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Friday, November 26, 2010 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Pop’s pooches perturb progenyWarts revisited Dear Annie: Both of my parents are in their mid- 80s. My father has become rather frail, but won’t admit it, and my mother requires a walker to get around. Over the past 30 years, they have had several love- ly dogs. The last one, ‘‘Rex,’’ passed away last summer. I believe lack of exercise and a poor diet contributed much to his declining health. Rather than make sure Rex got reg- ular walks, my father allowed the dog to forget his house training. Although Dad did his best to ‘‘clean up,’’ the accumulation left in the carpets created an overwhelming stench. My housebound mother became so embarrassed that she stopped receiving visitors. My father gradu- ally lost his sense of smell and taste and, to this day, does not believe anything was wrong with the situa- tion. Rex’s passing was a relief to me. He was a big dog in a small house and posed a danger of tripping or toppling my mother, who is very unsteady. Also, without a large dog, it would be easier for them to move into an assisted-living arrangement should the need arise. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that my father wants to adopt a puppy. This sounds totally irresponsible to me and once again puts my mother in harm’s way. And, it’s not at all fair to the dog. Talking to my father Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar is like talking to Attila the Hun in a bad mood. What can I do? — Dogged Out Dear Dogged: Talk to your mother. Ask her how she feels about having a puppy underfoot. If she doesn’t want a dog, she must tell your father quite firmly that it’s completely out of the question. If she will not do this and your father acquires an animal and is unable to properly care for it, call the local humane society. Dear Annie: My father has worked hard his entire life and has a lot to show for it. He served 30 years in the military and retired with many honors. Over the years, he has become very savvy with his finances and created quite a nest egg for himself. I respect and admire him deeply. I am in my early 20s. I graduated from college, found a wonderful career with a good salary and live very modestly. The problem is, my father refuses to allow me to pay for anything when we go out, whether it’s dining at a restaurant or going grocery shopping. This makes my younger brother and me uncomfort- able. We have repeatedly tried to take my father out to dinner for spe- cial occasions and birthdays, but he always grabs the check. When I tell him how much this bothers me, he brushes it off and says I should be saving my money. How can I show my father that I have reached a point where he does not have to pay for me every time we go out? — Confused Dear Confused: Stop trying. It makes your father happy to treat you. It is a testament to his parent- ing skills that you and your brother are eager to show how self-support- ing you are, but he isn’t going to let you. Instead, treat him to other things — tickets to join you for a play or concert, or a home-cooked meal at your apartment. He’ll be delighted. Dear Annie: This is for ‘‘Con- fused,’’ whose fiance objects to her hyphenating her name after mar- riage. I kept my last name when I mar- ried 13 years ago for the same rea- son she stated — I would have felt I was losing a part of me. My hus- band was extremely supportive. If the man you choose to marry does not respect your choice, it will be only the first of many ‘‘losing a part of me’’ experiences. She should take the time to understand his reasoning and then decide if he’s the right man to marry. — Glad I Kept My Last Name 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. Palin’s ’Dancing’ success defies explanation A shadow political cam- paign or an ‘‘attagirl’’ for a struggling amateur? Bristol Palin’s success on this sea- son’s ‘‘Dancing With the Stars’’ defies easy explana- tion. Either way, Bristol has something to brag about if talk at the Palin dinner table turns toward vote-getting ability. Just like her mom, Sarah, and her campaign for the vice presidency two years ago, however, Bristol fell short at the end. She fin- ished third to champion Jennifer Grey of ‘‘Dirty Dancing’’ fame during the ABC competition’s two- hour finale Tuesday. Run- ner-up was Disney Channel star Kyle Massey. Palin’s march, shimmy and cha-cha to the finals put ‘‘Dancing With the Stars,’’ of all programs, into the nation’s political cauldron. Clearly, Bristol drew sup- port from many people who admire her mother, who frequently appeared in the show’s studio audience to root for her daughter. Bris- tol said Tuesday that if she facts & FICTIONS Book Store STORE CLOSING SALE After 28 Years In Business Look at what’s available for the Holidays EVERYTHING M-F 11-4, SAT. 10-2 409 Walnut St. 527-1449 20% OFF won, ‘‘it would be like giv- ing a big middle finger to people who hate my mom and hate me.’’ Sarah Palin supporters helped organize campaigns to keep her daughter on the show, like radio talk host Tammy Bruce’s ‘‘Opera- tion Bristol.’’ Conservative blogger Kevin DuJan’s Hillbuzz.org website also led a get-out-the-vote effort and wrote after Tuesday’s results that Palin ‘‘drove the Left crazy for three months. Score!’’ Bristol’s success only intensified the spotlight on Sarah Palin to an extraordi- nary degree for an out-of- office politician, largely in ways that have nothing to do with politics. Besides the ‘‘Dancing With the Stars’’ exposure, Palin’s TLC series about Alaska is in the midst of airing, and she has a new book due out. Jason Gershman, a mathematician from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who studied some of the tele- phone voting patterns, said he believed Bristol Palin’s support was largely politi- cal, given that it appeared she got more votes during the weeks that Sarah was in the studio audience. He said he sensed a backlash brew- Fibromyalgia? Please call Suffering With (530) 529-6544 Rory Lengtat, D.C. ANNOUNCEMENT DONALD B. WEBSTER, Attorney at Law, after practicing law for 60 years in Red Bluff, announces his retirement from practice and closure of his office as of December 31, 2010. Clients of Donald B. Webster, both present and past, may pick up their office files, if desired, by contacting the law office at 530-527-0114 to make arrangements to do so. 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Tehama Family Fitness Center 2498 South Main St • Red Bluff 528-8656 www.tehamafamilyfitness.com TEA AND BOUTIQUE Fri., Dec. 3rd 10AM to 3PM 25076 Sycamore Avenue, behind La Corona, Los Molinos 9AM to 8PM Sat., Dec. 4th , 2010 , 2010 ing against Palin by fans who thought the best dancer should win, and they coalesced around Grey, who kept winning perfect scores from the judges despite fighting through injury. ‘‘If her name was Bristol Smith or Bristol Jones, she would not be on the show or she would not have got- ten this far,’’ he said. ‘‘She went from being a bad dancer to a mediocre dancer. But she was not the best dancer.’’ Luke Londo, a 22-year- old college student from Marquette, Mich., said he felt sympathy for Bristol Palin for having her danc- ing ability denigrated and even receiving death threats. He called in to vote for her in the finals. He also voted for McCain-Palin in 2008, calling Sarah ‘‘a fan- tastic woman.’’ He wasn’t the only one who felt that way. ‘‘I first voted for Bristol because of Sarah,’’ said Ken Flaa, 54, a semiretired accountant from Mullica Hill, N.J. ‘‘Now I believe she stands on her own. I have been a fan of Sarah Palin since 2008. I feel her, her family and the tea party are most aligned with my thinking about govern- ment.’’ The interest created by Bristol paid off for ABC and its most popular pro- gram. Tuesday’s finale reached 24 million viewers, the biggest audience for ‘‘Dancing With the Stars’’ in six seasons, the Nielsen Co. said Wednesday. The audience swelled to more than 26 million for the show’s last half- hour. Viewership for the series in general is up 17 percent from last fall’s edition. Some critics believe that has come with a cost. ‘‘ABC just might be on the verge of outsmarting itself; using Palin’s cult of personality to juice this cycle’s ratings while ensuring a result that just might give the lie to every- thing ‘Dancing With the Stars’ stands for,’’ wrote Eric Deggans, critic for the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times. But it is entertainment, after all, and ultimately a popularity contest. Conrad Green, the show’s executive producer, suggested that people are reading too much into the contest politically. ‘‘There’s nothing that unusual with what’s going on here,’’ Green said. ‘‘This is just a lot of people who’ve got an opinion about Sarah Palin feeding into the show who start to shout a lot about a conspir- acy. I think a lot of people are shouting who don’t actually watch the show and don’t understand how it all works.’’ Many of Bristol Palin’s supporters readily conced- ed she wasn’t the best dancer. But they admired her pluck and willingness to put herself on the line. Gretchen Offord, a women’s crisis counselor from Shasta Lake, Calif., said she detested the conde- scension that was directed Palin’s way by many of the professional dancers and judges on the show. ‘‘I tend to have sympa- thy for people who have the odds stacked against them,’’ she said. Offord voted for Bristol. She doesn’t particularly like Sarah. DEAR DR. GOTT: How do you remove a fam- ily of plantar warts off the bottom of a big toe? My 10- year-old daughter has had them for a couple of years (shortly after start- ing gymnastics). There are about six or eight on her big toe right where it joins her foot. Please help! DEAR READER: Since my last column about plantar warts, I have received many letters about various treatments. Many of the readers claim that over-the-counter and physician treatments offered limited success, with the warts either returning or never com- pletely disappearing. Many also complained of the pain associated with these treatments, which is why they turned to alter- native and home reme- dies. By far the most com- mon remedy I received was iodine. The wart is first pumiced to remove the layers of dead skin and then the iodine is applied. One reader suggested Cassia bark oil applied once a day after removing the dead skin with a razor. She warned that it should be applied only to the wart because it can damage normal skin. She also rec- ommended tea tree oil for common warts on the hands. Another reader took one 500-milligram cap- sule of olive leaf extract three times a day and was wart-free in three months. Another person report- ed success treating her boyfriend’s plantar warts with a cotton ball soaked in apple cider vinegar applied to the wart and secured with duct tape each night. After a few weeks the warts were gone. A physician wrote in suggesting soaking the foot in hot water and grad- ually increasing the water temperature until the skin turns cherry red. He says that two or three treat- ments are usually success- ful in eradicating the virus, thus causing the wart to disappear. A final reader, attempt- ing to avoid surgery to remove her son’s wart, was advised by a friend to use an herbal product known as Wart Wonder. Dr. Peter Gott I cannot rec- ommend or con- demn any of these approaches because I have no experience with them. Please let me know if you and your daughter try any of these options and what your results are. DEAR DR. GOTT: I recently read your column about the person suffering from plantar warts. My son had a number these (large and small) a few years ago. I took him to a dermatologist, who looked at his foot and told us to use over-the-counter Duofilm. He said to apply the product twice a day, and every three days either scrape or pumice the wart and start the process over again. A month later, I took my son back, and the doctor declared the process was working and to keep at it. He then proceeded to charge us $80 for the five- minute visit. The doctor didn’t even do anything! I would like to say — save your money, folks, and do the removal yourself. DEAR READER: Unfortunately, this situa- tion is becoming more and more common. As you saw in my last column and in the above letter, many readers are frequently dis- satisfied with the care they get from a doctor for com- mon and plantar warts, not to mention how painful some of the procedures can be. Remember, readers, that warts are caused by a virus and are commonly acquired by touching other warts (such as those on the hands), or by being barefoot in public show- ers or pool areas. Simple precautions such as hand sanitizers, wearing flips flops or water shoes, and using warm soap and water can help prevent outbreaks. 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 Comedian George Lopez’s wife files for divorce LOS ANGELES (AP) — George Lopez and his wife of 17 years are making their breakup official with her fil- ing for divorce. Ann Serrano Lopez filed her petition, citing irreconcil- able difference, on Tuesday in Los Angeles. The pair announced their breakup in September and said they would remain partners in a charitable founda- tion. They have a 14-year-old daughter, and Ann Lopez is seeking physical custody. The filings do not offer any additional details about the split. The pair were married in September 1993 and did not list a separation date. The filing was first reported by celebrity website TMZ. The 49-year-old comedian hosts the talkshow ‘‘Lopez Tonight’’ on TBS. 35th Annual Coupon Happy Holidays our gift to you Watch Battery Free Must have coupon Exp 12-24-10 Gold Exchange 530 528-8000 423 Walnut St. Red Bluff SUNDAY SPECIAL!! 30% OFF Excluding basic Wranglers Boot or Clothing item! Expires 11/30/10 any one Crossroads Feed & Ranch Supply 595 Antelope Blvd. Red Bluff, CA 95080 530-529-6400 Shopcrossroads.net