Love Talks

Technology unites kin, GIs on holidays

Wendy Derkits stood in front of the camera to deliver a holiday message thousands of miles away. She wanted to tell her husband at war that she loved him and wish him a Merry Christmas, but with the camera running and people watching, her words were replaced by tears.

Hours later, she sat in her living room trying to figure out how to tell her Marine husband what she wanted him to hear.

So she set up her own video camera and just started to talk, telling him everything a wife tells a husband: about their children, the family, their Christmas plans. She showed him the house, the tree and the decorations.

“It was an hour of nothingness. But it was me, normal. Me, everyday. He doesn’t need to remember me sad and crying. That’s not what he needs. He needs regular me,” said Derkits, 24, of Oceanside.

For some Marines and soldiers, this is their first Christmas away from family. For others, it is a second, third or fourth missed holiday season — a reality of a country at war.

But unlike wars past, nearly every deployed military personnel will have an opportunity to connect with loved ones: From sending Christmas wishes in a video message to participating in a two-way videoconference or using a Web cam.

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Best Cars For First-Time Drivers

You’ve joked about it, fretted over it, and now the moment is at hand: Junior is learning to drive, eager to roll full-speed toward the open road.

If you’re like most parents, you’re not entirely sure your child is ready. Will he practice safety? Will she obey your instructions? Or will they tune you out and speed around town with a carload of friends?

Let’s be clear on a key point: There’s no question that how you drive is more important to safety than what you drive. The stoutest, most technically advanced vehicle in the world is still a potential death trap in the hands of a reckless or impaired driver; a vintage car with 100,000 miles on the odometer can still be driven safely.

Still, when it comes to buying a car for a first-timer, many parents would agree with experts that those with impressive safety features are tops. Choosing a car with stellar crash performance and features such as mandatory air-bags and electronic stability control can boost your child’s odds in an accident and preserve your peace of mind.

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