Put something in your ears that will open your eyes. 3M Programmable Hearing Aids If you wear hearing aids, chances are you would like to hear and understand better. And by coming in for a free demonstration of 3M Programmable Hearing Aids, you may be able to do just that. Because 3M Programmable Hearing Aids aren't like ordinary hearing aids. They contain a tiny computer chip that is programmed by your hearing professional, who adjusts the instrument to fit your individual hearing loss. These adjustments are made within the different sound settings for the listening environments you live with every day. For example, one setting may be geared for the office, another for restaurants, and yet another can help you hear one-on-one conversations. To reach the setting you want, you simply press a single button on the hearing aid. And there are no remote controls to carry. 3M Programmable Hearing Aids automatically adjust incoming sounds within each setting, helping to keep loud sounds more comfortable and 3M Innovation soft sounds easier to hear. And, should your hearing needs ever change, your hearing professional can reprogram them while you wait. Despite what you may have heard, no hearing aid can completely elim- inate background noise or give you the hearing you had as a teenager. But many people can benefit from us- Sandra Prytula ing hearing aids. To find out if 3M M.A. CCGA Programmable Hearing Aids are a Clinical Audiologist smart option for you, make an ap- pointment for a free demonstration. OAKLAND AUDIOLOGY HARMONY BEARING CENTER 950 N. Cass Lake Road, Suite #101, Waterford (810) 683-1700 by Felix Cruz Hearing Aid Specialist AMPLIFYING SOME COMMON TERMS Whether you cup your ear with your hand, use an ear trumpet, or wear a modem hearing instrument, the goals are the same. The pur- pose of each acoustic device is to amplify sound. When hearing instrument dispensers talk about "gain," they are referring to the instrument's ability to amplify sound (as measured in decibels). "Output' (sometimes referred to as "maximum power output") is the loudest sound a hearing instrument is capable of producing, regardless of the strength of the incoming sound. "Frequency response" is the instrument's gain across different frequencies. "Frequency range" refers to how much the instrument can amplify in both the high and low frequencies. No matter how they work, hear- ing aids bring great relief to the mil- lions of people who suffer hearing loss. Please call us at CRUZ HEAR- ING AID SERVICE to see how we can help you. Over 24 million Amer- icans have hearing problems, and most can be helped. If you think you have a hearing problem — or know someone who has —take action now. Please call us today at 424-8450, or come see us at 18899 W. 12 Mile Rd., in Lathrup Village. If you know someone who wears a hearing aid, we also have a wide variety of accessories and batteries. They make great stocking stuffers for this holiday season, and are sure to be appreciated! P.S. Hearing instruments may amplify sounds, but they do not necessarily improve their clarity. Paid for and brought to you as a public service by Felix Cruz 11 • Nursing • Personal Care • JCAHO Accredited • 24 Hour/ 7 Day Per Week Service • Foreign Language & Hearing Impaired Intrepreters Available Registered Nurses (RN) Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Home Health Aide (HHA) Companion/Sitter Abcare's HomeHealth Exchange A Division Of Exchange Services, Inc. 1-800-70-NURSE 353-2200 DONALD E. GALE, D.D.S. DENTURE CENTER HARVARD ROW MALL 21774 WEST 11 MILE RD. SOUTHFIELD, MI 48076 EXTRACTIONS DENTURES & PARTIALS RELINES & REPAIRS QUALITY DENTURES AT AFFORDABLE PRICES 30 YEARS' EXPERIENCE 30% COLOR FILM PROCESSING WHEN YOU JOIN OUR `Better Picture Club." FREE DOUBLE PRINTS, FREE FILM Or 20% Discount Hite Overnight Special 851-6340 6784 Orchard Lake Rd. ( 1St Stoplight South Of Maple ) Open M6n. - Sat. 9AM To 6PM Favorable Ruling For Israel's Gays Jerusalem (JTA) — The High Court of Justice handed Israel's gay community a major victory this week, ruling that a compa- ny must extend the same bene- fits to gay couples that it does to heterosexual couples. In the landmark 50-page deci- sion, the court ordered El Al Airlines to grant the partner of steward Jonathan Danilovitz an annual free ticket and other benefits the company al- ready extends to heterosexual couples. The ruling brought to an end a five-year legal journey that wound through Israel's court sys- tem, reaching the High Court af- ter El Al appealed a labor court ruling in favor of Danilovitz, a na- tive South African. The decision was based on an amendment to Israel's basic law for equal rights in the workplace, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. The High Court ruling drew the ire of Israel's fervently reli- gious political parties. Gay rights activists hailed the decision. Knesset member Shlomo Benizri of the Shag Party said his party views the decision as a chal- lenge to the sacred values of Ju- daism. He added that his party was planning to take steps in the wake of the ruling, but declined to specify what they would be. Gay rights activists hailed the decision, saying it would have far- reaching implications for Israeli society, which is regarded as con- servative when it comes to ho- mosexuality. "I feel this is a major break- through on several levels.' One of the justices explicitly said the decision is based not only on the law itself, but on the principle of equality of all human beings," said Amit Kama, the executive director of the Society for the Pro- tection of Personal Rights. "I believe that as long as our laws and court decisions are tol- erant and liberal and pro-gay, then more and more people and heterosexuals will get rid of ho- mophobia. Homosexuals and les- bians will feel more comfortable to come out in the workplace, to be open about themselves," said Mr. Kama. The ruling held personal sig- nificance for Mr. Kama. He and his partner, a full-time professor at Tel Aviv University, have sued the school to grant Mr. Kama the social benefits given spouses of university employees.