December 10th

Born this day in 1815, Lady Ada Byron Lovelace, daughter of the great poet, Lord Byron and she is also the very first computer programmer! Ada was tutored in math and music because her mother did not want her daughter follow in her famous father's very romantic and poetic footsteps.
At age 13, Ada designed a flying machine.
Ada considered herself, a Metaphysician and Analyst. She is the founder of SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING. While translating Charles Babbage's lectures about the Analyic Engine(these lectures took place at the University of Turin, Italy in 1840- Luigi Menabrea wrote them down and had them published in the Universelle de Geneve in 1842)
In 1842 Ada Byron translated the lectures from French to English. And while doing this Lady Lovelace made "NOTES", her very own ideas and calulations. These NOTES contain the very first ALGORITHM and the structure for the very first computer. Ada wrote out in these much of what a computer could be used for- including music! 110 years ahead of her time. Please, google Ada Byron Lovelace NOTES and read about this awesome woman's vision. Lady Lovelace, the bluestocking,the scientist, the daughter of the poet Lord Byron, wife of Lord Lovelace and the mother of 3. A visionany of how computers-engines would change the future. Modern Science.



And born this day in 1830, the great and wonderous poet, Emily Dickinson! Another visionary that wrote in future ideas. Modern poetry.


Poem  314

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

Two very modern women.

December 9th

Grace Murray Hopper was born this day in 1906. One of the first computer programmers, Harvard Mark 1 computer. She developed the first compiler for computer programming langugages. Conceptualized the "idea of machine-independent programming langugages". And this science lead to the development of "COBOL". One of the first modern programming langugages. And when a moth flew into the computer, creating a glitch- Hopper coined the computer term, "bug and then debugging." And Hopper was a Rear Admiral in the Navy. And her nick name- "Amazing Grace", of course! Salute to Grace Murray Hopper!

December 8th

On this day in 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed "The Immaculate Conception" meaning Mary, Mother of Jesus, was free of Original Sin.
Also on this day in 1952, television acknowledged a pregnancy- and of course that was Lucille Ball in the sitcom, "I Love Lucy." Now, the "network" would not allow the word pregnancy. So Ricky, says, "spectin'?" Lucy did not want to take time off for duration of the pregnancy. They had a hit show. First the excutives said, "No." So, Lucy and Desi contacted a Catholic Preist, a Rabbi, and Protestant Minster and asked if it was immoral to acknowledge a pregnancy on television. They all said,"No".
So this is the day that points out repeatedly throughout history that pregnancy is a blessed time.
Oh, and Lucille Ball was the first woman exceutive producer in the television industry. She had to prove to the network that she knew her audience. They did not like the pilot for "I Love Lucy". They thought Americans would not like a Cuban married to an American. So, Desi and Lucy hit the road selling out in theatre's throughout the United States. So network gave them a shot. And the rest is TV history. One of the most popular television series of all time!
I wonder if the Arnaz chose this date to announce to TV land that they were, "spectin'"; in honor of the Immaculate Conception. All Catholics would have gone to Mass that day. And then at night in front of the TV, Lucy is "spectin'".

December 7th

One of the most remarkable women of the 19th century was born this day in 1801. Abigial Hopper-Gibbons was a Abolitionist, Activist, Nurse during the Civil War. She spent her life fighting for prison reform,welfare reform, Civil Rights. She was the founder of the Women's Prison Association (still around making a difference) which helped women "accquire life skills". She was also one of the founders of the United States Sanitary Commission and Mrs. Gibbons is the founder of New York Diet Kitchen for infants, the sick and the poor. Yes, Abigail H. Gibbons was a saint. She did this work hand in hand with her Father and Husband. A friend was quoted saying,"They had a natural love for sinners." This was during a time when it was thought that if things were going badly- you did something sinful to bring it upon oneself!

Also on this day, Willar Cather was born in Gore, Virginia in 1873. A novelist who was awarded the Pulitzer in 1923 for her novel, "One of Ours" which took place during WW I. Ms. Cather wrote about growing up in the Plains. Other titles are, "O Pioneer", "My Antonia" "The Song of the Lark". For more information go to www.willacather.org

Oh and the bust of Queen Neferete was found on this day in El-Amarna, Egypt.

December 6th

On this day in 1631, Astronomer, Kelper predicted the transit of the planet Venus is observed.
In 1849, Harrit Tubman, escaped from slavery in Maryland. And on this day in 1865, the 13th Amendment is ratified; abolishing slavery.
The atmospere of Venus detected during transit in 1882.