The Lone Star Crescent

September 2009 Issue | Online: www.myCRESCENT.com | T: 214-306-7920 | E: dallas@myCRESCENT.com Since 2006

Ramadan In DFW

The Challenge Of Unity

By Lena Dirbashi

“The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the holy Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number

of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” (Surat Al-Baqara Verse 185) The month of Ramadan is important for the over one bil-

lion Muslims around the world.

The religious implications of this month are abundant. Aside from the obligated fasting from dawn till dusk, it is also a time for inner reflection, self-discipline, along with appreciation and submission to God. It doesn’t end there though, because there are as many meanings of Ramadan as there are Muslims. Continues on page 08 >>

A World Without Poverty Is Not A Dream

By Carolina Pfister

A Call For Sustainable Development Through Zakat & Sadaqa

Charity is the substance that binds every Muslim to every other Muslim by way of their obligation towards one another. Islam builds its community out of human obligation toward each other, making each Muslim accountable for the wellbeing of every other Muslim. This concept of reciprocal social obligation is called takaful, meaning “mutual responsibility,” and it is strongly bolstered by the fact that the Zakat-charity is an act of mandatory worship. The tenet of mutual responsibility helps Muslims envision their society like an extended family; Zakat and Sadaqa are the means to keep this family healthy and thriving.

Zakat Foundation’s mission is to revive the noble means and goals of Zakat and Sadaqa by enacting sustainable development programs through which chronically impoverished communities can lift themselves out of poverty and flourish.

Continues on Page 03>>

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“Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.”

- Narrated by Abu Huraira in Bukhari

FAMILY: Turning Anger Towards Children Into Empathy Page 05

JustSayGo.com Travel: One-of-a-kind cruise experience Page 10

FACTS ABOUT LABOR & JOBS => The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade of 10,000 workers on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary. By 1893, more than half the states were observing a “Labor Day” on one day or another, and Congress passed a bill to establish a federal holiday in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward, designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day. => 155.1 million: Number of people 16 and older in the nation’s labor force in May 2009. => 83%: Percentage of full-time workers 18 to 64 covered by health insurance during all or part of 2007. => 77%: Percentage of workers in private industry who receive a paid vacation as one of their employment benefits.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

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The Lone Star Crescent | September 2009 | Community Report

From page 01>>

Islam seeks to put people in touch with and strengthen the admirable qualities of the human soul. Giving Sadaqa invokes our greatest character: Mercy. It is mercy that calls forth from deep within us a sense of common identity with others. In the Gracious Quran, Allah (swt) illustrates some of the characteristics of God-Conscious people who will be successful in this life and the next: “Moreover, in their wealth was a rightful share (of charity) for the beggar and the destitute” (Al-Dhariyat, 51:19). Many poor people in rural and urban areas alike often do not have the very

Court Rules Government’s Freeze Of Charity’s Assets Unconstitutional Treasury Department Violated Fourth And Fifth Amendment Rights Of ACLU Client KindHearts From ACLU Press Release

basic facilities to live like human beings, and the knowledge needed to ensure the access to water, food, and shelter. While state or aid agency food handouts are seen as a short-term solution, many aid experts say longer-term solutions are needed to address root causes of poverty.

A world without poverty is not a dream. The essence of Zakat and Sadaqa, particularly Sadaqa Jariyah—the Islamic charitable tradition through which donors contribute to the creation or support of a service that will continue to benefit people over time, while granting perpetual rewards for the giver—is a divine call to

those who have been blessed with means to continuously keep those who have been tried with hardship on the forefront of their thoughts and prayers. Zakat Foundation’s Development / Sadaqa Jariyah Program unites the two concepts in pursuit of sustainable development. Sustainable development is the essence of Zakat in Islam, as the principles of Zakat affirm the essential right to a dignified life for all.

Zakat Foundation establishes and maintains Development/Sadaqa Jariyah Programs that address the tremendous needs and struggles that have been plaguing poor communities for decades. By building water wells in war-torn Darfur and Masjids in Senegal, or by establishing a vocational sewing school in devastated Gaza Strip and issuing small loans through microcredit to those with a trade, Zakat Foundation communicates the desire of our donors to work towards the end of poverty through divinely inspired charitable practices.

Focusing on sustainable development, Zakat Foundation ensures selfreliance and decreases community dependence on outside aid. Zakat Foundation believes that without sustainable development, there is no progress.

Online at www.zakat.org

(TOLEDO, OH) A federal court ruled for the first time that the government cannot freeze an organization’s assets under a terror financing law without obtaining a warrant based upon probable cause. The court also found that the government must give the organization notice of the basis for freezing its assets and a meaningful opportunity to defend itself. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed in November 2008 by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Ohio and several civil rights attorneys on behalf of KindHearts for Charitable Humanitarian Development, Inc., an Ohio-based charity.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) froze KindHearts’ assets three-and-a-half years ago without a warrant, notice or a hearing, based simply on the assertion that OFAC was investigating whether the charity should be designated as a “specially designated global terrorist (SDGT).”

“This historic ruling rejects the government’s argument that the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures does not apply when a case raises national security and foreign policy concerns,” said Hina Shamsi, an ACLU cooperating attorney who argued the case.

“The ruling provides a much-needed judicial check on executive power. Until now, the administration has been able to unilaterally and indefinitely freeze the assets of a U.S. corporation without probable cause and a warrant.”

KindHearts has never been found

to have engaged in any wrongdoing and has never been designated an SDGT, yet it has been effectively shut down since OFAC first froze its assets on February 19, 2006. As a result of the freeze pending investigation, it is a crime for anyone to do any business with KindHearts and the charity has no access to its own property.

“Although KindHearts provided detailed information to the government about KindHearts’ operations, and requested that the government specify its reasons for blocking KindHearts’ assets pending investigation, the government ignored KindHearts’ submissions and repeatedly delayed in responding to its requests,” said Alan Kabat of Bernabei & Wachtel, co-counsel for KindHearts. “The court found that the government’s actions were fundamental violations of due process.”

In its ruling, U.S. District Judge James G. Carr of the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, found that the administration must obtain a warrant based on probable cause before seizing an organization’s assets, citing judicial precedent holding that the executive branch’s “domestic actions – even when taken in the name of national security – must comport with the Fourth Amendment.”

“For years the Treasury Department has exercised unchecked power to shut down charities on unfounded charges of terrorist ties,” said Georgetown Law Professor David Cole, co-counsel for KindHearts. “Yesterday’s decision declares that such power can be employed only pursuant to the basic constitutional safeguards of probable cause,

judicial oversight and due process.”

Judge Carr also ruled that OFAC violated the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of due process because it “violated KindHearts’ fundamental right to be told on what basis and for what reasons the government deprived it of all access to all its assets and shut down its operations.”

“The judge rightly found that the government cannot simply freeze an organization’s assets, essentially shutting it down, without providing the organization a meaningful chance to defend itself,” said Alexander Abdo, a legal fellow with the ACLU National Security Project. “This ruling underscores what we have said all along – OFAC’s unlimited authority to seize a charity’s property without due process is unconstitutional.”

KindHearts’ founders established the charity in 2002 – after the government shut down a number of other charities – with the express purpose of providing humanitarian aid both abroad and in the United States in full compliance with the law. Despite the efforts KindHearts took to implement OFAC policies and even seek its guidance, OFAC froze KindHearts’ assets in February 2006.

Other attorneys on the case, now called KindHearts v. Geithner, are Ben Wizner of the ACLU, Fritz Byers of Toledo, Ohio; Lynne Bernabei of Bernabei & Wachtel, PLLC in Washington; and Carrie Davis of the ACLU of Ohio.

More information about the case, including this ruling, is available online at: www.aclu. org/kindhearts

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The Lone Star Crescent | September 2009 | Community Report

SATURNA CAPITAL CORPORATION Muslim Charity Provides Food for NAMED TO INC. 500 LIST OF Teamsters on Strike for Healthcare FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES Rights (Bellingham, WA) - Saturna Capital Corporation, investment manager of the no-load Amana Trust Funds, designed for Muslims living in United States, has been named to the elite Inc. 500 list of America’s fastest growing companies. The annual feature, “evidence of the significant accomplishments of entrepreneurial companies,” will be published in the September issue of Inc. and made available online at the magazine’s web site, Inc.com.

“Our inclusion on this prestigious list is the result of a sound long-term vision combined with our employees hard work and dedication since Saturna’s founding in 1989,” said Jane Carten, President & CEO of Saturna. “We are particularly pleased that at a time when the investment industry as a whole has faced unprecedented challenges, Saturna has had the ability to steadily grow and expand our services to shareholders,” she added.

Saturna ranked number 408 on the Inc. 500 list. The company manages the Amana Funds, the largest family of funds designed for US based Islamic investors, which as of 6/30/09 held approximately $1.8 billion in assets under management. The Amana Family of Funds, consisting of the Amana Trust Growth Fund (AMAGX) and Amana Trust Income Fund (AMANX) have received numerous accolades from independent fund rating agencies for their long-term investment performance. This includes both funds holding the five star rating from Morningstar, Lipper Fund Awards and a Morning-

star nomination for domestic stock manager of the year in 2008 for the funds’ portfolio manager Nicholas Kaiser.

Additionally, Saturna Capital manages the Sextant Family of Funds, and has recently launched Saturna Trust, which is designed for American Muslims, in addition to offering a full service brokerage. The firm has long been active in philanthropy in and around their community in Bellingham, Washington.

About Saturna Capital

Saturna Capital Corporation, established in 1989 in Bellingham, WA, is the investment adviser and administrator to over $1 billion in assets in the Amana Mutual Funds Trust (which includes Amana Growth Fund and Amana Income Fund) and the Saturna Investment Trust. Saturna Investment Trust consists of six funds: Sextant Growth (domestic equities), Sextant International (ADRs and foreign stocks), Sextant Core (bonds and equities), Sextant Bond Income (long-term bonds), Sextant Short-Term Bond, and the Idaho Tax-Exempt Fund. Saturna Capital also manages private accounts for families, businesses and endowments. Saturna Brokerage Services provides general discount brokerage services and underwrites the Saturna mutual funds.

(Bridgeview, IL) Zakat Foundation, a Muslim-run relief and development charity organization based in Bridgeview, IL, has announced that it will be providing daily lunches to Teamsters Local 743 at SK Hand Tools in Chicago and McCook while they are on strike against the company’s decision to withdraw employee health coverage without warning.

“President Obama is leading a national debate about how to protect hardworking Americans from callous employers like SK Hand Tools,” said Teamsters Local 743 president Richard Berg. “This Frenchowned company has left us no choice but to strike for our basic needs, health care,” he continued. The National Labor Relations Board has already filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the company, alleging

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Melanz Publishing P.O. Box 851764 Richardson, TX 75085 T: (214) 306-7920 ads@myCRESCENT.com EDITORIAL: COMMENTS / STORIES, INQUIRIES / E: dallas@myCRESCENT.com Send an email to ads@myCrescent.com for general ad inquiries or sales jobs.

CONTRIBUTORS: Bilal Mohammed, Aboobaker Ebrahim. Lena Dirbashi, Ron Stern, Naeem Randhawa, Moazzam Ahmed

illegal bargaining over management’s stoppage of health care coverage with no advanced notice.

“In this economic crisis, many hard working American men and women deserve our sympathy and respect. While they strike against this unjust decision, it is our duty as a humanitarian organization to provide them with food,” says Zakat Foundation Executive Director, Khalil Demir.

During the Holy Month of Ramadan, Zakat Foundation provides food for poor and needy communities in the Chicago and abroad. Since 2001, Zakat Foundation has fostered charitable giving to those in need through immediate relief and longterm development projects in over thirty countries. For more information, please visit www.zakat.org.

ADVISORS: David Lee Hall, Annie Ghazi, Imran Randhawa and Lena Dirbashi.

The Lone Star Crescent is published monthly by Melanz Publishing. Since 2006, the paper is serving the local Muslim community in the Metroplex.

We welcome and encourage readers’ feedback and opinions. All materials, articles, photos, comments or samples submitted to the The Lone Star Crescent will become property of the publisher and may be printed 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. Online at www.myCRESCENT.com

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The Lone Star Crescent | September 2009 | FAMILY

Turning Anger Towards Children Into Empathy

By Moazzam Ahmed Founder of Muslim-Calendar.com The ability to influence has a direct impact on success in our lives. What deprives us of this key life skill? Anger from anyone in authority while growing up is one. I will try and show what experiences it takes to learn this ability and how anger rids our children of it.

Chris Langan is currently known as the most intelligent man on Earth*. His IQ is 195, 45 points more than Einstein and around 75 more than an average smart person. Yet, Chris is not an executive at a corporation, or a research scientist at NASA. He lives on a simple ranch and writes theories that are not famous and have not been adapted by any Think Tank or University. How could this be? Malcolm Gladwell in his book “Outliers” goes through Chris’ early life and implies that Chris had the brains but never learnt the ability to influence, and hence wasn’t given chances to progress upward in his career.

Environments in which children are consistently exposed to being scolded or put down by parents or other authority figures instill in them the exact opposite of the above skills needed to learn to influence.

Consider another example from Outliers: Several years ago, Korean airways had the largest rate of air accidents. This was attributed by aviation experts to a cultural trait Koreans carry with them: the tradition to not speak up in front of their superiors.

To many this tradition may seem demeaning

but to Koreans it is a sign of respect. Nevertheless, in a pilot to first-officer relationship, this tradition turned out to be futile because the first officer was not able to communicate dangers he or she saw up ahead from the cockpit, another example of failure from an apparent lack of ability to influence.

So what does it take to learn to influence growing up? First, the ability to take risks and bounce back from failures. Second, to be able to present ideas in front of superiors and third, to be able to calm oneself down in the face of heated or intense emotional confrontations.

If we keep in mind the long term effects of our anger on them, I’m sure we’ll have fewer outbursts of anger and more conversations in which we engage with our children with respect and dignity.

Environments in which children are consistently exposed to being scolded or put down by parents or other authority figures instill in them the exact opposite of the above skills needed to learn to influence. They instill in them a fear of authority & a fear of making mistakes at any cost. This then robs them of precious learning experiences on coping with failure, bouncing back from it, and mitigating it in front of their superiors or loved ones, be it their spouse, their parent or their boss.

Imagine yourself in your child’s shoes (little tiny ones): assume that you made a mistake and are being confronted by your parent. You didn’t mean to break the vase or hurt your little sister, but your parent angrily insists that you be did it on purpose,

that you can’t do anything right, that you’ve made a grievous mistake that can’t be undone & that you should be punished. If this happened over and over, imagine the affect this would have on you: you would shy from confiding anything in your parent next time, you would start mistrusting yourself and lose confidence, you would promise yourself to never risk playing around the vase or your little sister; worst of all you would dread confrontations at any cost.

Now imagine yourself in the same tiny shoes but this time your parent confronts you with empathy, respect and firmness.

They first try to understand what happened and whether you meant to break the vase or hurt your sister. They ask how you felt about the incident, they allow you to express yourself and then ask how you would do things differently the next time. And if they even impose a small punishment on you such as cleaning up the mess or treating your sister to ice cream, you’ll gladly do it because you had a good experience. You will be willing to risk playing even more and best of all, you’ll not be afraid of confrontations.

The Prophet (PBUH) was an excellent example. He always treated children with respect and never reprimanded by scolding them. His firm yet empathic way toward children nurtured and built confidence and kindness in them.

Consider one last example: there was a comparison done on success between upper middle class and lower income families*. What they found is that both type families gave enough love to the children.

Actually, the low income families gave more love. Yet the kids from upper middle class were more successful because of one difference: they were taught from an early age that it was ok for them to ask questions, for example at a doctor’s appointment. On the

other hand, the lower income families taught their kids to not rock the boat or respond back to authority (Outliers).

I know it’s hard to keep your calm when children make mistakes and it’s natural for some of us to feel that if we teach them a hard lesson now it’s for their own good.

If we keep in mind the long term effects of our anger on them, I’m sure we’ll have fewer outbursts of anger and more conversations in which we engage with our children with respect and dignity. This is especially crucial for mothers and teachers who spend a lot of time with children; constant nagging or condescending remarks can cause long lasting damage even though they seem casual and just in-passing. Of course, the effects of harsh reprimands by an authoritarian father can be even more damaging.

The Prophet (PBUH) was an excellent example of this. He always treated children with respect and never reprimanded by scolding them. His firm yet empathic way toward children nurtured and built confidence and kindness in them. I would also like to remind all of us that numerous scholars have said that hitting anyone, let alone a child is haram. We all know the numerous ahadith on anger, inshaAllah let’s all aspire to turn our anger towards children into empathy. .......................................................................

Further Reading Following are some excellent books on raising children who grow up to be successful, kind, empathic people. These discuss concepts such as resilience, influence, secure attachment & unconditional love.

1. “Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children” – John Gottman (read about secure attachment) 2. Nurturing Resilience in Children - Robert Brooks (Author), Sam Goldstein 3. The Resilience factor - Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatte (This is an excellent book for those of us who recognize that they grew up with anger around the house and struggle with the above abilities) 4. *Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

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The Lone Star Crescent | September 2009 | Advertisements

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The Lone Star Crescent | September 2009 | Cover Story From Page 01 From Page 01>>> Unfortunately, the coming of Ramadan for many Muslims also brings a baggage of confusion and conflict.

Interestingly, all sides of the divide base their arguments on the same Hadith: “Do not fast unless you sight the crescent, and do not break your fast till you sight the (following) crescent.”

(Al-Bukhari, Vol. 3:130) This confusion is rooted in the debate among the Muslim community on just how to calculate the beginning of the month of Ramadan. The traditional method, men-

tioned in the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) sayings or hadith, is to look to the sky and visibly sight the crescent moon (hilal) that marks the beginning of the month. If the hilal is visible that night, the next day is the first day of Ramadan and thus the first day of fasting. At the end of the month, when the hilal is sighted again, the celebration of FastBreaking or Eid ul Fitr begins.

The issue of moon sighting has recently become moon fighting though and over the years, various scholars and communities have offered different positions on the issue.

Interestingly, all sides of the divide base their arguments on the same Hadith: “Do not fast unless you sight the crescent, and do not break your fast till you sight the (following) crescent.” (Al-Bukhari, Vol. 3:130).

“The astronomical calculations especially about the birth of the new Moon are absolutely precise. They can be adopted as a means of affirming the new month to avoid the problems connected with actual sighting with the naked eyes.”

The Fiqh Council of North America, affiliated with the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), adopts the position that a confirmed crescent sighting report in North America should correlate with pre-conceived astronomical calculations. As stated on ISNA’s website, the Council explains it’s position, “The astronomical calculations especially about the birth of the new Moon are absolutely precise. They can be adopted as a means of affirming the new month to avoid the problems connected with actual sighting with the naked eyes.”

Some of these problems include the possibility of humans mistaking other objects for the crescent moon. The astronomical method, the Council says, is especially beneficial to those people in the Caribbean (Caribbean Islands, Trinidad, and Guyana) where they have a 6-month long rainy season

and sighting the moon becomes challenging due to heavy clouds.

“The word ‘ru’ya’, which literally translates ‘view’, is used in the hadith and the (astronomical) calculations undermine the actual ruling of the sighting of the moon.”

Imam Zia Sheikh is a founding member and Board Member of the North Texas Islamic Council, an umbrella organization representing Islamic Organizations in the North Texas Area. He is currently the imam at Irving Masjid and explains that traditionally, the Masjid followed ISNA’s position when it came to the moon-sighting for the coming of Ramadan.

However, two years ago, ISNA changed its method from local sighting (in the United States) to astronomical calculations.

C o n s e q u e n t l y, Irving Masjid stopped following ISNA. The reasoning for this diversion is because the traditional understanding of the hadith is clear on the physical sighting of the moon, he says. “The word ‘ru’ya’, which literally translates ‘view’, is used in the hadith and the (astronomical) calculations undermine the actual ruling of the sighting of the moon.” Though the calculations have not failed to be accurate up to date, Imam Zia says this does not negate the responsibility of Muslims to physically sight the moon.

Irving Masjid now pursues the method of global moon-sighting which adapts the position to follow the first Muslim credible country that sights the moon regardless of its location on the map. This change has not caused any conflict with the congregation, he adds.

Shaikh Saad Hassanin from Garland, TX is a local imam in the DFW area who holds a PhD in Islamic Studies from Oxford University. He is aware of the irony that the sighting of the moon – intended to be accessible and available to everyone – has now been suggested to be left up to astronomers. “Allah chose the moon to be the sign because everyone can see the moon,” he says. “However, all opinions are valid because it is compiled through Ijtihad.” Ijtihiad is the consensus of scholars on an issue that doesn’t have an absolute ruling in the Quran or Hadith.

The only time an opinion is unacceptable is when one individual takes it to his/herself to announce the citing of the moon, he says.

But with multiple valid opinions, whom do you follow?

Shaykh Hassanin says to find a Masjid with an imam you trust and follow them. The Qur’an is clear on this: “Ask the people of knowledge.”

It will be difficult to convince everyone you know to follow one opinion. But it would be worth the effort to try to get your family on board with the same opinion for the sake of celebrating Eid together. “It’ll be really sad if half the family is celebrating Eid while the other half is fasting,” he adds.

Shaikh Hassanin offers a solution.

He says Muslims should unite even if the different methods are practiced and there is a way to accommodate everyone on Eid. “We can postpone the Eid prayer so that everyone can celebrate together,” he says. “We ask Allah to make it easy to help Muslims have unity in the way that we fast and break our fast–allahumma ameen.”

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The Lone Star Crescent | September 2009 | Ramadan

Diabetes Diet and Ramadan

By Tehmina Mazher Can I fast, being diabetic? Whether or not you should participate in Ramadan is a subject of controversy among diabetes care providers, but we recognize that many patients participate. First of all, we should understand that food intake is not at all totally prohibited during Ramadan. It is only forbidden during the day hours.

Many patients with type 2 diabetes may develop a schedule to meet these requirements, although the dosage of certain diabetes medications may be stopped or decreased during this period.

Prolonged fasting represent a more difficult problem for people with diabetes type 1. Their Insulin dose need to be reduced to avoid the chances of hypoglycemia. Type 1 diabetics should frequently monitor their blood sugar. Ketones are produced with fasting and insulin deficiency, so they should check urine ketones once or twice a day to avoid dangerous ketoacidosis.Diabetics should ask their doctors for the treatment of hypoglycemia during fasting.

College Life In Ramadan

By Susan Almasri

Self improvement, patience, tolerance, and appreciation. These are all common elements that are neatly placed under the label of Ramadan. We go into this holy month when these ideas begin to formulate themselves into the unreachable parts of our subconscious; when we are ready to make the drastic changes that is brought on by our sunup to sun-down abstinence from food. And just when we are about to make the mental changes, when we are about to go from zero to hero on our spiritual statuses, we are suddenly and without warning, thrust into the ultimate scene: college life, where our key factors of Ramadan are put to the ultimate test. Self improvement, patience, tolerance, and appreciation, our compartmentalized ideas, can now be evident and implemented as new strategies to make it through our college days fasting.

Self improvement: Improving our study habits. No more late nights surfing the internet, facebooking until dawn, or even the occasional all nighters cramming for that exam. Now, its bed after taraweeh, and waking up early for suhur, our necessary fuel for the long days that await.

Patience: Like many things to a fasting per on, long and trying college days can be, in a word, hard. The same patience that is meant to be understood in this holy month is now oh so obvious through our long days of hunger and exceptionally good behavior.

Tolerance: Putting up with all the little things that make our days just that much better. Extra long labs, droning professors, the occasional sound of a crunch or the slurp of a coke become music to our ears as we learn to tolerate the things that keep us on edge throughout our long days Appreciation: Learning to truly appreciate the things that we may normally take for granted. Short-winded professors, shade on a hot day, a lucky parking spot, and understanding friends who refuse to eat just so as not to make you feel bad, are all little rays of sunshine on a day when you may have missed suhur and are wearing your “Warning, I’m fasting” face. .......................................................................

Comments? dallas@myCRESCENT.com

The first lesson of the diabetes diet is always that, a diabetic should take a variety of foods in a moderate and balance amount. This also holds true in the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast. To remain healthy, a diabetic person must eat from all the major food groups. During the fasting period the metabolic system of the person slows down and the fats are utilized in a much better way.

Diabetics should follow the following diabetes diet rules in Ramadan: => The quantity of food consumed should be less than the routine days. => The fruit consumption should be increased. => Take sufficient amount of water between the bed time and IFTAR to avoid dehydration. => Take enough quantity of vegetables during the meal. => Take fruits after meal. => Try to avoid spicy food.

=> Stay away from caffeine, including tea, coffee and colas. => Stay away from oily and fried things like pakoras and samosas. => The most important the diabetic should walk for an hour after the iftar and dinner, and they should not walk before the iftar.

Remember a balanced diet, especially in the month of improves blood cholesterol, prevents constipation and reduces gastric activity and most important helps in regulating the blood glucose numbers. It also contributes greatly to an active and very healthy lifestyle. .......................................................................

To have a meal plan specifically designed for diabetes in the month of Ramadan check Diabetes Diet and Ramadan at www.DiabetesInDetail.com and Diabetes Cure at http:// diabetes-abc.blogspot.com and enjoy a healthy Ramadan. .......................................................................

THESE ARE GENERAL TIPS: ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR YOUR CONDITION AND NEEDS.

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The Lone Star Crescent | September 2009 | Travel by JustSayGo.com

Barging Offers — a One-of-a-Kind Cruise Experience Story & Photos By Ron Stern It’s dinnertime aboard Le Renaissance, one of the fleet of luxury barges operated by Gobarging.com that cruise the scenic waterways of Europe. In our case, it was on canals in the Burgundy region of France. Just prior to our meal, one of our crew members, Our French chef, Philippe, popped out of the kitchen, and with all the flamboyance of a rock star on tour, introduced us to something he just whipped up using fresh local ingredients that

included a full-bodied beef Bourguignonne, creamy au gratin potatoes, savory turnips, and, for dessert, blueberry crème brle. Bon Apptit! he exclaimed, as he disappeared into the galley allowing us to enjoy his creations.

This was one of three meals that are served aboard every day and each one is prepared with all the attention of a five-star restaurant.

While the term barging may invoke images of a sort of rusty old bucket delivering supplies to some port, nothing could be farther from reality. Picture instead a boat that has been retrofitted to carry 8-12 passengers in style. Our boat was lavishly adorned with comfy couches, period paintings, and spacious cabins. Add to this gourmet food, assorted cheeses, soft music, crew members anxious to serve your every need, and a lei-

surely trip floating past idyllic fields laden with flowers, medieval villages and the beautiful French Loire Valley and you will have a better idea what this sort of all-inclusive experience is like.

Our pre-trip started with flying business class via American Airlines from Chicago. While business class does add to the cost, the amenities, including fully reclining seats, meals designed by some of the country’s top chefs and an on-demand entertainment system, were definitely worth

the price and allowed us to arrive rested and ready to go.

We were met by Donald, our captain with a lively Scottish brogue, at a prearranged spot in Paris. He took us by minivan to our floating hotel for the week. After a welcome, we started our journey with stops along the way in the southern French towns of Montargis, Rogny and Briare. Because the vessel moves slowly (about four mph), you can choose to walk or bike ride alongside the canal and hop on and off at one of the many locks along the route. Elie, our pilot, is from the island of Guadalupe and was expert at navigating our large red, white and blue barge into the relatively narrow locks that closed behind us, filled up with water and elevated our boat to the next level. Locals and tourists congregated on the sides of the

canals and the flower-laden bridges to watch us come through the locks.

Unlike conventional cruise ships that sail at night and dock during the day, these boats do the opposite. Barging, as I discovered, is a tranquil experience allowing you to de-stress and engage all your senses as you take in the visuals along the way. And unlike a large cruise ship, you hardly feel any movement, making seasickness an extremely rare occurrence. Another advantage that barges have is that instead of paying for additional excursions when you reach a port, you have a private car or van included in the cost of the cruise and waiting to whisk you to any number of exciting area highlights.

After our trip was over, my wife and I made sure to extend our time to explore Paris. We stayed at the delightful Hotel Napoleon, located on a quiet street, steps away from the Arc de Triomphe and one of the most famous streets in Paris, the Champs-lyses. This art deco style hotel is wonderfully adorned with Napoleonic artwork and has large, comfortable rooms and great service.

While luxury barging may not be for everyone, it is perfectly suited for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and any special occasion where you want to be pampered and have a truly memorable cruise experience.

Sidebar Gobarging.com European Waterways Ltd

gobarging.com USA Toll Free Tel: 1-800-394-8630 American Airlines www.aa.com 1-800-433-7300 Hotel Napoleon hotelnapoleonparis.com Tel : (+33) 1 56 68 43 21 About the author: Ron Stern is editor in chief of JustSayGO. com, an on-line, travel-oriented e-zine.

He is also the travel columnist for the San Diego Community Newspaper Group, Fifty Plus Marketplace News and The Women’s Newspaper Group. His articles have appeared in national and regional magazines such as Shape, Cruise, Frequent Flyer, AAA Motorist, Visit Los Cabos Guide, Destinations West, Key Biscayne and La Jolla Today. His other articles have been published in newspapers such as Gannett, The Bismarck Tribune, The Jamaican Observer, and travel trade magazines. Ron’s other contributions have been noted by PBS, Mobil Travel Guides and his photography has been used extensively by entities like the Jordan Tourism Board (www.seejordan.com). He has traveled extensively and is the author of five other books. Ron lives in Ft. Collins, Colorado, with his wife and two children.

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