Vendredi 29 avril 2011

How to Defeat Al-Qaida in Libya?

We conceive of secular democracy to be the means of making a clear separation between man and God, so that tyrants will not be able to attribute divine status to themselves or to their dictatorial ways.  It is such separation which enables man to worship God only, not the whims of man's quest for power. Politicians in secular democracy are the servants of the people and not some sort of gods to be revered and bowed to by the people. Indeed secular democracy ensures the equality of men and women before God, and protects religious and ethnic minorities. By the same token, we conceive of secular democracy to be the only true guardian of the freedoms of thought and expression, which are indispensible for the understanding of religion itself .Theocracy, on the other hand, imposes on the people the version of religious interpretation that serves its hold on power best. This monopoly of the interpretation of religion prevents its true understanding, and religion becomes a mere tool of tyranny. Currently, fundamentalist theocratic interpretations of Islam are rampant in Libya because of lack of freedoms of thought and expression during Gaddafi's long reign. Fundamentalists must not be allowed to derail the Libyan revolution.The first act of the Arab revolution began on the 11th September 2001. The young middle class Arab youth who committed the atrocities on that fateful day were seeking freedom for their countries from dictatorship and foreign domination. But sadly, they were adhering to a self defeating ideology of Al-Qaida which promoted the mass killing of innocent people as the means of realizing their political goals. It was an evil ideology that distorted Islam and rejected democracy. It did not only brainwash its adherents but made them brain dead. But a lot has changed since then. The Arab middleclass youth have now politically matured and they no longer see violence as the means of gaining freedom. The Arab revolution is now largely peaceful and democratic, and it is for building strong political and economic ties with the West based on modernity and mutual respect.It needs to be said however, that Al-Qaida ideology still lurks in the background, for sadly revolutions do have their violent side.We in the LFDC promote the voice of moderation and reason. We want the Libyan revolution to be consummated by democracy, but we have no illusions that if the Libyan's quest for democracy is frustrated by the imperialist racist agenda, the revolution will most certainly turn against the West and Al-Qaida extremism will win the day in the whole region. We in the LFDC have launched our Adriaan Pelt initiative to ensure that the transition to democracy will be legal and irreversible.

Through our vision of secular democracy, we are committed to prevent Gaddafi realizing his goal of turning Libya into a failed state.

Our membership consists mainly of Libyan professionals and students residing in different parts of the world. We are proud of the fact that more than half of our members are women.

Our campaign closely reflects the aspirations of the Libyan revolutionaries at grassroots level whom we feel are having their voice deliberately silenced.

In order to reach our goal, we propose that the United Nations Security Council mandates a commission to govern Libya for a period of two years following the fall of the Gaddafi regime. It will be similar to the Adriaan Pelt Commission of 1949 which helped us get our independence and created the state of Libya on Christmas Eve 1951. Mr. Pelt was a Dutch lawyer who headed the commission. The most beautiful street in Tripoli is named after him. We envisage the work of the new UN commission to be a continuation of the excellent job that Mr. Pelt started.

The new proposed UN commission will not be perceived by us Libyans as an infringement on our sovereignty, because the UN does not invade countries as some states do. The commission will amend our constitution, and will ensure that our transition to democracy will be orderly, peaceful and irreversible. We nominate H.E Dr Mahatir Mohammed, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, to head this commission.

We call for the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces to help maintain peace and stability in Libya during this hazardous period of transition. We thank the Indonesian government which has already accepted our initiative in principle and pledged troops for these forces. The Turkish government is currently studying our initiative and we expect a similar positive response soon.

We envisage a consultative role for the Interim National Council to the proposed UN commission during this period of transition. We recognize that its claim to be the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people is illegal because it is not a democratically elected government. Furthermore the INC has no legitimate connection to the revolution. In its present form the INC functions outside legality as it went as far as inviting foreign troops to Libya without any UN mandate, which is nothing less than paving the way for its occupation. What we really need is prompt military assistance by a well trained and disciplined army to intervene in Libya to protect the civilians under the auspices of the UN. Indonesia is ready to provide such assistance.

In order for the INC to gain legality and abandon the lawlessness of Gaddafi's demagogic Jamahiriya, it has to formulate its basic law which will clearly define its objectives, structure and powers.  Moreover, it is essential that the INC rids itself of tribalism and of all its members who served the Gaddafi regime, bearing in mind that according to a Wikileaks document Saif Al Gaddafi himself said that he had refused to assume any official post in his father's regime for fear of tarnishing his reputation. The INC will also need to rid itself of all of the so called members of Libyan opposition in exile, because the Libyan people question the very loyalty to Libya of many of these exiles due to their affiliations with foreign intelligence agencies.

The INC's assertion that they need some of those who served the Gadaffi regime to be among their ranks because of their alleged expertise is plainly absurd. Those Gaddfi's stooges share in the responsibility of turning Libya into virtually a failed state. They want to escape justice by being in the council. They do not have anything to offer Libya save dictatorship and corruption. It is important to add in this context that according to UN indicators, Libya ranks third in the Arab world of the percentage of PhD holders, many of whom never worked for the Gaddafi regime, and they have a lot to give to a constitutional and democratic Libya.

The INC makes the promise that its job is temporary and that its members have no intention of ruling Libya after the fall of Gaddafi, and that they will see to it that democracy will take its course. The legitimate question that arises in this case is why is The INC so fiercely against the Adriaan Pelt initiative? Given that it is the surest way to the establishment of democracy in Libya with the minimum cost in lives, money and time.

By creating the conditions of political peace and respect for political rights, the proposed UN commission will enable the Libyans to set up the organs of civil society so necessary for the emergence of political parties and political leadership. In such climate of political freedom and transparency, it will be difficult for anti-democratic conspirators to advance their hidden agendas, and the Libyans will be able to make well informed democratic decisions.

Moreover, we propose the establishment by the Security Council of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Libya. This is to encourage the process of national healing and to work for achieving the transparency necessary for the democratic process to take place.

After the fall of the Gaddafi regime the TRC will work towards averting  retribution and vengeance against the tribes which have affiliated themselves with the regime and committed crimes against humanity such as Warfala, Megharha, Ferjan, Walad Sulliaman and Gaddadfa. We nominate Bishop Desmond Tutu to lead this commission.

We in Libya do not need a Marshal plan as other countries in the vicinity do. Some of them run a national deficit in excess of 12% of their GDP, but we do need a political plan to be implemented by the mandated UN commission immediately "Tout de suite".

A democratic Libya is not beneficial to Libyans only, but also to regional peace and genuine normalization. The LFDC presents the only viable vision for ridding the Muslim world of fundamentalism in general and of Al-Qaida in particular.

The LFDC will do its utmost to ensure that the winners of the Libyan revolution will be freedom and democracy and not oil companies and arms dealers.

If the freedom loving nations do not help us in our quest for democracy, it will be tantamount to a dereliction of duty, lawlessness will reign in Libya and the whole of North Africa will become Al-Qaida territory.

The LFDC asks all states to recognize the INC swiftly.
Par jeanssale - 0 commentaire(s)le 29 avril 2011
Mercredi 27 avril 2011

Needham & Company Analysts Raise Price Target on True Religion Apparel, Inc. (TRLG) Shares to $3

Equities research analysts at Needham & Company boosted their price target on shares of True Religion Apparel, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRLG) from $27.00 to $33.00 in a research note to investors on Monday. The analysts currently have a “buy” rating on the stock.

Separately, analysts at BB&T (NYSE: BBT) initiated coverage on shares of True Religion Apparel, Inc. in a research note to investors on Thursday, April 14th. They set a “buy” rating and a $31.00 price target on the stock. Also, analysts at Zacks Investment Research reiterated an “underperform” rating on shares of True Religion Apparel, Inc. in a research note to investors on Thursday, March 31st.

Shares of True Religion Apparel, Inc. traded up 2.79% during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $27.66. True Religion Apparel, Inc. has a 52 week low of $17.50 and a 52 week high of $34.17. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $24.23 and its 200-day moving average is $22.19. The company has a market cap of $694.9 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.38.

True Religion Apparel, Inc. last announced its quarterly results on Thursday, February 24th. The company reported $0.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the previous quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $0.61 EPS by $0.02. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.59 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 19.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that True Religion Apparel, Inc. will post $0.39 EPS next quarter.

True Religion Apparel, Inc. (True Religion) designs, markets, distributes and sells apparel under the brand name True Religion Brand Jeans to consumers on six continents, including North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. The Company designs, markets, distributes and sells fashion jeans and related sportswear apparel. Its products include denim, knit and non-denim, and come in tops and bottoms. Knit styles include hoodies, t-shirts and sweats, and non-denim fabrics include corduroy and twill. Tops range from shirts to jackets, and bottoms encompass pants, shorts and skirts. It operates in four segments: United States Wholesale, International, Consumer Direct and Other, which includes licensing activity. Its products are distributed internationally through its network of international distributors and sales agents, and sold internationally at boutiques and specialty stores in cities throughout Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and South America.

Stay on top of analysts' coverage with American Banking & Market News' daily email newsletter that provides a concise list of analysts' upgrades, analysts' downgrades and analysts' price target changes for each day.
Par jeanssale - 1 commentaire(s)le 27 avril 2011
Lundi 25 avril 2011

Martin Rees: Atheists should drop anti-religion campaigns

Martin Rees
Martin Rees said many young people may abandon science if teachers insist God and Darwinism are irreconcilable.

Martin Rees, the astronomer royal, has called on anti-religion campaigners to abandon their tactics and strive for "peaceful coexistence" with mainstream religious groups.

Rees, one of the country's most senior scientists, criticised those who pit science against religion and urged atheists to embrace the moderate strands of faith in opposing fundamentalism.

The Cambridge cosmologist declared what he described as his "pallid and boring" view in an article in the New Statesman that amounts to a defence of his decision to accept a £1m prize given annually by the Templeton Foundation for work of a spiritual nature.

The announcement that Rees had accepted drew criticism from some scientists who claim the prize undermines the integrity of science.

Rees said some modern proponents of Darwinism took a "glaringly different stance to the Victorian naturalist who once commented that religion was too profound for the human intellect to comprehend.

"We should all oppose – as Darwin did – views manifestly in conflict with the evidence, such as creationism … But we shouldn't set up this debate as 'religion v science'; instead we should strive for peaceful coexistence with at least the less dogmatic strands of mainstream religions, which number many excellent scientists among their adherents."

Rees, who is master of Trinity College, Cambridge, was among the first generation of scientists to contemplate the big bang. In subsequent work he has asked how large is physical reality.

In the article, Rees, who does not believe in God, described himself as an "accommodationist" and "tribal Christian" who was happy to attend church services.

"Campaigning against religion can be socially counter-productive. If teachers take the uncompromising line that God and Darwinism are irreconcilable, many young people raised in a faith-based culture will stick with their religion and be lost to science. Moreover, we need all the allies we can muster against fundamentalism – a palpable, perhaps growing concern," he wrote.

Par jeanssale - 1 commentaire(s)le 25 avril 2011
Vendredi 22 avril 2011

Retailer Buckle Posts Decent Growth In March

Buckle (BKE) may serve as a good barometer of the U.S. consumer, especially young adults who seek stylish clothes but don't want to spend top dollar for them.Jeans are a bread-and-butter product for the Kearney, Neb.-based retailer, which operates 409 stores in 41 states.Buckle's name-brand and private-label designer jeans are not cheap, with most priced between $74 and $148 each. But these prices don't reach the stratospheric levels of premium denim hawkers like True Religion (TRLG) and Guess (GES).
On April 7, Buckle announced an 8.4% rise in same-store net sales in March vs. year-ago levels. Net sales rose 11.4% to $97 million.

Indeed, Buckle's profit and revenue growth in recent quarters is hardly breathtaking, but the company has steadily increased its earnings per share each year since fiscal 2005 ended in January that year.

Earnings per share grew 10% or faster in six of the past eight quarters. The last time Buckle's growth surpassed 25% was in the quarter ended in April 2009. IBD's CAN SLIM strategy recommends focusing on stocks that are growing quarterly earnings by 25% or more.

Nevertheless, its three-year earnings stability factor of 8 is exceptional in the fast-changing retail apparel industry. The 1 factor is reserved for companies with the most stable earnings; a 99 is the least stable.

Buckle will pay a quarterly per-share dividend of 20 cents on April 27; its annualized dividend yield is 1.8%.

In both December and February, the stock lacked the buying power needed to burst past resistance at 40. But on March 30, Buckle rose 3% and closed at 40.05 in volume that exceeded its average by 54%.

The stock is now extended from the proper buy point; watch to see if it might pull back to within buying range or touch its 50-day moving average line for the first or second time in the future.

Buckle's 88 Relative Price Strength Rating is solid.

In April, the firm said that CFO Karen Rhoads will step down from her post by the end of the current fiscal year, which ends on Jan. 28, 2012. Rhoads plans to continue serving on the company's board of directors.
Par jeanssale - 0 commentaire(s)le 22 avril 2011
Jeudi 21 avril 2011

True Religion to Report First Quarter 2011 Results

True Religion Apparel, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRLG) today announced that the company will release its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011, after the market close on Thursday, April 28, 2011. Mr. Jeffrey Lubell, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Merchant, Mr. Michael Egeck, President, Ms. Lynne Koplin, Chief Operating Officer, and Mr. Pete Collins, Chief Financial Officer will host a conference call that afternoon (April 28, 2011) at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) to discuss the financial results.The conference call will be available to interested parties through a live webcast at www.bestedyhardy.com. Please visit the Web site and select the "Investor Relations" link at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register and download any necessary software.replay.
Par jeanssale - 0 commentaire(s)le 21 avril 2011
Mercredi 20 avril 2011

The Closet Thinker: a flare for denim

There is something discomfiting about the phrase 'designer denim', given that jeans are supposed to be inherently practical, democratic and affordable. I wear mine on a near-daily basis, rotating between half a dozen different pairs; and though they are a variety of shapes and shades, several dating back a decade or so (skinny, cropped, flared; dark indigo, classic blue, faded grey), none cost over £50, and most far less.It is therefore with some caution that I mention the revival of expensive denim; but it seems to be gathering speed, despite economic stagnation and other global anxieties, to the extent that financial analysts are taking notice. Their general verdict is that last year the denim market was sagging - down six per cent in America - but a shift from skinny jeans to flares has given sales a recent boost, particularly among the high-end labels like J Brand or True Religion , where prices rise upwards of £200.Certainly, Net-a-porter has confidence in the selling power of expensive denim: Stella McCartney 's cropped flares for £285, and Derek Lam 's wide-legged jeans already sold out at £360 a pair. Skinny designer jeans still haven't gone away - Net-a-porter is selling Balmain 's black and white striped version for £1,165, which seems to me an unfeasibly high price, but apparently there's an eager market (indeed, several sizes are now out of stock). And on recent trips to Paris I've observed just as many chic Parisiennes remaining faithful to their narrow jeans as adopting flares.
So I'm not sure whether we're at a tipping point, or if an economic recovery can be read into the shift from the familiar skinny outline towards wider legs (typical of how the pendulum of fashion swings towards volume, while models shrink ever smaller). And even if flares do come to predominate in the coming months, as is being predicted by any number of pundits, then what might this indicate for financial markets? After all, flares predominated in the gloomy 1970s, when stocks crashed as jeans flapped around the ankles.

All things considered, I'm not going to risk further debt for the sake of a new piece of Stella McCartney denim (though I do very much like the look of it), but I will contribute a tiny personal effort towards consumer confidence by wearing Gap mid-rise flares. They take some getting used to - there's less room for waistline spillage, and they don't work with roomy tops or knee-high boots - but I'm not chucking out the old favourites; for in fashion, as in life, what goes up must also come down…
Par jeanssale - 0 commentaire(s)le 20 avril 2011
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