Post by ajones on Feb 22, 2013 15:43:57 GMT -5
My Reflection
Nation: United States of America
Name: Alfred F. Jones
Gender: Male
Appearance Age: 19
Actual Age: 236 as a nation (given he was around as a colony, though, his actual actual age is 400+)
Appearance
Hair Color:Amber waves of grain Wheat blond
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 177cm (or 5'9.6"...he usually rounds to 5'10")
Weight: 180lbs
Appearance:
Alfred is someone who demands your attention, though not so much because of what he looks like. His looks are actually rather average. He's moderately tall, standing at 177cm (which he rounds up to 5'10", because he never really got the hang of that whole metric thing). Though he frets over his weight, he's actually pretty fit, most of his so-called 'excess weight' actually going toward muscle. This isn't to say that his diet hasn't affected him at all - He does have a little pudge around the middle, though it's nothing too terrible. Besides, if it was really bad, wouldn't you think he'd put a little more effort into watching what he ate? (Answer - No.)
What draws people's attention to him is the atmosphere that surrounds him. He holds himself with confidence (whether he's actually feeling confident or not). He nearly always has some sort of grin on his face, accentuating just how youthful his features actually are.
Defining Features:
He has glasses that represent the state of Texas, and a cowlick/ahoge near the front of his head resembling Nantucket. In modern day he also more often than not can be seen wearing a World War II bomber jacket with a 50 on the back, a clear reference to his 50 states.
Who Am I?
Personality:
Hero complex - Probably one of the FIRST things you'll note about Alfred is his glaring hero complex. Alfred feels that it is his duty to save the world from evil-doers and commies. And dictatorships. And people who wear white after Labor Day. The inherent problem with this is the fact that he fails to understand when people actually want his help and when he's simply poking his nose where it doesn't belong. He just knows that whenever there's a problem, he wants to help, and he doesn't understand why anyone wouldn't want his help. His intentions are good, but his actions don't always convey this. He has an obsession with superheroes otherwise as well. He introduced the idea of a superhero named Globa Man to combat global warming at a world conference (where they'd actually FIND such a superhero was a detail that he'd overlooked), and remains convinced that Captain America is actually based off of him.
Childish - Alfred at many times seems like an overgrown child - and to some extent, that is exactly what he IS. In human terms, he's old, but in terms of his kind, he's pretty darn young. This wasn't aided by a certain growth spurt in his youth that didn't allow him the time to grow up the way most of his kind would.
Materialistic - Alfred loves things. He loves to follow all of the latest trends, but doesn't mind getting caught up in a bit of nostalgia too at times. He's amassed various collections over the years. He has collected Disney movies since the company started producing them, and has quite an impressive stamp collection (probably owing to the fact that he was around when stamps were first introduced). He also collects state quarters (now including American territories!). It also must be noted that every time a new I-phone comes out, Alfred tries to be one of the first in line to get it. He hates to have any of his electronics "out of style".
Impulsive - Acting without thinking? Well that describes Alfred pretty well, doesn't it? It's not that he doesn't think, it's just that the thinking tends to come after the acting. Alfred is very excitable when he gets an idea in his head, which usually results in a 'do now, think later' sort of attitude. Which is great when it actually works out, but often times causes more harm than it does good. It's one thing when you jump into making the next I-phone purchase, but another when your boss tells you there's weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and you decide to jump the gun and invade them rather than double check first. He's still reeling from that one. Oopsie.
Bossy - Alfred likes to be in the driver's seat whenever anything is going on. Unfortunately, as with many other things, he often doesn't take others' opinions into consideration.
Optimistic - One of Alfred's better qualities is his ability to look at the glass half full. If, for example, the Allies were on the edge of a crushing defeat in World War II, he'd probably be the one trying to get everyone to keep going. It's not always a realistic attitude, mind, but at least he's not liable to give up easily. Even he has his limits, though, and the flip-side of this is that, if he DOES happen to shift to a pessimistic viewpoint on something, it's difficult as hell to get him out of his funk.
Insecure - And that brings us to his insecurity. Say whaaaaa? Mr. I'm-The-Hero actually has insecurities? Well, duh. He's one of the youngest, if not the youngest, of the 'World 8', and he feels like he has some hella big shoes to fill. Some of his attitude is pure obnoxiousness, but beneath that obnoxiousness is a healthy dose of bravado. He lacks the experience that plenty of the older nations have, and therefore has to wing a lot of what he's doing even to this day. Al's superhero obsession has led him to the phrase 'with great power comes great responsibility', but he's terrified of responsibility. He's terrified of a lot more than he'll ever tell most. Most of all, he's terrified of disapproval. He wants to be liked. And yet, ironically, his act of bravado is likely pushing away more people than it is bringing closer.
Likes:
Dislikes:
Fears:
Fun Facts:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Your History
1584-1590 - An attempt at colonization by the English is established, the Roanoke Colony. By 1590, the colony is found abandoned, and the attempt ruled unsuccessful.
May 14, 1607 - Jamestown of the Virginia Colony is established, the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States.
1607 to 1733 - Several other English/British colonies are set up, some merging into others. The last colony to be added to the group was Georgia in 1733, leaving 13 colonies.
1754 to 1763 - French and Indian War, the American theater of the Seven Years War, occurs. In the end, Britain assumes control of French Canada and Acadia.
1754 - The 13 colonies collaborate at the Albany Congress, the first time the 13 colonies collaborate but certainly not the last.
1765 - Intense protests occur over the Stamp Act of 1765, leading to the increasing prominence of the idea of 'no taxation without representation' in the colonies
1770 - The Boston Massacre, as called by Americans (or the Incident On King Street as called by the British) occurs when protests lead to shots fired. Eleven Americans were shot, and five of them killed.
1773 - Boston Tea Party occurs in protest to taxes on tea
1774 - The Intolerable Acts are passed by the British in June, including a Quartering Act. The First Continental Congress is established in September. In the same month, George Washington and George Mason also establish a military unit independent of British control.
1775 - The Battles of Lexington and Concord take place on April 19th, signalling the start of the American Revolution.
1776 - The Second Continental Congress ratifies the Declaration of Independence.
1777 to 1778 - The Articles of Confederation are drafted and passed.
1781 - General Cornwallis surrenders to Washington at Yorktown, which ends the armed part of the American Revolution
1783 - The Treaty of Paris is signed between the United States and Great Britain, which formally ends the American Revolution
1787 - Constitutional Convention begins. The Articles of Confederation are scrapped and over the next few years, each state ratifies the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are added in 1791.
1803 - The Lousiana Purchase takes place, nearly doubling the size of the United States.
1812 to 1815 - War of 1812 occurs between the United States and Britain
1846 to 1848 - Mexican American War occurs, and the United States acquires formerly Mexican territories, such as California and New Mexico.
1860 - Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln is elected president. Soon after, seven states secede from the United States of America
1861 - The Confederate States of America are formed by the seven states that seceded. The Battle of Fort Sumter occurs in April, prompting Lincoln to enlist thousands more troops. Four more states secede in protest and join the Confederate States of America, and the Civil War begins.
1863 The Emancipation Proclamation is issued by Abraham Lincoln
1865 - The Civil War ends with a Union victory, slavery abolished under the 13th amendment.
1917-1918 - The United States enters (way late) into World War I, rejecting invitations to enter the League of Nations.
1920 - Sale and manufacture of liquor is prohibited, ushering in Prohibition - and along with several illegal drinking establishments known as speakeasies, home-produced alcoholism, and an increase in organized crime.
1929 - Wall Street stock market crash ushers in the Great Depression
1933 - Prohibition is repealed, and FDR launches the New Deal program to help the United States recover from the economic downturn, including several major public works.
1939 World War II breaks out in Europe
1941 - Japanese attack Pearl Harbor on December 7th, leading the United States to declare war on Japan, and Germany and Italy to declare war on the U.S. The U.S. becomes officially involved in World War II (again, late to the party)
1945 - Atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, signalling the end of World War II and the ushering in of the atomic age.
1947 - Cold War begins with the Soviet Union
1948 - In the Marshall Plan, the United States disburses $13 billion over 4 years to revive post-war European economies.
1950 to 1953 - US forces become involved in the Korean War, assisting South Korean troops against North Korean and Chinese troops
1954 - Racial segregation in schools is declared unconstitutional
1961 - Bay of Pigs invasion occurs and is unsuccessful
1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis occurs
1964 - The United States increases military intervention in Vietnam and the Civil Rights Act is signed into law.
1969 - Public opposition grows concerning the Vietnam War, yet the U.S. military presence in Vietnam increases to more than 500,000. The United States also becomes the first (and so far only) nation to land on the moon.
1973 The United States signs a ceasefire agreement concerning Vietnam
1974 - The Watergate scandal occurs, and Nixon resigns
1979 - Hostage crisis occurs in Iran and lasts for 444 days.
1981 - Hostages are released in Iran
1986 The Challenger disaster occurs, leading to a suspension in manned space flights until 1988.
1991 - Iraq invades Kuwait, leading to U.S. intervention and the Persian Gulf War. Iraqi troops are eventually forced out of Kuwait.
1992 - NAFTA is signed in an attempt to create a free trade block between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
1999 - U.S. plays a large role in NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia
2001 - Terrorist attacks occur on September 11. This leads to military action in Afghanistan, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, and the passing of the Patriot Act.
2003 - Columbia space shuttle disaster occurs. U.S. invasion of Iraq begins, with the intent to topple Saddam Hussein.
2005 - Hurricane Katrina occurs, leaving devastation in it's wake, especially in New Orleans
2008 - With several big players in the finance market facing troubles, the U.S. ushers in it's worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
2010 - The Deepwater Horizon oil rig spills millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
2011 - Osama Bin Laden killed in a raid in Pakistan
Sample Post
It was hard to look at Alfred and Ivan's relationship now and even consider that they'd been on good terms with each other in the not so distant past. Alfred could hardly lean back and enjoy the flight. Not when even the most benign of sounds on the plane echoed in his throbbing head in an ominous way.
Na. Na. Na. We. Are. Going. To. Die.
"Mr. Jones," a voice stirred him from his musings, "your coffee is ready." Alfred smiled and thanked the attendant, who also presented him with a folder. "Your boss wanted me to give that to you."
The blond sighed as he took the folder, setting it next to him to go over later in the flight. He already knew the crux of the situation, and that negotiations had to be at least underway by the end of this meeting. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. He would refresh himself on the details closer to when they landed. He instead turned his attention to the window.
"Nervous?"
Alfred jolted in his seat a little, not expecting the attendant to still be there. He shook his head at once. "Not at all! Where did you get that idea?"
The attendant merely pointed at Alfred's foot, which was bouncing up and down anxiously. "Oh, that's just a habit of mine."
The attendant chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll do fine at your meeting. What's the worst that could happen?"
Alfred stared at the now retreating back of the flight attendant. What was the worst that could happen? Global thermonuclear war. No pressure or anything. Alfred could not only feel his heart racing in his chest, but could hear it hammering in his ears.
"I'll be fine. I'm a hero and heroes can handle a crisis with ease!" Alfred spoke out loud to no one in particular.
This wasn't just any crisis though. The fate of the world depended on this. If this were a chess game, both players were at a stalemate. One move forward by either player and they would both be in danger. While declaring checkmate on the other player was the optimal goal in chess, it didn't work out so well when you placed yourself in danger in the process. Thus, no moves could be made, and no winners could be declared - that is, unless someone decided to break the rules.
That left negotiations to fix the situation...and Alfred would be lying if he said he knew offhand what directions those would take. Especially when he and Ivan could hardly stand being in the same room as the other. No punches were ever thrown, but glares were shot and jabs were made. It seemed as though the nations could not even look each other in the eye without some attempt to one up the other. One upping the other in this scenario, however, was not an option. The next step was nuclear war, and that was one step Alfred never wanted to take. He could only hope that Ivan felt the same way.
Their meeting was to be on neutral grounds. Alfred refused to step foot on Ivan's land and Ivan did the same. Once the plane landed, Alfred hailed a taxi. He reached his destination and tipped the driver a bit more than he usually would in his distraction.
Alfred finally found himself in the meeting room at long last. He was pleasantly surprised to find that he was the first to arrive - He had every intent to use that as a jab against Russia, a small yet triumphant smile gracing his features. Setting his coffee cup slightly to his side, Alfred took a seat and began looking over the notes Kennedy prepared for him.
The Player
Name: Mandee
Age: 23
Fun Fact: I've been rping for nearly 10 years now. =P
Nation: United States of America
Name: Alfred F. Jones
Gender: Male
Appearance Age: 19
Actual Age: 236 as a nation (given he was around as a colony, though, his actual actual age is 400+)
Appearance
Hair Color:
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 177cm (or 5'9.6"...he usually rounds to 5'10")
Weight: 180lbs
Appearance:
Alfred is someone who demands your attention, though not so much because of what he looks like. His looks are actually rather average. He's moderately tall, standing at 177cm (which he rounds up to 5'10", because he never really got the hang of that whole metric thing). Though he frets over his weight, he's actually pretty fit, most of his so-called 'excess weight' actually going toward muscle. This isn't to say that his diet hasn't affected him at all - He does have a little pudge around the middle, though it's nothing too terrible. Besides, if it was really bad, wouldn't you think he'd put a little more effort into watching what he ate? (Answer - No.)
What draws people's attention to him is the atmosphere that surrounds him. He holds himself with confidence (whether he's actually feeling confident or not). He nearly always has some sort of grin on his face, accentuating just how youthful his features actually are.
Defining Features:
He has glasses that represent the state of Texas, and a cowlick/ahoge near the front of his head resembling Nantucket. In modern day he also more often than not can be seen wearing a World War II bomber jacket with a 50 on the back, a clear reference to his 50 states.
Who Am I?
Personality:
Hero complex - Probably one of the FIRST things you'll note about Alfred is his glaring hero complex. Alfred feels that it is his duty to save the world from evil-doers and commies. And dictatorships. And people who wear white after Labor Day. The inherent problem with this is the fact that he fails to understand when people actually want his help and when he's simply poking his nose where it doesn't belong. He just knows that whenever there's a problem, he wants to help, and he doesn't understand why anyone wouldn't want his help. His intentions are good, but his actions don't always convey this. He has an obsession with superheroes otherwise as well. He introduced the idea of a superhero named Globa Man to combat global warming at a world conference (where they'd actually FIND such a superhero was a detail that he'd overlooked), and remains convinced that Captain America is actually based off of him.
Childish - Alfred at many times seems like an overgrown child - and to some extent, that is exactly what he IS. In human terms, he's old, but in terms of his kind, he's pretty darn young. This wasn't aided by a certain growth spurt in his youth that didn't allow him the time to grow up the way most of his kind would.
Materialistic - Alfred loves things. He loves to follow all of the latest trends, but doesn't mind getting caught up in a bit of nostalgia too at times. He's amassed various collections over the years. He has collected Disney movies since the company started producing them, and has quite an impressive stamp collection (probably owing to the fact that he was around when stamps were first introduced). He also collects state quarters (now including American territories!). It also must be noted that every time a new I-phone comes out, Alfred tries to be one of the first in line to get it. He hates to have any of his electronics "out of style".
Impulsive - Acting without thinking? Well that describes Alfred pretty well, doesn't it? It's not that he doesn't think, it's just that the thinking tends to come after the acting. Alfred is very excitable when he gets an idea in his head, which usually results in a 'do now, think later' sort of attitude. Which is great when it actually works out, but often times causes more harm than it does good. It's one thing when you jump into making the next I-phone purchase, but another when your boss tells you there's weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and you decide to jump the gun and invade them rather than double check first. He's still reeling from that one. Oopsie.
Bossy - Alfred likes to be in the driver's seat whenever anything is going on. Unfortunately, as with many other things, he often doesn't take others' opinions into consideration.
Optimistic - One of Alfred's better qualities is his ability to look at the glass half full. If, for example, the Allies were on the edge of a crushing defeat in World War II, he'd probably be the one trying to get everyone to keep going. It's not always a realistic attitude, mind, but at least he's not liable to give up easily. Even he has his limits, though, and the flip-side of this is that, if he DOES happen to shift to a pessimistic viewpoint on something, it's difficult as hell to get him out of his funk.
Insecure - And that brings us to his insecurity. Say whaaaaa? Mr. I'm-The-Hero actually has insecurities? Well, duh. He's one of the youngest, if not the youngest, of the 'World 8', and he feels like he has some hella big shoes to fill. Some of his attitude is pure obnoxiousness, but beneath that obnoxiousness is a healthy dose of bravado. He lacks the experience that plenty of the older nations have, and therefore has to wing a lot of what he's doing even to this day. Al's superhero obsession has led him to the phrase 'with great power comes great responsibility', but he's terrified of responsibility. He's terrified of a lot more than he'll ever tell most. Most of all, he's terrified of disapproval. He wants to be liked. And yet, ironically, his act of bravado is likely pushing away more people than it is bringing closer.
Likes:
- Hamburgers
- Food in general
- Airplanes
- Guns
- Technology
- Space
- Coffee
- Aliens
- Disney
- Freedom
- Video games
- Cars
- Talking
- Superheroes
- Comic books
- Competition
Dislikes:
- Feeling stifled
- Silence
- Communism
- Terrorism
- Tea
- Horror movies (despite how much he watches them)
- Being called out
- Nukes (actually sort of a love/hate thing)
- Marmite
- Ghosts
Fears:
- Being forgotten - He didn't come as far as he did just to be forgotten. He wants his legacy to carry on. The last thing he wants is for anyone to go 'America who?'
- Ghosts - Obviously.
- Mutually assured destruction - Actually Alfred's worst fear (though he likes to keep up the idea that it's ghosts, thankyouverymuch). He had frequent nightmares concerning it during the Cold War, and still has occasional ones. The worst dreams of all? The one where he's responsible for firing the first nuke. And yet he couldn't possibly bear the idea of being second place to the Soviets...
Fun Facts:
- Alfred is left-handed. My reasoning for this is the large number of recent presidents in the United States who were/are left-handed (or, in the case of Reagan, ambidextrous). Out of the five most recent presidents, only Bush was right-handed. It's also a contention point between Alfred and Arthur in my headcanon. Left-handedness was not only frowned upon, but VERY actively discouraged until more recent years. Both England and his instructors forced Alfred to use his right hand in his lessons and hands on activities, something that Alfred never quite picked up on. As a result, he fared poorly in most hands on activities as a child. He also took to practicing with his left hand behind people's backs when he was young, a hint toward the rebellious nature he'd possess as he grew older.
- - The one subject he did master with his right hand as well as his left was shooting a gun. Alfred is completely ambidextrous when it comes to shooting, though it took him a lot of hard work to get there.
- Alfred is majorly claustrophobic, and not just in the literal sense, but the metaphorical sense as well. He doesn't like actual enclosed spaces, yes, but he also doesn't like the idea of feeling trapped or helpless in any way. This doesn't manifest itself in outright panic attacks, of course. But you will notice that, if Alfred feels trapped, he'll show signs of being extremely antsy. He'll move around a lot, he'll talk even more than usual, and he'll show his discomfort in his own special way.
Strengths:
- Determination - No one can accuse Alfred of not having determination. When he's determined to do something, he'll do everything in his power to make sure he succeeds at his goal.
- Optimism - Alfred is usually a positive sort of guy. It takes a lot to actually bring him down for the count (though mood swings are more common than most think - he tends to bounce back extremely quickly though).
- Super human strength - Obviously, his super human strength would be considered a strength, right? Not only is he stronger than a mortal human, but he's much stronger, to the point where he could lift a buffalo easily as a small child. If he could do that as a small child, it's not hard to believe that he could easily lift a car or truck at his current physical state.
- Shooting - Alfred has deadly aim with a gun. Having fought in every large war he's been in since (and including) the Revolution, on top of the fact that it's a hobby, he really shines in this category.
Weaknesses:
- Reading the atmosphere - Reading the situation is one of Alfred's main weaknesses. It's not that he can't, because he can and will if the situation calls for it, but rather that he chooses not to, because he's generally happier that way. Willful ignorance, if you will.
- Loud - If you're in a room with Al, chances are, you'll know he's there. He has some very attention-whorish tendencies, and loves it when the attention is focused on him. As expected, many people see him as obnoxious and bigmouthed as a result (not that they're entirely wrong).
- Easily distracted - While he's a force to be reckoned with when he's serious about something, in every day life Alfred is easily distracted, especially if the subject matter is something he's not particularly interested in. In other words? He could carry on a conversation all day and night about space and aliens, but if you want to talk about global warming? Unless you want to listen to him ramble on about Globa-Man (and most don't), he's liable to drift off very easily.
- Power hungry - Though it doesn't come out much, Alfred likes where he is in the world, and he fears losing his grip as a superpower. This has to do with another fear of his, which we will see below.
Your History
1584-1590 - An attempt at colonization by the English is established, the Roanoke Colony. By 1590, the colony is found abandoned, and the attempt ruled unsuccessful.
May 14, 1607 - Jamestown of the Virginia Colony is established, the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States.
1607 to 1733 - Several other English/British colonies are set up, some merging into others. The last colony to be added to the group was Georgia in 1733, leaving 13 colonies.
1754 to 1763 - French and Indian War, the American theater of the Seven Years War, occurs. In the end, Britain assumes control of French Canada and Acadia.
1754 - The 13 colonies collaborate at the Albany Congress, the first time the 13 colonies collaborate but certainly not the last.
1765 - Intense protests occur over the Stamp Act of 1765, leading to the increasing prominence of the idea of 'no taxation without representation' in the colonies
1770 - The Boston Massacre, as called by Americans (or the Incident On King Street as called by the British) occurs when protests lead to shots fired. Eleven Americans were shot, and five of them killed.
1773 - Boston Tea Party occurs in protest to taxes on tea
1774 - The Intolerable Acts are passed by the British in June, including a Quartering Act. The First Continental Congress is established in September. In the same month, George Washington and George Mason also establish a military unit independent of British control.
1775 - The Battles of Lexington and Concord take place on April 19th, signalling the start of the American Revolution.
1776 - The Second Continental Congress ratifies the Declaration of Independence.
1777 to 1778 - The Articles of Confederation are drafted and passed.
1781 - General Cornwallis surrenders to Washington at Yorktown, which ends the armed part of the American Revolution
1783 - The Treaty of Paris is signed between the United States and Great Britain, which formally ends the American Revolution
1787 - Constitutional Convention begins. The Articles of Confederation are scrapped and over the next few years, each state ratifies the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are added in 1791.
1803 - The Lousiana Purchase takes place, nearly doubling the size of the United States.
1812 to 1815 - War of 1812 occurs between the United States and Britain
1846 to 1848 - Mexican American War occurs, and the United States acquires formerly Mexican territories, such as California and New Mexico.
1860 - Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln is elected president. Soon after, seven states secede from the United States of America
1861 - The Confederate States of America are formed by the seven states that seceded. The Battle of Fort Sumter occurs in April, prompting Lincoln to enlist thousands more troops. Four more states secede in protest and join the Confederate States of America, and the Civil War begins.
1863 The Emancipation Proclamation is issued by Abraham Lincoln
1865 - The Civil War ends with a Union victory, slavery abolished under the 13th amendment.
1917-1918 - The United States enters (way late) into World War I, rejecting invitations to enter the League of Nations.
1920 - Sale and manufacture of liquor is prohibited, ushering in Prohibition - and along with several illegal drinking establishments known as speakeasies, home-produced alcoholism, and an increase in organized crime.
1929 - Wall Street stock market crash ushers in the Great Depression
1933 - Prohibition is repealed, and FDR launches the New Deal program to help the United States recover from the economic downturn, including several major public works.
1939 World War II breaks out in Europe
1941 - Japanese attack Pearl Harbor on December 7th, leading the United States to declare war on Japan, and Germany and Italy to declare war on the U.S. The U.S. becomes officially involved in World War II (again, late to the party)
1945 - Atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, signalling the end of World War II and the ushering in of the atomic age.
1947 - Cold War begins with the Soviet Union
1948 - In the Marshall Plan, the United States disburses $13 billion over 4 years to revive post-war European economies.
1950 to 1953 - US forces become involved in the Korean War, assisting South Korean troops against North Korean and Chinese troops
1954 - Racial segregation in schools is declared unconstitutional
1961 - Bay of Pigs invasion occurs and is unsuccessful
1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis occurs
1964 - The United States increases military intervention in Vietnam and the Civil Rights Act is signed into law.
1969 - Public opposition grows concerning the Vietnam War, yet the U.S. military presence in Vietnam increases to more than 500,000. The United States also becomes the first (and so far only) nation to land on the moon.
1973 The United States signs a ceasefire agreement concerning Vietnam
1974 - The Watergate scandal occurs, and Nixon resigns
1979 - Hostage crisis occurs in Iran and lasts for 444 days.
1981 - Hostages are released in Iran
1986 The Challenger disaster occurs, leading to a suspension in manned space flights until 1988.
1991 - Iraq invades Kuwait, leading to U.S. intervention and the Persian Gulf War. Iraqi troops are eventually forced out of Kuwait.
1992 - NAFTA is signed in an attempt to create a free trade block between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
1999 - U.S. plays a large role in NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia
2001 - Terrorist attacks occur on September 11. This leads to military action in Afghanistan, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, and the passing of the Patriot Act.
2003 - Columbia space shuttle disaster occurs. U.S. invasion of Iraq begins, with the intent to topple Saddam Hussein.
2005 - Hurricane Katrina occurs, leaving devastation in it's wake, especially in New Orleans
2008 - With several big players in the finance market facing troubles, the U.S. ushers in it's worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
2010 - The Deepwater Horizon oil rig spills millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
2011 - Osama Bin Laden killed in a raid in Pakistan
Sample Post
It was hard to look at Alfred and Ivan's relationship now and even consider that they'd been on good terms with each other in the not so distant past. Alfred could hardly lean back and enjoy the flight. Not when even the most benign of sounds on the plane echoed in his throbbing head in an ominous way.
Na. Na. Na. We. Are. Going. To. Die.
"Mr. Jones," a voice stirred him from his musings, "your coffee is ready." Alfred smiled and thanked the attendant, who also presented him with a folder. "Your boss wanted me to give that to you."
The blond sighed as he took the folder, setting it next to him to go over later in the flight. He already knew the crux of the situation, and that negotiations had to be at least underway by the end of this meeting. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. He would refresh himself on the details closer to when they landed. He instead turned his attention to the window.
"Nervous?"
Alfred jolted in his seat a little, not expecting the attendant to still be there. He shook his head at once. "Not at all! Where did you get that idea?"
The attendant merely pointed at Alfred's foot, which was bouncing up and down anxiously. "Oh, that's just a habit of mine."
The attendant chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll do fine at your meeting. What's the worst that could happen?"
Alfred stared at the now retreating back of the flight attendant. What was the worst that could happen? Global thermonuclear war. No pressure or anything. Alfred could not only feel his heart racing in his chest, but could hear it hammering in his ears.
"I'll be fine. I'm a hero and heroes can handle a crisis with ease!" Alfred spoke out loud to no one in particular.
This wasn't just any crisis though. The fate of the world depended on this. If this were a chess game, both players were at a stalemate. One move forward by either player and they would both be in danger. While declaring checkmate on the other player was the optimal goal in chess, it didn't work out so well when you placed yourself in danger in the process. Thus, no moves could be made, and no winners could be declared - that is, unless someone decided to break the rules.
That left negotiations to fix the situation...and Alfred would be lying if he said he knew offhand what directions those would take. Especially when he and Ivan could hardly stand being in the same room as the other. No punches were ever thrown, but glares were shot and jabs were made. It seemed as though the nations could not even look each other in the eye without some attempt to one up the other. One upping the other in this scenario, however, was not an option. The next step was nuclear war, and that was one step Alfred never wanted to take. He could only hope that Ivan felt the same way.
Their meeting was to be on neutral grounds. Alfred refused to step foot on Ivan's land and Ivan did the same. Once the plane landed, Alfred hailed a taxi. He reached his destination and tipped the driver a bit more than he usually would in his distraction.
Alfred finally found himself in the meeting room at long last. He was pleasantly surprised to find that he was the first to arrive - He had every intent to use that as a jab against Russia, a small yet triumphant smile gracing his features. Setting his coffee cup slightly to his side, Alfred took a seat and began looking over the notes Kennedy prepared for him.
The Player
Name: Mandee
Age: 23
Fun Fact: I've been rping for nearly 10 years now. =P
