Just because Hollywood is where some of the richest people on earth live, it does not mean that the community does not have a sense of social and environmental responsibility. Indeed, some of the most socially aware people are big figures in Hollywood. As another testament to how this part of the world is contributing to the effort to save Mother Earth, the first eco-friendly lounge is set to open in November of this year in Hollywood.

Dubbed Ecco, the lounge is located in the Cahuenga Corridor and is set to lay down the standards for an environmentally friendly night out. Ecco used to be the Tokio Hollywood, which was renovated and transformed into something which, many would say, is better.

So what makes Ecco different from the plethora of night clubs and lounges in Hollywood? Here are some of its features:

– Multi-colored state-of-the-art LED lighting, exclusively designed and installed by Disco Designer and Cosmos Lighting.
– Neutralized carbon emissions through LivClean.
– Green energy supplied by L.A. Department of Water & Power’s Green Power resources.
– Certified organic cuisine and beverages without fertilizers, pesticides, hormones or antibiotics.
– Energy efficient insulation, saving 20% more energy than standard insulation.
– Eco-friendly bathrooms with flushless toilets, Dyson “Airblade” hand dryers, and organic cleansers and hand soaps.
– Free valet service for hybrid vehicles.
– Paperless event ticketing, table and bottle reservations provided by UpCode Solutions USA/Mobile Access & Interaction technology (MAI)(TM).
– Custom audio provided by Turbosound, winners of the Best Club Awards

LED lighting, flushless toilets, organic food – you can’t get any “eco-friendlier” than that can you?

If I asked you right now who the most powerful women in Hollywood are, what would your answer be? When faced with this question earlier (my friend and I were talking about the very same topic), I named Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres. According to The Hollywood Reporter – which is definitely a more reliable source than I am – I got one correctly.

They recently honored the most influential women in Hollywood and Oprah was right there at the top. AP has a write up on the recent event:

The chairwoman of Harpo Inc. tops the trade paper’s 17th annual Power 100 list “based on her dizzying array of Oprah-branded media and her immense cultural influence,” Guider said.

Honorees are chosen by a panel of reporters and editors who consider each woman’s corporate position, control of purse strings and power to greenlight content.

During the same Q-&-A session, Disney’s co-chairwoman, Anne Sweeney, who was second on the list, said she uses chocolate as a salve, while No. 3, Sony Chairwoman Amy Pascal, opts to hide under the covers when failure strikes. The list was published Friday.

Who else made the list? I only really recognized Oprah in the top 10. Angelina Jolie made it to number 24, Tyra Banks is at 36, Tina Fey at 56, Rachael Ray at 65, and Miley Cyrus at 100. I don’t know about you but I was a bit surprised at number 100. Then again, the Hannah Montana phenomenon is indeed quite remarkable. For the complete list, visit The Hollywood Reporter.

Who is it? No, it is not Donald Trump. Never mind that this mogul who does not seem to mind wearing an ill-fitting wig can easily strike fear or inspiration in the hearts of people. And no, it is not Chuck Norris either. (Oh, heck, I think I see a round house kick coming just for writing that line!) So who is Hollywood’s most powerful man?

Come to think of it, I never really paid much attention to this in the past. I guess I have been to busy thinking about other things but this weekend, with everything and everyone in Hollywood buzzing about one single topic, it is hard to miss. Remember that little golden man?

Yup, I am talking about Mr. Oscar. It actually took an article from The Star Central to make me realize that indeed, this 13 ½ inch guy might very well be the most powerful man in Tinsel Town. Tonight, the whole world will see why.

Have you ever wondered why he was named Oscar? The truth is, his name was not always so. In fact, he didn’t even have a name to begin with. As the story goes, Margaret Herrick, once the Academy librarian remarked that the statue bore a resemblance to her Uncle Oscar and perhaps, Sidney Skolsky’s (a journalist) usage of the name to refer to Katharine Hepburn’s win in 1934 helped it stick. It was not until 1939 that Oscar became the official name, however.

Today, this name is known all over the world to represent the best movies that have graced the silver screen. And tonight, the whole world will be watching – yet again.

What’s going on in Hollywood aside from the current season of American Idol? By the way, I heard that the show gathered the most votes ever for their top10. Anyhow, after the recent Oscars, it seems to me that the movie scene has not been that active. However, that is not really true. There is much going on behind the scenes, and I got wind of one story that just might make it to the big screen.

The King of Sting is the story of real life con men. Think Catch Me If You Can. It runs along the same lines. The protagonists of this story are Craig Glazer and Don Woodbeck. They operated all across the United States, posing as cops, and conducting drug stings. The caveat is that they kept all the money and drugs involved. Now you can just imagine how much they raked in!

In fact, they were so successful in their activities that they were hired by the Attorney General of Kansas. Unfortunately, Woodbeck lost his life in their final attempt. Glazer subsequently wrote a book about his colorful life, titled The King of Sting: The Amazing True Story of a Modern American Outlaw.

It seems that it was received warmly and is now targeted to be turned into a movie. Eric Eisner, a known producer, is said to have locked in the rights to the story. While there are no other details known as of yet, I am thinking we’ll get to see this movie by early next year.