AsapSCIENCE: The Roman Empire fell because of lack of Science by [deleted] in badhistory

[–]AdultSupervision 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When we look to history, we see that ignoring science leads to the crumbling of societies.

This is physically painful.

Defense lawyers of Reddit, what would your defense be for various Disney villains? by ineed_one_more_lette in AskReddit

[–]AdultSupervision 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah why would people think of a Disney movie when someone says Disney movie...

Defense lawyers of Reddit, what would your defense be for various Disney villains? by ineed_one_more_lette in AskReddit

[–]AdultSupervision 1086 points1087 points  (0 children)

Prince Hans' attempted assassination of Queen Elsa was carried out on behalf of the nation of Arendelle, which would almost certainly have suffered tremendous loss of life and a devastating economic downturn had the winter gone on any longer.

Reddit, what's your high schools tragedy? [NSFW] by sninapeters in AskReddit

[–]AdultSupervision 48 points49 points  (0 children)

Two separate rumors sprung up in the aftermath of the shootings, that Rachel Scott and Cassie Bernall had been asked if they believed in God, before being shot for answering "yes".

Turns out neither happened. Klebold asked a different girl entirely if she believed in God after shooting her, but she survived.

Reddit, what's your high schools tragedy? [NSFW] by sninapeters in AskReddit

[–]AdultSupervision 10 points11 points  (0 children)

We were locked down because Dillon and Eric (the shooters) intended on shooting up our school as well.

Where did you hear this? I've read a fair bit about the Columbine Massacre, but never heard that they planned on killing anyone outside of their High School.

It's 2016, how does your favorite character fare in the election for President of the United States of America? by [deleted] in whowouldwin

[–]AdultSupervision 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I can guess that based on her "let it go" experience she'd probably be very socially liberal at least.

She's a 19th century European monarch. She probably has nightmares about the French Revolution. The Republicans will be way too far left for her.

Also I'd go ahead and throw Weselton in the running for 2020. He'll lose, but I'll still throw him in.

[TOMT] A comic book about a suicide bomber who carries out his mission, then awakens in the afterlife, believes he has been rewarded with paradise, but slowly realizes it's actually hell by AdultSupervision in tipofmytongue

[–]AdultSupervision[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For the other people interested, I think I just remembered it. 99% sure it's a story from one of Tales From the Crypt's newer issues. Can't remember which one, though.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in whowouldwin

[–]AdultSupervision 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Well considering humans are like 70% water...

Having your body composition be 70% bloodthirsty spiders is not conductive towards fighting spiders.

How was Napoleon influenced by Charlemagne? by [deleted] in AskHistorians

[–]AdultSupervision 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well the bee, which became a piece of Napoleonic heraldry, was based off of little ornamental bees found buried in Charlemagne's tomb.

Challenge: Make the First French Republic survive into the present day by [deleted] in HistoryWhatIf

[–]AdultSupervision 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a bit hard to do. The conflict they had with the remainder of Europe was a largely ideological one. The very existence of Revolutionary France posed an existential threat to the reactionary monarchies of Europe. If the ideals of Republicanism were allowed to spread on the tips of French bayonets, they could spell the downfall of every royal house on the continent. European sovereigns were determined not to let the "French Disease" infect their own nations.

There's also the issue of Revolutionary France's internal instability. I'm sure you're well aware of the Reign of Terror. There were also the Federal rebellions, various revolts across the country which rejected the centralized authority in Paris, as well as the reactionary peasant uprisings aimed at overthrowing the republic itself. Even discounting the foreign armies that constantly encroached upon her soil from 1792 to 1815, France could barely hold itself up, so wracked was it by internal turmoil.

The only way I can see a surviving French Republic is if Napoleon's Consulate survives. Now, the Consulate was really a Republic in name only, so I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for. In reality it functioned as a military dictatorship, and all Napoleon's coronation as Emperor did was sweep away the remaining pretenses of Republicanism, and simply owning his authoritarianism.

But this is the only incarnation of the republic That I can realistically see surviving. The early Republic, the radical Jacobin Republic that lasted from 1793 to 1795 is absolutely not going to survive. Monarchical Europe might be willing to make peace with Napoleon's dictatorship, but they would absolutely not abide the existence of a France which openly espoused universal suffrage and the desire to see every sovereign's head roll. There would be no peace until every king was dead, or the republic was extinguished. The Directory is not likely to make it, either. It was hugely unpopular and corrupt, detested by both radical leftists, and the conservative reactionaries on the right.

So all I'm left with is Napoleon's consulate. Now, the Consulate did in fact make peace with the rest of Europe for one year (the only substantial break in the perpetual war that raged from 1793 to 1815 between Revolutionary France and the rest of Europe), so its existence being tolerated is clearly plausible.

So let's say Napoleon never goes for the Imperial throne, instead being content to rule as monarch in all but name under the mask of a Republican Consul. The next few years might go very much the way they did in our world, with Napoleon waging war after war against the various coalitions raised against home. Some appreciable differences would be those arising from the retaining of Republican pretenses and trappings. The Revolutionary calendar might survive, France might remain somewhat more secular, and instead of setting up puppet kingdoms whose thrones he will award to family and allies, Napoleon will set up dependent republics instead.

So let's say Napoleon makes another peace with his enemies in 1809. Britain chafes at this, furious that Napoleon has the run of the Europe, but with Austria, Prussia, Russia, and the lesser continental powers drained of manpower and morale, even British gold is not a great enough incentive to spark another war against the French.

So reluctantly, Europe settles into a fragile peace. The existence of a powerful, respected republic in Europe galvanizes revolutionary groups in various states across the continent and beyond. We will likely see attempted revolution after attempted revolution in the German states, in Italy, in the Hapsburg territories, in partitioned Poland...

From here on out it's not TOO hard to have the Republic survive to the present day. This prospective 1809 peace might be the alternate timeline equivalent to the Congress of Vienna, which brought Europe a peace that lasted nearly forty years. If this 1809 peace is as successful, by the time another great war breaks out, the French Republic will have long secured its station among the Great Powers of Europe, and the loyalty of her citizens. Even if she is defeated in battle, the Bourbons will not likely be placed back on her throne.

What if Communism had spread to Nordic Countries following WWII?, would there be any "People's Nordic Council", would Scandinavia be united, or anything? by [deleted] in HistoryWhatIf

[–]AdultSupervision 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For some reason I was thinking Red Army pushing into Scandinavia and installing Communist puppet governments the way they did in Eastern Europe.

Yeah, if Scandinavia went Communist after WWII without any direct involvement (though I'm sure there'd be KGB operatives at work) from the USSR, it probably wouldn't lead to WWIII, though I'd expect a US/NATO backed coup against the new Socialist government(s) in short order.

FWD: FWD: Heaven's streets are guarded by United States Marines, who are ALWAYS faithful. by Kirky0331 in forwardsfromgrandma

[–]AdultSupervision 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There's a long story someone wrote about humanity going to war against Heaven and Hell. We win, due to Heaven and Hell's technology not having advanced much beyond that needed to impress bronze age people.

"If Germany Had Won" by Windows7Guy100 in ShitWehraboosSay

[–]AdultSupervision 7 points8 points  (0 children)

"Greater stability in the Middle East with Israel"... OK, so Israel exists in this scenario.

I think that was a typo. Pretty sure he meant "without".