Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/24535
Friday, February 4, 2011 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Flattered female flirts with fate Dear Annie: Our chil- dren gave my husband and me a surprise anniversary party. They invited friends we had not seen in many years, including ‘‘Frank and Mary.’’ Frank and I were always good friends. We even had a minor crush on each other, although neither of us did anything about it. After the party, Frank and I exchanged e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers and have kept in touch. I have not men- tioned this to my husband because he tends to be quite jealous and I didn’t want him to overreact. Here’s the problem, Annie: Frank Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar has asked me on a lunch date, saying it would be nice for us to get togeth- er and talk about old times. I think it would be OK. I don’t intend to do it a second time, and we’re not meet- ing where we could be seen by someone who knows us. We’re sure our spouses will never find out. I know my husband would not approve of this, and to be perfectly honest, if the situation were reversed, I would be furious. I feel flattered that Frank has asked me. I don’t think it will do any harm, and I have no intention of letting it esca- late. Does this seem sneaky? I see it as quite innocent. I love my husband and don’t intend to jeopardize our marriage. The last thing I want to do is hurt him or ruin the trust he has had in me all these years. Am I act- ing like an infatuated teenag- er? — Mixed Emotions Dear Mixed: Yes. You admit that you would be furi- ous if your husband did the same thing. No matter how innocent, it would under- mine your trust, and you would never be sure he was- n’t interested in an affair. Be honest with yourself. You and Frank are flirting. We know it’s exciting, but you also are vulnerable to his attention, and there are no guarantees your husband won’t find out. The correspondence is enough of a risk, and if this were truly inno- cent, your spouses would know about it. You are asking for trouble with a capital T. Dear Annie: When families of a deceased person request that in lieu of flowers a contribution be made to a specific charity, the charity usually sends a notification of the contribu- tion to the family and an acknowl- edgement to the donor. Should the family of the deceased also send a thank-you note to the donor? I was brought up to do so, but I seldom receive any acknowledgement of my donations from the family. — Jay Dear Jay: Yes, the family should also acknowledge any kindness, including a donation. We are pleased that you do so, but not everyone is aware of this obligation. Dear Annie: I had to add my two cents to the responses to ‘‘Crowded by the Ex,’’ who resented her hus- band’s ex-wife. My parents divorced when my sis- ter and I were toddlers. Both of them married others. My mother and step- father made a loving home for us. They took us to Chicago to see shows, museums, etc. They also took us to see our dad on the weekends. At Dad’s, we played in the park, rode bikes, tossed a football, saw a Cubs game and more. Dad was always wel- come at our house for birthdays and holidays, and my mother and stepfa- ther were welcome in his. Mom and I have spent Thanksgiving with my father and stepmother, and Dad and his wife have spent Christmas at Mom’s house. I had two dads for Father’s Day and two moms for Mother’s Day. When my stepfather passed away, my stepmother and Dad were the first to give their condolences. People can get along after a divorce. There does not have to be bitterness and anger. — A Lucky Girl in the Midwest Dear Lucky: Your parents were wise enough to put their children first. We wish all divorced parents did the same. 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. Funding for children jeopardized By DENISE SNIDER Executive Director Gov. Jerry Brown's new budget plan poses a major threat to the future of First 5-funded pro- grams and services in Tehama County. Brown proposed taking $1 bil- lion in funding from First 5 California and county First 5 commis- sions in 2011-12, as well as half of all future First 5 revenues on a yearly basis. The budget proposal also redirects to state coffers another $50 mil- lion from First 5 Califor- nia, the state Proposition 10 Commission, to fund state-supported early intervention services for disabled children. In 1998 voters approved Proposition 10, which allows First 5 Tehama and other coun- ty First 5 commissions to use a 50-cent tax on tobacco products to fund community-based early childhood programs. Although the gover- nor's proposal assumes that a $2 billion reserve exists in Proposition 10 funding, First 5 Tehama and other county com- missions are demonstrat- ing that the available amount is considerably less. In fact, most of the funds targeted by Brown for redirection to the state general fund for Medi-Cal are already allocated to specific pro- grams, including those that provide preschool and other school readi- ness efforts, doctor's vis- its and vaccinations and successful child abuse prevention efforts. This revenue grab by the state would effec- tively snatch funding for such existing local safe- ty net programs and other direct services for young children. Brown's proposed seizure of First 5 fund- ing would take a major toll on Tehama County's children and families. These funds support local programs such as School Readiness and the Mobile Dental Clin- ic. Brown’s proposal could take away most of First 5 Tehama’s current funds and half of all future revenue; a move that could force First 5 Tehama to close its doors. First 5 Tehama has invested close to $8 mil- lion during the last nine years to help Tehama County’s children and families, including $784,718 in project grant awards last fiscal year. First 5 Tehama sup- ports children and their parents in all settings – in the home, in child care programs and in the community. funded by First 5 have included: • Home visits that support parents in their homes with child devel- opment, parenting skills and accessing communi- ty resources • Partnerships with schools to assist children with early learning, tran- sition to kindergarten and access to health ser- vices • Extensive training and support to child care providers to retain providers and improve the quality of care, National Online Marketing Expert To Visit Tehama County Businesses February 7 – 11 (RED BLUFF) Rex Kastner, Vice President with TownNews Corp., one of the nation’s top online business marketing providers, will be visiting Tehama County to provide online marketing consultation to local businesses during the week of February 7-11. Kastner will detail promotional programs that guarantee the numbers of consumer views businesses can receive from their online advertising on www.redbluffdailynews.com with additional optional online programs including Yahoo!, Google, online Yellow Pages and FaceBook advertising. Calls on local businesses will be made in the company of Daily News account executives. There is no charge for these consultation sessions. Business operators wishing to request an appointment should contact their Daily News advertising representative, or Doris Hoagland, at (530) 527-2151, before Friday, February 4. D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY Services including training and support for the large net- work of license-exempt (family, friend and neighbor) child care providers Brown's proposal echoes similar past attempts to grab First 5 funding. In 2009, law- makers placed Proposi- tion 1D on the ballot in an attempt to take $550 million in Proposition 10 funding from counties over a five-year period. That initiative, which was significantly less severe than Brown's pro- posal, was voted down by a nearly 2 to 1 mar- gin. Last year, parents flocked to Sacramento to send a clear message to lawmakers: Please don't take Proposition 10 funding away from our communities. We urge parents and community advocates to contact state leaders in Sacramento and ask them to reject the gover- nor's proposal. Sample letters and postcards are available at our website at www.first5tehama.com or the commission office. to contact us by phone as well at 528-1395. Statin side effects cause reader unrest DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been taking statins to control my cho- lesterol. I’ve taken Crestor, Lipitor and simvastatin. Unfortunately, they all seem to cause excessive urinating through the night. I’m tired all the time, and I have muscle cramps. Is there something else apart from a statin that I could take or suggest to my doctor? When I do complain, he just goes to another statin, and none have helped so far. I’m 75 and male. tested to see if there is any improvement in both your levels and symptoms, and go from there. To provide Dr. Peter Gott related informa- tion, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Understanding Please feel free DEAR READER: Statin drugs have been a subject of controversy of late. Depending on a patient’s medical condi- tion, physicians prefer total cholesterol levels to be 200 or lower. Unfortu- nately, using a statin or any other drug to accom- plish this could lead to unpleasant consequences, as you have experienced. For instance, muscle pain, headache, diarrhea, con- stipation, weakness, increased urination, insomnia, liver failure and still more can result. Cholesterol is vital for the normal function of literally every cell in the body. However, when in excess, it contributes to the development of ather- osclerosis (plaque forma- tions within the arteries). When plaque blocks arteries, blood flow is reduced to the tissues. When that plaque rup- tures, a blood clot forms, further blocking the artery. When a sufficient reduction occurs, heart attack, angina (chest pain) or stroke results. So statins do play a benefi- cial role in the big health picture of prevention. Your physician has prescribed numerous drugs in the statin catego- ry and you have suffered similar consequences with each of them. You might make an appoint- ment to discuss a trial period of alternative ther- apy such as weight reduc- tion, exercise, using sup- plemental B vitamins or niacin, taking over-the- counter cholesterol-low- ering drugs with plant stanols and sterols, and modifying your diet by eliminating or substantial- ly reducing butter, whole milk, vegetable oil, eggs, organ meats, cold cuts and cheeses. With his or her permission, give the program a period of a few months, have your blood Cholesterol.” Other read- ers who would like a copy should send a self- addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order made payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDr- GottMD.com. DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m a 72-year-old female who has problems with verti- go. It comes and goes. I get dizzy when I lie down. I’ve had the problem for years and have been to an ear-nose-and-throat spe- cialist. He removes wax from both my ears, and that helps for a short while, but it does come back. Can you give me any advice? DEAR READER: Ver- tigo is the sensation that a person or his or her sur- roundings are moving or spinning. It differs from dizziness (vertigo, light- headedness, loss of bal- ance and more). Causes include a decrease in blood flow to the base of the brain, inner-ear inflammation, movement of the head in a specific direction, Meniere’s disease, head trauma, migraine headaches and acoustic neuromas (a type of tumor). Other possibili- ties can be the result of atherosclerosis, diabetes or, as you seem to be suf- fering, wax buildup. Speak to your ENT about more frequent wax removal. If this does not help, it may be necessary to make an appointment with a specialist, such as a neurologist, who can perform testing to deter- mine whether there is another cause of your vertigo. 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.