Money still matters in zero gravity or hey, that's my toilet!

You'd think being surrounded by the cold and endless void known as space would be enough to get nations to leave their money squabbling behind, but that's not the case. Ever since Russia started charging the U.S. to send astronauts to the International Space Station, other countries have responded in kind. The new pay-to-play model of outer space research is already making things difficult for those orbiting the earth in zero gravity to get their work done.

In the past the cosmonauts and astronauts shared everything, operating like a 250-mile-high hippie commune, but since the money bickering has started they've been told to stick to their own spaces and food. The disputes are both petty and ridiculous. Russians on board just found out that they will no longer have access to the American gym and have also been told to avoid sharing rations. On a move that makes me wonder if the CEO of Ryanair has a stake in space travel, the astronauts and cosmonauts have been told not to use another country's toilet!