The Lone Star Crescent

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The Lone Star Crescent, July 2008

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COMMUNITY IN PICTURES

YOUTH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE IRVING MASJID (JULY 29, 2008 -IRVING, TX) Youth soccer chapmionship tournament concluded at the Irving in the evening. Total of eight teams participated. Irving Masjid has become a center of youth and community activities with educational, dawah and sports program.

Photoraphs form the day of the finals below:

Champion Team : Abu Bakr Essediq Best Player(M.V.P) : Badees Nouiouat Best Scorer : Al Baraa Saleh Best Behavior : Evan

* CONGRATULATIONS PARENTS OF THE YEAR * Mike and Nia MacKay with daughter Anissa. The couple received Parents of the Year award by the National Parents Day Council of North TX.

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COMMUNITY REPORT

Moroccan Tea Fundraiser

(CAFÉ MARRAKESH -RICHARDSON, TX) “Freedom of religion does not mean anything unless all religions get equal treatment,” said congressional candidate Rain Levy Minns talking to The Lone Star Crescent at a Moroccan Tea fundraiser hosted by Café Marrakesh. “We have not

seen that happened for the Muslim community”, she added. “I feel very strongly that it is absolutely wrong. We need to change things now because our constitution guarantees religious freedom”.

Minns is running for the state senate district 16.

Minn worked as an assistant district attorney for the state and prosecuted nursing home death cases for the state. “I am running for very personal reasons, she said. “The incumbent and the other Republicans took away the state’s ability to protect the elderly”. The fundraiser was attended by about a 100 people. According to an email sent to The Lone Star Crescent, the campaign raised $3,800.

WATCH THE PROGRAMVIDEO ONLINE AT WWW.MYCRESCENT.COM.

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The Lone Star Crescent, August 2008

COMMUNITY REPORT

DFW IMAMS MEET COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN IRVING: COMPLETE VIDEO ON myCRESCENT.com

Masjid Board Shakes Up School Program

(RICHARDSON, TX) The community in general or the parent body was not taken into consideration when the board at Islamic Association of North Texas (IANT) decided on major cut backs at the accredited school, IQA. Ahsan Mohammed who is the president of Peace Academy and now serves as the Interim Chairman of IQA’s Management Committee (IQAMC) said that “we specifically did not inform the parents and people involved before making the decision because they have emotional attachment to the school.”

Ahsan Mohammed and the board insist that dramatic actions such elimination of satellite campus, employee layoffs, reduction in pay and benefits were desperately needed and was done based on research of a committee. However, the board did not submit any study or documentation of their research to the community and The Lone Star Crescent upon request.

According to the slides shown in meetings after the decision, IQA just like any other non-profit has two major sources of revenue; tuition and donations. IANT board has argued that donations should not be considered into income for IQA. IQAMCs with a different opinion resigned in response to the new board’s policy.

“I can raise money for buildings, but do not ask me to raise money for operations”, told Monzer Talib from IANT’s BOT in a heated meeting with the parents. However, he could not provide an answer on how to run the buildings without any finances. IQA managed an estimated 35% of its expenses through community donations. According to Arshad Syed, chairman of IANT’s BOT, the masjid covers about 98% of its operational

expenses via donations.

Board members assured the parents that cutbacks will not affect the quality of education and alim program at the school. When Mathew Moes, the principal, was asked by parents if he agrees; he took the 5th amendment.

IANT’s board’s action has raised some serious concerns on running schools and Islamic centers.

It seems like there was complete failure in terms of communication. Parents, the major stakeholders, were not informed at all about the board’s research and plan. Public and private schools inform the parents and get them involved before any drastic changes are made.

Does the board of a non-profit has the authority to conceal information and show parts of it, or make major decisions without consulting the stakeholders and donors?

The timing of the decision also raises eyebrows. All the major changes were announced during summer break when most of the staff and students was away for vacation.

Questions were raised about conflict of interest. Ahsan Mohammed founded and runs an-

other Islamic school in the same neighborhood.

At least two other board members are from BHA, which is the largest Islamic school in the area.

Is it appropriate to share internal employee and school information with members of competing schools?

IANT’s board with their action introduced a philosophy where non-profits can raise funds only for buildings and infrastructure. With this approach, should the community shut down its masajid, CAIR, ISNA and others?

More than budget, the entire incident points to the need of open and clear communication within the community. In case of a community funded non-profit and school it is of utmost importance that all the relevant information be shared. Some of the responses of the board members to community members echoed past Attorney General’s hearings with comments like “I don’t remember” or “I don’t have it here”. ...............................................................................

IQA MC Interim chairman did not respond to The Lone Star Crescent’s request of providing adhoc committees report. Updates or comments online at www.myCrescent.com.

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COMMUNITY REPORT

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COMMUNITY REPORT

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EDUCATION & RELIEF

Local Charity Works On Educational Development Amoud Foundation was founded in 1998 by concerned Somali expatriates from the northwest Somalia (now Somaliland) to help their communities in the field of basic healthcare, education and the resettlement and rehabilitation of the displaced women and children.

dents. It’s mission is to “provide the basic needs and rights to the children who lost their parents

Since that time, the Foundation has been involved in several education and development projects.

Amoud University & Medical College Amoud University in Borama, Somalia was the 1st university established in Somaliland by Awdal intellectuals, elders and the community-at-large in 1998. The first class consisted of just sixty students. Today, the University graduates a class every year. In addition to paying for use of the facility that houses the school, Amoud Foundation has offers scholarships to needy students at Amoud University, Hargesia University, & Mogadishu University.

Wajir Orphanage (Wajir, Kenya) With the help of the generosity of others, Amoud Foundation has been able to provide financial assistance to the orphanage center at Wajir. Wajir Orphanage in Kenya is the second largest orphanage financially backed by Amoud Foundation.

Recently, $5,000 was sent to aid the school in purchasing much-needed items, including school supplies, books, and computers, for the stu-

Annalena Tonelli, an Italian humanitarian activist

through natural disasters and violent conflicts in the region.” The center currently house fifty children.

Amoud University Faculty of Agriculture and Environment (Borama, Somalia)

Kaalmo Orphanage (Borama, Somalia) The Kaalmo Orphanage is also support by Amoud Foundation, usually assisting in providing for its needs for the children. Like the Wajir orphanage, the orphanage also schools the children as well.

One hundred seventy students currently benefit from the facility.

The Annalena School of Deaf and Blind

Zakat Foundation Offers Help to Flood Disaster Victims More than 40 Families from Cedar Rapids Benefit from Donations

By Carolina Pfister Bridgeview, IL (7/29/08): Zakat Foundation, a charity organization based in Bridgeview, IL, sent an assessment team to Cedar Rapids to survey the damage of the recent floods and to formulate a relief response. On July 26, Zakat Foundation held a community dinner to which over forty families affected by the floods were invited. The dinner was held at the Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids and was catered by a local restaurant. Zakat Foundation Executive Director Khalil Demir delivered a heart-felt speech expressing solidarity with the flood victims. Personalized checks were handed out as immediate monetary aid and clothing donations were welcomed by families who had lost all their personal possessions. The school-aged guests were surprised with the distribution of over fifty backpacks, complete with school supplies. One child was happy and said such a gift made her feel as though “everything will get better.”

In early June 2008, the Midwest of the United States experienced continuous, dense rainfall that inevitably led to river levees breaking and uncontrollable flooding. Cedar Rapids, Iowa is reported to have received the most severe damage. According to the Red Cross, over 4,000 residential homes are designated as uninhabitable, more than 1,000 local businesses and farms have been destroyed and almost 500 non-profit organizations have been affected. Weeks after the initial flooding, thousands of people remain homeless.

Demir noted that, “Almost two months after the initial floods, devastated Cedar Rapids City still resembles a ghost town. Zakat Foundation’s goal is to reach out to these devastated families and to ease their pain. Our relief will continue, God-willing.” Zakat Foundation’s ongoing relief plan for Cedar Rapids includes monetary aid for devastated families as well as funding the reconstruction of the Mother Mosque of America, the oldest mosque established in the western hemisphere.

Donations for emergency relief for Cedar Rapids, Iowa and reconstruction of the Mother Mosque can be made on Zakat Foundation’s website, www.thezakat.org The Zakat Foundation, which has been in operation since November 2001, runs both domestic and international projects, and fosters charitable giving to offer relief, education, and development to those in need.

children.

One hundred and eighty other orphaned and poor students also attend the school.

At the school, the children learn a variety of activities aimed at encouraging selfsufficiency, such as woodworking and sewing. The school has given them these forgotten children the opportunity to be themselves with confidence and achieve their full potential.

and worker, founded the School of Deaf and Blind in Borama, Somalia. Two hundred sixty three students are currently enrolled in the school, including seventy-seven deaf children and six blind

The Faculty of Agriculture and Environment was established in 2005. Amoud Foundation provides financial assistance to the school with the help of donations from the local Muslim community and the wider community at large around the world. The Faculty of Agriculture and Environment is committed to providing its students with high quality education so that they will in turn contribute to the overall developmental opportunities of the country. The faculty currently offers four-year agricultural degrees.

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Kindergarten is a wonderful experience and opportunity for children to finally settle into what’s called: reality. It’s the initiation of accessing greater knowledge, experiencing vast changes, and acquiring multiple responsibilities and roles.

It’s finally time for them to let go of your finger and walk on their own, in a new terrain. Yet it’s not always easy for you, the parent, or her, the kindergartener, to move up that first step in the ladder. Parents have many questions about schooling and how to get through the first phase and in the following we’ll try to address some of the most important ones that regard the transition to Kindergarten.

How do I mentally and physically prepare my child for his first year of school?

Children are initially aware of the idea of school, but they cannot comprehend the physical experience of attending class and fulfilling its obligations. Sudden surprises in the form of routine change are also very difficult for kids to adjust to. Therefore use the months prior to as practice.

Gradually change bedtimes; incorporate a certain time for play and certain time for study. Structure the day as if the child were already going to school; remind them of the changes that are developing in a positive light. For instance, discuss with him about his future opportunity to make new friends and learn new information.

Occasionally give your child a tour of his new school. Have him visit his new class and new teacher. Guide him through the new environment and discuss his new role as a student. This is also a good time to explain precautionary methods by visiting the nurse’s office, explaining crosswalks, and who to talk to when he needs help.

Allow children to gain an acquaintanceship with their teacher, explaining their authoritative significance. Children cannot completely grasp the concept of leaving home and mom until they’ve actually started school, but being informed about the upcoming changes in his life will generate acceptability to the transition.

It’s the night before her first day of kindergarten. What do I do to help her settle in tomorrow?

Children have a very keen sense of a parent’s emotions, especially stress and anxiety. Though she may find the minor alterations in schedule insignificant, your reaction or pre-reaction to an upcoming event will convey the ultimate message of “good” or “bad”. After all, you’ve been her role model this entire time, you are all she knows. So reduce your anxiety first. Don’t reflect your apprehension towards the transitional phase (school years). As the saying goes, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Well if you can’t express a sense of calmness and joy, don’t express the mere opposite either. Rather, spend this time with her to induce more preparation. Invite her to make her school snack and help pick out a nice outfit. Gather the necessary belongings with her for her special day. Allow your child to feel that they are going to be accomplishing something, rather than feeling something horrible and frightening lies ahead.

Remind the child of her new schedule and that once she’s in her class, it will be time for you to leave for a while and for her to spend time with other kids under a different authoritative fig-

GETTING READY FOR MY FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

ure (teacher).

Consider adapting a few activities after school ends, such as the following suggests: - Come home, put away things - Wash up, eat lunch.

- Review what happened at school - Allow play for 1 hour - Return to a form of study (revise what they learned) In a study done by Wilfried Griebel and Renate Niesel (1999), parents also assumed a change in role expectations, once children entered school. ”Parents acted as the school’s agents at home. They tried to give a positive representation of school and the teacher at home to keep the children motivated for working. This is considered to be an important way of preparation for transition to school (ibid, 1999).”

Separation Anxiety. What is it? And does my child have it?

It’s the first day of kindergarten, Aisha walks into class with her son Abdullah and all of a sudden he freezes. Suddenly Aisha’s trying to detach her anxiety-ridden five year old from her leg. All everyone can hear is, “I don’t want to stay, please don’t leave me Momma!”

In an utterly heart-wrenching moment such as this, you’re torn as to whether you made the mistake of thinking he was ready for school.

Well, he definitely is.

Separation anxiety is when a child is in an unknown environment with unknown people and feels very vulnerable. At this point he knows of only one secure place, and that is with his parent. Though not all children go through separation anxiety exactly at this time or in this way, they do cross paths with it, sometime if not many times in their life. Since this is the most visible reaction and at a most crucial transition period, parents should know: it has to be addressed.

Is it normal?

Most definitely. Anxiety is one of the various ways we as humans cope with experiences outside of our comfort zone and to children who are entering the school years, the only comfort they know is with their parents and most likely mom. So entering a new arena without this protective shield will cause great stress for young dependents.

How do I deal with it, especially now that we’re already at school?

When your child reacts this way, don’t leave him to fight the battle on his own just yet. Remain in the classroom with him; if necessary allow him to stay in your lap. Gradually the child will observe and explore his new environment. He will recognize his peers at play and their interaction with the teacher. Soon he’ll remove himself from you (maybe not too far) and begin adjusting on his own. If he’s not playing with others, that’s fine.

Once you see that he’s happily absorbed into an activity (without you), consider discussing your departure with him. If he’s okay with it, relay that his teacher will be his caregiver and that you will return at an allotted time. Remove yourself from the classroom immediately after this.

If he refuses to let you go, stay. It may take more than a day or less than an hour, but when he’s ready to say good-bye, abide by it.

A few don’ts: - Don’t sneak out! It will break his trust in you and increase the anxiety.

- Don’t stay, if he’s okay with you leaving! Trust goes both ways. Trust him to be a bit more independent, even if it’s hard on you. Just as adults, children’s minds allow a small window of opportunity to take the leap. During this transition, he will round-up a bit of courage and tell you to go, but this courage can dissipate just as fast, closing in on this opportunity to be independent. If you stay he may retract to his dependence and make situations worse.

What about my (the parent) feelings?

I’m stressed, upset, and anxious about all these changes.

It’s Sunday night, you’ve prepared her things, put her to bed, and ran a list of all the things you need to do tomorrow, yet you can’t help but feel as if your child’s being taken away from you. Then the guilt rides in for not feeling happier about her first day of school. Are you completely and utterly the worst parent in the world?

Absolutely NOT!!!

Feelings of loss of control, loss of intimacy with the child, anxiety about her independence, and anguish over not knowing what’s happening in her life all the time, are all owed to you.

This transitional phase is not only a significant life-altering event for her, but also a time in your life where you have to learn to let go. And letting go of someone who you’ve cared for constantly and watched over protectively, is down right difficult.

Jerry McClelland, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota, wrote in her own study of mother’s experiences when sending children to kindergarten, “I anguished over his entry into kindergarten because the state, through the school, began to exert a lot of control over him in contrast to the control my husband and I had been able to assert over his care earlier…. I did not like the fact that the kindergarten teacher’s authority could supersede mine under certain conditions (1995).”

Is the way I’m feeling normal?

It couldn’t get more normal than this. As McClelland mentioned above, we give up some of our rights upon our children and allow others to make informed decisions about what they should and shouldn’t know or do. We’ve also been able to protect them from certain negative life experiences that now have an open invitation to be bluntly available and we aren’t there to supervise.

All these years you’ve witnessed each moment in her development and now you won’t be able to experience all her new achievements or help her in every decision. “Children’s independence is scary.”

The absence of children is felt immensely, especially for stay-at-home parents. This feeling is common and should be understood as a way to cope with new changes.

What’s important to also realize is that a parent’s fears and concerns may be attributed to their own childhood experiences. For instance, if you had a traumatic injury during your first year of school, you may fear that your child is in an unsafe envi-

ronment and want to protect her from injuries. At large kids fall, get hurt and get over it and may never have to experience a major injury.

How do I relieve my anxieties and face the facts?

- Allow the unfamiliar to become familiar. Interact with the school and teacher before the school year begins. Educate yourself about the rules and regulations within the school.

- Get involved with your child’s education. Attend school activities and work on school projects with her.

- Know that this separation is a major step in the process of your children growing up.

- Know that the first day will be hard on you.

- Visit the class when you feel the need, by dropping by a few minutes before the end of the day.

- Have consistent dialogue with the teacher about the class and your child.

- Get ready for change in your own routine. Other than different pick-up and drop-off times, family life in general will be converted into a stricter atmosphere, busier schedule and require more effort on your behalf.

What changes should I be expecting in my child as the months go by?

Children usually feel that their experiences of school are very different from what they initially expected. As we mentioned before, children’s idea of school is not specific or concrete. Their vague interpretation of school comes from their inexperience to the actual event.

Once in school, children realize they must do certain things, whereas before they were allowed to do things they wanted themselves, and this change isn’t favored.

Children won’t favor homework as much either, as this ties them to responsibilities that were nonexistent before.

You may also notice more conflict between your kindergartener and younger siblings, because the school-aged child feels that younger ones don’t have as many constraints as they do, therefore act out of jealousy.

Your daughter has now been attending kindergarten for over 5 months. One afternoon, she sits struggling with a project, when you try to help she pushes you away. You might think, “Where is she getting this rude behavior from,” but in fact it’s a sign of independence. Children adapt to trying things on their own at an early age, but during school they no longer have a constant sidekick to hold them up before they fall. .............................................................................., Article by Annie Ghazi

A NEW QUALITY AND INTENSIVE STUDIES HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM. LEARN MORE ABOUT IT ONLINE & WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWW.MYCRESCENT.COM

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OPINION COLUMNS

Communicating Democrats’ Agenda For The ‘Common Good’

By Dr. Schoen All the polls today point to a significant Democratic advantage, both on how the parties are handling the key issues as well as how people will vote on Election Day. Yet, as early November approaches, Democrats would be wise to understand that they are where they are, not because of their efforts, but frankly in spite of them.

The only conclusion we will be able to draw from a big Democratic win is that Americans are not so much embracing Democrats as much as they are rejecting Republicans.

As a Democratic strategist who helped President Bill Clinton fight his way back from the GOP takeover of Congress in 1994, I have been disappointed that the Democrats have not offered a positive and forward looking agenda for America that expresses how in President Clinton’s words they will address the “common good”.

The 2006 Congressional elections thus far are a missed opportunity for Democrats to lay out an agenda for change that both unifies the party and presents them to the electorate as the logical (and acceptable) alterative to what the Republicans are offering America today.

Unfortunately, the Democrats have simply not done a credible job defining who they are or what they stand for. Their rationale today is simply a litany of individual top scoring policy proposals, and not an agenda to move the country forward by addressing the common good.

Some quarters of the Democratic Party are already calling for an ideological agenda should the Democrats win. This unfortunately

isn’t the answer. The Democratic agenda must not tackle ideology. Real results for average people must come first.

The Washington Post ran an article about nine Democrats on the ballot who are all former Republicans. They are running as Democrats, not because they now believe in more progressive policies, but because they are rejecting the Republican policies that put conservative ideology over everything else.

This apparent microcosm is important for Democrats to understand. If they should take control of Congress, the country will begin to turn to them for answers to their pressing everyday problems. People like never before are looking for practical answers and results — and real results will trump ideology.

What’s clear is that it’s not that the ideology of the Bush Administration that the American people reject so much, although in the end I think they do, but what is really causing so many voters dismay is that Republican policies are simply not working for regular people.

And the reason they are not working is that their policies place ideology first while the circumstances of reality come second.

In a recent speech at Georgetown University, Former President Clinton explained the ideology problem Republicans face very clearly.

He stated: “… if you got an ideology, you already got your mind made up, you know all the answers, and that makes evidence irrelevant and argument a waste of time, so you tend to govern by assertion and attack. The problem with that is that dis-

courages thinking and gives you bad results.”

A few months ago, I conducted a poll for the Aspen Institute’s Ideas Festival. My overwhelming finding was that Americans are not just hurting economically, but that they are losing hope in our economy and country itself.

61 percent of Americans don’t believe they are living the American Dream at all and of that group, 62 percent don’t believe they will ever reach it in their lifetime. This means that currently almost 2 in every 5 Americans have lost all hope that they will one day experience the economic promise of this country.

What is causing this loss of confidence?

It mostly stems from the fact that Americans are finding life as we know it is to be too expensive.

Healthcare is unaffordable; a college education is now harder and harder to afford; basic needs like housing, utilities and childcare are more and more expensive; and people are forced to rely more on individual pensions than ever before.

In order for Democrats to fully benefit politically from Republican failures and begin to position themselves for success in 2008, their Common Good agenda must address these matters and move away from the pie-in-the-sky political rhetoric that promises healthcare and college for all. The consensus in the minds of the public is to move away from policies that seek to redistribute wealth and pursue market based solutions instead.

This agenda must seek out centrist common-ground solutions that will improve and better people’s everyday lives. The agenda must

emphasize consensus and cooperation as a way to achieve results for everybody.

Should the Democrats win; the first 100 days of the new Congress will be a defining and critical moment for them to showcase this agenda for the country.

Failure to do so will damage their ability to shape public policy and lock in Independent swing voters for the 2008 contests. Without a centrist common good agenda, public sentiment can swing back to the Republicans in 2008 as the electorate remains fiscally and socially conservative. ...............................................................................

Author: Dr. Schoen is was named “Pollster of the Year” by the American Association of Political Consultants for work on President Bill Clinton ‘s 1996 campaign. He is the author of the new book “The Power of the Vote.” Visit PoweroftheVote. com for more information.

COMMENTS?

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OPINION COLUMNS

Behind All The Glitter

By Z.M. Dubai, the Las Vegas of the Middle East - the financial hub of the desert has a lot more than just glitz and glamour to offer.

There is a high chance you may have heard of Dubai many times in the past couple of years thanks to its Ruler’s ambitious ‘up for grabs’ vision which has opened doors to foreign investors from all across the globe. The second largest Emirate (commonly mistaken for a country) is a tiny sheikhdom located in the eastern Arabian Peninsula boasting stupefying luxury hotels, a jungle of astonishing commercial and residential structures, soon to be the world’s tallest building, and bewildered profligates in colossal shopping malls in addition to other awe-inspiring projects worth billions. Dubai

has transformed from the land of the Bedouins to a land of opportunities something quite similar to the deluded American Dream ideology that exalts fame, quest for success and power.

Contrary to popular belief, Dubai is NOT the leading oil producer of the UAE as its current oil revenues account for less than 6 percent of the Emirate’s multi-billion dollar economy which is largely backed by extravagant real estate projects. It is believed that Dubai’s oil contribution of merely 2 percent of the entire UAE’s oil production has decreased significantly which is expected to be tuckered out in less than two decades. This explains the strong focus towards the highly saturated real estate sector and the much hyped tourism industry.

A hot new Mecca for tourists, Dubai is guilty of countless number of human rights violations. Exploitation of labor, human trafficking for Dubai’s thriving night life, employment discrimination and a severe lack of justice are just a few of the crimes encouraged by this world renowned aspiring cosmopolitan city.

Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that ‘all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood’. Also referred

to as the basic freedom to which all humans are entitled, human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought, expression, social, cultural and economic rights, and equality of law.

One only needs to open the job appointments pages in the local newspapers to see the open discrimination and racism this Persian Gulf Emirate is guilty of encouraging.

“Wanted: Male, US/UK/Australian national, western educated, aged between 27 – 35…”

Behind all that glitter are around half a million systematically abused and cheated construction workers who according to Human Rights Watch live in inhumane conditions in return for virtual slave wages (approximately US$ 1 an hour) while the emirate’s absolute monarch (a multi-billionaire) spends over US$ 70 million on horses in a matter of two days. The real gold behind the world class skyscrapers are workers who are predominately from poverty ridden nations (i.e. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) working 12 hours a day, six days a week with months without pay. A flawless system has been designed to discourage any disheartened runaways. Workers’ passports are withheld and the employers deliberately keep the pays in arrears all with a supportive government which recognizes unionizing as an illegal act in the country. While hundreds of these expatriates die due to hazardous work environments and less than shanty liv-

ing conditions, it is needless to say that peaceful protests of any kind are also prohibited by law.

Another endemic problem of this part of the Gulf is human trafficking which sweeps away thousands of lives each year. Women essentially from Armenia, Poland, Russia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are purchased like goats to be used for high profits in the palmy sex trade of Dubai. Lured into the bright lights of Dubai, innocent women are promised a better life. Their bubble bursts as soon as their airplane lands in Dubai. Their passports are confiscated. They are sold to local pimps and are hurried into working the streets without further delay. Another life destroyed; another family gone down the drain.

One only needs to open the job appointments pages in the local newspapers to see the open discrimination and racism this Persian Gulf Emirate is guilty of encouraging. “Wanted:

Male, US/UK/Australian national, western educated, aged between 27 – 35…” According to a published report, some recruitment agencies admit discarding certain nationalities irrespective of their qualifications. Fed up of the dry spell, a British Asian changed his Eastern sounding name to a more western one which prompted calls from all sorts of recruitment agencies.

Since the country’s independence from the colonialists in 1971, the United Arab Emirates has come a long way. From sand town to boom town as one investigative reporter puts it, Dubai has most definitely put itself on the map.

Micro-financing is not something new to the ruler of Dubai who takes sole credit and much pride and interest in bringing the brand name Dubai to a whole new level. My humble advice to him would be to garner his attention and solemn efforts towards establishing justice in the confinements of his authority. It is basic knowledge that the construction of justice is beyond reach unless and until the goal of human rights for everyone who comes into this world is realized.

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NEWSLINE

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COMMUNITY PROJECT

MuslimCalendar.com New Look, Better Features

By Zaid Shakur Launched over 7 years ago, muslim-calendar.com (MC for short) is becoming a leader in the world of Islamic information websites, rivaling long established favorites. But will the community it serves be able to keep up?

The late 1990’s marked the rise of a whole slew of Islamic information websites, starting with IslamOnline and the launch of Saudi based IslamicFinder. In 1998, IslamiCity debuted and quickly skyrocketed into the top 100,000 websites in the world, reaching 114,000 Muslim households each month in the US alone. Ten years later the number of Islamic information websites has multiplied. Today you can download Qur’an, ask a scholar, listen to lectures, search ahadith, take an online class in jurisprudence, locate a mosque anywhere in the world, upload Islamic videos--and even find a spouse.

The vast majority of Islamic resource

ings of Alexa.com, MC has yet to break into the “top 100, 000 club”, but its’ name recognition is steadily increasing thanks to a slick marketing strategy and a surge in internet chatter about the sites latest updates and expanding functionality.

The concept of a universal calendar

sites deal with the dissemination of Islamic jurisprudence, international news or daw’ah information. But a number of websites, especially the more frequented ones, combine all three. All of them cater to an apparently ever-increasing thirst for information about Islam and Muslims.

Muslim Calendar (www.muslim-calendar.com) in particular has become one of the most popular sites in cyberspace and the first on the World Wide Web to provide a comprehensive monthly listing of all the Islamic events and social activities in cities thoughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. It is quickly carving its own niche as an invaluable scheduling and publicity tool for mosques, organizations and individuals. Subsequently it is proving to be an advertising gold mine for businesses targeting an affluent Muslim population.

Though, according to the web rank-

Muslim Calendar operates as a non-profit entity and was founded in Dallas, Texas in 2001, the brainchild of Moazzam Ahmed, a PakistaniAmerican, computer wiz and University of Texas (Austin) graduate.

“As a newcomer to Dallas I wanted to find out what was happening in my area, as well as around the country and found myself having to go back and forth between different local and national organizations’ websites, which incidentally weren’t regularly updated. So I took the initiative to create something that I envisioned as a giant, single repository of events for Muslims throughout the city.”

T h e initial site that Ahmed developed was a simple ‘meat and potatoes’ site with limited functionality, but capable of maintaining the varying schedules of Dallas’ numerous Mosques and Islamic organizations. When he undertook the footwork of approaching the responsible individuals in the community to introduce his idea, there was naturally a lot of excitement.

“A few of the prominent members of the community, a couple of the main lecturers, were amazed. They were like ‘We’ve been trying to figure out how to do this for a long time and you just did it’. I actually didn’t talk to a lot of people before hand. I just did it” says Ahmed.

Though his initiative was justified by praise from Dallas’ Muslim residents, there were problems. Muslim Calendars first version turned out to be less than completely user-friendly as it was intended to be used primarily by Ahmed himself to add events and maintain the site, with the help of a few of his tech-savvy friends. But that effectively neglected the “uncle who volunteered at the mosque” or the “sister who donated her time to the women’s group”---each an invaluable reference point for community activities. To make matters worse, when the MC team became overwhelmed with requests to add items to the calendar, it was apparent that Mosque board members and organizational directors were generally too busy and uninterested in learning to navigate the early web page.

Ahmed and his crew returned to the drawing board and refined MC’s user-friendliness—and in a stroke of creative brilliance, added the ability for cities around the world to add themselves and start their own calendars. Soon Seattle, San Francisco and several communities in Florida jumped on the scheduling bandwagon.

Presently 50 of the heaviest Muslim-populated cities in North America have added themselves or been added by Ahmed, enjoying easy, largescale publicity with the previously unheard of ability to avoid scheduling conflicts with other organizations’events.

Unveiling the product

Website functionality is usually the benchmark that separates the mediocre from the mega-successful in cyper-space. With the mission of becoming a global calendrical force, seasoned web developers Chris Shrage and Adeel Aslam joined together with Ahmed to create a technical ‘dream team’ for the purpose of pushing MC’s user-interphase capabilities to the next level.

In July, Muslim Calendar unveiled the results of this collaboration with a decidedly smarter website and enhanced scheduling features.

How MC Works?

Organizations and individuals first sign-up to the site by inputting their email address and choosing a unique password and can then browse local happenings in their own or other areas and by clicking the ‘add event’ icon, can include new events of interest to the community. Organizations can place a mini version of the MC calendar on their website as a convenience for their members. What is also groundbreaking is that users can design personal calendars for themselves using the MC functions--calendars that can be shared with anyone the user desires.”

On the horizon MC is planning to include event ratings, event reports, a speakers bureau—and of course, forums.

“This is something that is very, very much needed,’ admits Daud Idris Abdul-Salam, an event seeker who resides in El Cajon, California. “I think that since technology is here, it’s good to use in any positive way we can to link people together. I think MC is a good way.”

Success or failure The test for MC’s continued growth and relevance will be whether or not a utility that derives its usefulness only in proportion to the consistency of community engagement is able to survive. In a Catch-22 scenario, people will only log into the site if enough events are added and updated regularly, but events can only be added and updated regularly if people log into the site. Needless to say, MC is hoping that community leaders, board members and activists from all areas will jump on board---and remain.

“It’s a daunting task,” says Atlanta based activist Rawah Hassan, “But it’s good to have the whole community on the same page.”

But as useful as the site may be to average Muslims, its sure to be a bonanza for advertisers hoping to pedal Islamic products and services to a buying market that has been traditionally under-served. And since donations to the non-profit MC are few and far between, advertisers may be the only cash source to keep it afloat. Still yet, there are rumors that, like Zabihah.com before it, MC may soon enter the world of for-profit business. In any case, with the new ease of usage and added features, Muslim Calendar is poised on the brink of what some believe will be a phenomenal growth spurt driving the site into the strata of Islamonline.net… and perhaps even MySpace.

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The Lone Star Crescent, August 2008

SHOPPING & GADGETS

TOP #1 Fire Proof File Cabinet: Critique of Nonflammable and Protected File Cabinet Options

THIS MONTH MO

By Trevor Price

Audery Okaneko’s book review A fire proof file cabinet offers the security of protecting your important documents in the event of a home or office fire. However, not all models are created equal - depending on the make, model and design, you may only be offered a limited amount of fire protection. For a brief review of some of the most popular fire safe and fire proof filing cabinets on the market today, keep reading.

The Sentry Fire-Safe Stackable What makes the Sentry Fire-Safe Professional Stackable file cabinet stand out from other fireproof cabinets is that it’s a stackable and modular design, which is, subsequently, more lightweight and portable than larger, heavier models. One Sentry unit can be easily lifted and carried during a fire, while the stackable design allows you to expand your filing storage as your need for capacity grows. The Sentry brand fire proof file cabinet may only retail for an average $200 per modular unit, but that low price comes with its own price. The Sentry only offers 30 minutes of protection, meaning that while it may be suitable for home use, it doesn’t offer the industrial protection required by many larger offices.

Schwab Corporation 5000 Series Vertical Fire Files With a UL Class 350 rating and 2 hours of 1640 degree fire protection, the Schwab 5000 vertical, 4-drawer filing cabinet represents one of the best fire-safe solutions on the market today. There is also sufficient storage for hundreds of files alongside peripheral data storage and key information backups.

The Schwab 5000 Series fire safe filing cabinet is loaded with features like a secure locking system, thorough explosion testing and certification that the cabinet can withstand a drop from as high as 30 feet. However, with these stellar features and long-term fire protection comes a hefty price tag of just over $3000, putting the Schwab out of reach for most consumers.

Fire King 2-Drawer File Cabinet Fire King’s 2-drawer file cabinet is probably the best choice for the home who wants the one-hour protection offered by higher-end models. The cabinet is tested up to 1700 degrees - 2000 degrees for an explosion an impact rating of 30-feet. And, it costs under a thousand dollars (typithe Fire King fire proof file cabinet is if it’s ever used in a fire and incurs Fire King International will replace the cabinet for free. It also comes About the Author For insightful information on home furniture options, see furniturehometips. as a resin wicker outdoor furniture, computer office desks, and many more!

consumer compact - and has cally retails for around $850). One key benefit of any damage while protecting your documents, with a 3-year warranty. com, a popular site about handy furnishing pieces, such

The Nokia 1200

By Abdul Halim Cell phone is very important device to us. Though some of us are already using this product as a fashion but still now many low income based people are finding a used/old model one to communicate with their family members, friends and relatives. So this article can help those who are trying to get a cell phone by paying little money.

Are you looking for a cheap cell phone for random use? Then you can try Nokia1200 I am using it myself. It’s very light, size is small, out looking is attractive. Who’s of you do not use watch, it can help them to see time. There’s a big font watch in display as a default screen saver. Most important advantage of this phone is battery performance. I can use until 4days by charging once. It’s varying on talking time. Its sound quality is fantastic. It is antenna less phone so you can keep it in your pocket.

Those of you don’t like to spend lot of money for mobile phone or who has no ability to buy expensive one then it’s good news for them to buy a cheap one right now. Price is US$ 40 only. You can buy it from online shop. Though it is a low priced phone but there is a lot of function inside this phone. such as Calculator, Converter, Calendar, Stopwatch, Composer, Chinese lunar calendar, Flash light, Demo, Reminder, Alarm clock, Vibrator etc. By using composer option you can compose your own ring tone. To get yours visit this link: http://groups.google.com/group/cellpc?=hl=en About the Author Internet marketer, cell phone merchant and writer.

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR PRODUCTS HERE? Call (214) 306-7920 or email to ads@myCrescent.com

I loved this book. It is a very quick and easy read. I read it in under an hour, cover to cover. The book contained many valuable lessons on management. The authors use one minute as their base. You really don’t need more than a minute to explain what needs to be done. The authors actually encourage a manager to find a way to be able to explain what needs to be done in less than one minute.

When a mistake is made, the same is true. You don’t need more than one minute to explain where the error is and how to fix it. No one likes to be told they’ve made a mistake, so to be able to let someone know in under a minute is actually a gift to them.

When praising a job well done, yet again, one minute is plenty of time to say “you’ve done a super job, I really appreciate the time you spent on this project”. The author explains how to effectively use your one minute to accomplish your task of explanation, praise or reprimand.

Being a parent, many of these principals and teachings can be applied to parenting. We should be able to tell our children what needs to be done in less than one minute, explain something they should not have done in less than one minute and praise a great job, yet again in less than one minute.

A good quick read and the book earned its place on my shelf with the “to be read again” stack.

Article by: Audrey Okaneko has worked at home since 1983.

She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at www.recipe-barn.com

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The Lone Star Crescent, August 2008

REAL ESTATE

Tips for Keeping Your Kitchen Safe

By Crazy Cabinet Guy From a food preparation area and dining room to paying bills, the kitchen is the center of activity for today’s family. Unfortunately, the kitchen can also has the most hazards of any room in the house- some obvious and some less obvious. Below is a list of some general rules of thumb to help ensure a safer kitchen.

Regulate water temperatures. This is particularly important if you are going to have children using the faucets in the kitchen. Install faucets with anti-scald devices that prevent water temperature from rising to dangerous levels, or buy pressure-balanced valves that equalize hot and cold water. Faucets are also available that can be pre-programmed to your desired temperature setting.

Think about traffic flow. If your kitchen is anything like mine, there will be a lot of foot traffic flowing through your kitchen. With that in mind, it is important place key appliances in areas where that foot traffic will not interfere with your cooking. Locate microwaves conveniently above the floor to avoid reaching to retrieve food. Slideout trays and bins in base cabinets make storage items more accessible and eliminate bending.

Avoid putting a range near an entrance or exit.

And lastly, avoid sharp corners on the ends of countertops, especially islands and peninsulas, by having them rounded.

Use proper lighting. Good general lighting, supplemented with proper task lighting that’s clearly focused on a work surface, can greatly decrease your chance of injury while preparing a meal. Also, the lighting should not produce any glare or shadows on the surface.

Keep a fire extinguisher within reach.

While it is best to have a fire extinguisher within plain site, it is not always going to fit in with your decor. If that is not an option, keep it under the sink or in a pantry that is easily accessible from every point in the room. Never store an extinguisher near or under a cooktop or range. If a fire is to occur, those areas will likely be the cause and make an extinguisher stored in that area unreachable.

Find a safe cooktop. Avoid being scalded by steam from a boiling pot by staggering burners on your cooktop or have one straight row of burners. Choose a unit with controls along the side or in the front. When children are around, it is also important to install knob guards on the stove to prevent a child from accidentally turning on a burner and severely burning themselves, or even

worse.

Use slip-resistant flooring. The dangers of slipping and falling, especially when you may be carrying hot food, is pretty obvious. A slip-resistant material on your floor, such as matte-finished wood or laminate, textured vinyl or a soft-glazed ceramic tile, will do the trick. If you select tile or another smooth surface, try using a throw rug with a non-skid backing as an added precaution, especially around areas that get wet.

Keep electrical switches, plugs and lighting fixtures away from water sources and wet hands. Building codes require that every electrical receptacle be grounded and protected with ground-fault circuit interrupters, which shut off the room’s electric current if there is a power surge or moisture is present.

The codes vary from state to state and in some cases, city to city, so it is important to consult a professional if you are not 100% sure of the building codes. There are many free resources out there that can guide you through some of the industry standards if you do a quick search on the internet.

About the Author For more kitchen cabinet articles and kitchen cabinet facts, check out www.rtacabinetstore.com.

This is also a great resource for finding kitchen cabinets at 30-40% below retail prices.

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The Lone Star Crescent, August 2008

REAL ESTATE

Fix Leaky Shower Faucet - Easy and Fast

By Yoga Priyakara “Fix leaky shower faucet in a jiffy”, screamed the eyeball grabbing title of an article on the Internet. Now before you dismiss this as utter drivel, look beyond the hyperbolic headlines, and listen to what the experts have to say. Fixing that leaky shower faucet in your bathroom, and that too without any professional assistance, is not that prosperous a proposal.

All it takes is a few very functional tools, a modicum of your time and a hard-to-torpedo attitude, and your leaky faucet becomes a thing of the past.

End To That Niggling Problem Here’s a tenuous contention that displays the traditional proclivity to raise the hackles. But before your temper assumes rampaging dimensions, take a look at how you can put an end to your consternation: - Cut off the water supply to the shower faucet, either in the bathroom or in the main cut off valve in the basement.

- Open the faucet to drain the water in it completely.

- Get to the root of the problem by removing the faucet handle screw, located underneath the snap

ISLAMIC SCHOOL OF IRVING on cover, with the help of a knife or screwdriver. This is achieved by turning the screw clockwise.

- It’s now time for the faucet handle to come off. At times, a slightly recalcitrant handle may be stuck to the stem, and comes out only after a few knocks with a hammer handle.

- Look for the rubber gasket inside, and inspect its condition. In case it coats your hand with a black deposit, it’s time to abandon it for a brand new one.

Place the new ring flat inside the shower head assembly. It’s important to make sure that it fits perfectly.

- Re-tighten the handle, without the use of too much force. Similarly, thread the shower head into its designated place.

The Moment You’ve Waited For It’s now time to turn on the water and see if you

An Accredited College Preparatory School

ISI is seeking a few dedicated individuals to prepare our next generation to be: • Committed balanced Muslims • Knowledgeable scholars • Contributing citizens and community builders deserve a pat on the back. But what if things don’t pan out the way you planned? Relax; just unscrew the shower head, re screw it, and tighten the handle a little more. If it’s still as intractable as before, call a professional to bail you out. ...............................................................................

Did you know that stopping a leaky shower faucet can be easy? Learn online at www.

SpicyKitchens.com

Which Came First, the Architect Or the Contractor?

By Sean M. O’Hara I had a conversation with a potential client today and he asked me whether it is better to hire the contractor and use their architect or to hire the architect directly. We do work for clients and we do work for contractors so I can see both sides of this one.

Generally speaking, I would advocate that our residential clients hire the architect directly rather hiring them through another party.

Clients who need an advocate and someone with experience can really benefit from having an architect working directly for them. We have to respect who holds the contract with us, if it is the owner we work for the owner, if it is the contractor we work for the contractor.

There are quite a few delivery methods for getting projects built (a subject for several more posts) but many people prefer the old design-bid-build format. Competitive bidding re-

NOW HIRING

quires that you have a complete set of plans and basically necessitates hiring the architect yourself on the front end.

Sometimes clients decide to switch contractors during the design process or after prices come back. If they’ve hired us, we just switch, if we are working for the contractor it can be messier.

There are some cases where the project needs to be fast tracked and that is an area where hiring the contractor to deliver a project with design build may be a faster solution. The contractor can fix a price and needs less than a finished set to get started. Some contractors have the ability to bundle the architectural fees into their overhead and save on total fee, that’s another place to consider hiring their architect. They may also have the ability to cut down on fees out of pocket that could be rolled into the construction loan.

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER WANTED

Finally, it is important that if you use the contractor for your architectural drawings you need to make sure who is actually doing the work.

There are many examples of home builders that will have someone on staff draft up a plan and then they have an architect stamp it, where you might be paying enough to have an architect do the entire design. Technically it is against state statutes for an architect or engineer to stamp work where they didn’t supervise it but it happens.

Please give us a call if you’re in this dilemma or have related questions about the process. ...............................................................................

Author: Sean M. O’Hara, AIA, LEED AP is a registered architect and an owner of EVstudio. EVstudio is an architecture and planning firm with offices in Denver and Evergreen, Colorado and projects throughout the United States. For more information or to hire an architect for your next project visit www.evstudio.us and www. evstudio.info

Muslim community’s local paper, The Lone Star Crescent is seeking independent advertising sales manager in the Greater Dallas area. The candidate is responsible for acquiring new business account and advertisements for the paper and promote display and retail advertising. Job duties include sales to new accounts, managing current clients, up-sell and cross-sell our services. Ideal candidate should be familiar with the market and this region. He/She MUST have previous experience in outside sales and client account management. An understanding of media and advertising is required. Compensation is based on generous commission plus performance bonus. Candidate is required to work from home, but expected to meet sales quota monthly.

If you are qualified for the job, apply in confidence by emailing your resume to info@myCrescent.com. Write “ad sales manager” in the subject line. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

Positions available for the academic Year 2008 - 2009: Lead Islamic Studies & Quran Teacher Librarian Elementary Grades Arabic Teacher Early childhood Islamic Studies/ Quran/ Arabic Teacher Elementary Homeroom Teachers Early Childhood Teachers Technology Teacher for Middle/High School Physical Education Teacher for Boys High and Middle School Subject Teachers Lead High School Teacher

Besides highly competitive wages, ISI offers the following benefits: Signing Bonus for qualified applicants Health Insurance 50% Discount on children’s tuition Performance based yearly increments and bonuses Personal and Sick Days Off Paid National and Islamic Holidays Educational Reimbursement Professional Training and Development.

For more information please visit below links: ISI Job Brochure: http://school.irvingmasjid.org/ pdf/isi_job_brochure06.pdf Careers at ISI for detailed job requirements: http://school.irvingmasjid.org/Careers.aspx Islamic School Of Irving, 2555 N. Esters Rd. Irving, TX 75062.

Phone: 972-812-2220 Fax: 972-812-2221 http://school.irvingmasjid.org Email: careerisi@irvingmasjid.org

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The Lone Star Crescent, July 2008

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THESE RIDES

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The Lone Star Crescent, August 2008

DRIVE SAFELY

A Look at the Volvo V50

By John Eva

Volvo continues its reputation as the king of sports wagons manufacturers with the Volvo V50, an S40 reincarnated as an upscale wagon. The wagons of day are a far cry from Volvo wagons of the past which may be remembered with disdain. Today’s sporty wagons feature lots of interior space and plenty of top of the line safety features. The 2008 Volvo V50 is one of these new-era wagons.

The V50 has not undergone any huge changes, the front and rear body has been slightly reshaped, looking a little less boxy. The grill and rear bumper have been tweaked just a little as well to produce a more refined look.

The center console in the interior now accepts an audio jack and provides more storage space which was greatly lacking before. The handbrake in the console has also been redesigned. The trademark Swedish minimalist design still remains, but an optional trim called Nordic Light Oak, is available for the interior. Cargo capacity is 27.4 cubic ft. When the rear 60/40 seat is folded down the capacity increases to 62.9 cubic feet.

The T5 model engine is more powerful than previous models due to a nine horsepower upgrade.

The engine also achieves 30 mpg highway fuel efficiency. The 2.4i gets an estimated 22 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway. The T5 AWD gets 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. Enthusiastic drivers may want to choose the turbocharged engine of the T5, it gets almost the same fuel economy as the 2.4i. The handling is smart and fun with either the sport tuned or standard suspensions.

The Volvo V50 gets better gas mileage than its rivals such as the Acura RDX or Mazda CX-7 small SUVs. The V50 has more cargo space than its compact wagons competitor, the Audi A4

Avant, but it has a little less than the Saab 9-3 SportCombi.

There are three different trim levels in the 2008 Volvo V50, the 2.4i, the T5, and the T5 AWD. Features of the 2.4i V50 include a 168 hp 2.4-litre, 5 cylinder engine. The T5, also front wheel drive, has a 227hp 2.5-litre turbocharged 5 cylinder engine. Both of these engines come standard as five speed automatic, adaptive Geartronic transmissions.

The T5 also is available as all-wheel drive. The well known Volvo safety features include all-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability control, side curtain and side impact airbags.

The 2.4i comes with standard 16” alloy wheels, tilt-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, T-Tec cloth upholstery, eight-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, full power accessories, manual climate control, and a 6 speaker Dolby audio system with CD player and aux. audio jack. The T5 features more fog lamps, automatic climate control, 8-way power driver seat, aluminum trim, trip computer, 8 speaker sound system with in-dash CD changer and a satellite radio. Of course the T5 AWD features all wheel drive as well.

The T5 can be upgraded with a navigation system, active bi-xenon headlamps, and keyless ignition. Extra options for the V50 come in different packages. The Select Package for the

2.4i consists of power driver seat, sunroof, 17” wheels, fog lights, Nordic Light Oak wood or aluminum trim, upgraded sound system, and leather gearshift knob. Leather upholstery is also available for the 2.4i. The Premium Package adds the 17” wheels, leather upholstery, sunroof, driver seat memory, and powered passenger seat, autodimming mirror with a compass and Homelink.

Author: Written on behalf of Total Fleet Services Van & Car Leasing

What Should You Look Out For When Getting Teen Auto

Insurance?

By Kian Chew Chong

There are many things you should think about when you are purchasing teen auto insurance.

Many things you should think about are pay-

ing annually, the type of car your teen is driving, adding a named driver, and more.

Finding cheap auto insurance can be difficult. So your teenager finally got their driver’s license and you now need to find them good insurance. There is a Pass Plus exam that is offered right now.

The Pass Plus is an intensive driver’s training course that is aimed at teens and new drivers becoming better drivers. When a teenager passes this exam you will automatically receive a 35% discount on your auto insurance. This is a big deal because teenagers are very expensive to put on your insurance.

The car your teenager drives will make a big difference to what your premiums are for them also. You can find the lists on the Internet which cars are the most expensive to insure and which cars are the cheapest to insure. If the car is not on the highest stolen list then it will be cheaper to insure for your teen. The theory is that the cheaper the car is then the cheaper the teen auto insurance will be.

Although you are looking for cheap auto insurance you also need to realize you must

have the appropriate coverage for your child. Statistics show that teenagers have more accidents than adults because they have less experience driving. This is a proven fact. If your child is in an accident you should be sure that your insurance will cover the damages your teen may have done to the other vehicle. You don’t want to have an insurance claim that you cannot afford to pay and your insurance didn’t cover. Be sure of all of the coverage you have opted for your child. Don’t be looking for only the cheapest because this might put you in a bad position.

If you have a teenage daughter then you are in a little bit of luck. It is proven that girls and women get in less accidents then teenage boys and men. Because of this statistic, females are cheaper to insure. However, just because of the gender doesn’t mean that the insurance will remain at a low rate.

Maintaining a low auto insurance rate for your teenager also means that they are driving without being pulled over for traffic violations.

The first ticket is usually a freebie and your teenager will be sent to defensive driving school. That is of course if the violation is something simple like speeding. Your rates will begin to drop every six months as your child drives without any tick-

ets on their license. If your teenager begins to get tickets and pulled over then your insurance rates will begin to increase and you may not be able to afford to insure them.

When you are looking for cheap auto insurance for your teenager you need to think about many things. Consider the type of car your teenager will be driving and be sure your teenager is driving responsibly not getting pulled over.

About The Author: Kian Chew is a car insurance expert and owner of Car Insurance Hot Zone. Car Insurance Hot Zone helps those who wish to lower their car insurance cost for life by using a few basic rules and some strategies which few people know. You can instantly view the secrets by visiting http://www.CarInsuranceHotZone.com

MORE AUTO ONLINE >>> www.myCrescent.com