Ramadan news and notes:
Slow down, you eat too fast, plus, a look at Ramadan cartoons


Fawanees:
Local is better
Egyptian Mufti Nasr Fareed Wasil was recently quoted in the papers as saying that Ramadan lanterns that play tunes or that end up making kids waste time away from their studies are not allowed by Islam. The Mufti said there were several reasons why these new fangled fawanees were rejected by Islam. To sum it up, they were an economic burden on the country -- considering that they are imported and that constitute a serious loss of much needed hard currency at this time, and that Egyptian-made equivalents -- most of which are just simple models that light up either via candles or a light bulb, were preferable both from a religious and economic point of view.


Blasts of humor:
Ramadan cartoons
A cartoon in Al-Ahram makes fun of the widespread popularity of Ramadan lanterns (fawanees) ... A small child surrounded by bodyguards is happily staring at a lantern being held by an Asian-looking young woman, while two men standing nearby are saying, "This is the son of a businessman... and this is a foreign servant hired especially to take care of the Ramadan fanous".

A back page cartoon in Al-Wafd shows a man with his tongue sticking out dancing in the street. With a handbag slung over his shoulder and kitchen pot on his head, the man is dancing wildly. A mother and her son are watching in wonderment... the mother is telling her son, "See my dear... That's what happens to those who watch TV ads (in Ramadan).

In another cartoon in Al-Ahram -- this one apparently runs every year -- a man is being asked by a TV announcer which program he likes best . "The blast of the cannon" he says, indicating the brief spot that appears at sunset indicating it's time to start eating.


Slow down:
You eat too fast
Al-Ahram interviewed a nutritional expert recently on advice for healthier eating during this month of fasting. One of the most important things, the doctor told the paper, was eating a proper suhour, or pre-dawn meal. That would ensure that the necessary sugars are present in the blood, which would help avoid the headaches people commonly complain about while fasting. Another important point is that people should not eat their breakfast or iftar, too quickly, so as not to upset their digestive proceses after a whole day of fasting. A few dates or anything sweet, followed by a short break for prayer, then a slow entry into the main meal is ideal, the doctor says.

The rest of his advice includes: Walking two hours after iftar is far more healthy than sitting in front of the television set all night long, and Eating too many sweets at night is no good, especially for the older generations.

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