Fifty Years Ago Today

And today? US astronauts are paying to fly in Russian space capsules because it's the only way we can get into orbit.

Well, there are two shuttles still flying, Atlantis and Endeavour, but they'll be retired by the end of the year.

Huzzah.

As if I weren't depressed enough.

Still, I shall raise a glass to Colonel Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, the first human in space.