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Ghrelin stimulation of growth hormone release and appetite is mediated through the growth hormone secretagogue receptor
Edited by Richard D. Palmiter, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, and approved February 5, 2004 (received for review September 15, 2003)
Synthetic agonists of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) rejuvenate the pulsatile pattern of GH-release in the elderly, and increase lean but not fat mass in obese subjects. Screening of tissue extracts in a cell line engineered to overexpress the GHSR led to the identification of a natural agonist called ghrelin. Paradoxically, this hormone was linked to obesity. However, it had not been directly shown that the GHSR is a physiologically relevant ghrelin receptor. Furthermore, ghrelin's structure is significantly different from the synthetic agonist (MK-0677) used to expression-clone the GHSR. To address whether the GHSR mediates ghrelin's stimulatory effects on GH release and appetite, we generated Ghsr-null mice. In contrast to wild-type mice, acute treatment of Ghsr-null mice with ghrelin stimulated neither GH release nor food intake, showing that the GHSR is a biologically relevant ghrelin receptor. Nevertheless, Ghsr-null mice are not dwarfs; their appetite and body composition are comparable to that of wild-type littermates. Furthermore, in contrast to suggestions that ghrelin regulates leptin and insulin secretion, fasting-induced changes in serum levels of leptin and insulin are identical in wild-type and null mice. Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 levels and body weights of mature Ghsr-null mice are modestly reduced compared to wild-type littermates, which is consistent with ghrelin's property as an amplifier of GH pulsatility and its speculated role in establishing an insulin-like growth factor 1 set-point for maintaining anabolic metabolism. Our results suggest that chronic treatment with ghrelin antagonists will have little effect on growth or appetite.
In 1988, a reverse pharmacology approach was initiated to identify small molecules that would restore the amplitude of growth hormone (GH) pulsatility in the elderly (1). We elucidated the mechanism of action of a class of small, synthetic, GH-releasing peptides, and used this knowledge to develop nonpeptide mimetics (2-5). The mimetic MK-0677, when administered chronically to elderly subjects, resulted in sustained rejuvenation of the physiological profile of the growth hormone axis, and increased lean but not fat mass in obese subjects (6, 7). MK-0677 was also exploited to expression-clone the receptor involved (8); this orphan G protein-coupled receptor was named the GH secretagogue receptor (GHSR) (8). Besides the pituitary gland and hypothalamic areas that regulate GH release, the GHSR is expressed in brain centers that control appetite, pleasure, mood, biological rhythms, memory, and cognition (6, 9, 10).
Ghrelin and adenosine were identified as naturally occurring agonists for the orphan GHSR by fractionating and assaying animal tissue extracts in cell lines engineered to express the GHSR (11-13). Administration of ghrelin and adenosine to rats stimulates feeding, but only ghrelin stimulates GH release (12, 14). Accordingly, ghrelin more closely mimics MK-0677, and it was assumed that the GHSR is the ghrelin receptor. However, evidence has been presented to suggest the existence of receptor subtypes (15). Furthermore, as a 28-aa peptide containing a unique octanoyl modification (11), ghrelin is structurally different from MK-0677. Although molecular modeling studies that compared structural features assigned from proton NMR of MK-0677 and other synthetic GHSR ligands illustrated certain similarities with ghrelin, these studies did not precisely predict the receptor-ligand binding characteristics (16). To directly investigate a potentially significant physiological relationship between ghrelin and GHSR, we generated Ghsr-null (-/-) mice.
Materials and Methods
Generation of Ghsr Null Mice. In the targeting vector, a pGKneo cassette was used to replace a region from the PstI site at 5′ of the coding exon-1 to the HindIII site in the coding exon-2 (Fig. 1). The targeting vector was linearized by BamHI digestion and transfected into 129Sv embryonic stem (ES) cells by electroporation. The 1.1-kb NotI/BamHI fragment at the 5′ end of the genomic clone was used as the 5′ external probe to select positive ES clones in Southern analysis. The appropriately targeted ES cells were injected into blastocysts derived from C57BL/6J. Southern analysis was later used in genotyping the offspring of heterozygous parents. Ten micrograms of mouse DNA was digested with either EcoRI or HindIII, electrophoresed on 0.8% agarose gel, transferred to the membrane, and hybridized with either the 5′ external probe or the exon probe. When the 5′ external probe was hybridized with EcoRI-digested DNA, a 14-kb fragment was produced from the wild-type allele. Because of the presence of an EcoRI site in the PGKneo cassette, a 6.7-kb fragment was produced from the mutant allele. To ensure the deletion of the coding region, an exon probe (a 1.1-kb PstI/HindIII fragment encoding part of the first coding exon) was used. When HindIII-digested DNA was hybridized with the exon probe, the 2.3-kb HindIII fragment corresponding to the Ghsr exon was detected in Ghsr wild type (+/+) and heterozygote (+/-), but not in homozygote (-/-) mice. To confirm the precise integration of mutant fragment at both insertion sites, the long-template PCR was performed by using Expand Long Template PCR System (Boehringer Mannheim). For the 5′ long PCR fragment (4.5-kb): forward primer, 5′-GGGATGGGCACATGAATCTTTCTGGAAAGGGGG; reverse primer, 5′-GGAAAAGCGCCTCCCCTACCCGGTAGAATTC. For the 3′ long PCR fragment (6.0-kb): forward primer, 5′-CTTCTATCGCCTTCTTGACGAGTTCTTCTGAGG; reverse primer, 5′-GACCATCAGAGAGGATACACAGATTGGAAGC.
RT-PCR Analysis. Total RNA was isolated from individual mice. Twenty nanograms of total RNA was used in semiquantitative RT-PCR. The intron flanking primers are: forward, 5′-TATGGGTGTCGAGCGTCTT (in coding exon 1); reverse, 5′-GAGAATGGGGTTGATGGC (in coding exon 2).
Hormone Assays. All hormone assays were done in mature male mice. In fasting experiments, the fasting time was 48 h from 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. To measure GH, mice were injected i.p. with pentobarbital (50 mg/kg body weight); 15 min later, 100 μl of physiologic saline, either with or without 10 μg of ghrelin (Phoenix Pharmaceuticals, St. Joseph, MO), was injected i.p. Blood was collected by retro-orbital bleeding at 0, 5, and 15 min after saline/ghrelin. GH was measured in plasma samples by using rat GH EIA kit (American Laboratory Products, Windham, NH). Ten micrograms of MK-0677 (Merck Research Laboratories) and 10 μg of human GH-releasing hormone (GHRH, Phoenix Pharmaceuticals) were also tested in similar experimental setup. For other assays, blood was collected by either retro-orbital bleeding or tail vein bleeding. Serum was collected for measurements of: ghrelin (rat ghrelin RIA kit, Phoenix Pharmaceuticals); leptin (mouse leptin RIA kit, Linco Research Immunoassays, St. Joseph, MO); insulin (sensitive rat insulin RIA kit, Linco Research Immunoasays); insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) (rat IGF-1 RIA kit, Diagnostic Systems Laboratories, Webster, TX).
Effects of Acute Administration of Ghrelin on Appetite. Mice were injected i.p. with 100 μl of physiologic saline first and food intake was measured at 0.5 h after the saline injection (0-0.5 h). Later, the same mice were injected with 100 μl of physiologic saline containing 10 μg of ghrelin. Food intake was measured at 0.5 h and 1.0 h after the ghrelin injection to get the food intake of the first 0.5 h (0-0.5 h) and the second 0.5 h (0.5-1.0 h). One hour after the first ghrelin injection, ghrelin was reinjected, and the food intake during the next 0.5 h (0-0.5 h) was measured.
Body Composition. Bone density (bone mineral density and bone mineral content) and body composition (fat %) were measured by using the noninvasive technique of dual energy-x-ray absorptiometry (Lunar PIXI Mouse densitometer, Lunarcorp, Madison, WI). Fat and lean body mass were also measured by using a Minispec mq benchtop NMR spectrometer (Bruker Instruments) at the Yale Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center. The fat represents total fat, independent of where it is localized. The intensities of the fat, muscle, and free fluid were calculated automatically from the time domain [1H]NMR signals by the instrument software and expressed in units of grams.
Body Weight and Food Intake Under Ad Libitum Condition. The experimental mice were individually caged and provided with ad libitum access to water and regular chow. Body weight and food intake were measured every other week at the same time of the day.
The Evaluation of Appetite During Fasting and Refeeding. The mice (12 weeks old) were weighed and chow was removed. Twenty-four hours later, the animals were weighed, then provided with a weighed amount of chow, and food intake was measured at 1, 2, 4, 6, 24, and 48 h; body weights were measured at 24 and 48 h.
Animals and Data Analysis. All experiments were conducted on N3 mice by backcrossing F1 mice onto C57BL/6J mice for two generations. In all experiments, Ghsr-null mice (Ghsr-/-) were compared to wild-type littermates (Ghsr+/+). Mice were kept in a standard 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. light cycle (light off at 7 p.m.) facility, and fed with regular mouse chow. Mice were housed one per cage during the experiments. Data are presented as mean ± SEM in all figures. The number of subjects is indicated by n. Significant differences between the groups were evaluated by different ANOVA tests using sigmastat 3.0 software. Two-way ANOVA test was used for Figs. 1E , 2, 3, 4, and 5. Figs. 1E and 4 A and B were also evaluated by two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. P < 0.05 was considered as statistical significance.
Results and Discussion
To generate Ghsr-null mice, a 15.3-kb Ghsr mouse genomic phage clone was used to characterize the Ghsr locus. A pGKneo cassette was inserted into the Ghsr locus to replace the entire coding exon 1 and part of the coding exon 2. The targeting vector consisted of 3.6- and 5.7-kb homologous regions of genomic DNA at 5′ and 3′ of the selection cassette, respectively (Fig. 1 A ). After initial PCR analysis of all agouti mice, three positive F1 founder mice were identified. To ensure the precise integration of the targeting fragment at targeted allele, long-template PCR was next performed to amplify PCR products from the upstream of 5′ insertion site to the neo cassette (4.5 kb) and the downstream of 3′ insertion site to the neo cassette (6.0 kb) (Fig. 1B ). Mating of heterozygous mice produced progeny of all three genotypes. Southern blots of EcoRI-digested tail DNA are shown in Fig. 1C , illustrating the predicted-sized fragments in Ghsr+/+, +/-, and -/- mice. Deletion of the Ghsr was also confirmed by the lack of hybridization to a probe selective for Ghsr-coding exon 1. Confirmation of the genotype was also provided by RT-PCR analysis of RNA isolated from mouse pituitary glands using oligonucleotide primers selected to prime in Ghsr coding exons 1 and 2. Fig. 1D illustrates the predicted-sized RT-PCR product (326 bp) in mRNA isolated from Ghsr+/+, but not in Ghsr -/- mice.
The well characterized properties of acute ghrelin administration are its stimulatory effects on GH release, appetite, and fat deposition (11, 14, 17). Therefore, if the GHSR is the biologically relevant ghrelin receptor, we might anticipate that the Ghsr-null mice would exhibit an anorexic dwarf phenotype. However, the appearance of Ghsr-null mice cannot be distinguished from that of their wild-type littermates. RT-PCR analysis indicated that ghrelin is expressed broadly in peripheral tissues (18); however, total necropsy of null- and wild-type mice and evaluation of hematoxylin/eosin-stained paraffin sections of individual tissues show no significant differences between the two genotypes. It has also been proposed that ghrelin plays a role in testicular (19) and placental function (20), but breeding of Ghsr heterozygous mice produced normal size litters with normal Mendelian distribution in genotype and sex. Furthermore, the homozygous litters produced by null parents showed no difference in body weight compared to wild-type litters of wild-type parents at birth and postnatal days (Fig. 1E ). Collectively, these observations suggest that, if the GHSR is the ghrelin receptor, the physiological role of ghrelin is subtle.
Acute administration of ghrelin to wild-type animals stimulates GH release (11). To test whether ghrelin's effect on GH was mediated by the GHSR, we compared the effects of exogenous ghrelin in wild-type and Ghsr-null mice. Serum GH levels were measured in each mouse before ghrelin treatment, and at 5 and 15 min after treatment with vehicle or ghrelin. It is clear from the results in Fig. 2A that, in contrast to the response in wild-type mice, ghrelin fails to stimulate GH release in Ghsr-null mice, which shows unambiguously that the stimulatory effect of ghrelin on GH release is mediated by the GHSR. The GH-stimulatory effect of MK-0677 was also tested. Similar to that of ghrelin, GH release was only detected in wild-type mice, but not in Ghsr-null mice (Fig. 2B ); therefore, the biological effects of ghrelin and MK-0677 on GH release are mediated by the GHSR.
Both GHSR agonists and GHRH stimulate GH release, but it is unknown whether these two signal pathways are dependent or independent. To test whether the GHRH-GH pathway remains functional in the absence of the Ghsr, we tested the stimulatory effect of GHRH in Ghsr-null mice. In contrast to treatment with ghrelin and MK-0677, GHRH stimulated GH release in both wild-type and null mice (Fig. 2C ). These data show that the activity of GHRH does not depend on Ghsr expression.
Another well characterized property of ghrelin is its acute stimulatory effect on appetite (14, 17). To investigate whether the GHSR is indeed the ghrelin receptor that controls appetite, we compared food intake after ghrelin administration. Fig. 2D illustrated food intake in Ghsr-null and wild-type littermates that were treated in parallel with vehicle or 10 μg of ghrelin. We selected a dose of 10 μg per mouse because this dose produced serum ghrelin levels in the range observed in fasted mice (data not shown). Food intake was measured 30 min and 60 min after the first ghrelin injection. In wild-type mice, the 30-min food intake was unchanged after i.p. saline (0-0.5 h), but increased during the 30 min (0-0.5 h) immediately after i.p. ghrelin treatment (P < 0.001). During the second 30 min (0.5-1 h), food intake returned to control levels, which reflects the short half-life of ghrelin. After a second injection of ghrelin, feeding was again stimulated. The duration and level of response to this dose of ghrelin was similar to that reported previously (17). In contrast to wild-type mice, ghrelin treatment did not influence food intake in Ghsr-null mice. These results were confirmed by experiments repeated 24 h later, and then 7 days later. Hence, stimulation of appetite by ghrelin is reproducible and depends on expression of the Ghsr.
Having established that the GHSR is the ghrelin receptor involved in the regulation of GH release and appetite, we investigated the metabolic characteristics of the Ghsr-null mice. It has been reported that reciprocal relationships exist between ghrelin and leptin and between ghrelin and insulin, during feeding and fasting (21, 22). Therefore, we measured the effects of fasting on ghrelin, leptin, and insulin levels in Ghsr-null mice and wild-type littermates. Remarkably, a similar increase of ghrelin was observed in both genotypes during fasting (Fig. 3A ), illustrating that serum levels of ghrelin are not regulated by the GHSR. Fig. 3 B and C illustrates that fasting causes a parallel decline in leptin and insulin levels in both wild-type and null littermates, which suggests that ghrelin does not regulate leptin and insulin concentrations via the GHSR in both fed and fasted states.
Ghrelin is suggested to function as an antagonist of leptin on hypothalamic neurons (23), and because leptin action on the hypothalamus is reported to reduce bone density in rodents (24), we investigated whether Ghsr-null mice might exhibit reduced bone density. Fig. 3D shows that both bone mineral density and bone mass are comparable in Ghsr wild-type and null littermates, suggesting that the lack of a ghrelin receptor does not compromise significant bone growth. To more definitively evaluate the potential effects of ghrelin on bone during aging, comprehensive histological and morphological analysis will be carried out in isogenic strains of Ghsr-null mice.
A link between ghrelin and obesity has been made through the observations that, in obese humans who underwent gastric bypass surgery, ghrelin production declined in parallel with sustained weight loss and reduced appetite (25, 26). There is also a conflicting report that bypass surgery has no effect on ghrelin levels; the weight loss appeared to be obtained independently by the surgery (27). Recent studies show that ghrelin binds to terminals of neuropeptide Y (NPY)/Agouti-related protein (AGRP) neurons, and that a population of hypothalamic ghrelin-synthesizing neurons project to these terminals and modulate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) currents that are involved in appetite stimulation and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) release (28). To address whether a ghrelin/GHSR interaction is related to obesity, growth curves and food intake of Ghsr-null mice were monitored. The body weights of null mice were modestly lower than that of wild-type mice (P < 0.05) from 16 to 24 weeks of age (Fig. 4A ). Although differences in body weight did not reach significance until the mice were 16 weeks old, the trend was present in younger animals. There was no significant difference in cumulative food intake (Fig. 4B ) or biweekly food intake (data not shown) in 16- to 24-week-old Ghsr-/- mice compared to their wild-type littermates.
Ghrelin administration causes an acute increase in appetite, and serum ghrelin is up-regulated during fasting (17, 22), suggesting that ghrelin might be involved in fasting-induced hyperphagia. Interestingly, our data (Fig. 3A ) showed that fasting increased serum ghrelin levels in Ghsr -/- mice as well. To further evaluate whether ghrelin is involved in reflex hyperphagia, we fasted the mice for 24 h, then refed them. The changes in body weight and food intake were identical in wild-type and Ghsr-/- littermates (Fig. 4 C and D ). We also observed that there was no significant difference in short period (0.5 h, 1.0 h, and 2.0 h) food consumption after either 24 h or 48 h of fasting (data not shown). Our data show that the absence of the Ghsr has no effect on appetite, suggesting that ghrelin is not an essential orexigenic factor.
The reduced body weights of the Ghsr-null mice in Fig. 4A were not explained by either reduced bone density (Fig. 3D ) or reduced food intake (Fig. 4B ). Ghrelin has been suggested to be involved in fat utilization and deposition (17, 29), so we questioned whether the body composition of Ghsr-null mice is different from that of wild-type mice. Fig. 5A shows that, by peripheral instantaneous x-ray imager (PIXI) densitometry, there was no significant difference in fat ratio between the two genotypes. Fat and muscle mass were also determined by using a Minispec mq benchtop NMR spectrometer (Bruker Instruments). Although both fat and muscle content were found to be slightly less in Ghsr-null mice than in wild-type mice, these differences were not statistically significant (Table 1). In summary, our NMR data provided no clear explanation for the modestly lower weight exhibited by the Ghsr-null mice.
Because GHSR positively regulates levels of GH and IGF-1 (1), we predicted that the levels of these anabolic hormones would be lower in Ghsr-null mice. If GH and IGF-1 were lower, muscle mass and bone mass would be reduced; consequently, the modest reduction in body weights might be explained by subtle alterations in body composition caused by lower GH and IGF-1. The physiological profile of GH release is pulsatile; to make comparisons of the amplitude of GH pulses, sequential blood samples should be collected from a conscious animal at 10-min intervals for at least 12 h, which, to our knowledge, has never been accomplished in the mouse. However, serum IGF-1 does not exhibit pulsatility, and under conditions of similar nutritional status, reflects the basal GH profile. A comparison of IGF-1 levels showed that indeed IGF-1 was lower in the Ghsr-null mice (Fig. 5B , P < 0.05). Consequently, we speculate that the modestly lower body weight exhibited by the Ghsr-null mice is explained by subtle reductions in both muscle and bone mass, which when measured individually do not reach statistical significance.
It has been reported that long-lived Ames dwarf mice, which have reduced IGF-1 levels and are deficient in GH, prolactin, and thyroid stimulating hormone, have lower body temperature (30). We tested the rectal temperature of fed and 24- and 48-h fasted mice by using a temperature monitoring system from Indus Instruments (Houston, TX) and found no difference in core body temperature between null and wild-type mice, which suggests that, in contrast to the dwarf mice, the metabolic rate of the Ghsr-null mice is normal.
Our results with the Ghsr-null mice are consistent with earlier observations with long-acting ghrelin mimetics (1), but challenge the popular belief that ghrelin receptor null mice would have an anorexic dwarf phenotype. The anabolic effects of chronically stimulating this pathway were illustrated by increases in lean, but not fat, mass in obese subjects (7) and by the beneficial effects observed in treatment of a catabolic state (31). During aging, when ghrelin levels fall, the amplitude of GH pulsatility declines and serum IGF-1 levels drop (32). Restoration of depleted ghrelin levels would require either constant infusion of ghrelin or chronic treatment with a long-acting ghrelin mimetic. Indeed, chronic treatment of old animals with a ghrelin mimetic restores the physiology of the GH/IGF-1 axis to that of young adults (6). The observations that IGF-1 levels were lower and body weight was modestly reduced in Ghsr-null mice supports our early hypothesis that the GHSR is an enhancer of function (1), and is consistent with observations that ghrelin mimetics produce a sustained increase in the electrophysiological activity of hypothalamic arcuate neurons (33). We speculate that ghrelin enhances function of the GH/IGF-1 axis by modulating the "gain" or "set-point" of GHRH neurons.
The results of experiments in Ghsr-null mice show unambiguously that the GHSR is the physiologically relevant receptor controlling ghrelin's stimulatory effects on GH secretion and appetite. Because the appearance of Ghsr-null and wild-type mice is similar, it is unlikely that ghrelin plays a dominant role in determining growth and body composition. This conclusion is subject to the caveat that alternative pathways might compensate for the inability of the Ghsr-null mice to respond to ghrelin. Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that regulation of growth and appetite would be subject to equivalent compensation, and that ghrelin antagonists would be broadly efficacious antiobesity agents.
We thank Dr. Kevin Behar at Yale Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center for NMR body composition analysis (supported by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases Grant U24 DK 59635) and Merck Research Laboratories for providing MK-0677. We thank Dr. Mark Asnicar for his valuable input, Adelina Gunawan for excellent technical assistance, Michael R. Honig for proofreading the manuscript, and Edith A. Gibson for preparing and editing the manuscript. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the National Institutes of Aging (Grants RO1AG18895 and RO1AG19230), the Hankamer Foundation, and the postdoctoral fellowship for Y.S. from Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
↵ § To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rsmith{at}bcm.tmc.edu.
This paper was submitted directly (Track II) to the PNAS office.
Abbreviations: GH, growth hormone; GHSR, GH secretagogue receptor; ES, embryonic stem; GHRH, GH-releasing hormone; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor 1.
- Copyright © 2004, The National Academy of Sciences
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Smith, R. G., Cheng, K., Schoen, W. R., Pong, S.-S., Hickey, G. J., Jacks, T. M., Butler, B. S., Chan, W. W.-S., Chaung, L.-Y. P., Judith, F., et al. (1993) Science 260 , 1640-1643. pmid:8503009
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Deb May offers yoga classes at various locations in the Dubuque, Iowa area. Yoga helps you relieve stress and build strength and flexibility. Most classes are beginner-friendly, yet also offer poses for challenge, with everyone practicing at their own level.
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text:
WATCH: Johnson saves par with left-handed chip
Dustin Johnson is world number one for a reason - as this left-handed chip to save par at the RBC Heritage shows.
Hampered by a green-side tree on the par-three seventh, Johnson decided there was only one thing for it.
Despite playing off his weaker side, the American produced a superb chip to knock the ball within two feet before holing his putt for an unusual par.
Most people would struggle to do this on their stronger side...
The most impressive par you'll see today.#QuickHitspic.twitter.com/lffgbR2Z1s-- PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 13, 2018


text:
This is the funniest thing I've seen in ages … and it dates to 1970. It's from Anne Bancroft's Emmy-winning "Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man." It was written by Thomas Meehan. Apparently they cut out the final group of guests — Anno Moffo, Mata Hari and Pia Lindstrom — whom she introduces as "Anna, Mata, Pia." Yes, that's Lee J. Cobb playing the psychiatrist. (Now we know where David Letterman got "Oprah … Uma" from!)
One thought on "Anne Bancroft in "Yma Dream""
That's good Tom. Lee Cobb mugging is good too.


text:
LG G Flex official, offers "self-repairing" back cover, horizontally curved 6 inch screen
0. phoneArena posted on 27 Oct 2013, 22:23
On Sunday night, LG announced the LG G Flex; the device uses a flexible OLED screen technology to offer a 6 inch display with a curve along the horizontal axis. The display offers resolution of 720 x 1280. Thanks to the curve, the phone is 7.9mm to 8.7mm thin at various points. Besides the cool look, the handset has some serious horsepower with a quad-core 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor under the hood...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here
1. wicpromd (Posts: 266; Member since: 20 Aug 2013)
looks like Xperia TX in just opposite :D
35. dil2abu (Posts: 315; Member since: 09 Nov 2011)
What about viewing angles? :-P
2. woodshop20 (Posts: 459; Member since: 14 Sep 2013)
So we have to compromise a good 1080p screen for an unbreakable one? Still don't really see many advantages over flat phones, plus it'll be a pain using the phone on a flat surface
That said, the battery capacity is quite impressive and the phone itself looks pretty cool.
21. pwnarena (Posts: 1129; Member since: 15 Feb 2013)
it can stand on its sides☺
3. toyboyz (Posts: 229; Member since: 22 Jan 2010)
I like e.....:)
4. skuld (Posts: 44; Member since: 10 Jan 2013)
this will certainly fit well inside my jean's back pocket.
20. pwnarena (Posts: 1129; Member since: 15 Feb 2013)
put it in your back pocket. put two, preferably, so you can get that nice ass form☺
47. androadictto (Posts: 13; Member since: 17 Oct 2013)
49. skinny95black (Posts: 113; Member since: 06 Jan 2013)
made my day
5. tiara6918 (Posts: 2262; Member since: 26 Apr 2012)
Looks better than the galaxy round
6. wicpromd (Posts: 266; Member since: 20 Aug 2013)
galaxy round will be much better with pocket comfortability :)
14. imMature (Posts: 87; Member since: 04 Sep 2013)
But not for watching videos :P
36. Nathan_ingx (Posts: 4764; Member since: 07 Mar 2012)
Why do you use even use a phone?
Why don't you use a slab of wood, cut it "round" so that it feels comfortable in your pocket? Then, you don't have to worry about the calling capabilities of a phone. Right?
7. HASHTAG (unregistered)
Let's see, the Round will be good for the front pockets while the Flex would be good for the back pockets..... I guess your choice would be based on which pocket you prefer your phone to be in.
8. GadgetsMcGoo (Posts: 168; Member since: 15 Mar 2013)
LG seems to be copying the iPhone 5 ... not realizing that a bent iPhone is actually a flaw.
22. andynaija (Posts: 1216; Member since: 08 Sep 2012)
Just stop -_-
23. SleepingOz (unregistered)
HAHAHAHAHA! You made my day, bud! TY!
9. E.S.1 (Posts: 308; Member since: 14 Sep 2013)
720p screen on a 6 inch display? Hmm..
13. Berzerk000 (Posts: 4275; Member since: 26 Jun 2011)
Yeah, that killed it. I know this is probably a prototype like the Galaxy Round, but giving this a 4.7" or less display (keeping the same resolution) would have made it a viable handset.
10. doubler86 (Posts: 320; Member since: 26 Jan 2011)
These two have not been very good at all.
Galaxy Round - fits great in a front pocket and in a hand, but would be weird against your face.
LG Flex - fits great against your face but weird in any pocket and feels odd in a hand
The idea behind flexible screens is so we don't have glass and we can't break the screen, neither of these of these have this benefit. Waste of time
11. squallz506 (banned) (Posts: 1075; Member since: 19 Oct 2011)
I want a Nokia lumia roundish designed phone with a wrap around display, not this >.
12. alltechinside (Posts: 248; Member since: 21 Apr 2013)
I'm more impressed with the self-repairing back cover than the curved screen itself lol
39. bohdan4ik13 (Posts: 114; Member since: 10 Feb 2012)
Yup, cool feature!
15. Joshing4fun (Posts: 1243; Member since: 13 Aug 2010)
And why would I want this? It took decades for TVs to get flat screens, why would I want a curved one?
17. vikk2232153 (Posts: 19; Member since: 18 Oct 2013)
lol....lol..awesome comment..haha..thing u said is actually a point to ponder over..haha
19. pwnarena (Posts: 1129; Member since: 15 Feb 2013)
i agree that we don't need curved displays but i think your point is incorrect.
yes we had convex crt displays before we had flat screens but this display is not convex or bulging. it is concave. so basically, from a bulging to a flattened display, we now get a display that has been pressed further to become concave.
stlil unnecessary though.
16. vikk2232153 (Posts: 19; Member since: 18 Oct 2013)
who wants a curved screen ?..LOL...I would be happy when someone introduces flexible screen rather than curved :)
24. SleepingOz (unregistered)
This is just the beginning. Patience..
27. itsdeepak4u2000 (Posts: 3718; Member since: 03 Nov 2012)
For flexible phones, almost every hardware should be flexible.
44. vikk2232153 (Posts: 19; Member since: 18 Oct 2013)
you are 100% correct...!!..LG has recently inroduced flexible batteries..even foldable ones!!....Many companies are working on flexible screen...but we will get to see 1st prototype in around 2 yrs from now


text:
This eight-piece electronic drum kit features an exclusive Alesis mesh snare and mesh kick (U.S.Patent 9,424,827) that deliver an authentic drumming experience.Along with the 8-in mesh kick and a 10-in dual-zone mesh snare drum, there are also two 9-in dual-zone rack toms and an 11-in dual-zone floor tom.The set also features a 10-in ride cymbal, a 10-in hi-hat with pedal and a 10-in crash with choke.The included Advanced Drum Module features 70 drum kits (50 factory + 20 user) with over 600 sounds and 60 play-along tracks, built-in metronome to sharpen your skills and more.The premium chrome 4-post rack keeps everything solidly anchored, no matter how hard you play.
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* Tightly-woven 10-in dual-zone snare pad for superior feel and playing response
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* For USB-MIDI performance
* MAC : OS X 10.7 or later
* PC : Windows 7 or later
* Available USB Port


text:
Canon imagePROGRAF iPF830 Driver Mac
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text:
BloggingTories.ca Forum Index
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Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 10014
: 3
Location: Ontario
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:17 am
Post subject: Who will be in Doug Ford's Cabinet ?
( I'm assuming the cabinet will be revealed at the end of June , it may also be much smaller than Wynne's massive cabinet which had close to 30 members , it seem obvious Elliott , Mulroney and Macleod will be in the cabinet . also suspect Fideli and Rickford from up north are very likely too )
Some potential Ford cabinet members
Shawn Jeffords
© THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
TORONTO - Throughout the 2018 provincial election campaign Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford touted his candidates as talented and capable of delivering on his promises. Ford, whose party won a majority Thursday night, has said he would have no trouble choosing a cabinet from the "124 all-stars" on his team.
Here's a look at some potential Tory ministers in a Ford cabinet:
Christine Elliott — Theformer Tory legislator and three-time party leadership candidate will likely play a key role in Ford's cabinet. Elliott, who handily won her riding of Newmarket-Aurora, is an experienced politician who has also been Tory deputy leader under former Tory leader Tim Hudak. Until jumping into the party leadership race in February, Elliott served as the province's first patient ombudsman.
Caroline Mulroney — Thelawyer and former leadership candidate is a political rookie who could end up in cabinet in a key role. The daughter of former prime minister Brian Mulroney, she offers links to Tory stalwarts in the party's base who rallied behind her during her run for the party leadership. The 43-year-old mother of four was educated at Harvard and New York University.
Vic Fedeli — The veteran Tory legislator and longtime finance critic served as interim party leader after Patrick Brown stepped down earlier this year. Ford, who became party leader in March but had no seat in the legislature, relied on Fedeli to lead the Opposition in the house. Fedeli could be a choice for minister of finance.
Lisa MacLeod — The longtime Ottawa-area Tory legislator has held multiple roles in her time in opposition including as education critic, finance critic and digital government critic. MacLeod has also been a vocal advocate of increased mental health supports. She emerged as a go-to communicator for Ford after he took the helm as party leader in March.
Rod Phillips — The former head of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and executive at Postmedia was a star candidate for the party in Ajax. He also has extensive experience as a political staffer for former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman, who endorsed Ford during the election.
Todd Smith — The legislator for Bay of Quinte riding in Eastern Ontario has served as the party's energy critic in recent years. He helped Ford sell his pitch to fire the board and CEO of the partially privatized utility Hydro One during the election. Ford may call upon Smith to handle the thorny file of energy minister and find a way to deliver on a Tory pledge to cut hydro rates by a further 12 per cent.
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 10014
: 3
Location: Ontario
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:20 am
Post subject:
Doug Ford has lots of choices in assembling first PC government since 2003
By Robert BenzieQueen's Park Bureau Chief
Mon., June 11, 2018
Premier-designate Doug Ford and his transition team are quietly and methodically putting together the first Progressive Conservative government at Queen's Park in 15 years.
Fresh from toppling Premier Kathleen Wynne's Liberals last Thursday, he and his top advisers are gearing up for the swearing in of the administration on June 29.
Ontario premier-elect Doug Ford said his "biggest problem" will be whittling down his cabinet selections from the dozens of Tories elected around the province.
Ford said his "biggest problem" will be whittling down his cabinet selections from the dozens of Tories elected around the province.
"We have 75 incredible people to choose from and that's going to be the toughest decision. We haven't made that decision yet, but we will," he said Sunday.
Wynne's departing cabinet, which will meet for the final time Wednesday, has 28 members presiding over 30 departments.
Her successor has not yet determined how large his cabinet will be, but it is widely expected to be streamlined slightly with reconfigured ministries.
While the incoming premier insisted he has not decided who will be on his executive council, he tipped his hand on May 28 when he showcased some of his star candidates at a roundtable in Newmarket.
The Tory leader indicated that day his cabinet could include newly elected candidates Christine Elliott (Newmarket-Aurora), Rod Phillips (Ajax), Caroline Mulroney (York-Simcoe), Peter Bethlenfalvy (Pickering-Uxbridge), Greg Rickford (Kenora-Rainy River), Doug Downey (Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte), and Donna Skelly (Flamborough-Glanbrook).
Ford also highlighted MPPs Lisa MacLeod (Nepean), Raymond Cho (Scarborough North), and Vic Fedeli (Nipissing), and he is known to be impressed by Todd Smith (Bay of Quinte), John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke) and Monte McNaughton (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex).
Other veterans believed to be under consideration for cabinet include MPPs Jim Wilson (Simcoe-Grey), Steve Clark (Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands), Ross Romano (Sault Ste. Marie), and Sylvia Jones (Dufferin-Caledon).
Because the Tories won 76 seats in the expanded 124-member Legislature — compared to 40 for Andrea Horwath's New Democrats, seven for Wynne's Liberals, and one for Green Leader Mike Schreiner — Ford has the luxury of choice.
When cabinetmaking, premiers traditionally look at geography, cultural background, gender and work-life experience, among other factors.
During the election, Ford promised that his agriculture minister "would be a farmer," which means either Toby Barrett (Haldimand-Norfolk) or Lisa Thompson (Huron-Bruce) will likely make cabinet.
It is expected that MPPs Rick Nicholls (Chatham-Kent-Leamington) or Ted Arnott (Wellington Halton Hills) could end up as speaker of the Legislative Assembly, a position elected by MPPs in a secret ballot.
Doug Ford's Ontario Progressive Conservatives will form a majority government following Thursday's provincial election. The premier-elect says he will continue the legacy of his late brother Rob, a former Toronto mayor. (The Canadian Press)
Ford will gather his victorious caucus at Queen's Park next Tuesday for their first meeting since the election.
"I feel great. I feel energized. I feel ready to go," he said. "We're getting our transition team together and we're going to get moving and we'll move rapidly."
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 10014
: 3
Location: Ontario
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:25 am
Post subject:
Will Doug Ford tap Southwestern Ontario to populate cabinet?
Which MPPs will Doug Ford pick to represent Southwestern Ontario when he names his cabinet?
Dan Brown
Updated: June 15, 2018
Which MPPs will Doug Ford pick to represent Southwestern Ontario when he names his cabinet? It's impossible to predict, experts tell The Free Press, because choosing a cabinet is a more of an art than a science.
But regional representation will be a factor in the premier-designate's choices, they agree.
"Geography's always played a role. Over the years, I've examined this and it's always played out," Peter Woolstencroft, a retired University of Waterloo political-science professor, said of how a newly minted Ontario premier will take the province's map into account when slotting MPPs into the different cabinet portfolios.
"One factor that's always been steady has been regional representation," echoed the University of Toronto's Nelson Wiseman.
Woolstencroft says his sources tell him Ford will appoint a streamlined cabinet. "I think the bar is higher," he added. "There are fair number of (Progressive) Conservatives to call upon."
Elgin-Middlesex-London's Jeff Yurek may be in a good position since he is the only Tory MPP in the area with ties to the Forest City. "I would expect that Yurek would represent London," Wolstencroft said.
Yurek acquitted himself well in his role as health critic while in opposition. His status as a small-business owner of a pharmacy might also make him appealing. "You want someone (in cabinet) whose got links to the business community," Wiseman pointed out.
Progressive Conservative candidate Jeff Yurek was re-elected MPP of Elgin-Middlesex-London during the provincial election Thursday night. (Louis Pin/Times-Journal)
Ford did give some hints about his thinking on the ideal profile of cabinet members while on the campaign trail here, telling local crowds he would want someone with farming experience in the agriculture slot.
"Agriculture always thinks they're special. It's always a good talking point," Woolstencroft said.
That might mean someone like Huron-Bruce's Lisa Thompson will be tapped for cabinet duty. "Lisa Thompson (is) an obvious appointee," Woolstencroft, a longtime Queen's Park-watcher, added.
When Ford first visited our city after winning the PC leadership, he was hosted here by Yurek, Monte McNaughton (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex) and Bob Bailey (Sarnia-Lambton). As a former leadership hopeful with pull among social conservatives, McNaughton — a former critic for economic development — could get the nod.
"To me, the interesting question is: How many of the unknown newbies does he go with?
–Peter Wolstencroft
Rewarding certain areas for supporting the Tories in the June 7 provincial vote may also play a part in Ford's decisions, so Wiseman and Wolstencroft expect a number of GTA appointees will be in the mix — but not too many.
It would be a political "disaster" if Ford over-rewards the Big Smoke, Woolstencroft believes: "There would be a lot of unhappy people."
"You can't have everybody from Toronto. You can't have everybody from outside of Toronto," Wiseman agreed.
Nor is regional representation the only factor the former Toronto city councillor will take into account.
"In recent years, a new consideration has been diversity in terms of ethnicity, race and gender," Wiseman said. A political leader also has to take into account experience — in the legislature and beyond, he says.
"To me, the interesting question is: How many of the unknown newbies does he go with? Does Doug Ford care about optics? Is he prepared to make a hard call?" Woolstencroft said.
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 10014
: 3
Location: Ontario
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:28 am
Post subject:
( this article seems to indicate that ford has already picked a cabinet and that they will meet Tomorrow for the first time )
June 11, 2018 2:48 pm Updated: June 12, 2018 10:19 am
Choosing cabinet, picking office space, hiring assistants: PC transition to power underway
By Shawn Jeffords and Paola Loriggio The Canadian Press
WATCH ABOVE: Ontario Premier-designate Doug Ford said Sunday he had a challenge choosing a cabinet, but said their first caucus meeting would be June 19. He also said he hasn't yet decided on a third-party auditor to look at the province's finances.
TORONTO – From choosing cabinet members and hiring political aides, to picking office space and conducting background checks on legislators, Ontario's newly elected Progressive Conservatives must tackle a lengthy to-do list as they prepare to take power for the first time in 15 years – and observers say their decisions could set the tone for the rest of their term.
Premier-designate Doug Ford, who announced his transition team a day after his party won a majority, is meeting with senior public servants and will gather his new 76-member caucus for the first time next week.
But behind the scenes, transition preparations have likely been going on quietly for months, said retired University of Toronto political science professor Graham White, who has co-authored a book on changes in power in Ontario.
"A good transition is absolutely essential to a successful government," he said.
The challenge for the Tories, who've been out of power for so long, would not be dissimilar to some of the problems the Bob Rae-led NDP encountered nearly three decades ago, said White. Some less experienced NDP caucus members didn't trust the public service after years in the opposition, hurting the vital relationship with the province's non-partisan bureaucracy, he said.
While Ford works to form his cabinet, he will also be meeting with public servants who will have done a preliminary examination of the Tory plan, costed some of their promises and will tell the party what could be implemented quickly and what may take more time, White said.
"The public service, literally the morning after the election, has to be in a position to say, 'premier-designate, here's our analysis. What else would you like to do?"' he said.
In a memo Friday, Steve Orsini, head of the Ontario's public service, asked senior bureaucrats to help with the transition on a "24/7" basis.
"I know I can rely on each of you to provide timely, professional and expert advice during and after the swearing-in of the new administration," he said.
Ford will officially take over from outgoing Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne on June 29. But a full transition is likely to take months because of the challenge of fully staffing government ministries with new political aides, White said.
"Somewhere in Queen's Park there is a computer with hundreds of electronic resumes which have come in and a very large box of paper resumes," he said. "Sorting through that and getting good people is an enormously important but difficult task."
Former Liberal legislator John Milloy, who was part of the slate that took over from the Progressive Conservatives in 2003, said Ford will quickly have to decide how he wants to run his government.
"Is he going to have a series of cabinet committees? Who's going to be in those committees? How big are the committees going to be? What sorts of issues are they going to look at? … He's going to have to decide how he wants the government to function," said Milloy, now a practitioner-in-residence in the department of political science at Wilfrid Laurier University.
The Tories are also likely going through an extensive vetting process that includes police background checks, Milloy said, something he said should be completed before Ford announces his cabinet.
"What the Liberals did … they checked everyone, every single MPP," he said. "Not only is there going to be a police check but they're going to want to sit down either with everyone or with prospective ministers and prospective parliamentary assistants and ask all those awful questions."
Milloy conceded that the process could be uncomfortable.
"They asked me all those awful questions: drug use and have you had an affair and are you bankrupt and do you owe anyone any money and how often do you hang out with the Russian mob," he said.
The New Democrats, who are moving to the role of official Opposition, are also in transition, preparing to take on additional duties, including sitting on more committees and chairing some of them, the party said.
They must also select a shadow cabinet, although that remains the prerogative of leader Andrea Horwath, they said. Traditionally, the Opposition lineup is revealed after the government announces its cabinet, they said.
"Often, the Official Opposition waits to see how many ministers the premier has in the cabinet, and how the responsibilities are divided," said Michael Balagus, chief of staff for the NDP caucus.
Similarly, the party that forms government gets the first pick of offices for its members and caucus room, followed by the Opposition and, when applicable, the third party, the NDP said.
A representative from each party has already been meeting with the board of internal economy – which establishes and oversees financial policies that apply to the Legislative Assembly – and the legislative services division to sort it out, and the moving process could begin by the end of the week, they said.
Research staff and other employees not tied to specific legislators will also be hired once the caucus budget is allocated in the next few days, the party said.
Aside from a few management positions, all NDP staff belong to a union, so those positions must be posted and filled according to union rules, which is not the case for the other parties, they said.
Meanwhile, the Liberals, reduced to seven seats after Thursday's election, have begun the process of searching for an interim leader after Wynne stepped down as party leader on election night. She is, however, staying on as a legislator.
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 10014
: 3
Location: Ontario
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:32 am
Post subject:
( ford has also ordered a hiring freeze at queens park and put restrictions on travel and other expenses , considering the province is broke , one has to wonder why this action took so long to actually happen , it seems that wynne allowed the free spending ways to continue cause it was the only way she could maintain what little support she still had there )
Steve PaikinVerified account @spaikin · 58m58 minutes ago
the order has gone out to all deputy ministers at queen's park: hiring freeze is on, cancel all paper-based newspaper/magazine subscriptions, new restrictions on out-of-province travel, no food at taxpayers' expense approved for in-house meetings. #onpoli
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 10014
: 3
Location: Ontario
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:28 am
Post subject:
( the hiring freeze is a baby step as ford begins to tackle Ontario's bloated and over paid public service )
Ford orders public sector hiring freeze, excludes essential frontline staff
The Canadian Press
Updated: June 18, 2018
Doug Ford. Nathan Denette/Canadian Press
TORONTO — Ontario's incoming premier has put the public service under a hiring freeze as part of a series of measures meant to limit spending as he re-examines the province's books.
A spokesman for Doug Ford says the Progressive Conservative leader has also directed government ministries to cancel "subscription-based services" and to restrict out-of-province travel.
Simon Jefferies says the Tories will review government spending line by line to ensure taxpayers' money is going to the services people rely on.
During the election campaign, Ford promised to launch an audit of government spending and to save billions each year by finding unspecified efficiencies, without cutting any jobs.
A source within the party says essential frontline staff, including those in policing and fire services, are exempt from the hiring freeze.
Any other hiring, aside from lateral moves within the public service or appointments required to fulfil collective agreements, must be officially approved before going forward.
The head of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says he's not surprised by the decision, but has concerns about how it may affect services and the 34,000 public sector workers the union represents.
"Whatever this man does will affect at least some of our members everywhere, and depending on the decision, could affect a lot of them," said Warren "Smokey" Thomas, OPSEU's president.
Thomas said he sent Ford a letter last week asking for a meeting and reminding him of his promise not to lay off any workers in his belt-tightening efforts, but said the premier-designate has yet to take him up on the offer.
Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 8188
: 21
Location: The World
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 12:55 pm
Post subject:
Its a small step;
But one in the right direction.
A Province without a balanced budget needs to make some fiscal concessions;
Its why he won.
Joined: 16 Dec 2009
Posts: 6544
: 8
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 6:54 pm
Post subject:
RCO wrote:
( ford has also ordered a hiring freeze at queens park and put restrictions on travel and other expenses , considering the province is broke , one has to wonder why this action took so long to actually happen , it seems that wynne allowed the free spending ways to continue cause it was the only way she could maintain what little support she still had there )
Steve PaikinVerified account @spaikin · 58m58 minutes ago
the order has gone out to all deputy ministers at queen's park: hiring freeze is on, cancel all paper-based newspaper/magazine subscriptions, new restrictions on out-of-province travel, no food at taxpayers' expense approved for in-house meetings. #onpoli
He isn't actually the premier until the 29th ... Frankly, I am surprised that this has already started. At this point, we don't really know the personalities or skill level of the individuals. There's a learning curve here ... probably a steep one.
Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 8188
: 21
Location: The World
Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 1:51 pm
Post subject:
Ontario's incoming premier said Tuesday that teachers and nurses are exempt from the public service hiring freeze he has ordered as part of his efforts to curb government spending.
The Progressive Conservatives had previously said the freeze did not apply to essential frontline staff such as police, corrections and fire services, as well as lateral moves within the public service.
But some, including the NDP, had raised concerns about which jobs would be considered essential and how that could potentially impact services such as health care and education.
When asked if his hiring freeze would apply to nurses, Ford said "absolutely not."
"There's not on the teachers either," he said. "But again, we're going to make sure we watch every single penny of the taxpayers' dollars."
Ford was also asked when he would recall the Ontario legislature and launch a government-wide audit he promised during the campaign, but would only say that details of both plans would be announced in the coming days.
Ford's comments came as his Progressive Conservative caucus met for the first time since winning a majority this month.
Asked about what message he was bringing to his team of legislators, Ford said he stressed the need to help Ontario residents and be prudent with public funds.
"Never forget who put us here — the people," he said. "And make sure that we watch every single penny moving forward. No more lunches, no more free lunches."
Joined: 16 Dec 2009
Posts: 6544
: 8
Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:22 pm
Post subject:
He's being focused, determined, has the right priorities ... so far, so good ...
Could it be that Doug Ford also has excellent political instincts?
Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 8188
: 21
Location: The World
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:32 am
Post subject:
Incoming premier Doug Ford is scrapping the GreenON program, which provided incentives like free smart thermostats to those looking to make their homes more energy efficient.
Ford, who is set to be sworn in on June 29, has already announced plans to end Ontario's cap-and-trade program, which funded GreenON and a number of other initiatives.
The end of the program, launched at the end of 2017, means homeowners will lose the chance to qualify for thousands of dollars worth of rebates on a number of improvements, from windows to insulation to solar equipment.
The government also offered upwards of 100,000 free smart thermostats — like the Nest, or Ecobee — to homeowners and tenants who agreed to an energy audit and worked with a contractor certified by the program.
GreenON's website says the government will honour rebates for those who signed a work agreement with a contractor for work that will be done before Aug. 31, or submit an application by Sept. 30.
Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 8188
: 21
Location: The World
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:33 am
Post subject:
Bugs wrote:
He's being focused, determined, has the right priorities ... so far, so good ...
Could it be that Doug Ford also has excellent political instincts?
He is acting like a Premier should act when the books aren't balanced;
Good on him!
Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 8188
: 21
Location: The World
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:03 pm
Post subject:
Incoming premier Doug Ford says his government will one day build subways to Pickering and Markham — cities that are already served by GO Transit's above-ground rail lines.
Ford made the claim at a Pickering news conference where he was asked about a dubious British study that suggests Toronto has the worst commute in North America.
"We've been preaching for 10 years in Toronto … we love subways. Rapid underground transit," Ford told reporters.
He then attacked light rail, a less expensive form of transit being built in municipalities across Ontario.
"They rip up two lanes of road traffic and they clunk along the street — antiquated system," he said.
Ford, who has committed to building three-stop subway to Scarborough, as well as the downtown relief line — projects that both come with multi-billion dollar price tags — then suggested the PCs subway dreams stretch beyond Toronto's borders.
"We're going to focus on being the most modern transit system in the world. We're going to build rapid underground transit that's going to extend, not only in Toronto, but we're the first government that's going to run a regional transportation system. So folks in Pickering eventually will be able to hop on a subway and get to downtown Toronto. People of Markham and the outlying areas, over time, will be on a subway, to make sure that we get traffic moving."
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 10014
: 3
Location: Ontario
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 8:08 am
Post subject:
Jenni Byrne tapped to be Ford's principal secretary, premier's office takes shape
By Marieke Walsh. Published on Jun 22, 2018 4:22am
Ontario Premier-designate Doug Ford has tapped a senior staffer from Stephen Harper's government to be one of his top advisors, say sources closely linked to the Progressive Conservatives.
Jenni Byrne will be Ford's principal secretary, according to four sources who spoke with iPolitics on condition of anonymity.
Byrne did not reply to a request for comment and neither did the party.
The job of principal secretary was dragged out of obscurity by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he appointed his advisor Gerald Butts to the job in 2015. One source said Byrne's principal secretary role will be "substantive," with staff reporting to her at the premier's office.
Of the staff appointments that iPolitics has been told about, Byrne has the most extensive experience working in government. Her year's on the federal scene are viewed by several sources as having a steadying force on the mostly rookie government. Ford's chief of staff Dean French is a close ally to the premier-designate but hasn't played a prominent role in political circles since the 1990s.
During the campaign, Byrne led the party's field operations along with Fred DeLorey. They were responsible for targeting and delivering the swing ridings that the Tories needed in order to win government.
Under Harper, Byrne quickly rose through the ranks in the Prime Minister's Office, ending her tenure in the deputy chief of staff job. She was also his federal campaign manager in 2011 and 2015.
Since Harper's defeat in 2015 she has worked as the vice-president of strategic communications for Bayfield Strategy.
Of the former Harper Conservatives who joined Ford's campaign team, Byrne appears to be the only one staying on. Sources say Kory Teneycke is returning to the private sector. The campaign's war room manager and director of communications Melissa Lantsman is not staying on and neither is DeLorey.
Ford's campaign director and leadership race manager, Michael Diamond, has also returned to the private sector.
Other senior positions are also filling up in the incoming premier's office. Three sources say Mitch Davidson, who wrote much of Ford's platform and was director of policy under former leader Patrick Brown, will hold the same position in government. A senior Tory source called the appointment a "solid choice" and described Davidson as someone who knows his files "very well."
Andrew Kimber, who was second to Lantsman in the campaign's war room, will be Ford's director of issues management.
Multiple sources tell iPolitics that two Ford loyalists will fill the key roles of deputy chiefs of staff. Amin Massoudi has worked with the family since Ford and his late brother Rob were at Toronto city hall. Since then he has stuck close to Ford. Massoudi helped run his 2014 mayoral campaign, and was on the road with him for the Tory leadership race and the provincial election.
Ford's other deputy chief of staff will be Simone Daniels. She is part of his transition team and played a role in logistics during the campaign. Prior to that she worked at the family's label-making business and also worked with the Ford brothers at Toronto city hall.
Two of the sources said caucus was told about the staff appointments at the party's first meeting on Tuesday.
The new government will be sworn in on June 29.
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 10014
: 3
Location: Ontario
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2018 7:40 am
Post subject:
( it still hasn't been revealed who is in the cabinet yet but we should know soon )
Doug Ford set to officially become Ontario premier today
Doug Ford
Ontario premier-elect Doug Ford smiles as he enters the room to speak with the media after winning the Ontario Provincial election in Toronto, on Friday, June 8, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press
Published Friday, June 29, 2018 7:49AM EDT
TORONTO -- Doug Ford is set to officially become the premier of Ontario today, weeks after leading his Progressive Conservatives to a sweeping victory in the provincial election.
Ford is scheduled to be sworn in this morning alongside his cabinet, which he has suggested will be smaller than it was under the outgoing Liberals.
The Progressive Conservative leader will then hold a second, public ceremony on the steps of the legislature, during which he is expected to reaffirm his oath of office and give a speech.
The Tories won a majority in this month's election, which also saw the outgoing Liberals reduced to seven seats and the NDP propelled to official Opposition status.
Ford, a former Toronto city councillor who took the reins of the party earlier this year, campaigned largely on a promise of fiscal responsibility, though he did not present a fully costed platform.
He has not yet said when he will recall the legislature but maintains he wants to start working on his plan for the province quickly and has already set the wheels in motion on several of his proposals.
He has vowed that his first move once the legislature resumes will be to scrap the cap-and-trade system -- an announcement that led to the cancellation of several green energy initiatives funded through the program.
Ford has also placed the public service under a hiring freeze, with the exception of essential frontline staff, and ordered that all discretionary spending such as meals for staff meetings be put on hold.
The Tories have also reached out to the group representing Ontario doctors to reopen contract negotiations rather than proceed to scheduled arbitration, saying they want to repair a relationship that soured under the previous regime.
During the election campaign, Ford promised to launch a line-by-line audit of government spending in order to eliminate waste, and said he will find billions in efficiencies each year without cutting jobs
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Who will be in Doug Ford's Cabinet ?
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text:
Oh I've found a new acting toy! I'm about to pimp it out and make all my friends get on it so that I can play and practice. SOOOO much more fun than going to improv!!!
Who wants to hit up a scene with me?!!!!
Luv and Kiwi All rights reserved © Blog Milk Powered by Blogger


text:
Roland Ducote
Marketing Director, Global IoT Solutions, Arrow Electronics
From the Arrow Electronics IoT Global Solutions Group, Roland brings over a decade of diverse sales and technical marketing experience. He began his career with Arrow in 2000 and has served in a variety of sales, marketing, and operations roles. Based in Denver, Roland has covered a wide range of product lines including FPGA's, embedded computing, wireless, and storage technologies.
Since 2014 Roland has represented Arrow Electronics on the board at the Colorado Clean Energy Cluster (CCEC). The CCEC is an economic development organization dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship in the clean energy sector. He was also an Executive Advisor with TechrIoT XLR8, a program providing IoT companies resources for design validation, financing, and customer acquisition.
Roland holds a B.A. from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, along with a M.B.A. and M.S. in Marketing from the University of Colorado at Denver.
Previously (1):
From Idea to Prototype
Building a working prototype is one of the first major milestones on the path to production.


text:
Aimee Carter: PawnMonday, February 24, 2014
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.
There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.
Kitty lives in a world where people are divided into castes, highest class being VII, which belongs only to Prime Minister and their families. Others will have to participate in a test on their 17th birthday, which will determine their social class. Kitty, our heroine who unfortunately can not read, gets III and has been sentenced to life as a sewageworker. But as a result of unexpected events gets an offer she can't refuse. She can have a life as VII, the highest possible social class. Kitty accepts this offer, but doesn't know what awaits her. Kitty will be Masked - surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who was murdered.
All of this because Lila was a great advocate of the revolution. Lila campaigned against the caste system and now Kitty's task is to repair Lila's doings, so that the people would not take a full-scale rebellion against the government. As the story progresses, Kitty understands that she is just a pawn in other peoples games and everything is not what it seems. Who Kitty cantrust and what she has to do in order to save her own, as well as her loved ones' lives?
The book's plot was interesting and I set my eyes on this book months ago, even before the publication of the book. However, I read it only now and it really didn't disappoint me. There is mystery, action and romance, and as I already mentioned, all is not what they first seem to be. Kitty is just an awesome character from the beginning and you can see how good a person she really is. She is ready to sacrifice herselves for others, and she survives surprisingly well in a situation where she was directly thrown into a life that is completely foreign to her. And even if Kitty can't read, she is still very smart. And she's spunky. In a hopeless situation she found a spark, and she doesn't give up. On the other hand, she has one "tiny" flaw. Her world seems to rotate only around Benjy, who I did not think in any way interesting character. There's nothing wrong with altruism, but somehow it seemed to go a little too far. Threaten Benjy and Kitty does everything she's told. And there was a lot of threatning. At times, it seemed a little amusing, I should've counted how many times Benjy's life was threated or how many times the Kitty agreed to do something just because of Benjy.
In fact, I root for Kitty and Knox, and I very much hope that in the next book, there will some action or sparkle between them. Benjy is a boring, meaningless character, who does not seem to have any other purpose than to be threated. Sorry, Benjy-fans, but I think that Benjy should just disappear. I wouldn't miss him.
Otherwise, there was certainly enough action. Sometimes even too much. The plot progressed quite rapidly. On the other hand, there wasn't even a moment of borebom and there were plenty of exciting plot twists, some pretty major. And things really wasn't what they seemed to be at first, quite literaly.
The book reminded me of The Selection series, which wasn't a bod thing, 'cos I love that series and it's one of my favourites. I think that the fans of that series will like this one too and also the other way around. In my opinion, there wasn't that major cliffhanget in the end, but this part of the story was wrapped up pretty nicely. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
(from my tbr-list 11/200)
Posted by Riikka S in 2013, 5 stars, Aimee Carter, dystopia, romance, scifi, The Blackcoat Rebellion, YA


text:
Greenwood Village is a Denver suburb and it has grown in popularity recently since housing in Denver is so expensive. Many people who have been priced out of Denver's expensive housing market are choosing to buy homes in Greenwood Village. Property prices are cheaper and the city is safe and close to the mountains. If you are looking for affordable housing, Greenwood Village is a great choice.
One of the perks of Greenwood Village is that the city is safe and perfect for families. There is a nice downtown and the school district is excellent. If you want your kids to go to great schools and grow up in a safe environment, then you can't beat Greenwood Village.
Housing prices are much less than what you will find in Denver and there isn't a crazy bidding war going on. It can be difficult to find anything for a reasonable price in Denver proper and unless you have a million to spare, you aren't going to get the best housing. The construction in Greenwood Village is new and you can buy a large house on a large lot for much less than what you will find in Denver.
A middle-class family can easily buy a home in Greenwood Village, but they would be struggling to find anything in Denver. Greenwood Village is also very close to Denver so you can take advantage of all the fun activities and excitement of Denver without having to pay the high price of housing.
Greenwood Village puts you within a reasonable distance of the mountains where you can enjoy skiing and hiking. You are also close to Boulder. If you are looking for a safe and affordable alternative to Denver, you can't go wrong with moving to Greenwood Village.


text:
Zac Langton & Deacon Hunter
Sweet young Zac doesn't know what's coming, he's blindfolded and tied to the cross on the floor as Deacon arrives to have his fun. Ice and heating cream starts the session as Deacon gets his captive hard and explores his body, wanking and sucking him to full hardness. The hot wax on Zac's bare skin is painful, the tickling tortuous, but mixed with the pleasure of his cock being stroked the boy can't stop himself from drooling precum and preparing for a cum load. There's nothing he can do to stop his semen from splashing out when Deacon wants to see that dick squirt!
Models :Deacon Hunter Zac Langton


text:
Floral embroidery organza dress
Beautiful long length satin & organza dress with a satin bodice embroidered with a spray of flowers, dotted with little beads in the centre of the flowers, and an organza sash with an organza flower and beads, with the sash tied at the back. The satin skirt is fully lined, it has a double layer of crinolene to add volume and is overlaid with an organza layer that flows down from the organza flower on the waist. Ideal as a communion dress.
Available in sizes from 1yr to 8yr in white or Ivory - please email your requests for other sizes, colours and prices.
Size measurements
Size 1yr 2yr 4yr 6yr 8yr
Waist 52 55 59 63 69
Chest 54 56 60 66 72
Length 65 73 85 95 105
Availability: Out of stock
Regular Price: £69.99
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Please see our Fitting Advice to help you choose the correct size . Then see Product Description below for the size chart.
Size not in stock ? Many of our dresses can be ordered in especially for you . Please email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 01932 943000 for any requests.


text:
Spiral Notebook
Width 6″
Height 8″
I found this gem as my girlfriend and I were traveling through Northeastern Georgia, Heartwell County, in particular. This photo is illuminated with the headlights of our car. I will post pictures later of the inside of the house, at least those I got before falling through the floor of the building.


text:
After their meeting with Grandmarshal Dugan, the Inhuman League headed to Grindhaus for the celebration that was to be held in their honor. The League socialized with several upstanding members of community and making several valuable contacts. Rama partook in a local custom placing a bet on who would go home with Alulynn Arrowbite placing a large sum on Ragnar. Ariana overheard the bet, but despite her mama birding, Ragnar was felled by the beast (Rama won a life sized solid gold giraffe).
The next day, after a long shower for Ragnar, the Inhuman League was back to business as usual. Captain Orten needed help with a bandit problem that has plagued the city for some time. The league came up with a "brilliant" and "totally not retarded" plan to find the bandits and wipe them out. Disguising themselves as wealthy travelers the tricked the bandits into robbing them, and the ensuing Ro Sham Bo was not for the faint of heart.
It was also requested that, if they had the time, to pick up some herbs for the Grindhaus as it is dangerous to go alone into the wilds. Finding the herb was easy enough, but the area where it was growing was also home to a strange alter. A pillar at the center of a stone pentagram held a suit of armor, all life around the alter seem to be draining away. The league approached the alter cautiously and upon removing the armor, the stones came to life. The league easily dispatched the mindless stones and claimed their precious plants. A closer inspection of the pentagram revealed symbols etched into the stone. With no one among them able to make sense of the symbols, the turn to Niles Aran for guidance.


text: TEL Manifesto #011 :: The Framework November 12, 2012 by KC Leave a Comment https://www.thisepiclife.com/media/011_thisepiclife.com_manifesto.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSSIn audio chapter 11 of 12 from The Framework Manifesto, kc discusses the non-negotiable of ART. Full multi-media available for *FREE* preview & download HERE. All content (c) 2012 thisepiclife.com


text:
Serve יהוה
And ye shall serve יהוה your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. Exodus 23:25
And now, Israel, what doth יהוה thy God require of thee, but to fear יהוה thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve יהוה thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,Deuteronomy 10:12
Serve יהוה with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Psalms 2:11
Serve יהוה with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Psalms 100:2
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following יהוה, but serve יהוה with all your heart; 1 Samuel 12:20 (2 Chronicles 30:8)
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24 (Luke 16:13)
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29
Related verses: Exodus 3:12, 10:7,8,11,24,26, 12:31, Joshua 24:15,18,19,21, 2 Samuel 15:8, 2 Chronicles 33:16, 34:33, Psalms 102:22, Jeremiah 30:9, Malachi 3:14, Hebrews 12:28