Muskogee Phoenix
Life
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
DENNIS THE MENACE FAMILY CIRCUS
Section B, Page 5
Writer says landlord lied about dogs Dear Annie: My family and I longer make a fist, grasp doorrecently moved to a new subdiknobs or open jars without asvision, which includes several sistance. As the disease produplexes crowded together. We gressed, she lost the ability to were told it was a quiet area, button her clothes or tie her and when we checked it out, it shoes. By the time she was diseemed very pleasant. In fact, agnosed, the disease had our lease states it has to stay caused scar tissue to grow on quiet. her lungs. She can now walk When we were choosing the only short distances and is on place, I informed the landlord disability. that I do not like dogs and canJune is National Scleroderma not tolerate barking. He neglectAwareness Month. Scleroderma ed to tell us that there are affects more than several dogs in the other 300,000 Americans and duplexes and let us move is more common in in while withholding this women than men. Its information. He refuses to onset is typically betell the dog owners to put tween the ages of 25 shock collars on their and 55. The disease afdogs or otherwise keep fects children, too. There them quiet. I cannot even is no known cause or go to my mailbox without cure, and few treatone of these dogs barkments are available. In ing at me. many cases, it can be My question is, can fatal. we get out of our lease My mother joined a because the landlord support group through lied? This sort of thing the Scleroderma FounKathy has happened to us dation, and the friends Mitchell more than once. Why do and Marcy she made there some landlords think changed her outlook on Sugar they have to lie to get life. I am proud of the inpeople to rent from them? — spiration she has been to othPeeved in Columbia, Mo. ers. Every year, the ScleroderDear Peeved: Every state is ma Foundation raises more different, but in most instances, than $1 million toward finding even if the lease says somethe cause of and cure for this thing about noise, it is not as indisease. If you could help your clusive as you may believe. If the landlord actually told you that there are no dogs in the neighborhood, you may have grounds to ask a judge to let you out of the lease. But if the landlord made no specific mention of dogs, you are likely stuck. However, please note that in order to get out of the lease, you will need to file a lawsuit. Decide what it’s worth to you. Dear Annie: Seven years ago, my mother was diagnosed with scleroderma, an autoimmune connective tissue disorder that literally means “hard skin.” Mom first noticed that the skin on her fingers and face was becoming thick and hard. Then her physical appearance began to change. She could no
Annie’s Mailbox
B.C.
SHERMAN’S LAGOON
BLONDIE
NON SEQUITUR
FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE
FRANK & ERNEST
PEANUTS
BEETLE BAILEY
GARFIELD
DILBERT
BORN LOSER
BABY BLUES
GASOLINE ALLEY
ZITS
readers become aware of the effects of scleroderma, many might receive an earlier diagnosis, and it could save lives. Thank you. — E.C., Boston Dear E.C.: We appreciate the opportunity to mention the Scleroderma Foundation and the work they do. Interested readers can contact them at 1800-722-HOPE (1-800-7224673) (scleroderma.org). Dear Annie: In your reply to “Frustrated Teen Mom in Omaha,” you failed to mention the option of adoption. It is hard enough to adopt a baby with so many young mothers keeping the child, so it is doubly important that adoption be mentioned as an alternative. Thank you. — Minot, N.D. Dear Minot: We recommended Planned Parenthood because counselors there will discuss all possibilities, including adoption, as well as provide prenatal care. A few readers suggested an exclusively prolife website, Community Pregnancy Centers (cpclink.com), which some of our readers may prefer. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045.