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Thursday, January 31, 2013 – Daily News 3B FEATURES I know a child who's a ticking time bomb Surgeons must learn Signs can include depresDear Annie: With the sion, anger, drug or alcohol recent events that have abuse, lack of empathy and occurred across the country hurting others. The angry involving mass killings, kid who likes to torture dogs this has prompted me to ask and pull the wings off of buta question. What do you do terflies is more likely to if you know someone you harm a human being than the think could end up in the child who is socially awknews involved in a mass killing? What do you do Annie's ward, but it still doesn't predict mass murder. And easy with those gut feelings? access to guns can create an I know someone who has prompted me and oth- by Kathy Mitchell opportunity for tragedy that ers to think, ''This guy is a and Marcy Sugar would otherwise defuse in a less disastrous way. ticking time bomb.'' This If you are in regular contact with particular person is still a child, but one who displays many signs of this child, the best thing you can do being severely troubled. His parents is help him develop empathy for don't seem concerned, but many of others and learn impulse control. us on the outside of this family We also hope you can be his friend. Dear Annie: My husband and I dynamic think this child has serious issues and could potentially end up communicate with our grandchildren regularly by phone, text and committing a horrible crime. So what do I do? The child has email. We have one adult grandnever been in trouble. He has diffi- child who lives in another state. culty in public situations and Through the years, we have helped prefers to be by himself. He shows a her emotionally, as well as finangreat interest in knives and guns, cially. But she never returns our has very few friends, and has been calls or emails. We send gifts and moved from multiple schools never hear from her. We simply want to know how because ''he didn't fit in.'' Does this make him a potential risk? And if she's doing and be a part of her life. When I complain to her mother, she so, what do I do? You hear interviews with neigh- makes excuses and says her daughbors and friends who say, ''He was ter is too busy. She also says granda quiet kid. I never thought he parents aren't as important to young would do something like this.'' people these days. I find these excuses difficult to Well, I wouldn't be able to say that. swallow, especially when I hear — K. Dear K.: The problem with stop- other grandparents talk about their ping such behavior in advance is grandkids. Are we expecting too that there is no way to reliably pre- much? — Disappointed Grandpardict who will commit such a crime. ents Mailbox Dear Disappointed: It is absolutely not true that grandparents are less important to this generation. But young adults have been known to take their family members for granted. Please continue to stay in touch regardless of the lack of response. We think she'll come around eventually. However, there is no excuse for not acknowledging a gift. If it happens again, tell your granddaughter that her silence indicates she isn't interested in receiving any more presents. Feel free to stop sending them. Dear Annie: I read the letter from ''RH,'' whose dog, ''Buster,'' died and he wants an identical dog with the same name. I am a veterinarian and have seen many people experience a profound grief for the loss of their beloved pet. Many veterinary schools offer free pet loss hotlines. I also recommend he write an obituary for ''Buster,'' describing his wonderful life, and share it with those friends and family who will understand. When he is ready, he can honor Buster's memory by forming a relationship with a new dog who has a different name. — Massachusetts Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Green party tips for Super Bowl Last year, more than 111 million watched the New York Giants best the New England Patriots for a second time in Super Bowl XLVI (46). That also meant millions of Super Bowl parties around the world, and an increase in waste and recyclables generated. "A Super Bowl party is a great opportunity to shape some green habits," said Justin Caporusso, Public Affairs Manager for Waste Management. "There can be a cost-savings to it, too." As you and your friends and family prepare to judge this year's crop of Super Bowl commercials and/or watch which Harbaugh team prevails, consider the following: VI Simple and Easy Super Bowl Party Green Tips • Carpool – If you're hosting a party or going to one, encourage ride sharing especially if parking is limited. • Buy in Bulk – Whether it's snacks or drinks, go for less packaging. One two-liter bottle is almost three 12-ounce cans. • Finger Foods – When someone can grab and munch, that typically means fewer plates and utensils. For those who prefer to eat their pizza or hamburger with a fork and knife, bring out the silverware and china. • Two-Container (or Three-Container) System – One for trash, one for bottles and cans, and if available in your area, one for food waste. If given recycling options, most folks will use it. • Support Your Local Products – Whether it's a microbrew from down the street or homemade salsa from the farmer's market, buying local helps reduce carbon emissions. • Television Reuse - If you finally decided to upgrade your TV, consider donating your old one to charity or to any college student living in the dorms. And don't forget to recycle the cardboard box that the new one came in. "Regardless of which team wins the Super Bowl, we're all winners if we're able to reduce our carbon footprint," said Caporusso. "The more materials we can recycle, the greater the impact on saving earth's precious resources." Audubon Society activities for February Altacal Audubon Society Program & Field Trip activities for Febrary are as follows: Program Migrating with Sandhill Cranes - Presented by Erv Nichols and Sandra Noll, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, Chico Creek Nature Center. Join photojournalists, birders and adventurers, Erv Nichols and Sandra Noll on an eight-month photojourney following Sandhill Cranes from Bosque Del Apache New Mexico to northern Alaska where many cranes nest and raise their young. Along the way you will learn about Sandhill Cranes' wintering, breeding and migratory habitats, mating and nesting behaviors as well as the sophisticated communication and coltrearing practices of this fascinating bird. Erv and Sandra will also share stories and photos of other wildlife and the people and places they encountered on this migratory journey. Field Trips Saturday, Feb. 9 Upper Bidwell Park. The Second Saturday field trip in February will be in Upper Bidwell Park. Some of the many birds we see are Western Bluebird, Rubycrowned Kinglet, Golden-crown Sparrow, Oak Titmouse, lots of Acorn Woodpeckers, Whitebreasted Nuthatch, and Nuttall's Woodpecker. And we are always on the lookout for that elusive Pygmy Owl! After birding Horseshoe Lake and the area around the parking lot, we will head up the canyon to the Yahi Trail head. There, we will follow the trail along Big Chico Creek, as far as time permits (2 - 3 miles, round trip). We usually turn around at the Day Camp parking lot and usually follow the Middle Trail back to the cars. We should be back to the cars by about 12:30 p.m. Meet at 9 a.m. at the parking lot on the left just past the gun club and Horseshoe Lake. Follow Wildwood Ave for 1.75 miles and turn left into the parking area just before the gate. Bring binoculars, water, snacks, walking shoes and proper clothing for the expected weather conditions. Rain cancels. For more information, contact Steve King, 530-566-6136. • Sunday, Feb. 17, - Black Butte Lake- Trip Leader: Jennifer Patten. We will bird-watch in the vicinity of the lake, along the lakeshore, and at the dam overlook. Bring a picnic lunch and your binoculars. Dress warm, in layers, and wear sturdy shoes as there will be some hiking. Mountain Bluebirds, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Lewis's Woodpeckers, Bald Eagles and Lawrence's Goldfinches are some of the birds we hope to find. Meet at Chico Park & Ride on Hwy 32, the lot nearest Hwy 99 at 9 am. The trip will end about 2 pm. Rain cancels. For more information contact Jennifer Patten, jpchico@sbcglobal.net, 530-3459356. • Sunday, Feb. 24,- Llano Seco Unit - Trip Leader: Mike Fisher and Nancy Nelson. Join us on an outing to the Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Late February should still be good for wintering waterfowl and raptors. Bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them. We will have spotting scopes available. The viewing platform at Llano Seco is wheelchair accessible. We will meet at the Park & Ride at Hwy 32, lot closest to Hwy 99 at 9 am and return to Chico by 12:00. Rain cancels. For more information, contact Nancy Nelson at 530345-0580 or concownancy@earthlink.net. All programs and activities are free of cost unless otherwise indicated and are open to the public. For more information contact Altacal Audubon Society Publicity Chairman Wayland Augur at 530-519-4724 or email wba@acm.org. For all events visit www.altacal.org. Small businesses laud Nielsen for voting record Following a rigorous review of legislators' voting record, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) praised State Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber) for his support of small businesses. Of the key pieces of legislation monitored by NFIB, Nielsen received a perfect score. "Small businesses are the economic engine of our state," said Sen. Jim Nielsen. "Together, they account for nearly half of the private sector jobs. And 64 percent of the new private sector jobs are generated by these independent businesses." NFIB/California executive director John Kabateck thanked Nielsen for his support. "On behalf of the more than three million small businesses in Cali- fornia, we offer our sincere gratitude to Sen. Nielsen for his support of policies that reduce burdensome regulations and taxes, curtail frivolous lawsuits and create certainty for California's small business job creators." The NFIB/California Voting Record is developed by selecting 13 key bills proposed by the legislature that affect small businesses based on NFIB member policy priorities, and on which every member of the Legislature had an opportunity to cast a vote. The votes on those bills are then recorded and a percentage is determined. "Lawmakers must do everything we can to enable courageous entrepreneurs to create jobs and hire more Californians," Nielsen said. physical, mental skills a gradual one. At DEAR DOCfirst, the trainee is TOR K: You often just watching and mention your collearning. There's leagues at Harvard always lots of Medical School. book learning — I'm curious, what textbooks and surdoes it take to gical research become a doctor journals. And at Harvard? Dr. K there are even DEAR READcomputerized simER: Believe it or by Anthony L. not, this is the first Komaroff, M.D. ulations to help learn manual time I've been asked that question. skills. When the teachers are Here's how things are organized. We have sever- confident the trainees al hundred medical stu- have the necessary knowldents. They spend four to edge and skill, they begin five years learning to to do some parts of the become doctors. Then surgery under the watchthey get an M.D. after ful eye of the teacher. By the time they have reached their names. The next step is resi- the end of their training, dency and fellowship. the trainees are quite indeThis is a multiyear process pendent. At Harvard, surgical when a newly minted M.D. gets additional train- residents must learn 139 ing and certification in essential surgical proceone of the medical spe- dures by the time they've cialties, such as internal completed their training. medicine or surgery. They start by learning the Then, for many, comes basics: tying knots, suturfurther training in narrow- ing, general operating er subspecialties within room procedure. As soon as they're each specialty. For example, internal medicine is ready, the residents enter divided into subspecialties the operating room. such as cardiology, There, they work next to endocrinology or general attending surgeons on internal medicine (prima- appropriate cases for ry care). The process of every level of their traingoing through residency ing. And they begin the and fellowship can take long process of working their way through those three to eight years. In this brief column, I 139 essential surgeries. There are lots of skills can give you only a taste of the process. For a com- taught during medical prehensive look, I recom- school and residency. For mend a short and inexpen- surgeons, the manual prosive new e-book called cedures of doing surgery "The Making of a Sur- obviously must be masgeon," written by my Har- tered. But that's not vard Medical School col- enough: The trainees need league Dr. Stan Ashley, to learn coolness under with John Hanc. You can fire and how to think learn more about this book clearly when things are at my website, AskDoc- not going "by the book." Above all, they need to torK.com. The book describes the learn how to be members intense and grueling pace of a team — because for both the trainees and surgery requires a team — their teachers. The work- and how to listen to, comday begins between 5 a.m. fort and explain things to and 6 a.m. But while there patients. is an organized work Dr. Komaroff is a schedule for every day, surgical emergencies can physician and professor Harvard Medical pull the surgical teams at To send from the hospital floors to School. go to the operating rooms at any questions, AskDoctorK.com, or time, 24/7. For a surgical trainee, write: Ask Doctor K, 10 the process of becoming Shattuck St., Second an independent surgeon is Floor, Boston, MA 02115. Credit card debt workshop Legal Services of Northern California is offering a credit card debt workshop at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 541 Normal Ave. in Chico. A foreclosure alternatives and prevention clinic will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, at 541 Normal Ave. in Chico. To find out if you are eligible call 345-9491 or 1(800) 345-9491. Writers Forum The next Writers Forum will be 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9, in the Memorial Hall of All Saints Episcopal Church, 2150 Benton Drive, Redding. The topic will be Writing the Romance Novel. Award-winning romance writer Pamela Britton, author of 27 books at last count, will discuss aspects of writing the romance novel. Britton is published by one of the world's leading publishers of women's fiction and the global leader of series romances. Visit her website at www.pamelabritton.com Writers Forum, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983, is dedicated to promoting writing as an art and as a profession and to supporting and inspiring writers from all over far northern California. The public is always welcome to attend. Admission is free to first-time visitors. Donations are requested only at the refreshment table. For more information call 547-5303 or visit www.writers-forum.net. Members who have not yet paid their annual membership fee of $20 may pay at the door upon arrival. Library solves animal control's puppy poop problem SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco's animal control agency is proving that the print editions of newspapers remain just as vital in the digital age. The agency relies on the papers to line cages and catch its puppy's poop. It is now turning to the city's public library to ensure a consistent newspaper supply. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the agency will pick up newspapers from the library about twice a month. Agency supervisor Eric Zuercher says the arrangement has solved a big problem, noting puppies are poop machines. The agency had previously relied on public contributions and donations from the Chronicle.