Skip to main content

Amazing Women - Hedy Lamarr

This woman was an inventor. She created an invention that helped enable Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. She was also a Hollywood Starlet. Her name was Hedy Lamarr.
Image result for hedy lamarr invented wifi

The reason I chose Hedy Lamarr as my first woman is because men simply found her too beautiful to be smart. As my grandmother used to say, "Many a tear rolls down a pretty girl's cheek" and this is part of the reason why. Beauty and brains are not mutually exclusive.

In the 1940's she invented frequency hopping device that jumped around radio frequencies to avoid a third party from jamming the signal. She donated this device to the United States military to fight the Nazis. The kicker? The military didn't use it. Why not? They, like many of the men in her life, discounted her intellect because she was just too pretty. It wasn't until after World War II that the device was used and it paved the way for what all of us now take for granted. 

Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler was born in Vienna on November 9, 1914. She didn't receive recognition until 1997. Three years later, she died.

I can't confirm this but something tells me that JK Rowling had Hedy Lamarr in mind when she named Harry's owl, Hedwig.

Thank you Ms. Lamarr for your outstanding contribution to our civilization. I will do everything in my power to make sure women are given the same opportunities as men and I will make sure to provide recognition where it is due regardless of gender.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

40 by 40: Day 5 Leg Day

Leg day, ahhh, leg day. I actually like leg day because I don't have to do push-ups. I have wrist issues. However, my hamstrings were twitching like mad and walking up to Beacon Hill from Back Bay was way more straining than usual. My first weight check was Friday, May 25th: 183 Today, I weighed myself (a week later) and: 179.5 Goal: 143 Remaining to lose: 36.5 Just seeing the numbers go down is so motivating because I know that what I am doing is working. I am also totally aware of the fact that the first few pounds go away easily and it's the stubborn last few that linger, but I'm on my way. Hell, I've done it before. I can't blog too long today. I have a fire to put out. But tomorrow I have more cardio and while I hate it I know it's important. Talk soon L

Reasonable Accommodation

Months ago, I submitted a Reasonable Accommodation request to my employer requesting to work from home three days per week due to anxiety. They denied the request claiming that "as a Project Manager" I need to be present in the office every day but they are open to alternatives. I went back to my doctor who said I need either, a) the ability to work from home up to one day per week as needed, and/or b) a private office. She cited all of my issues, none of which are physical impairments but that manifest in physical ways. As a person who has been suffering with depression and anxiety her entire life, I work hard to overcome it, and asking for help is not an easy thing to do. So, today when they again said, "no" I found myself annoyed beyond comprehension. This is the conversation as I recall it: HR Rep: We don't have any open offices to give you, and since you are required in the office we can't allow you to work from home. Me: I see plenty of open ...

Feeling Down

I've been sad for a number of reasons (one of which is that I learned that a close family member has terminal cancer, it's very sudden and I'm very sad about it). I also get depressed when the seasons shift anyway, it's part of my illness, but I'm also sad because of certain news stories that come out. I'm sad that time after time men in positions of power abuse their power, and then other men call the woman coming forward a liar. This is sad, and it's outrageous and it needs to stop. My son is three years old. I say things to him like, "If Charlotte is playing with a ball you want, make sure you ask permission before taking it away." Yeah, it's subtle, but he needs to learn that he can't just take what isn't his. I have to start young because not having these conversations with our boys leads to greater issues. Ignoring it by calling it "locker room talk" or saying things like, "boys will be boys" just perpetuate...