16 June, 2008

Last week's flash thunderstorm disrupted our schedule but there's no choice but to keep going:

Board meeting - check.
Editorial planning - check.
Tribes mock-ups - almost complete.

This coming week we'll have a full house of summer interns joining us, six confirmed so far, and fingers crossed that all will work out well.

We love interns, they are like sunshine in month after month of rain. And certainly the best thing about this 'job' is the variety of experiences one has - like last weekend, I watched around 70 video submissions for HKIS's Virtual Film Festival, ... CONGRATULATIONS to all winners, you all did a fantastic job!

But while on the topic of CONTESTS, I do hope that you all will compete in this months' two contests, one that hopefully gets you thinking about "HAPPINESS" -and- the second hopefully gets you really observing what is in front of your eyes every day, as you move around the world - we want photos of DADS WITH KIDS ~ No! ...... not YOUR dad only, but ANY dad spending time taking care of kids, ......... WHY? Well, because I just don't believe that men can't be nurturing!

For those of you who have been wondering, HERE'S the story of how DADS WITH KIDS photo contest came about:
Last March I was invited to attend an all day conference held by a very prestigious women's group, and it became apparent - to me at least - that feminism has gone as far as it can go if they keep battering only on one side of the equality equation.

In fact, during the conference, a majority of women were adamant that 'men are not nurturing'. Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't 'men aren't nurturing' the same type of prejudice that makes statements like 'women are unprofessional' or 'all women are emotional' so untenable?

For so long, women have been fighting to be treated as "equal" to men under the law, ...... fighting for the right to vote, ....... for the right to NOT be treated as 'chattel' or given no more rights than those available to children, ....... even now women are still fighting for equal pay, but beyond equal pay, there's not much else women need to fight for besides KEEPING those hard earned rights.

HOWEVER. As women have assumed roles traditionally reserved for men - by taking on "men's work" - men have not taken on "women's work" with anywhere near equal exuberance, so we hear complaints by women who say that they are exhausted because, as women, when they go out to work, they are still expected to be the ones to do the 'women's work' (the housework, and the child rearing) once they get home.

It seems reasonable that some men might enjoy taking care of children, they might have a knack for cooking, just as some women have proven themselves to be very focused and successful in their professional careers.

Without further adieu, I implore you to enter our summer contests - designed to open your hearts and minds:

Please click here for DADS WITH KIDS Photo Contest

Please click here for our HAPPINESS CONTEST

Margaret Chen
Editor in Chief
iCUBED.us

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