The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Be road ready for winter's blast As we steamroll our way to the Christmas and New Year's holidays, the coming days can be filled with fun and frivolity as we enjoy time with family and friends. However, this can also be a time when a pleasurable outing turns tragic with little warning. While we have enjoyed an unusually mild December so far, it's more than likely we will be in the grip of Old Man Winter before long. That is why we remind everyone who takes to the road to be ready for bad weather. All drivers should be prepared for an emergency with the following items in their trunk: ice scraper, windshield de-icer, flashlight, whisk broom, gloves, blanket, booster cables, extra clothes, candle/matches, bottled water, snacks, necessary medications and a first-aid kit. If you are planning a long trip, it is best to let someone know your travel route. Check weather and travel conditions before heading out and don't take chances if the weather is bad. Allow yourself extra time for travel, or wait until conditions improve. Call the Ministry of Transportation's information number on road conditions, listed in your local phone directory, or check the on-line Winter Road Condition Reports. It is also wise to ensure your vehicle is ready to tackle winter conditions. That means having your vehicle checked by a licensed mechanic to ensure that things like your vehicle's critical fluids (oil, coolant, brake fluid, etc.), wiper blades, lights, bulbs, battery and most importantly, the tires, are all in good condition. In a skid, it's important to regain control of your vehicle, especially if it skids sideways. To do this, decelerate by taking your foot off the brake, step on the clutch or shift to neutral, then look where you want your vehicle to go and steer in that direction. All of the above are simple, common sense tips that are easy to follow. However, it is almost a certainty tragedy will strike someone this holiday season who didn't follow one or more of these safety tips. Don't let it be you. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Reader says all who served are `veterans' Dear editor, Re: Ted Brown's What is a veteran? column Nov. 10) I enjoy Ted's column and generally agree with him but could not with the recent column. I dispute his definition of veteran and have to agree with the Department of National Defence (DND) and Veteran's Affairs. Both my grandfather (Lieut.Colonel C. L. Starr) and my father (H.M. Brownlee) were veterans of the First World War and my father was also in the Second World War (reserve forces, as he was too old for full service). I joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and became an Aero-engine technician trade-code on Merlin engines. I subsequently served with a Search & Rescue Unit based at Trenton, Ontario. I served my contract term and was honourably discharged upon completion. I, along with many other armed forces personnel, were never involved in a "shooting war" or were even out of Canada. I guess we were what could be termed, support personnel. Nonetheless we served our country in the capacity required and supported those who might be called upon to put themselves in harm's way. I feel, as does the DND, that I am every bit as much a veteran as every other member of the Armed Forces. My grandfather was a surgeon and partially responsible for the setup of the CAMC (Canadian Army Medical Corp). My father was a Despatch Rider (motorcyles) and was in attendance at Vimy Ridge (among other places). He ended the war as a corporal. Fortunately, neither received any wounds (although both were mentioned in despatches) and returned to Canada safely. Doug Brownlee, Georgetown Recover the `culture of life' Dear editor, Re: Oct. 1 International Life Chain Sunday. Again this year some 60 local citizens joined hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers throughout Canada and the United States to show solidarity with the innocent, defenseless, dependent human beings in the womb. God's blessings on, and thanks to these local people of four or five of our local church congregations. I am sure you noticed that we were being peaceful, prayerful and quietly respectful throughout our hour of witness to the facts about abortion. Three more points: 1. Every one of us sees in our mirrors that our mothers did not have abortions. 2. That throughout society there is an abundance of help and guidance to get through a pregnancy. 3. To avoid the time-consuming health care costs of overcoming the mental anguish felt after accepting that an abortion is the taking of a human life. This too is paid for by our health care system. Every one of us should be working to recover "the culture of life" in Canada. Tony Smyth, Georgetown What's wrong with God blessing Canada? Dear editor, In the Nov. 10 Independent & Free Press, I read a letter by Mr. Wm. Pomeroy about him being upset that Prime Minister Stephen Harper says, "May God bless Canada". What's wrong with that? Mr. Pomeroy makes it sound like Harper is a puppet of president George Bush. The bad part is that Pomeroy is saying they should leave God south of the border. These days we hear a lot of antiGod talk, or is it that we hear a lot of hypocrisy, which, I grant, there is. I agree with what I recently heard a Baptist minister on TV say, that we have no patience with God and what happens in the world. If things do not change soon we have a tendency to blame God. Communism, the French Revolution and Hitler's Germany did not solve much, and we seem to forget. There are different ways to worship but for Christians or Muslims there is one supreme God and He will never be pushed out by anyone and will hear prayers if we stay humble. One can believe it and also experience it. John Kamminga, Acton