There is this new trend that has evolved within recent times that I find most intriguing. It is the way that many new age celebrities have reached out to in support of charities and other noble causes. In short, a few have come to the realization that their fame and fortune could not have occurred unless fellow human being from within what is today called the global village encourage it. As such they feel an obligation to do something noble in return. Anti wars, genocide, famine, human rights, the environment, refugees, nothing has escaped the attention of the Nuevo Rich. In case you are not aware, it is not only movie stars, and entertainers, but also successful businessmen, ex politicians the list goes on and on.

      What is so marvelous is the fact that the behavior has now trickle down to college students prepared to devote time off from college to help desperate struggling kids across dangerous lands. I read recently of two Caucasian girls that went all the way to Kenya on a vacation and decided to teach the kids to run, and also provided shoes for them. Very noble indeed I believe. They have since graduated, and have formed an organization that is dedicated to the cause. Some folks are very innovative in the way that they incorporate entrepreneurship and charitable causes. Take John Woods for example,  he started building libraries in an effort to encourage reading across Asia after he got a bit tired from serving his corporate master Microsoft. He has since expanded. Another gentleman Steven Rosenthal found an innovative way to combine vacation and volunteering by encouraging people to donate time and money as well as air fares and money for accommodations in different global hotspots. Some ask for time, others money, a few request items of clothing or grains of rice, an animal, the possibilities are limitless.

        Contrary to some narrow thinking charitable efforts can be quite profitable for some high profile as well as low end advocates.  Can anyone remember a song of Bob Gildoff Ethiopia Live aid fame today? He is now Sir Gildoff, and has since organized sequels. Aging rock crooners like Bono of U2 have as much power as the President of the World Bank, and is helping to shape domestic and foreign policies of many backward and mismanaged governments in the Dark Continent. The only way you cannot know about Bill Gates Foundation and Bill Clinton is if you were living in Mars for the past fifty years. It is still your fault as you should be looking down on earth and knows what is going on. Sorry Professor Wangari Maathai, nice of you to win the Nobel Peace prize for your tree planting efforts. All has gone to waste as your savage Kenyan brothers has destroyed years of peace and tranquility in your beautiful country. Perhaps there is room in Africa for another woman President following Liberia’s efforts.

    To future enthusiast, please take note and beware. Although your intentions are in most cases noble, things have a way of not going according to plan. My admonition is to do your homework carefully. Need I say Madonna and her Malawi adoption debacle? Angela Joli’s escapades are legendary. I am happy to see that she is settling down. No plans to get married as she keeps popping the babies but nevertheless, but that’s her right and she can afford to. Then there is Mia Farrow who started these adoption business years ago before it became vogue. She however did not realize that she had married a borderline pedophile in Woody. Let’s hope she has since begun talking to her adopted daughter Soon – Yi , for the sake of the grandchildren.

     Now do not be too perturb by the efforts my last three talented media darlings listed as they can handle themselves and survive any problems they encounter. They have also done what I said was necessary before making this a career- do your homework and pick your spots. It is my final subject that you might want to have some sympathy for. Sharon Stone, the beautiful one hit wonder. We all know her. Remember the lesbian erotic thriller that forced Kirk Douglas son Michael to behave like a bumbling teenager as she attempted to seduce him in her white mini skirt devoid of underwear, and later attacked some ice with an ice pick that was possibly used to do irreparable harm to an unknown victim. I dare you to name a scene for another movie she made since that one some two decades ago. 

      She had the gall to go up against the Chinese government as the gentleman Richard Gere has done for years. In a light hearted moment while at a recent Film festival she was asked about her take on the very tragic earthquake disaster in China. Let’s say that she was a bit insensitive. She said that it was ‘Karma’ for what they have done to Tibetans. Now ,every one knows that China is no place to mess with, especially if you are a fifty year old female model that is making a few bucks modeling clothes across Europe that is dependent on China’s vast market and cheap labor. The Chinese were swift in their denunciations, and her agency was quicker in firing her. She has since apologized to the very sensitive, emerging capitalist and democratic world power. Let us just say that the Chinese has an image to protect and an Olympic to stage in the summer. The lessons should not be lost on others so inclined new age activist and Ngo proponents I hope. I still believe that the world is however a much better place, and is very grateful for any humanitarian and charitable efforts by those with some semblance of power and influence. Good judgments are however necessary, or else efforts aimed at doing positive things, might just be counterproductive. In short, pick your spots and do thorough homework.