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3B Thursday, August 1, 2013 – Daily News FEATURES Colleges senior pressured to stay home Dear Annie: I'm a marDear Annie: I'm a ried female in my early 50s senior in college and live at and haven't had a real friend home. My parents, espein more than 20 years. It's cially my father, are connot a question of meeting trolling and overly attached people. They just don't seem to me. I've had enough and to gravitate toward me. I'm am planning on moving considerate and clean and away the second I graduate, have a good sense of humor. but my family doesn't seem to get this. They tell me Annie's I'm a bit on the shy and quiet side, but I'm friendly about graduate schools and and a sympathetic listener. I full-time job opportunities in or near our town. by Kathy Mitchell have often made the first They've offered to let me and Marcy Sugar move and invited someone to join me for lunch. They live rent-free in the house if accept and seem to enjoy our time I stay in the area after college. These ''suggestions'' are starting together, but they never reciprocate. to pile up, and graduation seems so At work, everyone seems to buddy far away. I can't let myself fall into up with someone else, and though the same trap that got me to stay everyone appears to like me, I have with them at the start of college. no buddy of my own. I've been to counseling twice and How do I say I'm leaving for good? have read books on making friends, — Nobody's Baby Boy Dear Nobody: Your parents and neither has helped. I appreciate don't ''get it'' because they see no that I have a good marriage, a good indication that you are leaving any- job, great kids and a nice home, but time soon. They'll believe it when it the absence of just one good friend happens. While many kids would saddens me greatly. Do you have appreciate their parents' offer to any advice? — Lonely for Friends Dear Lonely: It can take a long stay rent-free, we agree that you should strike out on your own. Lov- time to get to know someone in ing parents guide their children to middle age, when friendships are be independent. You don't need to already entrenched from work, keep saying you are moving out. church and community. You would Simply save your money and find a need to make a greater effort, invitplace you can afford, in whatever ing someone for lunch several city you prefer. Research job and times, before the comfort level proeducational opportunities. What motes a closer friendship. In the you cannot do is expect your par- meantime, please look into the Red ents to cover your expenses when Hat Society (redhatsociety.org) and you no longer live at home. Good meetup.com for people in your area who are actively looking to make luck. Mailbox new friends. Dear Annie: Your answer to ''Loved the Show, Disliked the Seat,'' the person whose seat at a Broadway show was partially taken over by a ''rather large'' woman, was totally off the mark. You said to show tolerance. That's absurd. The person whose personal seating space is being invaded needs to go to an usher or, better yet, to management and request another seat. Chair arms at performance spaces are there for a reason. If someone feels that he or she needs more space than the establishment has allotted, he or she should make arrangements for special seating. Obese people are required to buy two seats on airplanes. Why not do the same for theaters and sports stadiums? — Been Sat On at a Performance, Too Dear Sat On: Going to an usher or management is a perfectly valid way to address this. Unfortunately, it usually necessitates missing part of the show to locate someone in authority and finding equally desirable, unoccupied seats elsewhere. Charging double for theater seats is an argument we don't have space for here. 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. Who's on first? You are with Social Security By Jennifer Cooper Social Security Manager in Redding Who's on first base? You are, when the time comes to do business with Social Security. We always place customer service first and strive to hit a home run with every person we serve. What's on second? Our heavy-hitting team of toprated online services, that's what! For example, you can use my Social Security to set up an account and get access to your Social Security Statement to see estimates of your future benefits. If you know your bases are loaded and you are ready to retire, you can hit the ball out of the park with our online retirement application. You'll find it all at www.socialsecurity.gov. And third base? I don't know. It's hard to know when the right time to retire may be. Or, whether retirement planning will even be your first play with Social Security, given that we also pitch disability and survivors benefits. The future may be as unpredictable as a World Series winner on opening day. But what we do know is that our online tools and services can help you plan for whatever your Social Security needs may be throughout your lifetime. The tried and true "Who's On First" comedy routine made famous by Abbott and Costello is as American as baseball, apple pie, and Social Security. Baseball is an annual rite of summer and a game known for its numbers. Cal Ripken's record 2,632 consecutive games played. Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. These and countless other baseball statistics tell stories greater than the numbers themselves. Mention any one of these to a baseball fan and you're sure to call to mind memories and stories. Social Security's numbers tell stories too. The first lump sum Social Security payment of 17 cents was made to Ernest Ackerman in 1937. The first monthly Social Secu- rity check of $22.54 went to Ida May Fuller in January of 1940. This year, about 58 million Americans will receive $821 billion in Social Security benefits. The average monthly benefit for a retired worker in 2013 is $1,262. An estimated 161 million workers are covered under Social Security — that's 94 percent of the workforce. Of those, 51 percent of workers have no private pension coverage and 34 percent have no savings set aside specifically for retirement. These and other numbers make it easy to appreciate the value of Social Security. Nine out of 10 Americans age 65 and older receive Social Security benefits. And among the unmarried, 46 percent rely on Social Security benefits for 90 percent or more of their income. Retirement benefits are just one of the many benefits Social Security provides. Disabled workers and their dependents account for 19 percent of the total benefits paid, while survivors benefits account for 11 percent. One in four of today's 20year olds will become disabled before reaching age 67, and the majority of these workers have no long-term disability insurance besides their Social Security coverage. About one in eight of today's 20year olds will die before reaching age 67. The dependent families of these deceased workers are often eligible for survivors benefits. Who's on first is you. What's on second is our suite of useful tools and information on all of our benefits, which you can find at www.socialsecurity.gov. And third? We may not know, but in baseball and life, statistics can tell us the odds. Knowing these numbers and visiting Social Security's website for a little retirement and financial planning can help you know when to swing away at retirement. Learn more about Social Security by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov. Public meeting on the Central Valley Project cost SACRAMENTO – The Bureau of Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Region will hold a meeting to update the public on the status of the ongoing Cost Allocation Study for the Central Valley Project. The focus of the meeting will be on benefit analysis for water supply. The meeting will be held 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Aug. 9 at the Federal Building, 2800 Cottage Way, Cafeteria Conference Rooms C1001-C1002 in Sacramento. In 2010, the Region began a process to develop a new cost allocation for the CVP. Cost allocation is a process to determine and distribute the costs of the multipurpose CVP facilities among the seven congressionally authorized purposes: water supply, flood control, navigation, power, fish and wildlife, recreation and water quality. The cost obligation for each authorized purpose will be determined and will be the basis for repayment requirements for irrigation contrac- tors, municipal and industrial contractors and commercial power contractors. The last major CVP cost allocation was completed in 1970, with a minor update in 1975. The 1975 allocation has since been subject to minimal annual changes related to project water and power uses. The new allocation will replace the 1975 allocation in its entirety. Reclamation is leading the study in coordination with other federal organizations including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Western Area Power Administration. The study is expected to be completed in 2016. For questions, please contact Brooke MillerLevy, Project Manager, at 916-978-5296 (TTY 916-978-5608) or bmillerlevy@usbr.gov. To request special assistance to attend the workshop or to be added to the email notification list, please contact Janet Sierzputowski at 916978-5112 or jsierzputowski@usbr.go v. Please visit the project website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp /CVP/CVP-CAS for additional information on the study. All meeting materials will be posted on the website the day before the meeting. Have a news tip? Call 527-2151, Ext. 112 HELP WANTED AUTO ROUTES DRIVERS WANTED RED BLUFF & CORNING AREAS Must be 21 or older & bondable. Call or apply in person Circulation Dept. Red Bluff Daily News (530) 527-2151 ext 128 DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Study casts doubt on fish oil supplements heart, then perDEAR DOChaps the study TOR K: I have would have been risk factors for more convincing heart disease. if fish oil were I've been dutifulcompared to a ly taking fish oil capsule with a supplements for substance not years to reduce thought to be my risk of a heart attack. Now I Dr. K h e a r t - h e a l t h y. Nevertheless, read that they by Anthony L. don't help. Komaroff, M.D. based on this study, I wouldn't Should I stop rely on fish oil pills to taking them? DEAR READER: lower your risk of heart Fish oil, loaded with attack and stroke. However, taking fish omega-3 fatty acids, has garnered a reputation as oil capsules is not the an easy way to protect same thing as eating the heart. But a recent fish. There is very study published in the strong evidence that New England Journal of people who regularly eat Medicine found that fish fish have lower rates of oil pills don't reduce the heart disease. Multiple risk of heart attack and well-done studies have stroke in people at shown that a diet including fish leads to lower increased risk. The new study rates of heart disease focused on about 12,500 and stroke. So I advise people who never had a my patients to keep eatheart attack or stroke. ing fish, especially fatty But they had high blood fish that are rich in pressure, a family histo- omega-3 fatty acids. ry of heart disease or Examples of fatty fish other factors that include salmon, sarincreased their risk. dines, mackerel, char Study participants were and halibut. You might still decide randomly divided into two groups. One group to take an omega-3 suptook a daily capsule con- plement. At low to modtaining omega-3 fatty erate doses (1,000 milacids found in fish. The ligrams or less per day), other group took this appears to be quite "dummy" pills that con- safe. Since fish oil has a mild blood-thinning tained olive oil. During the next five effect, check with your years, about 12 percent doctor if you're also takof people in each group ing a blood thinner as died or suffered a heart well as fish oil capsules. In the meantime, stick attack, stroke or other heart-related problem. to proven ways to lower People who took fish oil your chance of heart did not fare any better attack and stroke: — Quit smoking. than those who didn't. — Exercise more. One study rarely set— Eat smaller portles a controversial question. There are hun- tions. — Decrease saturated dreds of studies of fish oil supplements, and fats and eliminate trans they don't all point in fats. — Keep your blood the same direction. This new study was a very pressure in the normal strong one, but it can be range, with medicines if needed. criticized. — Lower your LDL For example, there is evidence that olive oil cholesterol with medicaalso is heart-healthy. If tion if needed. — Ask your doctor if the truth is that both fish oil capsules and olive oil you should take a baby capsules can protect the aspirin. Living Well With Diabetes workshops offered in Redding Mercy Medical Center Redding's Wound Healing Center and Heart Center are offering classes designed to provide a comprehensive overview of diabetes. These classes are for diabetics, their families and other interested individuals. A range of topics will be discussed during the sessions, including: • Blood Glucose Monitoring • Complications of High and Low blood sugar • How diabetes affects the body • Symptoms • Foot care • Medications • Meal Planning The free classes will be offered 6-8 p.m. Mondays, Aug. 5 and 12 at Mercy Medical Center Redding, lower level auditoriums. Pre-registration is required by calling 530 225-7779, or visiting redding.mercy.org. Space is limited. Nurses will receive 4 continuing education credits for attending both Monday classes. Tehama Family Fitness Center Its not too late to reach your fitness goals this year! Hot August Membership Specials! Get the rest of the year for only $169 and couples only $269! Back to school student membership special 3 months for $89 Troy's Bar Seminar August 10th 10:00-12:00 25 $ per person Learn how to perform the Clean and Jerk and other Crossfit movements. With Strength and Conditioning Specialist Troy Lalaguna TEHAMA COUNTY Tehama Family Fitness Center 2498 South Main St. Red Bluff • 528-8656 www.tehamafamilyfitness.com