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Like millions of others, you may have thought of some resolutions for 2012. But it is important to think “Year Round.” Nothing big gets accomplished in one day. Resolutions are set in one day, but accomplished with a hundred tiny steps that happen throughout the year. New Year’s resolutions should be nothing more than a starting point. You must develop a ritual or habit for revisiting your plan. We are listing few random, popular, and useful resolutions that you may adopt in 2012. MAXIMIZE YOUR BUDGET Know what you have, look at what you have, and keep track of what you have. Track your budget. Use tools such as MS Excel. One of the easiest ways to save money is to not spend it in the first place. Take the time to comparisonshop. Become aware of the stuff that you regulary buy; and shop at the store that

has the cheaper price. Buy seasonally. It is not important whether kids’ clothes are in style. So buy sweaters at the start or end of the season, when they’re heavily marked down. When it comes to food, buy only fruits and vegetables that are in season and therefore cheaper. PLAN TO LAND THAT DREAM JOB Position yourself as THE expert. Manage a blog and make sure to use social media to promote it. Try networking online and offline. Go networking -- so instead of running after jobs, let the jobs find you. If you are going to an interview, make sure to bring questions. Great and thoughtful questions! Always follow up with a thank you. Why not start your own business. You will land a job and may create work for others in the process. USE THE STAIRS Forget those annual gym membership contracts. You know that you will sign up and won’t be able to go regularly. So what can you do for a healthier lifestyle? Try incorporating more physical activity into your every day. Use common sense and do little things like take the stairs instead of the elevator. >>> Coninues on page 04

Where Did New Years Resolutions Come From? BY MICHAEL CLAYTON On the 1st of January, millions of people around the globe start working on New Years resolutions. Chances are you have tried them yourself in one way or another. They are one of the fun things about the New Year. But have you ever wondered where they came from? Who first started setting New Years Resolutions? Well, here is a brief history of the origins of the New Years resolution for you: The Babylonians The first recorded New Years resolutions were made by the Babylonians around 4000 years ago. Most commonly, it revolved around returning any borrowed farm equipment, as their New Year coincided with the start of their farming season. The Romans Not long after, the Romans would start the new year by counting the stock of the previous year and setting a goal to accomplish more in the coming year. It was not just western countries that set resolutions either. The Chinese The Chinese set a special New Years resolu-

tion - house cleaning. Most people nowadays would relate this to Spring-Cleaning. At the coming of the New Year, the Chinese would clean their house from top to bottom. What a great way to start the year, with a beautiful clean house! The Modern World Today we still set New Years resolutions, and try to achieve them. They are almost always based around self-improvement resolutions and goals. They are a way to mark the beginning of changes in our habits and lifestyle. The most common resolutions include losing weight, quitting smoking and/ or drinking, and improving your finances. As mentioned earlier, millions of people make these resolutions but unfortunately only 10% ever manage to achieve them. It is a sad fact, but many of these resolutions do not even last longer than a few weeks. By July, most have been completely forgotten and no real progress against the resolution has been made. It is amazing what such a long history the New Years resolution has had. You may be thinking of creating on yourself this coming New Year. And why not? It is a tradition practiced around the entire globe. Above all though, we should remember that the most important aspect of a New Years resolution is to take action and stick to it.

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2012 POPULAR RESOLUTIONS FROM PAGE 01 From page 01 >> Walk to your neighborhood store instead of taking the car. These habits will have a much better impact on your overall health and lifestyle than a gym membership. SLEEP 8 HOURS A NIGHT Want to make a difference in this world? Then getting proper sleep is as important as getting off your butt. Studies have confirmed that you really do need to sleep at least 8 hours a night. Adequate sleep makes you feel better, decreases risk for cardiovascular disease, boosts memory and reduces the likelihood of being in a car accident. MIND THAT CELL PHONE What’s the big deal if you won’t respond to a text message right away. That phone call or text can probably wait until you’re done; it will also make your face-to-face time more valuable and productive. Live a little with people around you. Even when you are alone, it is a great idea to turn off all connections. DRINK MORE WATER Commercials will tell you miracles that juices do for you. But the fact remains that there is nothing in the world like water. No matter where you are, water should always be the first thing you reach for when you’re thirsty. Water truly is essential. In 2012, add more water to your life. GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Want to experience life to the fullest? Then you need to get out of your comfort zone. Comfort zones are different for y’all. May be it is reading a book, or turning off facebook, running an extra mile, or socializing outside of your circle. Whatever your comfort zone may be, try to leave it, one baby step at a time. You will learn more and have a lot more fun.

QUIT SMOKING This one is a no brainer. Nothing good comes out of smoking. Bad for your health and bad for your wallet. If you’re having trouble quitting, start smoking less today -smoke only half a cigarette, and skip as many of your usual smokes as you can -and get help right away. There are tons of resources online and offline to help you quit. DIET FOOD IS SO LAST DECADE Unless you are on a special diet for medical reasons, try eating healthy instead. For example, if you’re a perennial breakfastskipper, try giving yourself few extra minutes each morning to eat. Avoid processed junk food at ALL times. Go for natural stuff such as fruits, vegetables, and home cooked meals. Eat every four hours or so, and make sure to eat a “second lunch” rather than snacking in the mid-afternoon. It keeps your energy up and make you less hungry in the evening. Good healthy food with consistent physical activitiy such as walking couple of miles can do wonders. STOP OVER TEXTING Can’t you just say hello? Yes, texts are a really efficient way of reaching somebody and arguably a better of way not interrupting the person. But when was the last time you had a long phone conversation? Next time you want to contact someone, try to call them instead of texting. It’s more personal, less prone to miscommunication, and a great way to catch up with someone, especially those who are far. ON TIME AND PUNCTUAL Being on time and punctual, especially at social events would be a fine new year resolution. 8 pm means 8 pm, not around 10:30 pm. If you really want to learn timemanagement skills, be better than punctual! Indeed, try to be five minutes early to everything.

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Briefs... ICI FREE Medical CLINIC Every Saturday: 10am-12:30pm Last Wednesday of each month: 6 - 8 pm BY APPOINTMENTS ONLY (NO WALKIN) Serve ONLY those who can’t afford Health Insurance www.valleyranchmasjid.org/clinichome. html T: (972) 400-2421 E: iciclinic@hotmail.com Fax: (214) 666-3826 ICI Medical Clinic @ ValleyRanch (Inside ValleyRanch Masjid) 9940 West Valley Ranch Parkway Irving, TX 75063 (Southwest corner of N. Macarthur Blvd and W. Valley Ranch Parkway) .......................................................................

FUNDRAISER @ Islamic Association of Lewisville and Flower Mound Masjid & School Expansion Project www.ialfm.org Keynote Speaker Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi To enhance infrastructure for Weekend School, Youth, & Islamic activities. Saturday, January 28th @ Crowne Plaza Dallas (Near The Galleria) 14315 Midway Road, Addison, TX 75001 Corner of Midway Rd & Proton Dr. 7:00 PM Dinner & Registration Buy Tickets online at www.ialfm.org Family table available / FREE Babysitting onsite. Contact: www.ialfm.org E: fr@ialfm.org T: 972-616-3430 .......................................................................

MLFA PRESENTS RALPH NADER

ties for the 2012 annual event. If you are interested in being an event sponsor, please email info@mlfa.org for more information. When: February 11th, 2012 6:30 PM Location: 701 East Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75081 .......................................................................

MUSLIM YOUTH LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM All Day Saturday January 28th, 2012 University of Houston IDENTITY. ACTIVISM. LEADERSHIP. Open to High School Juniors & Seniors and College Freshman & Sophomores Are you ready to become a leader? Meet elected officials and learn what defines a leader. Develop public speaking, media engagement, and community activism skills. Understand the Islamophobic and anti-Shariah movement and how you can effectively challenge it. Confirmed Speakers: Gadier Abbas - CAIR National Staff Attorney Former City Council Member MJ Khan Waliya Lari - Emmy award winning producer at local TV station Mustafaa Carroll - Executive Director CAIR Texas For more information, call (713) 838-2247 Email: info@cairhouston.org .......................................................................

IANT WINTER CONFERENCE 2012

(Saturday, February 11, 2012) The Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) will host renowned consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader as the keynote speaker during their annual benefit banquet in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Nader was honored by Time magazine as One of the 100 Most Influential Americans of the Twentieth Century and recently as one of the 100 Most Influential Figures in American History by The Atlantic. He has devoted his life to giving people the tools they need to defend themselves against corporate negligence and government indifference. With a tireless, selfless dedication, Mr. Nader continues to expose and remedy the dangers that threaten a free and safe society. Due to the tremendous success of last year’s sponsorship program, MLFA will also be offering sponsorship opportuni-

“Love and Mercy in the Muslim Family” At Islamic Association of North Texas. A weekend of sincere advice, beneficial discussions, and comic relief for the whole family. Interact with well-renowned individuals such as Sheikh Yaser Birjas, Baba Ali, and more! Be sure to bring the youth for interactive personalized sessions with Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda. Also attending Imam Zia Sheikh & Imam Yasin Sheikh. 840 Abrams Rd. Richardson, TX 75081. T: (972) 231-5698 Friday, January 20, 2012 at 5:00am until Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 6:00am .......................................................................

NEW CPA OFFICE OPENS Saleem Muhammed, CPA Certified Public Accountant 3455 N. Belt Line Rd. Suite 109 Irving, TX 75062 Phone: 214-303-9940 Cell: 972-999-6167 Fax: 972-257-1530 E: cpasaleem@gmail.com

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2011 was a tense and difficult year for most countries across the globe. Hopes for financial stability did not materialize as the economic crisis in the developed nations, particularly those in Europe, not only failed to abate, but deepened. Revolutions that swept across the Middle East, toppling governments and presidents that had ruled for more than a generation, were just some of the major stories that made news around the world this year. In November, Time magazine announced “The Protester” as its person of the year. Earth welcomed its 7 billionth citizen on October 31st. By that time it had witnessed the deaths of thousands of people killed in conflict zones, areas hit by natural disasters, or in the popular uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. March 11, 2011 is a date that will be forever remembered in Japanese history. That’s the day one of the largest

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earthquakes in recorded history rocks the island nation and triggers a 23-foot tsunami that sweeps away homes, cars and businesses. Nearly 16,000 people perish with thousands still missing. “The Arab Awakening … is a revolution about many things -- jobs, democracy, justice, but primarily it’s about human dignity. Just like the countries of Southeast Europe, which came out of dictatorships in the 1990s, today people in the Middle East and North Africa are looking to build their new states and societies.” -NICKOLAY MLADENOV Bulgarian Foreign Minister

In December 2010, a street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in a provincial city in Tunisia to protest his mistreatment by police. That unleashed a chain of

anti-government, pro-democracy street protests, first in Tunisia, then across the Middle East and North Africa. The wave of demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt led to the departure from politics of the two countries’ long-ruling presidents, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak, in early 2011. The pro-democracy demonstrations in neighboring Libya eventually escalated into a full-blown civil war, which ended following the capture and killing of the country’s self-proclaimed leader Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown of Sirte on October 20th. The United Kingdom witnessed its worst unrest in more than a generation this summer, as a wave of looting and violence raged across three cities. An estimated 15,000 people were actively involved in the public unrest between August 6-10. The peaceful and quiet nation of Norway was shattered in a wave of terrorist attacks on July 22, when a car bomb explodes in Oslo, killing eight people. That was followed by the terrorist dressed in a police uniform murdering 69 people at a Norwegian youth summer camp. 2011 marked the year that U.S. troops departed Iraq after eight years of war; while the path to withdrawal from Afghanistan also became clearer after a decade of conflict. However, even after the Americans leave, fears are rising about the future of these two deeply troubled and strife-torn countries. UNESCO approved full membership of the Palestine in a 106 - 14 vote in Paris. The Dalai Lama made his-

tory when he relieved himself from his responsibility as political head of the Tibetan people to concentrate solely on his role as spiritual leader. Due to increase in religious extremism and the perception that Israel is becoming more religiously rigid, many American Jews are no longer afraid to be critical of their Israeli cousins. Islam and Sharia phobia on the rise leading into election year. Despite the fact that no state or individual ever proposed bringing sharia law in the United State, fear of the “Muslim menace,” fueled by cynical politicians and well funded think tanks, has led to anti-sharia laws proposed and passed in states around the country. DAYS TO REMEMBER IN 2011: January 08: Congresswoman Gabby Gifford and several others were shot in Arizona. January 25: The Arab spring starts in North Africa. March 11: Devastating earthquake and tsunami hits Japan creating a nuclear disaster. May 01: 23-members Navy seal team 6 takes out Osama Bin Ladin in a covert operation in Abbotabad, Pakistan. May 25: Oprah Winfery retires from her day time show. September 17: “We are the 99%” and Occupy Wall Street movement started. Thousands gathered in Manahattan and the movement initiated over 800 more “Occupy” gatherings across the world. October 5: Apple’sSteve Jobs passed away after battling cancer. Jobs revolutionized entertainment distribution and the cell phone industry.

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INSURANCE

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years. According to a recent study, more than 15% of the United States’ total gross domestic product (GDP) was spent on health care, and by 2014, this figure is expected to represent nearly one in every five dollars we spend!1 What’s more, a growing number of Americans - more than 40 million, by latest count - don’t have any health insurance coverage at all.2 Without health insurance, a single illness can cause serious, and often irreversible, financial hardship. Insurance of any kind is intended to transfer financial risk to an insurance company in exchange for a reasonable insurance premium. Where most insurance coverages pay once a loss has occurred, health insurance has the added benefit of paying to keep your loss from getting worse. Health insurance is probably your most important coverage since it can be the difference between life and death. Fortunately, most employers offer some form of health insurance. Often you will have to select from several different alternative plans

with differing coverages and premiums. There are two broad categories of health insurance coverage. One is fee-forservice and the other is managed health care, which is further divided into health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and point-of-service (POS) plans. Fee-For-Service - A primary difference between fee-for-service and managed health plans in the amount of control you enjoy in choosing doctors and hospitals. Fee-for-service plans give you the greatest amount of choice, allowing you to select doctors and hospitals based on your needs and preferences. This greater amount of choice comes at a cost, however, as fee-forservice plans are usually more expensive than managed care plans. Under a fee-for-service plan, your doctor will submit a bill to your insurance provider, or, if he or she does not have a relationship with your provider, you may have to pay the bill directly and get reimbursed by your provider. Under this plan,

you can generally see any doctor you wish. You will most likely be responsible for a percentage of every expense, typically 20% but sometimes higher or lower. Fee-for-service plans also have an annual deductible; these generally start at $100 for individuals and $500 for families. Typically, the higher the deductible, the lower your premiums. You’ll have to meet the deductible amount before receiving any reimbursement, If your doctor charges more than is “reasonable” as defined by your policy, you will have to pay the difference. You can appeal this if you feel the doctor is charging the same as the other doctors around your area. Fee-for-service plans usually limit how much you will have to pay before the plan reimburses you at 100%. Some plans also have a lifetime limit on benefits, usually at least $1,000,000. This seems very high but it is not uncommon with serious accidents or illnesses that this number is met.

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OPINION

Killing the Goose BY ROBERT CANRIGHT

Killing the Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs used to be a well known fable from Aesop. Since the schools have abandoned so many fine lessons because they are old, we cannot be certain our children know this fable. Wall Street bankers seem to have not learned the lesson of this fable. The fable tells of a farmer who discovers a goose that lays a golden egg every day. Losing his senses to greed, the farmer one day slices open the goose instead of waiting for the next day’s golden egg. He finds no golden egg, and then realizes he will never get another golden egg now that the goose is dead.

Economy was hurt worse by the collapse of Wall Street banks than by the September 11, 2001. Wall Street bankers killed the goose that laid the golden eggs The stock market crashed in September 2008 with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and the world economy has still not recovered. The world economy was hurt worse by the collapse of Wall Street banks than by the September 11, 2001 downturn caused by the attack on the World Trade Towers. Wall Street bankers killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. One could say that the United States of America were created from excessive greed. The British were not satisfied with their American colonies. The British coveted the French colonies in Canada. The war to steal Canada from the French was successful, but so expensive that the British raised taxes on the Americans to pay for the war. The Americans rebelled over the taxes, the French helped the Americans to spite the British, and the British lost the American colonies because of their greed for the French Canadian colonies. Greed clearly can change the course of history.

Greed is like an unquenchable fire; money just fuels the fire. This is a lesson our Wall Street bankers have lived, but not understood Avarice can be insatiable. The more money someone acquires, the more money one desires when one is carried away by the passion of greed, of unbridled desire. Greed is like an unquenchable fire; money just fuels the fire. This is a lesson our Wall Street bankers have lived, but not understood. Being multi-cultural, I can quote the Bhagavad-Gita on this topic. Arjuna asks, “Krishna, what makes a person commit evil against his own will as if compelled by force?” Krishna answers, “It is desire and anger, arising from nature’s quality of passion; know it here as the enemy, voracious and very evil.” The Bhagavad-Gita identifies

desire and anger as the roots of evil. We understand anger better than desire. Death from a terrorist plot is easier to understand that the complex financial swindles from

Wall Street that crashed the world economy in 2008. Ten years after 9-11 the America government wages war in the Middle-East. But three years after the crash of ’08 it does little to protect the world from the excesses of Wall Street. Our government seems to understand violence, but does not seem to understand prudent financial planning. Why have our leaders ignored Wall Street’s threats to the world economy? Is it because so much money flows from Wall Street into their campaign accounts? Or is it because our Congressmen, Senators, and Presidents do not understand finance and economics well enough to effectively rule our nation? We cannot defend ourselves from a threat we do not understand. Perhaps the future of our nation depends upon improving our education in finance and economics. Economics is an

elective in many high schools, but finance is usually not offered. Perhaps Finance could be offered in the Mathematics departments to fulfill the new requirement for a fourth year of Math. Everyone in America borrows money, even our government, so it would be hard to find a more useful class than Finance to add to our high schools.

OPINION

The Norwegian Versus the American Healthcare System

BY BILLY BEST America’s history is rooted so deeply in freedom of choice to either win or lose in one’s economic decisions. This can be epitomized by so many early Europeans coming to the New World in search of a new life, many of which had very little wealth in terms of personal property or education, but eventually pioneered much of the American wilderness creating farms, small communities, and big cities. From the earliest Americans that came to Jamestown Virginia to the more recent immigrants coming through Ellis Island, many of these Americans have argued for less government intervention in their lives and created a culture that keeps the government from controlling everyday choices like gun control to even universal healthcare. Even today, America does not even have a universal healthcare system, even though many other industrial nations do. Many Americans argue that a universal healthcare system will not work in America because a large portion of Americans will simply take advantage of the system, in terms of not altering their unhealthy behavior, thus, running up the costs for everyone. Moreover, many feel that healthcare is simply not a privilege to be handed to everyone, and should be employer based to ensure everyone pays for their own healthcare, as much as possible. This seems to be a cultural issue rooted deeply in the American value of individuals being independent as much as possible from government influences. On the other hand, a country like Norway has some pure socialist practices, especially in the area of healthcare. In fact, everyone in Norway has healthcare. It is the law of the land. Norwegians are more practical

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than Americans in how they spend their money, they enjoy saving money for quality health care. According to Bruce Bartlett, a Forbes Magazine columnist, on a per capita basis, Norwegians spend $4,763 per year, and covers everyone, while Americans spend $7,290. By various standards of health quality, like life expectancy or rate of preventable deaths, Norway does better than the U.S. One key measure is physicians per capita: America has 2.43 physicians compared with Norway’s 4 doctors per every 1,000 people, even though Norway spends a third less of its Gross Domestic Product on health care than the U.S. does. Why is the cost of healthcare in Norway less than that in America? The eye catching statistic that reveals Norwegian superiority in providing lower cost healthcare is that the number of doctors in America, per capita, is actually less than in Norway. Perhaps increasing the supply of healthcare providers in America could lower overall healthcare expenditures for healthcare. Perhaps there is a deep rooted cultural reason in Norway that is helping to keep healthcare costs down. Maybe their society has a healthier population than countries like America. Finally, it appears capitalistic and socialistic policies both can benefit a nation like America. America has the greatest GDP of any nation, but yet, does not provide a universal healthcare system for its citizens. One would think that through sheer size and because of its economic output, America could keep its healthcare costs lower for its citizens than a country like Norway. Perhaps the free market system in America will one day solve all of the demands that its citizens want, like universal healthcare. If not, perhaps a more controlled socialistic policy will be created providing universal healthcare that is similar to the one implemented in Norway. There is a school of thought for each economic approach, but the bottom line is, there is a cost to be paid, and ultimately the consumer/taxpayer will bear that cost. About the author:Billy Best is an environmental enthusiast. He is dedicated to discussing, in an open forum, important and overlooked economic issues that may impact the natural environment. Using his knowledge and background to inform students, citizens, and other concerned stakeholders of significant environmental concerns and potential consequences. Billy earned a B.S. in Finance from the University of Alabama, and a M.S.A. from the University of West Florida. articles, photos, comments or samples submitted to the The Lone Star Crescent and/or via www.myCrescent.com will become property of the publisher and may be published at our discretion. The publisher paper takes no responsibility of claims made by advertisers, financial, legal, family and/or educational advise in its content. Readers must check and inquire themselves.

CONTRIBUTORS

Kena Sosa, Dr. Zubair Fattani, Sakina Al-Amin, Halima Shaheed, Naeem Randhawa, Sara Ghazi, Maryum Shaheed, Sonia Laflamme, Anum Hussain, Ruqayyah Khalifa, Komal Khan, Omar Usman, Hazrat Amin, Hassan Usmani, Annie Ghazi, Jamal Saqib, Yasmin Turk, Robert Canright, Dr. Keisha Shaheed, Moazzam Ahmed, Shaheen Salam, John Reid, Abdul Wadoud.

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