When he heard the truck, “vrrrrooooom,” Brian Nettles knew the driver would never make the curve.

He told his girlfriend so. a second later, they heard the crash. they jumped in his truck and headed out to Bells Ferry Road, a narrow two-lane in rural Harrison County. the truck was flattened. It had flipped over and over and landed against a telephone pole. Miraculously, the driver stood in the middle of the road.

Nettles and his girlfriend, Rhonda Lawson, saw a car in the ditch. the woman behind the wheel was clearly dead. Lawson, a respiratory therapist, headed to the car. Nettles moved his truck to shine his headlights on it. “There’s kids in the car,” Lawson called out. one boy sat upright, unconscious. a smaller boy lay across his lap.

She heard the larger boy snorting. he was trying to catch his breath. the smaller boy had no pulse, so she focused on the other child. At first she thought his teeth had fallen out. But then she realized he had been wearing plastic vampire teeth, the kind that glow in the dark.

Once she removed them, the boy could breathe. he had a faint pulse. When he stopped breathing, she breathed for him. Lawson and Nettles managed to pull him into the ditch, where she continued to breathe into his lungs. She kept telling him, “It’s going to be OK,” until an ambulance arrived.

The accident, she and Nettles said, was something no human should see, much less experience. they could not sleep for four days. even now, more than two months later, they think every day about it. Sights and sounds — such as a racing engine driving past the curve — trigger images from the evening of Oct. 28.

Nettles was struck by the upheaval the accident caused. the man, driving about twice the 35-mph speed limit, according to the accident report, told Nettles and Lawson he was just trying to get home for dinner with his family.

“a wreck like this changes so many lives in an instant,” Nettles wrote in an email to the Sun Herald. he wants people to realize — on New Year’s Eve and every day — they need to slow down, pay attention and drive sober.

Fun evening turns tragic

The evening had been enjoyable for Elaine Clark, 61, her grandson Alijah Osborne and his best friend, Jordan Jones, both 10. Clark doted on her grandchildren, who called her Nana. She’d taken Alijah and Jordan to the fall festival at their school, DeLisle Elementary.

Alijah’s big sister, 15-year-old Alanna Necaise, talked by cellphone to her Nana, who said they were headed home. When they failed to arrive 10 minutes later, Alanna tried to call her Nana. the phone rang and rang. Alanna knew something was terribly wrong. She called her mother, Didi Wahl.

Aftermath of an accident:Many lives shattered in an instant

Aftermath of an accident:Many lives shattered in an instant is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

Don’t let “out of sight, out of mind” influence your holiday tipping decisions this year.

The newspaper carrier who never misses a delivery, the dog walker who shows up each day while you’re at work, the overnight doorman at your apartment complex. You might rarely see them, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t thank them for reliable service.

If you’ve put off these decisions until this week, one reason might be that money is tight. Holiday tipping can become especially worrisome on a limited budget, but one key to remember is that the point is to convey your gratitude for a job well done in the past year.

“Just because you’re not seeing the person doesn’t mean they’re not doing a good job,” said Thomas P. Farley, a New York-based etiquette expert who blogs at whatmannersmost.com. “It means your schedules aren’t coinciding.”

In fact, it’s usually those performing their jobs well who don’t get noticed. If your paper is wet or missing often, for instance, you’re probably all too aware of the carrier’s performance.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind for tipping:

Treat everyone in a similar position equally: be especially careful about slighting one member of a staff — say the overnight security guard at your building — when you are tipping others who do a similar job. “I would not scrimp there,” Farley said. It’s better to reduce the tips you give to everyone than to leave one or two people out.

Make it personal: Every gift should include a personal note. This extra touch can help make up for what you view as a lower tip than you might normally give. “I’d make sure to compensate with the generosity of language,” Farley advised.

Check policies before you create awkward situations: Many schools and health care providers will not allow their employees to accept cash. so before giving holiday tips to teachers, day care staff and home health aides, for instance, make sure they can accept them without running afoul of their employers.

The same goes for the U.S. Postal Service, which prohibits mail carriers from accepting cash or gifts valued at more than $20. Gift cards of that amount or less are OK, as long as they cannot be exchanged for cash and are issued by a single store, not a mall or credit card company.

Tip the cost of one service: You don’t have to worry about inflation or your neighbor’s calculations if you follow the general rule of tipping the amount it would cost for one service — one haircut from your stylist, one night of child care from your babysitter, one week from the nanny. Small gifts to accompany a cash tip are also appropriate, particularly if a child is involved.

You can trim that amount for newer service providers: If you’re visiting a new salon for the first time this week, you need not tip like you’ve seen the stylist all year. Farley said increasing the amount you would normally tip is suitable and says you appreciate getting fit into the busy pre-holiday schedule.

Be wary of dietary restrictions and personal habits: Baked goods and wine and spirits are always great gifts — unless the recipient can’t enjoy them. Many cookies, for example, contain nuts that could trigger an allergic reaction. And you wouldn’t want to give wine to someone who doesn’t drink alcohol.

If you’re offering a homemade gift, especially to someone you might have tipped in cash before, a heartfelt note that says, “I want to let you know that you are remembered,” plays an even bigger role.

You can delay some tips until the new year: If you’re not due for another haircut until mid-January, you can wait to give a tip until then, according to Farley. “People love getting tips in early December, because it will help them with their own shopping and bills,” he said. “That said, nobody is going to turn down a late gift.”

It’s best, however, to limit any delayed gratuities to those people you don’t see until after the calendar turns. If it’s someone you’re seeing every day, try to find a way to squeeze your tip into your budget as soon as possible.

Holiday tips: an appropriate thank-you

Holiday tips: an appropriate thank-you is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

FORT WORTH, TX, Jan 04, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –Employees of Fort Worth-based Allied Electronics, a trading brandof Electrocomponents plc /quotes/zigman/153761 UK:ECM +0.59% , impacted the community thisholiday season by participating in the company’s fourth annual”Allied Angel Tree” cause. Benefitting children and mothers of theBattered Women’s Foundation (BWF), Allied employees had theopportunity to adopt an angel from the tree and provide needs andwish-list items.

“The kindness and generosity of Allied employees blows me away,” saysSusan Overcash, human resources director at Allied. “When employeesselect a name off the tree, they don’t just buy one little thing –they go all out! Every year, we have employees asking for more names,as the names are taken so quickly.”

For 2011, BWF specifically asked Allied to help buy gifts forteenagers and mothers because the organization had enough sponsorsfor the younger children. More than 50 Allied employees participated,benefitting 56 women and children.

“Our moms and teens were simply overjoyed,” says Linda Pavona,executive assistant at the North Richland Hills BWF location. “Onemother stated that it was the first time in years that she had giftsto open on Christmas morning. The teens were overwhelmed because theyoften give what little they have to their younger siblings or totheir mothers. There is no way to adequately express our thanks toAllied for ensuring that our moms and teens felt such love and joy onChristmas morning!”

About Allied Electronics Allied Electronics, a trading brand ofElectrocomponents plc /quotes/zigman/153761 UK:ECM +0.59% , is a distributor of electroniccomponents and electromechanical products. As an equal opportunity,affirmative action employer (m/f/v/d) committed to diversity, Alliedemploys more than 750 people in its Fort Worth corporate office and50-plus sales offices across the United States and Canada. Due toincreased sales and various open positions, Allied is recruitinghigh-energy professionals and individuals with distributionbackgrounds who enjoy working hard and being a part of a successfulteam. alliedelec.com

About Battered Women’s Foundation The BWF, an independent,non-profit agency operating in the state of Texas, provides long-termassistance to women attempting to break the cycle of abuse andhopelessness. The BWF offers a two-year program in which clientsreceive assistance with permanent housing, education, child-care,transportation, job search skills, food, clothing, medical care andrebuilding their self-esteem. bwf1.com

Contact: Misty Hart (817) 595-8566

SOURCE: Allied Electronics

Copyright 2012 Marketwire, inc., All rights reserved.

Allied Electronics Employees Give to Battered Women’s Foundation

Allied Electronics Employees Give to Battered Women’s Foundation is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

Our experts offer top tips and picks for paring down (and revving up) your skin care products.

In each issue of WebMD the Magazine, our experts answer your questions about skin care, beauty, makeup, hair care, and more. In our January-February 2012 issue, reader Lori Jones, 30, an arts administrator in Raleigh, N.C., said she wanted to use just a few essential skin care products. for advice, we turned to Sandra Lee, MD (with Skin Physicians and Surgeons in Upland, Calif.) and Andrew Alexis, MD (director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York City).

Q: I want to pare down the skin care products in my cabinet. what are the must-haves I can use for my face all year long?

Dr. Lee’s Top Picks:

A: You need just a few tried-and-true products that work for your skin, so it makes sense to refresh your at-home cosmetic counter. Start with a cleanser. A good one that works year-round is Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser ($7.99), a gentle foaming formula that effectively removes the dirt and grime that has accumulated on your face throughout the day.

Sunscreen is another must-have, and not just for sunny summer days. you still get plenty of ultraviolet exposure when the sky is overcast. to keep your skin protected, make sure your daytime moisturizer contains sunscreen. one to try: Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 ($16.99). I also recommend an on-the-go product with sunscreen that you can apply throughout the day. I love Colorescience Pro Sunforgettable Mineral Powder Sun Protection SPF 30 ($50) because it’s easy to use. Not only can you apply it without a mirror, it comes with the brush applicator attached.

Expert Answers to Your Skin Care Questions

Expert Answers to Your Skin Care Questions is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

12/17/2011

Local social service workers were as stunned as were most Salina Journal readers when they read in the Dec. 11 Journal of a Salina Christmas Fund applicant who admitted getting pregnant so she could qualify for Medicaid.

At the time, the woman held a low-paying food service job, had no insurance and was in need of significant dental work that she claimed she couldn’t afford. the pain in her teeth was so severe it sent her to the hospital emergency room, where doctors told her the problem was only going to worsen and eventually degrade her overall health.

The pregnancy automatically qualified her for medical assistance that paid for her dental work. the woman also said it wasn’t the only time she’d done that, and she said that others had done the same.

Salina Emergency Aid/Food Bank Director Kathy Jackson can sympathize with the Christmas Fund mother and her extreme solution to what for many blessed with good health insurance would be a painful but minor inconvenience.

“Should I be surprised?” Jackson asked herself of the young mother. “Probably. am I surprised? no. do I support what she did? no. But I understand it.”

The hungry who are drawn to the Food Bank are more worried about the here and now rather than what may lurk down the road. Jackson cited an example of one Food Bank client who is now out of work because of health issues.

Two days after helping her at the Food Bank, Jackson saw her in the grocery store.

“She looked like somebody beat her up,” she said. “What happened was she had an abscessed tooth. Two days before she didn’t have it. she couldn’t go to work because of the pain. when she went to work she couldn’t stay because of the pain, so she lost her job.”

Some people in tough situations will do things they normally won’t do, she said.

Some clients will confess to her they are driving without car insurance because the premiums went up and now they can’t afford it.

“We see people taking desperate measures because of jobs. they are in lower-paying jobs, the working poor. Everything has gone up. Car insurance has gone up, rent has gone up, food has gone up, gas to get to work as gone up,” she said.

Human face on the needs

The Christmas Fund, in its 27th year, raises money this time of year to provide gifts of food, clothing and other assistance to local needy families. what money that isn’t used through Christmas is dispensed throughout the year to eligible applicants. It is administered by the Salvation Army.

As one of the sponsors, the Salina Journal helps underwrite administrative costs and selects a representative sample of Christmas Fund applications and publishes interviews in an attempt to put a human face on the needs in the community.

Shocking, but not illegal

Technically the young mother didn’t abuse the system because what she did was quite legal. she didn’t fake the pregnancy or hide income. In her view, with her health in jeopardy, she felt desperate and took desperate measures. she readily admits if she was working in her present job, which has affordable health insurance, she wouldn’t have gotten pregnant.

“I was shocked,” said Roxanne Matous, office manager and caseworker for the Salvation Army, when she read the story.

Her office fielded calls from people questioning the Army’s screening process.

“If people have gotten pregnant as a way to get benefits, they haven’t told us,” she said.

“It’s sad she had no other avenue that she had to go to extreme measures to get help,” she said.

The woman’s best bet

The Salina Family Healthcare Center, 651 E. Prescott, a federally qualified health center, would have been her best bet for dental care.

The facility is unique among such centers because it also is affiliated with the Smoky Hill Family Medicine Residency Program.

It serves the insured, underinsured and uninsured. Low-income patients pay on a sliding scale set by income and family size. the minimum charge is $25 for each visit.

The clinic’s dental program offers a wide range of services. According to its website, staff dentists can provide routine check-ups, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, partial and complete dentures, crowns and bridge, root canal therapy and more.

“Some procedures are considered major procedures and they do have a separate pricing structure,” said Ann Feil, director of operations for the center. “Root canals, crowns, and other procedures are classified as major procedures and fall outside that minimum.”

In addition, the clinic requires payment up-front.

Pregnancy-for-health care is a new one to Bryan Anderson, administrator of the Ashby House, a shelter for homeless families.

“We haven’t run into that situation,” said Anderson, who knows that people chose unwisely when in survival mode.

The shelter provides counseling and other life-skills to its residents in hopes of aiming them in a more self-sustaining direction.

“We work with them on goals and what they want to accomplish,” Anderson said.

The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services is a rich resource for the shelter, Anderson said.

“(SRS) bends over backward to provide any benefit the folks are eligible for,” he said.

Those who seek shelter at the Ashby House often don’t think long-term because they are more concerned about the moment, he said.

“If you can’t put food on the table today you can’t think about tomorrow,” he said.

–Gordon D. Fiedler Jr. can be reached at 822-1407 or by email at gfiedler@salina.com.

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Salina Journal News: What could she do?

Salina Journal News: What could she do? is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

Fayetteville, N.C. — For a Fayetteville family fighting two cancer diagnoses, the Christmas season is a chance at normalcy. Collin and Patrick Henry are just two little boys, laughing and playing with their Xbox 360.

Kathleen Henry knows the struggle of year-round care-giving. her son, Collin, now 5, was diagnosed with leukemia at age 2. then in October 2010, cancer also struck his brother Patrick, now 7. It was hepatoblastoma, a rare childhood cancer that originates in the liver.

Patrick’s cancer was high-risk. there were tear-filled treatments at the North Carolina Cancer Hospital at UNC. “Patrick’s doing great,” his mom said.

Collin’s cancer went into remission and even his doctors were not worried about him, Kathleen Henry said.

Then, in August, he had a relapse. ”It’s like a slap in the face,” Kathleen Henry said.

For awhile, he had to undergo steroid-pulse therapy. Now he’s back to making weekly trips to the UNC hospital, enduring spinal tap treatments and chemotherapy.

After a recent trip to the hospital, the family came home to find that Christmas had come in the form of an anonymous gift-giver.

“There were six boxes of gifts on the front porch and on Christmas Eve, three more boxes,” Kathleen Henry said.

Presents came from strangers in distant places. “We had them come from Rhode Island, Missouri, Florida, Pennsylvania,” she said.

 Also Christmas Eve, a $100 check arrived from a man in Cary.

For Patrick and Collin, the cornucopia yields just one conclusion. “Best Christmas ever,” the boys exclaimed.

Christmas a respite for Fayetteville family

Christmas a respite for Fayetteville family is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

LETTERS

Illustration: michaelmucci.com

Perhaps the NSW Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard, can explain why new wind farms in this state will apparently have to comply with a noise limit of 35 decibels when it is deemed OK for the thousands of residents close to tollways and freeways to be subjected to noise at 65 decibels and above (”Wind farm plans put growth at risk”, December 24)?

As any engineer can tell you the 30 decibels difference between the two limits is a ratio of 1000 times.

It is also worth noting that a level of 35 decibels is about the level of traffic noise that people situated 10 kilometres from an existing freeway would get from roads that inflict a 65 decibel sound level on residents located 50 metres away.

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The proposed 35 decibel wind farm sound level, is obviously five to 10 decibels too low whilst the current 65 decibel limit for freeways is 10 to 15 decibels too high. both should be in the range 45 to 50 decibels during the day and about 5 decibels less at night.

Darryl Drake Epping

You can leave a chemical plant leaking toxic chemicals in the middle of Newcastle, with a population of 150,000 people and you can’t build a wind farm, two kilometres from a farm house, population two. Please explain?

Gary Lawrence Bangor

The plan by the O’Farrell government to give landowners within two kilometres of proposed wind farms the right of veto is extremely hard to fathom. others have noted that the much noisier and dirtier mining industry and coal-fired power stations are not as shackled but the inconsistencies go much further. if residents in the vicinity of proposed highways, airports, and factories, all of which create noise, have no veto power what makes the anti-wind farm lobby so important? is it a sop to the National Party or is it just an O’Farrell view that anything supported by the Greens must be opposed on principle?

The inevitable consequence of these guidelines will be that wind farmers will have to bribe all landowners within two kilometres of any proposed wind farm to allow the development to go ahead. One expects that, in NSW at least, wind farms will in future be located not where there is the most wind but where is the least whinge.

Mike Reddy Vincentia

The Herald reports that with proposed NSW government guidelines, wind farms will have to be built to a sound limit of 35 decibels and properties within two kilometres will have the power of veto over construction due to the health risks of the noise produced.

The noise level of rustling leaves is 40 decibels, rainfall 50 decibels, normal conversation 60 decibels, truck traffic 90 decibels. I look forward to the O’Farrell Government limiting the rustling of leaves, stopping heavy rainfall, asking all people to whisper at all times and giving all city residents the power of veto over truck movements within two kilometres of their properties.

Peter Gibson Wentworthville

Don’t dismantle Toorale’s artificial Eden

Your article regarding the government purchase of Toorale Station (properly pronounced Ter-ally) near Bourke has some good points and some debatable ones (”Station buyout a ‘waste of money’ ”, December 24).

I won’t discuss here the value for money of the price paid, and as a previous owner I did not benefit from the most recent sale.

There are other cotton properties in the district that are still available for intensive production and Toorale was not solely a cotton producer. It does however have other special values and attributes which make it particularly suitable for designation as a national park, which the others, on the whole, lack.

The Warrego River is extremely irregular in its flow, but in the section where, in the late 1800s, Sir Samuel McCaughey created an extraordinary system of irrigation using gently spreading water, there is an area which can resemble the Garden of Eden.

It cannot be compared with the intensity of farming in such modern irrigation areas as Coleambally Irrigation District. Dismantling McCaughey’s work, in what is now an established ecosystem, would be a tragedy.

As well as the wildlife that has depended on this ecosystem for well over a century, there are plants that have been found there by University of new England teams which I am told belong to a group which could well provide a cure for cancer.

The man-made interferences where the Murray Darling system has united to meet the sea have been in place only some decades, by comparison. before agitating from a distance to throw the baby out with the bathwater, there should be considered and proper value placed on this area.

Susan Dunn Armidale

Too simplistic to make a hero of Malcolm Naden

As a former NSW police officer I believe it is unfair in the extreme to be critical of the two police officers who confronted the fugitive Malcolm Naden (”Police meet their match in phantom of the bush”, December 24).

Once upon a time police in NSW could lawfully shoot a ”fleeing felon”. not so in these days. the officers who confronted Naden could not lawfully shoot him even though they may have very reasonably feared Naden might be about to access a firearm in the house and start trying to murder them. Nor could they shoot him if they very reasonably feared he might murder a member of the public at some future point if he made good his escape.

The truth is the hands of these courageous officers were firmly tied by the law – had they called upon him to ”stop or I’ll shoot” and carried through with the threat if he had not stopped with the result that he was killed – the responsible police officer or officers would inevitably have been charged with murder as the law stands.

The law is an ass – not the NSW Police.

mark Wright Fredericton (Canada)

Ross Cameron’s romanticised view of the current police hunt for alleged killer and alleged indecent assaulter, Malcolm Naden, is quite outlandish. While it is true Ned Kelly, with the cloak of distance, may have assumed ”hero” status in the eyes of some, a reading of his exploits quickly dashes this concept. meanwhile, I don’t much care whether Mr Naden is an Aborigine, a hootchie-sleeper, a skilled bushman, and a crack shot with a small bore rifle, I’m hoping like hell that the police catch him – the sooner the better.

Rosemary O’Brien Georges Hall

Smokes too cheap

David Crommelin (Letters, December 24), the government has every reason to kill the golden goose. your assumption that governments are ”hooked” on tobacco excise revenue is a commonly held misconception. each packet of cigarettes generates approximately $9 in excises and GST, accounting for $6 billion in annual government revenue. however, economic modelling estimates the total social costs of smoking, which includes health costs, reduced workforce participation and premature death, to be $31 billion. the Australian public is subsidising smokers to the order of $50 for every packet smoked. for the government to break even, each packet should cost $65.

Peter Fox Annandale

Refugees should pay

If the suggestion by Andrew Urban (Letters, December 24) is ever adopted, and anything is possible, it is to be hoped that the asylum seekers, since they won’t have to pay thousands of dollars per person to the smugglers, will pay their own air fares to Australia if they are accepted.

Margaret Johnson Peakhurst

Would people please have a look at a map and realise how far away Nauru is from Christmas Island, Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Michael Egan Killarney Heights

The Abominable no Man strikes again.

David Hulme Lindfield

Listen to disabled

Can some one tell me why the carbon tax with all its complexities has taken next to no time to legislate, whilst the National Disability Insurance Scheme seems to be treading water.

My youngest daughter, Ruby, has Rett syndrome and we as a family are suffering from having to fund normal day to day items. As well, our wheelchair-converted van puts us in the luxury car tax bracket.

If the Australian public were made aware of the burden that is taken on by families of disabled people, I think that there would be more than a few shocked people.

I feel the media has a bigger role to play in educating people unaffected by disability of the plight of families such as my own.

Matt Balkwell Arncliffe

Not-so-wise men

I bet if there were three wise women turning up at Bethlehem, the gifts would have been more like a couple of blankets, disposable nappies and some pre-cooked meals for mum.

Ray Smith Blacktown

Hail Thatcherism

Thank you, Ian Davis (Letters, December 24). Like all baby boomers I could not wait to get to swinging London. I lasted one year with the dreariness, baked beans every night and a weekly bath allowance of 1 inch. I returned in 1986 to find to find confidence, exuberance, meat on the table and was allowed to have a shower every night. even though Britain is now going through difficulties it is still a wonderful place to visit and catch up with wonderful friends, who, if it were not for mrs Thatcher, would be in worse predicament. I hope our Julia Gillard sees the movies to get some tips.

Barbara Barlow Bonnet Bay

Humility and faith

As one of Hugh Mackay’s despised ”Fundamentalist Christians”, I found his essay on faith and doubt lacking in insight (The Essay, December 24). the same postmodern mantra of ”What you believe is right, and what I believe is right” simply does not work. Without an adherence to timeless, universal truths, our society’s ”shifting geo-political landscape”, will leave us all floundering for answers. While I, like Mackay, find an arrogant attitude to be repugnant, is it not possible for a believer to possess an unshakable faith, while retaining an attitude of humility when dealing with others?

Stuart Pratt Thornleigh

To Hugh Mackay: Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

Geoff Hassall Maryland

Gaza Christians

Ron Witton (Letters, December 24) is concerned about barriers to travel faced by Christians wishing to visit Bethlehem. he should be more concerned about Christians in Gaza. of the 1.5 million Palestinians now living in the Gaza Strip, fewer than 1400 are Christian and those who can are leaving, reported the Guardian on Friday.

It has also been reported that there hasn’t been a Christmas tree in Gaza City’s main square since Hamas pushed the Palestinian Authority out of Gaza in 2007 and Christmas is no longer a public holiday.

Graham de Vahl Davis Edgecliff

How science works

Trevor Danos (The Essay, December 23) has confused science with the way science is used in society. the distinction is very important.

Science is not a social institution. Science is simply the way we find out how the world and the universe works. a human heart works the same way regardless of what society you live in. the atom is constructed the same way regardless of your personal beliefs.

Scientific findings are not value judgments as he asserts. they may be subject to development and change depending on further information and scientists must interpret data. value judgments are the realm of others such as politicians and religious leaders. It would behove such people to understand very well what science is telling them.

Maryanne Murray Pymble

Ruxton the hero

Vale, Bruce Ruxton (”RSL’s Ruxton dies at 85”, December 24). a soldier to the end. Australia owes a debt to men such as Bruce, who worked tirelessly for fellow veterans. always affirmative and never afraid to challenge the status quo. were there more in his mould.

Thank you, Bruce, from we who were able to assist you in your fading years. lest we forget.

Tony Lee Noosaville

Australia’s quest for constitutional, political, sociological and psychological independence and autonomy will progress funeral by funeral.

George Poulos Dover Heights

Dear oh dear leader

Hamish McDonald, I believe that it is abundantly clear what would have happened to that bottle of Grange. (”Grange: craven homage or entree to greatness?”, December 24). Kim Jong-il was obviously a man of great perception, intellect and sporting prowess as well as an avid reader of the Herald’s fine wine guides. he would therefore have been acutely aware of the renowned medicinal qualities of Grange and, unlike us dopes who only open and share one at family reunions, birthdays and christenings, he would have kept it for a quiet reflective moment and drunk it all himself.

Milton Battaglini Carindale (Qld)

Faster, not slower

Bernadette Scadden (Letters, December 23) may not be a physicist but she has a better grasp of flow theory than the RTA. Question: if a given number of cars merge from four lanes to two in a traffic-choked road, what is the ratio of traffic speed before and after the merge? answer: traffic in two lanes will travel twice as fast as the same traffic in four lanes. Unfortunately the RTA gets it wrong, putting speed restrictions on the narrow part, thus imposing an even lower speed on the multi-lane section.

Bernouille’s principle states that the slower the flow the greater the pressure, which offers an interesting insight into road rage. Everyone should learn a bit of physics.

Murray Scott Heathcote

Deadly advice

Just some tips for surviving the holidays. Blinker use is optional, always nice to keep others guessing. Stop signs are festive decorations at those deadly intersections. always remember when you overtake on the freeway to speed up then cut in sharply then slow, so the overtakee has a nice close-up of your boot. Loose children frolicking in the back unrestrained is also a happy look. not.

Bernadette Morley Bexley North

And then some

What do they call Lady Gaga after she has had a few Christmas drinks?

Bernie Bourke Ourimbah

Not newsworthy

Lenore Taylor’s article ”Year of the faux protester”, (December 24) on protests sponsored by the clubs, the mining industry and the Coalition begs one question: why does the media choose to give these protests such coverage, while those motivated by genuine concerns for human rights, social justice or the environment, struggle to gain any coverage?

Max Phillips Marrickville

Lights out too often

I live in a third-world part of Sydney called the lower north shore. We have blackouts with more frequency than we should. I believe the energy providers should be required to publicise why they occur. I’d like to know if it’s bad luck, bad maintenance, bad management, persecution, sabotage or whatever.

I lived in PNG once. there was a joke that asked ”what did they use for light before candles?”. the answer was ”electricity”. I can relate to that now.

Steven McCann Lane Cove

Property for rent

In answer to Lindy Morrison’s letter (December 24) regarding rent control, I’m not sure about the rental crisis everybody keeps talking about. We have a modest though new, neat and tidy investment property in the suburbs of a major city. We have a tenant turnover every six months. It sits vacant for about two weeks every six months while our property manager advertises for new tenants. there is no one lined up banging on the door trying to get in. In about four years the rent has gone up about $10 per year.

Tony Tenkate Towradgi

Assange no.1

Julian Assange should be the Australian of the year.

Andrew Partos Seaforth

Bad hair ways

Christmas party hangover/eyestrain/fogging leads to using the shampoo or conditioner in the wrong order. if a company makes both bottles the same shape and colour, they should at least have large writing indicating which is which.

Alastair Browne Cromer Heights

What a happy email Christmas day, no spam just ham.

Warwick Orme Annandale

Softly, softly for some – too bad about most of us

Softly, softly for some – too bad about most of us is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

WHEN Murphy Chan was 12, he realised that he couldn’t see clearly so his parents got him a pair of spectacles. With this, Chan finished school and graduated with an optometry degree.

Today, 45-year-old Chan is a well-known optometrist and group chief executive officer of Eyecon Optometry Network. He says: “I would not have done well in school if my vision had not been corrected. For a student to perform well, he needs to see, hear and write well. if any of these is not present, it might be difficult to pass with flying colours.”

this is why Chan is championing a corporate social responsibility programme called Penglihatan Jelas, Prestasi Cemerlang (PJPC) which involves the setting up of a mobile vision unit to offer eye care to less fortunate children in the country.

It provides them with spectacles and offers advice on visual hygiene and how to care for their spectacles.

“If a child we help achieves better academic result, even if only by a mark, he or she will be rewarded,” says the father of two.

He adds that the joy of seeing the satisfaction on the students’ faces when they can see the blackboard clearly with spectacles on is a difficult feeling to describe.

“When they can see better, they will be able to get more information,  and this is vital for the development of the child at school. Imagine if you have blurred vision — you will not be able to see, read and write well. Many students from poor families can’t afford to buy spectacles,” he says. VISUAL AID

So far, PJPC has screened more than 600 children nationwide (it aims to reach 1,000 students). Chan and his team also plan to include senior citizens in the programme soon.

“Sight is one of the life’s most precious gifts but many of us take it for granted. I believe in the adage ‘prevention is better than cure’. With proper intervention, a healthy lifestyle and enough information on eye care, it is possible to maintain and enjoy good vision for a long time,” says Chan who comes from Malacca.

For him, vision is the window to the brain and it affects the decision-making process in our lives.

“Vision has always fascinated me. the way we see things and the process of seeing is so complex. Sadly, we only start to appreciate our vision when it deteriorates,” says Chan.

as an optometrist, he says his primary duty is to provide the best eye care advice for everyone. “I never expected to be in this line. I became an optometrist by chance. At the time, I had no idea about the situation of the industry in the country,” he says. CHALLENGING ROLE

Chan explains that in this country, optometry is very challenging as it is very commercialised and there is a serious lack of professionalism.

“There are unrealistic discounts offered and absurd price wars in the market. some optometrists are also not qualified. this has given the industry a bad name and it affects the public,” he says.

Chan is determined to take the profession to a new level, one that offers the public proper eye care services, advice and products without burning a hole in their pockets.

In the long run, Chan hopes that the profession will be re-branded to be relevant and globally-competitive. this can help make the industry more appealing to the young.

He says: “There is so much you can do with optometry. Seeing is a process and in order to appreciate good vision, the whole visual system must be in good condition. when you see well, you can live life to its fullest. Don’t you think it is a great thing to help people achieve this?”

Interesting eye facts

• when working on the computer, take a short break every 20 minutes. • apart from excessive use of computer, smartphones and stress, poor lighting and poor visual hygiene can affect your vision. • we blink about 12 times a minute. • the pupil can increase its size under the effect of strong emotions such as fear or sexual turn-on. • Bats are not blind, they just fly using sound waves.

Frames just for you

IF you need to wear spectacles, finding the right pair can be as challenging as finding that perfect life partner. Among the problems — too short or too wide temples, a tight nose bridge and improper alignment.

this is why custom-made spectacles ensure value for your money. These are now possible at TD Tom Davies in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is the first country in Asia to receive TD Tom Davies presence.

TD Tom Davies, the world’s first luxury made-to-measure eyewear service, is brought in by Eyecon Optometry Network, its sole distributor in the country. the British luxury eyewear brand offers bespoke frames designed and hand-made to suit not only a person’s face shape but also his or her skin tone, physical characteristics and lifestyle.

Chan says most of the frame designs come from Europe. but design alone is not enough to ensure comfort level of the spectacles. “European fit might not be suitable for Asian features as there is a difference in the face structure between Asians and Europeans,” he says.

the bespoke service offers frames that suit the wearer’s face and prescription. Among the materials used for the frames are titanium and acetate. Colours depend on personal preferences and skin tone. “We can also engrave the customer’s name on the frame to create that unique eye piece for them,” adds Chan.

apart from spectacles for everyday use, the bespoke service also offers customisation service for sunglasses. they are made for those who want the perfect fit and trendsetters who are seeking their signature style. It starts with a consultation before the customer chooses the frame. the optometrist then takes a series of measurements and photographs, helps to choose the colours, shapes and materials for the customers. In the end, all the input will be logged into the online design wizard.

Tom Davies designers in London will then provide a portfolio of three designs which gives a realistic idea of what the frames look like on the customer’s face. Once the option is chosen, the frame is hand-made using a combination of traditional techniques and modern machinery. the process takes about three weeks.

With every purchase from the TD Tom Davies range, Eyecon will sponsor an eyewear for one child under its PJPC programme.

the bespoke spectacles are priced from RM2,000 to RM3,000. TD Tom Davies Bespoke is available at Eyecon Optometry Centre in the Gardens, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur. Details at eyecon.com.my.

An eye for clear vision

An eye for clear vision is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

If you have unwanted hairs on parts of your body and you want to get away from shaving
and waxing, there are other means of hair removal you can look at. two main options
are laser and electrolysis treatments. in laser treatment, the laser attacks the hair root and
destroys it. It does so through the use of light to destroy the melanin that spurs the hair
follicles to keep growing. With laser treatment to remove hairs, you will need several
treatments.

Although laser treatment is quite expensive, it has been proven to last. You can have this
treatment for unwanted hair on any part of the body. You will need about four or five
sessions with a professional laser treatment specialist and although the treatment is not
painful, there are creams you can use if you experience any discomfort. the result will be
smooth, soft hairless skin.

The other method of permanent removal is electrolysis also has to be performed
by a trained professional. in this procedure, very fine needles inserted into the follicles. However, the needles do not puncture the skin. once the needle probe is in the
right position, an electric current passes through the needle to destroy the follicle and
keep it from growing any more hairs. the number of treatments you need depend on the
amount you want to have removed. a typical electrolysis treatment costs about
$50 to $75 per hour.

While there are creams you can use by applying them to the skin and then washing them
off, they also have to be used on a regular basis, the same as shaving and waxing. if you
want to get away from this chore, you can look at using one of the methods of having
your hair gone forever.

Hair Removal

Hair Removal is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care