Posts Tagged ‘celebrity’

Broken Windows, Weird Weather, and Lonely Protests… TILE Two-Liners 1.3.11 >> 1.7.11

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

MONDAY

TUESDAY

  • Microfinance took off in India, then crashed, and is in the process of burning. Extremely high interest rates + lending to people with absolutely no plan for repayment = government crackdown. (NPR)

WEDNESDAY

  • “[Uptown Manhattan private school] Dalton was kind of like that parent who, rather than play with their kid and encourage and grow their curiosity, brings it to the doctor and gets them Adderall instead.” (The New York Times)
  • Even if you don’t have a permit for a protest in Russia, you can still hold your sign up alone. (The Washington Post)

THURSDAY

  • The South Bronx fought hard against urban blight in the 1970s, but the real estate bubble burst and there are more broken windows on the block these days. (The New York Times)
  • Electric car technology now valuable enough to warrant corporate espionage! (The New York Times)

FRIDAY

  • Apparently the definition of “normal” weather changes every so often. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s changing now. (The New York Times)

Paul McCartney is involved with PETA?

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Yes, that is right, the former Beatle is a spokesperson for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).  There are many reasons why celebrities would get with a involved a charity, foundation, or organization.

The most important reason is that celebrities can bring attention to a cause that may otherwise be ignored – ordinary people tend to notice when famous people do things, including an advertisement or a commercial for a specific charity. Charities will often ask a high-profile individual to attend a benefit or a function for these purposes.

The celebrity has his or her reasons also. Any PR rep would tell you that having your name attached to a charitable cause is good press and good exposure.  Additionally, a lot of celebrities do not want to seem one-dimensional, and being part of a charity or foundation shows their multi-dimensionality.  Finally, for some it is a personal issue: Sheryl Crow, a survivor of breast cancer, is one of the main proponents for the nonprofit Stand Up To Cancer.