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Though most of us saw it years later in re-runs, “Leave it to Beaver” made its debut on CBS on this day in 1957. The show broke new ground – by being the first program to show a toilet on TV – and for making rug-rats the lead actors in a series. Now, a blog is as good a place as any to lay some rumors about the Beaver crew to rest: First and foremost, Eddie Haskell (actor Ken Osmond) did not become a porn star; turns out John Holmes did a few flicks using his name (and was unsuccessfully sued by Mr. Osmond for doing so). Another urban legend said Eddie Haskell grew up and turned into rockstar/bat eater Alice Cooper. Also not true. While Eddie may have played a naughty kid on the show, in real life, he was a pious gem. Now aren’t ya glad you’re spending your work day reading blogs? This stuff is important!

In more politically important news, fifty years ago today, the USSR launched Sputnik, the first artificial Earth satellite, and the space race was on (and our tax dollars spent). Sputnik may have only been two feet long and 184 pounds, but it threw the U.S. into a wild tizzy, with fears running rampant that not only were the Ruskies technologically superior, but that they might launch future rockets, delivering a nuke to each and every doorstep in the country.

It took a while for America to catch up – the Soviets launched three more Sputniks, including one on November 3^rd of 1957 with a dog on board. Laika, a sweet husky (nicknamed Muttnik), never had a chance – mainly because the Russians didn’t build Sputniks for return touchdowns – so the poor pooch bit it on day four of the flight when the cabin overheated. Support PETA. Oh, and if anyone’s keeping score, the United States won the Space Race, when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon 12 years later. USA! USA!