The Memorial dedicated to the Salem Witch Trials is a powerful reminder of one of the darkest chapters in American history. Situated in Salem, Massachusetts, the memorial pays tribute to the 20 innocent people who were executed during the trials in 1692. The main idea behind the memorial is to honor the victims and educate visitors about the hysteria and injustice that unfolded during that period. The memorial consists of a series of stone benches, each representing one of the victims. The names of the accused are inscribed on the benches, allowing visitors to pay their respects and remember their stories. The memorial is designed to create a somber and reflective atmosphere.
The memorial is designed to create a somber and reflective atmosphere. The benches are arranged in a semi-circle, symbolizing the interconnectedness of the victims and the community that turned against them. Visitors can walk among the benches, taking a moment to reflect on the individual lives that were lost and the tragedy that unfolded.
Magic word adventire
Hidden XYZZY in printer firmware
I have worked with United Barcode Industries "UBI" programmable bar code printers for many years. UBI was bought by Intermec in the 1990's and Intermec was bought by Honeywell a few years ago.
These printers use a basic-like language called Fingerprint. It is interactive or interpreted.
There were "SYSTEM" commands of the form SYSTEM and a number in the interactive part and SYSTEM 1138 had some special meaning. I'm betting the 1138 came from THX 1138.
SYSTEM 0, SYSTEM 10, SYSTEM 20 and SYSTEM 40 did things like memory dumps, listing loaded modules, etc. None of this was documented for the developer community.
Intermec came out with what is known as the XP series of printers (no relation to Windows XP) which had faster processors and more memory. These were flash ROM-based machines whereas the UBI printers used ROM chips and battery backed RAM.
I had to see what commands survived in the XP platform and to my surprise in one of the SYSTEM commands I received the prompt "Enter Meta Guru password:"
Gee, were my Amiga days coming back?
One brief flash of lightning later I entered XYZZY and the printer responded with "Meta Guru mode ON."
After rebooting the printer I entered XYZZY in Fingerprint interactive mode and the printer responded with "Nothing happens."
It's still there to this day on the latest printers.
You find mentions of it everywhere. 'XYZZY' (along with other phrases from the game such as ". you are in a twisty maze of passageways, all alike") can be found in computer documentation, classroom discussions, and in many other surprising contexts.
Origins of XYZZY
But where did XYZZY come from? Is it totally a nonsense word, or was there some hidden meaning? There are two stories on its origins.
Bernie Cosell, a friend of Crowther's at the time Adventure was originally coded, says that he was unaware of any special meaning for the word:
"Will Crowther says he made up the term out of whole cloth when he was putting ADVENT together.
"As for 'out of whole cloth,' I meant just what the idiom means: he devised this little pseudo-puzzle and needed a magic word to make it happen, and he just made one up. It has no antecedent nor is it an acronym or anything like that."
XYZZY: a mathematics 'in-joke?'
But Ron Hunsinger believes there is a more meaningful origin to the 'XYZZY' word:
"'Cross products?' you ask.
"Indeed. The cross product of two three-dimensional vectors is the vector whose length is the area of the parallelogram with the two given vectors as adjacent sides, and direction perpendicular to the plane of that parallelogram.
"There is a 'simple' formula for the cross product. If A = B x C, where A, B, and C are the vectors (Ax, Ay, Az), (Bx, By, Bz), and (Cx, Cy, Cz), then:
Ax = By Cz - Bz Cy
Ay = Bz Cx - Bx Cz
Az = Bx Cy - By Cx
"Notice that the second and third equations can be obtained from the first by simply rotating the subscripts, x -> y -> z -> x. The problem, of course, is how to remember the first equation.
"You do that by remembering the 'magic word,' consisting of the subscripts, taken in order: xyzzy.
"And that, friends, is the origin of the magic word xyzzy. This use of the word was around long before Adventure (or Colossal Caves or whatever name you knew it by) was ever written.
"When I first played Adventure, finding 'xyzzy' in it was like finding an old friend in an unlikely place. Or an inside joke."
There were "SYSTEM" commands of the form SYSTEM and a number in the interactive part and SYSTEM 1138 had some special meaning. I'm betting the 1138 came from THX 1138.
One of the most impactful features of the memorial is the stone wall that encloses the site. Inscribed on the wall are quotes and passages from the trials, highlighting the fear, paranoia, and accusations that plagued Salem during that time. These quotes serve as a haunting reminder of the hysteria and the consequences of unchecked accusations. The Memorial dedicated to the Salem Witch Trials serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of mass hysteria and the importance of justice. It encourages visitors to reflect on the past and recognize the lasting impact of these events on the community. By honoring the victims and retelling their stories, the memorial seeks to ensure that the lessons of the Salem Witch Trials are not forgotten..
Reviews for "The Salem Witch Trials Memorial: A Glimpse into the Past"
1. Sarah - 1 star: I was extremely disappointed by the Memorial dedicated to the Salem Witch Trials. It lacked any substantial information about the events that took place and failed to capture the significance of the trials. There was minimal signage and no guided tours available to help visitors gain a deeper understanding of the historical context. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to honor the victims and educate the public about this dark chapter in American history.
2. John - 2 stars: I had high hopes for the Memorial dedicated to the Salem Witch Trials, but I left feeling underwhelmed. The overall design of the memorial seemed uninspired, and the statues did not effectively convey the sense of fear and hysteria that characterized the trials. Additionally, the lack of interpretive panels or plaques made it difficult to fully comprehend the events that occurred in Salem. I believe it could have been much better executed and more engaging for visitors.
3. Emma - 2 stars: I visited the Memorial dedicated to the Salem Witch Trials with great anticipation, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The memorial lacked a cohesive narrative or storytelling element, making it difficult to understand the sequence of events or the impact it had on the community. The signage was also limited, providing minimal information about the individuals involved and the historical background. Overall, I found it to be a rather lackluster experience, leaving me wanting more substance and context.