Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/169569
Wednesday, September 11, 2013 – Daily News 3B FEATURES Computer pro pressed for free advice have to be billed." If you Dear Annie: I make my want to offer friends and living by helping people family a special discount of with computer issues, setsome kind, say so. Some ting up, getting rid of malpeople will be upset regardware, etc. I love helping less, but that cannot be clients and truly enjoy my helped. Those who are most profession. I do an excellikely to take advantage are lent job for my customers the same ones who take and am completely devoted Annie's umbrage when you don't to customer satisfaction. acquiesce. My problem lies with Dear Annie: I have a valfriends, neighbors, etc., who take advantage of my by Kathy Mitchell ued, dear friend whom I knowledge and expertise. It and Marcy Sugar really admire and enjoy talking with. However, he truly usually starts with a phone call or an email saying, "I just have needs breath fresheners. Having a a quick question." These questions conversation with him is such a are not usually so quick, involving turnoff that I sometimes avoid him. I know he reads your column at least a half-hour and often many hours on the phone. When the prob- every day. I've thought of hanging a lem is solved, they say "thanks" and bottle of Scope on his door but hang up. Meanwhile, I have spent would hate to be caught. What hours of my time that should have should I do? This is becoming a serious problem. — A Friend Who been billable. I am looking for a professional Needs an Assist Dear Friend: When issues such but pleasant way to handle those who don't offer to pay me. Should I as bad breath or body odor occur say something upfront? I don't with good friends or close family, it mind helping when it actually is a is a kindness to tell them. Yes, it is quick question: under 10 minutes. I difficult and can be embarrassing, do it all the time and am happy to do but consider the alternative — you so. But the rest of this is beginning are allowing others to avoid or to be a financial drain, and I really insult someone you care about. need your help. — Always Willing Take your friend aside privately. Ask whether he's seen his dentist or To Help Dear Willing: You need to let physician lately. Tell him that people know the situation at the breath odors are often the result of time they ask. Reply, "I'm happy to physical or dental problems that can help, but it is only fair to tell you be resolved and you thought he'd that I can give you 10 minutes for want to know. Then move on to free, and after that, my time will another subject. Mailbox Dear Annie: "Feeling Exploited" was upset that a couple he invited for lunch ordered appetizers without first checking with the hosts to see whether it was OK. When my husband and I invite a couple to go out for dinner, we always tell them to order first. We don't expect them to feel they can't have appetizers if we are not. Why would you invite someone out and then expect them to feel nervous about what they are ordering? If you can't afford to take them out for a proper dinner, invite them to your home. — Not Cheap Dear Not Cheap: You are generous, although we suspect you might feel differently if you invited someone who ordered a $300 bottle of wine. It is incumbent upon guests to behave considerately. While good hosts should suggest appetizers, guests should not assume it is OK when they are not paying the bill. Annie's Snippet for Patriot Day (credit author James K. Feibleman): That some good can be derived from every event is a better proposition than that everything happens for the best, which it assuredly does not. Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Art through children's eyes The Sacramento River Discovery Center has been offering environmental education to people of all ages and from around the world since it opened the doors in January of 1996. The walls of the SRDC have served as a gallery of local artists' works dealing with nature almost since that beginning. Nature and art are an entwined pair and the SRDC is now spending a portion of every contact/class with youth to encourage them to look creatively at the world around them. This summer at the SRDC, 6- to 12-year-olds have been learning about different aspects of the world around and beyond themselves. Each day of every week the campers are given an opportunity to use different artistic techniques and mediums to reinforce the lessons being taught. The supplies that are being used this summer and will be used during the school year with our Elementary Environmental Education programs, have been generously provided by a grant from the California Arts Council Arts Plate Program and the Tehama Arts Council. Watercolor paints, brushes and paper, white glue for papermache, Crayola products, color pencils and watercolor pencils have been added for use by Men dressed as Batman, Capt. America rescue cat MILTON, W.Va. (AP) — Who says superheroes aren't real? When a West Virginia home caught fire, trapping a kitten inside, it was Batman and Captain America who came to the rescue. John Buckland, dressed as Batman, and Troy Marcum, dressed as Captain America, saw smoke at a house nearby when they were entertaining children as part of their business. They ran to the house along with another bystander, kicked in the door and broke out a window so some smoke could escape. Buckland, a former firefighter, says he crawled into the front room and felt something furry. He grabbed the animal, ran outside and gave it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Courtesy photo SRDC summer campers used recycled office paper, recycled acrylic paints, Elmer's glue and paper tape to create a three dimensional work of art. By far the largest art project was the creation of an almost 7-foot dolphin. Mitral valve prolapse rarely requires treatment tion. People with DEAR DOCsevere mitral TOR K: I have regurgitation can mitral valve prodevelop shortness lapse. What does of breath, fatigue this mean? And and leg swelling. why don't I need Mitral valve treatment for it? prolapse is a lifeDEAR READlong condition, but ER: The heart is most people who made up of four Dr. K have it never have chambers. Norby Anthony L. mally, the upper Komaroff, M.D. symptoms. The condition is distwo chambers (the atria) fill with blood, then covered only when a docpump blood into the lower tor hears a certain clicking two chambers (the ventri- sound during a routine examination. cles). Next, the ventricles physical pump blood to the rest of This abnormal heart sound is related to the malfuncthe body. The mitral valve is the tion of the mitral valve. If you have mitral valve physical doorway between the heart's left atrium and prolapse but do not have left ventricle. The valve any symptoms, you will not need treatment. In the has two leaflets. When it's working past, doctors recommendproperly, the mitral valve ed that people with mitral opens to let blood flow valve prolapse take antibi"forward" — from the left otics prior to certain surgiatrium down into the left cal procedures and dental ventricle. The two leaflets appointments, but the drop down into the left American Heart Associaventricle. But when the tion no longer recomleft ventricle then pumps mends this. If mitral valve prolapse the blood out to the body, the mitral valve closes, to develops into severe prevent blood from flow- mitral regurgitation, you ing "backward" up into may need to have the the left atrium. The two abnormal mitral valve surrepaired or leaflets are directly gically between the left atrium replaced. Mitral valve prolapse and left ventricle. In mitral valve pro- has almost surely been lapse, however, a slight present in human beings deformity of the mitral for tens of thousands of valve prevents the valve years, but we discovered it from closing normally. only about 50 years ago. This appears as an abnor- Initially, doctors worried mal floppiness, or pro- that it was a serious, even lapse, of the valve. When life-threatening, condithe left ventricle pumps, tion. However, as has been the two leaflets get pushed true of many newly disback up into the left atri- covered conditions and um. (I've put an illustra- diseases, we first recogtion of a prolapsed mitral nize it in the people who valve on my website, have the most severe forms of it. As we find out AskDoctorK.com.) The result is that small more about it, we learn amounts of blood leak that many people with the back into the left atrium. It condition have nothing to sounds serious, but in worry about. most people it actually has Dr. Komaroff is a very little effect on the physician and professor heart's overall ability to at Harvard Medical pump blood. School. To send In some people, howgo to ever, the leak worsens to questions, AskDoctorK.com, or create a significant backward flow of blood into write: Ask Doctor K, 10 the left atrium. This is Shattuck St., Second called mitral regurgita- Floor, Boston, MA 02115. Girl finds stolen ashes in park the students. Sketchbooks, stencils and books showing how to draw birds and other nature topics have been added to the library. Art is being used to teach about fire, the solar system, the oceans, dinosaurs, trails and life in Tehama County. The Sacramento River Discovery Center appreciates the financial support of the California Arts Council Arts Plate Program and the Tehama County Arts Council. The SRDC also appreciates the support and artist talents of members of the Red Bluff Art Association, who generously donate their time, in helping to teach youth about different techniques available to artists as they share their vision of the world around them. Their vision and expertise have been appreciated by approximately 500 students from four counties since February 2013. The SRDC still has an opportunity to provide additional environmental education, as schools begin their new year. Visit the Discovery Garden as it takes on a whole new personality in the fall and winter months. Mark your calendars for the SRDC's Annual Plant Sale on Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. That same weekend will be the Tehama Art's Council Annual Art Walk in downtown Red Bluff. For more information about SRDC activities, contact Bobie Hughes, volunteer executive director at bhughe1@tehamaed.org or visit the center. August hours at the Center will be Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. or by appointment — call 530-527-1196. The Center is at 1000 Sale Lane. CLAIRTON, Pa. (AP) — A girl has found cremation ashes that had been stolen from a van belonging to the dead man's son. Robert Smith says he thinks someone in the crimeridden Pittsburgh suburb of Clairton mistook his father's ashes for a powdery drug like heroin or cocaine. He says, ''You know this is a high drug area. ... It's sad.'' Smith says his father died in June at age 75. Since then, Smith has kept his ashes in a memorial box in the center console of his van. He discovered the ashes missing shortly before 3 p.m. Monday. They were recovered in a park about seven hours later after a girl found them. Police are investigating the theft.