Hello World
Stripped to our shirts and drawers, we sprang to the white-ash, and after several hours' pulling were almost disposed to renounce the chase, when a general pausing commotion among the whales gave animating token that they were now at last under the influence of that strange perplexity of inert irresolution, which, when the fishermen perceive it in the whale, they say he is gallied. The compact martial columns in which they had been hitherto rapidly and steadily swimming, were now broken up in one measureless rout; and like King Porus' elephants in the Indian battle with Alexander, they seemed going mad with consternation. In all directions expanding in vast irregular circles, and aimlessly swimming hither and thither, by their short thick spoutings, they plainly betrayed their distraction of panic. This was still more strangely evinced by those of their number, who, completely paralysed as it were, helplessly floated like water-logged dismantled ships on the sea. Had these Leviathans been but a flock of simple sheep, pursued over the pasture by three fierce wolves, they could not possibly have evinced such excessive dismay. But this occasional timidity is characteristic of almost all herding creatures. Though banding together in tens of thousands, the lion-maned buffaloes of the West have fled before a solitary horseman. Witness, too, all human beings, how when herded together in the sheepfold of a theatre's pit, they will, at the slightest alarm of fire, rush helter-skelter for the outlets, crowding, trampling, jamming, and remorselessly dashing each other to death. Best, therefore, withhold any amazement at the strangely gallied whales before us, for there is no folly of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men.
Excitement for the New WAGES Blog!
Here I write about how excited we are to implement at last a 'blog' function for the WAGES website!
Awesomeness!!
In addition, check out new Facebook fan page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/WAGES-Womens-Action-to-Gain-Economic-Secu...
Thanks!
Your web editor and favorite VISTA,
Olivia
Excitement for the New WAGES Blog!
This could be a great thing for the website as far as generating consistent content!
Adela
For Adela, the last 10 years has involved working a variety of jobs in the cleaning industry seeking better opportunities to support her family. Before joining Natural Home Cleaning, the Oakland-based co-op where she has been a member for three-and-a-half years, Adela worked around-the-clock, mostly at night, cleaning tables at a restaurant. Eventually, she began to experience nasal problems, trouble breathing, and irritation in her eyes, but otherwise she considered her job pretty good.
Lili
Lili previously worked as a cleaner in the hospitality industry, where she was responsible for 16 large suites each day – 2 per hour, a backbreaking pace. Despite working full-time, she had no medical insurance and doctor’s appointments were a significant drain on her family’s income. Lili’s work schedule and the extra hours that her husband worked to supplement their income left her with little time to build new skills or enjoy time together as a family.
Bertha
“For me, it’s about empowerment,” explains Bertha Naranjo, full-time mother of four and full-tine worker-owner and co-founder of Eco-Care Professional Housecleaning, the cooperative Bertha developed with eight other women in Morgan Hill in 2001 with WAGES’ help. When WAGES last spoke with Bertha, she described the feelings of pride, dignity, and security that have accompanied her involvement in the co-op and with WAGES over the last 10 years. “As a business owner,” says Bertha, “you do [the work] with more passion because you know it is your business. And you want to see it succeed.”
