dalekboy

Thanks to a discussion in one of my previous posts, I find myself wondering - What large or small obvious things can there be to clue people into the fact they are in an alternate universe?

The most common is the good old airship in the modern day world. I'd like to hear about some others. So see this as a writing or thinking exercise, or just a bit of fun.

The setting is 2006. You land in a version of the world where things are just a little different. The cities/people are more or less the same but there are other changes. Let's not go for airships (unless it compliments you ideas), that's the classic, and no 'nazi's won the war', either. We're just after changes that make you do a double-take as you realise this isn't your Earth.

king_espresso came up with two great ones - Elvis Concert Tour posters and the Twin Towers intact. No need to try and match other people's ideas, just write what you want.

Here's one to start you off. The microchip revolution never happened. No mobile phones or computer shops. Lots of phone booths and the like. Televisions are still big as are cameras. VCR's are huge beasts.

So, what it's like in your parallel universe?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Date: 2006-05-18 09:45 am (UTC)

From:

waylanderpk.livejournal.com

Nazis - the early years

Look I know you said no nazis winning world war 2, but how about world war 1. Sure they where just krauts back then (apologies for my english centric view :) ). The repercussions to the 20th century would be immense. I'm assuming that Germany employs some modern miltary doctrines - like combined forces, mechanised infantry and wrap up the war in 1914 without too much loss of life. (there where a few German generals who where already thinking along thes lines in the early 1900's so its not too much of a stretch)

With Germany ascendant in Eurppe there is probably no world war 2 (at least in Europe), Airships (see I slipped both of them in) would probably have dominated for far longer (as a side note the reason Germans used hydrogen over helium was economical, the USA had a virtual monoply on helium).

Nuclear weapons might have evolved quicker given a USA/German peace and free exchange of information. The same could be said of computers, even given that the 1st computers were developed for cryptography, a lot of good ideas failed to be cross germinated (pun intended) that could had seen rapid advancements in electronics and calculating machines.

I imagine that a German/UK Europe would have come to terms fairly easily with the USA and proceeded to roll up the USSR before it really gets started (the invasion of Poland by the Communists in the 1920's might never have happened). Japan (faced with that Axis) would satisfy itself with China and other asian holdings, World War 2 never happens.

Because WW2 never happens the corporations don't get rich by profiteering, and the nation state remains strong well into the 21st century. Germany becomes a world power and is the dominant european of the 20th century.

A different cold war starts, between Japan (and its protectorate states, China and Indonesia) with the USA and Europe. Beacuse Japan never got the bomb we don't get Godzilla or Astroboy. The UK maintained much of its empire after world war 1. They are not pauped (both in man power and money) and become one of the centers of economic power in the 20th century.

Flying cars would be common place by the late 60's. The moon is colonised by the Japanes about 1970 and the Europeans not long after. The USA, not to be left out send ships to mars and the Planet is colonosied 1980. Spookily enough the main form of transport on mars becomes airships.

In 2002 with resources becoming scarce there is a push for the asteriod belts and the 1st interplanetary war breaks out.

Just my 2c worth ;)