on our Halloween contest, you can enter our next contest, which will be alternate histories for Christmas Day, December 25th, 2005. The same rules will apply, the top ten entries will be posted on that day, and by entering, you grant TIAH the right to electronically print your writing on October 31st, 2005, maintain your writing in our archives, and reprint your entry should we decide to reuse it in the future. TIAH only maintains full copyright over material it has originated that has been used by contestants in writing their own entries. Enter early and often - entries must be received by December 20th, 2005! Email us up to 3 entries of your best alternate Christmas Days!

We still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link not working for now - Forum has been hacked! We're working on getting it back, and will let you know once it's back 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!

Stalemate At Hastings; The Anti-Christ Is Declared

October 14th, 2005

in 1066, King Harold II of England and William of Normandy fight to a standstill at Hastings, England. With most of his invasion force spent, William withdraws to the coast and sends back to the continent for reinforcements. King Harold sends an embassy to negotiate a peace while drafting men from the countryside to fight for England.

in 1605, the royal court views the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare and his company. During the viewing, a black cloud gathers over the palace and pours down rain and lightning; King James is murdered by a mysterious assassin when all the candles in the courtroom are blown out by a stray gust of wind. This play was never presented again, and was stripped from Shakespeare's official folio.

in 1890, Colonel Beauregard T. Jackson, interrogating captives who had been with the Mormon rebel Charles Brigman, breaks one of them down and learns that Brigman has a cache of explosives hidden in Salt Lake City; none of the captives know where it is – apparently only Brigman knew. Colonel Jackson sets his men searching the city.

in 1912, former President Theodore Roosevelt is shot by a saloon owner while campaigning for the Progressive Party. The assassination attempt rallies support around the charismatic leader, and when he survives the gunshot, his popularity soars around the nation. He trounces his Democratic and Republican opponents in the general election, becoming the only president to switch parties and then return to office.

in 1943, Zionist reinforcements fight their way into St. Petersburg to hold off the German Underground. They bring much-needed supplies and food with them, giving new hope to the city. Unfortunately for them, the G.U. sends for help from their patrons, the time-traveling neo-Nazis, and they are also resupplied. They do not use nuclear weapons against the city, but threaten the Zionist leadership that they have that option.

in 1947, the monster in the sky won its long battle with pilot Chuck Yeager; when he attempted to break the sound barrier in the experimental X-1 aircraft developed by the military, he cracked his head against the windscreen and blacked out, losing control of the craft and crashing. The program was suspended; it was deemed far too expensive in lives and aircraft.

in 1960, Pascal-Edison releases an update to Self-Portrait which allows the user to choose one of 3 different personalities for the operating system. This saves the product, since most people had complained that they didn’t like the Artificial Intelligence simulation of themselves.

in 4697, the Chdo forces withdraw from earth’s solar system, reasonably assured that the Y’T’T’li have been defeated. A small group, taken with the beauty of the planets, asks the Emperor for permission to colonize the outer system, and Xiao grants it to them. They swear loyalty to Xiao and the Chinese Empire, and are embraced as citizens.

in 2002, the pair of guest scientists, Professor Thomas and Dr. Courtney, meet with the commanders of Edwards Air Force base for a couple of hours as they seek to explain a few of the items they have managed to classify from their moon raid. They are then given permission to use a few of the engineers on the base to mount some of these devices on the stolen craft.

in 2003, Pope Righteous I delivers an address from Buckingham Cathedral which is carried across the Holy British Empire. In it, he declares that Estelle Gerard is, in fact, the ultimate enemy of Christians, the Anti-Christ. He orders all so-called Estellians to abandon their leader and turn back to Holy Mother Church if they wish to be saved from damnation.

TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST - no donation required, just send us your stuff! Only 6 days left! We're down to the last week!

In order to give us a tad more time for Halloween, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Entries must be received by October 20th! Boring contest information was available on our Forum link below, but since the forum has been hacked, we'll email it back to you if you want to know what it is. Enter early and often!

Also, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link not working for now - Forum has been hacked! We're working on getting it back, and will let you know once it's back 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

Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

Allah Is Merciful

June 29th, 2005

in 614, Allah is merciful as Christian rebel Ferdinand of Castille is driven from Cordoba by the faithful Moors. The infidels are pushed north, where they last for another century before the faithful can destroy them.

in 1613, London’s Globe Theatre burns down. Suspicion immediately falls on William Shakespeare, who had been presenting himself as the author of several plays penned by Francis Bacon until Bacon revealed himself as the author. Shakespeare’s life had taken a sharp downturn since that time, and the entire theatrical community knew that he harbored a deep grudge against Bacon for stealing that prestige from him.

in 4561, casualties on either side of the siege of Hanoi stand at 200,000 fatalities as the final week of battle begins. The Chinese forces move slowly into the city, fighting every inch of the way against truly horrifying opposition from the citizens and military inside the city. In his memoirs of the Battle of Hanoi, Imperial General Zuo Zongtang said that he would prefer being dropped into the deepest of the hells to fighting the Viet again.

in 1941, Kwame Toure, future leader of the American underground organization, the Semitic-African Resistance, is born. One of the galvanizing moments of his life happens in his first few hours: the neo-Nazi supported German People’s Underground fires several nuclear missiles at Greater Zionist-controlled cities across Europe.

in 1956, blonde bombshell Norma Jeane Mortenson married famed humorist Arthur Miller. When asked why she had chosen a man who was not exactly known for his physique, Mrs. Miller answered, “He makes me laugh.” Indeed, the sex goddess seemed much happier after the marriage, and the two laughed away their years together until Mrs. Miller’s death in 2001.

in 1964, producer Bob Wesley’s show Star Trek airs its pilot, The Cage. Although the pilot is disappointing, the show’s concept excites the test audience, and Wesley reworks the cast and script. With a new cast starring Canadian William Shatner, the series was a phenomenal hit, running through 1973 and inspiring a wave of science fiction on television.

in 1970, NBC aired The Judy & Liza Show, which paired the mother-daughter team of Judy Garland and Liza Minelli. The emotional show, featuring music and skits between them, won several Emmys, including Ms. Garland’s first after 3 other nominations. Accepting the award, she thanked God, Reverend Martin King, and her daughter, “who’s been on this road with me for so long. I love you, honey.” It was all the more poignant because they had each been nominated in the same category, and rumor had it that Ms. Minelli wanted the award just as much for herself as for her mother. Still, when her mother won, they embraced and the two seemed to bear no ill will towards each other afterwards.

in 1981, with half of their number down, the remaining Vegas 6 members wait nervously in the Sisters of Mercy hospital in Las Vegas for the CDC to tell them what is happening to their downed fellows. As Piston goes into convulsions, Warp Drive and Meteora, the weather-controller, both collapse. Now, the only unaffected 6er is young Sparky.

in 2004, as Jacob and Livinia Sheridan attempt to break into rogue physicist Damien Moore’s island fortress, they are captured by his mercenary forces and thrown into the same cell as Prime Minister Howard. “So,” Howard tells them, “we’re in it again.”


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Death Rides The Train

January 22nd, 2005

in 1561, Sir Francis Bacon was born in London. Since he was a notable political figure, he initially hid his play-writing hobby from other nobles by using an actor named William Shakespeare as a front. After the wide-spread acceptance of his work, he came out openly and took credit for his work. This made a pauper of Shakespeare, who spent the rest of his days plotting revenge against Sir Francis.

in 1878, the anti-Mlosh terrorist known as The Lone Bomber is caught by North American Confederation officials in the Pacific Northwest. Although great care was taken in his apprehension, several officers died during the search of his house when they triggered hidden explosives. The Bomber, Theodore Morris, is convicted of a dozen murder counts and sentenced to life in prison, without possibility of parole.

in 1891, Mikhail von Heflin takes his first ride on a train. The train is bound for Fort Worth, where he will make his own way to Dallas. On the train, he meets three mysterious old women who offer him the hospitality of their inn when he arrives in Dallas. The Baron takes them up on their offer, to his regret.

in 1901, Her Holiness, Pope Victoria, died in her Scottish residence. Pope Victoria, at first a strong-willed leader of the Holy British Empire, waned in her later years after the death of her consort, Albert. Victoria wore the Shoes of the Fisherman longer than any other Pope, and during her papacy, the Empire grew to enormous heights.

in 1905, Russian communists, with the support of the communistic American government, attempt to overthrow the Russian Tsar and replace him with a socialist democratic government. Unfortunately, the Oprichnina crushed them before they could gain any popular support, and the Tsar’s suppression afterwards kept the Russian people under his yoke for decades.

in 1918, the Provincial Parliament of Manitoba, Canada, directed its film censor board to ban all dramas and allow only comedies to be shown in movie theaters. After the Great War, the town fathers decided that dramas made everyone too serious.

in 1946, the Central Intelligence Group, precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency, was established by President Truman after advisors from the Bilderberger Group and the Bavarian[REST OF POST CLASSIFIED FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS]

in 1985, President Ralph Shephard begins his first full day in office. His first task is to assert control over the Congress; although members of his Constitutionalist Party form the largest bloc in both houses, they don’t command an outright majority, so he makes overtures to several Republicans who lean in his direction, convincing them to join his party.


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Shakespeare's Last Performance; Golden City In Heaven

December 12th, 2004

in 1603, William Shakespeare, the actor who had provided a literary front for Francis Bacon’s work until 1599, appeared in Bacon rival Ben Jonson’s play Sejanus. It is reportedly his last appearance on stage, since Bacon refused to work with him anymore.

in 1893, quintessential movie bad guy Emanual Goldenberg was born in Bucharest, Romania. After coming to the United States as a boy, Goldenberg decided to become an actor, and won a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He played a series of gangsters throughout the 30’s and 40’s, but his two most famous roles are as the slave foreman Dathan in The Ten Commandments and the elderly police assistant Sol in Soylent Green, both opposite leading man John Carter.

in 4629, chef Yuan Tseh Lee of the Hong Kong restaurant Sea Dragon Inn creates a small dessert treat to satisfy his clientele who needed something quick and not very filling. It was a small, crisp cookie that he folded into a knot. He personalized each one with an inspirational saying written on a scrap of paper stuffed into every cookie. The Fortune Cookie, as they came to be known, caught on like wildfire throughout the Chinese Empire, and Yuan was able to retire a very rich man.

in 1951, flash-in-the-pan conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Briefly famous after touting Ronald Reagan’s agenda in the 1980’s, his star plummeted back to earth with the triumph of Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential election.

in 1951, Joe Dimaggio, possibly the greatest living Town Ball player at the time, announced his retirement from the New York Metros. Dimaggio had been the envy of other men in America just because of his sporting skills, but he increased that sense of envy when he married Hollywood beauty Norma Jean Mortensen in 1954.

in 1957, singer Jerry Lee Lewis arranges to marry his 13-year old cousin Myra Gale Brown, but is stopped at the alter by Jane Mitchum, whom he is still legally married to. Although Lewis was incensed at Mitchum’s interference, she probably saved his career; who would want to listen to records from a man married to a 13-year old?

in 1968, Speaker of the House Tallulah Bankhead died at her home in Washington, D.C. A film star of the 1930’s and 40’s, Bankhead followed her father into politics when her career stalled in 1945. She won election to the House of Representatives in 1946, representing Los Angeles. She was elected Speaker of the House in 1964, and held the post until her death four years later.

in 2003, the entire village of Jesu, France, is lifted into the heavens. Witnesses said that in the morning, the city glowed with a golden light, and then started its ascent. By noon, the city was enveloped in clouds, and no longer visible. Airplanes sent by the Templars were unable to penetrate the clouds to find the city.

As You Like It; First Man On Mars

December 2nd, 2004

in 1603, As You Like It, a clever comedy of sexual ambiguity, was performed at the Earl of Pemboke’s home. The author, Francis Bacon, directed the play himself, with the actor who had been his literary cover, William Shakespeare, playing a small role in the production. Tension between the two almost boiled over into a fist fight, as Shakespeare missed the prestige he had as an “author”.

in 1822, the legislature of the tiny Central American nation of El Salvador votes to incorporate into the United States of America. When the U.S. Congress agrees in 1824, the Latin American nation becomes the U.S. toehold in the region; this leads in later years to the establishment of Communist governments throughout the American hemisphere, with the creation of the Community of Trade by President Haywood.

in 1904, a second message pod from the expedition to the Mlosh homeworld reaches our solar system. The contents of this one are not released; the Science Ministry goes into a closed-door session to discuss the information contained in the pod.

in 1952, George and Ethel Landermeyer of Poughkeepsie, New York, became the first couple to have the birth of their child broadcast on television. This shocked the nation so much that a federal law was enacted to keep cameras away from delivery rooms from that point on.

in 1983, the television channel MTV, dedicated to airing rock and roll music videos, showed a video by singer Michael Jackson entitled Thriller. The overly long production, although featuring scintillating choreography and a catchy tune, totally failed to catch on with audiences, and soon disappeared from the airwaves. Jackson complained that MTV should have aired it on Halloween, a time when the subject matter of the video might have more appeal, but the network blamed Jackson’s overbloated production for the video’s failure.

in 1985, the United States landed a man on Mars, right on schedule. The NASA space program had moved from triumph to triumph since the moon landings in the late 60’s and early 70’s, and the building of a working space station in 1973 had laid the groundwork for travel to other worlds within the solar system. Gary Davis, the first man on Mars, had been a teenager during the moon landings, and remembered vividly the sight of Jim Lovell walking on the moon during the successful Apollo 13 mission; it had inspired him to become an astronaut himself in America’s thriving astronaut corps.

in 1990, following the long power struggle after Adolf Hitler’s death, Albert Speer seizes the reigns of power in the New Reich. The power of the Reich in Eurasia and Africa is challenged only meekly by the few remaining independent nations of the western hemisphere. The United States of America had openly thrown its support behind the Reich’s aims, and Canada would soon follow. The only major power in the hemisphere to still oppose the Nazi domination of the planet was Brazil.

in 2003, Pope Righteous I has a young maid executed at Buckingham Cathedral. The maid had reportedly found him in flagrante delicto with a woman of ill repute. During the televised execution, she called upon God, Jesus Christ and Estelle Gerard to save her. At the moment when flames engulfed her body, an angel was seen soaring down from the heavens to lift her up and carry her away.

Ferdinand Of Castille Is Driven From Cordoba

June 29th, 2004:

in 614, Allah is merciful as Christian rebel Ferdinand of Castille is driven from Cordoba by the faithful Moors. The infidels are pushed north, where they last for another century before the faithful can destroy them.

in 1613, London’s Globe Theatre burns down. Suspicion immediately falls on William Shakespeare, who had been presenting himself as the author of several plays penned by Francis Bacon until Bacon revealed himself as the author. Shakespeare’s life had taken a sharp downturn since that time, and the entire theatrical community knew that he harbored a dep grudge against Bacon for stealing that prestige from him.

in 4561, casualties on either side of the siege of Hanoi stand at 200,000 fatalities as the final week of battle begins. The Chinese forces move slowly into the city, fighting every inch of the way against truly horrifying opposition from the citizens and military inside the city. In his memoirs of the Battle of Hanoi, Imperial General Zuo Zongtang said that he would prefer being dropped into the deepest of the hells to fighting the Viet again.

in 1941, Kwame Toure, future leader of the American underground organization, the Semitic-African Resistance, is born. One of the galvanizing moments of his life happens in his first few hours: the neo-Nazi supported German People’s Underground fires several nuclear missiles at Greater Zionist-controlled cities across Europe.

in 1956, blonde bombshell Norma Jeane Mortenson married famed humorist Arthur Miller. When asked why she had chosen a man who was not exactly known for his physique, Mrs. Miller answered, “He makes me laugh.” Indeed, the sex goddess seemed much happier after the marriage, and the two laughed away their years together until Mrs. Miller’s death in 2001.

in 1964, producer Bob Wesley’s show Star Trek airs its pilot, The Cage. Although the pilot is disappointing, the show’s concept excites the test audience, and Wesley reworks the cast and script. With a new cast starring Canadian William Shatner, the series was a phenomenal hit, running through 1973 and inspiring a wave of science fiction on television.

in 1970, NBC aired The Judy & Liza Show, which paired the mother-daughter team of Judy Garland and Liza Minelli. The emotional show, featuring music and skits between them, won several Emmys, including Ms. Garland’s first after 3 other nominations. Accepting the award, she thanked God, Reverend Martin King, and her daughter, “who’s been on this road with me for so long. I love you, honey.” It was all the more poignant because they had each been nominated in the same category, and rumor had it that Ms. Minelli wanted the award just as much for herself as for her mother. Still, when her mother won, they embraced and the two seemed to bear no ill will towards each other afterwards.

in 2003, the Australian military sent couriers to the US, Russian, British and Chinese militaries with samples of nanobots and the process for making more. Multiple couriers went to each target nation, in case of capture.

Announcements & Portents

The state of TIAH

April 23rd, 2007

Digg this

in 1891, the call goes out for volunteers to swell the Union Army's ranks and take back Kansas. Thousands of men answer the call and join up. In Kansas, 'Sockless' Simpson's troops stand guard across the state's borders and drill themselves to readiness. Just across those borders, General Anthony Franklin keeps his men ready and tries to locate a telegraph office to report in his location. “There's one every block back east,” he complained to Major Wainwright, “but the 'wild west' hides theirs so you can't find them.” Major Wainwright was thoroughly sick of the general at this point, but was still unwilling to resign his commission. He also wanted revenge against Simpson, and that kept him going as they tromped through Missouri's wilderness.

in 1999, on the occasion of Shakespeare's birth and death, and just a few days after his first anniversary on the throne, King Arthur II declares a general amnesty for the Windsors if they will return to Great Britain. “We are willing to forgo our righteous vengeance against the family of the false queen, Elizabeth Windsor, and grant them peace and safety within our borders,” he says in the statement at Stratford-on-Avon. “This is no time for the British family to be split.” Although it seems like a totally magnanimous gesture, it does quell the minor pro-Windsor factions in the country, giving Arthur a united country as he prepares his Templars for war against the Central European Empire. His new queen, Lady Gwen, gives up one of her homes for the Windsors. The former royal family, unsurprisingly, does not take King Arthur up on his amnesty. Prime Minister Merl Myrddin uses the offer of amnesty to persuade the rest of the Commonwealth to recognize Arthur as King and increase the power that can be brought to bear against the CEE.

In 2165 the position of Michael Version7 Punk was a distant second in the cyberspace game of basket ball played out in the Venice Beach “skin”. Michael would describe himself as white. It was not the same definition that could be applied to a seventh century Welshman. White was a primary ethnicity that Michael was fanatical about. He spent a great deal of money on peroxide to sustain this fiction, over two trillion new dollars in the past six months.

~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Boeing 707	In 1974 on this day a Pan American World Airways Boeing 707 almost crashed into the side of Gunung Patas west of Singaraja (Bali). All 107 passengers ..
.. on board Pan American flight PA-812 from Hong Kong to Sydney survived despite this near miss while the Boeing 707 was making a scheduled intermediate stop at Bali. The plane had almost struck a mountain in Bali's north-west when the pilots misread a malfunctioning Automatic Direction Finder (ADF). The reason for the malfunction became clear some short hours later when the plane set down in Sydney to be greeted by aboriginal airport officers dressed in the military uniform of the Dream time Republic.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 1983 the press conference at which the  Bormann Diaries  are to be show-cased is a mere forty-eight hours away. One individual is making a more difficult journey than most to get there.	Bormann
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Henry VIII	In 1533 the Church of England annulled the marriage between Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII of England. A precedent had been set, and in this more enlightened times, adults have an average of 2.5 marriages according to the famous social satire on statistics.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 1661 King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland was crowned in Westminster Abbey. The Stuart had been through a difficult time with Parliamentarians, but Charles II ushered in a new era such that nascent British Empire was given an appropriate governance structure. Effective and dynamic Stuart rule was of course ..	King Charles II
.. superior to an assembly of laypeople, a model which could not possibly work in the global superstate which survives to this day.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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Crossing the Line

	In 1973, at the Putney Hippodrome in London, Peregrine Devlin presented the great Shakespearean actor Edward Kendall Sheridan Lionheart with the 'coveted' Critic's Circle Award for Best Actor for his acting in a season believed to be his best. In his acceptance speech, Lionheart thanked the Chief Critic, and the other members of the committee George Maxwell, Horace Sprout, Trevor Dickman, Oliver Larding, Maisie Psaltery, Ms. Chloe Moon and Meredith Meredew.
Lionheart also indicated he was going to take a short break from the Bard, in favour of escapism by making some movies in the horror genre. To this, Devlin commented 'A remarkable performance. He was overacting as usual, but he knew how to make an exit.'

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	In 1953, rumours circulated in Vampiregrad that Joseph Stalin, the long-time leader of the USVR was near death. The first official news of Mr Stalin's illness came in a statement on Wednesday. It said the Soviet leader, who came to power in 1928, had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage on Wednesday night. An update issued earlier today mentioned 'sharp disturbances of the heart functions'. There was speculation that the 73-year-old, born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, in the Soviet republic of Georgia, was now in the final stages of an illness he has been suffering some time.

On March 1, 1953, after an all-night dinner with interior minister Lavrentiy Beria and future premiers Georgi Malenkov, Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev, Stalin did not emerge from his room the next day, having probably suffered a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body. Although his guards thought that it was odd for him not to rise at his usual time, they were under orders not to disturb him. He was not discovered until that evening. He died four days later, on March 5, 1953, at the age of 74, and was embalmed on March 9. His daughter Svetlana recalls the scene as she stood by his death bed: 'He suddenly opened his eyes and cast a glance over everyone in the room. It was a terrible glance. Then something incomprehensible and awesome happened. He suddenly lifted his left hand as though he were pointing to something above and bringing down a curse upon all of us. The next moment after a final effort the spirit wrenched itself free of the flesh.' Officially, the cause of death was listed as a cerebral hemorrhage. Unofficially, the Master had affected his second shape shift since Red October.

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	In 1966, a British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) Boeing 707 almost flew into a mountain wave after 45 year-old Captain Bernard Dobson rashly decided to give the passengers a close-up view of Mt. Fuji. The spiritual beings on the wooded slopes of the dormant volcano took the corrective action required to prevent the death of of the 124 people aboard. The form of that action later became apparent; when the Boeing set down in Hong Kong, a relieved Dobson was greeted by flight traffic mandarins of the Chinese Empire.

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In 1946, Winston Churchill uses the phrase 'Iron Curtain' in his speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri: 'From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an 'Iron curtain' has descended across the Continent.

Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia; all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Nazi sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only to Nazi influence but to a very high and in some cases increasing measure of control from Berlin.'

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In 1904, writing in Electrical World and Engineer magazine Nikola Tesla described the process of ball lightning formation. The military application was of course the Fatman super weapon detonated in 1945 over the City of Tokyo by USAF Enola Gay. Without the Tesla Process America could not have ended the war in the Pacific without the unacceptable casualties predicted by Operation Downfall, the invasion of Japan.

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In 1975, CIA Director George Bush made a fateful decision whilst reviewing the USAAF Project Bluebook investigations into UFO activity. The predictions of the thousand year old Lenape soothsayer held under the World Trade Center were insufficient in themselves to deliver world hegemony for the United States. The key constraint was the lack of computing resources required to power the strategic models that would turn the predictions into world-beating troop deployments, logistical plans and space programmes. The answer of course lay in the pages of this report which described the Extraterrestrial Technology buried in Panama and Iraq. Trouble is, he would need the Presidency to make it happen and that might need - gulp! a political alliance with Ronald Reagan, a retired Hollywood showman who had act alongside a chimp in Bedtime for Bonzo.

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In 1871, revolutionary heroine Rosa Luxembourg is born in Zamos, Poland. After marrying a German worker in 1898, she began a labor movement in her adopted country, merging with the Social Democratic Party just prior to the Great War. The mass disillusionment with the royalist system that had led Germany into the war gave the SDP a huge boost, and they took control of the country in the elections of 1932, defeating the hard-right National Socialists in a hard-fought, corrupt campaign that was marred by violence and barely recognized by the rest of Europe. Once in office, Chancellor Luxembourg sought to create a true 'Worker's Paradise' to match the slogans that the reality of Russia's revolution had made so laughingly absurd. The SDP proved equal to the task, though, with their revolutionary fervor moderated slightly by their right-wing enemies. Germany pulled out of the world-wide depression and became a model of labor-government-business cooperation. Its model spread to France, then the smaller nations of central Europe and Scandinavia. Frau Luxembourg died in 1948, her dream of a just German society fulfilled.

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In 1770, British soldiers exercise uncommon restraint when faced with a crowd of belligerent colonists in Boston, Massachusetts. In spite of taunts, threats and snowballs hurled at them, they do not move from their position in front of the Customs House, calming a large portion of the colony, which had feared the presence of British troops would quickly escalate into violence.

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In 669, the Jewish grand vizier of Persia, Sa'ad al'Da'ulah, narrowly avoids assassination by Muslims seeking to put an end to his influence in Islam's mightiest nation. Al'Da'ulah convinces the Persian Shah to enforce the Koran's admonishment to allow men the practice of their own faith, and Persia becomes a haven for infidel refugees across Islam.

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In 1815, Franz Mesmer, a German psychiatrist who invented a form of mental control known as Mesmerism, made himself grow sleepy, very sleepy…

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In 1969, Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Perceptions, is arrested on stage after he allegedly exposes himself at a concert in Miami, Florida. The arrest for lewd behavior makes Morrison a cause celebre for rock stars across the world, and they become very vocal in his defense. When Morrison is brought to trial, the crowd outside the Dade County Courthouse outnumbers the crowd that had supposedly seen him expose himself.

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In 1996, the Hugo-winning author Harry Turtledove teamed up with Oscar-winner Richard Dreyfuss to publish the counter-history novel The Two Jameses: a tale of an Alternate Canada in which he posed the Canada Question - what would have happened if the Stuart monarchy had settled the dispute with renegade General James Wolfe? In this counter-history Canada is an integral part of the British Empire as a result of an agreement between General James Wolfe and King James Stuart IV. This event is commemorated in a Gainsborough painting titled The Two Jameses which has itself become a symbol of national unity that is stolen at the beginning of the novel. The book which was nominated for the 1995 Sidewise Award for Alternate History, was a highly regarded piece of escapism.

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In custody	In 1956, the United States Supreme Court reaffirmed the principle of 'separate but equal', the legal basis of racial segregation in state schools, colleges and universities. The University of North Carolina was involved in the appeal against an earlier ruling, which dated back to 1954. College officials were empowered to refuse admittance to three black students into the all-white institution. Racial segregation in schools was rigidly enforced. In other states, schools and colleges had indicated a willingness to accept black and white pupils.
Rosa Parks

The feeling of the people of Virginia is rather unanimous - that it was fortunate that this decision should have been handed down. I would say from the letters, telephone calls and telegrams this office has received, a very large proportion of Virginians would want to continue segregation of the races because we believe we can provide a better system of education by doing that said Thomas Stanley, Virginia state governor. Dr Tinsley, president of the Richmond branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, branded the policy of segregation as 'ridiculous, unreligious and unconstitutional'. He said segregation laws in Virginia meant black and white people could not sit down together in a hall where an entry fee had to be paid. Blacks are also forced to sit at the back in buses. Asked how black people felt at this treatment, he said: 'We are plenty angry.' Not all whites object to the ban. Dr Marion, Director of the Council of Human Relations, rejected claims black students were educationally inferior to their white counterparts. He said segregation had imposed a 'second-class citizenship' on the black population.

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