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The year is 1994, and , fresh off their success with the ( in the US) and, to a lesser extent, its ( in the US) and addons, unleash their next-generation console on an unsuspecting audience in Japan - the . Backed by a series of awesome (and increasingly ludicrously humorous) commercials featuring the console’s mascot (played by actor , best known for his role as the original ) punishing those who refuse to play games on his parent company’s beloved console, the Saturn was a hit in the Land of the Rising Sun - the character was so popular that he even received his own game exclusive to Japan, and his theme song was also released as a single. Sega Mega Drive Genesis Mega CD Sega CD 32X Sega Saturn Segata Sanshiro Hiroshi Fujioka Kamen Rider In the West, however, the Saturn did not fare as well, sadly - largely due to a mishap on Sega’s part by releasing it prematurely, and its higher price point than its most direct rival, then-newcomer and their console, did them no favours, despite a series of solid launch titles and early games like , , (original version and its second edition), , , , and the much-sought-after . However, it did get a brief second lease of life with the release of . Sony PlayStation Virtua Cop Virtua Cop 2 Virtua Fighter Remix Virtua Fighter 2 Virtua Fighter Kids Panzer Dragoon Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei Panzer Dragoon Saga Sega Ages: Volume 1 What is Sega Ages? is an in-house brand used by Sega themselves to promote and release ports, conversions, remakes and collections consisting of their classic games from yesteryear, both arcade and console, typically for the ( in Japan) and Sega Mega Drive. The series was first launched on the Sega Saturn in 1996 and has survived into the 21st Century on the under the name (referring to its budget price of ¥2500, equating to around £14 or €18 in Europe, or about $20 US), and continues to thrive today on the , and , with the original name restored in the latter’s case - the phrase itself is a (spelled the same way backwards and forwards) and was originally used in European marketing campaigns during the 1980s and 1990s. Sega Ages Sega Master System Mark 3 PlayStation 2 Sega Ages 2500 Microsoft Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 Nintendo Switch palindrome During the Saturn’s lifetime, most titles were only released in Japan, and typically consisted of an arcade-perfect port of a classic game complete with some new features, such as unlockable extras, new game modes and a choice of original and remixed soundtracks. Three (3) of these games - , , and , all created by the legendary and featuring soundtracks by - were compiled together onto a single disc and released under the title in Europe in 1996 and a year later (1997) in North America. Despite the title, there would be no future releases in these territories, as the Saturn was essentially defunct by the end of 1998 and replaced by the a year later (1999). This 3-game-on-1-disc collection is going to be the focus of this review. Sega Ages Space Harrier Afterburner 2 Outrun Yu Suzuki Hiroshi Kawaguchi Sega Ages: Volume 1 Dreamcast Introduction When the disc boots up, you are greeted with the Sega Saturn intro sequence (which also doubles as a rudimentary copy protection scan - if you get the logo above on your screen, then you’re OK). No time is wasted getting to the point, no bullshit intro cutscenes, no minute-long unskippable opening credit sequence. Pressing the Start button allows the user to select each game in turn by pressing and on the controller - amusingly enough, the logo moves across the screen in time with each directional press. When you are satisfied, press the button again to begin the game in question - each game has its own unique loading screen and opening animation for the Sega logo, and you can adjust each game’s individual difficulty level, lives, score required to get an extra life or continue, control scheme and even use a sound test in their respective submenus, along with the option to play each game in either stereo or mono (yes, it may be hard to believe, but even in the mid-1990s, there were still some households with mono TVs, even though stereo was commonplace). Left Right Start Options Game 1: Space Harrier I decided to start with my least favourite of the three games in this collection, largely because it is a game I am unfamiliar with when compared to its contemporaries by the same company. However, I will do my best to be fair - this game was also ported to the 32X, arcade-perfect and all. Pressing the button gives the player a menu, with a choice to play the game, go to the submenu or to exit back to the title screen. For this review, I am playing on the easiest difficulty level known as and with a special feature enabled called - what this does is grant the player a minute (60 seconds) of infinite lives - when the timer expires, they will then have to complete the game with a finite amount of lives. There are no hit points - you get hit, you lose a life. There are no continues - at least, not that I know of, I did not make it far enough to see if there is an option to continue. Extra lives can be obtained by reaching a score-based interval (every 3 million or 5 million points - user-definable). Start Options Extra Easy Trial Time The controls are simple - use the controller to move the on-screen character (the eponymous Space Harrier) and the and buttons to shoot the enemies (you can choose whether or not to invert the vertical controls, so goes down and goes up like in a flight simulator). The 3D perspective, while visually jaw-dropping (particularly for a game originally released nearly 40 years ago), can also be a little bit distracting for some players, as there is no on-screen reticule, no means of knowing whether or not your shots will land, something which plagued quite a few early 3D shooters. A, B C Up Down At the end of each stage (18 in total), except for Stage 5, which is a bonus stage, a boss fight ensues - defeat it and you can proceed to the next level. From what I understand, this version is missing what was going to be the original final boss of the game, a twin-headed dragon called , which was removed from the arcade version due to time limitations. The only port that I know of which contains this final boss (without fulfilling any special requirements) is the Sega Master System/Mark 3 version, so the final boss fight consists of a rematch against the previous bosses followed by one last new enemy. Haya Oh Game 2: After Burner II Moving onto , which, despite its name, feels more like a revision or an update to the original game as opposed to a true sequel - a second edition, if you like. This version was also ported to the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and 32X. The options are the same as for , complete with difficulty selection, amount of lives (again, one hit and you lose a life), control scheme (complete with normal or reversed vertical controls) and a sound test, along with an option to have the in-game aircraft’s machine gun/cannon fire automatically, and whether to perform a 360-degree roll with the control pad or an action button on the controller. Again, I am playing this on the difficulty level with the auto-fire on. Afterburner 2 Space Harrier Extra Easy Depending on your configuration, the lower buttons on the Sega Saturn’s controller ( , and ) will either perform a 360-degree roll, fire a missile (of which you have a finite supply) or fire the machine gun/cannon (known in-game as the ), while the upper buttons ( , and ) control the speed of the afterburner thrust (slow, medium and fast respectively). A hit counter keeps track of your kills (which is reset every few levels and added to your score), while a basic radar in the upper right-hand corner of the screen shows you both your position and that of your enemies (later stages involve you trying to shake off enemies from behind, represented by large circles). This game is composed of 23 stages, although Stages 5, 13 and 23 are nonplayable cutscenes featuring the player character landing and refueling (and arming up with new missiles, although a supply plane will appear every few levels and refuel automatically to help mitigate this), while Stages 8 and 17 are bombing run levels taking place in vast canyons. A B C Vulcan X Y Z The trick to survive in this game is to watch the radar and constantly do 360-degree barrel rolls whenever possible. Also, try to use your missiles to dispatch multiple opponents, as a single missle can lock onto multiple enemies, but use them sparingly. Every few levels, you will get the option to continue from your last checkpoint, which occur at Stages 5, 9, 13 and 19. I don’t know if this is a holdover from the original arcade version, but it’s nice to have at least, and this game is definitely easier to play than , largely due to its faster pace and visual indicators to help the player aim and manoeuvre their way to safety. Space Harrier Game 3 (Last Game): Out Run Saving the best for last, this is my favourite game on the disc - an arcade-perfect port of Sega’s classic racer, , which went on to have a sequel in the form of , though not as successful. The options are the same as in and , although with some unique special features: there is a hidden option to turn on what the game calls a , which increases the in-game framerate to help with the game’s fluidity and to make the controls more responsive. Outrun Turbo Outrun Space Harrier Afterburner 2 Smooth Mode Another hidden option comes in the form of , which reduces the traction during turns, bends and corners, improving the in-game car’s handling characteristics. Furthermore, the player can choose whether to play the original Japanese courses or the new tracks released in the overseas version of the game. Depending on your configuration, the lower , and buttons can be used to accelerate, brake or change gear, or they can be used to accelerate and brake only, while gear changes are relegated to either the upper buttons ( , and ) or and on the control pad. You can choose whether to play with a manual or automatic gearbox. Easy Cornering A B C X Y Z Up Down I will be playing with an automatic gearbox on , on the overseas tracks, and with both and enabled. This version of the game also supports analogue controls in the form of a steering wheel  such as the or the analogue stick on the (which can be used in either analogue or digital mode but few games are compatible with the former feature, the most notable being ). Extra Easy Smooth Mode Easy Cornering Sega Arcade Racer 3D Control Pad Nights into Dreams One thing of note is that this game is nonlinear - at the end of each stage, the player’s car will come across an intersection, and must decide whether to go left or right. This opens up a lot of replay value, and ultimately leads to five (5) different endings, depending on which route the player takes and which goal they reach - a map of the player’s chosen route is displayed at the end of the game. The left route is usually easier than the right one. Before the game begins, you can choose your in-game music from a choice of three (3) compositions - the classic with its Caribbean-influenced melody and rhythm, the overlooked with its dramatic thunder, and the unfairly-singled-out , with its casual tone and happy-go-lucky beat (this last track is missing on most early home computer and console releases). Magical Sound Shower Splash Wave Passing Breeze the arcade soundtrack (albeit edited into a 5-minute medley of all 3 tracks) was released as a free bonus with the original home computer ( , , , and ) releases, as a means of enticing potential buyers. Suffice to say, the soundtrack was far more enjoyable than the game on most of those platforms save for the C64, though its linearity hampered the experience (each course had to be loaded in separately if you wanted to experience a different route). Trivia: ZX Spectrum Amstrad CPC Commodore 64 Commodore Amiga Atari ST The game starts by giving you a generous 80 seconds (1:20) for the first stage. It will take on average about a minute to clear each level, so try not to crash (crash at least 3 times and you’ve basically run out of time to complete the current stage). After the humorous ending sequence (one for each route), you are then shown a course map showing your progress throughout the game’s varied locations (I think this game might take place in New Zealand, considering it’s got every climate and environment imaginable all on the same map). This map also appears if you run out of time, with the car stopping at the point your game ended. The Review Similar to my review of the for the PS1, I cannot compare the various aspects (graphics, sound, controls, gameplay) of three games using very similar hardware which all build upon each other. Instead, I will give each element a score out of 5 stars and calculate the average based on the overall score for each game, before declaring one game the ultimate victor and deciding whether or not this collection is worth the price of admission. Tekken Trilogy Presentation 5/5 (nice title screen and loading screen, but this game really is a tough cookie - shame about the lack of the original Haya Oh final boss, though) Space Harrier: 5/5 (same, but slightly easier, and the game’s cutscenes and continues help elevate it beyond a standard shoot-em-up) After Burner II: 5/5 (I love that intro, I love the loading screen, and the extra hidden features make this one worth it) Out Run: Graphics 4/5 (questionable usage of colours and Sega’s use of the technology doesn’t quite work as well here as it does on later titles) Space Harrier: Super Scaler 4/5 (better-looking graphics than with more appropriate colour palette, though the text and visuals on the or can blend in a little too easily, making it difficult to focus) After Burner II: Space Harrier Heads-Up Display HUD : 5/5 (just right - the colours don’t bleed into each other and the HUD is clean and clear, plus, the Super Scaler technology, which simulates incoming 3D objects, is perfected here) Out Run Sound (SFX & Music) 3/5 (the weakest game, sonically, as the sound effects can be quite cartoonish, and the voice acting is a little too overacted - the music for the first stage sounds eerily similar to the theme tune to the classic TV show ) Space Harrier: Blake’s 7 4/5 (awesome soundtrack, although the sound effects do cover up the music for the most part, which is a bit of a problem considering the music is a major part of the experience) After Burner II: 5/5 (there’s a song for a happy, sad or angry mood, and the sound effects are appropriate for the game’s atmosphere - nothing sounds out of place) Out Run: Controls 5/5 (fully functional, perfectly responsive, and the option to fly flight-simulator-style is a nice touch) Space Harrier: 5/5 (ditto, plus the ability to speed up and slow down actually add a light element of strategy to what is an otherwise all-action arcade game) After Burner II: 5/5 (the additions of the Smooth Mode complete with increased framerate and Easy Cornering to facilitate handling on turns make this game a joy to play - almost too easy) Out Run: Gameplay 3/5 (it’s not great, but it’s not bad either - the game’s main weakness is the lack of any visual sighting mechanic, leaving the player with no choice but to fire blindly and risk getting their projectiles mixed up with enemy fire, which is not something you want in a game of this type) Space Harrier: 4/5 (much faster paced than and thus, more enjoyable - although sometimes it can veer too much in the opposite direction with the same result, though the addition of a targeting mechanic makes this game easier to play along with the continue/checkpoint system) After Burner II: Space Harrier 5/5 (its nonlinearity with multiple routes to take encourages replay value unlike its brethren, and when coupled with a choice of courses based on either the original Japanese version or the overseas release, this game is practically chock-full of content, particularly considering its age and arcade genesis) Out Run: Final Score 3/5 (an OK game, but not my first choice) Space Harrier: 4/5 (much more appealing to both gamers and non-gamers alike, especially with ) After Burner II: Top Gun aficionados 5/5 (this game deserves all the praise it gets due to its ease of play and accessibility) Out Run: Overall There’s no doubt about it. for the Sega Saturn is a must-buy, not even a rental. It’s a shame that Sega never put out any other collections of this type in the West, because their arcade and classic console catalogue are revered as some of the most memorable videogames to come out of the 1980s and 1990s, and for good reason: they helped sell arcade machines, home computers and game consoles. I can only imagine what the hypothetical Volumes 2 and 3 could have been - they could have been grouped together by theme or genre: (with an option to unlock the full-length Japanese Sega Master System/Mark 3 version as a bonus) (a downscaled version of which later appeared on the Sega Master System/Mark 3) and (more famously ported to the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, which I reviewed ), or (loosely inspired by the cult 1983 movie ), and . The Sega Saturn, despite its complexity and troubled lifespan, did have some good  games on offer, and this collection is one of them. This is one title that deserves to be in any Saturn owner’s personal library - to me, the jewel in the crown is , but it’s worth it for the simple fact that you get three iconic arcade games on a single disc for the price of one Saturn game alone. Sega Ages: Volume 1 Enduro Racer Hang-On Super Hang-On here Thunder Blade Blue Thunder Power Drift Fantasy Zone Out Run

Sega Ages Volume 1 (Sega Saturn) Review

JUPITER, SATURN, URANUS, NEPTUNE

The Position of Saturn in the System

SATURN, A PRODIGY AMONG PLANETS

Space travel remains the dream of many people, and Intuitive Machines' has brought us one step closer. Although it “tripped” while landing on the Moon, Odysseus has managed to communicate with its control team on Earth, beaming back information and images. Odysseus is the first private spacecraft ever to land successfully on the moon — and the first American vehicle to do so since the final Apollo mission in 1972. Odysseus lander Of course, the Moon is probably only meant to serve as a practice pad and “truck stop” in the future for more ambitious missions that will take humans to Mars and elsewhere. The Moon will hopefully be used for scientific experiments, training purposes, and as a way station for future astronauts who will spend lengthy periods of time in space. While the Odysseus was unmanned, NASA has plans to send astronauts back to the Moon through its Artemis program. Billionaire and SpaceX founder Elon Musk he believes that humans could already be making their way to the red planet in just a few years. said last year Musk an ambitious plan to establish a human colony on Mars and that he aims to transport one million people to the Red Planet, stating that “civilization only passes the single-planet Great Filter when Mars can survive even if Earth supply ships stop coming.” In the past, Musk has said he plans to have a million people on and that “a on the red planet could sustain our species if all humanity is extinguished on Earth.” recently revealed Mars by 2050 permanent colony Musk has long voiced his intent to make humanity multi-planetary, often pointing to human settlement on Mars as an insurance policy for civilization in case Earth is struck by any number of calamities. With the space race in full gear, the question of who gets what contract has become a matter of serious competition. Companies like Intuitive Machines, Musk’s SpaceX, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, or Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic are all competing for the eventual ability to ferry Earth’s inhabitants back and forth between our planet and whatever way station or permanent habitat we build elsewhere, whether on the Moon or Mars. SpaceX's first priority is "establishing a cargo route to Mars," in the past. Musk has said Musk is relying on the much-touted Starship to advance his plans. His early plans involved sending unmanned ships to the surface of Mars and then sending people after that once the flights were proven safe. The first missions would work to convert water and CO2 found on the Mars surface into the liquid oxygen and methane fuel that powers the Starship. By doing so, SpaceX would guarantee a long-lasting fuel source. Once refueled, the Starships would be able to make the journey back to Earth. Following the initial flights, Musk wants to bring large groups of people to Mars to build colonies and factories to make the planet self-sustaining. One of the main priorities would be to build a factory for rocket fuel, essentially turning Mars into an outpost for ever-expanding space travel. In Musk’s vision, people could go from Mars to the asteroid belts, the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, and the Kuiper belt. While in the beginning stages, people on Mars would have to live inside large protected air-tight structures on the surface or even underground, eventually, though, Musk said he envisions having the ability to warm the planet to make it habitable and allow humans to live outside without the need for supplemental oxygen. But this is where some scientists begin to see problems with Musk’s grand plan. According to experts, there just on Mars that you can mobilize and create a long-lasting atmosphere the way Musk believes he can. The other problem, even if this was possible, is keeping the CO2 contained in the atmosphere. isn't enough CO2 Musk has said he understands this issue and realizes it would take a long time. He acknowledged that this is a project that would span several generations, and even if we cannot create an atmosphere now, we could at least build the first colony on Mars, preparing the way for future generations. One of the greatest advantages of space exploration in today’s day and age is that we now have new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to expand our capabilities more than was possible when space travel first became possible. For instance, AI is to help scientists analyze data more quickly and accurately and automate operations on spacecraft. The continuous development of other planets and moons in ways never before possible. currently being used in the space industry AI is helping rovers and landers explore “SpaceX has been improving and refining how rockets operate. The company uses AI to monitor and analyze data from the rocket’s sensors and telemetry systems, allowing for better decision-making and more precise control of the rocket’s trajectory and speed. SpaceX also uses AI to automate certain aspects of the rocket landing procedure.” NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has also recently developed an that can autonomously plan a spacecraft mission based on given parameters and constraints. Machine learning algorithms are being used to identify potential water sources or mineral deposits on the planet’s surface. AI-based mission planning system Clearly, AI is essential to the future of space exploration and will increasingly be implemented across various future missions in space—from Mars colonization efforts to interplanetary travel to supporting astronaut health. We are getting closer to this vision of becoming an interplanetary species. As long as it does not hallucinate or generate false information, as some AI technologies currently do, AI will help us achieve this unique and incredible vision.

AI Will Help Mankind Colonize Mars

Creative animations are always attractive and can leave a professional impression. In this article, I have compiled some of my favorites to provide you with inspiration for your future projects. For each animation, I will provide a direct link, an interactive preview so you can get an initial impression on the fly as well as the author links, so you can explore more of their work, too. 1. Netflix Intro Animation By: Claudio Bonfati https://codepen.io/claudio_bonfati/pen/mdryxPv?embedable=true 2. Bongo Cat Codes By: Caroline Artz https://codepen.io/carolineartz/pen/qBOEzQa?embedable=true 3. Merry Christmas Tree By: Chris Gannon https://codepen.io/chrisgannon/pen/dypvKvR?embedable=true 4. A Long Way By: al-ro https://codepen.io/al-ro/pen/xxxxgxK?embedable=true 5. Matrix Digital Rain By: yuanchuan https://codepen.io/yuanchuan/pen/YoqWeR?embedable=true 6. Floating Heart yuanchuan https://codepen.io/yuanchuan/pen/wZJqNK?embedable=true 7. Clip Clop Clippity Clop by: Steve Gardner https://codepen.io/ste-vg/pen/oKYjKV?embedable=true 8. Neon Love By; al-ro https://codepen.io/al-ro/pen/BaaBage?embedable=true 9. Animated CSS Seasons By agathaco https://codepen.io/agathaco/pen/rpZoYd?embedable=true 10. Low Poly Animals By: Mikael Ainalem https://codepen.io/ainalem/pen/dKLpBE?embedable=true 11. Saturn Hula Hooping By: Jamie Coulter https://codepen.io/jcoulterdesign/pen/BrdPaw?embedable=true 12. Mouse-Based-Parallax Sunset By: Adam Quinlan https://codepen.io/quinlo/pen/XPVmVj?embedable=true Did You Like the Resources? Here's More 👇 Over the previous months, I've compiled The Ultimate Bundle with every resource you need, from starting to learn to code to landing your dream tech role! Includes 900+ resources in total, further divided into 99 categories for easier navigation and access! Save 1000s of hours and focus on what matters! I'm currently offering 50%OFF just for my readers! Don't miss out on this! ⭐ ! ⭐ Get it here: Ultimate Resources Bundle to Land a Job in Tech Writing has always been my passion, and it gives me pleasure to help and inspire people. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! Make sure to receive the best resources, tools, productivity tips, and career growth tips I discover by subscribing to ! my newsletter Also, connect with me on , , and ! Twitter LinkedIn GitHub Also published . here

How to Make Your Projects Stand Out: 12 Creative Animations✨💯

223 Stories To Learn About Science

Emphatic words must stand in emphatic positions

Scientific American, Vol. XXXIX. No. 6. [New Series.], August 10, 1878, by Various, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . ASTRONOMICAL NOTES. here ASTRONOMICAL NOTES. BY BERLIN H. WRIGHT. Penn Yan, N. Y., Saturday, August 10, 1878. The following calculations are adapted to the latitude of New York city, and are expressed in true or clock time, being for the date given in the caption when not otherwise stated. PLANETS. H.M. H.M. Mercury sets 8 03 eve. Saturn rises 8 59 eve. Venus rises 2 42 mo. Saturn in meridian 2 58 mo. Jupiter in meridian 10 52 eve. Neptune rises 10 27 eve. FIRST MAGNITUDE STARS H.M. H.M. Alpheratz rises 6 54 eve. Regulus sets 7 29 eve. Algol (var.) rises 8 34 eve. Spica sets 9 24 eve. 7 stars (Pleiades) rise 10 53 eve. Arcturus sets 0 08 mo. Aldebaran rises 0 17 mo. Antares sets 11 24 eve. Capella rises 9 40 eve. Vega in meridian 9 15 eve. Rigel Rises 2 23 mo. Altair in meridian 10 27 eve. Betelgeuse rises 2 08 mo. Deneb in meridian 11 19 eve. Sirius rises 4 24 mo. Fomalhaut rises 9 34 eve. Procyon rises 3 59 mo. REMARKS Mercury is brightest this date, and furthest from the sun August 13. Venus will be at her descending node August 17. Jupiter will be near the moon August 17, 4h. 20m. morning, being the moon's apparent diameter north; this will be an occultation south of the equator. Saturn will be near the moon August 16, being about 7° south. There will be a partial eclipse of the moon August 16, in the evening. The moon will rise more or less eclipsed east of Kansas, west of which no eclipse will be visible. Middle. End. H.M. H.M. Boston 7 24 eve. 8 50 eve. New York 7 12 eve. 8 38 eve. Washington 7 00 eve. 8 26 eve. Charleston 6 48 eve. 8 14 eve. Chicago ———— 7 44 eve. St. Louis ———— 7 33 eve. New Orleans ———— 7 34 eve. The following shows the appearance of the moon when the eclipse is greatest -7·1 digits, or 0·596 of the moon's diameter. The size of the eclipse will be the same for all places. The time of middle and end for any other places may be obtained by applying the difference of longitude from Washington, converted into time, to the Washington time of middle and end, adding if east of Washington, and subtracting if west. An Interesting Astronomical Observation. To the Editor of the Scientific American: While viewing the planet Jupiter, at about 5 minutes past 10 o'clock P.M., a very strange sight presented itself to the observers, who were looking for a transit of one of the satellites. A very dark spot much larger than a satellite was seen on the eastern edge of the disk, as shown in the above diagram. It moved rapidly westward along the upper margin of the northern belt and passed off at 1 o'clock 24 minutes A.M. (12th). From its first internal contact till its last external contact was just 3h. 19m., Pittsburg time. It appeared to be a solid opaque body, truly spherical, very sharply defined, and most intensely black. The transit of the satellite occurred at 15 minutes after 11 o'clock, and had no unusual appearance. Now what was that dark body? We are constant observers of the heavenly bodies, though not deeply versed in the science of astronomy, and are anxious to know if any one can give us some light on the subject. The telescopes used were a 2½ inch and 5 inch achromatic, magnifying 154 and 216 diameters, but the 154 was chiefly used. was chiefly used. Joseph Wampler. James R. Gemmill. McKeesport, Pa., July 11, 1878. Some of Professor Marsh's Recent Discoveries. Mr. S. W. Williston, the assistant of Professor Marsh, has been giving to the Omaha some interesting facts with regard to the great reptilian fossils recently discovered in Wyoming and Colorado. The bones found represent reptiles of many sizes, from that of a cat up to one sixty feet high. The latter, found at Como, Wyoming, belonged to the crocodile order; but the remains give evidence that the animal stood up on its hind legs, like a kangaroo. Another found in Colorado is estimated by Professor Marsh to have been 100 feet long. A great many remains of the same general class, but belonging to different species, have been collected and sent East. Among them from three to four hundred specimens of the dinosaur, and about a thousand pterodactyls, have been shipped from Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas. The wings of one of the latter were from thirty to forty feet from tip to tip. Seventeen different species of these flying dragons have been found in the chalk of western Kansas. There have also been found six species of toothed birds. Comparatively little has been done toward classifying the late finds, the task is such an enormous one. Great importance is attached to them, however, since nothing of the kind had been found in America until a little over a year ago and great stress had been laid by certain geologists on their absence. Another remarkable feature of the discovery was that the fossils which had been reported as not existing in this country had hardly been brought to light in one locality before thousands of tons of them were simultaneously discovered in half a dozen different places. Bee Trying to Save a Hundred and Fifty Million Dollars a Year. Professor Riley, recently appointed Government Entomologist and attached to the Agricultural Department, reports that specimens of insects injurious to agriculture are constantly being sent to the department from all parts of the country, with requests for information. In every instance, if a proper examination could be made, an effectual remedy could be found, and not less than $150,000,000 saved to the country annually. Recently a worm entirely new to science was sent to the department by an Iowa farmer, whose orchard of several thousand apple trees had been rendered unproductive for several years by the new depredator. For the interests of Western fruit growers this insect should immediately be investigated. Professor Riley asserts that the $5,000 recently voted by Congress for the investigation of the cotton worm, which has sometimes damaged the cotton crop of the South as much as $20,000,000 in a single fortnight, might have been used to better advantage by the department; the salary of the entomologist will use up all the money, leaving next to nothing for experiments for the eradication of the pest. Industrial Education. All are agreed that some education is necessary; but what? The great proportion of those having the direction of our educational system and facilities in charge still cling to a system which was established long before the first mechanical operation came into existence. Before the present system of man's relation to man, socially, industrially, politically, or commercially, was heard of, and notwithstanding the revolutions and advancement in all other things, there is a determined resistance to any attempt at revolution in what shall be considered education. There is an effort to establish compulsory education; but what is the child to be taught? As if in league with the false theories of the rights of labor, these efforts take the apprentices from the shops, force them away from where they would learn something, and confine them inside a school house to learn—what? Certainly nothing of the materials, or tools, or pursuits by which they are to obtain their livelihood. The child knows nothing of when or by whom the compass was discovered, the printing press, the use of powder, electricity, of steam, or of any one of the thousand mechanical operations now controlling every department of life. Does any school boy know how many kingdoms there are in the natural world, or whether an animal, a vegetable and a mineral all belong to the same or to different ones? Will he know that from instinct the young of animals seeks its food and expands its lungs, as by the same instinct the root of a seed sucks up its nourishment from the soil and sends its leaves up to breathe the air? Will he know anything of the nature or requirements of the soils or the plants that grow in them? Will this compulsory education teach the boy anything of the iron furnace, the foundry or rolling mill, or the uses or handling of any of their products? Will it teach him anything of woods and their value, or for what and how they are useful to man? Will this knowledge, for which the powers of the State are to be required to force him to know it—will it teach him anything of the nature or uses of metals, of metal working, or the business depending upon them? Will it teach him anything of gold or silver, copper or brass? Anything of pottery, of bone, ivory, celluloid, etc.? Will he learn anything of hides, leather, or the production of these necessary articles? Will he know whether the word textile applies to anything but a spider's web or the wing of a butterfly? Whether the United States make, import, or grow cotton, wool, silk, flax, and hemp? Will he know anything of commerce, railroads, telegraphs, printing, and the great number of clerk labors in the larger towns? Will he have learned a single thing which will assist him in his work of life? Will not every boy thus taken out of the shop and placed at the compulsory schooling find after he has mastered all it has to give him that he yet knows nothing; that he must then commence where he was and serve his apprenticeship; that instead of compulsory education his past years have been wasted in obtaining but a compulsory ignorance? About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Various (2013). Scientific American, Vol. XXXIX. No. 6. [New Series.], August 10, 1878. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19406/pg19406-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

THOUGHTS ON SCIENCE

THE SONG OF THE MOTH

SEC v. Binance Court Filing, retrieved on June 5, 2023 is part of . You can jump to any part in this filing . This is part 47 of 69. HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series here FACTS VIII. THE CRYPTO ASSETS TRADED ON THE BINANCE.COM PLATFORM AND BINANCE.US PLATFORM INCLUDE ASSETS THAT WERE OFFERED AND SOLD AS SECURITIES. D. FIL 399. “FIL” is the native crypto asset of the Filecoin network. The Filecoin network is an open-source data storage network that runs on a blockchain, created by Protocol Labs, Inc. (“Protocol Labs”), which describes itself as a research, development, and deployment lab for network protocols. 400. In or around July 2014, Protocol Labs and its founder and CEO, Juan Batiz-Benet (“Benet”), published whitepaper entitled “Filecoin: A Cryptocurrency Operated File Storage Network,” which Protocol Labs updated approximately three years later, setting forth “path toward the construction of the Filecoin network.” 401. In 2017, Protocol Labs conducted a two-part token sale: first, an “Advisor Sale” for advisors of Protocol Labs and Filecoin; and, second, a “Public Sale” for the broader community, but supposedly limited to “accredited investors” (collectively, “2017 FIL Sales”). Investors could use U.S. dollars and certain crypto assets to buy Filecoin. 402. Protocol Labs ran the Advisor Sale from July 21 to July 24, 2017, and sold FIL to approximately 150 investors, which included individuals, institutional investors, trusts, and established syndicate investors. These investors paid $.075 per FIL and were offered “vesting/discount choices of 1-3 years and 0-30% discount.” 403. In the August 2017 Public Sale, the FIL price was set based on a “public sale price function,” described as “price = max ($1, amountRaised / $40,000,000) USD/FIL” and increased thereafter based on the amount sold. For the Public Sale, like the Advisor Sale, investors received discounted pricing for agreeing to longer vesting periods. 404. In connection with the 2017 FIL Sales, which were effected pursuant to SAFTs, Protocol Labs filed forms with the SEC claiming an exemption from registration for the offerings of FIL pursuant to SAFTs. 405. Protocol Labs reported that they raised more than $205 million for the development of Filecoin in the 2017 FIL Sales, which value increased in the days following the close of the sale based on the fluctuation in value of certain invested crypto assets. 406. Protocol Labs pooled investment proceeds from the token sales to fund the development and growth of the Filecoin network. 407. On October 15, 2020, Protocol Labs launched the mainnet (a publicly accessible version of the network) of the Filecoin network, and FIL began being minted and distributed. There was a stated maximum circulating supply of 2,000,000,000 FIL, meaning that no more than 2 billion FIL will ever be created, with issuance aligning with network growth. 408. FIL has been available for buying, selling, and trading on the Binance.com Platform since October 2020, and the Binance.US Platform since June 2021. 409. Since the October 2020 launch, Protocol Labs has continued to use funds from the sale of FIL to develop, expand, and promote the Filecoin network. 410. The information Protocol Labs publicly disseminated, including after the initial FIL sales, has led FIL holders, including those who have purchased FIL since October 2020, reasonably to view FIL as an investment in and to expect to profit from Protocol Lab’s efforts to grow its protocol, which, in turn, would increase the demand for and value of FIL. 411. The Protocol Labs Filecoin Team posted about the sale: “The Filecoin Sale was a critical milestone in the lifetime of the project. It raised the funding necessary to grow our team, to create the network, and build all the software tools needed to operate and use the network.” They further stated, “Filecoin success will reward the investment of supporters like you by simultaneously driving down the cost of storage and increasing the value of the Filecoin tokens that incentivize miners to provide storage. We’re thrilled by your widespread, enthusiastic interest and look forward to staying engaged and including you in our success.” 412. In addition, Benet and the Filecoin team released a document titled, “Filecoin Token Sale Economics,” that provided information about the 2017 FIL Sales and the Filecoin network, stating: Protocol Labs requires significant funding to develop, launch, and grow the Filecoin network. We must develop all the software required: the mining software, the client software, user interfaces and apps, network infrastructure and monitoring, software that thirdparty wallets and exchanges need to support Filecoin, integrations with other data storage software, tooling for web application and dapps to use Filecoin, and much more. We must deploy the network, facilitate its growth to large scale, market to and onboard miners and clients, bring key partners into the eco system, and much more. 413. That document also stated that FIL was to be distributed to groups “critical to the network’s creation, development, growth, and maintenance” with an allocation, described as follows, that tied Protocol Labs’ profits to those of FIL holders: a. 70% to Filecoin Miners – “For providing data storage service, maintaining the blockchain, distributing data, running contracts, and more.” b. 15% to Protocol Labs – “For research, engineering, deployment, business development, marketing, distribution, and more.” c. 10% to investors – “For funding network development, business development, partnerships, support, and more.” d. 5% to Filecoin Foundation – “For long-term network governance, partner support, academic grants, public works, community building, etc.” 414. The “Filecoin Token Sale Economics” document further explained: “We have structured the token sale to reward a large group of people that can help us build the [Filecoin] network, by selling Filecoin at what we think is a much lower price than it will be worth some day (caveat: as with any risky investment of course we cannot make guarantees or predictions).” As described in a July 2017 blog post, the Advisor Sale in particular was intended, in part, to secure “long-term commitment to and alignment with the Filecoin network” and “to reward their contributions so far and/or future potential with the capability to invest early.” 415. The “Filecoin Token Sale Economics” and another document made available to investors ahead of the 2017 FIL Sales, the Filecoin Primer, stated that Filecoin purchasers would be able to sell the token on crypto asset trading platforms in the future. 416. The Filecoin Primer also touted “Large Scale Value Creation,” explaining, Filecoin Network “will create value in a number of ways, and the total impact of the network can be tremendous. Growth of the network will drive demand for the token. The more value created by the Filecoin Network, the more things people and organizations spend Filecoin on, and the greater the value and worth of the token.” 417. Similarly, a Confidential Private Placement Offering Memorandum (“PPM”) in connection with the 2017 FIL Sales stated: “A significant portion of the proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company to achieve the Minimum Viable Product and subsequently to buildout a decentralized storage network, powered by a blockchain and the Filecoin protocol token.” 418. Moreover, both before and after the 2017 FIL Sales, Protocols Labs consistently touted its expertise and ability, and led the work to develop the Filecoin network for launch. In an August 2, 2017 Q&A Benet stated: “Over the last few years, Protocol Labs has proved to the world that we know how to deploy capital to create valuable projects, valuable technology, and valuable software. . . . We know how to deploy capital effectively. We have great plans for the Filecoin network and its surrounding ecosystem, at many levels of funding. We plan to deploy 100s of millions of dollars over the next few years to make Filecoin the world’s best storage network, not just the best decentralized storage network.” 419. Benet also addressed the funding needs, pricing, and economics of FIL in that August 2017 Q&A, stating: “Since we think and are working for Filecoin to be worth a lot more in the future, then we naturally want to sell it at the highest price the market will bear. Subject to reason, if we can sell it higher, then we should.” 420. Benet also explained publicly that Filecoin needed funding in order to be able to compete: “Our (collective) competition is the massive, centralized cloud storage companies. We are talking about the tech titans – AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure – the three biggest companies in the world have cloud businesses with BILLIONS of dollars in revenues, not just funding. In order to put up this fight, we will need significant resources. Yes, resources in the hundreds of millions will empower us to develop Filecoin as fast as we can, as well as the dozens of other tools and services required to make Filecoin a service and ecosystem remotely close to competitive with the centralized counterparts.” 421. The economic structure of FIL distribution and public statements about that structure further invited investors to view FIL as an investment in Protocol Labs’ and the Filecoin Foundation’s efforts and to conclude that FIL investors’ interests were aligned with those of FIL’s developers. Specifically, the tokens allocated to Protocol Labs and Filecoin Foundation were to vest over a six-year period beginning after the network launch. As stated in the “Filecoin Token Sale Economics” document, Protocol Labs and the Filecoin Foundation “aim[ed] to make Filecoin massively valuable in the long-term, and we want to attract investors similarly interested in long-term value creation and growth” and “[v]esting creates long-term alignment” because “Protocol Labs and the Filecoin Foundation are deeply committed for the long-term, and 6-year vesting boldly proves that to all other network participants.” 422. Filecoin has also implemented a process to burn FIL tokens, thereby reducing the FIL supply. As with the “burn” mechanisms of other crypto asset securities set forth herein, this marketed burning of FIL as part of the Filecoin’s economic features has led investors reasonably to view their purchase of FIL as having the potential for profit. 423. Following the release of the protocol in October 2020, Protocol Labs continued to be heavily involved in the development and promotion of the Filecoin network and its pursuit of success. 424. In late 2021, Raul Kripalani, a Protocol Labs Researcher, introduced the “Filecoin Virtual Machine” (“FVM”), described as a “core pillar in the next evolution of the decentralized storage ecosystem.” On November 6, 2022, Kripalani tweeted, “These were amazing weeks for the #FVM + team. Momentum and expectation are through the roof. 100s of teams building on the Wallaby testnet. Many promising @Filecoin apps to launch on mainnet the minute FEVM kicks in. Pumped to be building the future of $FIL with these rockstars!” The Protocol Labs Twitter account has posted updates regarding FVM, including through April 2023. 425. The Protocol Labs team has continued to release “roadmaps” or “master plans,” available online and through recorded video presentations, that showcase future development plans for the Filecoin network. For example, in September 2022, Benet delivered the keynote address at FIL-Singapore, which “gathered builders from around the world to build, share experiences, and hear from other community members on what’s next for the network.” In his address, Benet presented “The Filecoin Masterplan” which included building the world’s largest decentralized storage network. 426. In a February 3, 2023 Protocol Labs Blog post addressing the impact of the “crypto winter” economic downturn, Benet touted the Filecoin team’s supposed successes to date in growing the Filecoin ecosystem, “[w]e’ve achieved a tremendous amount in the past several years - from Filecoin launch; to scaling IPFS to millions of users; building one of the fastest growing developer ecosystems; supporting 300+ companies across the network; growing movements like SBS and FTC; launching testnets for FVM, Saturn, SpaceNet, and Bacalhau just last quarter; and much more.” Continue Reading . Here About HackerNoon Legal PDF Series: We bring you the most important technical and insightful public domain court case filings. This court case 1:23-cv-01599 retrieved on September 6, 2023, from is part of the public domain. The court-created documents are works of the federal government, and under copyright law, are automatically placed in the public domain and may be shared without legal restriction. docdroid.net

The Rich History of Filecoin Network's FIL Token

Mr. Arabin

Mark Twain's Speeches by Mark Twain, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . COMPLIMENTS AND DEGREES here COMPLIMENTS AND DEGREES DELIVERED AT THE LOTOS CLUB, JANUARY 11, 1908

          In introducing Mr. Clemens, Frank R.  Lawrence, the President
          of the Lotos Club, recalled the fact that the first club dinner
          in the present club-house, some fourteen years ago, was in
          honor of Mark Twain. I wish to begin this time at the beginning, lest I forget it altogether; that is to say, I wish to thank you for this welcome that you are giving, and the welcome which you gave me seven years ago, and which I forgot to thank you for at that time. I also wish to thank you for the welcome you gave me fourteen years ago, which I also forgot to thank you for at the time. I hope you will continue this custom to give me a dinner every seven years before I join the hosts in the other world—I do not know which world. Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Porter have paid me many compliments. It is very difficult to take compliments. I do not care whether you deserve the compliments or not, it is just as difficult to take them. The other night I was at the Engineers’ Club, and enjoyed the sufferings of Mr. Carnegie. They were complimenting him there; there it was all compliments, and none of them deserved. They say that you cannot live by bread alone, but I can live on compliments. I do not make any pretence that I dislike compliments. The stronger the better, and I can manage to digest them. I think I have lost so much by not making a collection of compliments, to put them away and take them out again once in a while. When in England I said that I would start to collect compliments, and I began there and I have brought some of them along. The first one of these lies—I wrote them down and preserved them—I think they are mighty good and extremely just. It is one of Hamilton Mabie’s compliments. He said that La Salle was the first one to make a voyage of the Mississippi, but Mark Twain was the first to chart, light, and navigate it for the whole world. If that had been published at the time that I issued that book [Life on the Mississippi], it would have been money in my pocket. I tell you, it is a talent by itself to pay compliments gracefully and have them ring true. It’s an art by itself. Here is another compliment by Albert Bigelow Paine, my biographer. He is writing four octavo volumes about me, and he has been at my elbow two and one-half years. I just suppose that he does not know me, but says he knows me. He says “Mark Twain is not merely a great writer, a great philosopher, a great man; he is the supreme expression of the human being, with his strength and his weakness.” What a talent for compression! It takes a genius in compression to compact as many facts as that. W. D. Howells spoke of me as first of Hartford, and ultimately of the solar system, not to say of the universe: You know how modest Howells is. If it can be proved that my fame reaches to Neptune and Saturn; that will satisfy even me. You know how modest and retiring Howells seems to be, but deep down he is as vain as I am. Mr. Howells had been granted a degree at Oxford, whose gown was red. He had been invited to an exercise at Columbia, and upon inquiry had been told that it was usual to wear the black gown: Later he had found that three other men wore bright gowns, and he had lamented that he had been one of the black mass, and not a red torch. Edison wrote: “The average American loves his family. If he has any love left over for some other person, he generally selects Mark Twain.” Now here’s the compliment of a little Montana girl which came to me indirectly. She was in a room in which there was a large photograph of me. After gazing at it steadily for a time, she said: “We’ve got a John the Baptist like that.” She also said: “Only ours has more trimmings.” I suppose she meant the halo. Now here is a gold-miner’s compliment. It is forty-two years old. It was my introduction to an audience to which I lectured in a log school-house. There were no ladies there. I wasn’t famous then. They didn’t know me. Only the miners were there, with their breeches tucked into their boottops and with clay all over them. They wanted some one to introduce me, and they selected a miner, who protested, saying: “I don’t know anything about this man. Anyhow, I only know two things about him. One is, he has never been in jail, and the other is, I don’t know why.” There’s one thing I want to say about that English trip. I knew his Majesty the King of England long years ago, and I didn’t meet him for the first time then. One thing that I regret was that some newspapers said I talked with the Queen of England with my hat on. I don’t do that with any woman. I did not put it on until she asked me to. Then she told me to put it on, and it’s a command there. I thought I had carried my American democracy far enough. So I put it on. I have no use for a hat, and never did have. Who was it who said that the police of London knew me? Why, the police know me everywhere. There never was a day over there when a policeman did not salute me, and then put up his hand and stop the traffic of the world. They treated me as though I were a duchess. The happiest experience I had in England was at a dinner given in the building of the Punch publication, a humorous paper which is appreciated by all Englishmen. It was the greatest privilege ever allowed a foreigner. I entered the dining-room of the building, where those men get together who have been running the paper for over fifty years. We were about to begin dinner when the toastmaster said: “Just a minute; there ought to be a little ceremony.” Then there was that meditating silence for a while, and out of a closet there came a beautiful little girl dressed in pink, holding in her hand a copy of the previous week’s paper, which had in it my cartoon. It broke me all up. I could not even say “Thank you.” That was the prettiest incident of the dinner, the delight of all that wonderful table. When she was about to go; I said, “My child, you are not going to leave me; I have hardly got acquainted with you.” She replied, “You know I’ve got to go; they never let me come in here before, and they never will again.” That is one of the beautiful incidents that I cherish. [At the conclusion of his speech, and while the diners were still
     cheering him, Colonel Porter brought forward the red-and-gray gown
     of the Oxford “doctor,” and Mr. Clemens was made to don it.
     The diners rose to their feet in their enthusiasm. With the
     mortar-board on his head, and looking down admiringly at himself,
     Mr. Twain said— I like that gown. I always did like red. The redder it is the better I like it. I was born for a savage. Now, whoever saw any red like this? There is no red outside the arteries of an archangel that could compare with this. I know you all envy me. I am going to have luncheon shortly with ladies just ladies. I will be the only lady of my sex present, and I shall put on this gown and make those ladies look dim. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Mark Twain (2004). Mark Twain's Speeches. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3188/pg3188-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

COMPLIMENTS AND DEGREES

Mark Twain's Speeches by Mark Twain, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . PLYMOUTH ROCK AND THE PILGRIMS here PLYMOUTH ROCK AND THE PILGRIMS ADDRESS AT THE FIRST ANNUAL DINNER, N. E.  SOCIETY,
          PHILADELPHIA, DECEMBER 22, 1881

          On calling upon Mr. Clemens to make response,
          President Rollins said:

          “This sentiment has been assigned to one who was never exactly
          born in New England, nor, perhaps, were any of his ancestors.
          He is not technically, therefore, of New England descent.
          Under the painful circumstances in which he has found himself,
          however, he has done the best he could—he has had all his
          children born there, and has made of himself a New England
          ancestor.  He is a self-made man.  More than this, and better
          even, in cheerful, hopeful, helpful literature he is of New
          England ascent.  To ascend there in any thing that’s reasonable
          is difficult; for—confidentially, with the door shut—we all
          know that they are the brightest, ablest sons of that goodly
          land who never leave it, and it is among and above them that
          Mr. Twain has made his brilliant and permanent ascent—become
          a man of mark.” I rise to protest. I have kept still for years; but really I think there is no sufficient justification for this sort of thing. What do you want to celebrate those people for?—those ancestors of yours of 1620—the Mayflower tribe, I mean. What do you want to celebrate them for? Your pardon: the gentleman at my left assures me that you are not celebrating the Pilgrims themselves, but the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth rock on the 22d of December. So you are celebrating their landing. Why, the other pretext was thin enough, but this is thinner than ever; the other was tissue, tinfoil, fish-bladder, but this is gold-leaf. Celebrating their lauding! What was there remarkable about it, I would like to know? What can you be thinking of? Why, those Pilgrims had been at sea three or four months. It was the very middle of winter: it was as cold as death off Cape Cod there. Why shouldn’t they come ashore? If they hadn’t landed there would be some reason for celebrating the fact: It would have been a case of monumental leatherheadedness which the world would not willingly let die. If it had been you, gentlemen, you probably wouldn’t have landed, but you have no shadow of right to be celebrating, in your ancestors, gifts which they did not exercise, but only transmitted. Why, to be celebrating the mere landing of the Pilgrims—to be trying to make out that this most natural and simple and customary procedure was an extraordinary circumstance—a circumstance to be amazed at, and admired, aggrandized and glorified, at orgies like this for two hundred and sixty years—hang it, a horse would have known enough to land; a horse—Pardon again; the gentleman on my right assures me that it was not merely the landing of the Pilgrims that we are celebrating, but the Pilgrims themselves. So we have struck an inconsistency here—one says it was the landing, the other says it was the Pilgrims. It is an inconsistency characteristic of your intractable and disputatious tribe, for you never agree about anything but Boston. Well, then, what do you want to celebrate those Pilgrims for? They were a mighty hard lot—you know it. I grant you, without the slightest unwillingness, that they were a deal more gentle and merciful and just than were the people of Europe of that day; I grant you that they are better than their predecessors. But what of that?—that is nothing. People always progress. You are better than your fathers and grandfathers were (this is the first time I have ever aimed a measureless slander at the departed, for I consider such things improper). Yes, those among you who have not been in the penitentiary, if such there be, are better than your fathers and grandfathers were; but is that any sufficient reason for getting up annual dinners and celebrating you? No, by no means—by no means. Well, I repeat, those Pilgrims were a hard lot. They took good care of themselves, but they abolished everybody else’s ancestors. I am a border-ruffian from the State of Missouri. I am a Connecticut Yankee by adoption. In me, you have Missouri morals, Connecticut culture; this, gentlemen, is the combination which makes the perfect man. But where are my ancestors? Whom shall I celebrate? Where shall I find the raw material? My first American ancestor, gentlemen, was an Indian—an early Indian. Your ancestors skinned him alive, and I am an orphan. Not one drop of my blood flows in that Indian’s veins today. I stand here, lone and forlorn, without an ancestor. They skinned him! I do not object to that, if they needed his fur; but alive, gentlemen—alive! They skinned him alive—and before company! That is what rankles. Think how he must have felt; for he was a sensitive person and easily embarrassed. If he had been a bird, it would have been all right, and no violence done to his feelings, because he would have been considered “dressed.” But he was not a bird, gentlemen, he was a man, and probably one of the most undressed men that ever was. I ask you to put yourselves in his place. I ask it as a favor; I ask it as a tardy act of justice; I ask it in the interest of fidelity to the traditions of your ancestors; I ask it that the world may contemplate, with vision unobstructed by disguising swallow-tails and white cravats, the spectacle which the true New England Society ought to present. Cease to come to these annual orgies in this hollow modern mockery—the surplusage of raiment. Come in character; come in the summer grace, come in the unadorned simplicity, come in the free and joyous costume which your sainted ancestors provided for mine. Later ancestors of mine were the Quakers William Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson, et al. Your tribe chased them out of the country for their religion’s sake; promised them death if they came back; for your ancestors had forsaken the homes they loved, and braved the perils of the sea, the implacable climate, and the savage wilderness, to acquire that highest and most precious of boons, freedom for every man on this broad continent to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience—and they were not going to allow a lot of pestiferous Quakers to interfere with it. Your ancestors broke forever the chains of political slavery, and gave the vote to every man in this wide land, excluding none!—none except those who did not belong to the orthodox church. Your ancestors—yes, they were a hard lot; but, nevertheless, they gave us religious liberty to worship as they required us to worship, and political liberty to vote as the church required; and so I the bereft one, I the forlorn one, am here to do my best to help you celebrate them right. The Quaker woman Elizabeth Hooton was an ancestress of mine. Your people were pretty severe with her you will confess that. But, poor thing! I believe they changed her opinions before she died, and took her into their fold; and so we have every reason to presume that when she died she went to the same place which your ancestors went to. It is a great pity, for she was a good woman. Roger Williams was an ancestor of mine. I don’t really remember what your people did with him. But they banished him to Rhode Island, anyway. And then, I believe, recognizing that this was really carrying harshness to an unjustifiable extreme, they took pity on him and burned him. They were a hard lot! All those Salem witches were ancestors of mine! Your people made it tropical for them. Yes, they did; by pressure and the gallows they made such a clean deal with them that there hasn’t been a witch and hardly a halter in our family from that day to this, and that is one hundred and eighty-nine years. The first slave brought into New England out of Africa by your progenitors was an ancestor of mine—for I am of a mixed breed, an infinitely shaded and exquisite Mongrel. I’m not one of your sham meerschaums that you can color in a week. No, my complexion is the patient art of eight generations. Well, in my own time, I had acquired a lot of my kin—by purchase, and swapping around, and one way and another—and was getting along very well. Then, with the inborn perversity of your lineage, you got up a war, and took them all away from me. And so, again am I bereft, again am I forlorn; no drop of my blood flows in the veins of any living being who is marketable. O my friends, hear me and reform! I seek your good, not mine. You have heard the speeches. Disband these New England societies—nurseries of a system of steadily augmenting laudation and hosannaing, which; if persisted in uncurbed, may some day in the remote future beguile you into prevaricating and bragging. Oh, stop, stop, while you are still temperate in your appreciation of your ancestors! Hear me, I beseech you; get up an auction and sell Plymouth Rock! The Pilgrims were a simple and ignorant race. They never had seen any good rocks before, or at least any that were not watched, and so they were excusable for hopping ashore in frantic delight and clapping an iron fence around this one. But you, gentlemen, are educated; you are enlightened; you know that in the rich land of your nativity, opulent New England, overflowing with rocks, this one isn’t worth, at the outside, more than thirty-five cents. Therefore, sell it, before it is injured by exposure, or at least throw it open to the patent-medicine advertisements, and let it earn its taxes: Yes, hear your true friend—your only true friend—list to his voice. Disband these societies, hotbeds of vice, of moral decay—perpetuators of ancestral superstition. Here on this board I see water, I see milk, I see the wild and deadly lemonade. These are but steps upon the downward path. Next we shall see tea, then chocolate, then coffee—hotel coffee. A few more years—all too few, I fear—mark my words, we shall have cider! Gentlemen, pause ere it be too late. You are on the broad road which leads to dissipation, physical ruin, moral decay, gory crime and the gallows! I beseech you, I implore you, in the name of your anxious friends, in the name of your suffering families, in the name of your impending widows and orphans, stop ere it be too late. Disband these New England societies, renounce these soul-blistering saturnalia, cease from varnishing the rusty reputations of your long-vanished ancestors—the super-high-moral old iron-clads of Cape Cod, the pious buccaneers of Plymouth Rock—go home, and try to learn to behave! However, chaff and nonsense aside, I think I honor and appreciate your Pilgrim stock as much as you do yourselves, perhaps; and I endorse and adopt a sentiment uttered by a grandfather of mine once—a man of sturdy opinions, of sincere make of mind, and not given to flattery. He said: “People may talk as they like about that Pilgrim stock, but, after all’s said and done, it would be pretty hard to improve on those people; and, as for me, I don’t mind coming out flatfooted and saying there ain’t any way to improve on them—except having them born in Missouri!” About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Mark Twain (2004). Mark Twain's Speeches. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3188/pg3188-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. 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