Russia has just about the best space program in the world. And, in another example of forward thinking, they have decided that space will no longer be a dry zone.
Although they’ve met with puritan opposition from NASA, Russian authorities are making the common sense argument that astronauts should be given a booze ration.
They correctly claim that a drink would allow the “overworked cosmonauts a chance to restore their strength.” And they should know.
The Russians have a history of astro-boozing. There were even rumors of a vodka still on MIR that interfered with the functioning of the main computer. Now there’s a group of cosmonauts who had their priorities straight.
Although MADD doesn’t keep statistics on this, I believe the Russians have had fewer crashes than NASA. MIR, for example, was launched 23 days after Challenger.
I am reminded of the Winston Churchill quote that the Royal Navy offered nothing but “rum, sodomy and the lash.” Perhaps, in the future we will be able to say about the space program that it offers “vodka, anal probes and the cash.” Sounds like a fine future to me.
1 comment
mona lisa
January 13, 2006 at 11:01 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
just give me the vodka and cash and let my ass be.