Text reads:
Dear person-with-vaguely-Russian-sounding-name,

Fifty years ago today, the Soviet Union threw a beeping metal sphere into low earth orbit scaring the be-jesus out of every American and touching off the Space Race which gave us 100+ TV channels, GPS tracking, orbital mind control lasers, Google Earth, and Tang—all of which, by some coincidence, scare the be-jesus out of me.

How are you going to celebrate this greatest day in history?

—Terensandr Mydadovich Chayarov

I was thinking the other day how White Russians may be my favorite ethnic group named after a decent cocktail and it is a shame that they don’t have a cool day like the Irish do—you know to show off their heritage and give the rest of us an excuse to imbibe way too much alcohol.

That is, until Cindy pointed out that today is International Sputnik Day—the 50th anniversary!

[Tell us how you plan on celebrating the possibly greatest day in history of artificially-flavored orange juice after the jump]

The importance of sputnik

I know you’re thinking about how I’m going to say that Sputnik 1 caused the creation of an entire generation of American scientists and engineers. But basically from my perspective, if it wasn’t for Sputnik, there’d be like one less use for reynolds wrap. That alone is a good drinking excuse as any.

The beverage du Sputnik jour

Tang may be used by the NASA astronauts (or not), but I like to think that the cosmonauts had a bit more sense and stocked their rockets with an ample supply of vodka.

As far as I’m concerned, the magic solution of 40 percent ethanol and water is the best thing to happen to marketing since …well… since ever. I’ve probably gone on more drunken rampages due to vodka than all the other distilled spirits combined. It’s great stuff and comes highly recommended for Sputnik Day. But which? There are so many nowadays.

If you happen to be an area hip enough to serve Lotus Vodka, I’m going to have to recommend that. (Okay, I admit that I was too sick and lame to show to their party, but come on… It’s vodka… with vitamins! Think of how that could have helped my friend Jay, and besides, I’ve recently run out of Flintstones and stopped eating the Gummi Bear ones after I found out how they make them gummi. Yeach!)

How do you plan on celebrating?

“What are you talking about? Little White Russians are all Andrei even thinks about.”
—Patrick Reilly, LHB founder and chief instigator

Cindy happens to be going with her Russian buddies to a vodka bar (a bar…for vodka?).

As for me? I’d go except I’m spending the night in bed—the sick “in bed” kind of “in bed,” not the cool fortune cookie “in bed,” pardon me mixing ethnicities and references in a shameless attempt to include a picture and increase my readership:

Cindy Phung
111 Minna, SoMa, San Francisco, California

Leica M8, Cosina-Voigtländer NOKTON 35mm F1.2 Aspherical
1/20sec, iso 640, 35mm (47mm)

Cindy models a fortune cookie. (Oh yes, it’s there even if the depth-of-field doesn’t show it.)

I’m sending the e-card above to all my friends who may or may not be Russian. I suggest you do the same followed by a helpful directions to where you happen to be celebrating Sputnik Day. And even if you aren’t Russian, try to make it a point to talk to any Russians you meet today. They have really great accents 😀

Share your Sputnik Day plans with us in the comments below!