Nostrovia, Sputnik!

Our Ruskie friends are celebrating a most monumental occasion today. Fifty years ago, Sputnik was launched into orbit marking the beginning of the space race and (somewhat) easing tensions in a developing Cold War between two superpowers by distracting them with a good natured competition. Ultimately, it was the U.S.A. who'd land a man on the Moon, but let's give credit where credit's due.

It should also be noted it was the Soviets who sent the first man into space, Yuri Gagarin, and carried out the first spacewalk. Of course we all know what came next - the bankruptcy of a corrupt and coroding form of government leading to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union and their space program.

But things have been looking up lately and Russia has new ambitions to regain their status as a leader in aeronautics. In fact, the program's set a date for a Mars landing: 2020. And wouldn't that be something special - the Russians land a man on Mars the same year the MTA finally runs the first car up the Second Avenue Subway. Ahh, technology!