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- The Advertiser
Forget manifest destiny, Musk's Mars fantasy is manifest vanity
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Man turns 50. Buys red sports car. Leaves wife for girlfriend half his age. Mid-30s man-child. Lives with parents. Refuses to move out. Plays video games all night. Relies on mother for laundry and meals. Chances are you know someone who has Peter Pan syndrome, a condition that afflicts men more than women. Symptoms include stubbornly clinging to adolescent fantasies, avoidance of responsibility and a refusal to act emotionally or be socially mature. There's also another striking example of this sad syndrome: billionaires with booster rockets. The world's wealthiest individual, Elon Musk, regularly preaches about humanity's urgent need to colonise Mars. By becoming an interplanetary species, he insists, we can escape an Earth doomed by climate change, the prospect of nuclear armageddon, rogue artificial intelligence and the eventual death of the sun that will reduce our world to a cinder in, oh, a few billion years' time. We hear much the same from Amazon czar Jeff Bezos, who envisions trillions of us living in self-contained space stations, a form of insurance against mankind's childlike destructive impulses on Earth. Stirring stuff these dreams, rich with Hollywood romance and bravado. They're also fallacies, rooted not in science but escapism; seductive visions allowing the ultra-wealthy to portray themselves as saviours while diverting attention and funding from the crises facing us on Earth. Climate change. Biodiversity collapse. Water scarcity. Inequality and wealth disparity. We know the threats. We know what causes them. We have the tools to address them. We only lack the leadership, investment and collective will. If Musk and Bezos are so desperate for their place in history, their fortunes and influence could revolutionise energy consumption and mitigate poverty, illness and environmental destruction, transitioning the world to a more sustainable path. Instead, they pursue vanity projects, burning through emissions with every launch while promising eventual salvation from a world destined to burn light years into the future. It's the ultimate abdication of responsibility, encouraging a mindset that Earth is disposable and that we can continue trashing our planet because there's another waiting for us. A test flight of Musk's much-mooted Starship failed again this week, underlining the extreme engineering challenges now making his prediction of landing people on Mars before the end of this decade more unlikely. But another more brutal reality undermines Musk's claims. Mars is not a backup Earth. Its surface is an airless, freezing, irradiated desert more hostile to life than Mt Everest's summit or the depths of the Mariana Trench. It is blasted by radiation thousands of times more lethal than what we experience on Earth. Its soil is contaminated by perchlorates - toxic, cancer-causing chemical compounds highly dangerous to the human thyroid. Its gravity is only 38 per cent of Earth's, guaranteeing long-term health impacts on the human body. Every drop of water, every mouthful of food, every breath of air would have to be manufactured or imported. Colonists would be forced underground or live in domes still vulnerable to radiation. Cost estimates for such a project begin in the trillions. This is not starting over again. It's about grim survival; tenuous, laborious and entirely dependent on supply ships always six to nine months away carrying cargo costing astronomical amounts to lift into orbit. The zealots sharing Musk's comic book Martian fantasies include his one-time paramour, Donald Trump, who absurdly announced this year that putting humans on Mars was America's "manifest destiny" - a popular 19th century phrase that invoked the divine right of the US to seize all territory in its expansion into the western frontier. But humanity has already been to Mars, courtesy of low-cost orbiters and robotic vehicles. Given the limitations of our vulnerable bodies, surely that is the reality of future space exploration. While the bromance between Musk and Trump might be over, the President's recent slashing of NASA's budget is likely to award the South African-born billionaire's company SpaceX billions in new contracts, further fuelling his adolescent ambitions. Manifest destiny? Refusing to confront our current crises feels more like moral cowardice. Being bold, curious and willing to explore the unknown made us who we are today. Dreaming of going to Mars might be human. But isn't investing in our own planet at this critical time more humane? Surely the future should not be about who gets to escape our burning world, but who is prepared to stay behind to put out the flames. HAVE YOUR SAY: Is it imperative that the human race colonises space? Should we devote our resources to fixing Earth's problems? Do the ultra-wealthy like Musk and Bezos have a moral obligation to use their fortunes to help others, or the right to pursue their own interests? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Entertainer Magda Szubanski is battling stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and fast-moving blood cancer. Szubanski said the cancer was picked up during a routine breast screening, but admitted she had been feeling "rats---" for some time. - Elon Musk is leaving his US government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy. - A recruitment firm has found that most Australians in its survey believe employers rarely or never hire people near or past the age of retirement and those over 65 years of age are generally excluded from employment. THEY SAID IT: "I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact." - Elon Musk YOU SAID IT: Lamenting the effects of climate change one day, approving the extension of a giant fossil fuel project the next, the government's hypocrisy hides in plain sight, John wrote. (Apologies for the wrong questions being included. A gremlin snuck into the burrow.) Bob writes: "We just saved two billion tonnes of Co2 by not going nuclear with the Coalition only to be saddled with four billion tonnes with the North West Shelf by Labor. Let's hope economics will change this idiocy, we can't rely on any government." "It is an unbelievably criminal decision," writes Christopher. "Why, oh why do we have to put a number against every candidate on the ballot paper for the House of Reps. We should only need to number those candidates we could tolerate, and then neither of the grosser parties would get a number from me. A true preferential system." Murray writes: "I'm the man on the corner with the sign bearing bad news. The sign says, 'You cannot change the climate with taxation.' There is a theory that if we pay lots more tax it will somehow halt the current trend of climate change. Not being an elite and in on the secret I have no idea how that's supposed to work. Maybe there's an altar at Davos where they burn money as a sacrifice to the climate gods. Who knows? On Tuesday I had to hose the mud off my car after the dust storm and a shower of rain. Maybe the climate gods were telling me something. I don't think so, I just enjoy the warm weather before we start heading back to the next ice age, heathen that I am." "I wholeheartedly agree, John," writes Sue. "I can see some point to extending leases for another five years so that alternatives can be put in place for Australian power needs, but only just. That should have already been done, or at least be under way, but this is a form of hypocrisy that is more typical of the Conglomerate Party (I am thinking of the 'Let's get rid of public servants to save on salaries but secretly hire lots of consultants at greater cost to do the same job') style of policy making. Albo may be a quiet achiever, but there are times when he really needs to make a stand and perhaps to make a noise about it as well. Saying one thing and doing another is not acceptable." Wayne writes: "I say 'right on, John'. Keep up the pointy stuff." "I was shocked when the new Albanese government approved the extension of the gas fields off WA coast," writes Sue K. "It must have been a political trade-off to do with the recent election. WA is dependent on its fossil fuel and mining revenue and Albanese needed WA's support in the election." Peter writes: "The Prime Minister's justifiable lamentation over the impact of the climate crisis, only to be followed immediately by approving a massive polluting, climate-destroying project, represents breathtaking hypocrisy and stupidity. That shortsightedness is why I didn't vote Labor on May 3, for the first time in 50 years. And yet Albanese was returned. With governments this dumb and dishonest, we are doomed." "Thank you, Echidna, for drawing attention to the problems farmers face all the time," writes Arthur. "There is hypocrisy all round. Country people do not want wind farms, solar farms and high voltage electricity lines in their backyard but it seems OK to have a gas producing farm in the north west shelf which is not in the backyard of the people living in Perth. Just imagine the furore if wind turbines were erected in Sydney Harbour or Lake Burley Griffin. Likewise, if South Head in Sydney was covered with solar panels. The Nationals are right to support nuclear energy. Lift the moratorium on nuclear energy in Australia so our scientists can develop modern technology to replace outdated technology currently in use in nuclear power stations. Small modular nuclear stations which are the size of a shipping container may be the way to go. If mass-produced, the cost would be low. Hypocrisy is not confined to just politicians but to all of us. We have to wean ourselves off all fossil fuels. The sooner the better. A few blackouts might be necessary before the message gets through to city people just the way drought and floods are getting the message to farmers." Mark writes: "You have to wonder how much money was left on the table for Labor to have done an about-face on the climate and approved the extension to gas exports from WA. Oh well, those who voted for the Labor Party on their (supposed) commitment on climate have got what they deserved. You mention floods. My question is why was there so much development on the floodplains in Lismore? If I am not mistaken, the local council would have got all the money from development approvals, and allowed this to happen, yet cried poor when it did happen; and then asked us to pay. Another example of hypocrisy. Just to be clear - I am not against governments stumping up with our money to support the SES, rural firies and the like, or paying to support farmers for natural disasters, but I am against short-sighted decisions." "I used to work in WA and was always impressed with their gas reservation policy for local requirements, and their gas royalties," writes Mike. "Their turnaround on these (actually the federal government decision) is deplorable. One of the WA universities has researched and developed a process called HAZAR, using raw natural gas and iron ore (both in abundance in WA) which are converted to pure hydrogen and pure carbon. These are both non-polluting and are in demand, and have a lot of overseas interest. Why aren't the relevant governments backing this?" Ken writes: "Your newsletter highlights once again the absolute perfidy of our politicians. Giving the North West Shelf project extension a gold card is treachery. The sanctimonious claptrap about climate and environment that came from Albanese and co during and following the election is immediately shown to be utterly untrue. Once again we the Australian people have been duped by the mendacity of this government who are firmly in the thrall of their fossil fuel masters." "What happens to the countries that buy the gas if they can't buy it anywhere?" asks Phil. "It will lead to almost certain death to parts of their population. These countries currently rely on gas to power electricity generation. They do not have, nor can they currently afford, nor is it materially possible to transition to greener energy. So, refrigeration, domestic fans, hospitals, lighting, etc will cease in developing countries and people will die as a result. In philosophy, it is known as the trolley dilemma. I don't have an answer to this ethical question other than perhaps we need to fund the transition in the developing world. But this will take 30-50 years. In the meantime, gas production will be necessary." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Man turns 50. Buys red sports car. Leaves wife for girlfriend half his age. Mid-30s man-child. Lives with parents. Refuses to move out. Plays video games all night. Relies on mother for laundry and meals. Chances are you know someone who has Peter Pan syndrome, a condition that afflicts men more than women. Symptoms include stubbornly clinging to adolescent fantasies, avoidance of responsibility and a refusal to act emotionally or be socially mature. There's also another striking example of this sad syndrome: billionaires with booster rockets. The world's wealthiest individual, Elon Musk, regularly preaches about humanity's urgent need to colonise Mars. By becoming an interplanetary species, he insists, we can escape an Earth doomed by climate change, the prospect of nuclear armageddon, rogue artificial intelligence and the eventual death of the sun that will reduce our world to a cinder in, oh, a few billion years' time. We hear much the same from Amazon czar Jeff Bezos, who envisions trillions of us living in self-contained space stations, a form of insurance against mankind's childlike destructive impulses on Earth. Stirring stuff these dreams, rich with Hollywood romance and bravado. They're also fallacies, rooted not in science but escapism; seductive visions allowing the ultra-wealthy to portray themselves as saviours while diverting attention and funding from the crises facing us on Earth. Climate change. Biodiversity collapse. Water scarcity. Inequality and wealth disparity. We know the threats. We know what causes them. We have the tools to address them. We only lack the leadership, investment and collective will. If Musk and Bezos are so desperate for their place in history, their fortunes and influence could revolutionise energy consumption and mitigate poverty, illness and environmental destruction, transitioning the world to a more sustainable path. Instead, they pursue vanity projects, burning through emissions with every launch while promising eventual salvation from a world destined to burn light years into the future. It's the ultimate abdication of responsibility, encouraging a mindset that Earth is disposable and that we can continue trashing our planet because there's another waiting for us. A test flight of Musk's much-mooted Starship failed again this week, underlining the extreme engineering challenges now making his prediction of landing people on Mars before the end of this decade more unlikely. But another more brutal reality undermines Musk's claims. Mars is not a backup Earth. Its surface is an airless, freezing, irradiated desert more hostile to life than Mt Everest's summit or the depths of the Mariana Trench. It is blasted by radiation thousands of times more lethal than what we experience on Earth. Its soil is contaminated by perchlorates - toxic, cancer-causing chemical compounds highly dangerous to the human thyroid. Its gravity is only 38 per cent of Earth's, guaranteeing long-term health impacts on the human body. Every drop of water, every mouthful of food, every breath of air would have to be manufactured or imported. Colonists would be forced underground or live in domes still vulnerable to radiation. Cost estimates for such a project begin in the trillions. This is not starting over again. It's about grim survival; tenuous, laborious and entirely dependent on supply ships always six to nine months away carrying cargo costing astronomical amounts to lift into orbit. The zealots sharing Musk's comic book Martian fantasies include his one-time paramour, Donald Trump, who absurdly announced this year that putting humans on Mars was America's "manifest destiny" - a popular 19th century phrase that invoked the divine right of the US to seize all territory in its expansion into the western frontier. But humanity has already been to Mars, courtesy of low-cost orbiters and robotic vehicles. Given the limitations of our vulnerable bodies, surely that is the reality of future space exploration. While the bromance between Musk and Trump might be over, the President's recent slashing of NASA's budget is likely to award the South African-born billionaire's company SpaceX billions in new contracts, further fuelling his adolescent ambitions. Manifest destiny? Refusing to confront our current crises feels more like moral cowardice. Being bold, curious and willing to explore the unknown made us who we are today. Dreaming of going to Mars might be human. But isn't investing in our own planet at this critical time more humane? Surely the future should not be about who gets to escape our burning world, but who is prepared to stay behind to put out the flames. HAVE YOUR SAY: Is it imperative that the human race colonises space? Should we devote our resources to fixing Earth's problems? Do the ultra-wealthy like Musk and Bezos have a moral obligation to use their fortunes to help others, or the right to pursue their own interests? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Entertainer Magda Szubanski is battling stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and fast-moving blood cancer. Szubanski said the cancer was picked up during a routine breast screening, but admitted she had been feeling "rats---" for some time. - Elon Musk is leaving his US government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy. - A recruitment firm has found that most Australians in its survey believe employers rarely or never hire people near or past the age of retirement and those over 65 years of age are generally excluded from employment. THEY SAID IT: "I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact." - Elon Musk YOU SAID IT: Lamenting the effects of climate change one day, approving the extension of a giant fossil fuel project the next, the government's hypocrisy hides in plain sight, John wrote. (Apologies for the wrong questions being included. A gremlin snuck into the burrow.) Bob writes: "We just saved two billion tonnes of Co2 by not going nuclear with the Coalition only to be saddled with four billion tonnes with the North West Shelf by Labor. Let's hope economics will change this idiocy, we can't rely on any government." "It is an unbelievably criminal decision," writes Christopher. "Why, oh why do we have to put a number against every candidate on the ballot paper for the House of Reps. We should only need to number those candidates we could tolerate, and then neither of the grosser parties would get a number from me. A true preferential system." Murray writes: "I'm the man on the corner with the sign bearing bad news. The sign says, 'You cannot change the climate with taxation.' There is a theory that if we pay lots more tax it will somehow halt the current trend of climate change. Not being an elite and in on the secret I have no idea how that's supposed to work. Maybe there's an altar at Davos where they burn money as a sacrifice to the climate gods. Who knows? On Tuesday I had to hose the mud off my car after the dust storm and a shower of rain. Maybe the climate gods were telling me something. I don't think so, I just enjoy the warm weather before we start heading back to the next ice age, heathen that I am." "I wholeheartedly agree, John," writes Sue. "I can see some point to extending leases for another five years so that alternatives can be put in place for Australian power needs, but only just. That should have already been done, or at least be under way, but this is a form of hypocrisy that is more typical of the Conglomerate Party (I am thinking of the 'Let's get rid of public servants to save on salaries but secretly hire lots of consultants at greater cost to do the same job') style of policy making. Albo may be a quiet achiever, but there are times when he really needs to make a stand and perhaps to make a noise about it as well. Saying one thing and doing another is not acceptable." Wayne writes: "I say 'right on, John'. Keep up the pointy stuff." "I was shocked when the new Albanese government approved the extension of the gas fields off WA coast," writes Sue K. "It must have been a political trade-off to do with the recent election. WA is dependent on its fossil fuel and mining revenue and Albanese needed WA's support in the election." Peter writes: "The Prime Minister's justifiable lamentation over the impact of the climate crisis, only to be followed immediately by approving a massive polluting, climate-destroying project, represents breathtaking hypocrisy and stupidity. That shortsightedness is why I didn't vote Labor on May 3, for the first time in 50 years. And yet Albanese was returned. With governments this dumb and dishonest, we are doomed." "Thank you, Echidna, for drawing attention to the problems farmers face all the time," writes Arthur. "There is hypocrisy all round. Country people do not want wind farms, solar farms and high voltage electricity lines in their backyard but it seems OK to have a gas producing farm in the north west shelf which is not in the backyard of the people living in Perth. Just imagine the furore if wind turbines were erected in Sydney Harbour or Lake Burley Griffin. Likewise, if South Head in Sydney was covered with solar panels. The Nationals are right to support nuclear energy. Lift the moratorium on nuclear energy in Australia so our scientists can develop modern technology to replace outdated technology currently in use in nuclear power stations. Small modular nuclear stations which are the size of a shipping container may be the way to go. If mass-produced, the cost would be low. Hypocrisy is not confined to just politicians but to all of us. We have to wean ourselves off all fossil fuels. The sooner the better. A few blackouts might be necessary before the message gets through to city people just the way drought and floods are getting the message to farmers." Mark writes: "You have to wonder how much money was left on the table for Labor to have done an about-face on the climate and approved the extension to gas exports from WA. Oh well, those who voted for the Labor Party on their (supposed) commitment on climate have got what they deserved. You mention floods. My question is why was there so much development on the floodplains in Lismore? If I am not mistaken, the local council would have got all the money from development approvals, and allowed this to happen, yet cried poor when it did happen; and then asked us to pay. Another example of hypocrisy. Just to be clear - I am not against governments stumping up with our money to support the SES, rural firies and the like, or paying to support farmers for natural disasters, but I am against short-sighted decisions." "I used to work in WA and was always impressed with their gas reservation policy for local requirements, and their gas royalties," writes Mike. "Their turnaround on these (actually the federal government decision) is deplorable. One of the WA universities has researched and developed a process called HAZAR, using raw natural gas and iron ore (both in abundance in WA) which are converted to pure hydrogen and pure carbon. These are both non-polluting and are in demand, and have a lot of overseas interest. Why aren't the relevant governments backing this?" Ken writes: "Your newsletter highlights once again the absolute perfidy of our politicians. Giving the North West Shelf project extension a gold card is treachery. The sanctimonious claptrap about climate and environment that came from Albanese and co during and following the election is immediately shown to be utterly untrue. Once again we the Australian people have been duped by the mendacity of this government who are firmly in the thrall of their fossil fuel masters." "What happens to the countries that buy the gas if they can't buy it anywhere?" asks Phil. "It will lead to almost certain death to parts of their population. These countries currently rely on gas to power electricity generation. They do not have, nor can they currently afford, nor is it materially possible to transition to greener energy. So, refrigeration, domestic fans, hospitals, lighting, etc will cease in developing countries and people will die as a result. In philosophy, it is known as the trolley dilemma. I don't have an answer to this ethical question other than perhaps we need to fund the transition in the developing world. But this will take 30-50 years. In the meantime, gas production will be necessary." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Man turns 50. Buys red sports car. Leaves wife for girlfriend half his age. Mid-30s man-child. Lives with parents. Refuses to move out. Plays video games all night. Relies on mother for laundry and meals. Chances are you know someone who has Peter Pan syndrome, a condition that afflicts men more than women. Symptoms include stubbornly clinging to adolescent fantasies, avoidance of responsibility and a refusal to act emotionally or be socially mature. There's also another striking example of this sad syndrome: billionaires with booster rockets. The world's wealthiest individual, Elon Musk, regularly preaches about humanity's urgent need to colonise Mars. By becoming an interplanetary species, he insists, we can escape an Earth doomed by climate change, the prospect of nuclear armageddon, rogue artificial intelligence and the eventual death of the sun that will reduce our world to a cinder in, oh, a few billion years' time. We hear much the same from Amazon czar Jeff Bezos, who envisions trillions of us living in self-contained space stations, a form of insurance against mankind's childlike destructive impulses on Earth. Stirring stuff these dreams, rich with Hollywood romance and bravado. They're also fallacies, rooted not in science but escapism; seductive visions allowing the ultra-wealthy to portray themselves as saviours while diverting attention and funding from the crises facing us on Earth. Climate change. Biodiversity collapse. Water scarcity. Inequality and wealth disparity. We know the threats. We know what causes them. We have the tools to address them. We only lack the leadership, investment and collective will. If Musk and Bezos are so desperate for their place in history, their fortunes and influence could revolutionise energy consumption and mitigate poverty, illness and environmental destruction, transitioning the world to a more sustainable path. Instead, they pursue vanity projects, burning through emissions with every launch while promising eventual salvation from a world destined to burn light years into the future. It's the ultimate abdication of responsibility, encouraging a mindset that Earth is disposable and that we can continue trashing our planet because there's another waiting for us. A test flight of Musk's much-mooted Starship failed again this week, underlining the extreme engineering challenges now making his prediction of landing people on Mars before the end of this decade more unlikely. But another more brutal reality undermines Musk's claims. Mars is not a backup Earth. Its surface is an airless, freezing, irradiated desert more hostile to life than Mt Everest's summit or the depths of the Mariana Trench. It is blasted by radiation thousands of times more lethal than what we experience on Earth. Its soil is contaminated by perchlorates - toxic, cancer-causing chemical compounds highly dangerous to the human thyroid. Its gravity is only 38 per cent of Earth's, guaranteeing long-term health impacts on the human body. Every drop of water, every mouthful of food, every breath of air would have to be manufactured or imported. Colonists would be forced underground or live in domes still vulnerable to radiation. Cost estimates for such a project begin in the trillions. This is not starting over again. It's about grim survival; tenuous, laborious and entirely dependent on supply ships always six to nine months away carrying cargo costing astronomical amounts to lift into orbit. The zealots sharing Musk's comic book Martian fantasies include his one-time paramour, Donald Trump, who absurdly announced this year that putting humans on Mars was America's "manifest destiny" - a popular 19th century phrase that invoked the divine right of the US to seize all territory in its expansion into the western frontier. But humanity has already been to Mars, courtesy of low-cost orbiters and robotic vehicles. Given the limitations of our vulnerable bodies, surely that is the reality of future space exploration. While the bromance between Musk and Trump might be over, the President's recent slashing of NASA's budget is likely to award the South African-born billionaire's company SpaceX billions in new contracts, further fuelling his adolescent ambitions. Manifest destiny? Refusing to confront our current crises feels more like moral cowardice. Being bold, curious and willing to explore the unknown made us who we are today. Dreaming of going to Mars might be human. But isn't investing in our own planet at this critical time more humane? Surely the future should not be about who gets to escape our burning world, but who is prepared to stay behind to put out the flames. HAVE YOUR SAY: Is it imperative that the human race colonises space? Should we devote our resources to fixing Earth's problems? Do the ultra-wealthy like Musk and Bezos have a moral obligation to use their fortunes to help others, or the right to pursue their own interests? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Entertainer Magda Szubanski is battling stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and fast-moving blood cancer. Szubanski said the cancer was picked up during a routine breast screening, but admitted she had been feeling "rats---" for some time. - Elon Musk is leaving his US government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy. - A recruitment firm has found that most Australians in its survey believe employers rarely or never hire people near or past the age of retirement and those over 65 years of age are generally excluded from employment. THEY SAID IT: "I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact." - Elon Musk YOU SAID IT: Lamenting the effects of climate change one day, approving the extension of a giant fossil fuel project the next, the government's hypocrisy hides in plain sight, John wrote. (Apologies for the wrong questions being included. A gremlin snuck into the burrow.) Bob writes: "We just saved two billion tonnes of Co2 by not going nuclear with the Coalition only to be saddled with four billion tonnes with the North West Shelf by Labor. Let's hope economics will change this idiocy, we can't rely on any government." "It is an unbelievably criminal decision," writes Christopher. "Why, oh why do we have to put a number against every candidate on the ballot paper for the House of Reps. We should only need to number those candidates we could tolerate, and then neither of the grosser parties would get a number from me. A true preferential system." Murray writes: "I'm the man on the corner with the sign bearing bad news. The sign says, 'You cannot change the climate with taxation.' There is a theory that if we pay lots more tax it will somehow halt the current trend of climate change. Not being an elite and in on the secret I have no idea how that's supposed to work. Maybe there's an altar at Davos where they burn money as a sacrifice to the climate gods. Who knows? On Tuesday I had to hose the mud off my car after the dust storm and a shower of rain. Maybe the climate gods were telling me something. I don't think so, I just enjoy the warm weather before we start heading back to the next ice age, heathen that I am." "I wholeheartedly agree, John," writes Sue. "I can see some point to extending leases for another five years so that alternatives can be put in place for Australian power needs, but only just. That should have already been done, or at least be under way, but this is a form of hypocrisy that is more typical of the Conglomerate Party (I am thinking of the 'Let's get rid of public servants to save on salaries but secretly hire lots of consultants at greater cost to do the same job') style of policy making. Albo may be a quiet achiever, but there are times when he really needs to make a stand and perhaps to make a noise about it as well. Saying one thing and doing another is not acceptable." Wayne writes: "I say 'right on, John'. Keep up the pointy stuff." "I was shocked when the new Albanese government approved the extension of the gas fields off WA coast," writes Sue K. "It must have been a political trade-off to do with the recent election. WA is dependent on its fossil fuel and mining revenue and Albanese needed WA's support in the election." Peter writes: "The Prime Minister's justifiable lamentation over the impact of the climate crisis, only to be followed immediately by approving a massive polluting, climate-destroying project, represents breathtaking hypocrisy and stupidity. That shortsightedness is why I didn't vote Labor on May 3, for the first time in 50 years. And yet Albanese was returned. With governments this dumb and dishonest, we are doomed." "Thank you, Echidna, for drawing attention to the problems farmers face all the time," writes Arthur. "There is hypocrisy all round. Country people do not want wind farms, solar farms and high voltage electricity lines in their backyard but it seems OK to have a gas producing farm in the north west shelf which is not in the backyard of the people living in Perth. Just imagine the furore if wind turbines were erected in Sydney Harbour or Lake Burley Griffin. Likewise, if South Head in Sydney was covered with solar panels. The Nationals are right to support nuclear energy. Lift the moratorium on nuclear energy in Australia so our scientists can develop modern technology to replace outdated technology currently in use in nuclear power stations. Small modular nuclear stations which are the size of a shipping container may be the way to go. If mass-produced, the cost would be low. Hypocrisy is not confined to just politicians but to all of us. We have to wean ourselves off all fossil fuels. The sooner the better. A few blackouts might be necessary before the message gets through to city people just the way drought and floods are getting the message to farmers." Mark writes: "You have to wonder how much money was left on the table for Labor to have done an about-face on the climate and approved the extension to gas exports from WA. Oh well, those who voted for the Labor Party on their (supposed) commitment on climate have got what they deserved. You mention floods. My question is why was there so much development on the floodplains in Lismore? If I am not mistaken, the local council would have got all the money from development approvals, and allowed this to happen, yet cried poor when it did happen; and then asked us to pay. Another example of hypocrisy. Just to be clear - I am not against governments stumping up with our money to support the SES, rural firies and the like, or paying to support farmers for natural disasters, but I am against short-sighted decisions." "I used to work in WA and was always impressed with their gas reservation policy for local requirements, and their gas royalties," writes Mike. "Their turnaround on these (actually the federal government decision) is deplorable. One of the WA universities has researched and developed a process called HAZAR, using raw natural gas and iron ore (both in abundance in WA) which are converted to pure hydrogen and pure carbon. These are both non-polluting and are in demand, and have a lot of overseas interest. Why aren't the relevant governments backing this?" Ken writes: "Your newsletter highlights once again the absolute perfidy of our politicians. Giving the North West Shelf project extension a gold card is treachery. The sanctimonious claptrap about climate and environment that came from Albanese and co during and following the election is immediately shown to be utterly untrue. Once again we the Australian people have been duped by the mendacity of this government who are firmly in the thrall of their fossil fuel masters." "What happens to the countries that buy the gas if they can't buy it anywhere?" asks Phil. "It will lead to almost certain death to parts of their population. These countries currently rely on gas to power electricity generation. They do not have, nor can they currently afford, nor is it materially possible to transition to greener energy. So, refrigeration, domestic fans, hospitals, lighting, etc will cease in developing countries and people will die as a result. In philosophy, it is known as the trolley dilemma. I don't have an answer to this ethical question other than perhaps we need to fund the transition in the developing world. But this will take 30-50 years. In the meantime, gas production will be necessary." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Man turns 50. Buys red sports car. Leaves wife for girlfriend half his age. Mid-30s man-child. Lives with parents. Refuses to move out. Plays video games all night. Relies on mother for laundry and meals. Chances are you know someone who has Peter Pan syndrome, a condition that afflicts men more than women. Symptoms include stubbornly clinging to adolescent fantasies, avoidance of responsibility and a refusal to act emotionally or be socially mature. There's also another striking example of this sad syndrome: billionaires with booster rockets. The world's wealthiest individual, Elon Musk, regularly preaches about humanity's urgent need to colonise Mars. By becoming an interplanetary species, he insists, we can escape an Earth doomed by climate change, the prospect of nuclear armageddon, rogue artificial intelligence and the eventual death of the sun that will reduce our world to a cinder in, oh, a few billion years' time. We hear much the same from Amazon czar Jeff Bezos, who envisions trillions of us living in self-contained space stations, a form of insurance against mankind's childlike destructive impulses on Earth. Stirring stuff these dreams, rich with Hollywood romance and bravado. They're also fallacies, rooted not in science but escapism; seductive visions allowing the ultra-wealthy to portray themselves as saviours while diverting attention and funding from the crises facing us on Earth. Climate change. Biodiversity collapse. Water scarcity. Inequality and wealth disparity. We know the threats. We know what causes them. We have the tools to address them. We only lack the leadership, investment and collective will. If Musk and Bezos are so desperate for their place in history, their fortunes and influence could revolutionise energy consumption and mitigate poverty, illness and environmental destruction, transitioning the world to a more sustainable path. Instead, they pursue vanity projects, burning through emissions with every launch while promising eventual salvation from a world destined to burn light years into the future. It's the ultimate abdication of responsibility, encouraging a mindset that Earth is disposable and that we can continue trashing our planet because there's another waiting for us. A test flight of Musk's much-mooted Starship failed again this week, underlining the extreme engineering challenges now making his prediction of landing people on Mars before the end of this decade more unlikely. But another more brutal reality undermines Musk's claims. Mars is not a backup Earth. Its surface is an airless, freezing, irradiated desert more hostile to life than Mt Everest's summit or the depths of the Mariana Trench. It is blasted by radiation thousands of times more lethal than what we experience on Earth. Its soil is contaminated by perchlorates - toxic, cancer-causing chemical compounds highly dangerous to the human thyroid. Its gravity is only 38 per cent of Earth's, guaranteeing long-term health impacts on the human body. Every drop of water, every mouthful of food, every breath of air would have to be manufactured or imported. Colonists would be forced underground or live in domes still vulnerable to radiation. Cost estimates for such a project begin in the trillions. This is not starting over again. It's about grim survival; tenuous, laborious and entirely dependent on supply ships always six to nine months away carrying cargo costing astronomical amounts to lift into orbit. The zealots sharing Musk's comic book Martian fantasies include his one-time paramour, Donald Trump, who absurdly announced this year that putting humans on Mars was America's "manifest destiny" - a popular 19th century phrase that invoked the divine right of the US to seize all territory in its expansion into the western frontier. But humanity has already been to Mars, courtesy of low-cost orbiters and robotic vehicles. Given the limitations of our vulnerable bodies, surely that is the reality of future space exploration. While the bromance between Musk and Trump might be over, the President's recent slashing of NASA's budget is likely to award the South African-born billionaire's company SpaceX billions in new contracts, further fuelling his adolescent ambitions. Manifest destiny? Refusing to confront our current crises feels more like moral cowardice. Being bold, curious and willing to explore the unknown made us who we are today. Dreaming of going to Mars might be human. But isn't investing in our own planet at this critical time more humane? Surely the future should not be about who gets to escape our burning world, but who is prepared to stay behind to put out the flames. HAVE YOUR SAY: Is it imperative that the human race colonises space? Should we devote our resources to fixing Earth's problems? Do the ultra-wealthy like Musk and Bezos have a moral obligation to use their fortunes to help others, or the right to pursue their own interests? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Entertainer Magda Szubanski is battling stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and fast-moving blood cancer. Szubanski said the cancer was picked up during a routine breast screening, but admitted she had been feeling "rats---" for some time. - Elon Musk is leaving his US government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy. - A recruitment firm has found that most Australians in its survey believe employers rarely or never hire people near or past the age of retirement and those over 65 years of age are generally excluded from employment. THEY SAID IT: "I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact." - Elon Musk YOU SAID IT: Lamenting the effects of climate change one day, approving the extension of a giant fossil fuel project the next, the government's hypocrisy hides in plain sight, John wrote. (Apologies for the wrong questions being included. A gremlin snuck into the burrow.) Bob writes: "We just saved two billion tonnes of Co2 by not going nuclear with the Coalition only to be saddled with four billion tonnes with the North West Shelf by Labor. Let's hope economics will change this idiocy, we can't rely on any government." "It is an unbelievably criminal decision," writes Christopher. "Why, oh why do we have to put a number against every candidate on the ballot paper for the House of Reps. We should only need to number those candidates we could tolerate, and then neither of the grosser parties would get a number from me. A true preferential system." Murray writes: "I'm the man on the corner with the sign bearing bad news. The sign says, 'You cannot change the climate with taxation.' There is a theory that if we pay lots more tax it will somehow halt the current trend of climate change. Not being an elite and in on the secret I have no idea how that's supposed to work. Maybe there's an altar at Davos where they burn money as a sacrifice to the climate gods. Who knows? On Tuesday I had to hose the mud off my car after the dust storm and a shower of rain. Maybe the climate gods were telling me something. I don't think so, I just enjoy the warm weather before we start heading back to the next ice age, heathen that I am." "I wholeheartedly agree, John," writes Sue. "I can see some point to extending leases for another five years so that alternatives can be put in place for Australian power needs, but only just. That should have already been done, or at least be under way, but this is a form of hypocrisy that is more typical of the Conglomerate Party (I am thinking of the 'Let's get rid of public servants to save on salaries but secretly hire lots of consultants at greater cost to do the same job') style of policy making. Albo may be a quiet achiever, but there are times when he really needs to make a stand and perhaps to make a noise about it as well. Saying one thing and doing another is not acceptable." Wayne writes: "I say 'right on, John'. Keep up the pointy stuff." "I was shocked when the new Albanese government approved the extension of the gas fields off WA coast," writes Sue K. "It must have been a political trade-off to do with the recent election. WA is dependent on its fossil fuel and mining revenue and Albanese needed WA's support in the election." Peter writes: "The Prime Minister's justifiable lamentation over the impact of the climate crisis, only to be followed immediately by approving a massive polluting, climate-destroying project, represents breathtaking hypocrisy and stupidity. That shortsightedness is why I didn't vote Labor on May 3, for the first time in 50 years. And yet Albanese was returned. With governments this dumb and dishonest, we are doomed." "Thank you, Echidna, for drawing attention to the problems farmers face all the time," writes Arthur. "There is hypocrisy all round. Country people do not want wind farms, solar farms and high voltage electricity lines in their backyard but it seems OK to have a gas producing farm in the north west shelf which is not in the backyard of the people living in Perth. Just imagine the furore if wind turbines were erected in Sydney Harbour or Lake Burley Griffin. Likewise, if South Head in Sydney was covered with solar panels. The Nationals are right to support nuclear energy. Lift the moratorium on nuclear energy in Australia so our scientists can develop modern technology to replace outdated technology currently in use in nuclear power stations. Small modular nuclear stations which are the size of a shipping container may be the way to go. If mass-produced, the cost would be low. Hypocrisy is not confined to just politicians but to all of us. We have to wean ourselves off all fossil fuels. The sooner the better. A few blackouts might be necessary before the message gets through to city people just the way drought and floods are getting the message to farmers." Mark writes: "You have to wonder how much money was left on the table for Labor to have done an about-face on the climate and approved the extension to gas exports from WA. Oh well, those who voted for the Labor Party on their (supposed) commitment on climate have got what they deserved. You mention floods. My question is why was there so much development on the floodplains in Lismore? If I am not mistaken, the local council would have got all the money from development approvals, and allowed this to happen, yet cried poor when it did happen; and then asked us to pay. Another example of hypocrisy. Just to be clear - I am not against governments stumping up with our money to support the SES, rural firies and the like, or paying to support farmers for natural disasters, but I am against short-sighted decisions." "I used to work in WA and was always impressed with their gas reservation policy for local requirements, and their gas royalties," writes Mike. "Their turnaround on these (actually the federal government decision) is deplorable. One of the WA universities has researched and developed a process called HAZAR, using raw natural gas and iron ore (both in abundance in WA) which are converted to pure hydrogen and pure carbon. These are both non-polluting and are in demand, and have a lot of overseas interest. Why aren't the relevant governments backing this?" Ken writes: "Your newsletter highlights once again the absolute perfidy of our politicians. Giving the North West Shelf project extension a gold card is treachery. The sanctimonious claptrap about climate and environment that came from Albanese and co during and following the election is immediately shown to be utterly untrue. Once again we the Australian people have been duped by the mendacity of this government who are firmly in the thrall of their fossil fuel masters." "What happens to the countries that buy the gas if they can't buy it anywhere?" asks Phil. "It will lead to almost certain death to parts of their population. These countries currently rely on gas to power electricity generation. They do not have, nor can they currently afford, nor is it materially possible to transition to greener energy. So, refrigeration, domestic fans, hospitals, lighting, etc will cease in developing countries and people will die as a result. In philosophy, it is known as the trolley dilemma. I don't have an answer to this ethical question other than perhaps we need to fund the transition in the developing world. But this will take 30-50 years. In the meantime, gas production will be necessary."
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
The boy who never grew up has landed in Toronto
Toronto Watch CTV's Andria Case dusted off her dance shoes and spoke to some of the cast members of 'Peter Pan'.
Hamilton Spectator
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
10 of the most promising theatre productions this summer outside of Toronto, Stratford and Shaw
The Toronto theatre season might be winding down, but that doesn't mean there's nothing happening on stages this spring and summer. And I'm not talking about the Stratford and Shaw festivals, which should obviously already be on your to-do list. Just a couple of hours from the GTA you'll find plenty of entertaining plays and musicals, including a few world premieres. Here's a roundup of some buzzy shows in Ontario that, combined with a picnic lunch or B&B stay, would make a perfect day trip or weekend escape. Who: Emma Donoghue Where: Blyth Festival in Blyth The Dublin-born and now London, Ont.-based Emma Donoghue is best known as the author of the bestselling novel 'Room,' which was made into an Oscar-winning film and adapted for the stage several years ago. Now she's debuting a folk musical about Henry and Jane Johnson, a real-life couple who left the Great Irish Famine of the 1840s to settle in Southwestern Ontario. Landon Doak ('Peter Pan,' 'Alice in Wonderland') and Shelayna Christante (Bad Hats Theatre's 'Narnia') star as the couple, and both will sing traditional songs and Irish ballads in this poignant work, directed by Blyth's artistic director, Gil Garratt. From June 26 to Aug. 12. Visit for details. Who: Cale Crowe and Genevieve Adam Where: Capitol Theatre in Port Hope Toronto theatregoers will recognize writer/actor Genevieve Adam from her historical dramas 'Dark Heart,' 'Heartless' and 'Deceitful Above all Things.' Now she's teamed up with Anishnaabe singer/songwriter Cale Crowe for 'Rez Gas,' a musical about a man (John Wamsley from '1939' ) who leaves his reservation to pursue a music career, only to return home. Young People's Theatre's Herbie Barnes directs a cast that includes Cheri Maracle, Jonathan Fisher and Dillan Chiblow. From Aug. 22 to Sep. 7. Visit for details. Who: Rebecca Northan Where: Here for Now Theatre in Stratford Is there anything Rebecca Northan can't do? The Dora Award-winning creator of international hit 'Blind Date,' alum of both Stratford and Shaw festivals, and one-third of the recent Toronto Theatre Critics' Award-winning ensemble for 'Goblin:Macbeth' now presents a new comedy. 'Stick Around' is about a woman in her mid-40s who seeks life advice from her mother, who's been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Directed by Kevin Kruchkywich, the play is loosely inspired by Northan's own personal experience during the last eight weeks with her mother. So expect a mix of laughter and tears when the play helps inaugurate the company's brand new venue. From May 28 to June 8. Visit for details. Who: Norm Foster Where: Orillia Opera House in Orillia Back in the early aughts, Norm Foster — considered Canada's most prolific and most produced playwright — wrote 'The Love List,' about two middle-aged men who were searching for the ideal woman. Now Foster is creating gender parity in 'A Woman's Love List,' a new comedy about two women who write down all the qualities they want in a man … and he suddenly appears. From July 3 to 18. Visit for details. Who: Megan Murphy Where: 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook Audiences at the outdoor 4th Line Theatre know to expect works that draw on the history and heritage of the rural region just southwest of Peterborough. Megan Murphy's 'Wild Irish Geese' tells the story of Irish people who left poverty in the old country (see also 'The Wind Coming Over the Sea,' above) to settle in Scott's Plains, later renamed Peterborough. The company's managing artistic director, Kim Blackwell, directs this premiere production. From July 29 to Aug. 30. Visit for details. Who: Robert Harling Where: Capitol Theatre The film adaptation is a beloved classic, so why doesn't Robert Harling's comedy drama — about a group of women in the American South — get more professional revivals? Well, never you mind. Just take the 401 to Port Hope to see Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster's production, featuring Raquel Duffy, Belinda Corpuz, Carolyn Fe, Brenda Robins and — as the play's mother/daughter combo — Deborah Drakeford and Charlotte Dennis, who are mother and daughter in real life. Remember to bring tissues. From July 18 to Aug. 3. Visit for details. Who: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice Where: Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend and Hamilton Family Theatre in Cambridge Even if you caught the recent 50th-anniversary revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's groundbreaking musical, you might want to check it out again in this Drayton Theatre production. Especially with stars like Stratford leading man Robert Markus as Jesus, Shaw Fest vet Emily Lukasik as Mary Magdalene and original 'Come From Away' Broadway cast member Lee MacDougall as Pontius Pilate. They're joined by Christopher Ning (a standout in the recent off-Mirvish production of 'Titanique' ) and Jade McLeod ('Jagged Little Pill' North American tour). From June 11 to 28 and July 3 to 27. Visit for details. Who: Mark Crawford Where: Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque Like Foster, prolific actor/writer Mark Crawford's comedies are hugely popular yet rarely get produced in Toronto. (The only professional production we've seen is 'Bed & Breakfast' at Soulpepper .) So it might be worth the trek east to the gorgeous Thousand Islands area to see this side-splitting comedy about the lead-up to a wedding, with a cast that includes Shaw regular Emily Lukasik, Amelia Sargisson ('Red Velvet') and 'Come From Away' actor Kyle Brown, all directed by the Dora-winning Cherissa Richards. From Aug. 22 to Sept. 14. Visit for details. Who: Annabel Fitzsimmons, Alison Lawrence and Mary Francis Moore Where: County Stage Company in Prince Edward County I was a huge fan of Annabel Fitzsimmons, Alison Lawrence and Mary Francis Moore 's play 'Bittergirl' when it premiered way back in 1999. The show, about finding the humour in getting dumped, was turned into a book several years later and then, eventually, a musical featuring songs from the 1960s and '70s. Even the Mirvishes helped develop it. The show has been produced across the country, but never in Toronto. Prince Edward County isn't too far from the GTA. So grab your besties, order tickets and hope you don't run into your exes during intermission or at the neighbouring wineries. From July 18 to Aug. 13. Visit for details. Who: Anne Chislett Where: Blyth Festival Anne Chislett's moving drama set in a small Amish community on the eve of the Second World War premiered at the Blyth Festival in 1981 and won the Governor General's Award two years later. Productions of this Canadian classic are rare, so don't miss this opportunity to see it performed at the festival's atmospheric outdoor Harvest Stage, directed by Severn Thompson and with a cast headed by two of stalwarts of the theatre scene, Randy Hughson and Michelle Fisk. From July 3 to Aug. 23. Visit for details.
Leader Live
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Flintshire music venue celebrates 100 years of entertainment
Today (May 25) marks the 100th anniversary of The Tivoli, in Buckley. Now associated with live music and events, the iconic location started life as a theatre and cinema, and later a nightclub. In a move that united community and history, The Tivoli held two pantomime showings on Thursday (May 22). The first ever panto held at the Brunswick Road site was Dick Whittington in 1941, but this time round, audiences were treated to Peter Pan. Read more: The Tivoli - from cinema and dance hall, to night club and music venue Brought to life by Buckley-based Big Stars Theatre School, the classic tale was performed for free, to 600 people on the day. The first show was an afternoon performance to children, invited from primary school children in the area. The oldest and youngest at the show - Lillian, 101 and one-year-old Charlie. (Image: The Tivoli) The next panto was for residents of local care homes, with oldest member of the audience beating The Tivoli by one year at 101-years-old. Ahead of the event, assistant manager Kirsty Miah - who has been involved at the venue since 2009 - was helping to set out hundreds of chairs, ready for their guests. Kirsty, whose grandad Joseph Vaughan would also have been 100 today, explained that all the children had been given a history of the venue. Read more: Flashback photos from the Elfed High School, Buckley One school even went along for a tour and ghost hunt at the long-believed to be haunted building, and are now completing a project about The Tivoli. She said after the shows: "It was a huge success. The pantomime was loved by all who attended. Over 600 people over the two shows. "The schools, the Mayor of Buckley, and Lillian, a lady who we invited from one of the care homes who is 101-years-old, all really enjoyed it." Jessie Bouch-Evans, owner of Big Stars, added: "We were approached by Kirsty to ask if we would put on a pantomime for the community to remember what The Tivoli was initially used for. "It's been a fantastic process from start to finish. Working with our incredibly talented young actors, dancers and vocalists and having my fantastic team of choreographers and teachers by my side! Read more: Wrexham-born actor to return home as title role on UK tour this summer "I'm beyond proud of every single student. A moment in history that the town of Buckley won't forget any time soon. "Seeing my students develop as performers and be in their absolute element on stage is incredible. "Both performances were outstanding and our performers shone on the stage like the big stars they are! "Thank you so much to The Tivoli for asking us to be a part of your 100th birthday celebrations, we are honoured." Celebrations continue tonight, with The Sherlocks set to perform from 7pm. To book or to find out more about upcoming event, visit:
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Flight attendants use eerie codeword if passenger dies mid-flight
If you hear this word whilst you are on a flight, it might mean that one of your fellow passengers has died on board - and cabin crews have a whole host of codewords like this Cabin crews have a lot to deal with as they take care of passengers during their flights. In addition to keeping everyone happy and well-fed, they occasionally have to deal with more major crises, but flight attendants are known to use secret codewords to ensure that they don't panic any of the other passengers. One phrase, in particular, can mean, if you hear it whilst travelling, that someone on the plane has sadly died - and the staff are trying to let each other know what's going on, whilst keeping the situation under wraps from the passengers. The code words regularly used for a death mid-flight are "Angel" or "Code 300." These words allow discretion while the crew deals with the sad situation and ensure that no excess attention is drawn or alarm is generated amongst those on the flight. Travel experts at Wander have put together a list of in-flight codes and phrases that passengers may encounter on a flight, but do not know what they mean. Whilst most flights go smoothly, on others there can be some issues where flight crews need to communicate with each other secretly, so as not to alert passengers. There are a number of other in-flight codes and phrases that passengers may hear when on a flight. If a traveller hears 'Squawk 7500' or 'Hotel', it means that a hijacking is in progress. As a passenger, if you hear this either mentioned by the flight crew or air traffic control, it signals that there is a potential security threat on the flight. Usually, the aircraft's transponder will send a signal with this code to alert authorities that the plane is in danger. Another alert is 'Code Yellow'. A 'Code Yellow' indicates a minor medical situation, such as a passenger feeling lightheaded or nauseous. While not an emergency, it allows crew members to discreetly monitor a situation and assess whether they need any assistance. If a serious but non-life-threatening emergency occurs while on a flight, passengers may hear 'Peter Pan'. The phrase indicates that something is wrong onboard the flight, which could be mechanical trouble or a medical emergency, but it also signals that the flight is not in imminent danger. 'Mermaid' is a nickname used for a passenger who deliberately sprawls across empty seats. This behaviour is particularly common on flights with spare seats, where a passenger may stretch out to try and claim the extra space. Last year, one passenger got into an argument with another passenger over an empty seat, as she was told she wasn't 'allowed' to sit in it despite nobody paying for it. The woman needed to move seats because something was wrong with hers, and a flight attendant informed her she could move to an empty seat in the row across from her own. When she tried to sit in it, however, the woman sitting next to the empty chair told her she "wasn't allowed"—despite nobody having booked it. 'Code Adam' is not used onboard planes but in airports to indicate a missing child. If an announcement is made for a 'Code Adam', staff will begin searching the airport while securing exits to prevent abductions. At an airport, 'Code Bravo' may also be used to signal a general security alert. Finally, while 'VIP' is usually used to refer to a 'Very Important Person,' in the airline industry, it can sometimes refer to a 'Very Irritating Passenger.' Crew will sometimes use the code to refer to a traveller who is making excessive demands, complaining a lot, or generally being difficult without violating any specific rules.
