alternate alternate universe.

It always bothers me a little when someone claims that a fiction is set "in an alternate universe," because every fiction is. That's a common way to describe Watchmen though. I guess an "alternate universe" has to have some sort of physical or historical pivot point. Like: If you put on a costume and work out a bunch, you can be a bad-ass; let's explore this. Or: Nixon is awesome, lets make him President for life; what would that be like? Or how about: Sam Hamm writes a screenplay for Watchmen in 1989; what would that movie have been like? (not good)