When you think about it, it’s rather odd that this blog is written in English rather than Portuguese. And I’m not saying that because I have Portuguese heritage, but rather because the first truly global sea routes were pioneered by Portugal, whose princes, explorers, and … Continue readingLinguae Francae: Some What-Ifs
Needless to say I’m really enjoying Liechtenstein, one of the world’s smallest countries, but a case where small really is beautiful; spectacular landscapes, fine people, and even some great wines are to be found in the principality, in addition to the famous financial riches. So … Continue readingOf Principalities That Are, and Nations That Never Were…
I’ve remarked often that the social machinery of the United States, our very identity as Americans, is dependent on carving industrial empires out of the wilderness with a firehose of immigrants from Europe. As soon as the frontier closed and the flow of people from … Continue readingOne Billion Americans, 19th Century Style?
I’d just like to share a little scenario I dreamed up recently: what if the borders of the United States circa the War of 1812 were never adjusted much? In particular, what if the Mississippi River watershed boundary from the original Louisiana Purchase remained in … Continue readingSome Alternate Borders for North America
Funny topic to think about on May Day, but then again it is kinda chilly outside in the shade today, and I’ve posted my generation (this post’s featured image) of an arctic city noir under the northern lights, evocative of some alternate Norilsk. Which provoked … Continue readingPolar Dreaming
Rather famously, the western United States have rather arbitrary borders, boxy figures defined by parallels and meridians, which has had the rather hideous consequence of placing e.g. very different regions separated by 14,000-foot tall mountains in the same state (Colorado, I’m looking at you). More … Continue readingBuilding Better Western States
It must be the fall atmosphere these days compelling me to watch films like “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” more often, because I’ve been giving some thought to fodder for an interesting alternate history what-if: the Nazi concept for the “Alpine Redoubt”, or “Alpine … Continue readingAn Alternate History of the Alpine Fortress
One of the more curious aspects of communications technology is how the 21st and 19th centuries in many ways share much more in common with each other than either does with the 20th century. Consider that the 19th century predilection to send notes and letters … Continue readingA Telegraph World
Although sometimes overlooked, the major world religions, their genesis, their rise, their evolution, their rise to (and fall from) dominance, have always been crucial threads in the vast tapestry that is human history. Making for obvious what-if scenarios that are the fodder of alternate histories … Continue readingWorld Religions in Alternate Histories
Much ink, digital and otherwise, is spilled among both real-life historians and fictional worldbuilders on the rise and fall of civilizations, but somewhat less ink is spent on drilling down to the basics of civilization, namely the resource base. This includes things such as building … Continue readingAn Alternate History of Cascadia