The Bull Moose Turned Loose

The state of TIAH

August 7th, 2006

Alternate Historian's Note: light post today. The plague has returned to haunt the Academy this weekend.

in 1912, former President Theodore Roosevelt is nominated for the presidency by the Bull Moose (Progressive) Party. “This bull moose shall roar his way back into the White House,” he said in his acceptance speech. The Progressives campaigned vigorously for him, but he seemed to be a long shot until October 12th. An insane gentleman by the name of William Shrenk attempted to assassinate him, declaring that “Any man looking for a third term ought to be shot.” Schrenk missed Roosevelt, but the attempt transformed the former president into something akin to a martyr for the progressive cause. People flocked to his speeches in the fall, and in November, he narrowly edged out the Democrat, Woodrow Wilson, to win what was actually only his second full term in the White House. Perhaps Roosevelt's greatest legacy was the rise of the Progressive Party and the diminishment of the Republicans. Although old money himself, Roosevelt's Progressives supported the rights of unions, as well as several reigns on big businesses and trusts during his time in the White House. In 1916, although the Progressives wished to nominate him again, he declined and supported instead his Vice-President, Hiram Johnson, who barely won the office after a campaign blitz from the old Bull Moose lifted his fortunes.

in 2017, although they are eager to tour the earth, the Amandarans on board the Pokor are limited to a few hours off-ship at a time, due to earth's greater heat and gravity than any of their moons. Still, the Quarai in particular are in high spirits, even though they are forced to wear space suits to keep visiting the earth. “This is amazing,” Captain Mawrao told Commander Patterson. “It is wonderful, after all the dead worlds we have seen together, to see this one filled with life. It make us very happy.” The P'tar ambassador who had accompanied them was spending a lot of time at the UN; her world was heavier and hotter than Amandara 14, and she was able to withstand longer periods on the planet without ill effects. The Amandaran Union was prepared to offer the earth a lot of advanced technology in exchange for constant access to the Jump device, and she was making this case to them very convincingly. “Our scientists do not yet understand the device, but it is only a matter of time before they do. Our 4 races could unite as one, and reach out to the stars together, a true union of planets.” Although her words are moving, many delegates consider the Jump device as their only advantage over the Amandarans, and want to keep it away from them. Spirited debate follows her offer.

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Roosevelt Born; Simpson Murdered

October 27th, 2005

in 1656, Quaker killers William Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson are executed by Massachusetts after a brief trial confirming their guilt. They had been the accomplices of notorious murderers Ann Austin and Mary Fisher, who reportedly killed a hundred men for their bizarre cult.

in 1858, Spanish-American War hero Theodore Roosevelt is born in New York City. Although he came from old money, Roosevelt felt the call of adventure during the war and formed the Rough Riders, whose famous victory at San Juan Hill made Roosevelt a legend; unfortunately, it made him a dead legend, as one of the Puerto Rican defenders shot him in the head during the assault.

in 1871, Democratic party boss William Tweed is arrested for corruption by Communist Attorney General David Wade. The arrest of the most powerful Democrat in New York brings the Democratic party in New York crashing down. With the loss of New York, the party soon began losing its hold over other states, and in 1884, was completely absorbed into the Socialist Party.

in 1890, Colonel Beauregard T. Jackson, while directing men to put out a fire, is set on by Mormon rebel Charles Brigman and several of his followers. Colonel Jackson, along with 20 of his soldiers, battle the fanatic for an hour before Colonel Jackson is able to subdue Brigman and force the others to surrender.

in 1936, Wallis Simpson, American socialite, was found dead in a London flat. Her mutilated body brought to mind the murders committed by Jack the Ripper before the turn of the century. For some reason, the Crown discouraged an investigation into her death, which was attributed to a random madman.

in 1954, Norma Jean Mortensen divorced baseball legend Joe Dimaggio, who had been somewhat abusive to her during their brief marriage. This left her free to marry humorist Arthur Miller, whom she remained with for the rest of her life. Dimaggio always regretted what he'd done to Mortensen, but said he couldn't be mad at Miller because, “he's just so damn funny.”

in 1962, Nikita Kruschev refuses to back down from the placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba, and President Kennedy orders troops onto the island to remove them. The resulting nuclear exchange kills hundreds of millions of people across North America, Europe and Asia. The survivors of this holocaust, mostly in the southern hemisphere, are plagued by cancer and other diseases for decades afterwards. The tenuous nature of life on earth enforces a strict code of non-violence among the remaining nations, and humanity pulls itself back from the brink a much stronger race than before.

in 1978, in a highly controversial move, the Swedish Nobel Peace Prize Committee gave its award to Semitic-African Resistance leaders Anwar Sadat and Elie Wiesel for their resistance against the global spread of Nazism. After this award, the Peace Prize was officially discontinued.

in 1984, a 19-year old fan credits heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne with saving his life after he decides not to kill himself because he wanted to listen to Osbourne's next album. The rocker dedicates his next album to the youth, who begins a tour of the nation speaking out on the issue of teenage suicide.

in 2002, moving cautiously through the apparently abandoned alien city, Professor Thomas, Dr. Courtney and their Air Force pilots suddenly find themselves in a small room, crowded together. Dr. Courtney, who had been expecting this, touches one of the devices he has brought along and they are back by their stolen spaceships. “We may have to do that a couple of times,” he tells the others as they move out again.

Even though the Halloween Contest is over,(winners to be announced soon), 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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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!

"Bull Moose" Nominate Roosevelt; "Amazing" Randi Born

August 7th, 2005

in the Dreaming, the people pick themselves back up after the great fire that rained down on them from the Heavens. Now, with the great spirits from above at their side, they travel their webs and search out the flies; they are going to eradicate their threat once and for all.

in 1912, the Progressive Party, better known as the “Bull Moose” Party, nominates Theodore Roosevelt to run for President against Socialist Woodrow Wilson and Communist John Reed. Roosevelt pulls enough votes from the Communists to elect Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt’s cousin, Franklin, actually will end up as President in the 30’s, albeit for only one term.

in 1925, Thomas Edison realizes that if he can record music onto his Maggies, he can certainly record other kinds of data, as well. He sets his engineers to work on plugging a Maggie-style device into an Eddie for storage of data. His engineers, fired up by the possibilities this kind of storage capacity could have with the Eddie, work ceaselessly at it, and the Eddie-Maggie marriage becomes a reality in 1927.

in 1928, the “Amazing” James Randi was born in Canada. A spiritualist and medium, Randi created a multi-media and marketing empire hawking magical goods, spiritual remedies, and séances where he would speak to the dead, for a hefty fee.

in 1944, New Reich soldiers capture Kishnev, Romania, from the Greater Zionist Resistance, and promptly put every Jew in the city to death. Since many of them were civilians, this does provoke an outcry from the international community, but Hitler ignores them. The GZR prepares to respond in kind.

in 1338, the Franks are given their independence by the Caliphate of Mali. Many of their ancient religions spring back up, but Islam remains the majority religion for many decades afterward.

in 1976, the Viking probe enters Martian orbit. This activates several mechanisms buried deep underground in the Martian soil, and the automated process to awaken Mars’ natives begins. Scientists on earth announce that Viking has found the strongest indications to date of life on Mars – they don’t know how right they are.

in 1996, after a blisteringly scornful meeting with his department head at Cambridge, Dr. Melvin Courtney resigns his position in the archeological department. A television show in Germany wants to interview him about the Chimanimani object, though, and he agrees to appear.

in 1997, country singer Garth Brooks performed at a free concert in New York’s Central Park, singing virtually no country songs; instead, his set is driven by Kiss and Billy Joel covers. At the end of the concert, Brooks announces that he is no longer going to be performing country music, but will sing his first love, hard rock.

in 2000, with the presence controlling Las Vegas, newlywed Velma Porter and Mikhail von Heflin think about calling in reinforcements; the Baron knows 2 more people like himself, but they are very far away and he doesn’t know if they will respond to his call for help with anything more than derision. When the presence begins to grow, he puts out the call.

in 2002, graduate student Alexander König examines some of the notes Richard Tolman left behind at the California Institute of Technology on parallel universes. After reading some of the more bizarre claims, König decides to apply the principles involved, and disappears.

in 2004, by the intense light of the nova that used to be Lalande 25372, scientists work on jamming the radio signals that are coming from earth. Most of them think that it’s no use; the signals have already been leaving earth for a century, which means that the Elders could have been receiving them from Lalande or any other star within 100 light-years.


An alternate birthday wish

Your humble alternate historian is about to leave the pleasant decade of the 30's behind and enter into the downhill slope of the 40's on August 14th. Before he does, he would like one simple 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 birthday wish!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!

We have raised a lot from your donations, for which we are VERY grateful! Our situation is no longer as dire, so we don't need to beg for help - thanks so much! Because we like including our readers into the site, though, we will still keep our offer open - 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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The Louvre Becomes Museum; Dukakis Defeats Bush

November 8th, 2005

in 1789, Elijah Craig, a farmer in Bourbon County, Kentucky, tried to make an alcoholic drink by distilling fermented corn. Craig claimed to love the drink, but few others did, and moonshiners in the country stuck with more traditional grain from then on.

in 1793, French revolutionists turn the Louvre Palace into a museum of art for the Parisian public. Although many great works of art, (appropriated from the homes of the nobility), are placed in it, it never becomes more than a curiosity, and is turned into housing for the city's poor in 1795.

in 1890, another farmhouse filled with innocent victims goes up in flames outside Salt Lake City; Colonel Beauregard T. Jackson's troops are able to save the other two farms that had been targeted by rebel Mormon Charles Brigman for that day's retaliation. Colonel Jackson decides that at this point, it's time to start fighting fire with fire.

in 1895, Dr. Wilhelm Roentgen discovered a new form of light, which he dubbed X-Rays. Practical use of this discovery in medicine was considerable, but it became wildly popular in the 1960’s when J. Edgar Menkin devised a set of glasses that used the principles of X-Radiation to actually see through people’s clothing! Menkin became a millionaire overnight.

in 1904, Communist James B. Weaver of Iowa wins the presidential election against Socialist Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt and Weaver also battle it out in the election of 1908, with Weaver winning again. Roosevelt split with the Socialists after that and joined the Progressive, or “Bull Moose” Party, for whom he was the presidential candidate in 1912.

in 1923, Adolf Hitler opens his Beer Hall Days exhibit in Berlin. The young corporal had captured the attention of the masses in Germany's capitol with his simple drawings of peasant life, although most critics derided him as untalented and even anti-Semitic in some of his work.

in 1974, Carol DaRonch of Salt Lake City turned into a hero when she foiled her abduction by serial killer Ted Bundy. Bundy had fooled DaRonch into getting into his car, and handcuffed her to the steering wheel. When he was driving away, she steered him into a tree. Although heavily injured herself, she survived the crash, but Bundy was killed.

in 1988, Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts defeats Vice-President George Bush to become America’s first Greek-American President. Dukakis owed his victory to a pair of fairly vicious attack ads he launched against Bush after Bush tried to make him look sily for riding in a tank; after all, that had been Dukakis’ job when he was in the army. The first ad showed Bush’s wife Barbara as the young woman George married, followed by a current picture of her, and asked if he planned on doing the same thing to the country. The second ad showed Bush in meetings with several dictators and asked if he was seeking their advice on running a country. Although it wasn’t a high point in American politics, it was effective – Dukakis won with 57% of the vote, and an electoral landslide of epic proportions – all 50 states.

in 1994, Republicans seemed to win enough seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate to gain a majority for the first time since the 1950's. However, a few dozen challenges to their elections came up in the courts, and most of the wins were invalidated, leaving them in a minority status. Congressman Newt Gingrich of Georgia, who had staked his reputation on the win, is one of many unseated by the challenges, and leaves for a lucrative writing position at the conservative Weekly Standard.

in 2002, Dr. Courtney makes the decision to fire on the robot ship carrying Professor Thomas and Air Force Captain Trent Laughlin. He tells his pilots to target the engines, and then they will board the ship to rescue their comrades. Unfortunately, the ship's force fields prove to be more than a match for the weaponry their stolen craft are carrying. They are forced back into pursuit.

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

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!

Whiskey In Bourbon; Landslide For Dukakis

November 8th, 2004

in 1656, British astronomer Sir Edmund Halley was born in London. He made many important discoveries during his life, including naming a comet, but his greatest achievement came late in life when he was able to verify the Mlosh’s claims to come from outer space, and to use their equipment to observe and visit space himself.

in 1789, Elijah Craig, a farmer in Bourbon County, Kentucky, tried to make an alcoholic drink by distilling fermented corn. Craig claimed to love the drink, but few others did, and moonshiners in the country stuck with more traditional grain from then on.

in 1864, incumbent president Abraham Lincoln’s political career became a casualty of the Civil War as he was defeated by General George McClellan of the Democratic Party. President McClellan finished the Civil War halfway through his term, but rebels in former Confederate territory continued to plague the Union for decades to come.

in 1895, Dr. Wilhelm Roentgen discovered a new form of light, which he dubbed X-Rays. Practical use of this discovery in medicine was considerable, but it became wildly popular in the 1960’s when J. Edgar Menkin devised a set of glasses that used the principles of X-Radiation to actually see through people’s clothing! Menkin became a millionaire overnight.

in 1904, Communist James B. Weaver of Iowa wins the presidential election against Socialist Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt and Weaver also battle it out in the election of 1908, with Weaver winning again. Roosevelt split with the Socialists after that and joined the Progressive, or “Bull Moose” Party, for whom he was the presidential candidate in 1912.

in 1923, Lance Corporal Adolf Hitler of the German Army organizes a band of former soldiers in Bavaria into a political party he calls the National Socialist German Worker’s Party. Corporal Hitler had gained quite a bit of notoriety for freeing himself from the Greater Zionist Resistance, and had a hand in his rise to success from time-traveling neo-Nazis from the future.

in 1988, Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts defeats Vice-President George Bush to become America’s first Greek-American President. Dukakis owed his victory to a pair of fairly vicious attack ads he launched against Bush after Bush tried to make him look silly for riding in a tank; after all, that had been Dukakis’ job when he was in the army. The first ad showed Bush’s wife Barbara as the young woman George married, followed by a current picture of her, and asked if he planned on doing the same thing to the country. The second ad showed Bush in meetings with several dictators and asked if he was seeking their advice on running a country. Although it wasn’t a high point in American politics, it was effective – Dukakis won with 57% of the vote, and an electoral landslide of epic proportions – all 50 states.

in 1994, the Republican Revolution began as the GOP assumed control over Congress and the Judiciary in Washington, D.C. The struggle began during Congressional elections, when results turned out very unclear, and the Republicans simply began assuming office as if they had won. This didn’t sit well with the Democrats, and open fighting broke out in the streets of the capitol.

Jewish Massacre In Kishnev

August 7th, 2004

in 1912, the Progressive Party, better known as the “Bull Moose” Party, nominates Theodore Roosevelt to run for President against Socialist Woodrow Wilson and Communist John Reed. Roosevelt pulls enough votes from the Communists to elect Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt’s cousin, Franklin, actually will end up as President in the 30’s, albeit for only one term.

in 1925, Thomas Edison realizes that if he can record music onto his Maggies, he can certainly record other kinds of data, as well. He sets his engineers to work on plugging a Maggie-style device into an Eddie for storage of data. His engineers, fired up by the possibilities this kind of storage capacity could have with the Eddie, work ceaselessly at it, and the Eddie-Maggie marriage becomes a reality in 1927.

in 1928, the “Amazing” James Randi was born in Canada. A spiritualist and medium, Randi created a multi-media and marketing empire hawking magical goods, spiritual remedies, and séances where he would speak to the dead, for a hefty fee.

in 1944, New Reich soldiers capture Kishnev, Romania, from the Greater Zionist Resistance, and promptly put every Jew in the city to death. Since many of them were civilians, this does provoke an outcry from the international community, but Hitler ignores them. The GZR prepares to respond in kind.

in 1338, the Franks are given their independence by the Caliphate of Mali. Many of their ancient religions spring back up, but Islam remains the majority religion for many decades afterward.

in 1976, the Viking probe enters Martian orbit. This activates several mechanisms buried deep underground in the Martian soil, and the automated process to awaken Mars’ natives begins. Scientists on earth announce that Viking has found the strongest indications to date of life on Mars – they don’t know how right they are.

in 1997, country singer Garth Brooks performed at a free concert in New York’s Central Park, singing virtually no country songs; instead, his set is driven by Kiss and Billy Joel covers. At the end of the concert, Brooks announces that he is no longer going to be performing country music, but will sing his first love, hard rock.

in 2000, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named turns his darkness on the Shining One, and they lock together in a mortal struggle. Worlds crumble around them as they batter at each other; only one will survive this fight.

Roosevelt's Assassination Attempt

We're going pink for October!

The state of TIAH

October 14th, 2006

in 1912, while campaigning for the presidency in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, former President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt is shot at by a crank who said that “any man looking for a third term ought to be shot.” Roosevelt, who was completely missed by the wild shot, laughed off the attempt on his life and delivered his speech that night with even more humor and good graces than usual, captivating the audience. In fact, his personal popularity skyrocketed after the assassination attempt – Republican rival President William Howard Taft half-hinted that Roosevelt had engineered the attempt himself – and he easily defeated Taft and Democratic candidate Woodrow Wilson in the general election to become the longest-serving president in the nation's history.

in 1947, Captain Charles “Chuck” Yeager is killed when his aircraft, the experimental X-1 breaks apart just after it breaks through the sound barrier. The small group of pilots and Air Force officials watching hear the first sonic boom, followed by the quieter sound of Yeager's plane hitting the ground. Captain Yeager is listed in all the history books as the first man to break the sound barrier, although he is overshadowed by pilot Scott Crossfield, the first man to break the sound barrier and live to tell the tale.

in 1972, Officer Hely lets the bloodhound Tutti follow the trail from the Lascaux Cave that Dr. Yvette Montclair had arranged. Hely and Professor Karl Ainsworth follow Tutti around town, noting the places she stops at. One of the places she spends a lot of time at is the church, and in particular, the rectory where Father Laval lives. “Well, well, well,” Officer Hely says. “Perhaps the good father has more than one congregation.” He and Ainsworth set up a watch on the house with Dr. Montclair, and wait for the night to come.

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Dreyfus Acquitted; Carol Of The Hells

THE CHRISTMAS DAY CONTEST IS NOW OVER! Our thanks to those who entered, and the winners will be notified shortly. If you are notified that you have won, remember that you have agreed to the following: You grant TIAH the right to electronically print your writing on December 25th, 2005, maintain your writing in our archives, and reprint your entry should we decide to reuse it in the future. TIAH only maintains full copyright over material it has originated that has been used by contestants in writing their own entries. Thanks again for the entries, and look for the winners on Christmas Day!

December 22nd, 2005

in 753 AUC, three strange men traveling from the east are taken prisoner by Roman soldiers and questioned. When the men say they are going to see a newborn king, the soldiers tell them that Rome has no kings, and send the men back to the east.

in 1849, the execution of Fyodor Dostoevsky ends a promising literary career. Although his second novel, The Double, was poorly received, there is virtually universal praise for his first, Poor People, and literary critics often pine for what the man might have done if he had not been lured into anti-Czarist circles.

in 1853, Theodore Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch were married in Roswell, New Mexico. The happy couple disappeared for a week, and when they returned, Martha was pregnant with young Theodore, Jr. Teddy had an unhealthy grey sheen to his skin, but managed to overcome this handicap and rise to the presidency of the United States.

in 1894, French artillery Captain Alfred Dreyfus is acquitted of treason after a guilt-racked fellow officer, Major Hubert Henry, admits to forging the evidence that Dreyfus had allegedly passed to the Germans. The conviction of Henry allows the French military to save face, and maintain their powerful position in French society.

in 1900, the genetic engineer M’Kol’Ka was born in Si’ta’Pocha, Ml’Astra. Possibly the greatest scientist of the 20th century, M’Kol’Ka was the first scientist to splice genetic material from humans into Mlosh. Condemned by conservative elements as some sort of mad scientist, M’Kol’Ka in his public writings said that his goal was to show that the two races were strongest when they combined into one.

in 1912, in honor of the Winter Solstice, Sidney Peters of Manhattan, Kansas, pens the holiday classic Carol of the Hells. Its sweet tones have been heard every winter since: Ring silver bell/ Bring Christmas Hell/ Now gentlemen/ Pay for your sin/ Come quake with fear/ Satan is here/ Satan your lord/ Forever more/ Ring, ding-a-ling/ Evil is king/ Hope, fade away/ Despair today…

in 1964, Semitic-African Resistance spokesman Lenny Bruce is convicted on obscenity charges for a free-wheeling speech he gave to rally support against the American Bund and its ally, the New Reich of Germany, in Greenwich Village, New York. He spent four months in jail, and came out stronger and more committed to the cause than ever.

in 1968, Richard Tolman, a cult leader who hadn’t been seen in years, walked into the Oval Office in Washington, D.C. to speak with President John Kennedy. Although security had no idea how Dr. Tolman had entered the building, President Kennedy told them not to remove the scientist. After a long afternoon speaking with him, Kennedy declared a national emergency, and put the nation’s armed forces on high alert.

in 1984, subway rider Bernhard Goetz is attacked and beaten during a subway mugging. Goetz had pulled a gun on his attackers and managed to mortally wound one of the them, but the other three men wrestled the gun away from him and beat him so severely that he entered a coma. Goetz's attack spurred legislation in the city to provide more police officers for the subway system.

in 1989, the Communist government of Guatemala, long an ally of the Soviet States of America, is overthrown in a bloodless coup as capitalists and other counter-revolutionaries join forces with dissidents within the government itself against the country's leader, Efrain Rios Montt. When Rios Montt was convicted of crimes against humanity in a show trial on Christmas Eve, he appeared confused and frightened, evoking sympathy in much of the world outside Guatemala; the Guatemalans themselves, though, had no problem in executing him that night.

in 4699, the Chdo Democracy receives an official embassy from the Keltav, a race from a distant galaxy. The Chinese Ambassador to the Chdo happened to be at the meeting, and the Keltav took a liking to him, asking if they could visit earth and see the empire. After word was passed to him, the emperor extended an invitation to his court.

in 2003, a star appears over London this evening, and its light seems directed at Buckingham Cathedral. The light of this star is strong enough to read by, and it shines faintly even during the day. Although Pope Righteous’ spokesman says that it is God’s favor shining down upon the Holy British Empire, its light at night makes the Cathedral appear warped and twisted.

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!

Carol Of The Hells; Star Over Buckingham

December 22nd, 2004

in 1853, Theodore Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch were married in Roswell, New Mexico. The happy couple disappeared for a week, and when they returned, Martha was pregnant with young Theodore, Jr. Teddy had an unhealthy grey sheen to his skin, but managed to overcome this handicap and rise to the presidency of the United States.

in 1900, the genetic engineer M’Kol’Ka was born in Si’ta’Pocha, Ml’Astra. Possibly the greatest scientist of the 20th century, M’Kol’Ka was the first scientist to splice genetic material from humans into Mlosh. Condemned by conservative elements as some sort of mad scientist, M’Kol’Ka in his public writings said that his goal was to show that the two races were strongest when they combined into one.

in 1912, in honor of the Winter Solstice, Sidney Peters of Manhattan, Kansas, pens the holiday classic Carol of the Hells. Its sweet tones have been heard every winter since: Ring silver bell/ Bring Christmas Hell/ Now gentlemen/ Pay for your sin/ Come quake with fear/ Satan is here/ Satan your lord/ Forever more/ Ring, ding-a-ling/ Evil is king/ Hope, fade away/ Despair today…

in 1968, Richard Tolman, a cult leader who hadn’t been seen in years, walked into the Oval Office in Washington, D.C. to speak with President John Kennedy. Although security had no idea how Dr. Tolman had entered the building, President Kennedy told them not to remove the scientist. After a long afternoon speaking with him, Kennedy declared a national emergency, and put the nation’s armed forces on high alert.

in 1971, former Austrian Chancellor Kurt Waldheim is appointed Secretary-Fuehrer of the Eurasian Union, the organization used by the German Reich to organize the governments of their conquered Eurasian nations. Waldheim was appointed by Hitler, himself, and enjoyed the favor of the Fuehrer until Hitler’s death in 1981. Waldheim was ousted the next year.

in 1984, comrade Bernhard Goetz was appointed the People’s Chief of Police for New York City. During Comrade Goetz’s administration, crime in the subways and streets of New York dropped by 12%, although the Socialist Party in the city complained of the comrade’s heavy-handed tactics.

in 4699, the Chdo Democracy receives an official embassy from the Keltav, a race from a distant galaxy. The Chinese Ambassador to the Chdo happened to be at the meeting, and the Keltav took a liking to him, asking if they could visit earth and see the empire. After word was passed to him, the emperor extended an invitation to his court.

in 2003, a star appears over London this evening, and its light seems directed at Buckingham Cathedral. The light of this star is strong enough to read by, and it shines faintly even during the day. Although Pope Righteous’ spokesman says that it is God’s favor shining down upon the Holy British Empire, its light at night makes the Cathedral appear warped and twisted.


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The Co-Popes; American Gothic

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February 13th, 2006

in 1123 Post-Creation, Lucifer arrives in Heaven and begs for an audience with the Creator. Instead, he is shown to Achazia. “I wish to speak to the Creator,” he says, angry at the delay. She smiles upon him and says, “Then you may speak to me.” Lucifer flees from her, and searches Heaven, but cannot find the Creator.

in 1689, the Holy British Empire was under the rule of 2 popes again, but this time without warfare. The married Holy Couple, William and Mary, were made co-popes because William's close ties with the Protestant movement made him suspect in the minds of many bishops, and Mary was seen as an ineffectual administrator; together, though, they were quite successful. “Out of two incomplete persons, God has made a Glorious One,” the College of Cardinals declared.

in 1882, the Social-Democratic Union, a labor organization inspired by and partially funded by the Communist and Socialist parties in America, is organized in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The reactionaries in that monarchy quickly attack the fledgling labor movement, hoping to keep their immoral grasp on power a little longer.

in 1892, surrealist Grant Wood was born in Anamosa, Iowa. Although his early work was fairly conventional, he entered the company of the surrealists when he moved to New York in 1928, and his mishmash of midwestern America with strange shapes and creations sprung from his imagination captured the attention of the world. His most famous piece, American Gothic, depicting a devil, complete with pitchfork, alongside a frumpy Iowa farmwoman, has been parodied so many times that people who have never seen the original recognize the tableau instantly.

in 1904, Q’B’Ton’ra is driven from the earth’s solar system by a defensive force he clearly did not expect to be more advanced than his own. The Congress of Nations embassy ship, in a daring maneuver by pilot Lieutenant Michael Smith, manages to break through the back of his line and reach the sanctuary of Pluto. Although the earth’s people are cheered by the return of the ship, they are saddened at the loss of Ambassador Li’Kanto’Mk, and he is memorialized with full honors.

in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt of the U.S. delivered his most influential speech, decrying the “race problem” in America. He announced that his Justice Department would immediately begin prosecuting lynchings, and pushed for law which guaranteed the rights of minorities in the country. The flabbergasted elite of the New York Republican Club, where he delivered the speech, denounced Roosevelt as a “dangerous radical” for the speech, but later generations saw him as a visionary.

in 1918, Mikhail von Heflin and Velma Porter find Milo Cranston when he attacks them in their cabin. They see, to their horror, that the gem holding the being they just imprisoned is fused to Cranston's forehead, and its power is feeding Cranston. With a mixture of cunning and luck, they are able to trick Cranston and the being into jumping overboard, leaving them stranded in the middle of the Atlantic.

in 1940, Dresden, a Greater Zionist Resistance stronghold in Germany, is destroyed by a nuclear blast. Although the German Underground seeks to blame the G.Z.R., the whole world knows that it was one of their weapons, and sanctions are briefly enacted against the rogue regime.

in 1955, Israel acquired half of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the one purportedly written by Jesus himself, which began, “In the name of the most holy, we renounce all the faiths of man, because the one true God cannot be contained within the pages of a book.” Representatives of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths met secretly in Jerusalem to destroy this tract in particular.

in 1984, Soviet leader Yuri Andropov, recovering from the poison that rival Konstantin Chernenko had slipped him, orders a purge of all the Brezhnevians within the Kremlin, beginning with Chernenko. Although the power struggle results in a brief revolt against his authority, Andropov is ultimately successful, and his reform policies help the Soviet Union integrate its economy more effectively into the growing global marketplace. Andropov is often hailed as the man who saved the Soviet Union from a financial apocalypse.

Timelines in today's post: the Fall, the Holy British Empire, the Mlosh, von Heflin, the GZR and Communist America

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Accident

John Lennon	In 1969, at Peace City One John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono broadcast Give peace a chance. Four people amongst many had journeyed to the metropolis, rebuilt upon the site of fire-bombed Dresden. Taxi driver Gerhard Müller and his daughter lived but a few miles away. War buddies Bernard V. O'Hare and Kurt Vonnegut travelled from America on Tralfamadorean money, God love it. Lennon invited the four on stage for the corus, philosophically joking that “the accident had”. For Vonnegut, something had been missing in this harsh world. He had suffered from weeping for many years and in his despair had contemplated suicide. Now it was finally fulfilled. And so it goes.
GPAC

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Jesus	In 1986, the Ghost Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come shows Ebeenezer Scrooge a strange vision of the far future. In Africa the emaciated arms of starving children lack the strength to swat the flies buzzing around them in the haze. And that haunting song, Do they know its Christmas?. And yet in this harsh world there's something that was missing in that shopping mall flooded with light. Him.
Is Love

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Infected Cow

In 1997, an independent inquiry into the BSE "disaster" and the devastation it wreaked on British farming has been announced by the government. Agriculture Minister Jack Cunningham said the BSE inquiry would be led by Judge Lord Justice Phillips who has a year to complete the investigation. Describing the BSE crisis, he said: "It has been, literally, a disaster." The inquiry would be far-ranging covering the BSE crisis' origins and the way in which authorities responded to it and the development of "the Rage".

Five years later the disaster was portrayed in the movie 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle and starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris and Christopher Eccleston. The films depicts the breakdown of society following the spread of the "Rage" which rendered people mindlessly violent, focusing upon the struggle of four survivors to cope with the ruination of the life they once knew. A critical and commercial success, the film is widely recognized for images of a deserted London, and was shot almost entirely on digital video. In a radical alternative ending the Agriculture Ministry fails to respond to the crisis.

Violent End

In 1973, on this day US President James Earl Carter called for progressive change in Fascist Europe following the assassination of General Franco, who was killed in a car bomb attack in Madrid two days before. In the United States, it was unthinkable that the Head of State could be removed by the act of a violent few said the Georgia Giant. It was now time for the Plot Against America to end and leaders to work with Carter to build “the World that Hitler never made”.

The Central Intelligence Agency was delighted with the outcome, which represented twenty years work in Spain. Carter had the luxury of talking about freedom, the Agency's job had been to find a drastic and odd resolution to a political situation reminiscent of a deus ex machina.

Danville

In 1999, whilst driving in Center Lovell, Maine, agent of the random Bryan Smith was distracted by an unrestrained Rottweiler named Bullet, moving in the back of his vehicle, a 1985 Dodge Caravan. The author Stephen King was walking on the right shoulder of Route 5. Agent of the purpose, Patrick Danville had been sent because King must not die. Before the author could be fatally struck by the Dodge, Danville grabbed King and they both landed in a depression in the ground about 14 feet from the pavement of Route 5.

In 1992, British Home Secretary Norman Lamont announced “Today has been an extremely difficult and turbulent day. Massive refugee flows continue to threaten the Channel Tunnel opening at Coquelles near Calais in northern France. The Government has concluded that Britain's best interest is served by sealing the Tunnel whilst emergency measures can be implemented on the continent of Europe.”

Norman Lamont

Rice

In 2009, in a presidential broadcast Condoleeza Rice speaks to the nation with her proposals for solving the problem of litter. Since the advent of mass production and consumerism in the 1950s, she explains, packaging and waste have entered American society. As civil society has lost its value, personal responsibility had declined partly due to a reaction to authority for sending so many American boys to their deaths in foreign wars. During 2010, Rice would bring forward legislation that would place a retrospective burden on producers to collect litter.

In 2004, former US Marine Jack Smith made damning allegations regarding President-elect John Forbes Kerry's actions outside the Senate committee at the April 22, 1971 following his famous “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?” speech. Smith recollects that Kerry and other veterans threw their medals and ribbons over a fence at the front steps of the U.S. Capitol. However, Kerry still possesses his medals in 2005 and Smith explains this apparent anomaly by revealing that Kerry threw someone else's medals in act of showmanship. Smith and Kerry – he alleges - had purchased the medals at a market sale in Greenwich Village, New York in December 1970. Kerry agrees to step down in favour of Vice President-elect John Edwards, which many regarded as an appropriate reversal of a travesty of justice.

Kerry

In 1944, German troops accept the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium as the disastrous Battle of the Bulge reaches a decision.

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In 1853, Theodore Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch were married in Roswell, New Mexico. The happy couple disappeared for a week, and when they returned, Martha was pregnant with young Theodore, Jr. Teddy had an unhealthy grey sheen to his skin, but managed to overcome this handicap and rise to the presidency of the United States.

In 1912, in honor of the Winter Solstice, Sidney Peters of Manhattan, Kansas, pens the holiday classic Carol of the Hells. Its sweet tones have been heard every winter since: Ring silver bell/ Bring Christmas Hell/ Now gentlemen/ Pay for your sin/ Come quake with fear/ Satan is here/ Satan your lord/ Forever more/ Ring, ding-a-ling/ Evil is king/ Hope, fade away/ Despair today…

In 1971, former Austrian Chancellor Kurt Waldheim is appointed Secretary-Fuehrer of the Eurasian Union, the organization used by the German Reich to organize the governments of their conquered Eurasian nations. Waldheim was appointed by Hitler, himself, and enjoyed the favor of the Fuehrer until Hitler’s death in 1981. Waldheim was ousted the next year.

In 1984, comrade Bernhard Goetz was appointed the People’s Chief of Police for New York City. During Comrade Goetz’s administration, crime in the subways and streets of New York dropped by 12%, although the Socialist Party in the city complained of the comrade’s heavy-handed tactics.

In 2007, Mitt Romney's candidacy of the Presidency of the United States received a huge boost. The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King said that he had a very clear recollection of marching with Romney Senior in June 1963. Alex Hayley had given his people a myth to live by. Perhaps now Romney could deliver the dream.

Peace In The Middle East

The state of TIAH

September 17th, 2006

in 1571, the combined English, French and Spanish fleets smash into the Aztec ships attempting to leave Europe for their home back in North America. Emperor Mectezuma at first simply tries to outrun the Europeans, but the wind is against him, so he orders his sailors to “leave not a single ship on the water to show that these barbarians ever dared to challenge our might.” The Aztecs fought without mercy, but the Europeans were spurred by the outrage of London, and had the advantage of better knowledge of the coastal waters of Great Britain. As his fleet's numbers began to dwindle, Emperor Mectezuma ordered his ship's captain to leave the battle and continue sailing for home. The sight of the Emperor fleeing combat demoralized the Aztecs, and gave cheer to the Europeans, who redoubled their efforts. It is said that if the Emperor had stayed an hour or two longer, the tide would have turned in his favor, because the European fleets weren't doing as well further away from his ship; but near Mectezuma, his sailors weren't very successful. With the fleeing of Mectezuma, the Europeans were able to take the day. Over half of the Aztec ships were sunk in the battle, a dozen fled after the Emperor, and a score were taken captive by the Europeans.

in 1978, President Jimmy Carter of the United States forges a peace treaty between two implacable enemies, Egypt and Israel. With the signing of the accords at the White House, Israel exchanges the Sinai Peninsula for an alliance with the Egyptian people. Although the treaty is denounced by more radical Muslim nations, Egypt is ready to give up the useless struggles with Israel that they have been through over the last three decades. President Carter then goes to work on the issue of the Palestinians within Israel's occupied territories, and in 1979 comes up with a plan for two nations within a single border, in which local governments are chosen without reference to the nation they belong to, and Palestinians and Israelis live side by side. Derided as a Utopian fantasy at first, it gains more respect after Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize for his work the previous year, and Yassir Arafat, leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, says that he will support the initiative. That November, when there are troubles around the American embassy in Iran, Arafat and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat step in to defuse the situation and keep the Americans in the Teheran embassy safe. The American people, grateful for this assistance, put great pressure on Israel to agree to the Two-State Solution, and in July of 1980, the lands of Israel and Palestine begin history anew. President Carter, having accomplished the minor miracle of peace in the Middle East, is reelected by an almost 2-to-1 majority in the 1980 elections, and uses his second term to promote anti-poverty measures in America and around the world. He left office with more good will worldwide than any president since Theodore Roosevelt.

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Insane In The Membrane; NAFTA Debates

November 9th, 2005

in the period between 1788 and 2000, a cascading failure in the membrane separating alternate dimensions results in all elections in the United Soviet Confederated North American States of America Confederation Commonwealth being held at once. An astonishing 332 candidates of various political parties, ethnic groups, genders and species win the office of First Prime Presidential Chancellor Minister. Unsurprisingly, no one is really happy with the results.

in 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte names himself Emperor of Italy. Under his brilliant lead, Italy conquers most of Europe. After a disastrous winter campaign in Russia, Bonaparte’s empire begins to fall apart; he is finally defeated by the Swedish in 1814 at the battle of Copenhagen.

in 1890, Colonel Beauregard T. Jackson executes three of rebel Mormon Charles Brigman's followers in Salt Lake City's town square. At the execution, he makes an announcement to those assembled that every time Brigman attacks a farm, he will execute three of Brigman's associates. Word filters back to the hunted Latter-Day Saint, and the attacks on farms cease.

in 1906, the first foreign visit by an American president begins as Theodore Roosevelt boards the battleship Louisiana and sails for Panama. It is also the last for some time, as the Louisiana is ambushed off Panamanian waters by Columbian ships and forced to retreat to the U.S. Columbia, which still claimed Panama, felt that a visit by the man who had encouraged the Panamanian revolt against its rightful rulers was too hard a slap in the face to ignore.

in 1934, Rabbi Carl Sagan was born in Brooklyn, New York. The spiritual leader of the Semitic-African Resistance in the northeastern United States, he led the non-violent movement through most of his life; after his wife and son were lynched in 1977, he began advocating more direct action against the worldwide Nazi movements.

in 1938, painter Adolf Hitler sold his famous Kristallnacht to the Berlin Fine Arts Museum. The painting, portraying angry Germans smashing a Jewish section of Berlin, has been an enigma since the day it was first shown; many feel it is Hitler’s cry against anti-semitism, while others declare it a glorification of Germany’s historic hatred of the Jewish people. The artist himself never spoke to the meaning of the work, but it is his acknowledged masterpiece.

in 1940, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain died in London. His successor, Oswald Mosley of the British Union of Fascists, brings about peace in his time with a treaty of alliance with Germany.

in 1956, French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, long an advocate of the Soviet American cause among the European monarchies, renounces communism after the suppression of the brief Guatemalan freedom movement by American troops. He said, “I condemn the Soviet invasion wholeheartedly and without any reservation. Without putting any responsibility onto the American people, I nevertheless insist that its current government has committed a crime.”

in 1993, Vice-President Al Gore and former presidential candidate H. Ross Perot kick off a series of debates about the North American Free Trade Agreement. Although Gore initially supports NAFTA, Perot's arguments and pressure from several labor unions eventually forces him and the Clinton administration to back down, and NAFTA is defeated in Congress.

in 2002, Professor Thomas and Air Force Captain Trent Laughlin escape from the cell they are being held in on the robot ship and attempt some sabotage. They are able to communicate back with the other ships, and Dr. Courtney sends some suggestions as to what they can break to halt the robot ship.

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

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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!

Seeds

In 2013, the City of Mississauga reported a dramatic fall in vehicular mansalughter. Put simply, drivers were notorious for ignoring white lights permitting pedestrians to cross. Corners were taken very quickly after light changes in order to beat oncoming traffic. Also by “beating the lights” drivers chose not to decelerate if they did not see pedestrians actually crossing, even if they were approaching the kerbside. Both of these scenarios had caused a large number of accidents for immigrants who thought that the white light might it was safe for pedestrians to cross. The rising population of immigrations caused the Department of Transport to take action, and they turned to telegram technology as a draconian measure. Images of children were picted just after light changes. This huge rise in virtual deaths led to widespread traffic calming. And not a few fender benders, which insurance companies recovered from increased premiums.

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In 1905, the Japanese attack on Port Arthur is frustrated by the arrival of Russian reinforcements. At one stage it looked as if the Tsar would be humiliated by defeat, but after Port Arthur, the Russo-Japanese war drifted into a stalemate.

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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.

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In 1727, James Wolfe was born, a British general remembered mainly for his role in establishing British rule in Canada. By 1942, British rule only existed in Canada, with the British Government in Exile, headed by Lord Halifax unexpected guests of the Governor General at his residence in Rideau Hall, Ottawa.

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Stephen R. Donaldson	In 1968, Stephen Reeder Donaldson languished in Vietnam. By inclination a conscientious objector, he had been compelled to serve in the armed forces. Much later, and after dropping out of his Ph.D. program and moving to New Jersey in order to write fiction, Donaldson made his publishing debut with the first "Covenant" trilogy in 1977. That enabled him to move to a healthier climate. He now lives in New Mexico. Donaldson's two year compulsory military duty would be the deep undercurrent of his escapist fantasy writing. In “The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever”, the protagonist was a leper struggled with disempowerment in a Land he did not really believe in.
Unbeliever

She came out of the store just in time to see her young son playing on the sidewalk directly in the path of the gray, gaunt man who strode down the center of the walk like a mechanical derelict. For an instant, her heart quailed. Then she jumped forward, gripped her son by the arm, snatched him out of harm's way. The man went by without turning his head. As his back moved away from her, she hissed at it, "Go away! Get out of here! You ought to be ashamed!" Thomas Covenant's stride went on, as unfaltering as clockwork that had been wound to the hilt for just this purpose. But to himself he responded, Ashamed? Ashamed? His face contorted in a wild grimace. Beware! Outcase unclean! ~“Golden Boy”

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In 1727, James Wolfe was born on this day in Westerham, Kent, England, the eldest son of Colonel Edward Wolfe and the former Henrietta Thompson. Around 1738, the family moved to Greenwich, in London.

From his earliest years Wolfe was destined for a military career, entering his father's marine regiment at the age of 13. No other British Officer in North America was to achieve Wolfe's level of disreputation, following his decision on September 13th to destroy the city of Quebec after the winter threatened to overtake the besieging British red coats.

In Wolfe's own condemnatory words, he said “I propose to set the town on fire with shells, to destroy the harvest, houses and cattle, both above and below, to send off as many Canadians as possible to Europe and to leave famine and desolation behind me; but we must teach these scoundrels to make war in a more gentleman like manner."

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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.

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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.

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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.

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In 1920, Исаак Озимов was born on this day in Petrovichi, Russian SFSR. Isaac Asimov as he is more commonly known in the West is generally considered by many as the father of Psychohistory. During the 1940s, Asimov's research determined that the House of Romanov was in terminal decline. Without intervention, the Tsarist Empire would soon fall giving way to a barbaric interregnum of one hundred years before a Second Empire would arise. He concluded that it was too late to prevent the fall of the House of the Romanov. Secretly, Asimov put in place the Asimov Plan to reduce this interregnum to as little as a decade, by setting up Foundations within continental Russia.

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StrawBerry	In early 1999, Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM) released the first StrawBerry, using the same hardware as the Inter@ctive pager 950, and running on the Mobitex network. Today the device supports push e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing and other wireless information services. RIM settled on the name "StrawBerry" only after weeks of work by Lexicon Branding Inc., the Sausalito, California-based firm that named Intel Corp.'s Pentium microprocessor and Apple's PowerBook. One of the naming experts at Lexicon thought the miniature buttons on RIM's product looked "like the tiny seeds in a strawberry," Lexicon founder David Placek says. "A linguist at the firm thought straw was too slow sounding. Someone else suggested blackberry. RIM went for strawberry."
Revolution

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In 1958, the following notice was published ~ with due respect to sworn testimony of God-fearing citizens, -
Mr Paul Adolph Volcker is found guilty as charged of usury,-
by magistrates of this good parish of Cape May, New Jersey, -
persuant to Holy Scripture, Mark 8:36 refers, -
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?,-
on this day of our Lord, 1958. Not the potter, but the potter's clay. Amen.

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