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Saturday, November 2, 2013 – Daily News 5A FEATURES Bright light sneezing cause is unknown bright light, causDEAR DOCes a crossed sigTOR K: Often nal of sorts, makwhen I step outing the body side from a dark think a sneeze is room into the sunin order. light, I sneeze. A n o t h e r Why does this unknown is why happen? the muscles of the DEAR READface, including the ER: My colDr. K eyelid muscles, league, Dr. Robert by Anthony L. Shmerling, looked Komaroff, M.D. are also involved in sneezing. Sciinto this question once. I learned from him entists think the eyes that there are many people might shut during a like you, and even more sneeze to keep out flying who suddenly sneeze particles. (Though the when they move suddenly idea that you cannot keep from a warm environment your eyes open during a to a cold one (or vice sneeze is a myth. If you tried hard enough, you versa). Why do we sneeze in could probably do it.) Humans actually expel the first place? It's a complex reflex we all are born more material from our with, as it protects our mouths when we sneeze lungs. It begins with nerve than from our noses. endings in the soft mem- That's why it's important branes that line the nose. to cover both your mouth When something irritating and nose when sneezing. Dr. Shmerling tells me enters the nose with the air we breathe in and that he once saw an Interlands on the membranes, net video of a woman the nerve endings react. sneezing every time she These triggers send mes- walked from the shadowy sages to the throat, chest spot of a room into the and abdomen to contract bright light near a winto forcefully rid the nasal dow. Apparently she was passage of its contents. using this sensitivity to The sneeze forcibly ejects light — called "photic" nasal air back out of the sneezing — to audition body (and away from the for an allergy medication commercial. She found a lungs). It's similar to vomiting profitable use for her "talwhen we've eaten some- ent." Photic sneezing is thing that the stomach really doesn't like. The harmless and can actually irritating substance that be useful. Ever have that "need-tocame down through the annoying mouth gets ejected right sneeze" feeling, but the back out through the sneeze just won't come? Look briefly at a light. mouth. If sneezing is supposed Often that will encourage to protect the lungs, why the sneeze. If you really want to would anyone sneeze when he or she steps into avoid sneezing next time the sunlight? How does you come out of a dark sunlight threaten the space, keep your sunglasslungs? It doesn't. Some- es handy. One study found thing has gone wrong with they could prevent the the reflex: It is triggered photic sneeze. for no good reason. Dr. Komaroff is a No one knows why physician and professor some people sneeze at Harvard Medical the sight of bright light. at To send It's possible that bright School. questions, go to light triggers the other or nerves involved in sneez- AskDoctorK.com, ing. Maybe the light write: Ask Doctor K, 10 flooding into the eye, or Shattuck St., Second squinting in reaction to Floor, Boston, MA 02115. Grandma upset over being excluded You don't need to take the Dear Annie: I am hurt kids on expensive vacations, that my children and grandbut a special few hours with children do not include me Grandma a couple of times a when they have family getyear — dinner at a nice togethers. They say they restaurant or watching their would have to clean their favorite rock band together houses if I came, or they — would be lovely and help don't know when I am cement the bond. Think of available. They expect me to call when I want to see Annie's ways to make the relationship warmer, instead of them. They swear they focusing on your hurt feelaren't upset with me, but they never initiate a call. by Kathy Mitchell ings and blaming them When I invite them to my and Marcy Sugar because you aren't closer. Dear Annie: Please tell house, the conversation revolves around recent outings and your older readers that if they can get-togethers at their homes to no longer afford to maintain their home, they should sell it and get an which I haven't been invited. I have taken my grandchildren on apartment or move into a senior resmany vacations over the years, but idence, instead of trying to hang on they are teenagers now and too so they will have something to leave busy. They don't want to go unless I the kids. I am tired of spending every include their friends, which I cannot afford. I recently decided not to call vacation at my mother-in-law's them and have had no contact in house so my husband can remodel, more than three weeks. Should I spending our hard-earned cash just go on without them in my life? because she expects him to foot the bill for tools and materials. — Hurt in Florida She has other children, but they Dear Hurt: We agree that their excuses seem flimsy, but they do do nothing. When we suggest she not need to include you in every move, she says, ''I want to leave the get-together or outing. It's perfectly house to my kids when I die.'' OK for them to have these events Annie, the only ''kid'' who will with just their spouses and kids. benefit is the daughter who lives on You also know teenagers tend to be the property rent-free. The others busy and that family obligations are have no desire to move back into the not high on their list of priorities. old homestead. It is nothing but a We don't believe anyone is being financial and physical burden. If she really cared about her kids, she intentionally hurtful. We hope you will continue to would sell it and move into an call, email and invite them over. apartment. — Want a Real Vacation Mailbox married couples filing jointly, up from $6,100 and $12,200, respectively, for tax year 2013. The standard deduction for heads of household rises to $9,100, up from $8,950. • The limitation for itemized deductions claimed on tax year 2014 returns of individuals begins with incomes of $254,200 or more ($305,050 for married couples filing jointly). • The personal exemption rises to $3,950, up from the 2013 exemption of $3,900. However, the exemption is subject to a phase-out that begins with adjusted gross incomes of $254,200 ($305,050 for married couples filing jointly). It phases out completely at $376,700 ($427,550 for married couples filing jointly.) • The Alternative Minimum Tax exemption amount for tax year 2014 is $52,800 ($82,100, for married couples filing jointly). The 2013 exemption amount was $51,900 Friday, November 1st Saturday, November 2nd 9am to 5pm Free Hearing Consultations Buy One, Get One Free Hearing Instruments Hearing Instruments & Services • Ear Protection 20 Antelope Boulevard Red Bluff, CA 96080 (P) 530-527-2403 • (F) 530-527-2409 Jenny Jackson-Crespin Clinton Jackson Hearing Aid Dispenser Trainee Hearing Aid Dispenser Lic#8981 ears4u@outlook.com Lic#7575 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. Share a Social Security tip with your elders By Jennifer Cooper Social Security Manager in Redding While the baby boom era is behind us, the effects will live on. The number of people reaching the autumn season of life is higher than ever. In fact, the World Health Organization reports that there are around six hundred million people aged 60 and older living in the world today. That number is expected to double by 2025 — a short 12 years from now — and is expected to reach about two billion by 2050. In the United States, 10,000 people reach retirement age every single day. The elders of a community are often known as wise sages that younger people go to for advice; older people have the life experience and reflection that younger people lack. But given the fast-paced changes the world now experiences, with new technologies becoming outdated in a matter of years or even months, there may be some helpful insights you can share with your elders. For example, if you know someone who is nearing retirement age, tell them about www.socialsecurity.gov. They may not be aware of the helpful and easy-to-use tools available to them. It's no exaggeration to say that even someone who does not use the Internet on a regular basis can easily plan their retirement or even complete their retirement application online in a matter of min- Tax benefits increase due to inflation adjustments For tax year 2014, the Internal Revenue Service announced today annual inflation adjustments for more than 40 tax provisions, including the tax rate schedules, and other tax changes. Revenue Procedure 2013-35 provides details about these annual adjustments. The tax items for tax year 2014 of greatest interest to most taxpayers include the following dollar amounts. • The tax rate of 39.6 percent affects singles whose income exceeds $406,750 ($457,600 for married taxpayers filing a joint return), up from $400,000 and $450,000, respectively. The other marginal rates – 10, 15, 25, 28, 33 and 35 percent – and the related income tax thresholds are described in the revenue procedure. • The standard deduction rises to $6,200 for singles and married persons filing separate returns and $12,400 for Dear Want: A lot depends on what Mom's will says about the dispensation of the property. Still, it is up to your husband to decide whether he wants to continue putting in the effort. We hope you will be supportive of his decision. It is harder for parents to move than you might think. Mom's reluctance to sell may be less about her kids than it is about her anxieties. Dear Annie: I have a suggestion for ''Your Private Pool Owner,'' who complained of people assuming an open invitation to swim. When I was a child, a neighbor used this system: He posted a pennant when the pool was available. Green signaled adult supervision would be provided, and blue meant children had to be accompanied by a responsible adult. We children kept a close eye on that flagpole all summer long. — Susan in Baton Rouge Dear Susan: We wish the adults would be as conscientious as the children. Dear Readers: Don't forget to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms when you set your clocks back one hour. ($80,800 for married couples filing jointly). • The maximum Earned Income Credit amount is $6,143 for taxpayers filing jointly who have 3 or more qualifying children, up from a total of $6,044 for tax year 2013. The revenue procedure has a table providing maximum credit amounts for other categories, income thresholds and phaseouts. • Estates of decedents who die during 2014 have a basic exclusion amount of $5,340,000, up from a total of $5,250,000 for estates of decedents who died in 2013. • The annual exclusion for gifts remains at $14,000 for 2014. • The annual dollar limit on employee contributions to employer-sponsored healthcare flexible spending arrangements (FSA) remains unchanged at $2,500. • The foreign earned income exclusion rises to $99,200 for tax year 2014, up from $97,600, for 2013. • The small employer health insurance credit provides that the maximum credit is phased out based on the employer's number of full-time equivalent employees in excess of 10 and the employer's average annual wages in excess of $25,400 for tax year 2014, up from $25,000 for 2013. Details on these inflation adjustments and others not listed in this release can be found in Revenue Procedure 201335, which will be published in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2013-47 on Nov. 18. utes — much less time than it would take to drive to a local Social Security office. The best starting place for anyone thinking about retirement is Social Security's Retirement Estimator. Use it to get an instant, personalized estimate of future retirement benefits in a matter of minutes. Spend a few more minutes plugging in different information, such as different projected future wages and different retirement dates, to help make a wise decision on the best retirement date. The Retirement Estimator is available at www.socialsecurity.gov/est imator. Then there's the online retirement benefit application. In as little as 15 minutes, a person can apply for Social Security benefits and submit their application online. In most cases, once one submits the application, there is nothing more to do but wait for the first payment. It's really that simple. And, if one decides they'd like to double-check some information before submitting the application, that's fine too. The application can be paused and then restarted at any time during the process. It's all available at www.socialsecurity.gov/ap plyonline. It makes sense to go to our elders for advice and guidance. But in this technology-driven world, we may be able to offer a little advice to the sages as well. A good bet is to tell the older adults in your life about www.socialsecurity.gov. Halloween Treat Street thanks from Rotary Club This Halloween, The Rotary Club of Red Bluff participated in Red Bluff's Treat Street by handing out candy at Cone and Kimball Plaza. The club had a steady stream of princesses, ninjas, pirates, butterflies, ladybugs and many other adorably dressed children 2-5 p.m. accompanied by siblings, parents, grandparents and friends. In all it's estimated that 3,000 Red Bluff residents passed through the plaza. When the last of the candy was handed out and it was time to clean things up, and Rotarians were amazed at the pristine condition of the plaza. Decorations were in tact the landscaping unscarred and with the exception of one lone candy wrapper and a few errant feathers that had fallen off costumes, there was no litter to be found. The Cone and Kimball Plaza was built by the Rotary Club of Red Bluff in partnership with many others who donated time and money to benefit the entire community. A big thank you from the Rotary Club of Red Bluff to the citizens of the community for your care and appreciation of your beautiful Cone and Kimball Plaza.