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Friday, April 1, 2011 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Cockiness coaxes companions’ criticism Dear Annie: I am a 14- year-old girl. I am arguably the smartest in the school and have never lacked con- fidence. I admit I am pride- ful and have never ques- tioned my self-worth. I am always the one in the group with a sarcastic remark, although I am always care- ful never to hurt anyone with my words. I consider myself literate beyond my years. everyone wants to be with. Just a little. How can I open up after 14 years of acting totally self-sufficient? — Disappointed Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar This past week, my friends said they didn’t think I could be truly ‘‘nice.’’ I don’t question my friends. I know they are the best of the group, and I am thankful for them. But one of them described me as ‘‘cold.’’ This upsets me a great deal, as I thought I had been doing better opening up to people and being less aloof. I thought I was suc- ceeding, but I have failed miserably. I don’t particularly want to be Miss Congeniality, but I also don’t want to be labeled as cruel or cold. I am fun loving and can be sweet and compassionate. It appears to be overlooked that I do volunteer ser- vice regularly and have befriended ‘‘outcasts’’ when others wouldn’t look their way. I really do try, and I know my personality is getting in the way. But I don’t know how else to present myself. I don’t want to alienate myself from others. It sounds really stupid, but I want to be the stereotypical girl Dear Disappointed: You sound smart, sassy and com- pletely self-centered. Nearly every sentence in your letter has ‘‘I’’ in it. It seems as if you behave in order to be admired, and this is what your friends are reacting to. If you truly want to open up, take a genuine interest in your friends without comparing their accomplishments to yours. Ask how they’re doing and how they feel. See if you can make it through the day without saying something snarky. Don’t brag about yourself. Make your friends feel important to you. You can be assertive and still develop some humility. It will help. Dear Annie: I have been with my husband for five years. I adore him, but there is one problem. He refuses to learn to drive. For five years, I’ve had to get both of us everywhere. We work in the same part of the city and carpool together. Six months ago, I bought him a car, hoping it would motivate him to learn to drive. He promised he would, but has found an excuse every time. Now just mentioning the subject makes me the bad guy. He’s even asked if I want him to leave me, which hurt tremendously. I don’t mind driving both of us, but this situation can’t last forever. How do I fix this and still preserve my marriage? — Driving for Two Dear Driving: It sounds as if your husband has a phobia, and he has to recognize the problem before he can fix it. Approach him gently, saying that you understand he has anxiety issues, and suggest he con- tact the Anxiety Disorders Associa- tion of American (adaa.org) and then sign up for a drivers’ education class. But if he is unwilling to budge, we hope you will continue to carpool because we don’t think this is worth ending an otherwise loving marriage. Dear Annie: I read the letter from ‘‘Following in his Footsteps,’’ whose husband always walks ahead of her. Prior to World War II, in some cultures, the man always walked ahead of his lady. That changed during the war. I think the lady walking behind should thank her kind and loving husband that he walks ahead to check for land mines. — G.R. Dear G.R.: Golly, we feel safer already. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Japan's impact on the economy Q: How will the devastation in Japan impact the global econo- my, the markets and my financial future? A. This is a question I've received many times in the past few days. While acknowledging that it's more than a bit cynical to even ask the question in the midst of all the horror and suffering in Japan, we must also acknowledge that the global markets are responding to that question every day. The markets were poised to take the earthquake, and even the tsunami, in stride. But the potential meltdown of three nuclear reac- tors is something that engenders panic in even the most stalwart bulls. That's the emotional compo- nent of the market that always pushes prices to extremes -- especially in the absence of hard, quantifiable measurements of the extent of the disaster. Japan is the world's third largest economy -- and the impact on global growth is the key ingredient in the markets' downfall. It's wise to keep in mind, though, that eventually Japan will turn to rebuilding its economy, increasing global demand for raw materials, cement and oil. But in the near term, prices of those commodities are lower because the slowdown will reduce demand. Notably gold, which usually rises during fearful times, has fallen sharply -- some say because the Japanese central bank may be selling its gold holdings to get yen that will be needed to finance the recovery. That is tempered by Wednesday's report of a sharp rise in producer prices, especially for food and energy -- a sign of incipient inflation. Japan is also the second largest holder of U.S. debt secu- rities. If it has to sell dollars to bring yen home for the rebuilding process, that could put some upward pressure on U.S. interest rates. That has been offset by scared money moving into the U.S. Treasury debt market, push- ing rates down. However, the yen has traded below 80 -- a new high value for the decade against the dol- lar. The events in Japan are seen as a setback for nuclear energy, reminding us that the dangers of a melt- down are dramat- ic. Much as a plane crash mak es everyone a bit queasy about flying the next day, these events must be taken in context. Earthquakes of that magnitude are extreme events, and the reactors in question faced a double shock -- from the quakes and from the resultant loss of power because of the tsunami. ing in the rebuilding process. But global companies that do busi- ness in Japan (Coca-Cola, McDonald's) could see a loss of revenues, causing losses in those stocks. Earth-moving equip- ment and replacement parts for factories may now be shipped from the United States to Japan, as demand grows. Or Japanese compa- nies that are unable to recover quickly may move production to other countries, including the U.S. Terry Savage The Savage Truth on Money If the United States, or the rest of the world, were to rule out the use of nuclear power for electric- ity, it would put huge demands on the oil and coal markets, long before enough solar or wind power could be relied upon to make up for the loss of nuclear power. Uranium stocks have fallen sharply, with some down as much as 30 percent in the past two days, while shares of coal pro- ducers are higher. The U.S. stock market has dropped sharply following the earthquake -- and certainly some U. S. companies will be negative- ly affected. But others may find increased business -- either substituting their products for some that were imported from Japan (think auto- mobiles, auto parts, consumer electronics and chips) or by help- A Clean, Reliable, Trustworthy, COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. 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Since Japan represents only about 10 percent of the global economy, however, there is no reason for American consumers - - or investors -- to panic. The best emotions we can have right now are a profound sense of respect for the things in the world that we cannot control, along with an appreciation for the American spirit of generosity that has helped so many people and countries recover from adversity. And that's the Savage Truth. Terry Savage is a registered investment adviser and is on the board of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. She can be reached at www.terrysavage.com. She is the author of the new book, "The New Savage Number: How Much Money Do You Really Need to Retire?" WE STAND BEHIND YOUR RETURN. GUARANTEED. 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My face, hair and neck are drip- ping with sweat. I usually stop what I am doing until I cool off. My hus- band looks at me and can’t believe it. I am very healthy, except for taking simvastatin, which I have been on for years. I read your column every day and enjoy it very much. I’ll be looking for a response from you. DEAR READER: Vit- amin D is a fat-soluble essential nutrient required for the growth and development of strong teeth and bones and for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous from the intestines. It is available in fortified milk products, egg yolks, salmon, tuna and other foods. A common source of supply is through exposure to the sun, fol- lowed by dietary supple- ments. In fact, one of the greatest supplemental sources is cod-liver oil (the stuff your mother made you take as a child), which contains 1,360 IU per tablespoon. Accord- ing to the Office of Dietary Supplements and the National Institutes of Health, a 71-year-old female should take 800 IU daily. The tolerable upper intake level for adults is 4,000 IU daily. There is still debate regarding proper dosage, with some researchers saying that higher amounts are safe and appropriate. Excesses can cause diarrhea, constipation, drowsiness, weakness and more. Deficiency can result in osteoporosis, fractures and rickets in children. So the question arises as to why your doc- tor wants you on 2,000 IU daily. Do you have a parathyroid gland disor- der; a family risk of colon cancer or type 2 diabetes Dr. Peter Gott or heart disease; osteomalacia (a softening of the bones); osteope- nia; or osteoporo- sis and don’t want to take a bisphos- phonate because of potential side effects? To my knowl- edge, sweating isn’t linked with excessive vitamin D intake. Instead, it may be a sign of a hormonal con- dition, infection, cancer or an anxiety disorder, although each person responds to prescription medication and supple- ments in a different man- ner. On the other hand, simvastatin has been linked to a feverish feel- ing, nausea, loose stool and more. Whatever the cause, your drenching sweats may be a sign that something is going on. Follow up with your pri- mary-care physician, who may order some routine laboratory testing. Be sure to ask whether your medication might be the cause. I understand that you have been on the drug for years, but hor- monal changes occur in our bodies constantly. They don’t stop when we reach middle or adult age. If there is a connection, he or she can switch you to something else and solve your problem. Readers who would like additional informa- tion can order my Health Reports “Vitamins and Minerals” and “Osteo- porosis” by sending a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order for each report made payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title(s) or print an order form off my website’s direct link at www.AskDrGottMD.co m/order_form.pdf. Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com Oh Snap! The Daily News wants your photos: Cute kids, Adorable pets, Inspirational sights, Any shot you think readers would enjoy You might just see it in the Daily News Send pictures to editor@redbluffdailynews.com or drop off at 545 Diamond Ave. in Red Bluff. Include a caption. Garden Prep Class Friday, April 1st 10:00 am Saturday, April 2nd 10:00 am