I don't know about you, but I was more excited when the Yankees made it to the World Series last October than when the Spirit Rover made it to Mars and sent back the highest-resolution panoramic photo ever of the Red Planet, which bears a distinct resemblance to Arizona. I swear I keep looking out for a lonesome hot dog truck. It's dazzling and all, but the Joy of Painting guy gave us some good shit, too.

There's been a lot of debate about whether manned space exploration is the wisest expenditure of 12-figure funds, but it's interesting to note that the Apollo program of the 1960s and early 1970s cost $150 billion to $175 billion in 2003 dollars. I don't know many who think the initial space race was a waste of time, even though the benefits were almost exclusively political. And so, too, seems the reason for being the first to Mars: politics. Divided by 250 million Americans, a $120 billion price tag in 2020 comes to $480 a person, not much higher than the 2003 $300 tax credit Bush detractors thought was a drop in the bucket.

If a Mars mission inspires people, even subliminally, to reach a little higher than they thought possible, then maybe it's worth it. Would be nice if someone else shared the bill, though. But then they couldn't call the U.S. arrogant.

Mars Links:

• 'Get Your War On' Mars Cartoon — My favorite political strip shows characters arguing the value of manned space missions. Asks one man, "Who are we fighting on Mars? Wait, lemme guess — TERRORISTS."

• Why We Shouldn't Go To Mars — Gregg Easterbrook writes in TIME that a manned mission to Mars does not yet make technological sense. He also argues: "If Mars proponents want to raise $600 billion privately and stage their own expedition, more power to them; many of the great expeditions of the past were privately mounted. If Mars proponents expect taxpayers to foot their bill, then they must make their case against the many other competing needs for money. And against the needs for health care, education, poverty reduction, reinforcement of the military and reduction of the federal deficit, the case for vast expenditures to go to Mars using current technology is very weak."

• 61% of Americans Oppose Bush Space Plan — Even among members of Mr Bush's own Republican Party, 48 percent opposed the plan.

• Surviving a Trip to Mars — Newsday details the logistical and health-related hurdles of such a voyage.