No one has the right to offer (even in jest) any land on Mars to anyone. In today's society we have hucksters out on the internet selling people named stars for money. In otherwords, if you pay a fee, some jerk will name a star after you, but there's a catch -- the newly named star isn't recognized by the International Astronomical Uinion.

So thanking a guset lecturer by offering them some land on Mars is rather similar wouldn't you say? There was no mention of what I was being thanked for -- just this silly certificate.

THE MARS SOCIETY CERTIFICATE OF DESERVED ENTITLEMENT

WHEREAS______________________________HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE WORK OF THE MARS SOCIETY DEVOTED TOWARD BRINGING INTO EXISTENCE A HUMAN COMMONWEALTH ON MARS, IT IS THE JUDGMENT OF THE MARS SOCIETY THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MEMBER, HIS OR HER HEIRS OR ASSIGNS, HAS SIGNIFICANTLY BENEFITED ANY FUTURE MARTIAN POLITY, AND BY VIRTUE OF THAT FACT DESERVES TO BE ENTITLED TO ONE ACRE OF MARTIAN LAND. ACCORDINGLY WE HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT ANY FUTURE MARTIAN POLITY REWARD THE DESERVED ENTITLED OWNER OF THIS CERTIFICATE WITH SUCH LAND, AS WELL AS THE ASSURANCE OF THE ABILITY TO ENJOY IT THROUGH THE RIGHT TO FREE IMMIGRATION AND FULL MARTIAN CITIZENSHIP.

DATE OF ISSUE June 12, 2002

SIGNED, THE PRESIDENT OF THE MARS SOCIETY