The Roosevelt Daily Monthly Minute: February 2076: First Imperium Man in Space, UIFL Championship VI, Bizzare Subway Stock Crash, and More

The United Imperium continues a string of triumphs, but also must be wary as international tensions rise. As the world order shifts and changes, the United Imperium has found itself at the center of the rise and fall of many empires. Monetarily and economically, the international community faces many changes. What is done about it will remain to be seen. These were the big events of February 2076.

Let's start with the big news: on the 8th of February, Jericho Glenn officially became the first person from the United Imperium to go to space! The mission started at Launchpad 11 at the International Launchpad of Spacefaring Nations at Cape Canaveral. A mouthful, to be sure. Launchpad 11 is the designated launch site for the United Imperium. Aboard a Sparrow VII rocket stood the Gryphon Capsule aboard which Glenn would reside for his 2 hour stay in space. An 80-hour countdown would precede the launch, but on the 8th, at 9:43 AM Local Time, the Sparrow VII rocket would officially launch into space. After primary ignition, Sparrow VII reached the Karman line, and by 9:50, Glenn was already in orbit. During the course of his mission, Glenn would take photographs, perform experiments, and take readings, before bringing the craft out of orbit. Splashdown would occur at 12:26 PM Local Time, and Glenn would successfully be recovered by the 13th Naval Battalion, and consequently receive a hero's welcome as thousands of Americans cheered Glenn as he was brought to shore. 

The next day would see the collapse of United Subway Company Stocks (SC). Despite all the major indexes increasing their value on the month, the United Subway Company saw its stock crater by 27%. Strangely, no one knows what happened to cause such a sharp downturn. Theories are being put out, from a mysterious illness overtaking CEO Jerry Buffer to a takeover by a foreign corporation (suspects range from the Mega Corporation to the Nukeya Corporation to the Lusitanian Fishing Industry). However, nothing is certain, and the United Subway Company is not helping matters, with their only public message since the crash doing nothing except for stirring up hysteria amongst shareholders.

These two events have made another massive event take a backseat, but for no longer. The UIFL Championship was absolutely incredible, with the Balboa Knights finally picking up their first win against the Eisenhower Generals. After three straight championship losses, the Knights had enough. The Generals were also returning to the UIFL Championship for the first time in six years, after many years of difficulty and heartbreak. The fourth quarter in particular was electric, as Jared Herbert pulled out a gem to secure a championship for the Generals, winning the match 23-17:

Herbert, out of the gun, takes the snap, pressure coming. He's going to roll out to his right. Evades one tackler, a second, and scrambles into the open field! Oh, wait! Herbert's got room to run! He jukes out another defender! Past the ten, and he will high-step his way into the end zone! The Generals will go up 22-17 in the late stages of this Championship Game!

In other sports news, TFP's Tournament Playoffs are beginning to shape up. The Cloucia Taps, SOTCW Apostles, and Shwinnland Raiders all secured victories, inching them closer to playoff berths. Despite the loss, the United Imperium Thunderbirds also clinched a playoff berth.

As the United Imperium continues to grow and expand, the American people will have to remain vigilant for the inevitable vacuums and challenges left by expansion. As the Imperium continues to prove its athletic talent, technological prowess, and cultural reach, her citizens continue to prosper.