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The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced recently that its vehicle title history and brand information is now available to con- sumers through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). The database greatly improves the tracking of vehicles across state lines for law enforce- ment and motor vehicle agencies. It also allows consumers to learn about the history of a vehicle prior to making a pur- chase. DMV Director George Valverde said California is supportive of NMVTIS, and sees it as another valuable tool for consumer protection. "We are delighted that prospective purchasers of vehicles can now access title and brand information on the mil- lions of updated vehicle records California pro- vides to the NMVTIS database," Valverde said. California is one of 31 states now participating in NMVTIS, which was established by federal law in 1992 as a major tool to combat rampant nationwide vehicle theft and fraud. According to statistics released earlier this year, 1.3 million vehicles are stolen in the 50 states each year, with losses to consumers totaling more than $8 billion. NMVTIS records are available at http://www.vehiclehisto- ry.gov by providing a vehicle identification number and paying a nominal fee. NMVTIS is operated on behalf of the U.S. Dept. of Justice by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Adminis- trators (AAMVA). Several entities are required to regularly report information to NMVTIS, including: state motor vehicle agen- cies; Insurance carriers (including some self- insuring entities); and auto recyclers and sal- vage yards. Monday, February 22, 2010 – Daily News – 5A DW PLUMBING INC. Local Plumbers Serving all Your Plumbing Needs Since 1993 530 527-6403 Lic. No 679492 Major Credit Cards Accepted N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION Please help sponsor a classroom subscription Call Kathy at (530) 527-2151 to find out how. • M & M RANCH HOUSE • ROSE HABLITZEL, ENROLLED AGENT • RED BLUFF INTERIORS • MOTHER LODE HOLDING CO. • LP BUILDING PRODUCTS • LOUISIANA PACIFIC • STATE FARM INS. KEITH THOMAS • TEHAMA ESTATES • CALIFORNIA WALNUT CO., INC. • MR. PICKLE'S SANDWICH SHOP • AIRPORT AUTO REPAIR • JOHN WHEELER LOGGING • KAY STEPHENS, MD • QRC • GREENWASTE OF TEHAMA • TRI COUNTIES BANK • MOSS LUMBER & HARDWARE • BRETNEY SUTTERFIELD • HOYT-COLE CHAPEL OF THE FLOWERS • TEHAMA COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS • FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE CO. • SUSANNE WHALEN, DMD INC • PLACER TITLE CO. – Thank You – Through the Newspapers in Education program, area classrooms receive the Red Bluff Daily News every day thanks to the generosity of these local businesses & individuals. N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT Paid for by the committee to elect William Murphy WilliamMurphy4Judge.com For Judge Of The Superior Court Office Two, 2010 William Murphy in support of Wed., March 17th, 6pm-10pm St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef & Cabbage Fundraiser Tehama County Fairground Tickets $20 Call 529-6647, email skysong@msn.com or go to WilliamMurphy4Judge.com Tickets available at the door or from committee members before the event. Dear Annie: I am 49 years old and have been a ''flexitarian'' for 10 years, with fish being my primary protein source. My ques- tion is this: When I go to other people's homes for dinner engagements, should they provide a fish entree (for me), should I be satisfied going vegetarian for the meal, or should I bring my own? My friends usually pro- vide for me, as do my in- laws. But my parents and siblings do not. Even at holiday gatherings, I bring my own entree while the oth- ers are eating prime beef. When I entertain, I pay special attention to all of my guests' diets from vegetarian to meat lovers, and I expect to get the same respect in return. Am I wrong? — M.F. Dear M.F.: Most flexitarians are willing to try meat on occasion. We would consider you a pescetarian — one who eats fish but not meat. Those who know about your food choices should make some adjust- ment when they invite you. Howev- er, you cannot demand it. Your fam- ily members seem particularly unaccommodating, but they are entitled to serve what they wish. Most vegetarians and pescetarians can find plenty to eat in the side dishes. It is fine, however, to bring your own entree if your hosts do not object. Dear Annie: How do I deal with chain smokers in the work- place? My office has a no- smoking policy, and our state recently passed laws to that effect, but we still must endure people smoking one cigarette right after the other. My fellow workers and I have made comments about the secondhand smoke and have posted various brochures and articles on the subject on the bulletin board. We have put up ''NO SMOKING'' signs, to no avail. Anything we do just seems to make these people puff more. You can always tell where smok- ers have been by the ash, smoke and cigarette smell. Heaven help the poor person who has to ride with a smoker in one of our company trucks to a job site when it's below zero and you have to hang your head out the window to gasp for air. Past efforts to get smokers to con- trol their habit have only gotten smoke blown in our faces, literally. The problem is further com- pounded by the fact that our compa- ny manager and other top company officials are also heavy smokers. We are hesitant to ask management directly to do anything about the smoking because of possible job repercussions. What can we do before we all die of lung cancer? — Up in Smoke Dear Smoke: Unless you are willing to report your boss (and the other smokers) to the police for vio- lating state law, there isn't much you can do. If your workplace has a human resources department, try lodging a complaint there. Other- wise, you might get better results by talking to your boss, calmly and without judgment, explaining that the secondhand smoke is making it difficult for the rest of you to breathe and you'd be most apprecia- tive if he would set a good example. Dear Annie: May I add one more response to ''Going Gray''? I am 55 years old and lost my lovely red hair due to chemotherapy. It grew back a dull brown, so I started to color it. I later began dating Andy, who is 12 years younger and was already dyeing his hair and beard when we met. I never gave it a thought until he was admitted to the CCU with heart issues and the nurse said to him, ''Gosh, it's nice that your mother came with you.'' I knew I had a keeper when Andy let his hair go back to its nat- ural and lovely gray. We married the following October. (I still color my hair.) — Julia 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. Should non-meat-eater expect own dish? Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar FEATURES DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 54- year-old female with osteoarthritis in both hips. My general practition- er sent me to an out-of-state spe- cialist who recom- mended cortisone injections. When I tried to have corti- sone injections done by a local specialist, I was told that they would not help me because I don't have bursitis. I am most uncomfort- able when I stand still, sit or lie down for any length of time. Using a heating pad several times during the night helps alleviate the muscle cramping, though. I have more pain in my lower back/sacral area, knees and thigh mus- cles than in the hips them- selves. Who is right? Would the cortisone injec- tions really help? DEAR READER: I must side with the out-of- state specialist. Cortisone injections are often bene- ficial as one of the initial steps toward relieving the pain of arthritis. A ran- domized placebo-con- trolled trial of glucocorti- coid injections for osteoarthritis of the hip demonstrated benefits lasting up to three months. Over-the-counter medica- tions such as aceta- minophen, ibuprofen or naproxen, topical cap- saicin or menthol oint- ments (especially those made with castor oil), and ice packs or heat may also provide relief. If these options fail to provide sat- isfactory results, consider physical therapy, low- impact exercise programs or enter a chronic-pain class to learn other ways to manage the pain. A final option for those with severe joint deformity, pain and dysfunction is surgery, such as joint realignment or replace- ment. Seek out another local specialist or return to the out-of-state physician for further advice and treat- ment. To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report "Understanding Osteoarthritis." Other readers who would like a copy should send a self- addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wick- liffe, OH 44092. Be sure to men- tion the title. DEAR DR. GOTT: Thank you for all your inter- esting questions and answers. I have questions about a condition I have never heard of — "spongiotic dermati- tis eosinophils consistent with allergic contact der- matitis." What is it? And what can be done for it? DEAR READER: Spongiotic dermatitis (SD) is primarily an aller- gic reaction that causes swelling rather than a rash. It can sometimes be associated with the forma- tion of microvesicles, which are small fluid- filled sacs. Eosinophils are a component of the blood, often found in ele- vated numbers when an allergic reaction is pre- sent, and can generally be used to determine how severe the reaction is. There are two types of SD. The first is acute SD, which implies that the allergic reaction is occur- ring at that point in time. The second is chronic SD, which is present for an extended period. This type can also lead to permanent thickening of the outer- most layer of the epider- mis. The condition is an allergic reaction most likely due to a skin irri- tant. Plants, animals, chemicals and much more can cause allergic contact dermatitis. An individual with this diagnosis would probably benefit from the care of a dermatologist or allergist. To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report "Allergies." Other readers who would like a copy should send a self- addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title. Dr. Peter Gott is a retired physician and the author of the book "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet," available at most chain and independent bookstores, and the recently published "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook." Cortisone appropriate treatment for arthritis Dr. Peter Gott Californians can get access to vehicle histories Starting an organic food garden REDDING — A Shasta College workshop, Getting Started in your Organic Garden, is appropriate for both beginning gardeners and those who want to improve productivity. Participants will leave the workshop with maps and plans for their own gardens. Information will include preparing and enriching soil, where to get seeds and how to develop an efficient watering system. Partici- pants are encouraged to bring their garden problems and questions. The workshop will be 1-4 p.m. Sunday, March 7, in Room 821 at the Shasta College Main Campus, 11555 Old Oregon Trail, Redding. It will be held outside if weather permits. The fee is $10 per person. Register by going to www.shastacollege.edu/EWD, then click on Pathways Catalog. For registration information call 225-4835. For workshop information, call 242-2248 or email teach- inggarden@shastacollege.edu. Kimberly B. Garibaldi, a junior from Red Bluff, was among the 987 under- graduate students named to the Gonzaga University President's List for fall semester 2009. Students must earn a 3.7 or better grade-point average to be list- ed. One of 28 Jesuit colleges and univer- sities in the U.S., Gonzaga has grown and matured into one of the West's pre- mier universities. Gonzaga has a student enrollment of around 7,100 and offers seven undergraduate degrees in 51 majors, 15 master's programs, a Ph.D. program in leadership studies and a juris doctorate through the School of Law. Gonzaga President's List