Everything that you are struggling w/ makes sense, whether or not you can connect the dots at this moment. You are not "crazy." You are injured, emotionally "sunburned"-- but what you need is figure-outable.
Breathe; blink; focus.
Drawing of a female telegraph operator working at her desk. Image credit: Harper's Weekly.
In 1864, Bagley became the first female telegraph operator in the U.S., but quit after discovering she was paid less than her male predecessor. She later moved to Philadelphia, married Dr. James Durno and practiced homeopathic medicine, providing free medical care to the poor. She died in 1889. /end
An 1860 engraving of two women working at power looms. Unmarried female mill workers were required to live in boarding houses run by "house mothers" who maintained a strict moral code and regulated virtually every aspect of their lives. Initially well maintained, the boarding houses quickly became dirty and overcrowded, with as many as six women sharing a room.
Beyond labor, Bagley was a vocal advocate for gender equality and equal pay. She used her platform to support the abolition of slavery and campaigned for an international tribunal to prevent war. Her activism also extended to more humane treatment for prisoners and those in mental health asylums. /9
In 1910, Lewis Hine took this photo of 12-year-old Addie Card (initially recorded as Addie Laird) working as a spinner at the North Pownal Cotton Mill in Vermont. Hine was a photographer for the National Child Labor Committee, and his images were crucial in documenting harsh working conditions to influence child labor reform laws. The portrait has become an iconic representation of the struggles faced by child laborers in the early 20th century.
Nevertheless, Bagley’s activism set a legal and social precedent. New Hampshire became the first state to pass a 10-hour law in 1847 due to the movement’s momentum. Massachusetts finally enacted a 10-hour workday law for women and children in 1874, long after Bagley had left the mills. /8
The Massachusetts State House in Boston, home of the Massachusetts General Court since 1798.
In 1845, Bagley became one of the first women to testify before the state legislature regarding labor conditions, exposing the unhealthy environments and physical exhaustion faced by factory workers. Legislators refused to act, stating it was a private matter between corporations and workers. /7
An 1853 timetable for the Lowell mills.
Fighting for the 10-hour workday was a major component of Bagley’s activism. She organized massive petition drives — one reaching 10,000 signatures — demanding that the Massachusetts General Court (the state legislature) cap the workday at 10 hours, down from the then-standard 12 to 14 hours. /6
Banner of The Voice of Industry, a radical labor newspaper. Sarah Bagley established and edited a dedicated section called "The Female Department," promising it would be "devoted to woman's thought." She used it to defend women's rights and argue that women should not remain neutral on social, religious or political issues.
In 1845, Bagley became a writer and editor of The Voice of Industry, a radical labor newspaper founded by the New England Workingman’s Association. She critiqued paternalistic capitalism and promoted women’s rights alongside labor reform. By 1846, she had become a full-time labor organizer. /5
Two of the Lowell "mill girls." The one on the left is said to be Sarah Bagley. The women worked in textile mills for 12 to 14 hours a day under harsh conditions, often earning half the wages of their male counterparts. Meal breaks were short, and dust from cotton and smoke from oil lamps made conditions miserable.
Initially, Bagley was content with the rhythms of factory life, but she became increasingly disenchanted. The mill owners kept speeding up the machines to pressure the young women to produce more cloth. In 1842, 70 workers walked out to protest a speedup combined with a 20% pay cut. /3
First video essay back for the week...
The original promise of acceleration was always more free time. A rising floor of expected output swallowed every gain. We keep running faster to stay in the same place.
youtu.be/QBeJjSeVcsg
It’s inaccurate to say Mario is brave and Luigi is cowardly
Luigi is afraid of death, so he runs away from danger. Mario is afraid of living, so he runs towards death. Both brothers are cowards in their own way
I love the way the sunlight makes this flower look like it's glowing 😍 #ECK #bloomscrolling #photography #flowers
I think most people would prefer this. #Science
"These days, I’m feeling more aligned with Catholicism than I have since my first communion. I’m not alone in that," writes @sulliview.bsky.social.
Orange tabby cat with a sign over his head. If cats could text you back, they would not.
Truth. #Caturday
If you are as infuriated as you read this as I am, know that Congress not only has the power to fix the abuse of the Shadow Docket but also that the legislation is already drafted. We just need to get it to the floor. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/u...
Love the Pitt, love reading articles about the Pitt, and have two very strong takes on the Pitt:
1) The bravest thing the show has done is to allow Robby to be a genuine asshole. Trauma does not make people saints!
2) The worst thing the show runners & writers could do is listen to fans.
Rep Justin Jones made a statement entrance, walking into the Tennessee legislature with an"Abolish ICE" flag. No subtlety. No backing down.🔥🔥
😆
Also why do we tolerate Presidency by social media posts?
The Armenian genocide is a historical fact, end of story. For far too long, families were forced to carry their stories without the recognition they deserve.
May she rest in peace. I am so sorry.
Celeste Roberge’s sculpture “The Weight of Grief” #art
Today is the 251st anniversary of Paul Revere's midnight ride to warn the Minutemen of approaching British troops.
I want to take a moment to share an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence's grievances against King George III.
Remind you of anyone?
This image features the distinctive yellow escalators at the Seattle Central Library (also known as the Seattle Public Library). Designed by architect Rem Koolhaas and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), the library is celebrated for its avant-garde, geometric glass-and-metal design.
This image features the distinctive yellow escalators at the Seattle Central Library (also known as the Seattle Public Library).
Designed by architect Rem Koolhaas and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), the library is celebrated for its avant-garde, geometric glass-and-metal design.
Today, instead of marinating in bad vibes online, Mrs. Volts & I took the bus downtown, had breakfast & coffee at a cool little pop-up Ethiopian place, strolled the waterfront, visited the aquarium, got a slice at DiLaurenti's, got some fresh little donuts from the fresh little donut place...
A mum comforts her little boy on the bus. He is crying about something. She says, ‘It’s ok. Have a good cry.’ Man nearby: Well done. We’re so bad at letting boys just feel sad.
the donald trumps of the world would never want to be a co-equal member of a council that nobody can name lol
i saw a tiktok by someone in Switzerland who says that they don't use "who is the president?" as a measure of mental competency because the presidency rotates through members of the Federal Council and isn't that important, and half the time nobody knows who it is--and i was like THAT'S THE TICKET
like what if we just regulated official government social media posting to the point where it is text only and you have to go to a special office in person and dictate it to a nonpartisan scribe (who will be a 40-year veteran of the federal workforce who just stares at you angrily)
Good morning #Bluesky!
My dog dragged me outside for an early morning walk. I’m glad he did or I would have missed #sunrise.
#ECK #EastCoastKin
