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Research Article | Open Access
Effect of Amino Acids on the Generation of Ginsenoside Rg3 Epimers by Heat Processing and the Anticancer Activities of Epimers in A2780 Human Ovarian Cancer Cells
Ginsenosides are the active components of Panax ginseng. Many research studies indicate that these deglycosylated, less-polar ginsenosides have better bioactivity than the major ginsenosides. In the present study, we sought to verify the enhanced anticancer effect of P. ginseng extract after undergoing the Maillard reaction as well as elucidate the underlying mechanism of action. The effects of 9 amino acids were tested; among them, the content of 20(S)-Rg3 in the ginseng extract increased to more than 30, 20, and 20% when processed with valine, arginine, and alanine, respectively, compared with that after normal heat processing. The ginseng extract that was heat-processed with arginine exhibited the most potent inhibitory effect on A2780 ovarian cancer cell proliferation. Therefore, the generation of 20(S)-Rg3 was suggested to be involved in this effect. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of 20(S)-Rg3 on A2780 cell proliferation was significantly stronger than that of 20(R)-Rg3. Protein expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and PARP in the A2780 ovarian cancer cells markedly increased, whereas the expression of BID decreased after 20(S)-Rg3 treatment. Therefore, we confirmed that the anticancer effects of the products of ginseng that was heat-processed with arginine are mediated mainly via the generation of the less-polar ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3.
1. Introduction
The use of naturally occurring compounds for the design of novel anticancer drugs has increased in recent years, especially owing to increasing demand for natural remedies among cancer patients [1–4]. Experimental as well as clinical studies have shown that ginseng and its components are beneficial for chemotherapy since they inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in various malignancies, including ovarian cancer [5–8].
The roots of ginseng contain dammarane-based saponins, which are composed of 1 to 4 glycosyl moieties combined with a dammarane backbone. The saponins that are present in high concentrations in ginseng are the major ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, and Re (Figure 1) [9, 10]. In addition, less-polar ginsenosides such as Rg3 and Rg5 can be obtained from the deglycosylation of the major ginsenosides [11]. Many research studies indicate that these deglycosylated, less-polar ginsenosides have better bioactivity than the major ginsenosides [5, 12, 13]. Ginsenoside Rg3 activated caspase-3 and Bax protein in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells [14]. Ginsenoside Rg3 also suppressed lung cancer migration and invasion by inhibiting the transforming growth factor-beta 1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition [15]. Ginsenoside Rg5 blocked cell cycle of hepatocellular carcinoma cells at the Gl/S transition phase by downregulating cyclin E-dependent kinase activity [16]. Ginsenoside Rk1 induces apoptosis, G1 phase arrest, and autophagy in SK-HEP-1 cells [17, 18]. Therefore, the development of ginseng extract containing an increased concentration of deglycosylated ginsenosides has been investigated.
Heat processing and enzyme-based methods are two major techniques that can achieve deglycosylation of ginsenosides [9]. The Maillard reaction of amino acids with sugars is a nonenzymatic browning reaction that takes place during the processing, cooking, and storage of foods. It is well known that Maillard reaction products produced in red ginseng have antioxidant activity [19, 20]. We have extensively studied and developed novel heat processing methods that facilitate the deglycosylation of major ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, and Re [4, 10]. Recently, we identified the importance of the Maillard reaction in the generation of less-polar ginsenosides with a protective effect in the kidney [21]. In the present study, we sought to further improve the anticancer effect of Panax ginseng extract via the Maillard reaction as well as elucidate its mechanism of action.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Chemicals and Reagents
Ginsenoside standards Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, 20(S)-Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, Rk1, and Rg5 were purchased from Ambo Institute (Seoul, Korea). L-Amino acid standards alanine, arginine, glutamine, glycine, leucine, lysine, serine, trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline, and valine were purchased from Sigma Aldrich (Saint Louis, MO, USA). Monoclonal antibodies against cleaved caspase-8 and β-actin and polyclonal antibodies against cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, BH3-interacting domain death (BID) agonist, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were purchased from Cell Signaling Technology, Inc. (Danvers, MA, USA).
2.2. Maillard Reaction Model Experiment Using Ginseng Extract with Amino Acids
Four-year-old ginseng (P. ginseng) was purchased from a local ginseng market in Seoul (Korea). Dried ginseng was ground until it could pass through an 80-mesh sieve. It was then extracted under reflux with 50% EtOH three times at 70°C for 2 h and filtered through filter paper (Advantec, Tokyo, Japan). The solvent was evaporated in vacuo to give a 50% EtOH extract with a yield of about 20%, by weight, of the original ginseng powder. The heat processing conditions were designed such that the total ginsenosides contained in the ginseng extract reacted with the same molar concentrations of amino acids. The mixtures were steamed together at 120°C for 3 h as reported previously [22]. After drying at 50°C for 3 days, the untreated and heat-processed ginseng extracts with amino acids were prepared.
2.3. Antiproliferative Effect on A2780 Ovarian Cancer Cells
The human ovarian cancer A2780 cell line was purchased from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, VA). The cells were grown in RPMI1640 medium (Cellgro, Manassas, VA) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (Gibco BRL, Carlsbad, MD), 100 units/mL penicillin, and 100 μg/mL streptomycin. They were incubated at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8, Dojindo Laboratories, Japan) was used to determine cell proliferation according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Briefly, cells were seeded in 96-well plates at a density of 1 × 104 cells/well and incubated for 24 h at 37°C. The cells were treated with different concentrations of compounds. After incubation for 24 h, 10 μL of the kit reagent was added to each well, and the cells were incubated for an additional hour. Cell proliferation was measured by scanning with a microplate reader at 450 nm. Control cells were exposed to culture media containing 0.5% v/v dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
2.4. Analysis and Structural Confirmation of Ginsenosides
The analytical reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system comprised a solvent degasser (Agilent, G1322A), binary pump (Agilent, G1312C), an autosampler (Agilent, G1329B), and model ZAM 3000 Evaporative Light Scattering Detector (ELSD) (Young Lin, South Korea). ELSD conditions were optimized in order to achieve maximum sensitivity; the temperature of the nebulizer was set for 50°C, and N2 was used as the nebulizing gas at a pressure of 2.0 bar. A Phenomenex Luna C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was used, and the mobile phase comprised binary gradient of solvent A (acetonitrile : water : 5% acetic acid in water = 15 : 80 : 5) and solvent B (acetonitrile : water = 80 : 20) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The gradient flow program was as follows: initial 0% B; 6 min, 30% B; 18 min, 50% B; 30 min, 100% B; 37 min, 100% B; 42 min, 0% B.
2.5. Flow Cytometric Assay
To detect changes in cell cycle distribution, the treated cells were collected, washed with cold PBS, and fixed in 70% ethanol at 4°C for 30 min. The cells were then washed twice with PBS and resuspended in 500 μL of a propidium iodide (PI) staining solution containing 40 μg/mL PI and 20 μg/mL RNase A in PBS. Then, the cells were incubated at room temperature for 30 min in the dark and analyzed with a FACSCalibur flow cytometer (Becton-Dickinson, San Jose, CA, USA) and the ModFit LT version 2.0 computer program.
2.6. Western Blotting Analysis
Cells (8 × 105 cells) grown in 60 mm dishes were treated with the indicated concentration of samples for 24 h. Whole-cell extracts were then prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions using RIPA buffer (Cell Signaling, MA, USA) supplemented with 1x protease inhibitor cocktail and 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) [23]. Proteins (whole-cell extracts, 30 μg/lane) were separated by electrophoresis in a precast 4–15% Mini-PROTEAN TGX gel (Bio-Rad, CA, USA), blotted onto PVDF transfer membranes, and analyzed with epitope-specific primary and secondary antibodies. Bound antibodies were visualized using ECL Advance Western Blotting Detection Reagents (GE Healthcare, UK) and a LAS 4000 imaging system (Fujifilm, Japan).
2.7. Statistical Analysis
Statistical significance was determined through analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by a multiple comparison test with a Bonferroni adjustment. values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
3. Results and Discussion
In the present study, we developed a novel method of converting ginsenosides, the major active components of ginseng, and enhancing the anticancer effect of ginseng by high-temperature amino acid processing.
P. ginseng contains a high concentration of ginsenosides. Figure 1(a) shows the structure of the major ginsenosides contained in ginseng, including Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg3, and Re. The typical ginsenosides in raw ginseng include Re, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rd (Figure 1(b)). As shown in Figure 1(c), when Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1, and Re are heat-processed, glucose, which is a glycoside located at position 20, may be dissociated and subsequent dehydration may occur at position 20, such that ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1, and Re are converted into Rg3, Rg5, and Rk1 (compare Figures 1(b) and 1(c)). In the present study, we further examined the effects of amino acids on the generation of these less-polar ginsenosides. The effects of 9 amino acids (alanine, arginine, glutamine, glycine, leucine, lysine, serine, trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline, and valine) were tested; among them, 5 amino acids (glutamine, leucine, valine, arginine, and alanine) had a significant influence on the generation of less-polar ginsenosides during heat processing. The concentration of 20(R)-Rg3 in the ginseng extract increased to more than 50 and 100% when processed with glutamine and leucine, respectively, compared to 20(R)-Rg3 concentration after normal heat processing (Table 1). In addition, the contents of the ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 decreased in the ginseng extract, while those of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5 increased when the extract was heat-processed with glutamine or leucine. Interestingly, the concentration of 20(S)-Rg3 in the ginseng extract increased to more than 30, 20, and 20% when it is processed with valine, arginine, and alanine, respectively, compared to that obtained after normal heat processing (Table 1). In addition, the concentration of ginsenoside 20(R)-Rg3 decreased, while those of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5 increased in the extract when it was heat-processed with valine, arginine, and alanine. Therefore, certain amino acids were found to affect the generation of less-polar ginsenosides. Among them, two representative amino acids, leucine and arginine, were selected for the evaluation of anticancer effects. Figures 1(d) and 1(e) show the representative HPL chromatogram of the Panax ginseng extract after heat processing with arginine and leucine. These heat processing conditions were selected because they generated the greatest total amount of less-polar ginsenosides and were stereospecific in their generation of Rg3 epimers (Table 1, Figure 1).
The percent viability of A2780 ovarian cancer cells after treatment with ginseng extract (with leucine or arginine) and compounds (20(R)-Rg3 and 20(S)-Rg3) is shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2(a), each ginseng extract inhibited A2780 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Among them, the ginseng extract that was heat-processed with arginine exhibited the most potent inhibition. Therefore, the generation of 20(S)-Rg3 was suggested to be involved in the increased anticancer effect. The effect of 20(R)-Rg3 and 20(S)-Rg3 on the viability of A2780 is shown in Figure 2(b). It can be seen that 20(R)-Rg3 and 20(S)-Rg3 inhibited A2780 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, and the inhibitory effect of 20(S)-Rg3 was significantly stronger than that of 20(R)-Rg3. The effect of 20(S)-Rg3 on the cell cycle distribution at 24 h was tested using flow cytometric assay. However, treatment with 20(S)-Rg3 did not affect A2780 cancer cell cycle arrest (data not shown). Therefore, it might be reasonable to identify apoptosis as a mechanistic pathway of heat-processed ginseng extract with arginine or 20(S)-Rg3.
Dysregulation of apoptosis leads to various human pathologies including cancer [24, 25]. Intrinsic apoptosis is induced through the activation of specific signaling pathways, while extrinsic apoptosis is initiated through transmembrane death receptors [26, 27]. Initiation and execution of these processes are regulated by initiating factors, including proteases such as caspases and the Bcl-2 family of proteins [28]. Caspase-8 may in turn either directly cleave effector caspases, such as caspase-3, or amplify the death signal through the translocation of Bcl-2 family member BID to the mitochondria to activate the downstream components of the mitochondria apoptotic pathway [29, 30]. The cleavage of PARP is also an important indicator of caspase-3 activation during apoptosis [31].
Figure 3 shows the protein expressions of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8, cleaved caspase-9, BID, and PARP in the control and experimental groups (treatment with arginine and 20(S)-Rg3). Protein expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 in A2780 ovarian cancer cells markedly increased after 20(S)-Rg3 treatment. In addition, a decrease in protein expression of BID and an increase in cleavage of PARP were noted after 20(S)-Rg3 treatment. Therefore, the apoptotic effects of the products of ginseng that was heat-processed with arginine were confirmed to be mainly mediated by the generation of the less-polar ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3.
In conclusion, the modulation of the anticancer effect of a P. ginseng extract via Maillard reaction was verified and its mechanism of action was further outlined. The heat-processed ginseng had abundance of ginsenosides Rg3, Rg5, and Rk1. After treatment with amino acids, the ginseng had a higher concentration of 20(S)-Rg3 and 20(R)-Rg3 and thus had an increased medicinal effect. We demonstrated that 20(S)-Rg3 suppressed the growth of A2780 ovarian cancer cells in vitro. Therefore, heat processing by Maillard reaction is a useful method to enhance the anticancer effect of ginseng by increasing the content of 20(S)-Rg3.
Conflict of Interests
The authors declare no conflict of interests in this work.
Authors' Contribution
Jun Yeon Park and Pilju Choi contributed equally to the content of this paper.
This work was supported by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology institutional program (2Z04390). This research was also conducted under the Industrial Infrastructure Program for Fundamental Technologies (N0000885) which is funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE, Korea).
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Tag Archives: Catering
We go together
In November last year, House and leisure approached us to work with them on an event for a Mr Price launch. The theme, 'We go together', we came up with the following menu and a few pictures we managed to take during the event.
"Cheese and Tomato"
Bocconcinni mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and micro basil on skewers.
"Egg and Bacon"
Rye rounds topped with quail egg and dusted with bacon crumbs.
"Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding'
Rare roast beef served in Yorkshire pudding with horse raddish cream.
"Smoked salmon and cream cheese"
Smoked salmon roses with cream cheese and soy flavoured pearls.
"Cheese and fruit"
Blue cheese tart topped with caramelised fruit.
Mains: Floating dinner:
"Fish n chips"
Fish goujohns with string fries and home made tartar sauce, served in paper cones.
"Bangers and Mash"
Mini home made sausages with creamed potato.
"Bunny and Chow"
Chicken tikka massala served in mini brioche bread bun.
"Mac and Cheese"
Mini pasta shapes served in cream sauce, topped with parmesan.
"Strawberries and cream"
Mini consol jars with fresh strawberries and thick cream.
"Bread and butter"
Bread and butter pudding (made with croissants and white chocolate).
"Chocolate and orange"
Mini short crust pastry chocolate and orange tarts.
Presented a new client with the menu below, the feedback:
"Our Marketing Manager has just tried some of your food and she said that it is the best catering in terms of taste, layout and options that she has seen and had in a long time!! :)"
Will post pictures of the big event next week…
Black sesame crusted salmon, seared and served with a ponzu dressing and micro greens.
Smoked salmon mousse in edible cones topped with fresh dill.
Thai roasted butternut and sweet potato wedges with baby coriander leaf salad, ginger and sweet chilli dressing, topped with crushed peanut brittle.
Smoked springbok carpacio on crisp Italian bread with wild rocket, parmesan shavings and a balsamic reduction.
Fragrant Asian coconut broth served with chicken skewer.
Mini duck pancakes with hoisin and spring onion.
Caprese salad of pesto marinated bocconcini mozzarella, basil and cherry tomatoes.
Juicy strawberries.
Meringue kisses sandwiched with thick cream.
Dark chocolate andnut brownies dusted with icing sugar.
House and Leisure: House of the year awards evening
We catered for the House and Leisure house of the year awards.
Message from our client:
"Just a massive thank you again for the stunning and delicious food. EVERYONE is still raving about it. Well done!
I look forward to working with you again in the near future. "
What a fantastic evening, beautiful venue at 3 Desmond in Kramerville. We served up a feast of delicious harvest table platters, everyone consumed with delight. See links below to the House and Leisure website and Facebook page, as well as a write up in the Sunday Times.
featured in House and Leisure Magazine
Buttermilk rusks
mmm these are so yummy and so easy to make. I've made a batch to take with us on our weekend away at 'the farm', in Magoebaskloof, a beautiful part of our country and always a food extravaganza.
Photo by Lara
1.5 kg self raising flour
3 ml salt
10 ml cream of tartar
500 g butter
350 g sugar
500 ml buttermilk
Pre heat oven to 180C.
Sift dry ingredients. Melt butter and sugar. Add butter and sugar mixture and buttermilk to dry ingredients and combine. Shape into balls and pack into a lined baking tray. Bake for one hour. Remove, turn oven down to 50C. Break rusks up and place directly onto oven rack and leave in oven overnight to dry.
Dark chocolate, orange and almond brittle tart
House and Leisure road show
We catered for the House and Leisure road show, what a pleasure catering for such an appreciative audience!
"The feedback was very positive."
The menu and some pictures:
Moroccan tea glasses with Greek yoghurt, home made muesli and berry coulis.
Freshly baked croissants topped with Belgian chocolate ganache and flaked almond.
Crisp rye toast topped with ribbons of smoked salmon trout and fresh dill.
Rustic freshly baked banana and pecan nut bread served with butter and honey.
Home made scones with thick cream and raspberry jam; and Parmesan, paprika and chives.
Dark rye bread sandwiches with creamed eggs and chives.
Lemon curd cream cup cakes.
Mini savoury pancakes with smoked salmon, cream cheese and quail egg.
Thai chicken satays with a tangy lime and ginger sauce.
Home made flat bread topped with wild rocket, grilled bringal, parmesan shavings and a balsamic reduction.
Short crust pastry tart filled with goats' cheese cream, topped with fruit and micro greens.
Caramelised onion, blue cheese, walnut and thyme tart.
Chocolate and pecan nut brownies.
Mini meringues sandwiched with raspberry cream.
Brut chocolate cookies sprinkled with brown sugar.
Mini pots of chicken liver parfait with wafer thin melba toast.
Lemon meringue pie.
Berry cup cakes.
Chocolate profiteroles.

subset: commoncrawl


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Trump is president
January 31, 2017
Since the presidential inauguration took place this week, I decided I would see what peoples' reactions were to Donald Trump taking office.
On Friday, January 20, Trump was sworn into office. There were students that watched the inauguration live with teachers' consent and even teachers who watched it live during class.
Sophomore, Mary Adams said,"I freaked out and went crazy yelling," when Trump was inaugurated, "because that's my boy."
Throughout the school day, you could hear students making chants for and about trump. Some students were "just frankly excited and jumping for joy," as senior, Eddie Hogan was.
Hogan also stated that Trump will make his insurance company great again and "even the system out." Hogan strongly believes in president Trump and believes in what Trump stands for saying, "Trump is good for Americans."
There are also people who are against Trump and for other candidates, or even not for any at all. As Trump got a 47% vote to Hillary Clinton's 48%. With these results, I was intrigued to hear what a Hillary supporter had to say about Trump.
Community member, Cheri Engle said she felt anger and frustration on inauguration day. Engle felt this way because, "Americans just elected somebody with no experience whatsoever, who seems to say what people want to here into the highest office of our nation."
There are strong opinions about all candidates but Trump is now sworn in and the citizens of America will have to wait another four years to elect another president or re-elect the existing president, but until then Americans will have to see if their new president will stand true or stray from his goals.


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- Using the Payments Portal
How do I view transaction details using the Payment Cartridge?
You can view details for each order by selecting its Order Number. Details include:
- Reference number
- Status
- Order Date
- Created by
- Payment Status
- Transaction information
Orders with more than one payment method
Depending on your account settings, customers can pay for orders using one or more payment method. When a customer uses more than one payment, the Payment Cartridge displays each transaction separately.
In the following example, the customer uses a credit card and a gift card to pay for an order with a total value of $218.38. The Payment Cartridge shows the order as PARTPAID, this is because the Payments Portal runs an instant sale on the customer's gift card, and a pre-authorization on their credit card. When the merchant ships the goods, they can capture the customer's credit card payment, completing the credit card transaction.
Viewing a transaction's details
You can view transaction information for each order, including:
- Approval status: Whether the transaction was approved or declined.
- Token: Transaction token that can be used to void, refund, or capture funds without having the customer's card number.
- Authorization code: Reference code that can be assigned by the processor if the transaction is approved.
- Transaction date: Date the transaction occurred.
- Amount: Dollar value of the transaction.
- Card number: Credit card number or debit card number on the front of the customer's card or the gift card number.
- Card holder: The customer's name on their credit, debit, or gift card.
- Card type: Type of card the customer used to pay for the transaction, for example, MasterCard, Visa, or gift.
Step 1. On the Orders page, select the Order Number of the order you want to view.
Step 2. Click More Info, to view the Transaction information.
Click to return to the order.


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April 17, 2018
Annual Conference
April webinar features an assessment tool designed to ensure student safety
Join Us & Learn More About The School Bus Driver Safety and Risk Index™
Last week an attorney representing the guardians of a nine-year old girl in Lucia Mar, CA alleged that not only did the girl's school bus driver repeatedly molest her, but also that the school district ignored two earlier complaints about him and allowed him to continue driving. This alleged behavior is sickening and intolerable.
NAPT encourages everyone in the industry to ensure all of your school bus drivers and attendants receive relevant and appropriate training, as well as regular refresher training, too. Then, monitor them and ensure they are following it to the letter.
Our commitment to this enterprise includes offering continuing education and professional training as well as
The School Bus Driver Safety and Risk Index™
, a unique values-based assessment that measures an individual's capacity to demonstrate sound judgment and make good decisions behind the wheel of a school bus.
Join us Wednesday, April 25 for our member webinar and learn more about this driver assessment instrument created specifically to change safety in the student transportation industry.
Online registration is open
During this one-hour webinar we will:
provide an overview of the Assessment
demonstrate results data
highlight how this information impacts hiring/training current drivers.
Our presenters will also discuss the validation studies and demonstrate the true value and benefit the Index provides.
Register today
Wednesday, April 25 @ 1pm ET
The School Bus Driver Safety and Risk Index™
Catherine Hickem & Cindy Barber, The Dash Group
for NAPT members!
Online registration is open
Upcoming Member Webinar
Wednesday, May 30 @ 1pm ET
Build Your Leadership Credibility
Karen Main, Innovations in Training
for NAPT members!
Online registration is open
Tuesday, June 26 @ 1pm ET
Employer Brand: Strategic Tool To Attract, Recruit & Retain Talent
Lori Miller, President, Developing Professionals
for NAPT members!
Online registration is open
Missed a webinar?
All of the webinars from 2016, 2017, 2018 to-date are archived in the Members' Only section of the website.
today and you'll find them under "
Member Resources
Promoted by
BusBoss by Orbitz Software
BusBoss™ Professional - Comprehensive School Bus Routing Software
BusBoss™ Express - Budget-Friendly School Bus Transportation Software
BusBoss™ Enterprise - Bus Routing Software Integrated With GPS Tracking
BusBoss™ SaaS - Your Subscription-Based Transportation Management System
NAPT & NAPT Foundation 44th Annual Conference & Trade Show offering continuing education opportunities
Join your industry colleagues in Kansas City, MO October 27-30
Kansas City, MO is home to some of the nation's greatest pioneers; a place where unique ideas and creative thinking come alive. It's a great place to
for four days of professional development, idea sharing, and network building;
best practices, celebrate successes, and tackle current challenges with like-minded professionals from across the country, and beyond; and
on ways to advance our industry as a whole while enhancing your operations.
Delegate registration is open!
Visit the
event website
for options and details.
Plus there's The BIG Show!
NAPT's Trade Show is the industry's biggest and best one-day trade show, featuring more than 135 vendors providing the latest in products and services designed to help you perform your job better.
Exhibitor registration is open!
the registration materials today.
Plan your travel early!
Visit the
event website
for hotel and travel options to and around Kansas City, MO.
Applications for NAPT awards program now available online
Honor a colleague for helping make school transportation the safest, most effective way for 26 million children to get to and home from school each day. Submit a nomination for one of NAPT's five national awards.
Award recipients will receive full NAPT Conference registration as well as reimbursement for your overnight stay, meals, and travel. Visit
for full details. Many thanks to our sponsors for their continued support of NAPT members!
NAPT Driver Training Award (sponsored by IC Bus)
— The NAPT Driver Training Award rewards school districts with exemplary driver training programs.
Submit an application online now
NAPT Continuing Education Award (sponsored by Thomas Built Buses)
— The NAPT Continuing Education Award enables individuals to access NAPT's education and training programs, both online and in-person.
Submit an application online now
NAPT Specialized Transportation Award (sponsored by Sure-Lok International, LLC)
— This award was established to give special recognition to an individual or school system that provides exemplary service to students with specialized transportation needs.
Submit an application online now
NAPT Heroism Award (sponsored by Blue Bird Corporation)
— Our Heroism Award recognizes individuals that have performed an act of rare or exceptional character that reflects an uncommon degree of concern for the well-being of others, particularly if the individual demonstrated extraordinary skill or resourcefulness in saving or attempting to save someone else's life at considerable risk to self.
Submit an application online now
NAPT Distinguished Service Award
— The NAPT Distinguished Service Award was established to recognize an individual who has performed exemplary service for or on behalf of NAPT at the state and/or national level. This is the second highest honor NAPT can bestow on an individual or company.
Submit an online application now
Please consider nominating someone you know for a NAPT Award today.
If you have questions, feel free to contact NAPT Awards Committee Chair Theresa Anderson at
, co-Chair Jerry Milliken at
or NAPT headquarters at 800.989.6278.
Scholarships available for NAPT conference & trade show
Again this year Annual Conference Registration Scholarships are available to NAPT members planning to attend this year's conference in Kansas City, MO October 27-30. We encourage you to take advantage of this great member benefit. Click on the links below and apply today!
Dr. Peter & Linda Lawrence Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by Dr. Peter and Linda Lawrence and is intended to help provide financial assistance to those individuals who may not be able to attend safety training conferences through the financial support of their employers or on their own.
This scholarship covers conference registration; recipients are responsible for all other costs associated with attending the conference.
Zonar Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by Zonar. Applicants must work for a school district or contract service provider to a school district as a full-time or part-time director, supervisor or manager of school transportation operations. Applicants must be a NAPT member in good standing and current customer of Zonar to receive this Scholarship.
This scholarship covers conference registration; recipients are responsible for all other costs associated with attending the conference.
The deadline for both scholarships is August 1, 2018.
Bus Lifts Get Industry First
Continuous Recess is now available on heavy duty vehicle lift leader
inground piston DIAMONDLIFT. This new option allows the bolster to recess flush to the floor within the horizontal range of piston travel. What's more, all lifting is wheels-free. Watch a video showcasing the DIAMONDLIFT Continuous Recess system
Member benefit: 2018 Don Carnahan Memorial Grant
Applicants can receive up to $50,000 for school bus security, safety and efficiency technology hardware
Zonar, the leader in smart fleet management technology, and the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) are pleased to announce they will be jointly sponsoring the annual Don Carnahan Memorial Grant. Winners will receive up to $50,000 worth of industry-leading technology that will improve safety, effectiveness and efficiency of pupil transportation programs in the United States and Canada. To date, NAPT and Zonar have helped donate over 6 million dollars' worth of pupil technology over the past nine years.
Grant winners will receive access to Zonar's industry-leading smart fleet management technology including Electronic Verified Inspection Reporting (EVIR®), Global Position System and Real-Time Engine Diagnostic Reporting (V3™), Student Tracking (Z Pass™), Ground Traffic Control (GTC) Coach and more, including our latest release; Verify. Verify gives drivers the ability to go on the computer and immediately know exactly what kids are on that bus, what kids have already exited that bus, and they can start notifying parents.
Applications will be evaluated and awarded to qualifying NAPT members for full and partial grants of up to $50,000 worth of equipment/hardware provided by Zonar. For more information on the Don Carnahan Memorial Grant or to apply, visit
Still time to register for CPTC
The Canadian Pupil Transportation Conference will be held in Niagara Falls May 13-16, 2018. There is still time to register for this amazing event! But act fast, as registration closes on April 30. A conference block of rooms are on hold until today, April 17.
Join leaders in transportation from across Canada and the US for networking, professional development and an exceptional industry trade show. The conference boasts 16 different and timely professional development sessions for the transportation professional in your organization. There will be two featured plenary sessions on how to create a culture of innovation and how to address the changing labor market, with NAPT's own Dr. Peter Lawrence, CDPT as a panelist. Don't miss exceptional topics for your wellness — learn how to thrive under pressure, presented by Dr. Andrea Dinardo.
The one-day trade show will be held Tuesday, May 15 from 11am-4pm at the Scotiabank Convention Centre.
Join vendors from all facets of the industry at the event. See the latest school buses and check out technological and software solutions. Connect with maintenance suppliers, tire manufacturers and more. Don't miss the dynamic "Beyond the Booth sessions" where vendors will provide an in-depth demonstration of their products.
CPTC 2018 Niagara truly offers something for every transportation professional. For those travelling with a guest, a full program of local events has been carefully curated to showcase the best of the Niagara region.
for more information. Download the conference app and set up your conference profile. Join the conversation on Twitter; follow @CPTC2018.ca and use #CPTC.
A connected conference awaits and perfectly highlights the conference theme,
"Innovation in Motion". Don't wait to register — it closes April 30:
Vendor Spotlight: On the spot? Come to the spotlight
Business Partners are special members of NAPT. They provide expertise, products and services to the pupil transportation industry, helping to maintain and improve the safety and efficiency of operations and processes. Knowing who to call when you're on the spot is important.
To help you find solutions, we highlight our business partners in a scrolling logo format on the NAPT homepage every two weeks. Just click on the company logo to find out more.
Freedman Seating Company
has been engineering and manufacturing seats and seating related products for many different applications for over 125 years. Their product lines include bus, rail, marine, delivery truck, specialty and commercial vehicle seating. Consistent growth and expansion have earned Freedman Seating recognition as the leading manufacturer of transportation seating solutions. Manufacturing seats for buses, Freedman Seating supplies the major OEMs, over 250 bus distributors, the federal government, and many states and municipalities. The family of Freedman Seating bus seats includes products for small and mid-size shuttles, coach, activity school bus, para transit vans and buses, public transit buses, and private bus operators.
is a manufacturer and distributor of high-performance lubricant and fuel improver solutions. As an employee-owned company, they help customers develop sustainable solutions designed to improve system reliability, save energy, limit pollution, extend fixed asset life, reduce maintenance costs and improve fuel efficiency. Hydrotex's products and services leverage over 75 years of innovation resulting in superior lubrication solutions and high touch customer service.
ReaXium School Bus
is a cloud-based managed service solution ensuring the safety of students on the school bus. An onboard ReaXium Device authenticates any student boarding or exiting the school bus. The ReaXium Parent App has real-time notifications of the school bus route, location, and status. Parents are notified when their student gets on or off the bus. Administrators have a complete view of their transportation including the ability to track their fleet and monitor their ridership. For drivers, the ReaXium Device acts as a route assistant, student information manager, and alert dispatcher. ReaXium is the safest route for students.
Wheeler Bros., Inc.
has been keeping mission-critical fleets running for over 20 years, providing automotive engineering and parts distribution for light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. Maintain your fleet vehicles without breaking your budget. WBI offers quality OEM and Aftermarket parts at prices that can't be beaten. Wheeler Bros., Inc. has a fleet solution for you. Their distribution center stocks thousands of items, offering fast delivery to customers across the United States.
Connect with NAPT
Let NAPT help you stay in touch with colleagues and up-to-date on industry news and interesting stories from around the nation.
Like NAPT on Facebook
Follow NAPT on Twitter
Connect with NAPT on LinkedIn
Exploring the crisis in funding and teachers' salaries
By: Bambi Majumdar (commentary)
When Education Secretary Betsy DeVos ripped Oklahoma teachers for not serving their students, she inadvertently shed light on a problem that is tearing the K-12 system apart. The issue is not the teachers and the missed classes. It is the intrinsic detachment of lawmakers and decision-makers from the reality of our educational needs. Some teachers complained that DeVos has not visited enough schools in underfunded regions and therefore has no idea of what they need.
Strategies for resolving employee issues in K-12
District Administration Magazine
Whether it results from misinformation, staff complaints or faculty disagreements about new policies, all districts face employee issues. Some have learned better than others how to address problems early, before they erupt. "In large districts, there's more opportunity for a communication breakdown," says Jeff Filloon, HR director at Chandler USD in Arizona. "Most problems can be solved with good, clear, accurate communications." Chandler USD provides a back-to-school video each year for its 5,000 faculty and staff. The one-hour video covers key contacts for questions about paychecks, benefits and other work-related issues; best practices for student supervision; compliance issues and mandatory reporting; and department expectations of employees.
Exclusive: Betsy DeVos says federal government has failed to improve education
The Daily Signal
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos spoke exclusively to The Daily Signal's Rob Bluey for an on-camera interview at the Reagan Institute Summit on Education. Recently, the Department of Education released what's known as the "nation's report card." DeVos addressed its disappointing results and how the Trump administration is pursuing reforms to improve education in America.
Lockdown drills and lockdown lollipops: I have to prepare my kindergartners for the unthinkable.
Idaho Statesman (commentary)
Megan Hart, a contributor for the Idaho Statesman, writes: "Before I practice a lockdown drill in my kindergarten classroom, I tell my children a story. I tell them about a skunk that likes to roam the halls of our school, and raise its fluffy black and white tail and spray its smelly spray in its wake."
Bevin signs pension reform bill into law — Here's what it does for teachers
Courier Journal
Gov. Matt Bevin signed the controversial pension reform bill into law hours before a midnight deadline to formally reject or accept the bill would have been reached. Bevin had until midnight to veto the measure, according to John Cox, spokesman for the Kentucky Senate's Republican majority caucus. If he hadn't vetoed (or signed) Senate Bill 151 — the final version of the legislature's pension reform proposal — by then, it would have become law even without his signature.
School bus dashboards are ripe for more technology, Kajeet says
Technology providers say there's at least one person on every school bus who might benefit from a big increase in screen time: the driver. As companies and education officials look for more ways to maximize how students use devices for schoolwork on the trips to and from school, they're also finding that there are benefits to giving a tablet to the person behind the wheel. According to a new report from wireless provider Kajeet, in-vehicle tablets can help districts strengthen accountability and minimize distractions for bus drivers. Driver tablet software typically offers detailed maps with highlighted routes and audible instructions on scheduled stops.
Civil rights groups to Congress: Betsy DeVos is approving plans that violate ESSA
Education Week
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is approving plans that fly in the face of the Every Student Succeeds Act's protections for vulnerable children, according to more than a dozen civil rights groups, including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. The groups sent a letter to Democratic and Republican leaders on the House and Senate education committees asking them to tell DeVos to stop approving "unlawful" plans.
Later school start times really do improve sleep time
Oxford University Press USA via Science Daily
A new study indicates that delaying school start times results in students getting more sleep, and feeling better, even within societies where trading sleep for academic success is common.
Speaker Ryan will leave ESSA passage, new tax break for choice as K-12 legacy
Education Week
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who announced that he will not seek re-election to his seat in Congress this fall, will leave behind at least two notable education achievements: He ensured passage of a new federal education law in 2015, and gave a boost to parents seeking resources for school choice through a tax-reform bill approved in 2017. Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, was first elected in 1998 and took over as speaker in October 2015, replacing Ohio Republican Rep. John Boehner.
4 ways to deal with a toxic coworker
Harvard Business Review
Lately, we have been hearing a lot from our clients about "toxic" coworkers and teammates. This issue isn't new; there have been bad coworkers since the beginning of organized work. But these days, their impact feels bigger and more destructive. Businesses need teamwork to function. And teams need to be more collaborative, adaptable, and proactive than ever. The days of top-down decision making are long gone in many companies and industries, as it's replaced by grassroots innovation that's unleashed through coworkers openly networking and sharing information across boundaries.
DISD needs 400 more bus drivers, considers allowing teachers drive school buses
Dallas Independent School District is considering hiring teachers to fill hundreds of bus driver positions before the next school year begins. This follows a decision by voters to dissolve the bus agency that had served the district. Voters decided in November to dissolve the scandal-plagued busing agency Dallas County Schools. Dallas ISD is hiring for the positions, but the district might have to get creative to fill the need, maybe even allowing teachers who are willing to be training and certified to driver students to and from school.
Without warning system, schools often 'pass the trash' — And expose kids to danger
When Jason Fennes applied for a job at Cedar Hill Prep School in New Jersey in 2010, the school district where he had formerly taught did not disclose its knowledge of allegations of past sexual abuse. School administrators at Montville Township Public Schools made no mention of the four female first-grade students who said he abused them while they were in Fennes' class between 2005 and 2008. Nor did the district disclose his suspension or eventual resignation. They were prevented from doing so because of a secret separation agreement he was able to secure upon his departure, according to local news reports.
Budget cuts are ruining the classroom
Education World
Budget cuts. We've been feeling the effects of them for a while, now, haven't we? At first, we waited patiently, even optimistically. We watched supplies dwindle, books deteriorate, computers fall apart ... We took pay freezes, pay cuts, took a second or a third job, did our best to dodge layoffs ... As an educator, often, your first reaction to such an unsupportive academic environment is to double-down your efforts, if only out of pure spite against the system: You start running free after-school programs to keep the arts alive; you take pride in your ability to creatively manage a classroom with half the resources; you show the world the indomitable spirit of your students ... Unfortunately, these practices don't tend to be sustainable. Everyone has a breaking point. And teachers in classrooms across the nation have reached it.
2017 NAEP sees almost no growth in US students' math, reading scores
Education DIVE
The performance of U.S. students in reading and mathematics has remained relatively flat since 2015, according to the results of the National Assessment of Education Progress, released by the National Center for Education Statistics. An increase in reading scores among higher-performing 8th-graders was the only significant improvement, but those increases were offset by a lack of growth among lower-scoring students. A similar trend was seen in 8th-grade math, with average scores of those scoring above the 75th percentile increasing and the scores of students below the 50th percentile decreasing.
Study: Employees want real-time reviews
A lot can happen in a year, or even in six months, and managers that don't keep detailed records of employee progress, setbacks or incidents must rely on memory when it's performance review time. According to Reflektive's study, 67 percent of managers admit they removed negative feedback from evaluations because so much time had gone by and the feedback was no longer relevant. Real-time reviews allow managers to focus on and address current incidents, eliminating questions about whether old feedback still applies.
The worst boss trait? Micromanaging
The old saying goes that employees join a company but leave a boss. While somewhat debunked in recent years, bad bosses remain a driver of job dissatisfaction in their own right. Since the ability to control one's work is a key aspect of job happiness, managers who use repressive management styles may hinder employers' retention efforts and any attempts at cultural change. Much of an employee's experience with a company is through their manager, after all.
WCSD budget cuts: Nearly 4,000 kids may lose their bus routes next year
Reno Gazette Journal
Budget cuts could mean nearly 4,000 elementary and middle school students in Washoe County will have their bus route eliminated next year, according to a school district analysis. The school district is expanding walk zones for elementary and middle schools by a quarter-mile next year. The cut is expected to save the school district $550,000 and eliminate 8 to 10 bus drivers.
Transporting Children with Disabilities, 5th Edition,
by Dr. Linda F. Bluth, is available for purchase. NAPT members may purchase the Handbook for $19.99, plus shipping. The nonmember rate is $29.99, plus shipping.
To order your copy
, please email NAPT Member Services Specialist, Brianne Peck at
today! To learn more about the new Certification in Special Needs Transportation (CSNT)
click here
Transporting Children with Disabilities, 5th Edition
contains new and updated information, including useful definitions of transportation and related special education terms as well as characteristics of children with special needs and special considerations for transporting children with special needs. This popular publication also explains the legal basis for special needs transportation in accordance with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 and contains information about new Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations.
NAPT Dispatch
Connect with NAPT
Recent Issues
Web Version
Colby Horton
, Vice President of Publishing, 469-420-2601
Download media kit
Hailey Golden, Senior Education Editor, 469-420-2630
Contribute news
National Association for Pupil Transportation
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7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063


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Following every manmade disaster such as the collapse of a building like Rana Plaza or fire disasters like the ones that happened at Nimtali, Chawkbazar, Tazreen Fashions or FR Tower, there is a scurry of activities among all concerned to do the needful to prevent repetition of such disasters.
Let a few months pass, most of the people involved gradually forget the disaster, except those whose families are directly affected by the tragedies, and we let our guards down till another calamity strikes us. Once the next big catastrophe comes around to remind us of the previous ones, again we get active and make fresh promises about building codes and fire safety.The reason behind this lethargy is not apathy. Rather a feeling of inadequacy engulfs those who are entrusted with the work. They are naturally overwhelmed by the enormity of the task ahead. It can happen to the best of us. Many public and private buildings were constructed without following safety issues due to inadequate knowledge.
But the massive work of ensuring safety of buildings must be done, even if by piecemeal, as some of our cities are gearing up to become future megacities. All future structures must follow building codes and all other safety measures. Authorities should not allow any laxity in this matter either in private or public structures. The cost of oversight is too high as it involves precious lives of people.
In addition to installation of safety gadgets and mechanisms, practical advocacy programs must be undertaken to prepare the public for both natural and manmade disasters like earthquake and fire. Preparing people to act with a cool head at times of unforeseen calamities could go a long way towards saving many lives.
According to authorities, some 17,000 fire incidents occur annually in Bangladesh. Situations rapidly turn calamitous, causing huge loss to life and property when fires erupt in densely populated areas or slums. An early warning fire alarm system "Lumkani," a low-cost heat detector device connected to each other via network is being installed in Dhaka slums. Traditional smoke detectors are ineffective here as slum dwellers often use lighting and cooking methods that produce smoke.


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News Article #3
Jack Barakat, guitarist of All Time Low(ATL), is now in the bar business? He hasn't left the band and All Time Low is still going strong, but Jack just picked up a part-time job. It doesn't make much sense for a guitarist of a pop-punk band to join the bar business. Their fans know that ATL are no strangers to a good party. So for Jack to join the bar-scene is no surprise.
According to Brittany Moseley, "Barakat recently became the co-owner of the Rockwell, located in Baltimore's historic Fell's Point neighborhood. Along with co-owner Bryan Burkert, the two are offering something new to the area: a purely rock 'n' roll bar."
Most clubs play a lot of hip-hop, pop, and mainstream music that you'll normally hear on the radio. Some people don't leave their genre of music, so to have a purely rock bar would be the ideal place to go for other rock bands coming to play at Baltimore. Having pure rock clubs all around the states would be a great place for those who want to find people in their own music group. As Barakat states: "It could be one of those things that sounds like a good idea on paper and ends up being a shit show, but I think it's gonna be pretty fun."
It's just one of those things that's worth a shot and if it works, it works. If it doesn't, well no one can say that he didn't try.
Article: http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/jack_barakat_the_rockwell_baltimore_2014


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20 December 2018
NCLAT's findings
On 25 July 2018 the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) upheld the Competition Commission of India's (CCI's) 31 August 2016 decision to impose a Rs63 billion penalty on 11 cement companies for cartelisation. The appeals had been filed by:
The NCLAT upheld the CCI's decision on the following grounds.
Data exchange
The NCLAT observed that the cement companies had used the platform of their trade association to discuss pricing and sensitive information relating to production, capacity and dispatch, among other things. The NCLAT, while rejecting the parties' contention that the data had been collected at the government's behest, held that even if the government had asked for this data, the individual companies could have provided it confidentially.
The NCLAT observed that an exchange of information can constitute a concerted practice if it reduces strategic uncertainty in the market, thereby facilitating collusion (ie, if the data exchange is strategic). As such, the NCLAT held that there had been a meeting of minds between the cement companies with regard to fixing the sale prices of cement and regulating its supply and production. Having held that an exchange of information which reduces strategic uncertainty in the market constitutes an agreement under the Competition Act 2002, the NCLAT proceeded to examine whether such an agreement would trigger Section 3(3)(a) or (b) of the act.
The NCLAT held that Sections 3(3)(a) and (b) of the act had been triggered in the case at hand for the following reasons.
Price parallelism
The NCLAT, relying on price charts, observed that there had been several instances where the cement companies had hiked the prices of cement in a sharp departure to their normal trends over previous years.
Dispatch and production coordination
While analysing the dispatch trends for the relevant period, the NCLAT observed that there had been a simultaneous reduction in the cement companies' dispatches. This was coupled with lower capacity use, despite the absence of demand constraints.
The NCLAT held that production data also revealed coordinated behaviour. It noted that during the relevant period, production in absolute terms had fallen by 5.43% and 3.41%, while dispatches during the same period had fallen by 6.33% and 4.90%.
It was further observed that the production and dispatch of cement had fallen throughout all sectors during a period when demand from the construction sector was positive.
Capacity use
The NCLAT observed that the cement companies' capacity use had fallen from 83% to 73% during the relevant period.
Based on this evidence, the NCLAT upheld the Rs63 billion penalty imposed by the CCI on the cartel members and dismissed the cement companies' appeals.
For further information on this topic please contact MM Sharma at Vaish Associates by telephone (+91 11 4249 2525) or email (firstname.lastname@example.com). The Vaish Associates website can be accessed at www.vaishlaw.com.
The materials contained on this website are for general information purposes only and are subject to the disclaimer.
ILO is a premium online legal update service for major companies and law firms worldwide. In-house corporate counsel and other users of legal services, as well as law firm partners, qualify for a free subscription.
Man Mohan Sharma


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A very warm welcome to bali essential tours. We invite you to come and experience the real Bali with Bali Tour Guide and his Bali driver team, as your private driver and tour guide. Kadek Poneil and his Bali driver team all have local knowledge and experience to give you a unique insight to the fabulous island of Bali. You can choose from a long list of fantastic Bali destinations or your Bali tour can be tailor made to meet your needs.
Catering to the more sophisticated traveler, Bali essential tours and their Bali driver team are here to show you the real Bali, we will take you off the beaten track into the real heart of Bali where you will see the Balinese people still living their traditional way of life in harmony with their natural environment. Let us take you on a journey of discovery through rural Bali. Explore 'real Bali' through Bali tour and Bali tour guide.
Bali Dolphin Tour is an exciting tour to watching beautiful movement from the cute dolphins in the wild habitat of Blue Ocean. It is very impressible to see the group of dolphins free swimming and jumping in the ...
Home to hundreds amazing animals representing more than 60 species, including some of rare and endangered species. Combining Balinese cultural ambience with African Savannah, Bali Safari and Marine Park featur ...What To Do In Bali
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Just have a look at the photo ,what you see is what you get- friendly,honest,happy and speaks great English .Number one tour guide in Bali by far. , Neville riseley ( Australian )more testimonial.....
Candi Dasa is located in hilly bank, beside of the main road between Semarapura towns with Amlapura (Karangasem). It is situated about 50 km to east way from Denpasar town or 1,5 hour from Bali's International Airport. In the center of Candidasa there is a pool which is wide enough, and from that place we can enjoy the beautiful view of the Lombok Strait. Candidasa own beautiful beach with the black sand along the coastal and the magnificence view of the ocean. Now Candidasa is one of the famous tourist places in east part of Bali. In this place, we can find many hotels, villas, resorts and other accommodations which have been built to accommodate the visitor to pay a visit and enjoy the holiday in this beautiful area. Restaurant and art shop to sell the souvenir are also completing this area as a resort area in the tranquility of Bali.
From Denpasar town, Candi Dasa is easily reached through the highway alongside the coastal edge and about 1 hour from Denpasar town. It is recognized with the tourist place in east part of Bali and own the fascination of the beautiful beach, thrive coconut trees, tropical atmosphere and peaceful. It is an ideal place for relaxation and refresh during your vacation in Bali . Candidasa Beach owns the calm wave and peaceful atmosphere that suitable for holiday in far from town bustle. Beside of that, many others places of interest can be visited around Candidasa like Tenganan Village, Goa Lawah (Bat Cave), Kusamba Beach and others. Candi Dasa has a lot of visited by many tourists because it is the second favorite resort area after Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua or Ubud.


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It's time to start up on the tale of what it's like to control puppets:
I am not going to lie: I'm dragging this morning. I was out late last night–something I almost never do–and while there was food and talk, alcohol was involved, which means I was up early and it's catching up to me this morning. Like I've been caught falling asleep at my computer, and when I get home after making the post I'm probably going to take a nap.
Needless to say, this affects my writing, because it's hard to write about witchy things when your eyes are closing against your will. And while I wrote just over seven hundred words–so far–it's been a struggle. Maybe there's a way to fix this . . .
"Other writers say their characters write their novels–okay, time to put my guys to work."
Ah, if only it were that easy.
Anyway, there's always writing to do in the afternoon, and it was nice to break up the routine…
View original post 944 more words


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Promulgated by federal law, there are three main forms of bankruptcy relief, known as Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13. In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy ("liquidation"), an appointed trustee liquidates the non-exempt property of the debtor and distributes it among the creditors. Then the debt is discharged, meaning the debtor is relived of personal liability.
The U.S. bankruptcy court system provides for the settlement of debt before a specialized federal tribunal. The trial court level is made up of Bankruptcy Courts in geographical districts such as the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. In many circuits, the first level of appeal is the federal district court for that district, but in the 1st, 6th, 8th, 9th and 10th Circuits, the appellant also has the option of taking the matter to a Bankruptcy Appellate Panel. The second level of appeal is the appropriate Circuit Court of Appeals, followed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Federal Sources of Primary Law:
Text a Librarian: 917.300.1933


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Gold Croc Style Band Rectangle Bangle Cuff Watch for Women
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Breckenridge leaders 'work' developers before clearing way for luxury hotel at base of Peak 8
The developers seeking to build a four-star hotel along with 50 condominiums at the base of Peak 8 had wanted a 7-0 vote from Breckenridge Town Council on a proposed development agreement with the town. But on Tuesday, they had to settle for passage on first reading with a 6-0 count. The seventh voting council member, Elisabeth Lawrence, elected to support her partner, Ryne Scholl, in his successful bid to win the Democratic primary for county treasurer instead of attending the meeting.
Had Lawrence been there, the developers would have gotten the seventh vote. Earlier in the day during a work session meeting, which Lawrence did attend, she offered her support for the proposal that both developers and town council say sets a new standard for large-scale projects in Breckenridge.
"I do think it raises the bar and sets a new precedent," said Councilwoman Erin Gigliello, echoing the statements of other council members. "I think if we did have this kind of agreement with every development, we wouldn't be facing the housing challenges we are right now."
She was referencing the developers' promise to bring new workforce housing to town with the project, one of a number of public benefits that helped sweeten the deal and earn council's overwhelming support.
The biggest hangup had been an issue of size. Developers have said there's enough room on the parcel of land at the base of Peak 8, where the Vail Resorts administration building currently sits, to build a 300-room hotel, but they wanted to "finish Peak 8 the right way," which for them meant building fewer rooms at a bigger size. The condos, they said, were necessary components to make the project financially viable.
Even Councilman Jeffrey Bergergon, who other council members agree has been the most outspoken critic among them regarding large-scale developments, found himself ready to offer a motion to approve the development agreement Tuesday, a far cry from last February when the developers' first proposed agreement failed without a vote.
"I've been chaining myself to bulldozers for 40 years, and I don't think I've ever made a motion to support a project," Bergeron said. "This is my first one and I think this is going to be good for the community."
Councilwoman Wendy Wolfe had been one of the strongest advocates for understanding and mitigating the social impacts the project. Shortly after the developers' first attempt failed, she laid out three specific line items they needed to do to win her support: The inclusion of new workforce housing, controls to limit traffic impacts on Ski Hill Road, fully vetting the project in the community.
"(Breckenridge Grand Vacations) brought out everyone that could talk to the project and talk to the community as long as the community wanted to talk to them," Wolfe said in reference to two recent open houses and the developers' other outreach efforts regarding the project.
"And that's Breckenridge. That's how we do it here," Wolfe continued. "I was proud to watch that process. I was proud to be a part of that process and I am so happy now to support this project."
At one point during the meeting Mayor Eric Mamula asked for a show of hands from everyone in the gallery who was there to support the hotel. Many went up. Mamula also backed the project with Vail Resorts agreeing to allow the extra density for the Peak 8 project to come off the resort-owned gondola parking lots in town.
With council passing the development agreement on first reading, a special notice will go out alerting people to a public hearing before the development agreement comes up on second reading at the next council meeting on July 10.
Assuming it passes on second reading, the development team of the local timeshare company BGV and the Miami-based real estate investment firm Lionheart Capital will still have to adhere to town code as designs and blueprints are finalized. Also, the project must be approved by the town's planning commission. That's not expected to be a problem with a development agreement allowing the shift of density,
"With all humility and having gone through this process for the better part of a year, I appreciate where we landed with this because I think it's in a really good place," said BGV CEO Michael Dudick. "I love Breckenridge. I'm 30 years deep, and I want to do the right thing … I think that what BGV and Lionheart is doing is setting a new bar for how you go about having a negotiation with the town."
It took the developers multiple attempts to secure passage of the agreement, and town council repeatedly made them adjust the proposal to the town's liking since the deal first emerged last fall. In the end, both the developers and council said they felt good about it.
"None of us took this lightly," Bergeron said of council's efforts. "I think we all did our due diligence. It was good government, and we really kind of worked Michael."
In other business
Council unanimously approved, on second reading, a development agreement with M.K. Development Corporation, in which the town will give the developer land next to the developer's plot in exchange for building a minimum of 16 new apartments that will be rent- and employment-restricted. The developer must also make all 32 units subject to a restrictive housing covenant that prohibits any rental, occupancy or lease for a term less than three consecutive months and prohibits the apartments from being converted into condominiums or other forms of real estate ownership for individual sale.
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100% FDI in affordable rental housing soon: MoHUA
Hardeep Singh Puri launches NAREDCO's initiative to sell houses online during COVID. August 2020
'Seven key cities, led by Chennai, Hyderabad and the NCR have seen about 1.9 million sq ft of fresh retail supply in the first half of 2018, while a continuous foray of international brands helped sustain the demand for space,' says Bimal Sharma, Head, Retail Services, CBRE, citing CBRE research.
About 85 malls are expected to come up across the country by 2020, according to Anarock.
How the Anchor Tenant Drives Mall Design
Traditionally, a mall would look for a few anchor tenants to take up a big chunk of the space and make a significant contribution to the revenue of the mall. For this reason, the prospect of renting space out to an anchor tenant is (and has always been) a key driver of mall design, observes Rajendra Kalkar, President of West Retail Business, The Phoenix Mills.
In this context, the type of brands wooed to become anchor tenants and the need to market malls better have led to a shift in the typical floor space format of a mall. 'While the earlier perception was that larger multi-offering stores did well as standalone shops, such as Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle, today such stores are sought after as anchor tenants and experience shows they can help achieve higher footfalls,' says Pratik Mantri, Director, Mantri Developers.
'Mall operators are now cutting back on hypermarkets and department stores as anchor tenants in favour of F&B tenants, especially brands like Starbucks, for their attractiveness to customers, especially young working people. So much so, that we now see F&B brands and food courts occupying ground floor space or spread across the mall as opposed to their earlier positioning on the top floor,' says Jayen Naik, Vice President-Malls, Nexus Malls.
With this shift, 'whereas the anchor tenant used to be spread over a large horizontal area on the ground floor, now the trend is to offer anchor tenants space over the ground, first and second floors; essentially, the spread has become vertical,' explains Kalkar. 'This necessitates inter connectivity between various floors internally for one store as well as externally for customers to reach other stores on the higher levels.'
Kalkar expects not only new malls to come up in this format but observes that existing malls are also restructuring their floor plate to accommodate this shift because it is more conducive to increasing footfalls on levels two and three. While an anchor tenant can take up anywhere between 10,000 sq ft and 20,000 sq ft, this will depend on where the brand's next nearest store is located, as this factor drives the number of footfalls it is likely to get in the mall.
Key to Mall Success: Marriages between Retail Real Estate and Transport Infrastructure
Both the success of a mall and the success of individual stores making up the space are inextricably linked with the ability of the mall to attract sufficient footfalls, says Anshul Pahuja, Vice President, Business Development, Pacific Development Corporation. 'Strategic associations with the city's transport infrastructure can help assure these footfalls,' he adds.
In Delhi, Pacific Malls has partnered with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to build and run malls in Subhash Nagar, Dwarka and Pitampura. It has also entered into an agreement with the Haryana Government to build the new bus terminus at NIT, Faridabad, and build and operate a mall adjacent to the terminus. Explaining the rationale behind these partnerships, Pahuja says, 'We reckoned being located adjacent to a metro station will bring us an additional 8,000-10,000 footfalls a day apart from regular visitors, while weekend footfalls would typically come from people living in the vicinity of the mall.'
What does it take to succeed?
Aashish Agarwal, Senior Director (Head-Consulting), Colliers International India, elucidates what it takes for a mall to succeed in today's environment:
Innovative Retail Formats
Innovations are helping to further the prospects of malls. Here's a run-through of some latest developments in this regard:Mixed usage spaces: Within malls, an emerging trend in space usage is the integration of retail complexes with commercial office and hospitality developments largely targetted towards F&B and entertainment formats, says Aashish Agarwal, Senior Director (Head-Consulting), Colliers International India. 'Some malls are allocating space for co-working formats that complement their social engagement strategy and provide a captive catchment for retailers.'
'Luxe, smaller retail developments: Developers are experimenting with niche luxury developments like the Chanakya in Delhi, and targetted 100,000-300,000 sq ft formats to cater to the immediate catchment, adds Agarwal. An emerging asset class is small investment grade developments in prime commercial districts, providing a retail mix such as top brands in apparel, F&B, furniture, accessories, etc, notes Bimal Sharma, Head, Retail Services, CBRE.
'Online-offline integration: 'Going forward, we expect more integration of online and offline retailers as we are seeing with the likes of Walmart-Flipkart in India and the recent Starbucks-Alibaba alliance in China,' adds Agarwal. 'With customers wanting an integrated digital and physical experience, a mall can also be categorised as superior by linking the latest channels and technologies to create an omni-channel shopping experience,' agrees Sharma.
Destination malls
In a tourist hotspot like Dubai, the size of a mall is a defining factor for mall superiority; huge malls are a big draw in that city, they are seen as 'destinations', according to Anshul Pahuja, Vice President, Business Development, Pacific Development Corporation.
By definition, a destination mall offers everything customers look for - and that, it appears, is a lot. Essentially, today, customers increasingly perceive a visit to a mall as a day's outing, packaging exposure to a large variety of brands and eatery and entertainment options for all age groups. 'A superior mall is one that can address this desire; it is typically large and sophisticated,' says Pratik Mantri, Director, Mantri Developers.
A superior mall has 'the potential to fulfil well-read, aspirational customers' desire for a rejuvenating experience', says Bimal Sharma, Head, Retail Services, CBRE. It offers shoppers 'a unique value proposition and memorable experiences', adds Aashish Agarwal, Senior Director (Head-Consulting), Colliers International India, adding, that customers aside, 'tenants are also increasingly evaluating malls for being unique destinations.'
Related stories:
Location: a well-known mantra of the retail industry and how it underlies mall success
Malls would have a larger catchment area in these tier-ii and tier-iii cities. Here's more!
What's been driving growth in the retail segment?
Here are the top eight cities that are to witness retail development!


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Full story and a picture of the reporter (and tits) he was referring to HERE
Full story and a picture of the reporter (and tits) he was referring to HERE
Met her in person in Baltimore she had blond hair here but hey she's got nice tits
What was the color of her "carpet'?
What's with the white people leading a black racist organization? That's kind of like a black guy being a grand wizard in the klan.
And yeah, she has nice tits.
Yes they are….. Of all the leaders of the NAACP I have seen, they all have lighter skin than I do.
Yep, Monique's sure has got a helluva set on her but, the real whiny bitch is – Ray (((Stern))): http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1225pleadeal.html
As odd as it may be, it is possible that he is suffering from some sort of brain tumor. It is not unknown, it does happen. It was comedy gold, though.
Yeah,nice tits-when I clicked the link,I thought it would show tits-since this:
(and tits)- was in the link-not tits hidden by a dress.I bet that's a nice lookin set of tits in a bikini top-or just the tits with no bra and no bikini top.
Nice Tits! ;)
Well he was right about her tits.
Ok boys and girls…the lesson was NO N words, NO T words….repeat it back to me, all together now…hahaha…..no sugar tonight for that dude….his wife is pissed! lmao!
Hey, is there any man alive who doesn't think "nice tits" when he sees a pair of nice tits? I mean, even though they were covered by a dress, I thought, "yeah, those are nice tits".
Fortunately, my bozo filter usually catches me saying those things before I actually say it. Ok, only sometimes.
Hell, that is a compliment, what are people angry about ? "Nice mammalian protuberances" just doesn't sound right.
Donald Harris is a dipshit. First of all, he is the head of a local NAACP chapter and he's white? Second of all, he claims that calling a black person a nigger is wrong but he seems to think saying "Nice tits." on the air is cool?
Hey Don Harris – EABODADIAF.


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Dr. Chandrakumari Raghuram Shetty
Dr. Chandrakumari Raghuram Shetty is the Group Medical Director of NMC Health. Along with her husband, Dr. B. R. Shetty (who is a renowned businessman and philanthropist in the UAE), she has been a pioneer in establishing and developing the private healthcare sector in the UAE.
Dr. Shetty has been instrumental in establishing Centers of Excellence in various units of NMC Healthcare. She has been actively involved in the conception, planning, design, execution and management of various healthcare facilities besides driving critical healthcare initiatives. Under her able leadership, NMC Specialty Hospitals in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain have received accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI). Today, Dr. Shetty supervises a diversified multi-cultural workforce comprising of over 500 doctors and 3,000 medical staff. In her present role, Dr. Shetty chairs various committees including Governance, Infection Control, Patient Rights, Care of Patients, Quality and Facility Management, to name a few.
In spite of her wide ranging responsibilities, Dr. Shetty remains rooted to the basic ethos of healthcare profession of providing quality care with a human touch to all patients by continuing to remain as a practicing Physician for over three decades. She is a living example of the positive ethical values that NMC Healthcare holds in high esteem.


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Who can resist the charms of a rosy-cheeked, petal-strewing flower girl? Dolled up to the nines in her adorable, miniature gown, she's likely to earn the most oohs and ahhs of the ceremony -- until the bride makes her entrance, naturally.
Many brides assume that the costs of flower girl fashion are in direct proportion to her size. She's just a tiny little thing, so her tiny little dress should be a fraction of everyone else's gown costs, right?
Much too often, that's simply not the case. Brides (or the flower girl's parents, depending on who's paying) fork over a ridiculous amount of money to outfit the littlest attendant for the big event. For those of you with budgetary limitations, or even those who just don't like to waste money on a dress she'll outgrow in five minutes, there are plenty of options when it comes to affordable flower girl fashion.
Read on for tips and tricks that'll help you dress your darling for a reasonable price without sacrificing her precious appearance in the process!
Shop Around
Repeat after me: There's no shame in buying off the rack, especially for a flower girl who doesn't know any better!
Unless she's the progeny of a supermodel or A-list celeb, chances are your little cupcake will have no clue that she's wearing a department store purchase that wasn't custom-made for her petite frame. Here's the real kicker -- neither will your guests, particularly the men! So, don't waste hard-earned cash on a tailor-made flower girl gown that she'll only wear once.
Steer away from overpriced bridal boutiques and all their champagne-induced purchasing temptations. The salon where you buy your dress will offer apparel for everyone in your wedding party, from the maid of honor and junior bridesmaids to the flower girl -- and maybe even the mothers of the bride and groom. If there's a discount or special incentive attached, that's one thing. But a three-digit price tag on a flower girl dress that's simply guaranteed to be from the same dye lot as the bridesmaid gowns is another.
Instead, head to a discount bridal store, where you'll find a broad selection of sweet gowns and every accessory you could want to go with them. Even national department stores typically offer adorable flower girl dresses, shoes, crinolines, headpieces and tights for a fraction of what you would pay in a high-end boutique.
You'll be glad you avoided the couture route when the tiny angel dribbles chocolate fondue down the front of her dress. Sure, Posh or Madonna might look down her nose at your economical choice, but the chance of either of them accepting your invitation are, like, one in a hundred (million).
Borrow, Borrow, Borrow!
Grab a pad of paper and a pen. Now, sketch from memory what the flower girl's dress at any of your friends' weddings has looked like. Obviously, it was white … and probably long … and … well, that's all you remember, right?
People's senses go into major overload at weddings, so it's difficult to retain the many details of each event, like the neckline or embellishments on your little gal's gown. Solicit your friends and family for a gently used, yet still adorable, flower girl gown. If anyone has the nerve to criticize your thriftiness, insist that using your best friend's/sister's/second cousin's flower girl gown is a sentimental gesture to the importance of family and tradition and that you intend to preserve it for generations.
Then, buy a cocktail for yourself and a Shirley Temple for the flower girl with the money you saved.
Get Crafty
I've heard tales of people out there who actually design and make their own clothes. Even if you're craftily challenged like I am, there's a good chance that someone in your inner circle of friends and family bears the skills to produce a simple, yet lovely flower girl dress. Sweeten the pot by insisting that this heartfelt service must take the place of a traditional wedding gift, no exceptions. Even if you don't know anyone firsthand, an experienced seamstress can often perform the feat for less than it would cost you to purchase a gown from store inventory.
Don't let this artistic foray end with the dress, however. Forego the pricey tiara in favor of a hand-woven headpiece of seasonal flowers. Amateur jewelry makers can even create unique accessories that she'll be sure to hold onto for years. Then, grab some patent leather and tiny buckles and fashion her shoes yourself. Just kidding! Unless you're descended from a long line of cobblers, hit the shoe store. There are some items that really should be left to the professionals.
Related Articles
- "Choosing the Wedding Party." Martha Stewart Weddings. (May 2, 2011). http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/choosing-the-wedding-party?page=6
- "Dressing Your Flower Girl in Style." Wedding Channel. (May 2, 2011). http://weddings.weddingchannel.com/wedding-planning-ideas/bridal-party/articles/flower-girl-fashion.aspx
- "Wedding Child Attendants: Who Pays for The Flower Girl Dress and Who Pays for The Ring Bearer Tux?" The Knot. (May 2, 2011).http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-questions/kids-at-weddings/qa/who-pays-for-child-attendants-attire.aspx?MsdVisit=1


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You can't make progress without pain. It's a simple as that.
It's not fun to hurt. It's not pleasant to be uncomfortable. It's unnatural to willfully put yourself in that position.
But it's also the only way that you grow.
You don't earn success because you hang around for enough time. You don't build momentum because you want it really bad.
To be successful you have to do hard things.
That's the only way to grow. You have to do the things that other people make excuses to avoid doing.
You're not happy that what you're doing is hard. You're not pleased that what you're doing hurts.
You're left gasping for air. Searching for answers. Wondering why it's so difficult to achieve the goal you set out for yourself.
In those moments of unpleasantness, remind yourself of what's really happening. You're growing. You're developing new super powers.
If you say you want growth but don't feel pain, you're living a lie.
Your actions aren't getting you closer to success.
You can tell you're building and maintaining momentum, even when you haven't already achieved the goals you want, when you're experiencing the aches of testing new muscles and trying new things.
Don't give up because it hurts. That's a sign it's actually working.


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The two main procedures performed in Pain Management Las Vegas today are facet injections and epidural steroid injections. They are not interchangeable procedures however. There are certain indications for one versus the other to help the patient with chronic or acute pain.
There are over 40 facet joints throughout the spine, starting at the neck and going all the way down to the sacrum. There are two at each level and they about the size of a thumbnail. Each joint maintains cartilage just like the hip or the knee, and is subjected to potential arthritis as individuals age.
When facet arthritis develops, it can lead to chronic pain in the area. Even though the joints are small, they can cause a lot of pain when injury and arthritis occurs.
Facet injections involve placing steroid and numbing medicine into the joint that is painful, along with possibly injecting numbing medicine around the joint itself. This does not involve placing the needle into the spinal canal, as the facet joints are located behind this area on the outside of the spinal column.
Epidural steroid injections are performed for different reasons and the needles placed into a different area. The epidural space is located directly around the spinal cord. In this area compression of nerve roots can occur, which is commonly known as a pinched nerve.
If a nerve becomes pinched by a herniated disc, it is commonly known as a slipped disc. In addition, spinal stenosis often leads to pinched nerves. In the case of spinal stenosis, there may be several nerve roots compressed as arthritis overgrows bone and soft tissue diffusely and can compress multiple nerve roots.
Pinched nerves in the lumbar spine lead to sciatica down one or both legs, and in the neck region it causes radiculopathy with pain down one or both arms.
Epidural steroid injections involve placing steroid medication in the epidural space over the area of the pinched nerves with subsequent pain relief.
So facet injections involve treatment predominately for chronic neck and back pain due to facet arthritis, whereas, epidural steroid injection's involved treatment around the spinal cord for pinched nerves causing sciatica or radiculopathy.
Both procedures have shown excellent success in pain management. Over 75% of individuals on average achieve excellent pain relief with epidural injections and approximately the same with facet injections. Individuals receiving epidural steroid injections may receive a series of injections one to two weeks apart for six weeks (3 injections), and both types of injections may be repeated every few months as necessary.
Both facet and epidural injections are performed as an outpatient and have very low risk profiles. This may include a slight risk of infection, bleeding, nerve injury or allergic reaction to the medicines used.
If you need pain relief for back, neck arm or leg pain in the Henderson or Las Vegas area, let the Nevada Pain Network help you. The Network works with Las Vegas Pain Clinics, chiropractors and physical therapists in the Las Vegas area.
Call (702) 323-0553 for pain management Las Vegas help today!


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Download USSR Simulator (MOD, free shopping) free on android
Games, Simulations
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Version: 1.20
USSR Simulator (MOD, free shopping) - Pimp socialism and build native clear future! Feel yourself in the role of Russian civil servants - to develop their own country, to collect taxes, fulfill the five-year goal and fight with the enemy of the people with the aid of the repression!
Additional Information from Google Play:
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Size 31.9Mb
Installs 100 000–500 000
Rated for 3+ years