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Tuesday, May 3, 2011 – Daily News – 3B FEATURES Cheating, crack complicates Dear Annie: I have been with my husband for more than 25 years. Dur- ing that period, he has cheated count- less times, left me for other women and developed a crack habit. I have tried to stick it out because I believe marriage is for bet- ter or worse. Right now is def- Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar initely ‘‘worse.’’ He will not admit that he has a problem. He hangs out with some shady individuals who knock on our door day and night. He cannot pay the bills because he spends the money on drugs. If I venture an opinion, he blows his top or leaves the house and stays out until the next morning. He constantly accuses me of cheating. It does not seem like a marriage any- more. We share the same bed and try to be cordial to each other. But we are like roommates. I know it is over. I have no money, no car and no job, so I do not see a way out of this. I have been try- ing to find affordable housing for my daughters and me, but it’s impossible without an income. He is not willing to leave, and I have no place to go. How can I get over him while we are living in the same house? — Lost Dear Lost: Many states have job- (MCT)— This summer, there will be blood. On the screen, certainly. But most likely also on the balance sheets of the major studios. Starting this weekend, and continuing nearly every week into August, one hopeful blockbuster after another will hit the screen, creating one of the bigger summer-movie gluts in recent memory. Major titles include the Ryan Reynolds superhero vehicle "Green Lantern" (due June 17), the raunchy comedy "The Hangover Part II" (May 26) and the final installment of "Harry Potter" (July 15). With all the competition, some studios seem to be spreading their bets across similar types of movies. Dis- ney will release "Cars 2" and "Winnie the Pooh" within weeks of each other; Sony will do the same with the family-friendly "Zookeep- er" and "The Smurfs." Para- mount's slate includes two Marvel superhero movies, "Thor" and "Captain Amer- ica: The First Avenger," and youth-targeted sci-fi films, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and J.J. Abrams' "Super 8." You probably won't see them all — the average North American attends only about six movies a year, according to the Motion Picture Associa- tion of America _ which means some of these big- budget productions are des- tined to flop. To help you decide where to spend your coveted entertainment dol- lar, here are the summer's 25 biggest movies. THE BEAVER(Friday) A drama starring Mel Gibson as a depressed toy executive who begins using a beaver hand puppet to communicate with others. Jodie Foster co-stars and directs. THOR(Friday) Chris Hemsworth plays the Norse god banished to Earth in this Marvel comics adaptation. Anthony Hop- kins is Thor's father, Odin; Natalie Portman plays Jane Foster. Kenneth Branagh directs. In IMAX and 3-D. BRIDESMAIDS (May 13) The usually bro-focused Judd Apatow produced this comedy about a group of women cutting loose before training programs for women in your position. Call the governor’s office or your state Dept. of Labor and ask. Most states also now offer 2-1-1 phone lines that can direct you to resources, including low-cost legal assistance. And please reach out to your family, church and local community centers for help. Dear Annie: Please settle a dis- agreement. After 40 years of mental abuse, I finally ended the toxic rela- tionship with my mother in order to keep my hard-won sobriety. Except when absolutely necessary, we have not spoken in more than 10 years. The problem is what to say when someone asks, ‘‘How is your moth- er?’’ I reply honestly, ‘‘I don’t know. We don’t speak.’’ My husband says I should simply say, ‘‘She’s fine,’’ and leave it at that. But the one time I did, the woman exclaimed, ‘‘How can that be? She was in a car wreck yester- day!’’ leaving us both embarrassed. What is the best way to handle such inquiries? — Better Off Without Mom Dear Better Off: If you don’t mind telling people that you are not speak- ing to your mother, it’s fine to say so, as long as it doesn’t provoke a long- winded lecture. We recommend a slightly altered response: ‘‘I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her recent- ly.’’ It’s honest, without giving too much personal information, which, we assume, is your husband’s main objec- tion. Dear Annie: I generally agree with a friend's wedding. With Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon- Covey and Kristen Wiig, who co-wrote. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (May 20) With no Orlando Bloom or Keira Knightley, Disney's fourth "Pirates" installment focuses on Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, who meets a shady woman from his past (Penelope Cruz). Director Rob Marshall ("Chicago") replaces Gore Verbinski. In IMAX and 3- D. THE HANGOVER PART II (May 26) The stars of 2009's hit comedy return for another bachelor party. It's a quiet, respectable pre-wedding brunch ... in Bangkok. With Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha. Todd Phillips, who grew up in Dix Hills, again directs. KUNG FU PANDA 2 (May 26) Chunky panda Po (voiced by Jack Black) faces a new villain, Lord Shen the Peacock (Gary Oldman), in this animated sequel. X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (June 3) The origin story of the superheroes, starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassben- der and a cast full of current It Girls, including January Jones, Jennifer Lawrence and Zoe Kravitz. JUDY MOODY AND THE NOT BUMMER SUMMER(June 10) The popular children's book series by Megan McDonald comes to the big screen, with newcomer Jor- dana Beatty as the third- grade heroine and Heather Graham as her Aunt Opal. SUPER 8 (June 10) As recently as last month, writer-director J.J. Abrams was still finishing up this collaboration with producer Steven Spielberg, leaving Paramount Pictures unable to confirm many plot details. Past trailers suggest the film involves a group of moviemaking kids, the infa- mous Area 51 and an entity that is not human. Elle Fan- ning stars. In IMAX. GREEN LANTERN (June 17) COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2595 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. K W I K K U T S Family Hair Salon $200 REGULAR HAIRCUT off with coupon Not good with other offers 1064 South Main St., Red Bluff • 529-3540 Reg. $13.95 Expires 5/31/11 your advice, but I think you blew it with ‘‘Tatted,’’ the girl who got a tattoo and was afraid to tell her dad. I agree that she should tell him right away, but to say it was OK because she is an adult is ludicrous. Just because you are 18 doesn’t make you an adult. If she is living with her father, she has to abide by his rules. When you can support yourself, pay your own bills and live separately, you can get your tattoo. If you talk in the theater, the ushers will throw you out. If you smoke in a restaurant, you will be asked to leave. So why should an 18-year-old do what she wants without regard to the rules set down by the per- son supporting her? It’s his house. — Bill Dear Bill: Your analogy only goes so far. Dad can certainly ask his daugh- ter to move out over this. But would you feel the same if he dictated what kind of makeup she can buy with her own money? Even if you believe she is immature, she is in fact a legal adult and entitled to pay for her own tattoo. If Daddy never allows her to make her own choices — good or bad — she will never learn to be responsible. 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. 'Thor' and more: Summer's must-see movies Ryan Reynolds is the ring-bearing superhero. With Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong and Tim Robbins. BAD TEACHER (June 24) Cameron Diaz plays the hard-drinking, pot-smoking title character in this R-rated comedy. Also with Jason Segel and Justin Timber- lake. Directed by Jake Kas- dan ("Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"). CARS 2 (June 24) Owen Wilson again pro- vides the voice of race car Lightning McQueen, now heading overseas to com- pete in the World Grand Prix. Additional voices by Michael Caine, Larry the Cable Guy and Emily Morti mer. In IMAX and 3-D. TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (July 1) Shia LaBeouf returns as Sam Witwicky in the latest addition to the toy-based movie franchise. With Josh Duhamel, Patrick Dempsey and Rosie Huntington- Whiteley as Sam's new girl. In IMAX and 3-D. HORRIBLE BOSSES (July 8) Disgruntled employees Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day (FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") scheme to kill their supervisors, played by Kevin Spacey, Colin Far- rell and Jennifer Aniston. ZOOKEEPER (July 8) Stony Brook's Kevin James plays the lead role in this live-action tale about talking animals. Rosario Dawson co-stars; Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone and Cher provide voices. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 (July 15) The end — yes, really — of the Warner Bros. fran- chise that started a decade ago and has grossed an esti- mated $6.3 billion world- wide. In IMAX and 3-D. WINNIE THE POOH (July 15) The first big-screen Pooh adventure from Disney in more than 35 years, inspired by five A.A. Milne stories and hand-drawn in the clas- sic style. Narrated by John Cleese. CAPTAIN AMERI- CA: THE FIRST AVENGER (July 22) Chris Evans plays super- soldier Steve Rogers, creat- ed to help battle the Nazis. With Tommy Lee Jones and Hayley Atwell. Directed by Joe Johnston ("The Wolf- man"). COWBOYS & ALIENS (July 29) As the title suggests, it's a sci-fi Western. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford star; Jon Favreau ("Iron Man") directs. 29) THE SMURFS (July The animated blue vil- lagers find themselves in live-action New York City. With the voices of Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Fred Armisen and Anton Yelchin. In 3-D. THE CHANGE-UP (Aug. 5) Call it "Freaky Friday" for dudes: After a drunken night out, family man Jason Bateman and swinging sin- gle Ryan Reynolds discover they have switched bodies. With Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde. RISE OF THE PLAN- ET OF THE APES (Aug. 5) An origin story for the "Planet of the Apes" fran- chise. James Franco and Freida Pinto star, though 20th Century Fox's press campaign has focused most- ly on the computer-animat- ed apes by WETA Digital ("Avatar"). 30 MINUTES OR LESS (Aug. 12) A pizza-delivery guy (Jesse Eisenberg) is forced to rob a bank in this comedy. Danny McBride and Nick Swardson ("Just Go With It") are the masterminds; Aziz Ansari (NBC's "Parks and Recreation") plays a reluctant accomplice. THE HELP(Aug. 12) A drama set in 1960s Mississippi about the friend- ship between a white society girl (Emma Stone) and a black housekeeper (Viola Davis). Based on Kathryn Stockett's novel. With Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Jan- ney and Sissy Spacek. CONAN THE BAR- BARIAN (Aug. 19) Hawaii-born actor and model Jason Momoa tries to fill Arnold Schwarzeneg- ger's chain mail. Dr. Andrew PomazalD.O. Physician & Surgeon General Medicine Saturday Appointments Available • High Blood Pressure • Diabetes • Joint & Muscle Pain • Lung Problems We offer Osteopathic Manipulation 530 528-2066 2050 Main St, Red Bluff Accepting New Patients PSP diagnosis questionable DEAR DR. GOTT: My son was diag- nosed with PSP — progressive supranu- clear palsy. I have never heard of this before. He was origi- nally told that he had Parkinson’s. Is there any hope for him? He is 44 years old. I have read as much as possi- ble on this condition and don’t see any relief for him. He falls, slurs his speech, and has difficulty with pain in his legs. These don’t happen all the time, though; some days he is “normal.” Thank you. DEAR READER: Pro- There is no Dr. Peter Gott cure, but some of the symptoms are treatable. Medications used to treat Parkinson’s dis- ease as well as certain antide- pressants may be helpful. Spe- cial eyeglass lenses and phys- ical and occupational thera- py are often beneficial. Even with treatment, brain function will continue to decline, with death com- monly occurring within five to seven years. Your note is brief. With- gressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), also known as Steele-Richardson- Olszewski syndrome, is a rare brain disorder. As the name states, it is progres- sive, meaning it slowly worsens over time. The condition can cause some life-threatening complica- tions such as swallowing difficulty, which may lead to choking or pneumonia. The characteristic symp- toms include loss of bal- ance when walking, which causes an increased risk of falls and an inability to focus the eyes properly, which can result in blurred or double vision. This can also cause the sufferer to appear disinterested during conversation. Other symp- toms include forgetfulness, dizziness, personality changes, apathy (loss of interest in previously plea- surable activities), depres- sion, anxiety, laughing or crying without reason, problems with speech and swallowing, slow or stiff movements, tremor, loss of coordination and more. PSP is most often seen in people around age 60. Men are slightly more at risk than women. There is no known cause of PSP, but research is bringing us closer. We now know that the symptoms are the result of deterioration of brain cells in four areas of the brain — the basal gan- glia, cerebral cortex, cere- bellum and brainstem. Each of these areas is responsible for helping control body movements. It has also been found that the deteriorated cells contain abnormal lev- els of the protein tau, which is also seen in other neu- rodegenerative disorders. out knowing what testing your son has undergone, when his symptoms began and more, I cannot hazard a guess as to whether this may be an accurate diagno- sis. He is relatively young to have received the diagno- sis, but that doesn’t mean it is incorrect. Pain is not list- ed as a typical symptom in this syndrome, but it could be the result of muscle stiff- ness, injury from repeated falls or his unsteady gait. I did not find anything stating that symptoms come and go. Furthermore, you did not mention difficulties with his eye control, a somewhat characteristic feature of PSP. Progressive supranuclear palsy is not a pleasant diagnosis, and the prognosis is fairly grim. I trust his physician’s abili- ties, but based solely on your brief note, I can’t be sure of his current diagno- sis. I urge your son to undergo a thorough physi- cal examination, blood work and imaging studies with another neurologist in order to confirm the diagno- sis. If possible, seek out a specialist affiliated with a teaching hospital or univer- sity. Better still, I suggest he make an appointment with a physician who specializes in PSP. Help may also be found at www.PSP.org. 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 Shasta’s Deaf World Students from the Shasta College American Sign Language (ASL) IV Class, announces they will present an unusual and fun evening, dedicated to educating the community about the Deaf Culture and Language. The event will take place 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 12, in the Shasta College Social Studies Building, Room 802. There will be games and skits put on by deaf and non-deaf presenters, as the audience will be immersed into the deaf culture through unique activities. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, email ASL instructor Toni Can- cilla at tcancilla@shastacollege.edu or call the Sci- ence, Language Arts, and Math Division at 242- 7761.