The Greeks’ deceptive gift of the wooden horse to the Trojans led to the cautionary idiom, “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” A similar warning about Columbus and his ships might have benefited the indigenous Taino in 1492.

Today, as Elon Musk consolidates power in the United States, perhaps we should be wary of a Rocket Man bearing gifts—this time, not from within city walls but from above. (Manna from heaven, or something darker?) His immense wealth, corrupting influence, and ambitions to control not only U.S. society but global systems are cautionary examples.

That said, given Donald Trump’s well-documented contempt for countries like ours—exemplified, among other things, by his nomination of Herschel Walker as ambassador —perhaps we needn't worry. Musk, after all, appears to share much of the same disdain. Hopefully, even in the worst-case scenario of a rocket breakup, his corporation sees us as nothing more than a convenient landing site for booster rockets. And lest I forget, a source of temptation for our decision-makers—one more chapter in the same old story when it comes to wealthy foreign interests.

While I wholeheartedly support Aisha Bowe’s message about inspiration, I want to clarify the use of the term "space tourism." Any reliable source that is not engaged in propaganda or "spacewashing" (the misleading use of labels) will confirm that the following is an accurate definition of space tourism: "Space tourism is another niche segment of the aviation industry that seeks to give tourists the ability to become astronauts and experience space travel for recreational, leisure, or business purposes." Section 17.5 "Space Tourism" in a 2019 publication "The Role of Niche Aviation Operations as Tourist Attractions" by Isaac Levi Henderson and Wai Hong Kan Tsui.

Perhaps the SpaceX landing would be easier to promote if it were named "Kalik and Kerosene" or "Rocket Junkanoo." Someone needs to write a song. Sharade Taylor and Sweet Emily??

For perspective, a comparative analysis of pollution (includes launch to landing process):

Note: Should have extra fact checking by a scientist (especially the last one), but...

Falcon 9 vs. Cruise Ship: A single Falcon 9 launch emits CO₂ equivalent to the daily emissions of about 797 passengers on a cruise ship.

Falcon Heavy vs. Cruise Ship: A Falcon Heavy launch corresponds to the daily CO₂ emissions of approximately 1,139 cruise ship passengers.

Starship vs. Cruise Ship: A Starship launch equates to the daily CO₂ emissions of about 180,400 cruise ship passengers.

Starship: A single launch is comparable to approximately 3.1% of The Bahamas' annual CO₂ emissions.

What utter balderdash. For an understanding of what space tourism is, all one has to do is look at the first paragraph of a Wikipedia entry (see below).

What we have is the Landing of Recycled Launch Rocket Tourism.

As usual, our politicians try to make something of nothing when the rich and famous - or, in Musk's case, the infamous - are involved.

"Space tourism is human space travel for recreational purposes. There are several different types of space tourism, including orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism. Tourists are motivated by the possibility of viewing Earth from space, feeling weightlessness, experiencing extremely high speed and something unusual, and contributing to science." (The two sources used for this Wikipedia paragraph are professional journals.)

If I lived on New Providence, I'd suggest we meet for coffee.

Since I don't, I'll leave you with this: Undergraduate and graduate degrees in environmental studies, politics, and education earned almost five decades ago at "elite" US East and West Coast Universities. My primary area of study was ecologically sound sustainable development in The Bahamas. 40 years of teaching in The Bahamas and at selective independent schools in Massachusetts and the Midwest, with the final two decades focused on topics such as globalization, climate change, civil rights, and equity and inclusion. And, perhaps most importantly, a curious, life-long learner.

And ChatGPT? Like Grammarly, it's a useful tool for editing, especially when one no longer has like-minded colleagues as sounding boards. It's a useful tool, particularly when inhabiting an intellectual desert.

Or a long history of learning, thinking. teaching, and writing about these and similar topics. When one no longer has human options for editors, like Grammarly, ChatGPT is a useful editor.

As Musk tweeted on January 16, 2025 after the explosion: "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed! ✨"

Welcome news indeed. Well done! Looking ahead, especially with regard to sustainability and resilience in the face of inevitable global economic slowdowns, several questions for DPM Cooper and the country’s leaders generally:

1. Along with record-breaking 2024 tourism numbers, Bahamian ownership of accommodations has grown. How is the government ensuring more Bahamians—beyond a select few—profit from this trend rather than remaining in service roles?

2. As more Bahamians own vacation rentals and boutique hotels, what policies ensure fair competition against foreign-owned resorts with greater capital and marketing access?
3. Cruise passenger spending is concentrated in cruise-line-run facilities and Bay Street. What strategies redirect more of this revenue to Bahamian-owned businesses, particularly in the Family Islands?

4. Growth in locally-owned sustainable farming is promising. How is the government fostering local food production with infrastructure and marketing support to ensure sustainability and profitability?

5. Tourism strains natural resources. What steps ensure Bahamian-led ecotourism, marine conservation, and cultural tourism receive support on par with large foreign-owned resorts?

6. Rising land and housing costs threaten Bahamian ownership, especially on or near near prime coastal areas. How is the government ensuring Bahamians—not just foreign investors—can afford homes and businesses in high-value locations?

7. Bahamian entrepreneurs are advancing in non-tourism sectors. What incentives help local goods reach broader markets and reduce economic reliance on tourism?

8. Renewable energy adoption is growing. What policies accelerate this shift in tourism and small business sectors to reduce fossil fuel dependence and strengthen service infrastructure?

9. Bahamian culture is a major draw, yet tourism remains centered on sun, sand, and sea. What initiatives ensure artists, musicians, and cultural entrepreneurs benefit directly from industry growth?

10. While mass tourism dominates, locally driven alternatives are emerging. How is the government ensuring these sectors are sustainable and receive long-term support?

More broadly, what’s being done to build financial resilience for the average Bahamian? Could a National Wealth Fund, funded by tourism revenues and employer-matched worker contributions, provide financial security for homeownership, education, and emergencies? A pilot program for young workers, coupled with financial literacy education, and funded through tourism taxes, could foster economic stability and local wealth-building.

A great role model for all to aspire to, especially our young men.

"Despite his anti-abortion beliefs, even in cases of rape or incest, allegations emerged during his campaign that he had paid for two former girlfriends to have abortions. His ex-wife also alleged that he held a gun to her head and threatened to kill her.

"He was also forced to clarify how many children to the public. News reports in June 2022 revealed Walker had two additional children that he had not previously spoken about publicly – these reports came on the heels of Walker repeatedly criticising absentee fathers, especially in Black households." (From https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202…)

"He is also almost indescribably vapid, a man with what seems to be a shockingly light grasp of the most basic of concepts (he at least seems to recognize his own intellectual limitations, saying, “I’m not that smart”). He struggles to string together a coherent sentence. Climate change, he has said, is not worth fighting because “since we don’t control the air, our good air decided to float over to China’s bad air so when China gets our good air, their bad air got to move. So it moves over to our good air space. Then now we got to clean that back up, while they’re messing ours up.” (From https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr…)

While I applaud Jamaal Rolle's effort and, while the sign is colorful and appealing for quick tourist photos, it falls short of authentically reflecting Exuma’s culture, history, and natural beauty. It's generic and lacks depth, missing opportunities to incorporate meaningful colours (e.g., our water and sky), symbols and local artistic and other elements that would make it a true representation of Exuma’s unique identity.While I applaud Jamaal Rolle's effort and, while the sign is colorful and appealing for quick tourist photos, it falls short of authentically reflecting Exuma’s culture, history, and natural beauty. It's generic and lacks depth, missing opportunities to incorporate meaningful colours (e.g., our water and sky), symbols and local artistic and other elements that would make it a true representation of Exuma’s unique identity.