Wenda blog

Relics of Saint Therese arrive in Jerusalem

The relics of Saint Therese of Lisieux, a widely-revered 19th-century Roman Catholic nun, made a solemn entry into Jerusalem on Wednesday, the start of a tour of the Holy Land until May 31.

While the relics, fragments of the French saint's femur and foot bones, have been on a world tour for many years their arrival in Tel Aviv on Monday marked their first time in the land she longed to visit in life.

About 1,000 clerics, Catholic boy scouts and lay believers accompanied the wood and gold chest containing her remains in a procession through the walled Old City to the seat of Latin Patriarch Fuad Twal, who heads the Catholic church in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Cyprus.

The relics of what Twal described as "the greatest saint of modern times" received an emotional welcome from the crowd, which included many Palestinian and Israeli Arab faithful.

Therese, born in Alencon, Normandy in 1873, entered the Carmelite convent at nearby Lisieux at the age of 15.

She died of tuberculosis aged 24 but not before writing "The Story of a Soul" which taught humility and said that a saintly life could be lived through small acts of love and devotion.

She wanted to visit the Holy Land and learn Hebrew and Greek so that she could study the scriptures in their original form.

"She took the land to her heart," Twal said. "She loved all the towns with which she was familiar through the bible."

Her remains will criss-cross Israel and the Palestinian territories, visiting Haifa, Acre, the Galilee, Bethlehem, the ancient town of Jericho and the Gaza Strip.

"We welcome little Therese with emotion," Twal said. "She who died at the age of 24 sends us on an exceptional path of love, bringing the peace of the heart to those whom she visits throughout the world."

That message, he added, was not solely for her devotees.

"We need a spiritual dimension to create unity between we Christians and also Jews and Muslims," he said.

Saint Therese, canonised in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, is patron saint of missionaries, aviators, florists and AIDS sufferers.

Fatal bus accidents renew interest in safety bill

Deadly bus crashes over the past decade have claimed dozens of lives, including college baseball players in Atlanta, Vietnamese Catholics in Texas, skiers in Utah and, this month, gamblers returning to New York's Chinatown.

The New York accident, which killed 15 passengers and critically injured several others, as well as recent bus accidents in New Hampshire and New Jersey, have rekindled interest in bipartisan legislation that would require regulators to act on longstanding bus safety recommendations.

A Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation subcommittee was holding a hearing on the bill Wednesday. Senators were expected to press Transportation Department officials to explain the department's slow progress implementing bus safety recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board, some of which have lingered for more than a decade.

The recommendations, directed at large buses known as motor coaches, include requiring seatbelts for all passengers and electric onboard recorders that keep track of how many hours a driver has been behind the wheel.

The NTSB also has urged that buses have stronger roofs that aren't easily crushed or sheared off to prevent passengers from being ejected in a rollover and to ensure they have enough space inside to survive. The board wants bus windows to be glazed using new, more advanced methods so they hold together even when shattered. And, the board wants windows and exits that are easier for passengers to open.

About half of all motor coach fatalities in recent years have occurred as the result of rollovers, and about 70 percent of those killed in rollover accidents were ejected from the bus, according to the Transportation Department.

"It's frustrating to be on the sidelines and get called to yet another accident in (New York) and know the issues that we've made recommendations on are stagnating," NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman told The Associated Press. "If the regulatory agency had moved on their rulemakings, or the Congress had required these things to be done, we might have been able to prevent some of these fatalities."

The families of victims said they share Hersman's frustration.

"It just seems to us that four years is long enough to wait on such simple, straight forward legislation that needs to be enacted," said John Betts of Bryan, Ohio, whose son, David, was among five Bluffton University baseball players killed in 2007 when their bus careered over an Atlanta highway overpass.

The safety board has scheduled a public forum in May on the Transportation Department's progress in implementing bus and truck recommendations.

In November 2009, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released a plan for issuing regulations that address many of the NTSB recommendations. The only recommendation that has been fully implemented is a ban on texting by bus and truck drivers. The department also has proposed rules requiring seatbelts for all bus passengers and electric onboard recorders, and a ban on handheld cellphone use by bus and truck drivers while driving. Those rules have not been made final.

On Wednesday, LaHood said the department, working with police agencies in 13 states, was conducting surprise bus inspections at popular tourist destinations. He also announced new bus driver testing standards to ensure uniformity across state licensing agencies and reduce the likelihood of licensing and testing fraud.The regulations will also require new drivers to obtain a commercial learner's permit prior to obtaining a commercial driver's license.

Writing in his blog, LaHood promised the department will issue new, mandatory training standards for entry level commercial bus drivers by this fall.

Defining what kind of training a driver must have before obtaining a commercial driver's license, and improving testing standards for drivers has been an especially thorny issue. Congress has been pressing for the development of driver training and testing standards for 20 years. The department began working on new rules in 1993, and issued the rules in 2004. But those rules were successfully challenged in court as too weak and at odds with the department's own safety data.

The Transportation Department has been working on the latest round of driver training and testing regulations for nearly six years.

The NTSB said 60 percent of the fatal motor coach crashes the board investigated over a 12-year period were the result of problems related to the driver.

Administration officials point out that LaHood has significantly stepped up enforcement of bus safety regulations compared to eight years of inaction during the Bush administration. During the last three years, the department has placed 75 motorcoach carriers out-of-service for safety violations.During the three years previous, only 46 carriers had been shut down.

A nearly identical bill with wide bipartisan support was poised for Senate passage last year until Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., placed a hold on the measure. With Congress closing in on adjournment, and other pressing legislation waiting to be voted on, the bill died.

Coburn said the bill wasn't "cost-effective." His spokesman, John Hart, said Coburn will probably oppose the bill again if it isn't changed.

"Congress should resist the urge to exercise its regulatory reflexes and avoid adding costly and unnecessary mandates on private companies and consumers, which could range from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars a year," Hart said in an email.

The American Bus Association estimates the cost of implementing the recommendations for new buses at as much as $89,000 per vehicle. A typical new motor coach costs about $500,000

But Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, co-sponsor of the bus safety bill with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said he believes passengers would be willing to pay more for safety improvements.

"These are relatively minor costs that are amortized over the life of a bus," he said in an interview.

There are about 750 million passenger trips a year on motor coaches in the U.S., the bus association said.

Trion:Z gains CE Approval as Class 1 Medical Device

s magnetic ionic products were designed to promote a healthy and active lifestyle and have built success over the last 10 years through reputation and credibility. The brands latest achievement allows the brand to now boast a European CE Mark as the products are now registeredas Class 1 Medical Devices, complying with the European health, safety and environmental legislative requirements.

(PRWeb UK) March 25, 2011

’s magnetic ionic products were designed to promote a healthy and active lifestyle and have built success over the last 10 years through reputation and credibility. The brands latest achievement allows the brand to now boast a European CE Mark as the products are now registeredas Class 1 Medical Devices, complying with the European health, safety and environmental legislative requirements.

The alternative health bracelet industry has exploded into the mainstream arena, and the last few months in particular have seen a media fascination with performance bracelets, their technology, the sceptisism and the debate over who is wearing them and why.

Trion:Z has been at the very forefront of this market for over 10 years and is now a global leader in the market with an active presence in over 60 countries worldwide.As a genuine complimentary therapy product with measureable ionic and magnetic technology, Trion:Z stands high above the rest with the recently acquired CE Mark, certification by the Japanese Ministry of Health labour and Welfare and ISO approved manufacturers.

Trion:Z reinvented age-old practices of magnetic therapy with class, style and innovation. Trion:Z products are uniquely designed using 1,000-1,300 guass ferrite magnets in an Alternating North South Polarity Orientation (ANSPO), to ensure maximum magnetic flow. Trion:Z’s Award Winning range of magnetic therapy products include bracelets, necklaces and body supports and are used everyday by millions of people around the world, who genuinely believe in the benefits of the brand.

Whether it is on the snow, the golf course, road circuits or simply to compliment your daily life, there is a trion:Z to suit every type of lifestyle. The use of complimentary health techniques, like magnetic therapy, is becoming more and more prominent worldwide and within the professional sports industry; we are continuously seeing more and more athletes searching for the extra 1% that could give them that last competitive edge.

England and Lancashire professional cricketer, James Anderson, pro-golfer Rory McIlroy and Olympic Silver Medallist, Michellie Jones are amongst the many fans of the Trion:Z range, feeling they benefit them in more ways than one. With growing non-remunerated endorsements from numerous health professionals and athletes from across the sporting spectrum, Trion:Z has created a real following through their Award Winning brand.

Manufactured by Japan’s leading manufacturer of medically certified devices, Arc Quest Co. Ltd, Trion:Z launched its award winning range of products in 1997 and is now a leader in providing magnetic ionic gear to the global health and fitness arena, with a presence in over 60 countries worldwide. The company has prided itself on bringing the highest quality products and service to its rapidly growing consumer base.

The brand has received numerous prestigeous awards and accreditations, and continues to distinguish itself from similar products as the credible choice as it boasts European CE Approval and certification by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

With Trion:Z’s negative ion releasing ‘Mineon Health Fibres®’ and capsules, negative ions are released at rates of 600-800 ions per second and the unique magnetic technology ensures that the magnetic flow remains constant, making it one of the most technologically advanced product on the market.

Trion:Z and Colantotte products are categorised as Alternative or Complementary Health products and do not make any claim that any of its products are intended to prevent, cure, mitigate, treat or diagnose illness.

A 2002 survey of US adults 18 years and older conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine indicated that 74.6% had used some form of complementary and alternative medicine in a 12 month period, demonstrating the increasing use and belief in complimentary health. (Source: )

For more information and to view the full shopping catalogue of Trion:Z products, please visit .

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Nisha MehtaTrionZ08445610975Email Information

Pending home sales unexpectedly rise in February

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in February, a trade group said on Monday, pointing to a modest pick-up in home sales.

The National Association of Realtors said its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed in February, increased 2.1 percent to 90.8.

Economists had expected the index, which leads existing home sales by a month or two, to fall 1.0 percent after a previously reported 2.8 percent decline.

"We may not see notable gains in existing-home sales in the near term, but they're expected to rise 5 to 10 percent this year with the economic recovery, job creation and excellent affordability conditions providing confidence to buyers who have been on the sidelines," said NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun.

Compared to February last year, the index was down 8.2 percent.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)

Admissions Q&A: Cambridge

The University of Cambridge has the distinction of being one of the oldest universities in Europe. By comparison, its Judge Business School is brand new. Cambridge entered Bloomberg Businessweek's list of top MBA programs at number 10 in 2010. The 800-year old university opened the Judge school in 1990 and offers a one-year MBA program. Judge hosts a small, distinctly international student body. About 160 applicants enter the full-time MBA program each year, compared to around 580 at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and 400 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management.

Conrad Chua, Judge's head of MBA recruitment and admissions, notes that 94 percent of Cambridge MBA students come from outside the U.K. They speak an average of three languages, with no single nationality dominating the population, he says. Students from the U.S. and India each account for 12 percent of the MBAcandidates -- the largest concentrations. A majority of Judge graduates goes on to work in Western Europe (62 percent), followed by Asia (28 percent) and the U.S. (8 percent).

Chua spoke to Bloomberg Businessweek's Erin Zlomek about what potential students can expect from the Judge program and what they might encounter during the application process. Here are edited excerpts of their conversation:

What is unique about the Cambridge MBA program?

The people we select tend to have more work experience than those in U.S. schools. On average our students have between six and seven years of experience and the average age is 30. The academic side is much more intense because we cover everything that a two-year MBA does within one year. We feel work experience adds a different element to the learning process, and there is a lot of learning from fellow classmates.

The other thing which I think is quite different is that there is a lot ofintensive project work. Students do three projects throughout the year. Two of them are consulting projects. In the first, every student has to work with a local organization. At the end of the second term, groups of students work with global organizations for about four to five weeks. At the end of the year, there's a final project that students again have to do in groups.

Why might North Americans want to consider attending Cambridge's MBA program?

For the geographic diversity. Within a short period of time, you get to learn about global businesses and global economic development in a way that you can't get exposed to in the U.S. Or at least (not) to the same degree. If you look at how businesses and organizations in the U.S. are developing, they all want to be global. You need to have that exposure to people of different cultures, different industries, and different backgrounds, which we can provide because of the diverse class that we have.

Whatmakes Cambridge unique from other European MBA programs?

I don't think the entrepreneurial culture is as strong in other areas of Europe as it is here. The area that we are in is kind of like Silicon Valley, where you have a huge research university but also a lot of spinouts from the university and a lot of startups. Many of our students go on to become entrepreneurs.

The quality of our students, the quality of our faculty, and the large number of practical projects in our curriculum also make us attractive.

Tell me more about the global consulting project that you mentioned, and please give some examples.

Most of the projects are done outside of the U.K. and they last about four to five weeks. The students work in groups of about four or five and they help real multinational companies and organizations solve real problems. For example in 2010 we had a group of students working with Toyota (TM.) in Los Angeles. Our business schoolorganizes most of the projects. Though if students have a certain area of interest, they can set up a project themselves. One group last year was very interested in e-commerce in China and set up a project.

As for the other projects done throughout the year, some examples would be helping a company think of how to market a new treatment for lymphoma, or how to market some sort of new application or new use for RFID technology.

How do you assist with job or internship placement?

We don't do placement for internships. Most times students find those themselves. When you have a two-year MBA, the internship is an integral part of the summer in between. Because ours is one year, students might choose to do an internship after the academic part of the program is finished. Others may use the summer to write a business plan, they might do a project with a member of faculty, or they might take another class at the university.

We do have a career services officeand there are employers that regularly reach out to us. Barclays () and Standard Chartered () are two banks that hire our students. Students have also gone on to work at the international units of Google (NasdaqGS: - ) and Amazon (NasdaqGS: - ).

What would you say is the most difficult part of the application process and what are the most common mistakes to avoid?

The interview might be the most difficult. Don't waffle on your answers. Be clear about what you want. Even if applicants are not sure about something they want, they should be clear about that as well. All our interviews are conducted by members of faculty who can see through B.S. quickly. We don't want someone who is saying what they think the interviewer wants to hear. We are looking for honest, direct answers.

What are your tips for writing the essays?

Just be truthful. For the essays, we look at an applicant'sanalytical ability. We ask what they think the main challenges are in their industry. We want to know what their recommendations are and what courses of action they suggest.

How important are GMAT scores to the application process?

The GMAT is an important prerequisite but doesn't guarantee admission. Once we see an applicant's GMAT is within a certain range, we then look at work experience, work references, and essays.

For work experience, we're looking at people that have a track record of excellence. We want to know if they work well in teams, if they work well in multinational, multicultural environments.

What makes an applicant stand out?

Someone who is intellectually strong, who has good work experience, strong leadership potential, and who has something unique that he or she would bring to the program. When I say unique, I mean there is something that the applicant feels passionate about, that they've invested a lot of timeand effort in. It could be something they've done in the workplace, something they've done in the community, or something they've done in sports. We want to know that there is something that they feel strongly about that they'd like to extend, or like to become really great at.

What do you look for in recommendation letters?

We ask for two references -- one from a supervisor and the other from a peer. The peer recommendation could come from a colleague or an ex-colleague. The best recommendations come from someone who knows the candidate well, who can write about how the candidate works in teams, and how the candidate has performed versus their peer group. We want to know if the candidate works well with people from different cultures.

What kind of financial aid is available and which students have the best shot at aid?

There are some bursary awards and some scholarships offered through the school. We don't have full-tuitionscholarships. We have some scholarships that cater to different groups. For example, there is one for North American women, there is one for people with an engineering background, there is another for people interested in the not-for-profit sector. There are also general scholarships that are need-based or merit-based.