enbylvania
Self-Requested Ban
- Location
- some other dimension
- Pronouns
- They/She/He
Is Djibouti part of West Africa?
A Second Sunrise: Taiwan of 2020 Sent Back to 1911
- Thread starter ChrisProvidence
- Start date
- Original Modern Post-1900
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Map should be fixed now.
StarSerpent
Upjumped Peasant
- Location
- Cowtown, AB
Did Okinawa not get annexed by China? Or was it just the southern bits of the prefecture?
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Mostly the islands the ROC claims, plus the chain with Ishigaki that was taken as a forward naval/marine base due to their position, as well as a relatively-small population.
Okinawa proper would probably be too much of a hassle.
Taipei considered it, but they needed every bit of manpower and resources on supporting the Chinese Revolution.
Chloe Sullivan
Subdefective
- Location
- 1630 Revello Drive, Sunnydale CA
SV can add Jamelia Belltower to that list.
Are You Ready For Some Football?!
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Gridiron Football 6 Review, by Adam M. Webb, Gamespot.com
Gridiron football may not be a thing in the real world (due to the traumatic brain injuries scrambling players' brains), but that hasn't stopped the fans-turned-indie devs at Red Zone Entertainment from releasing their newest version of their series for Android and PC. Two years have passed since the last release, but can the double development time prevent the series from suffering the same curse of the Madden series in the Lost History?
The short answer is yes, and the long answer is that it improves on the tried and tested formula of the hard-hitting fictional game that players around the world love. From feature improvements, to an updated graphical suite, to the sheer off-the-field depth, GF6 is the one and only game on the market that brings the Lost History sport back to life... or close enough, anyways.
Seriously, this is the only place where you can get your Gridiron Football fix when the real sport has been outlawed by the United States Federal Government since 1916. If you want hard-hitting, high-impact Gridiron Football, GF6 is the game for you to play… and watch, once the eSports Internationale comes around.
If you played Gridiron Football 5, you'll be familiar with the gameplay of Gridiron Football 6. Like its predecessors, GF6 is built on the venerable 2K5 Engine, which can trace its roots back to the game ESPN NFL 2K5. Gameplay has seen some slight tweaks, particularly in the inclusion of a new "Aim and Fire" mechanic that addresses players' complaints about the ease of passing in GF5. Unlike the previous installment, players will be required to hold down the button for their intended receiver, release, then tap once more to aim the ball at the receiver. Of course, this option can be toggled in the pause menu, and it is disabled on Rookie difficulty.
Defense has been largely-unchanged from GF5, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's still the same physics-based tackling that fans have come to love and enjoy, though Red Zone has been working under the hood with just as much love and care as they did for "Aim and Fire." You may notice collisions being a bit heavier, while defensive players will be a bit smarter when it comes to sprinting after you when you're on a breakaway.
The biggest change, of course, is the inclusion of "Cinematic Moments." This feature, which can be toggled in the settings, allows players to view big hits, breakways, and iconic catches that'd show up in highlight reels. This may be dating me as an retro gamer, but I can see that they definitely took some inspiration from the Blitz: The League series. Without the bones breaking, ribs cracking, or testicles exploding, thankfully.
As for the AI, there isn't much to say besides the fact that the AI is just smarter in general. As funny as fan-favorite player Drew Morris' memetic ability to throw interceptions may have been, the new AI will think twice before throwing the ball into triple coverage. But it is strategy where GF6's AI shines the brightest. For example, if the AI's ahead in the 4th quarter, and they have the ball, don't be surprised if they decide to run out the play clock to the last five minutes and keep it on the ground.
The Gridiron Football series has always prided itself on its customization, and that continues here. Franchise Mode has seen several upgrades, including stadium construction, relocation, an optional Promotion-Relegation system, and the includion of a Minor League to train your new talent. Then there's the expanded Career Mode, where players will be able to enjoy an immersive, in-depth experience that embodies a pro football player's life in the Lost History.
So should you get GF6? With new gameplay, a customizable Franchise Mode, a new Career Mode, and even more depth to Create-A-Team, the game is all sorts of fun for you and the whole family. It's the closest you'll get to actually playing anything more than flag football these days, and your brain'll be better for it.
Gridiron football may not be a thing in the real world (due to the traumatic brain injuries scrambling players' brains), but that hasn't stopped the fans-turned-indie devs at Red Zone Entertainment from releasing their newest version of their series for Android and PC. Two years have passed since the last release, but can the double development time prevent the series from suffering the same curse of the Madden series in the Lost History?
The short answer is yes, and the long answer is that it improves on the tried and tested formula of the hard-hitting fictional game that players around the world love. From feature improvements, to an updated graphical suite, to the sheer off-the-field depth, GF6 is the one and only game on the market that brings the Lost History sport back to life... or close enough, anyways.
Seriously, this is the only place where you can get your Gridiron Football fix when the real sport has been outlawed by the United States Federal Government since 1916. If you want hard-hitting, high-impact Gridiron Football, GF6 is the game for you to play… and watch, once the eSports Internationale comes around.
If you played Gridiron Football 5, you'll be familiar with the gameplay of Gridiron Football 6. Like its predecessors, GF6 is built on the venerable 2K5 Engine, which can trace its roots back to the game ESPN NFL 2K5. Gameplay has seen some slight tweaks, particularly in the inclusion of a new "Aim and Fire" mechanic that addresses players' complaints about the ease of passing in GF5. Unlike the previous installment, players will be required to hold down the button for their intended receiver, release, then tap once more to aim the ball at the receiver. Of course, this option can be toggled in the pause menu, and it is disabled on Rookie difficulty.
Defense has been largely-unchanged from GF5, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's still the same physics-based tackling that fans have come to love and enjoy, though Red Zone has been working under the hood with just as much love and care as they did for "Aim and Fire." You may notice collisions being a bit heavier, while defensive players will be a bit smarter when it comes to sprinting after you when you're on a breakaway.
The biggest change, of course, is the inclusion of "Cinematic Moments." This feature, which can be toggled in the settings, allows players to view big hits, breakways, and iconic catches that'd show up in highlight reels. This may be dating me as an retro gamer, but I can see that they definitely took some inspiration from the Blitz: The League series. Without the bones breaking, ribs cracking, or testicles exploding, thankfully.
As for the AI, there isn't much to say besides the fact that the AI is just smarter in general. As funny as fan-favorite player Drew Morris' memetic ability to throw interceptions may have been, the new AI will think twice before throwing the ball into triple coverage. But it is strategy where GF6's AI shines the brightest. For example, if the AI's ahead in the 4th quarter, and they have the ball, don't be surprised if they decide to run out the play clock to the last five minutes and keep it on the ground.
The Gridiron Football series has always prided itself on its customization, and that continues here. Franchise Mode has seen several upgrades, including stadium construction, relocation, an optional Promotion-Relegation system, and the includion of a Minor League to train your new talent. Then there's the expanded Career Mode, where players will be able to enjoy an immersive, in-depth experience that embodies a pro football player's life in the Lost History.
So should you get GF6? With new gameplay, a customizable Franchise Mode, a new Career Mode, and even more depth to Create-A-Team, the game is all sorts of fun for you and the whole family. It's the closest you'll get to actually playing anything more than flag football these days, and your brain'll be better for it.
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ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I should clarify a few things:
1. The first screenshot comes from the YouTube channel NotTheExpert. Drew's always funny to watch (even if he's a friggin' Auburn fan).
2. The only reason a football game exists is because the Madden games entered the Public Domain after the island went back in time, and they developed a cult following.
3. So yeah, American Football is only really a thing in video games in Second Sunrise, and that's because the American and Canadian governments banned the sport due to all the traumatic brain injuries, suicides, and everything else.
4. Okay, this might be a little bit of wish fulfillment on my end, since all I want is a good football video game that doesn't rest on its laurels and didn't strip out Create-A-Team. Yes, I'm still mad about this, and I do not intend on forgiving EA Sports for removing that feature years ago.
1. The first screenshot comes from the YouTube channel NotTheExpert. Drew's always funny to watch (even if he's a friggin' Auburn fan).
2. The only reason a football game exists is because the Madden games entered the Public Domain after the island went back in time, and they developed a cult following.
3. So yeah, American Football is only really a thing in video games in Second Sunrise, and that's because the American and Canadian governments banned the sport due to all the traumatic brain injuries, suicides, and everything else.
4. Okay, this might be a little bit of wish fulfillment on my end, since all I want is a good football video game that doesn't rest on its laurels and didn't strip out Create-A-Team. Yes, I'm still mad about this, and I do not intend on forgiving EA Sports for removing that feature years ago.
- Pronouns
- He/Him/They/Them
Do you think that the kind of football much of the world thinks first when they hear the word "football" might get a chance in the US then? Especially with Lost History's failures in this regard.
Baseball isn't going anywhere, since Taiwan is just as mad about it as the US; association football and basketball might get an early boost, probably gaining a few players that would've played gridiron instead, but the heavier players would probably gravitate towards rugby, perhaps league more than union, because it was already a professional sport by the time of the ISOT.
However, rugby and soccer will probably play second fiddle to baseball for a long time here.
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yeah, I can see that.
American football is referred to as "Gridiron Football" in this timeline, so Football/Soccer/Association Football is likely to replace it as a sport.
If for nothing else than how I'm half-tempted to have the top tier of that sport's league be called the "National Football League."
- Location
- Neptune
And that's not even touching the Blood Bowl total conversion.
Chapter 76: Tech Tree Speedrunning
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
National Taipei University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, 2 February 1933
"Nope," said Aki after her husband texted her a picture of a motorcycle, "Not happening."
As far as she was concerned, she'd just decided to accept the weirdness of the world at this point. Be it an entire island teleporting, an entire fleet being sunk in a night, or somehow starting a relationship with and then marrying one of the people who freed her island, her M.O. for over two decades had been "Just nod your head and go with the flow, as long as it's not going to get you killed."
It was this kind of adaptive thinking that had gotten her through the Great Journey, working as a civilian researcher for an intelligence agency, and it was how she'd gotten her job as a professor in Taipei. What it hadn't gotten her was any more comfort for riding a motorcycle, ever since her husband had brought his first one over to Ishigaki.
"Aw, you're no fun," Michael teased, "Morgan and Lin think it looks cool. It's electric and everything."
"Morgan and Lin probably expect you to give them free rides," Aki pointed out. "Besides, everything's electric these days. So no."
Coincidentally, that had been the topic of her most recent lecture. Well, it had been the rapid advancement in technology in general after 1911, but the discussion had quickly narrowed down to transportation in general, with an emphasis on electrified vehicles and logistics. At least two of her students had asked if they could write their Senior Thesis on the subject, with Guo and Feng agreeing to focus on automobiles and locomotives, respectively.
Now, if only people could find somebody else to be their advisor besides me...
"So," he husband continued, breaking her train of thought, "Is that no to the motorcycle or no to giving the kids free rides on it?"
"Both."
"Like I said, you're no fun." If she didn't know better, he probably had the smuggest grin on his face right now. Then again, he probably agreed with her, jokes notwithstanding. "Okay, how about e-bikes?"
"We already have e-bikes."
"Yeah, but these are the new and improved ones, Aki. Should be able to get us about two hundred kilometers, no problem. That's what, halfway to Kaohsiung?"
"Michael, we live in a city with good public transportation. You don't need an e-bike that can go two hundred. One-fifty is more than enough for us for our commute. Besides, that's money that could be spent on other things."
"Yeah, I could use another tool set," he mused... "Or Guardians season tickets with Lin."
"You did promise to spend more time with him and Morgan," Aki reminded him, though it wasn't like he was going to object. He had his hobbies, just as he had hers. "And it's not like Lin could ride a motorcycle, anyways."
White House, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, 25 February 1933
"So," began President Roosevelt to his staff, "Explain the situation to me. In English, please."
"Well," said Vice President Wallace, "The situation is complicated."
"I'm well aware of that, Henry. What I want to know is the basics, so we can have a foundation to build upon."
"Alright," Wallace answered, "As you are no doubt aware, the revelation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or 'CTE' for short, a disease in the brain caused by repeated trauma, has led to the phasing out of Gridiron Football and Rugby in favor of Association Football, or just 'Football' for short."
"Well then," Roosevelt needed a second to process all of that. "So the Great journey occurring has changed the course of history to the point that Football- er, Gridiron Football, and Rugby are largely non-existent."
"Not exactly," Wallace pointed out, "While the sports do not have the same following or appeal due to health reasons, "Flag Football," a variant based around pulling flags from belts rather than tackling, is a popular recreational sport. But the National Football League of the Lost History did not form in our timeline, with the National Football League taking its place."
"Come again?"
"Yes, well, the National Football League of our timeline is the creation of several businessmen: media mogul Howard Hughes, Quebecois magnate Herbert Molson, and Kennedy Theater Group owner Joseph P. Kennedy. These men saw the growing popularity of Association Football as an alternative to Gridiron Football, and this led to the formation of the National Football League in 1930."
"That makes it even more confusing, President Roosevelt said in exasperation, "So the current National Football League, which has no relation to the National Football League of the Lost History..."
"Yes."
"And the recent champions of the National Football League, the Boston Revolution, wish to visit the White House, along with their newest members known as Sacramento Republic FC... Hold on a second."
"Yes?"
"Why exactly are we welcoming the newest members of the NFL? They didn't win the championship."
"They're the champions of the American Football League. As champions, they and the second-place Los Angeles FC have been promoted to the NFL, while New York City FC and the Pittsburgh Steelers were relegated to the AFL. It's inspired by the British system in their Football League."
"I see. So in short, we have two football leagues, known as the National Football League and the American Football League," Vice President Wallace nodded, "And neither of them are related to the National Football League and the American Football League of the Lost History. The AFL promotes their best two teams to the NFL, while the NFL relegates the worst two teams to the AFL."
"Yes."
"So, where does that leave us, then?"
"Sacramento Republic and the Boston Revolution will be arriving next week," Wallace told him, "I'll be meeting with Sacramento, while you'll be meeting with Boston."
"Truth be told, Henry" Roosevelt sighed, "You should have led with that. You could've saved me a headache's worth of confusion."
Tech Talk: The HTC 33, YouTube
Hey, I'm Emmanuel Tsu here with this week's episode of Tech Talk. Today, we'll be unveiling the HTC 33, the newest phone coming out of China.
If you've been with the channel for a long time, you'll know I'm from the Lost History. That's right: My wife and I were sent back in time with Taiwan. Back then, HTC had been the dominant phone in the Chinese market, but that does not mean that they have been resting on their laurels.
With 256 gigs of RAM, 6G compatibility, and a built-in AI translator suite, the HTC 33 is on the cutting edge of technology and a must-have for those with high expectations or high requirements for their work.
In this increasingly-connected world, you need the best translation software if you want to stay ahead of the curve, and 256 gigs of RAM is more than enough to run Android 33's new AI translator suite in real-time. This is definitely a step up from previous iterations of the software, where translation capabilities were limited by reception or, in the military's case, built-in databases that took up half your memory.
This isn't the case with the new AI translator suite, which allows for real-time translation of text and imagery, with different dialects added by the day. Factor in the new Augmented Reality upgrades of Android 32, and users will be one step closer to communicating and reading foreign languages like a native speaker.
Of course, all the capabilities in the world are worth nothing if the phone's broken, and breakthroughs in material science have improved the durability of the HTC 33 when it comes to drop tests, as well as regular wear and tear.
National Institute of Science and Technology, Nanjing, National Capital Region, Republic of China, 3 April 1933
"Huh," said the former general, before looking over the image in the program, "You know, Marty, I remember when they were testing this out, around the time of the Journey. If I remember correctly, they had trouble getting the battery to last longer than six hours."
"Welcome to the future, Mike," his brother-in-all-but-name told him, before pointing to the demonstration in the field. "Twenty years' worth of R&D into batteries and materials science will do wonders, you know. Why, you interested in going active-duty again?"
"My knees say otherwise, Marty," the old marine chuckled. He liked to think he was in good shape, but military service hadn't done his joints any favors. "But honestly, I'm just wondering why we didn't have these in the field a decade ago. Pretty sure my guys would've killed for this kind of tech."
"Yeah, well, you already know the answer," said the long-term Director of the MIB. "You're the one who's an engineer, after all."
"Yeah, yeah, I know: Prototypes that can't be mass-produced or Marine-Proof will remain prototypes."
"Precisely. And now that we can do both, it should enter production this year. Mostly in the rear-echelon, of course."
"So heavy-lifting and all that?" Marty nodded. "And here I thought what we're seeing is advanced warfare."
"Baby steps, brother," the spymaster chuckled. "For what it's worth, your old unit's volunteered to test it, and they seemed to like it. Once production picks up, we should see it in the field by the middle of the decade."
"You know they're gonna have to retrain all the guys on them, right?" His old friend nodded, as if to say the obvious. New equipment always meant more training, and that probably went double for an exoskeleton that could break a joint if they weren't careful. "Think the rank and file'll be down for it?"
"Mike, it's a fucking combat exoskeleton. Who wouldn't want to try one out?"
"Fair enough," he relented, only to go silent when the realization hit him. "These guys are going to do so much stupid shit with these, aren't they?"
"Yup."
"Guess things really haven't changed since I left."
The Masses Weekly Podcast, Episode 124: Jean Brodeur, 1 May 1933
REED: Welcome back to The Masses Weekly Podcast, where we go over the week's news from the perspective of the common man. I am your host, Jack Silas Reed, and with me is my co-host Dorothy Day.
DAY: Always a pleasure to be here, Jack. Now that we've covered the news for this week, we have a special guest joining us today.
REED: That we do. For our next guest, we have Jean Brodeur. Mr. Brodeur served as a Captain in the French military during the Great War, as a spokesman for the French government, and he is currently the editor-in-chief of the French leftist magazine L'Humanité.
BRODEUR: Thank you for having me on again. I apologize in advance for my English.
REED: Apology accepted. Now, as an expert on colonial policy, it would be good to hear your perspective on the situation in French Africa.
BRODEUR: I wouldn't go that far, Jack. There are so many more-knowledgeable voices out there that I would hardly call myself an expert.
DAY: Haven't you written multiple books on the subject. In fact, both Jack and I have read your most famous work, The Specter of Red Colonialism just last week.
BRODEUR: That I have. And, just so we're clear, what did you two think about it?
DAY: It was enlightening, to say the least. From a human-based perspective that is sorely-needed when it comes to the issue of decolonization.
BRODEUR: And you, Jack?
REED: *Chuckles* Well, it's why we invited you onto this week's episode. As you are no doubt aware, there have been criticisms of the France's decolonization policy, particularly on the left. While there is much discussion to be had, I'm sure you are no doubt aware that many both here and in Europe have described France's decolonization policy in terms that you described in your own book.
BRODEUR: I am aware, yes. Of course, the situation is always more-complicated, and it will take a good amount of time to discuss it all.
DAY: Then by all means. You are the expert, after all.
BRODEUR: Alright. I'll try to keep this as concise as possible. In short, France's post-colonial policy is based around three central tenets: The spreading of socialist ideology for the prosperity of all Africans, the industrialization and development of the former colonies of West Africa, and the prevention of the excessess, corruption, conflict, and mistakes of the Lost History.
REED: Which is why France has effectively annexed several of the colonies in West Africa, has it not?
BRODEUR: While one could argue that these nations are effectively mandates, rather than coloniesI can see the argument that this is a distinction without a difference. However, the situation on the ground necessitates a continued presence, a statement that is shared across the ideological spectrum in Nanjing as well as Paris.
REED: And why is that? Wouldn't a shorter path to independence be more-ideal?
BRODEUR: Yes, but it is worth noting that the reason for this. Two of the largest issues for the formerly-colonial nations in the Lost History were the lack of development and the lack of trained professionals. We have to remember that the average European colony in Africa was largely-oriented around the export of resources and the import of finished goods; this creates a domestic economy that is largely non-existent outside of subsistence farming and some cottage industries, an infrastructure built around that economy, assuming it even exists in the first place, and a lack of locals who are trained professional due to the former two.
DAY: Which led to much of the dysfunction in the Lost History's post-colonial era, as well as Paris' policy of developing the infrastructure, economy, and education of its territory outside of Metropolitan France.
REED: Policies that, unfortunately, London, Berlin, Lisbon, Rome, and Morocco did not follow.
BRODEUR: Precisely. Which is why France's former colonies are largely-integrated. They have voting rights, education, and representation in our legislature, while the standard of living is rapidly-approaching that of the Metropole.
REED: There are concerns about Francification, though. From what I have seen during my visit to Algiers, the teaching of the French language is considered mandatory, just as it is in the Metropole.
BRODEUR: That it is. However, I would like to point out that Paris has stepped away from suppression of regional languages and dialects, particularly under the Briand administration.
DAY: He was the one who gave the, "Socialism is the language of the people" speech, right?
BRODEUR: Yes. While it is necessary for French language to be taught as a common language, Paris' official policy on paper and in execution has been to allow and encourage the teaching of non-French, for lack of a better term, languages.
DAY: Which allows those who do not speak French as their first languages to see socialism as something compatible with their own views, rather than a uniquely-French concept.
REED: I want to jump in here and point something out: The lack of suppression of non-French languages is possibly one of the biggest changest between the Radical-Socialist government and its Lost History counterparts. Could you elaborate on that?
BRODEUR: Of course. As somebody in the room when this decision happened, the argument for this policy shift was that if Socialism and Radicalism were to be the ideology that transcended religious, class, and cultural lines, then we ought to encourage a culture that embraces the differences between our fellow citizens, while embracing all that we have in common.
REED: A noble goal. Of course, there are claims that in doing so, the Radical-Socialist alliance has suppressed many cultural values in its colonies.
BRODEUR: That is a broad statement, and it does not leave room for nuance about the specific values that are being opposed. Many of them, I should add, are anathema to the ideals we pride ourselves on.
REED: Of course. Could you elaborate on that?
BRODEUR: As I said, it depends on the values. When it comes to language, music, or customs, they're generally fine with it, as long as it's not harming anyone. If anything, the Radical-Socialist alliance encourages them. But when we're talking about things like female genital mutilation, patriarchy, or monarchism, those values ought to be discouraged at every corner.
DAY: A line in the sand, then.
BRODEUR: Effectively, yes. But in general, the policy has been to promote local cultures. As we previously discussed, doing so helps us convince the people that we're trying to convince that that our ideas are compatible with their own.
DAY: Assuming it doesn't cross that line, of course.
BRODEUR: Of course. And that line has to be drawn somewhere.
#tech-chat, Somewhat-Credible-Defense Discord Server, 25 June 1933
NanjingNan Today at 10:30 AM
So, why DID Nanjing develop and build a stealth fighter? Who the heck are they going to fight? The French?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:30 AM
Aliens, lol.
In all seriousness, they probably want to maintain their technological supremacy in the world. China may be cutting-edge, but other countries are catching up with their own jets.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:31 AM
I think they just buy jets from China at this point. I remember training on the F-CK-1 at the end of the war, so Nanjing probably wants to keep their tech advantage. Which explains the whole multi-role stealth fighter thing they're doing with Japan, Korea, Indochina, India, and Siam.
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:32 AM
That, and a lot of those airframes are probably old AF. Seriously, they were showing signs of wear and tear 20 years ago, so they probably had to be replaced anyways.
NanjingNan Today at 10:32 AM
Eh, it depends. If the F-35 program is anything to go by, most of the cost is up-front. R&D stuff, you know?
Bulakeno Today at 10:33 AM
Plus, this is China we're talking about. The country is basically a reverse black hole that spits out money.
And they've had over two decades to work on materials science and all that stuff, too.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:33 AM
I swear, what do they feed those guys at NIST? Cocaine and amphetamines?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:34 AM
Probably some Adderall, too.
ThaiSiameseWhatevs Today at 10:35 AM
What's NIST?
NanjingNan Today at 10:35 AM
NIST = National Institute of Science and Technology.
Basically, they're the guys who come up with all of China's wacky futuristic weapons. Also, probably the people responsible for like, 90% of the UFO sightings, if we're being honest
ThaiSiameseWhatevs Today at 10:35 AM
Thx
NanjingNan Today at 10:36 AM
I'm still wondering who they'd even use that on? Racist Holdouts?
Bulakeno Today at 10:37 AM
No idea.
Seriously, we don't know who, because geopolitics changes.
Maybe it's America. Maybe it's France.
Hell, maybe it's Nazis coming from the TNO timeline.
Point is, they don't know what will happen, so they want to have the best equipment available, just in case.
NanjingNan Today at 10:37 AM
The old, "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it," mindset.
That probably explains all the planes running off the factory line.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:38 AM
Damn, I'd hate to be on China's bad side.
Good thing they're not dicks. Compared to the Lost History TL countries, anyways.
NanjingNan Today at 10:38 AM
Yeah, China's foreign policy decisions can basically be boiled down to, "Hey guys, let's NOT do this shitty thing from the Lost History, m'kay?"
Usually that comes in the form of not being massive assholes to everyone else on Twitter.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:39 AM
Wold Warrior Diplomacy, my behated.
Also, anything I miss, guys?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:40 AM
Not much, Freebs. Just talking about the new Chinese fighter. You?
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:40 AM
Got my commission today.
You're talking to the USMC's newest Second Lieutenant.
NanjingNan Today at 10:40 AM
Congrats!
Bulakeno Today at 10:40 AM
Awesome!
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:40 AM
Happy for you, man.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:40 AM
Thanks, guys. Anything new with y'all?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:40 AM
Just went to a con in Hong Kong, and I got Shannon Wu's autograph.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:41 AM
She's the one who does that isekai manhua series, right?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:41 AM
Yup, that's her.
Anyways, before the mods yell at me for being off-topic in Tech Chat, any update over there on you guys getting your first MSR in the states?
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:42 AM
That new reactor?
That's over in Los Angeles. I'm down in San Diego rn, but it seems cool enough.
Thorium's dirt-cheap, and it's not like we're using it for anything else. Waste might be a problem, tho.
NanjingNan Today at 10:42 AM
IIRC, they use lasers for that stuff, so nbd. I think there's a facility over in Pasadena that basically makes it harmless.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:43 AM
Well, that's pretty awesome. Score two for America, then.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:43 AM
What's the second one?
NanjingNan Today at 10:42 AM
Amelia Earhart's going up in space next week.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:43 AM
Ah.
That makes America... what, third in line?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:43 AM
Sixth.
China on the first one, followed by Japan, Korea, Russia, France. America will be number six on this one.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:44 AM
Congratulations to you all.
And a second congratulations for not picking the turbo-racist.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:43 AM
Aw, c'mon.
Lindbergh didn't even make the short-list!
Fong Residence, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, Republic of China, 14 July 1933
Now, Rachel knew that her family has a history of progressive thought. She had ancestors who fought alongside Sun Yat-Sen's forces in both times, and several men were members of the Tongmengui. Not the Kuomintang, but its predecessor.
That said, she had feared they would reject her. Progressive opinion or not, the fact remained that the people here were over a century older than she was, and the odds of them accepting her for who she was were... well, she didn't want to think about it. For all of her accomplishments and all she had done in her life, there was an underlying fear that her family would, once again, reject her for who she was.
That fear had largely-subsided at this point, if the little boy happily sitting next to her and Shannon was anything to go by.
Little Fong Shoi-ming had taken a liking to her almost immediately, and he had practically followed Rachel and Shannon around everywhere. Some of it was "Can you play with me?" to which Rachel or Shannon would make time, but most of it revolved around, "Can you tell me another story, please?"
Which was a little awkward, seeing that the kid was her paternal grandfather. Sure, Rachel adored the little kid, but she couldn't shake the fact that said child would grow up to be the kindly old man who would hold her in his lap when she was a baby.
It's a good thing you're so adorable, little one. Otherwise, this would be awkward.
"Wait," the boy said with childlike excitement, "So you saved the President of China?"
"That was over two decades ago," Rachel told him, "But yes, I helped save him from being executed by Yuan Shikai's men."
"That's awesome!" Shoi-ming exclaimed. "Can you tell me another story?"
Rachel looked to her great-grandfather across the room, who just smiled and nodded back at her.
"I think I can tell one more," she sighed, before the little boy hugged her again. Now came the hard part, where she had to think of a fun story for her grandfather that wasn't classified.
Rachel was sure she'd come up with something. She had plenty of stories that weren't state secrets.
But even if she didn't, she was just happy to be here, accepted by her family.
"Nope," said Aki after her husband texted her a picture of a motorcycle, "Not happening."
As far as she was concerned, she'd just decided to accept the weirdness of the world at this point. Be it an entire island teleporting, an entire fleet being sunk in a night, or somehow starting a relationship with and then marrying one of the people who freed her island, her M.O. for over two decades had been "Just nod your head and go with the flow, as long as it's not going to get you killed."
It was this kind of adaptive thinking that had gotten her through the Great Journey, working as a civilian researcher for an intelligence agency, and it was how she'd gotten her job as a professor in Taipei. What it hadn't gotten her was any more comfort for riding a motorcycle, ever since her husband had brought his first one over to Ishigaki.
"Aw, you're no fun," Michael teased, "Morgan and Lin think it looks cool. It's electric and everything."
"Morgan and Lin probably expect you to give them free rides," Aki pointed out. "Besides, everything's electric these days. So no."
Coincidentally, that had been the topic of her most recent lecture. Well, it had been the rapid advancement in technology in general after 1911, but the discussion had quickly narrowed down to transportation in general, with an emphasis on electrified vehicles and logistics. At least two of her students had asked if they could write their Senior Thesis on the subject, with Guo and Feng agreeing to focus on automobiles and locomotives, respectively.
Now, if only people could find somebody else to be their advisor besides me...
"So," he husband continued, breaking her train of thought, "Is that no to the motorcycle or no to giving the kids free rides on it?"
"Both."
"Like I said, you're no fun." If she didn't know better, he probably had the smuggest grin on his face right now. Then again, he probably agreed with her, jokes notwithstanding. "Okay, how about e-bikes?"
"We already have e-bikes."
"Yeah, but these are the new and improved ones, Aki. Should be able to get us about two hundred kilometers, no problem. That's what, halfway to Kaohsiung?"
"Michael, we live in a city with good public transportation. You don't need an e-bike that can go two hundred. One-fifty is more than enough for us for our commute. Besides, that's money that could be spent on other things."
"Yeah, I could use another tool set," he mused... "Or Guardians season tickets with Lin."
"You did promise to spend more time with him and Morgan," Aki reminded him, though it wasn't like he was going to object. He had his hobbies, just as he had hers. "And it's not like Lin could ride a motorcycle, anyways."
White House, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, 25 February 1933
"So," began President Roosevelt to his staff, "Explain the situation to me. In English, please."
"Well," said Vice President Wallace, "The situation is complicated."
"I'm well aware of that, Henry. What I want to know is the basics, so we can have a foundation to build upon."
"Alright," Wallace answered, "As you are no doubt aware, the revelation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or 'CTE' for short, a disease in the brain caused by repeated trauma, has led to the phasing out of Gridiron Football and Rugby in favor of Association Football, or just 'Football' for short."
"Well then," Roosevelt needed a second to process all of that. "So the Great journey occurring has changed the course of history to the point that Football- er, Gridiron Football, and Rugby are largely non-existent."
"Not exactly," Wallace pointed out, "While the sports do not have the same following or appeal due to health reasons, "Flag Football," a variant based around pulling flags from belts rather than tackling, is a popular recreational sport. But the National Football League of the Lost History did not form in our timeline, with the National Football League taking its place."
"Come again?"
"Yes, well, the National Football League of our timeline is the creation of several businessmen: media mogul Howard Hughes, Quebecois magnate Herbert Molson, and Kennedy Theater Group owner Joseph P. Kennedy. These men saw the growing popularity of Association Football as an alternative to Gridiron Football, and this led to the formation of the National Football League in 1930."
"That makes it even more confusing, President Roosevelt said in exasperation, "So the current National Football League, which has no relation to the National Football League of the Lost History..."
"Yes."
"And the recent champions of the National Football League, the Boston Revolution, wish to visit the White House, along with their newest members known as Sacramento Republic FC... Hold on a second."
"Yes?"
"Why exactly are we welcoming the newest members of the NFL? They didn't win the championship."
"They're the champions of the American Football League. As champions, they and the second-place Los Angeles FC have been promoted to the NFL, while New York City FC and the Pittsburgh Steelers were relegated to the AFL. It's inspired by the British system in their Football League."
"I see. So in short, we have two football leagues, known as the National Football League and the American Football League," Vice President Wallace nodded, "And neither of them are related to the National Football League and the American Football League of the Lost History. The AFL promotes their best two teams to the NFL, while the NFL relegates the worst two teams to the AFL."
"Yes."
"So, where does that leave us, then?"
"Sacramento Republic and the Boston Revolution will be arriving next week," Wallace told him, "I'll be meeting with Sacramento, while you'll be meeting with Boston."
"Truth be told, Henry" Roosevelt sighed, "You should have led with that. You could've saved me a headache's worth of confusion."
Tech Talk: The HTC 33, YouTube
Hey, I'm Emmanuel Tsu here with this week's episode of Tech Talk. Today, we'll be unveiling the HTC 33, the newest phone coming out of China.
If you've been with the channel for a long time, you'll know I'm from the Lost History. That's right: My wife and I were sent back in time with Taiwan. Back then, HTC had been the dominant phone in the Chinese market, but that does not mean that they have been resting on their laurels.
With 256 gigs of RAM, 6G compatibility, and a built-in AI translator suite, the HTC 33 is on the cutting edge of technology and a must-have for those with high expectations or high requirements for their work.
In this increasingly-connected world, you need the best translation software if you want to stay ahead of the curve, and 256 gigs of RAM is more than enough to run Android 33's new AI translator suite in real-time. This is definitely a step up from previous iterations of the software, where translation capabilities were limited by reception or, in the military's case, built-in databases that took up half your memory.
This isn't the case with the new AI translator suite, which allows for real-time translation of text and imagery, with different dialects added by the day. Factor in the new Augmented Reality upgrades of Android 32, and users will be one step closer to communicating and reading foreign languages like a native speaker.
Of course, all the capabilities in the world are worth nothing if the phone's broken, and breakthroughs in material science have improved the durability of the HTC 33 when it comes to drop tests, as well as regular wear and tear.
National Institute of Science and Technology, Nanjing, National Capital Region, Republic of China, 3 April 1933
"Huh," said the former general, before looking over the image in the program, "You know, Marty, I remember when they were testing this out, around the time of the Journey. If I remember correctly, they had trouble getting the battery to last longer than six hours."
"Welcome to the future, Mike," his brother-in-all-but-name told him, before pointing to the demonstration in the field. "Twenty years' worth of R&D into batteries and materials science will do wonders, you know. Why, you interested in going active-duty again?"
"My knees say otherwise, Marty," the old marine chuckled. He liked to think he was in good shape, but military service hadn't done his joints any favors. "But honestly, I'm just wondering why we didn't have these in the field a decade ago. Pretty sure my guys would've killed for this kind of tech."
"Yeah, well, you already know the answer," said the long-term Director of the MIB. "You're the one who's an engineer, after all."
"Yeah, yeah, I know: Prototypes that can't be mass-produced or Marine-Proof will remain prototypes."
"Precisely. And now that we can do both, it should enter production this year. Mostly in the rear-echelon, of course."
"So heavy-lifting and all that?" Marty nodded. "And here I thought what we're seeing is advanced warfare."
"Baby steps, brother," the spymaster chuckled. "For what it's worth, your old unit's volunteered to test it, and they seemed to like it. Once production picks up, we should see it in the field by the middle of the decade."
"You know they're gonna have to retrain all the guys on them, right?" His old friend nodded, as if to say the obvious. New equipment always meant more training, and that probably went double for an exoskeleton that could break a joint if they weren't careful. "Think the rank and file'll be down for it?"
"Mike, it's a fucking combat exoskeleton. Who wouldn't want to try one out?"
"Fair enough," he relented, only to go silent when the realization hit him. "These guys are going to do so much stupid shit with these, aren't they?"
"Yup."
"Guess things really haven't changed since I left."
The Masses Weekly Podcast, Episode 124: Jean Brodeur, 1 May 1933
REED: Welcome back to The Masses Weekly Podcast, where we go over the week's news from the perspective of the common man. I am your host, Jack Silas Reed, and with me is my co-host Dorothy Day.
DAY: Always a pleasure to be here, Jack. Now that we've covered the news for this week, we have a special guest joining us today.
REED: That we do. For our next guest, we have Jean Brodeur. Mr. Brodeur served as a Captain in the French military during the Great War, as a spokesman for the French government, and he is currently the editor-in-chief of the French leftist magazine L'Humanité.
BRODEUR: Thank you for having me on again. I apologize in advance for my English.
REED: Apology accepted. Now, as an expert on colonial policy, it would be good to hear your perspective on the situation in French Africa.
BRODEUR: I wouldn't go that far, Jack. There are so many more-knowledgeable voices out there that I would hardly call myself an expert.
DAY: Haven't you written multiple books on the subject. In fact, both Jack and I have read your most famous work, The Specter of Red Colonialism just last week.
BRODEUR: That I have. And, just so we're clear, what did you two think about it?
DAY: It was enlightening, to say the least. From a human-based perspective that is sorely-needed when it comes to the issue of decolonization.
BRODEUR: And you, Jack?
REED: *Chuckles* Well, it's why we invited you onto this week's episode. As you are no doubt aware, there have been criticisms of the France's decolonization policy, particularly on the left. While there is much discussion to be had, I'm sure you are no doubt aware that many both here and in Europe have described France's decolonization policy in terms that you described in your own book.
BRODEUR: I am aware, yes. Of course, the situation is always more-complicated, and it will take a good amount of time to discuss it all.
DAY: Then by all means. You are the expert, after all.
BRODEUR: Alright. I'll try to keep this as concise as possible. In short, France's post-colonial policy is based around three central tenets: The spreading of socialist ideology for the prosperity of all Africans, the industrialization and development of the former colonies of West Africa, and the prevention of the excessess, corruption, conflict, and mistakes of the Lost History.
REED: Which is why France has effectively annexed several of the colonies in West Africa, has it not?
BRODEUR: While one could argue that these nations are effectively mandates, rather than coloniesI can see the argument that this is a distinction without a difference. However, the situation on the ground necessitates a continued presence, a statement that is shared across the ideological spectrum in Nanjing as well as Paris.
REED: And why is that? Wouldn't a shorter path to independence be more-ideal?
BRODEUR: Yes, but it is worth noting that the reason for this. Two of the largest issues for the formerly-colonial nations in the Lost History were the lack of development and the lack of trained professionals. We have to remember that the average European colony in Africa was largely-oriented around the export of resources and the import of finished goods; this creates a domestic economy that is largely non-existent outside of subsistence farming and some cottage industries, an infrastructure built around that economy, assuming it even exists in the first place, and a lack of locals who are trained professional due to the former two.
DAY: Which led to much of the dysfunction in the Lost History's post-colonial era, as well as Paris' policy of developing the infrastructure, economy, and education of its territory outside of Metropolitan France.
REED: Policies that, unfortunately, London, Berlin, Lisbon, Rome, and Morocco did not follow.
BRODEUR: Precisely. Which is why France's former colonies are largely-integrated. They have voting rights, education, and representation in our legislature, while the standard of living is rapidly-approaching that of the Metropole.
REED: There are concerns about Francification, though. From what I have seen during my visit to Algiers, the teaching of the French language is considered mandatory, just as it is in the Metropole.
BRODEUR: That it is. However, I would like to point out that Paris has stepped away from suppression of regional languages and dialects, particularly under the Briand administration.
DAY: He was the one who gave the, "Socialism is the language of the people" speech, right?
BRODEUR: Yes. While it is necessary for French language to be taught as a common language, Paris' official policy on paper and in execution has been to allow and encourage the teaching of non-French, for lack of a better term, languages.
DAY: Which allows those who do not speak French as their first languages to see socialism as something compatible with their own views, rather than a uniquely-French concept.
REED: I want to jump in here and point something out: The lack of suppression of non-French languages is possibly one of the biggest changest between the Radical-Socialist government and its Lost History counterparts. Could you elaborate on that?
BRODEUR: Of course. As somebody in the room when this decision happened, the argument for this policy shift was that if Socialism and Radicalism were to be the ideology that transcended religious, class, and cultural lines, then we ought to encourage a culture that embraces the differences between our fellow citizens, while embracing all that we have in common.
REED: A noble goal. Of course, there are claims that in doing so, the Radical-Socialist alliance has suppressed many cultural values in its colonies.
BRODEUR: That is a broad statement, and it does not leave room for nuance about the specific values that are being opposed. Many of them, I should add, are anathema to the ideals we pride ourselves on.
REED: Of course. Could you elaborate on that?
BRODEUR: As I said, it depends on the values. When it comes to language, music, or customs, they're generally fine with it, as long as it's not harming anyone. If anything, the Radical-Socialist alliance encourages them. But when we're talking about things like female genital mutilation, patriarchy, or monarchism, those values ought to be discouraged at every corner.
DAY: A line in the sand, then.
BRODEUR: Effectively, yes. But in general, the policy has been to promote local cultures. As we previously discussed, doing so helps us convince the people that we're trying to convince that that our ideas are compatible with their own.
DAY: Assuming it doesn't cross that line, of course.
BRODEUR: Of course. And that line has to be drawn somewhere.
#tech-chat, Somewhat-Credible-Defense Discord Server, 25 June 1933
NanjingNan Today at 10:30 AM
So, why DID Nanjing develop and build a stealth fighter? Who the heck are they going to fight? The French?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:30 AM
Aliens, lol.
In all seriousness, they probably want to maintain their technological supremacy in the world. China may be cutting-edge, but other countries are catching up with their own jets.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:31 AM
I think they just buy jets from China at this point. I remember training on the F-CK-1 at the end of the war, so Nanjing probably wants to keep their tech advantage. Which explains the whole multi-role stealth fighter thing they're doing with Japan, Korea, Indochina, India, and Siam.
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:32 AM
That, and a lot of those airframes are probably old AF. Seriously, they were showing signs of wear and tear 20 years ago, so they probably had to be replaced anyways.
NanjingNan Today at 10:32 AM
Eh, it depends. If the F-35 program is anything to go by, most of the cost is up-front. R&D stuff, you know?
Bulakeno Today at 10:33 AM
Plus, this is China we're talking about. The country is basically a reverse black hole that spits out money.
And they've had over two decades to work on materials science and all that stuff, too.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:33 AM
I swear, what do they feed those guys at NIST? Cocaine and amphetamines?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:34 AM
Probably some Adderall, too.
ThaiSiameseWhatevs Today at 10:35 AM
What's NIST?
NanjingNan Today at 10:35 AM
NIST = National Institute of Science and Technology.
Basically, they're the guys who come up with all of China's wacky futuristic weapons. Also, probably the people responsible for like, 90% of the UFO sightings, if we're being honest
ThaiSiameseWhatevs Today at 10:35 AM
Thx
NanjingNan Today at 10:36 AM
I'm still wondering who they'd even use that on? Racist Holdouts?
Bulakeno Today at 10:37 AM
No idea.
Seriously, we don't know who, because geopolitics changes.
Maybe it's America. Maybe it's France.
Hell, maybe it's Nazis coming from the TNO timeline.
Point is, they don't know what will happen, so they want to have the best equipment available, just in case.
NanjingNan Today at 10:37 AM
The old, "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it," mindset.
That probably explains all the planes running off the factory line.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:38 AM
Damn, I'd hate to be on China's bad side.
Good thing they're not dicks. Compared to the Lost History TL countries, anyways.
NanjingNan Today at 10:38 AM
Yeah, China's foreign policy decisions can basically be boiled down to, "Hey guys, let's NOT do this shitty thing from the Lost History, m'kay?"
Usually that comes in the form of not being massive assholes to everyone else on Twitter.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:39 AM
Wold Warrior Diplomacy, my behated.
Also, anything I miss, guys?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:40 AM
Not much, Freebs. Just talking about the new Chinese fighter. You?
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:40 AM
Got my commission today.
You're talking to the USMC's newest Second Lieutenant.
NanjingNan Today at 10:40 AM
Congrats!
Bulakeno Today at 10:40 AM
Awesome!
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:40 AM
Happy for you, man.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:40 AM
Thanks, guys. Anything new with y'all?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:40 AM
Just went to a con in Hong Kong, and I got Shannon Wu's autograph.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:41 AM
She's the one who does that isekai manhua series, right?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:41 AM
Yup, that's her.
Anyways, before the mods yell at me for being off-topic in Tech Chat, any update over there on you guys getting your first MSR in the states?
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:42 AM
That new reactor?
That's over in Los Angeles. I'm down in San Diego rn, but it seems cool enough.
Thorium's dirt-cheap, and it's not like we're using it for anything else. Waste might be a problem, tho.
NanjingNan Today at 10:42 AM
IIRC, they use lasers for that stuff, so nbd. I think there's a facility over in Pasadena that basically makes it harmless.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:43 AM
Well, that's pretty awesome. Score two for America, then.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:43 AM
What's the second one?
NanjingNan Today at 10:42 AM
Amelia Earhart's going up in space next week.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:43 AM
Ah.
That makes America... what, third in line?
IsekaiEnthusiast11 Today at 10:43 AM
Sixth.
China on the first one, followed by Japan, Korea, Russia, France. America will be number six on this one.
ViveLeInternationale Today at 10:44 AM
Congratulations to you all.
And a second congratulations for not picking the turbo-racist.
FreeabooButNotRacist at 10:43 AM
Aw, c'mon.
Lindbergh didn't even make the short-list!
Fong Residence, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, Republic of China, 14 July 1933
Now, Rachel knew that her family has a history of progressive thought. She had ancestors who fought alongside Sun Yat-Sen's forces in both times, and several men were members of the Tongmengui. Not the Kuomintang, but its predecessor.
That said, she had feared they would reject her. Progressive opinion or not, the fact remained that the people here were over a century older than she was, and the odds of them accepting her for who she was were... well, she didn't want to think about it. For all of her accomplishments and all she had done in her life, there was an underlying fear that her family would, once again, reject her for who she was.
That fear had largely-subsided at this point, if the little boy happily sitting next to her and Shannon was anything to go by.
Little Fong Shoi-ming had taken a liking to her almost immediately, and he had practically followed Rachel and Shannon around everywhere. Some of it was "Can you play with me?" to which Rachel or Shannon would make time, but most of it revolved around, "Can you tell me another story, please?"
Which was a little awkward, seeing that the kid was her paternal grandfather. Sure, Rachel adored the little kid, but she couldn't shake the fact that said child would grow up to be the kindly old man who would hold her in his lap when she was a baby.
It's a good thing you're so adorable, little one. Otherwise, this would be awkward.
"Wait," the boy said with childlike excitement, "So you saved the President of China?"
"That was over two decades ago," Rachel told him, "But yes, I helped save him from being executed by Yuan Shikai's men."
"That's awesome!" Shoi-ming exclaimed. "Can you tell me another story?"
Rachel looked to her great-grandfather across the room, who just smiled and nodded back at her.
"I think I can tell one more," she sighed, before the little boy hugged her again. Now came the hard part, where she had to think of a fun story for her grandfather that wasn't classified.
Rachel was sure she'd come up with something. She had plenty of stories that weren't state secrets.
But even if she didn't, she was just happy to be here, accepted by her family.
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I'll be honest, I kinda wrote this chapter so I could use the phrase, "National Football League," but with soccer.
A Daily (Radio) Show II: Jon Stewart Is Still Not Here
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The Daily Show With Groucho Marx, 8 August 1933
GROUCHO MARX: Welcome to the Daily Show! I'm Groucho Marx, and I'll be here until Jon Stewart or George Carlin are born! We have a great show tonight, with Senator Smedley Butler of Pennsylvania here to talk to us. Here's hoping it isn't another record filibuster, because this show's only thirty minutes long.
MARX: But first on our somehow, still-recurring segment, Manifesting Destiny: Today Canada, Central America... never.
MARX: Speaking of Central America, the first Summit of the Americas has begun today in Panama, where representatives of the United States of America, the United States of Mexico, and the United States of Central America all met to discuss all sorts of complicated things that the news channels that aren't PBS don't talk about, because it's boring.
MARX: To explain this monumental meeting between the three largest nations in North America, we have our foreign correspondent Bob Hope here to explain it for us. Bob?
HOPE: Thanks, Groucho. While this may be a bit confusing at first glance, it's actually pretty simple.
MARX: That's a relief-
HOPE: The leadership of the United States, the United States, and the United States all attended this meeting as a show of inter-American cooperation. Of course, there were issues, as the government of the United States had condemned the previous administration of the United States for the latter's insistence on intervening in the revolution in what is now the United States.
MARX: I see... And have there been any updates?
HOPE: The government of the United States has made a joint statement with the government of the United States that recognizes the newly-formed revolutionary government in the United States. In response, the newly-formed government of the United States thanked the government of the United States for the recognition while also thanking the government of the United States for mediating the discussion.
MARX: Well, that's not confusing at all. Go on...
HOPE: Now that the three governments are all on the same page, they have come to agreements regarding trade, migration, and mutual security. The United States had asked about the possibility of reparations for the property of the United Fruit Company that was seized and redistributed by the United States, but the United States and the United States both opposed such a measure. Despite this, it is clear that the United States, the United States, and the United States are all optimistic about cooperation between one another under the United States' Good Neighbor Policy.
MARX: That is good to hear. But for our viewers and listeners at home, who do you think were the winners, losers, and those who broke even.
HOPE: Well, Groucho, I'd have to say that it was the United States, the United States, and the United States, respectively.
MARX: Thanks for clearing things up, Bob. Now, on to our top story of the night: Strangers' Things.
(A parody of Stranger things logo appears on-screen)
MARX: We are no strangers to odd occurrences in America. After all, we've seen an entire island teleport here, and we've just decided to accept it after all of these years without forming weird cults. Tonight's story brings us to Northern China, home of... well, everything in your house, if we're being completely honest.
MARX: Today, a woman was detained in the vicinity of the Chinese Particle Collider by an international team of scientists working at the facility. The woman, a Latin American in her mid-twenties, was armed, though the situation was quickly de-escalated by police officers who weren't from the United States.
MARX: Out of respect for privacy, her identity is being withheld, although recently-released footage has shown her to be in decent health and spirits, despite the fact that she seemingly appeared out of nowhere during a particle acceleration experiment. Firsthand testimony, released security footage, and her own testimony have indicated that she is not, in fact, a crazy person who didn't see the "DO NOT ENTER: PARTICLE ACCELERATOR LOCATED HERE" sign. Probably.
MARX: Responses from the international community to this alleged event have been mixed, with the American representatives at the CPC hailing the scientific accomplishment, the French scientific delegation remarking on the possibilities of trans-dimensional travel, and the Chinese scientists saying, "Oh God, not again."
GROUCHO MARX: Welcome to the Daily Show! I'm Groucho Marx, and I'll be here until Jon Stewart or George Carlin are born! We have a great show tonight, with Senator Smedley Butler of Pennsylvania here to talk to us. Here's hoping it isn't another record filibuster, because this show's only thirty minutes long.
MARX: But first on our somehow, still-recurring segment, Manifesting Destiny: Today Canada, Central America... never.
MARX: Speaking of Central America, the first Summit of the Americas has begun today in Panama, where representatives of the United States of America, the United States of Mexico, and the United States of Central America all met to discuss all sorts of complicated things that the news channels that aren't PBS don't talk about, because it's boring.
MARX: To explain this monumental meeting between the three largest nations in North America, we have our foreign correspondent Bob Hope here to explain it for us. Bob?
HOPE: Thanks, Groucho. While this may be a bit confusing at first glance, it's actually pretty simple.
MARX: That's a relief-
HOPE: The leadership of the United States, the United States, and the United States all attended this meeting as a show of inter-American cooperation. Of course, there were issues, as the government of the United States had condemned the previous administration of the United States for the latter's insistence on intervening in the revolution in what is now the United States.
MARX: I see... And have there been any updates?
HOPE: The government of the United States has made a joint statement with the government of the United States that recognizes the newly-formed revolutionary government in the United States. In response, the newly-formed government of the United States thanked the government of the United States for the recognition while also thanking the government of the United States for mediating the discussion.
MARX: Well, that's not confusing at all. Go on...
HOPE: Now that the three governments are all on the same page, they have come to agreements regarding trade, migration, and mutual security. The United States had asked about the possibility of reparations for the property of the United Fruit Company that was seized and redistributed by the United States, but the United States and the United States both opposed such a measure. Despite this, it is clear that the United States, the United States, and the United States are all optimistic about cooperation between one another under the United States' Good Neighbor Policy.
MARX: That is good to hear. But for our viewers and listeners at home, who do you think were the winners, losers, and those who broke even.
HOPE: Well, Groucho, I'd have to say that it was the United States, the United States, and the United States, respectively.
MARX: Thanks for clearing things up, Bob. Now, on to our top story of the night: Strangers' Things.
(A parody of Stranger things logo appears on-screen)
MARX: We are no strangers to odd occurrences in America. After all, we've seen an entire island teleport here, and we've just decided to accept it after all of these years without forming weird cults. Tonight's story brings us to Northern China, home of... well, everything in your house, if we're being completely honest.
MARX: Today, a woman was detained in the vicinity of the Chinese Particle Collider by an international team of scientists working at the facility. The woman, a Latin American in her mid-twenties, was armed, though the situation was quickly de-escalated by police officers who weren't from the United States.
MARX: Out of respect for privacy, her identity is being withheld, although recently-released footage has shown her to be in decent health and spirits, despite the fact that she seemingly appeared out of nowhere during a particle acceleration experiment. Firsthand testimony, released security footage, and her own testimony have indicated that she is not, in fact, a crazy person who didn't see the "DO NOT ENTER: PARTICLE ACCELERATOR LOCATED HERE" sign. Probably.
MARX: Responses from the international community to this alleged event have been mixed, with the American representatives at the CPC hailing the scientific accomplishment, the French scientific delegation remarking on the possibilities of trans-dimensional travel, and the Chinese scientists saying, "Oh God, not again."
- Pronouns
- He
Oh god, don't tell me we're getting the reboot Terminator future?
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Well, the good news is that whoever got sent back in time isn't a Terminator, so that's good.
Now, they might have done something like unlock the multiverse, but that's up in the air rn.
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Anyways, this one's a twofer by virtue of me not being able to get any sleep.
I have this theory that in the future, the Chinese will accidentally cause the Great Journey without realizing it, creating a sort of causality loop.
Probably won't even be some great big accident
Like,some guy just added a little too much cheese and mayo to the sandwich they put on the Particle Accelerator, and then suddenly,Taiwan's Isekaid
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
On on hand, that would be kinda funny. On the other hand, the Taiwan that got sent back in time was our Taiwan, from January 2020, so it's kinda impossible to have a stable time loop.
While I won't spoil much (seeing as I haven't really written it out yet), sending Taiwan back in time effectively created a new timeline, and there are enough points of divergence that even if they did send the island back in Second Sunrise's 2020, it wouldn't be the same people going back.
Attached is my (very hastily-drawn) diagram of the timelines creates (Our Timeline, Second Sunrise Timeline, and 1911 Taiwan in 2020 Timeline):
Well, time for possible cross-over with some story-game setting then
REPORT: Unknown Person's Appearance at Chinese Particle Collider
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
REPORT: Unknown Person's Appearance at Chinese Particle Collider (CPC)
CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY
SUMMARY: On 1 August 1933, the Chinese Particle Accelerator was engaging in a routine tachyon generation experiment. Given previous successes at Tachyon generation (See Attachment Alpha-9), the scientists were cleared to engage in the highest power settings to date.
After the power reached the desired threshold, the recorded footage indicates the appearance of a bright light that enveloped all that appeared, similar to that of the Great Journey that occurred in early 2020 LH/1911 CH. After the light had dissipated, Subject Alpha appeared at the epicenter of said light.
A standoff ensued between security forces and Subject Alpha. While there were issues with regards to language (on account of the staff speaking Mandarin while Subject Alpha speaking English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese), an English-speaking researcher from the Philippines was able to de-escalate the situation with little issue, and Subject Alpha surrendered to security forces after the circumstances were discussed and we identified ourselves as "Non-Caesareans" (See Attachment Alpha 10).
Unfortunately, minimal informational security at the facility had led to data leaks, with footage of Subject Alpha's appearance reaching the press. So far, public response has remained largely-curious, though it is possible this could change if things spiral out of hand.
Second Sunrise Contingency has been activated, and response teams have been activated throughout the Nanjing Accord, as per the Hanoi Agreement. Units are directed to intervene and contain any events similar to the Great Journey in a covert and proportional manner. However, the link between the Chinese Particle Collider and the appearance of Subject Alpha are likely to prevent any other Journeys.
INFORMATION (SUBJECT ALPHA):
NAME: Zenobia "Zen" Lawrence
DATE OF BIRTH: 4 July 1957 (AH)
RANK: Captain
SERVICE NUMBER: 37810-72017-ZL
GENDER: Female
ETHNICITY: Latin-American
LANGUAGE(S): English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
AFFILIATION: Unknown
Subject Alpha is a Latin-American woman in her mid-twenties wearing military fatigues, and she was armed with a 7.62 mm M40A1 sniper rifle (suppressed), as well as a .45 ACP M1911A1 pistol (suppressed) at the time of her Journey.
Subject Alpha was not detected on any exterior cameras, nor was there any evidence of her entry onto the premises. Given the similar circumstances to the Great Journey, it is theorized that she was transported here in the same manner as how Taiwan and the outlying islands were transported in 1911 CH.
So far, Subject Alpha has maintained a polite and professional demeanor, but she has been largely non-talkative during interviews. Language proficiency was only determined through various probing questions in different languages and recordings. Otherwise, Subject Alpha has limited herself to giving her name, date of birth, and service number.
However, we have noticed confusion in her demeanor when presented with information from our timeline and the Lost History. Given the unfamiliarity with either, it is likely she is from neither timeline.
Given her physique, equipment, and hesitance to provide information, it is likely that she is an intelligence agent of some kind. However, the lack of evidence of infiltration as well as the unusual circumstances of her appearance indicate that she is unlikely to be from the OSS or BCRA.
In short, the circumstances and what little information we have indicate that Subject Alpha is from an alternate timeline.
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT:
FONG: You're needed in Nanjing, Marty. The MIB needs everybody doing their job, and that includes its Director.
LI: The situation is normal, Rachel. Besides, I needed to see this for myself.
FONG: If you say so... I don't get paid enough for this.
LI: We knew this could be a possibility, Rachel. There are contingencies, safehouses, and sleeper cells all over in case the Journey would happen again. You know that as well as I do.
FONG: I worked with you to develop those contingencies.
LI: And that is much appreciated. So, has our guest talked?
FONG: No. There are contextual clues we have gained, but she does not communicate. If anything, she refrains from eating when possible, focusing on the basics needed for subsistence.
LI: She probably thinks the food and water are drugged. To be fair, I would be wary as well, if I were in her shoes.
FONG: We both would. But she's in there if you want to talk to her. Are you armed?
LI: Just my Five-Seven. If I need anything, or God forbid she tries something...
FONG: I'll have you covered. Been doing it for the last two decades. At this rate, I'll be doing it for the next two.
LI: Got it. Going in now.
(Door Opens)
LI: So, you're the woman who Journeyed all the way here. Apologies for the spartan conditions, but you must understand our caution.
LAWRENCE: Of course.
LI: You haven't eaten your food again? Let me guess: You suspect it is drugged.
LAWRENCE: Wouldn't you?
LI: I would. That said... are you eating that?
LAWRENCE: Come again?
LI: Are. You. Eating. That. I just flew in from Nanjing this morning, so I haven't had anything to eat. If you're not eating your breakfast, I'd rather not let any food go to waste.
LAWRENCE: Go ahead.
LI: Thanks.
(Fast Forward 5 Minutes)
LI: Told you it wasn't drugged. Now that we've both actually eaten something, let's get this out of the way. My name is Director Martin Li, and I am the Director of the Military Intelligence Bureau of the Republic of China. I take it that you have used the tablet that was given to you?
LAWRENCE: I have. It was... enlightening, to say the least. Assuming it's all true, your island was transported back in time in a manner similar to how I arrived.
LI: Well, we can't give you access to the internet, least not yet. But yeah, that tablet contains the basic information about our world. Would you like to tell me about yours, now?
LAWRENCE: Name, Rank, Service Number. You know what that means, don't you?
LI: Oh for fuck's sake.
LAWRENCE: Then you do.
LI: Yeah. Look, right now, you were somehow sent to our world, and we might have the means of sending you back. But if we're going to do that, we need to have some trust here, alright?
LAWRENCE: Fair enough. My name is Major Zen Lawrence. I am a Major in the Continental Marines of the Continental States of America, and I was transported through your timeline during a reconnaissance mission while I was around Cuba.
LI: Cuba... Wait, how the Hell did you end up in China, of all places? When Taiwan was sent back, we ended up in the same place.
LAWRENCE: I'll be honest, Li, I have no idea. For all we know, your island being sent back in time to its exact place was an act of random chance, while my own "Journey," as you call it, may have landed me at the point of concentration of... whatever it is that sent me here.
LI: Tachyons, I believe. Apparently generating large enough concentrations allows people to go back in time... or in your case, travel to another one.
LAWRENCE: Apparently so. So if the scenario were to be repeated with the particle accelerator, would I be sent back?
LI: Honestly... I don't know. The scientists hit the kill switch once the flash of light showed up. In theory, we would be able to send you back if we repeated it... but we don't really know where you'd get spat out.
LAWRENCE: Probes could work. I imagine you have something like that?
LI: Drones, but yeah. Problem is, we don't know what'll happen if we try to kickstart the CPC again. It could be anything from a portal, to another person being teleported here.
LAWRENCE: So I am stuck here, for the foreseeable future.
LI: I'll see about getting you better accommodations. It'll be house arrest and you'll be under surveillance, but it's better than a clean cell at a blacksite.
LAWRENCE: That would be nice.
LI: Glad to hear it. So, what do you think about this world?
LAWRENCE: It's... different. Very optimistic, compared to my own and the one you left.
LI: Yeah, I know. Kinda awesome, honestly. Anyways, back to your timeline: Could you tell us about that?
LAWRENCE: I've skimmed the files on the tablet, and it seems that my Journey and your island's share similar circumstances. In English, your timeline diverged from the one you left in 1911, when your island was sent back.
LI: Yeah, that makes sense. And what about yours? When was its divergence?
LAWRENCE: It's been years since I learned it in school, but if my history's right... 1775.
CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY
SUMMARY: On 1 August 1933, the Chinese Particle Accelerator was engaging in a routine tachyon generation experiment. Given previous successes at Tachyon generation (See Attachment Alpha-9), the scientists were cleared to engage in the highest power settings to date.
After the power reached the desired threshold, the recorded footage indicates the appearance of a bright light that enveloped all that appeared, similar to that of the Great Journey that occurred in early 2020 LH/1911 CH. After the light had dissipated, Subject Alpha appeared at the epicenter of said light.
A standoff ensued between security forces and Subject Alpha. While there were issues with regards to language (on account of the staff speaking Mandarin while Subject Alpha speaking English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese), an English-speaking researcher from the Philippines was able to de-escalate the situation with little issue, and Subject Alpha surrendered to security forces after the circumstances were discussed and we identified ourselves as "Non-Caesareans" (See Attachment Alpha 10).
Unfortunately, minimal informational security at the facility had led to data leaks, with footage of Subject Alpha's appearance reaching the press. So far, public response has remained largely-curious, though it is possible this could change if things spiral out of hand.
Second Sunrise Contingency has been activated, and response teams have been activated throughout the Nanjing Accord, as per the Hanoi Agreement. Units are directed to intervene and contain any events similar to the Great Journey in a covert and proportional manner. However, the link between the Chinese Particle Collider and the appearance of Subject Alpha are likely to prevent any other Journeys.
INFORMATION (SUBJECT ALPHA):
NAME: Zenobia "Zen" Lawrence
DATE OF BIRTH: 4 July 1957 (AH)
RANK: Captain
SERVICE NUMBER: 37810-72017-ZL
GENDER: Female
ETHNICITY: Latin-American
LANGUAGE(S): English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
AFFILIATION: Unknown
Subject Alpha is a Latin-American woman in her mid-twenties wearing military fatigues, and she was armed with a 7.62 mm M40A1 sniper rifle (suppressed), as well as a .45 ACP M1911A1 pistol (suppressed) at the time of her Journey.
Subject Alpha was not detected on any exterior cameras, nor was there any evidence of her entry onto the premises. Given the similar circumstances to the Great Journey, it is theorized that she was transported here in the same manner as how Taiwan and the outlying islands were transported in 1911 CH.
So far, Subject Alpha has maintained a polite and professional demeanor, but she has been largely non-talkative during interviews. Language proficiency was only determined through various probing questions in different languages and recordings. Otherwise, Subject Alpha has limited herself to giving her name, date of birth, and service number.
However, we have noticed confusion in her demeanor when presented with information from our timeline and the Lost History. Given the unfamiliarity with either, it is likely she is from neither timeline.
Given her physique, equipment, and hesitance to provide information, it is likely that she is an intelligence agent of some kind. However, the lack of evidence of infiltration as well as the unusual circumstances of her appearance indicate that she is unlikely to be from the OSS or BCRA.
In short, the circumstances and what little information we have indicate that Subject Alpha is from an alternate timeline.
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT:
FONG: You're needed in Nanjing, Marty. The MIB needs everybody doing their job, and that includes its Director.
LI: The situation is normal, Rachel. Besides, I needed to see this for myself.
FONG: If you say so... I don't get paid enough for this.
LI: We knew this could be a possibility, Rachel. There are contingencies, safehouses, and sleeper cells all over in case the Journey would happen again. You know that as well as I do.
FONG: I worked with you to develop those contingencies.
LI: And that is much appreciated. So, has our guest talked?
FONG: No. There are contextual clues we have gained, but she does not communicate. If anything, she refrains from eating when possible, focusing on the basics needed for subsistence.
LI: She probably thinks the food and water are drugged. To be fair, I would be wary as well, if I were in her shoes.
FONG: We both would. But she's in there if you want to talk to her. Are you armed?
LI: Just my Five-Seven. If I need anything, or God forbid she tries something...
FONG: I'll have you covered. Been doing it for the last two decades. At this rate, I'll be doing it for the next two.
LI: Got it. Going in now.
(Door Opens)
LI: So, you're the woman who Journeyed all the way here. Apologies for the spartan conditions, but you must understand our caution.
LAWRENCE: Of course.
LI: You haven't eaten your food again? Let me guess: You suspect it is drugged.
LAWRENCE: Wouldn't you?
LI: I would. That said... are you eating that?
LAWRENCE: Come again?
LI: Are. You. Eating. That. I just flew in from Nanjing this morning, so I haven't had anything to eat. If you're not eating your breakfast, I'd rather not let any food go to waste.
LAWRENCE: Go ahead.
LI: Thanks.
(Fast Forward 5 Minutes)
LI: Told you it wasn't drugged. Now that we've both actually eaten something, let's get this out of the way. My name is Director Martin Li, and I am the Director of the Military Intelligence Bureau of the Republic of China. I take it that you have used the tablet that was given to you?
LAWRENCE: I have. It was... enlightening, to say the least. Assuming it's all true, your island was transported back in time in a manner similar to how I arrived.
LI: Well, we can't give you access to the internet, least not yet. But yeah, that tablet contains the basic information about our world. Would you like to tell me about yours, now?
LAWRENCE: Name, Rank, Service Number. You know what that means, don't you?
LI: Oh for fuck's sake.
LAWRENCE: Then you do.
LI: Yeah. Look, right now, you were somehow sent to our world, and we might have the means of sending you back. But if we're going to do that, we need to have some trust here, alright?
LAWRENCE: Fair enough. My name is Major Zen Lawrence. I am a Major in the Continental Marines of the Continental States of America, and I was transported through your timeline during a reconnaissance mission while I was around Cuba.
LI: Cuba... Wait, how the Hell did you end up in China, of all places? When Taiwan was sent back, we ended up in the same place.
LAWRENCE: I'll be honest, Li, I have no idea. For all we know, your island being sent back in time to its exact place was an act of random chance, while my own "Journey," as you call it, may have landed me at the point of concentration of... whatever it is that sent me here.
LI: Tachyons, I believe. Apparently generating large enough concentrations allows people to go back in time... or in your case, travel to another one.
LAWRENCE: Apparently so. So if the scenario were to be repeated with the particle accelerator, would I be sent back?
LI: Honestly... I don't know. The scientists hit the kill switch once the flash of light showed up. In theory, we would be able to send you back if we repeated it... but we don't really know where you'd get spat out.
LAWRENCE: Probes could work. I imagine you have something like that?
LI: Drones, but yeah. Problem is, we don't know what'll happen if we try to kickstart the CPC again. It could be anything from a portal, to another person being teleported here.
LAWRENCE: So I am stuck here, for the foreseeable future.
LI: I'll see about getting you better accommodations. It'll be house arrest and you'll be under surveillance, but it's better than a clean cell at a blacksite.
LAWRENCE: That would be nice.
LI: Glad to hear it. So, what do you think about this world?
LAWRENCE: It's... different. Very optimistic, compared to my own and the one you left.
LI: Yeah, I know. Kinda awesome, honestly. Anyways, back to your timeline: Could you tell us about that?
LAWRENCE: I've skimmed the files on the tablet, and it seems that my Journey and your island's share similar circumstances. In English, your timeline diverged from the one you left in 1911, when your island was sent back.
LI: Yeah, that makes sense. And what about yours? When was its divergence?
LAWRENCE: It's been years since I learned it in school, but if my history's right... 1775.
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- Location
- Most likely California
Continental States of America? Odd name, but I suppose that it probably derived from the Continental Congress that was the provisional government of the USA during the Revolution. Looking it up, the earliest mention of 'United States of America' dates to 1776. Still odd, since the main name before that was United Colonies.
Guessing that the CSA (shut up, they deserve the acronym more than an unrecognized state that lasted less than half a decade), has a significantly different structure to the USA, since the name and PoD predate the Articles of Confederation, let alone the constitution.
Guessing that the CSA (shut up, they deserve the acronym more than an unrecognized state that lasted less than half a decade), has a significantly different structure to the USA, since the name and PoD predate the Articles of Confederation, let alone the constitution.
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ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yup.
Also worth noting that the standoff only ended because the largely-Chinese security team described themselves as "Non-Caesareans."
Which means whatever America there is, it's definitely nothing like the one OTL.
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- Pronouns
- He
I'm saying it, this is now the SST Version of Crisis on Infinite Earths!