[woofa.express]

It’s Cactus.

Cochineal is the red colouring used in food stuffs, dyes and cosmetics. We have it in our kitchen cupboard and you probably have it in yours. Its source is an insect that lives and breeds on a cactus, which in Australia is known as Prickly Pear. This plant was imported to Queensland from Brazil and quickly became a pest. It overwhelmed and devastated 60 million acres of farming and grazing country. There was no way to control it, but then ‘Bingo’. Research found a little Brazilian insect, the ‘Cactus Blastis’ that destroyed it. Help had arrived!
I recall that the country community of Brigalow in Queensland, had it's only building, a community hall named the ‘Cactoblastis Memorial Hall’ in recognition of this little fellow that had delivered salvation to so many.
If an Australian says something is ‘cactus’ it means damaged beyond repair or in a precarious situation that can’t be rectified. It’s a common saying here.
My daughter in law, Kathy, has written a book called Australian Women Pilots, which has been well received.
One of the ten stories is on Lyn Gray who was ferrying a twin-engine aeroplane from California to Australia. She had one engine fail due to fuel exhaustion; the axillary tank feeding that engine was jettisoning fuel. She had insufficient to return or make her next refuelling stop which was Hawaii.
Lyn called mayday with details. Her call transmitted to the US Coastguard via overflying airliners whilst they were in radio range. Qantas, United, Aloha, Southwest US Airways and a business jet.
The Coast Guard responded, again through the airliners and directed Lyn to an ocean freighter some six hours away. She successfully ditched and spent a two days ocean cruising the Pacific on a Maltese carrier Virginese bound for China. Then transferred to the Coast Guard boat Washington and disembarked in Hawaii some days later.
I can see humour in the conversation Lyn had with the crew of US Airways. Hope you see it too. It went like this. It was the crew of US Airways calling Lyn.

Charlie Zulu Echo this is Cactus (followed by their flight number), we are with you now’.
‘Cactus?’ was Lyn’s deadpan reply. ‘Shit mate. We’re the ones that are cactus!’

Surprised at the airline’s call sign Lyn’s reply was somewhat laconic, given their predicament. The Americans were silent for a while, probably a little confused as they didn’t understand the Australian slang.

This story is fair dinkum. The names are ridgy didge.