Whatever he does these days, Clooney seems like he's trying, at least, and like he had reasons for doing even the less enjoyable movies other than that he was bored or broke; Richard Gere and John Travolta haven't been able to say that since the '70s, and even then it was kind of a stretch.

Moreover, Clooney isn't just sexy because he's a remarkably well-made specimen of manhood (though he is also that). Another facet of his attractiveness is the fact that he is using his fame to make the world a better place. The two films for which Clooney is Oscar-nominated -- Good Night, And Good Luck. and Syriana -- were both made under the umbrella of Participant Productions, a company the explicit mission of which is to produce movies that dramatize progressive causes. In his original Audit, we commended Clooney for making fun of John Ashcroft in the course of his Golden Globes acceptance speech; now we can commend him for taking his political dissent from sideline-sniping to activism -- for backing up his liberal disses with full-length artistic arguments against the current American regime. (Hot.)

Since his last Fame Audit, George Clooney has achieved the fame of Tom Hanks (just as we asked, which was thoughtful of him), the lefty social conscience of Paul Newman, and the stunning good looks of Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt rolled into one. So it would be so easy for him to get lazy, decide he's over being challenged artistically by Steven Soderbergh, and glide through middle age on a steady stream of Mission: Impossibles and Must Love Dogses, making us forget the bracing onscreen presence he used to have, and disgusting us with the puffy cinema filler he's become. But we have a feeling that won't happen. Whether he can act or not, Clooney is already one of the best movie stars we've got; if he'll just stay the course, he could become a legend.

Assets

• So hard, we would French him
• Still single, the better to let us fantasize that it's just because he hasn't met us yet
• Has learned -- practically alone among his peers -- how to dress with quiet elegance, and not like a jackass
• Since his first Audit, he has been named People's Sexiest Man Alive! Well done, chaps.

Liabilities

• If he were your cell phone, you'd always be complaining to your provider about its limited range (even if you admired how sleek it was and how well it fit in your pocket)
• Reminding us that Clooney worked with Paul Haggis when he was a writer on The Facts Of Life makes us like Clooney less
• If anyone currently alive still has a Caesar haircut, it's probably his fault
• Dude, don't encourage Robert Downey Jr.

Current approximate level of fame: Tom Hanks

Deserved approximate level of fame: Jimmy Stewart

Marriage (or wedlock) -it’s a public union or officially permitted agreement between persons that makes affiliation. The characterization of marriage varies in line with unlike cultures, on the contrary is often an institution which is where interpersonal marriages, more often than not intimate and sexual, are acknowledged. Such a union, frequently formalized by a wedding ceremony, is called matrimony.

The Bible says that Marriage was the first institution established by God in the book of Genesis, chapter 2. It is a pledge agreement, meant forever; as a result it must not be broken under any condition.

Simply as the Bible teaches us to enter into wedding gently and respectfully, annulment and divorce is to be avoided by any means. Honoring and upholding the wedding vows brings honor and glory to God.

Divorce seriously isn’t an option at all. It is a lame reason from couples to obtain out from a marriage they never thought of and never wanted in the first place. It devaluates the true meaning of your covenant and with your vows upon wedding.

In show business, we could prove that divorce is radically practice. In truth, we can say that this belongs to the many basis or standards that ordinary couples are clinging to. They follow what they saw or heard on television, radio and on what they’re getting on surfing the internet; divorce is considerably more a pattern as of late besides an issue of moral values.

Matthew 19:6 says; “So they are then can no longer two, but one. So what God has connected together, let man not separate.” is quite then can no longer true in such a generation since even a paper-divorce paper can split what God has joined together as one. People’s viewpoint of marriage is but a paper where you simply would like to sign and that you would be able to just throw it anytime! Alas! They’re just following the world…

Numerous marriages are needlessly failing by reason of a deficit of dynamics. The majority of couples, sadly to say, are ignorant on purpose because they don’t seem to be willing to apply the time and spend the money to grow their relationships. Once the connection fails, they blame God. God doesn’t save relationships, He saves individuals. Without a doubt within the couple’s part to care for, to nourish also to water their relationship with love and respect; knowing each roles as husband and wife.

Although divorce is not always the best decision, it’s true that it may sometimes be what you need to save yourself as an individual. Problems such as irreconcilable differences, abuse, and recurrent infidelity are commonly cited as reasons for divorce. If you suspect your partner of cheating, click here to learn more about what you can do moving forward.

Depression is characterized by feeling sad and unhappy, low self-esteem, loss of energy and poor concentration, lack of pleasure or interest, feelings of guilt, disturbed appetite, and sleep. Symptoms can become persistent or recurrent, and as a result, the individual is unable to cope with day-to-day life. Depression can also lead to suicide.

Symptoms in children:

• More anxiety symptoms (than in adults).
• More often irritable, tearful, oppositional behavior.
• Frequent somatic complaints such as headache or stomachache.

Symptoms in teenagers:

• Sensitivity to rejection by peer group
• Anxiety.
• Abuse of psychoactive substances.
• Oppositional and antisocial behavior.
• Poor hygiene.
• Truancy and lower academic performance.

Symptoms in adults:

• Lowered mood, anhedonia, sadness, a sense of hopelessness, and irritability.
• The negative assessment of past and future, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts.
• Poor activity, avoiding contact with people, general slowdown with functioning.
• Physical complaints, sleeping difficulty, lack of appetite.

Epidemiology- risk factors:

• Loss of both parents, father-in early childhood.
• Loss of mother before 11 years of age.
• Incidence of alcoholism and depression in the family.
• Other stressful life circumstances (problems at school/work).
• Age about 40 years old.
• Low social class.
• Risk of depression: 10% men, 20% of women.

Also other causes:

• Genetics.
• Substance abuse.
• Emotional, physical or sexual abuse (especially in childhood).
• Certain medications (e.g. to treat high blood pressure).
• Serious illnesses.

Prevalence:

• About 10% – 20% of children and about 15%- 40% of adolescents have slight depression (depressed mood).
• Severe depression symptoms occur in about 1% of children and 3 % of adolescents.

Gender differences:

• In childhood – the coefficient of depressive symptoms among boys and girls is similar, but sometimes among boys can be slightly higher.
• In the adolescence phase, a serious increase in depressive symptoms among girls is followed and is like 2 to 1.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosing depression is based on the symptoms that the doctor/ psychologist observes while medical/psychological visit and on reported your and family’s medical history. Laboratory tests are not really useful in diagnosing depression but can help rule out other contributing factors, such as a stroke or brain tumor. The most common tool to diagnose is criteria in DSM-IV, which help to identify real symptoms.

Treatment:

Somatic:

• Antidepressants
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
• Lithium (Li)
• Antipsychotics
• Mood stabilizers

Psychosocial:

• Psychotherapy (individual therapy, group or family, and marital therapy).

If you or a loved one has shown symptoms of depression, a proper diagnosis and psychological treatment can go a long way in aiding recovery. Estadt Psychological Services offers a highly personalized approach to therapy to suit the unique needs of each patient. Click here to book an appointment today.

Suicide risk:

Suicidal risk is very high and these kinds of ideas should always be taken seriously.

Prevention:

The main goal of intervention programs is to educate people on how to improve problem-solving skills, challenge negative thinking styles, and teach at-risk in positive thinking. The use of the internet, mass media and written self-help materials help to investigate the possibility of reaching larger populations at risk.

• Education and broaden awareness among populations (school-based programs targeting social skills, cognitive, problem-solving of children and adolescents, also exercise programs for the elderly).
• Programs for children with parental death or divorce, chronically ill elderly, and unemployed.
• Parenting interventions for parents of children with behavior problems (information and training in behavioral childrearing strategies).

Statistics:

• Around 340 million people worldwide are affected by depression.
• It is the leading mental disorder in the European region.
• Predictions show that in 2020, unipolar depression becomes the second-ranked cause of disease burden, just behind ischaemic heart disease.

Filmmaker Douglas Sirk was clearly one of the main masterminds behind the Golden Age of social awareness melodramas that graced the big screen back in the heyday of the 1950’s. With prototypical popular Sirkian fare such as All That Heaven Allows and Imitation of Life, the noted moviemaker has demonstrated a prowess for cultivating reflective albeit borderline saccharine-coated dramas that dare to take on the elements of social class, infidelity, race relations and personalized isolation. Well, writer-director Todd Haynes (Safe) pays a special kind of homage to Sirk’s brand of filmmaking by coughing up a tangy tearjerker that resonates with startling relevance in the engaging film Far From Heaven.

Haynes does a marvelous job in presenting the taboo of forbidden love and racial tension set to the background of a repressed Eisenhower era during the seemingly innocuous age of whitebread suburban America. Far From Heaven is a welcomed throwback to highly recognized lily-white idealism being threatened by something that appears so radical and subversive in context. Despite the hint of preachy platitudes and the obvious hostility regarding the questioned value system of colorblind love and devotion, Haynes’ narrative is very indicative of the brimming and resentful rhetoric that echoed an American fragile society pre-Civil Rights Movement of the turmoil 1960’s. This movie is very peculiar in its provocative state of mind and effectively blends the subtlety of a camp-ridden showcase with that of a probing fable displaying a shambled humanity that may never see any resolution because of divisive mindsets.

This inherent commentary on what amounts to be an idyllic and tranquil lifestyle in suburbia takes place in Hartford, Connecticut circa 1957. We’re introduced to a devoted housewife and mother Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore). Cathy seems to have everything in tow that would make the likes of June Clever and Harriet Nelson blush with envy. She’s married to Frank (Dennis Quaid), a successful businessman working in TV sales for the profitable Magnatech Company and is motherly to two adorable offspring. In fact, both Cathy and Frank are thought of as the desired duo since they epitomize the “ultimate upper-middle-class” power couple.

So how can anybody argue with the so-called perfection of the Whitakers? After all, breadwinner Frank brings home the bacon after working his tail off while cheery Cathy does her domestic duties and is perceived as a tolerable soul (we find out that Cathy, among her persona as a “saintly” liberal-minded individual with a conscience, has a fondness and respect for “Negroes” to the point that she supports NAACP activity). Again, all seems quite calming and in order at the Whitaker household. Or is this really a put-on?

Apparently, it seems that the Whitakers are certainly dysfunctional in the way they are portraying their sham of a marriage. Much like a vulnerable cookie about to hit the hardwood floor, everything starts to crumble. Hence, Cathy and Frank are simply all about putting on appearances and saving face. Their marital communication has eroded as much as their sex life has. Cathy sits there very uncomfortably as she listens to her garrulous ladies club discuss their potent sexual practices while gossiping about whatever else comes to mind. It’s safe to say that Cathy is in somewhat of a denial stage about her shaky relationship with her boozehound hubby Frank; she doesn’t want to face facts that her union with her conflicted significant other is fading fast. But being in such a high-minded surrounding where you’re viewed upon as the chosen classy couple of a non-penetrating and desired utopia, one would easily avoid the embarrassment and humiliation and succumb to the “fantasy” of a convenient façade. And Cathy Whitaker, sad to say, is that particular person.

So Cathy makes some shady sacrifices in order to preserve her dignity and shield her privatized agony from the rest of the judgmental world. When Frank is as drunk as a skunk and has to be picked up, Cathy quietly does this task without hesitation. When Frank is awkwardly caught cheating with another man at the office inadvertently by Cathy, she settles for discreetly sending him off to see a psychotherapist (James Rebhorn) about his emerging homosexuality. And when Frank strikes Cathy in one of his drunken rages, Cathy has no choice but to look the other way and pass it off as one of Frank’s compulsive tics that he cannot help to control. The question remains: what is Cathy to do in this tricky situation? How can she leave the unpredictable Frank? He’s the man of the household and the father of her kids. He’s her main financial support system. And God forbid what should happen if her catty colleagues, especially her best friend Eleanor (Patricia Clarkson), find out about her ridiculously dire circumstances?

Enter Raymond Deagan (Dennis Haysbert, Love Field and TV’s 24), Cathy’s handsome and humble black gardener. Raymond is a soft-spoken and articulate man with a good-natured personality and introspective philosophy. He’s also a widower trying to raise his teenage daughter in peace. Anyhow, it’s understandable how a tortured and lost Cathy can find comfort in the well-rounded elegance of the keenly observant Raymond. After all “colored” Raymond is every bit the secure and stable man that her white and wounded husband Frank is not.

Because Raymond is so sensitive and attentive to Cathy’s emotional needs, she trusts him enough to risk being seen with him in company. Cathy hasn’t had the reinforcement she desperately needed from a caring man in such a long time and it’s evident that Raymond is filling that void admirably. Eventually word gets out that blasphemous Cathy is doing the unthinkable by audaciously parading herself around town with that proud black stud with the refined exterior. How unbecoming of an anointed treasured white queen to stoop so low as to mingle with “that kind of low grade element” in that of the perceived inferior black court jester Raymond!

In the meanwhile as Cathy is seeking refuge with an unlikely (but formidable) soulmate that is the thought-provoking and dignified Raymond, her drunken spouse Frank is still quite indifferent both sexually and spiritually as he continues to cruise the underground gay bars without any regard to his wife’s needs or feelings. Soon, Raymond pays a dear price for flaunting around his white gal pal Cathy when his daughter is attacked by ignorant and racist riff raff. Also, his property is disturbed and now Raymond must face the consequences of his misguided actions for daring to lend a shoulder for the delicate and distraught Miss Cathy to cry on.

Far From Heaven touches upon the right overtones and diligently executes its story with the right strokes that made Sirk’s rousing cinematic expositions so potently effective and wry in the mid to late 1950’s. Haynes does a fantastic job in conveying the constrictive sentiments of that time by showing how close-minded and cautionary people were in that place in history. The movie does a marvelous job balancing the paranoia of an alternative sexual orientation and racial toleration and using these combative tools to dictate one’s own tolerance level. What’s so appealing about Haynes’ nostalgic ode to social strife regarding homosexuality and the interracial agenda is that things have not changed that much in fifty years. Consequently, there’s still some wincing reaction that remains so vehemently aghast in the minds of the masses. But applying these hot button topics to a landscape where conservatism, bobby socks and malt shops were the defining and raving norm seems like a shrewd and revealing move.

The performances are effortlessly riveting from a cast of players who typify the frustration and sense of compelling curiosity that helped shape their multi-layered characterizations. Two-time Academy Award nominee Moore shows just why she is one of this generation’s most resilient and viable actresses working in the movies today. She brings out the convincing angst and ambivalence that bombards her alter ego Cathy Whitaker who’s handcuffed by her limited functioning as a trapped suburban housewife in quiet peril. Ironically, her embracing of the suburbanite limelight is in fact her own prison in the making. Haysbert is riveting and exudes a courageous combination of self-control and an unexplainable malaise because his very own self-contained incarceration is decidedly more explosive as a well-spoken black man at odds with an unwarranted label from clueless observers that pinpoints him as threatening and insignificant. Clearly, this is definitely to the contrary whether his deranged detractors want to believe this ridiculous belief or not.

If anything, Far From Heaven is a showcase that loves to test the conformity of what we all supposedly should adhere to and challenges us as human beings to go against the grain even though the societal pressure dictates differently. Importantly, the movie’s message is that you have to be true to yourself and the personal convictions that will ultimately determine your self-worth and self-fulfillment. Profoundly moving, impeccably produced and stylishly stirring, Far From Heaven is inspired and perceptively fearless.

The conversation on social awarness has changed but hasn’t disappeared. Check out this page to know more about what’s trending in today’s discussion on Hollywood.

13 Ghosts (2001) Warner Brothers
1 hr. 31 mins.
Starring: Tony Shalhoub, Shannon Elizabeth and F. Murray Abraham.
Directed by: Steven Beck

Visual effects supervisor Steven Beck trades hats as he directs his first feature in ‘Thir13een Ghosts’. This visually superb film contains some nifty effects but lacks in pure enjoyment of the antiquated notion of haunted houses.

Tony Shalhoub plays a widower sent to claim his late uncle’s estate. To his dismay, the larger than life home harbors trapped spirits that are retained in the basement. As the film progresses, the audience is exposed to ancient spells, machines created by the devil, some extraordinary visual effects and tiresome thrills that seem new and exciting, yet do not deliver a wholesome product.

The film is well made and has the budget to boast for it. ‘The Matrix’ Producer Joel Silver and Director Robert Zemeckis back this film in production values and it shows. Yet while I was watching the attempted thrills and lackluster enjoyment value I thought to myself, this film could have been a really fun horror film. Unfortunately, in my earnest opinion, it was not.

The film takes off on William Castle’s 1960 Horror film in which when watching the film at the movies, Castle created a 3-d film where viewers had to don those glasses to get the desired effect. In this film, our characters promenade around the house only actually observing the ghosts when looking through the glasses. It could have been an inventive concept, and it was not far off. Yet this is where my diagnostic eye comes into play.

Director Steve Beck makes a solid attempt at revitalizing a tired genre. He quickly cuts between shots of the scene with and without ghosts in an attempt to incorporate what it looks like with the ghosts absent to the naked eye. The key close up scenes were quite intriguing considering the extensive make up the actors had to go through to get some shock value, but the movie tries so hard at being innovative that it really does not bring a new kind of scare.

Bear in mind, the film is very dimensional and attempts a new precedent for horror. Too bad it forgot to scare us while thinking of new ways to look good. This flaw is not supported by a sponge script, some bad acting by Shannon Elizabeth and a miscast crew that does not fit the exact characters they are supposed to portray.

For those who get creeped out easily, they shall have a swell time. Yet for the discerning viewer, it contains no earth shattering elements despite the visuals that make this film stand above the recycled horror trash there is out there.

For more on entertainment today and news straight from the insiders, visit Hollywood Insider.

This Show Plays the Supernatural For Laughs and Comes Out on Top

So what happens when a 21-year old slacker finds out he has to work for the devil? He enlists his equally slacker-minded best friends to help in this new CW series.

Meet the Characters

As the show opens, Sam Oliver (Bret Harrison) is celebrating his 21st birthday the same as any other day. He goes to work with his best friend Bert "Sock" Wysocki (Tyler Labine) at The Work Bench (a Home Depot/Lowes-type of store), where the two arrive late for the daily employee meeting. Also present on shift is Sam's crush, Andi (Missy Peregrym) and another friend, Ben (Rick Gonzalez).

Shortly into his shift, Sam starts getting spooked by weird bouts of telekinesis, including heroically saving Andi from a falling big screen TV. The craziness climbs to a whole new level when seemingly out of nowhere, a pack of wild dogs starts to chase him through the store.

Calling it a day early, Sam leaves, only to discover the devil is carpooling with him. As expected, Sam doesn't take this well.

The Devil is in the Details

Arriving home, dear dad explains that before Sam was born, he and his wife sold the soul of their firstborn to the devil in exchange for the father being cured of a fatal disease. And now that Sam is 21, the devil is deciding to collect.

But instead of taking Sam to hell, the Devil (played with glee by Ray Wise) wants Sam to become a supernatural bounty hunter, bringing back souls that escape from hell. So of course Sam asks for help from Bert, and the two fumble their way through their first recapture, which happens to be a nasty arsonist. Armed with a red DustDevil with extra suction power and homemade fire suits, the two, with help from Ben and Bert’s ex-girlfriend Josie (Valarie Rae Miller), manage to barely save the day…this time.

What Sets This Show Apart From Others

This pilot episode was directed by Kevin Smith and it definitely shows in the pacing, which reminded me of somewhat of Smith's classic film Clerks. The dialogue was full of quick one liners, often with pop culture references, which were spouted in such casual fashion it at times felt like some of the original Clerks scenes - though more in an homage way than an outright copy.

But Reaper is a comedic force unto itself and one that kept me laughing almost continuously from start to finish. Especially when it seemed to wink at the viewer with scenes like towards the end, where, after the Devil has told Sam, "Any place that seems like Hell on Earth is hell on earth," the budding bounty hunter learns that he has to return souls to hell at the DMV.

Why You Should Watch

Picture Ghostbusters starring modern-day slackers and a smart-alec Devil, and you have an idea of the comedic scope of the series, which seems to hold no topic sacred.

"You're done when you die," explains the Devil about Sam's new job during the episode. Let's hope Sam lives a long life, because I can't wait to see where his new job takes him and his friends. I'm hoping that Andi eventually finds out what's going on (she's currently the only one who doesn't know about Sam's new duties), because I'd love to see her join the fight. It’ll also be interesting to see what tools the Devil gives Sam for his next assignment, as it changes every episode.

Part buddy-comedy, part coming-of-age, part supernatural, Reaper is a great addition to the new television season.

That was a trip. For more news and reviews on what’s binge-worthy and what’s not, check Hollywood Insider.

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All About Adult ADHD

Sometimes it is hard for someone with adult ADHD to make a good first impression as impulsivity, ADD, and other attention deficit disorder symptoms get in the way.

First impressions can have an enormous effect on one's personal and professional relationships. You only get one chance to make a First Impression so it is important to understand how you can do that right. Making a good adult ADHD impression can sometimes mean the difference between getting that job, that date, or making a new friend or not.

Adults with ADHD often have a difficult time with that First Impression as their hyperactivity and inattentiveness are sometimes misinterpreted by others as a lack of respect or interest.

When meeting other people for the first time, you usually only have two minutes before they make a judgment about you. Some experts say it actually is only 30 seconds in that first encounter when others decide how they feel about you.

Therefore it is important to do everything you can to get it right the first time. Everyone knows that a firm handshake and eye contact are important but did you know that it has been estimated that one's appearance counts for more than 90 percent of the overall impression one makes. The words and adult ADHD speak count for less than 10 percent.

So it is important to:

• Dress carefully. Adult ADHD...Know what others will be wearing and dress accordingly. If you have to check out the workplace first before the interview, do so. Go to the office building and see how the employees dress that work there. If most are wearing suits then wear a suit to the interview. In a social situation if you are unsure what to wear don't be afraid to call and ask.
• Don't be late. Instead, always arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Keeping people waiting is definitely not the way to back a good first impression.
• Don't talk too loudly or too fast. Our style of speaking can affect people more than we think. Aa an adult ADHD, if you are hyperactive you may speak too quickly and loudly or if you have the inattentive form of adult ADHD you may speak too little and too softly. You can try some types of physical prompts like a vibrating watch to help you remember to slow down.
• Be sure to listen. Let others finish speaking before you talk. Because of impulsivity and impatience, this is hard for most ADDers. A good trick is to press your tongue against the top of your mouth as you listen. Try to use the other person's name as you speak and be sure to restate what they have said before speaking about yourself. If not sure what to say it is always easy just to say “tell me more”.
• Have Something to Say. Even though most people with ADD would rather not waste time with small talk, it is a good thing to do so to use as a tension-breaker and to build relationships. Talking about the weather, of course, is always easy. Another way to make small talk is to keep up with current events. You can check the news sites on the Internet for any big stories. These are usually formatted in an easy-to-read way. Also, try to know what is going on with any home team sports clubs. Don't pretend to be a fan if your not but just know how the home team is doing
• Humor is good but doesn’t overdo it. Since you may not know the sensitivities of the people you are meeting, let them lead the humor department. As an adult with ADHD, try to avoid jokes and funny comments until you know them better.
• Overcome a bad first impression. If you do get off on the wrong foot, just acknowledge that you are having difficulty and ask, “Can we begin again?”

Living as an adult with ADHD can be more difficult for some, and this is nothing to be ashamed of. If you are interested in seeking psychological treatment to help you cope with ADHD better, consider booking a therapy appointment at Estadt Psychological Services.

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