U.S. Billionaire Heads to Space Station
Homeless? Go, Flight.
AIDS? Roger, Flight.
Hurricane Katrina victims? Go, Flight.
Carbon footprint? Go, Flight.
Musing about the super-rich and moral responsibility? Roger.
We're go for launch, resume countdown. 3 ... 2 .. 1
BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AP) -- A Russian rocket carrying the American billionaire who helped develop Microsoft Word roared into the night skies over Kazakhstan Saturday, sending Charles Simonyi and two cosmonauts soaring into orbit on a two-day journey to the international space station.Righteous indignation in 5 .. 4 .. Countdown Hold for systems check
Homeless? Go, Flight.
AIDS? Roger, Flight.
Hurricane Katrina victims? Go, Flight.
Carbon footprint? Go, Flight.
Musing about the super-rich and moral responsibility? Roger.
We're go for launch, resume countdown. 3 ... 2 .. 1
Is there a more perfect symbol of the excesses of global capitalism than Charles Simonyi's 13-day joyride into outer space? Simonyi, a Hungarian-American software programmer who made his fortune at Xerox and Microsoft before launching his own start-up, paid $20 million to be escorted to the Kazakh steppes, packed into a Russian Soyuz rocket and blasted towards the international space station. En route, he'll enjoy a meal of roasted quail, duck breast confit with capers, shredded chicken parmentier and rice pudding with candied fruit -- all carefully selected by his girlfriend, Martha Stewart.Richard Kim hit all the highpoints - way to go!
