Esswhyell

Real world events happen in the real world, CoX events happen in CoX. In this case, we've got a world still reeling from a massive alien invasion. I don't think there's really any reason to want to reference "real" events when there are things like that, far more relevant to the feel of the game world, already in place.

Although, as above, small things like movies, music and things are fair game, and rightly so.

I'm willing to help, depending on time and place.