Admirable Women: Sofia Brahe

Sofia [Sophia] Brahe (1556 to 1643) was a Danish astronomer, horticulturalist and a highly-educated and accomplished woman. While I remember studying Tycho Brahe (her brother) and Johannes Kepler in college, I don't remember much mention of Sofia. I noted this at the time.

My niece had a research paper to do years ago and had the choice of 5 people; the one woman was Sofia Brahe. She chose Sofia. We had trouble then finding any references to her, although there were many to her brother. There is little more to be found now; searching "Sofia or Sophia Brahe" will get you plenty of Tycho information, but not much of her own. What you find are copies of other pages.

I just had a web page translated from Spanish, and while the pronoun "his" is incorrectly applied, and started making me cranky, it turns out to be an interesting page from the Physics and Chemistry Department somewhere in the world. Kudos to Miriam Cruces Villaran!

Women were not encouraged or allowed to be educated in the 16th century, but Ms. Brahe got herself educated nonetheless. It is my belief that, as happened to millions of accomplished women unheralded by historians, much of Brahe's original research and work was probably credited to the male closest to her: in Sofia's case, her brother. I hope there are young women out there who are researching the work of Sofia Brahe, and will bring her accomplishments, and their own, to light in the near future.

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut was Pharoah of Egypt from possibly as early as 1512 BC [or as late as 1493] until 1458 BC. She is acknowledged one of the most successful Pharoahs in history, although early Egyptologists credited some of her accomplishments to other male rulers throughout history. (Surprised?)

Hatshepsut named herself Pharoah, donned the false beard and other regalia of office, demanded she be called "His Majesty," and also took the additional title of "Chieftainess of Noble Women."

She was a warrior, general, king, builder, beneficent ruler, trade route creator, exceptional negotiator and is the only woman buried in the Valley of the Kings.

Her successor Thutmose III and his son Amenhotep II had minions try to erase her from history by chiseling her image, and references of her off statuary and cartouches. They did a poor job, and started late in their careers, thankfully. Attempts to take credit for her brilliant reign are gradually being debunked. Long may her true history shine ever brighter. More women archeologists! There are undoubtedly young Egyptologists hard at work right now.

Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month. Wish there was more history to celebrate, so instead of wishing, I'm dedicating this month to putting some of our names and faces in history. National Women's History Project is calling this month's attention "Writing Women Back into History."

Women's Media Center is asking for donations to continue their excellent work: $30 to support their 30 Women Making History project. There is a video called "Celebrate Academy Award Nominated Women!" You can sign a petition on the site to have more women nominated next year. More importantly, you can finish your own movie to be nominated. Or start it this April at ScriptFrenzy.

You want to watch the video. It's goose-bumping.

Carolynne Cunningham is nominated for Best Picture as producer "District 9," and credited in the video. Cool! But wait! I checked Wikipedia, and there was Peter Jackson, Producer. Only. I signed up as an editor on Wikipedia, twitched and swore my way through their instructions and DOs and DON'T DAREs, and got Carolynne Cunningham's name on the entry. YAY US! There she is. I feel powerful and happy. I wrote a woman back into history.

Just read "Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life," and there is on page 141 reference to Myra MacPherson, MSU-educated journalist. There is NO Wikipedia entry for Myra MacPherson. Not much about her at all except as author of a book about I.F. Stone. I want to know about Myra MacPherson, MSU alumnus. I'll find her this month and celebrate her.

More celebrating to come! YAY US!

Communication and Boundaries

Lessons this year are arriving at supersonic speed, and ricocheting this month around issues that I've needed to attend to for years.

Deciding that "hermit" is not a good career choice was a needed first step. No more stealth sentient. The end of thoughtful. clever pseudonyms for me. It isn't possible to promote a book, create a "platform" for future work, and get credit for writing and art I've done, if I don't put my real name on stuff.

I have learned too, that setting boundaries has no chance of success if one doesn't communicate where and when the boundaries exist. Say "I cannot address your issue right now" in any human situation, and you'll get varying levels of push against that statement. Say "I cannot discuss this now, but I will be available at 3 this afternoon for one hour," gives your listener a time and duration to be heard.

Keep it simple is back in my business language. I had a sign on my desk in the 70s that listed what simple sounds like. "No." "Yes." "Get your hand off my knee." Simple still sounds like that.

Communication is not a first responder enterprise. It is still professional to address communications within one business day. Because you've labeled your email "high priority" doesn't make it mine. Serial voicemails don't obligate me either. Be sensible. I have learned that other people have a different agenda and schedule than I do. Darn it!

And...social networking may be neither social or networking. We'll see how this lesson works in the near future.

Attribution, Copyright and the Falkland Islands

Copyright requires an attribution if you use a copyrighted item.  The web provides a wealth of images, writing, ideas and intellectual property that, just because you "discovered" each, doesn't mean you can use freely. The map here was made by Eric Gaba, web identity :Sting. I couldn't find a live link to him, so start at wikipedia and scroll. I'm using his map and attributing creative credit to him, as he asked.

The Falkland Islands are in the news because the United Kingdom decided it wants to drill for oil in its waters. In 1982, Argentina thought the Falklands should be theirs, and invaded it. With British military support, the Falklands retained its colonial status. The history of this world is rife with stories of "discovering" and "naming" and occupying without attribution, or any other ownership (copyright) issues. Among those claiming to have discovered the Falkland Islands, we see no acknowledgment, or attribution to the people who already lived there.

There are about 3,600 people on the Islands, and approximately 20,000 land mines. Tourists are warned that tidal and weather pressures may have moved some mines on the beaches. Britain claims it has found all but one of its land mines placed. So what entity needs attribution for the leftover mines? And while the potential overseers of the Falkland Islands argue about whose is what, which claims the right to remove the land mines? Governments and people need to get busier claiming responsibility, and less busy claiming ownership.

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