text: Pictures of Rodarte Beauty 2013 Fall NYFW 2013 Fall NYFW: Rodarte, Where Rocker Chicks and Girlie-Girls Collide by Maria Del Russo 13/2/13 2 Reactions 3 Shares Print 0 1 2 0 0 The look at Rodarte for Fall 2013 was all about the contrast: a rocker girl and a princess all rolled into one. The hair took on an edgy, ethereal look that paired loads of texture with a rose-like braid/bun hybrid behind the head. Odile Gilbert, working with John Frieda, described the look as a rocker princess with a cool, undone texture. Want to ace this look yourself? Click through to see how. Source: Getty What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 To prep the hair, Gilbert worked in two dollops of Frizz-Ease Curl Reviver Styling Mousse before drying. Source: Getty 1 / 4 What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 After blowing out the hair, Gilbert then created loose bends with a curling iron. Strands were then misted with hair spray before being wrapped around the iron to keep the waves in place. Source: Getty 2 / 4 What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Waves were then brushed out for a more natural texture. Gilbert plaited a section of hair on either side of the head before connecting them in the back. Source: Getty 3 / 4 What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 A rose shape was created with the models' hair to join the braids. And to finish the look, Gilbert dabbed on Frizz-Ease Hair Serum to add the slightest bit of polish. Source: Getty 4 / 4 0 1 2 0 0 Back to Homepage Comments Read More Rodarte 2013 Fall Fashion Week BeautyRodarte 2013 Fall Fashion Week2013 Fall New York Fashion WeekNYFW Beauty2013 Fall New York Fashion Week BeautyFashion Week BeautyRunway BeautyWinter Fashion WeekFall Fashion WeekNYFWRodarteNew York Fashion WeekFashion Week fashion week beauty Pin This: The Nail Trends to Wear From Fashion Month 23/7 The Best Nail Polish Colours For Your Clutch 16/7 Shocker! Vampy Lipstick Is Popular Again This Year 11/7 The Winter Fashion Week Beauty Trends to Wear Right Now 07/7 Major Makeup Artist Nicole Thompson Lets Us Look Inside Her Makeup Kit 10/4 10 Runway Beauty Looks Worth Pinning to Your Secret Bridal Board 12/3 What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Reactions


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The Thermofluid Science and Energy Research Center is an organization linking Marquette engineering with local industry. The mission of TSERC is the more efficient and economical operation of energy conversion systems and heat/mass exchange equipment by retrofit, as well as new developments. Typical objectives are (i) finding improved configurations of equipment (ii) optimizing the design parameters of equipment and reconfigured system and (iii) optimal operation of existing facilities.
To adapt to the needs of industry, the focus of effort has shifted from analysis toward component modeling and improvement with emphasis on its prospective impact on system efficiency and cost effectiveness. A natural complement is the development of engineering simulation software for component equipment and energy systems in general. Such software development also leads to supplementary engineering analysis software. The TSERC has also incorporated the analysis and modeling of thermofluid phenomena by use of Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer techniques.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Hyunjae Park
Director and research professor
Thermofluid Science and Energy Research Center
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Marquette University
P.O. Box 1881
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-1881
Phone: (414) 288-6716
Fax: (414) 288-7790

subset: commoncrawl


text:
click to enlarge, hover to zoom
The ultimate in fashion and function. This chic hobo-style diaper bag features a body made of rich patterned fabric complemented by a soft, animal-friendly faux leather top. The spacious interior includes multiple organizational compartments while the exterior offers easily-accessible open and zippered pockets.
� includes grips stroller attachments, coordinating changing pad, and wallet
� insulated side bottle pockets
� adjustable shoulder strap
Customer Service 866-SHOP-DUE (746-7383)
eMail: email@example.com
Hours M-F 8:30-5 CT


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Jerry Jones has done a very good job of collecting talent. What he has failed to do is build a team — something he proved he did not understand when he allowed Terrell Owens into the building and essentially ran off Bill Parcells, choosing to value more highly a sleek-looking sail on his ship than its captain.
When Parcells arrived, he brought with him savvy veterans who understood his system, knew what he expected and would police the locker room to eliminate problems and hold each other accountable. The team concept was preached and ingrained by Parcells and his many extensions on the field.
Since Jones' defining undermining decision, the Cowboys' sails have become more and more rocky with each passing season, with no resounding leader to keep a wild cast of characters in line — the prisoners left to rule the asylum.
At no position is teamwork more needed than on the offensive line, and the Cowboys' O-line was very leaky against Green Bay Sunday night, as it has been all season. That's a big part of the reason why the ground game has had two flat tires and has been unable to get rolling. The NFL's most talented backfield mustered a mere 39 rushing yards against the Packers.
Entering the season, there were questions about whether Doug Free would be able to handle the OLT position vacated by Flozell Adams, who was cut. Midway through the season, the early verdict is that Free has capably held his own. But the rest of the heavy-footed, aging line has deteriorated and too often left gaping holes or free lanes to the quarterback.
Perhaps most reflective of the group's collective slip in performance has been the play of ORG Leonard Davis, who has continued to pile up All-Pro accolades since arriving in Dallas. He is capable of moving defenders when he comes off the ball in a straight line with a defender aligned over the top of him, but almost any time he has to adjust laterally to movement, he whiffs, leaving the quarterback vulnerable to train wrecks.
The inconsistency on the offensive line is the reason Tony Romo, as fleet-footed as he is in the pocket, could not make it through half of the season healthy, and why Jon Kitna continues to take a beating, lucky to make it to the next down.
The Cowboys have played three prime-time games in 2010, dropping all three and culminating with an embarrassing 45-7 defeat to the Packers. It was the most points they have allowed since they were shellacked by the Patriots in 2007. There are personnel needs to fill, coaches to hire and wholesale changes to make if Jones wants to set his ship straight. "America's Team" has a glaring leadership void, and it will not be corrected until Jones recognizes his inability to get out of his own way and entrusts the organization to a proven football mind who commands the respect of his players, understands the meaning of "team" and can rule with an iron fist — which never will happen with an incessantly meddling owner.
• Jared Allen has not made nearly the impact this season that he did in his first two seasons in Minnesota, but when the Vikings needed him in overtime against Arizona, his motor was highly charged, whether it was bull-rushing TE Ben Patrick into Derek Anderson or coming underneath Arizona OLT Levi Brown, whom he gave fits much of the day. He finished with 2½ sacks, more than doubling his season total entering the game, as defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier used more pressure packages.
• Packers OLB Clay Matthews plays with great effort and energy and is as self-made as they come. So much of his production comes from playing 100 miles per hour every snap that it is difficult to detract from what he has done in his sensational, short career, but Dom Capers deserves a big assist for Matthews' sack production taking off the way it has. Matthews is not a skilled pass rusher with a repertoire of moves — he does not yet have a trademark sack move. But Capers consistently turns him loose and creatively schemes the high-motor rusher to come free, much like Dick LeBeau creates pressure with his linebackers in Pittsburgh.
• Few receivers in the NFL can run routes and not give defensive backs any indicators until the very last second, so that they cannot react to the ball being thrown. Randy Moss is one of the best in the NFL at it. Packers WR Greg Jennings, matched up against Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins, was able to haul in a deep sideline pass with the same veteran savvy. He did it again for the Packers' third TD of the night in the second quarter against FS Alan Ball, who could not react in time to disrupt the play. From Pat Watkins to Ken Hamlin to Ball, Jerry Jones has done a poor job of addressing the free safety position, and it remains a considerable hole holding back a secondary with plenty of talent on the corners.
• When it came to Jim Schwartz's candidacy as a head coach, those who knew him best raved about his intelligence. But often one's greatest strength could also be the greatest weakness, and in Schwartz's case, a tendency to be too smart or outsmart himself was cited as a concern. When the Lions inserted Ndamukong Suh into the lineup to boot an extra-point attempt, it looked like a decision that could haunt Schwartz. Even if Suh were an accomplished soccer player early in his career, has drilled 30-yard field goals in practice and is regarded as Jason Hanson's emergency backup, the logical decision would have been to let punter Nick Harris fill in. Instead, Suh shanked it off the goal post. Had he connected like Wes Welker did in replacing the injured Stephen Gostkowski, it could have altered the Jets' approach. Instead, Schwartz's decisions to use Suh as the kicker and then pass the ball instead of draining the clock in the late stages of the game were signs of him trying to be too smart and defiantly bucking the odds.
• Julius Peppers has grabbed the headlines since coming to Chicago, but it has been his less-heralded teammate Israel Idonije who has stood out the past four games, overpowering the edges and playing very hard for defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.
• Browns S Abram Elam did not make the type of impact that Peyton Hillis did against the Patriots, as Hillis ripped off nearly 200 rushing yards with superhuman strength, but the Browns' safety very aggressively filled the alley against the run and changed the outlook of the game when he held up rookie TE Rob Gronkowski on the goal liine and was able to strip the ball free and prevent the Patriots from narrowing a 17-7 gap just before the half. It drained the energy from the Patriots and shifted the momentum of the game.
• Tampa Bay has taken some chances on players with character or off-the-field concerns, such as Aqib Talib, Mike Williams, Sammie Stroughter and LeGarrette Blount, and Raheem Morris has done a very good job of keeping them in line. What also unites many of these players is their competitiveness, drive and determination. Like their head coach, the team is young and hungry and continues to play hard every week.
• Carson Palmer has missed too many open receivers this season and can expect to see heavy pressure coming from the side of ORT Andre Smith on Monday night, as Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is sure to overload the struggling second-year pro. Smith is still very young and learning how to become a professional, and he has been a disappointment who has held back the Bengals' offense.


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Dai Young has named a strong and exciting side to face the league leaders in the Aviva Premiership this weekend.
Billy Vunipola returns from his time with England to take his place in the side, starting at eight, flanked by Ashley Johnson at six and Sam Jones at seven.
At lock, vice-captain Marco Wentzel lines up alongside James Cannon, while in the front row, T Rhys Thomas starts at Hooker with Zak Taulafo and Phil Swainston either side of him.
The backline has an exciting feel about it, having been boosted this week by the return of a number of players who were included in the England Saxons squad.
Joe Simpson starts at nine, with Nick Robinson outside him at fly half, while Chris Bell and Elliot Daly pair up in midfield. Christian Wade and Tom Varndell take their places on the wings, with captain Hugo Southwell at fullback.
On the bench, Alex Rae is included in the squad after signing for the club this week. Charlie Hayter also gets a spot on the bench, having impressed during the recent LV=Cup games.
Matt Everard also takes a spot on the bench, coming into the squad as a late injury replacement for Tinus Du Plessis.
Ahead of this weekend's game, Director of Rugby Dai Young said:
"There has been a good atmosphere around the place this week in leading up to the first Aviva Premiership game in over a month. Harlequins are a side who tend to negotiate the international periods very well so we know how tough a task we will have on Saturday night. They showed us how quickly they can change a game on the opening day of the season and we will have to be at our best to get a result this weekend."
London Wasps team to play Harlequins at the Stoop on Saturday 9 February, kick off 8pm.
15. Hugo Southwell (c)
14. Christian Wade
13. Elliot Daly
12. Chris Bell
11. Tom Varndell
10. Nick Robinson
9. Joe Simpson
1. Zak Taulafo
2. T Rhys Thomas
3. Phil Swainston
4. James Cannon
5. Marco Wentzel
6. Ashley Johnson
7. Sam Jones
8. Billy Vunipola
16. Tom Lindsay
17. Tim Payne
18. Will Taylor
19. Alex Rae
20. Matt Everard
21. Charlie Davies
22. Stephen Jones
23. Charlie Hayter


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Language & Power: Shifting the Discourse of Disability
Old Dominion University features
LeDerick R. Horne
Poet, Advocate, & Entrepreneur
Monday, October 21st, 2013
North Café, Webb University Center
Using his gift for spoken word poetry as a teaching tool, LeDerick has been recognized across the country as a motivational speaker and advocate for people with disabilities. From 2003 to 2012 LeDerick served as Board Chair of "Eye to Eye" (eyetoeyenational.org), a national nonprofit which provides mentoring programs for students labeled LD/ADHD.
Students are invited to participate in workshop from 4PM to 5PM in the Monarch Room, Webb University Center. The focus will be on the development of self-advocacy skills for students with disabilities.
For more information, contact the Office of Educational Accessibility at 757-683-4655 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Sponsored by the Office of Educational Accessibility, Student Engagement & Enrollment Services, and the Office of Intercultural Relations.
Posted By: Stephanie Riggs
Date: Mon Oct 14 09:41:27 EDT 2013


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People across the area took the time to remember what they were doing and where they were 50 years ago when the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated. On Friday KHQ Local News went across town and talked with everyone from the people at senior centers to those on the street about that historic day. One man said it was the first time that many people saw their parents cry.
Every Friday at Southside Senior Center a group of men and women gather to play poker and this week was no exception. One of the men in the group was serving in Japan at the time when he was told by the guy who was manning the gate that his President was killed. Ann Beyers worked in Moscow in 1963 and she said it took the staff by surprise and she was devastated for many days. Duane Munk worked in a hotel in San Francisco when he learned the news. He said that everyone in the hotel was emotional, many went home.
Everyone who was alive at the time has a different story and it's hard to find anyone who does not know where they were at that exact moment.


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Find and book great restaurantsFind a Restaurant
Showing 1 - 15 of 31 results
Never mind that this is a hotel dining room, the ever-popular Samphires Restaurant is far removed from corporate anonymity; it also boasts sweeping… more »
This smart British brasserie, found in the town of Llanelli in south-west Wales, is a sleek and stylish addition to the local dining scene. Ideal… more » This review is not by Square Meal
There was a gap in the market before Sosban's arrival in Llanelli, & this gorgeously sleek & spacious restaurant has stepped into the breach… more »
Set on the first floor of the Golf & Country Club, with windows on every side, Monks Brasserie makes the most of its views over the Loughor Estuary… more »
Join us at Rasoi Indian Kitchen, Wales' newest modern indian dining experience. With our fresh, Contemporary approach to traditional indian food… more » This review is not by Square Meal
The locals love this place. It's warm, friendly, cosy (you'll have to fight for seats by the crackling fire) & the food is reliably good. Don't… more »
Mark and Sue Manson run this wonderfully remote and gently idiosyncratic restaurant in the style of a chill-out country inn with scrubbed-up rustic… more »
Billed as a 'country bistro', the Welcome is a former village inn now smartly transformed into an ambitious but unpretentious restaurant. Chef… more »
Phil Leach & Helen Farmer gathered plenty of experience at some of the UK's top restaurants (including The Walnut Tree & The Horn of Plenty)… more »
This is a beautiful spot in a small village threaded along the bottom of a wooded valley, with one of the finest walks in Gower on its doorstep… more »
This restaurant has not been reviewed by Square Meal. Click through for location, price and contact details, plus the option of reading or writing… more »
Any restaurant this popular must be doing something right – & at Truffle the winning formula seems to be great prices, proper home cooking, a… more »
This smart & sophisticated French restaurant occupies an unlikely spot near the centre of Swansea. As the name suggests, it's a family affair:… more »
It's not a place people stumble on, but you'd be wise to venture the couple of hundred yards beyond Swansea's main shopping area to find… more »
Swansea has been abuzz following the arrival of this sassy new French restaurant, where genuine Gallic food, polished service & an uncluttered… more »
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Lorelei 125th st. Sunsets over the park in North Ocean City
- bedrooms 3
- baths 2½
- sleeps 9
- pool yes
- hot tub no
- pets allowed no
- type Condo
- community
rates (USD)
/ night
$ 750 - $ 1,800 / week
vacation rental description
Professionaly decorated built in 2003. Next to 58 acres of beautiful parkland that is located on the
Please no pets and this is a non smoking unit. This is a 3 bedrooom 2 1/2 bath unit. Master bedroom
has a queen size bed,cable TV,DVD,sliding glass doors to balcony. Master bath with a jacuzzi tub.
Second bedroom has a queen bed and cable TV. Third bedroom has bunkbed with double bed at bottom
single at top with cable TV Full bath that is near bedrooms 2 and 3.Livingroom features cable TV
with DVD and a VCR,gas fireplace,sliding glass doors to balcony.Sofa opens to a queen bed.Dining
area has seating for four. There are four barstools at counter and two at island in kitchen. The
kitchen is fully equipped.There is local phone service.
vacation rental location
property availability
- dates with deals
- unavailable dates
Last modified on 08-19-2014 at 5:12 AM.
email owner view full calendar
Debbie or Mark Sandilands 1-302-478-2948
condo rental amenities
The ocean is 1 1/2 blocks away. Sit on the balcony and watch the sunset. There is the
Northside park across the street that has a pier over looking the bay,there are trails for biking
and walking, a playground and ballfields.In the summer months July and August the park offers free concerts on
Sunday nights and a 4th of July celebration with fireworks that can be seen from the balcony.From
November to January the Winterfest of lights(that was voted second best lighting display in the
United States) can be seen from the livingroom .There
are buses that run up and down coastal highway for a small fee.You can go to the boardwalk,Jolly
Rogers,mini golf. There are also plenty of wonderful restuarants and night clubs in walking distance
and by bus or car.
activities and attractions in North Ocean City Maryland
Springfest,Summerfest,hotrod weekend,parades for Chritmas and St.Patrick's Day. Art's alive craft
show at the Northside park.There are golf courses throughout Ocean City,and plenty of outlet
vacation rental rates
Please no senior week inquiries
spring and summer rates
Daily rates available off season
Offered to families or adults over 25 years of age
Debbie or Mark Sandilands 1-302-478-2948
accepted payment methods
Prior to paying a reservation deposit, always verify payment instructions by calling the phone number displayed on this listing page. By contacting the owner directly and paying by an approved method - credit card, paypal, check or bank transfer - your reservation payment will be protected up to $1,000.Learn more in our Security Center


text:
Includes veterans' benefits, starting and running a business, unemployment, County job openings, and selling to the County.
Includes the courts, most wanted, law enforcement, child support enforcement, sealing record, victims' services, and jury duty.
Includes planning, building codes and permits, owning and renting a property, and property tax assessments.
Includes child and adult health service, food stamps, foster care, mental health, in-home nurse, substance abuse, and child support.
Includes bereavement, certificates and vital records, and divorce.
Includes air quality and burn days, garbage and recycling, sewer, conservation, and green energy financing.
Includes adopting a pet, animal control, and local vets and shelters.
Includes information on the buildings, county, codes, departments, projects, representation, and voting.
Includes activities and events, parks, museums, libraries, and volunteerism.
Property taxes, business taxes, transient occupancy taxes, fines, and financial reports.
Includes passports, bus schedules, and road maintenance.
Includes forest fires and floods, emergency preparation, and emergency response.
The Placer County Sheriff's Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT) is a specially trained unit of highly skilled crisis/hostage negotiators. The goal of HNT is to resolve the crisis or hostage situation through at combined application of tactics and negotiations that will result in a peaceful resolution with: all hostages rescued safely, all law enforcement personnel uninjured and all subjects safely in custody.
The team is made up of six Deputies and Sergeants who work very closely with the departments Special Enforcement Team in high stress crisis situations. These situations can include service of high-risk search warrants, hostage situations and barricaded suspect incidents. The HNT is also used to deal with persons, who may be in personal crisis and be suicidal.
There is also a separate team assigned to the Lake Tahoe Sub-station. They also work in concert with the Lake Tahoe Special Enforcement Team.
Copyright 2014 County of Placer, California


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Personally, I'll take a hurricane or a
tornado over an earthquake any day. Just a matter of degrees of
disaster. I like the concept of a warning, the chance to prepare for the
devastation to come, and last time I checked we can't predict precisely when
the next big one is going to come.
So, warning with earthquakes? Forget
it. Yes, they're working on the early warning system, but that might
give us just a few seconds, and it' snot yet foolproof. http://www.eew.caltech.edu/ So, twenty
years ago, like everyone else, I remember being jolted awake, and into a
terrible reality. I was living in Santa Monica in a condo at
the time, and ran down the hallway to pull my then young daughter off her bed
and cover us up with her mattress. It worked, we were okay but the place
was a mess. Had to move out. Santa Monica also got smashed in
1994, many older apartment and condo buildings red-tagged, it was a very
big story not told that well then and almost forgotten about now. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake
Today, in 2014, I was in Northridge, at the Northridge Meadows
Apartment building collapse , where 16 people died. Now it's brand
new and lovely. I was also at the Northridge Fashion Center's parking
garage, which was demolished by the quake, also now sparkling new. Some
25 billion in damages has basically all been repaired, as it should have been
with so much time elapsing.
I got to relive some of that terrible time
with photojournalist David Honl, who photographed so much of the broken
buildings, the rescues, the aftermath. We featured a lot of pictures on
our five pm and ten pm news, along with David's recollections of working that
day. Yes, it was a long time ago, but it doesn't take much to make it seem
like it was yesterday . Our leaders tell us our buildings and bridges and
infrastructure was rebuilt even stronger than it was. We're hopefully
more prepared. Good luck, duck, and cover.
KMSP-TV11358 Viking DriveEden Prairie, MN 55344
Phone: (952) 944-9999Fax: (952) 942-0455


text:
Gorsuch ready for National Finals Rodeo
Sin City has changed into a cowtown....with the start of the 2012 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Round one of 10 rounds of rodeo begins tonight at the Thomas and Mack Arena on the campus of UNLV. The top 15 competors in seven events are set to compete for the world championship in Rodeo.
Nebraska will be watching two - time World Champion Steer Wrestler Dean Gorsuch of Gering as he makes his --7th trip to the NFR. Grosuch is currently sitting third in the world, but that does not tell you anything about the personal challenges he went through this year. Early on in the year his fast gray horse "Pumpjack" shattered his pastern, shortly after that his replacement horse died from a brain aneurism - that was tough.
Gorsuch goes into the 2012 NFR with $87 thousand in earrings, just $11 thousand out of first place. With ten rounds ahead of him, he doesn't worry about the numbers.
We'll all be watching Dean Gorsuch of Gering as he goes for his third world championship. The NFR will be shown live on GAC staring at 8pm. Round one begins tonight with the NFR culminating on Saturday, December 15th.
© 2014 Rural Radio Network. All rights reserved. Republishing, rebroadcasting, rewriting, redistributing prohibited. Copyright Information


text:
Chris Morgan, International Corporate Tax Partner at KPMG and Sarah Anderson, Senior Manager at KPMG, consider the key questions raised in the recent Marks and Spencer decision.
Technical team
10 December 2011
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Email: firstname.lastname@example.com | Twitter: @WWLTV
As we start a new year, many of us are looking for ways to save money or increase our income. New technology can give you an advantage, and there's no substitute for good common sense when it comes to managing your money. Financial Adviser Randy Waesche joins the Eyewitness Morning News with six ways to upgrade your finances.


text:
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx (Verizon Wireless)
Manufacturer: Motorola Part number: DROIDRAZRMAXX
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx proves that a powerful Android superphone can remain thin yet still promise marathon-worthy battery life.
Read more
Where to buy
|customer rating
|tax & shipping
| In stock
Get free shipping on orders over $35.00
Enter zip code to get total price:
=Total price
as of 08/29/2014
CNET editors' review
price range: $599.99
- Reviewed by: Brian Bennett
- Reviewed on: 01/26/2012
- Updated on:10/02/2012
- Released on: 01/26/2012
The good: Despite a beefed-up battery, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx has a slim, attractive, and durable design with the same gorgeous display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and fast Verizon 4G/LTE data speeds as its predecessor. It retains powerful multimedia chops and tight security features.
The bad: For such an advanced smartphone, the vague promise of a future Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is disappointing. Also, while a stronger battery is great, it's still not user-removable. People with small hands will find it hard to wrap them around the phone's wide frame, and the 8-megapixel camera is unimpressive.
The bottom line: The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx proves that a powerful Android superphone can remain thin yet still promise marathon-worthy battery life.
User reviews
Best Phone Ever!
by Carpenter-TG on October 13, 2012
Pros: + Battery 3-hour phone calls for work and other high-demand applications with no problems
+ Customizable 5 home screens
+ Photos taken outside are incredible. Indoor photos not so much
+ Unit feels solid and robust
Cons: - The screen burn-in and camera quality are my only complaints
Summary: I've had this phone for about 4 months now (upgraded from a Blackberry Tour), and I must say, the functionality is incredible. Let's start off with some of ...
Summary: I've had this phone for about 4 months now (upgraded from a Blackberry Tour), and I must say, the functionality is incredible. Let's start off with some of the basic concerns:Edit:
Battery: Never had an issue with battery life. I'm a rather "light" to "medium" user, but I've participated in 3-hour phone calls for work and other high-demand applications with no problems. Standby life is extraordinary - unplugged it from the charger at 9 a.m. one Saturday but didn't use it at all. Went to bed at midnight, and the battery was at 87%. Has a built-in Task Manager app so you can see which applications are draining your battery. Also includes "Smart Actions" that monitors battery life and makes adjustments accordingly (e.g., by dimming the display screen).
Connectivity & call quality: I live in a rural area (3G coverage only), but have never been without service and never dropped a call (on my Blackberry and other devices, it would drop calls along roads that ventured into "dead zones" within the county). I haven't had that issue since upgrading. When I go to town, it automatically connects to 4G service, and when it detects a wifi signal (either from my own home network or public wifi), it also connects. Call volume and clarity, both ear and speaker, are excellent; I've never had issues with others not being able to understand me, even while outside on windy days.
GUI: Love the customizable 5 home screens - the apps I use most frequently are only a couple swipes away (no hunting through menus to find your music player or an email). You can have a home screen dedicated to music, one for social networking, one for pics & videos, and one for (of course) the telephone and contacts.
Touch screen: Upgrading from the QWERTY keyboard on the Blackberry, I was skeptical about the touch screen (big, beefy "guy" fingers). I honestly have had no issue with it. It is very responsive, and I have no issues selecting icons. Besides, for every app that requires text entry (email, web search, text, etc.), it has a voice command feature. Additionally, the screen is very bright and vivid, even at the lowest brightness setting. A word of warning -- DO NOT use a privacy screen with this phone!!! Privacy screens make the display very dim, especially while outside (and forget it if you're wearing sunglasses). The dim display will compell you to turn your display brightness to maximum to see through the privacy screen. This can cause screen burn-in, and you'll notice ghostly images of your home screen icons forever.
Operating system: I've read a few reviews about crashes & freezing, but this hasn't been a problem for me. I try to remember to shut the phone down weekly (you have to treat the phone like a computer & can't leave it on ALL the time!)... I've had a couple instances of the system locking up, but after a force reboot (hold power button & down volume button for 5 seconds), the system restarts just fine. Both internal data and SD data can be accessed easily via the My Files app on the phone or via Windows Explorer. I use the phone as an external hard drive for work... except the phone connects to my desktop quicker than my external hard drive... There is also a Motocast app so I can access any file (music, pic, video, Microsoft Office, etc.)that is on my PC via the phone (as long as the PC is on & has an internet connection). I can also print a document or email from the phone to my home printer (or work printer once set up).
Camera: Photos taken outside are incredible. Indoor photos not so much. My primary complaint with the camera is there is no way (that I've discovered) to change image resolution. That photo you took to put on FaceBook winds up being 2 megabytes. Indoor photos can be grainy and out of focus. I have not experimented with the front-facing camera yet...
Apps: Countless free apps available out there for the things not already on the phone. It's just a matter of finding the app that works best for you. For example, there are two music player apps preloaded on the phone, but I prefer the functionality of a third party music app. Several GPS apps (Goodbye, Garmin!), Social Localization, You Tube, Kindle & Google Books preinstalled, etc. etc. etc. And for every app that's already on the phone, there are two or three alternatives available from the Play store (you're not stuck using Verizon Navigator, Verizon Videos, Vcast ringtones, etc.).
Strength: Unit feels solid and robust; I've dropped it a couple of times, but there's not even a scratch on it. The battery compartment is sealed, so you don't have to worry about the phone flying one way and the battery going the other if you drop it. The display glass feels very firm and does not deflect - pushing on some touch screens, the screen tends to yield under finger pressure and you can see pixel discoloration where your finger is. The screen on the Razr does not do this and seems to say, "Your finger ain't got nothing on my screen." After 4 months, aside from my fingerprints, the phone still looks brand new.
In summary, this is a very powerful phone that exceeded my expectations and meets most of my needs (it can start my car, but it won't wash it for me...) I'm discovering more functionality and features every day, even after 4 months. The screen burn-in and camera quality are my only complaints, but they don't come close to eclipsing the other qualities of the device.
P.S. Take more profit for this phone before you will buy it at: 4gwirelessandroidphones.blogspot.com/p/motorola-droid-razr-maxx-4g.html
Thank for reading, and I hope this review is helpful.
Updated on Dec 29, 2013
I suggest to check for best deal at: mobileindy.wordpress.com/motorola-droid-razr-maxx/
19 out of 20 users found this user opinion helpful.
Uninspired by iPhone, returned Nexus, happy with Maxx
by Lefseboy1 on January 31, 2012
Pros: Battery
Screen size
Build quality
In hand "feel"
Android OS
Cons: No Android 4.0...yet
Camera not great, but not awful
Summary: I thought I would upgrade to the iPhone 4S when I was eligible, but I felt blah about it. Everyone around me has an iPhone, which they love, but there ...
Summary: I thought I would upgrade to the iPhone 4S when I was eligible, but I felt blah about it. Everyone around me has an iPhone, which they love, but there were things that excited me more about with the new Android phones. I decided to go with the Galaxy Nexus because of its stellar reviews and high rankings on phone lists. I liked the screen size and resolution, and Android 4.0 is wonderful. However, the connectivity to service was awful. I lost service when making a call when walking out of the Verizon store -- and in a major metropolitan area. I lost service on almost every call I made after that, which was frustrating and disappointing. The change the SIM card at Verizon, which didn't change anything. Service was moderately better on 3G, but I still had problems, so I decided to return it. In addition, the battery life was very short, and it got uncomfortably hot while talking on it during the few times I was able to do so.
The day after I bought the Galaxy Nexus, the Razr Maxx was released, but, since I could only do one return at Verizon, I was hesitant to try another 4G phone. I was resigned to get the iPhone 4S, thinking it was the safe option (upgrades, streamlined opeeration, iTunes, etc.). But, after having the Galaxy Nexus for two days, the iPhone felt so small and heavy, and I knew I couldn't use the widgets that I enjoy with Android. It's silly, but I wanted to be excited about getting a new phone, and I wasn't excited about the iPhone.
While the salesman was returning the Galaxy Nexus and preparing to set me up on the iPhone 4S, I wandered over to the Razr Maxx display. I liked it very much, so I decided to take a chance on another 4G phone, and I have been very happy with my decision.
SCREEN: I just prefer the bigger screen of the current line of Android phones of iPhone. The Razr Maxx screen may not have the much lauded pixel density of the iPhone 4/4S or the Galaxy Nexus, but it is very bright, and I barely notice a difference.
CONNECIVITY: No problems. And 4G really is very fast. I use it at home instead of WiFi since I was grandfather into an unlimited data plan.
PROCESSOR: Very quick. Just an occasional hick-up when going back to the home screen, probably due to the calendar and weather clock widgets I have running there. Not a big deal, and it may improve with ICS.
OPERATING SYSTEM: No, it doesn't have Ice Cream Sandwich, but I am coming from Froyo, and this is much better. I can live happily with it until the ICS update arrives. Also, I am a Google fan, and I would have a difficulty time without navigation from Google Maps, which is something a friend who switched from the original Droid to iPhone misses greatly.
BUILD: I love how it feels. Much more comfortable that the Razr. I'm not using a cover on it yet, and may not put one one due to the great build quality (Kevlar, Gorilla Glass). However, I did put on a screen protector, "just in case!"
And finally, BATTERY: Fantastic. I was so conditioned by my old phone -- and even by two days with the Galaxy Nexus -- to constantly worry about the battery, but I worry no longer. I easily get through a day with moderate to heavy use, and the batter has yet to go below 30%. For me, it's worth it.
I did research ad nauseum when my upgrade was approaching. I learned that no phone is perfect and no phone is for everyone. This one spoke to me, and I am enjoying it very much!
27 out of 44 users found this user opinion helpful.
Best Phone I've ever owned.....AMAZING Battery Life!!!!
by andyflippen on February 4, 2012
Pros: Battery Life (See Below)
Battery Life
Battery Life
Smart Actions Battery Life Saver
Did I mention battery life?
Cons: None that I've found so far. The camera isn't as intuitive or reactive as the iPhone, but I want my phone as a phone. If I want the crispest action shots, I'll use my camera.
Summary: I have the Droid X2 and then upgraded to the 16gb Razr. The Razr is the exact same phone as the Maxx, but my battery was dying every day before ...
Summary: I have the Droid X2 and then upgraded to the 16gb Razr. The Razr is the exact same phone as the Maxx, but my battery was dying every day before I left the office. Don't undervalue how much battery life 4gLTE service actually uses. I used Smart Actions, made my own adjustments, limited use, didn't read my Kindle app at lunch, and still had a dead battery on my way home from work. So, I traded up to the Razr Maxx. This week, I've used my phone to watch Netflix shows at lunch, read from my Kindle app, used the phone more than normal (on purpose), sent a lot of texts and pictures, played on Facebook, watched YouTube videos, and just tried to run this battery into the ground. End result....70% battery life at the end of the day. This battery is no joke. I can't kill this thing. I've never had a phone that I didn't have to charge every day, but I could honestly get 1 1/2 - 2 days out of one charge, and that's saying a lot for me. I use my phone for work all day, and play on it quite a bit when I'm not in the office. This is the best phone I've ever owned. Call quality is crisp, I don't drop in some dead zones I've always dropped in. The Speak Now function allows you to speak texts, emails, and call contacts while driving with no interuption. The 4gLTE speeds are lightning fast, and in it's case, I can't tell the difference in thickness between the Maxx and Razr, except that the Maxx is better balanced due to shape, and easier to hold for calls. I absolutely love this phone. I considered a Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 4s also, but there is no comparison. When this phone gets ICS update, there will be no reason to look at any other current phone on the market.
12 out of 14 users found this user opinion helpful.
Best phone I've ever held!
by fastattack1095 on February 15, 2012
Pros: -Perfect size, big bright beautiful screen
-Stupid fast
-Quick multitasking
-Very fluid and easy to customize
-Extensive, long battery life
Cons: -Bluetooth disconnects randomly, but reconnects back easily.
-Wi-fi back to 3G switch is rough (a few seconds)
-Phone calls back to 3G rough (not on Wi-Fi, 10-20 seconds sometimes)
-Skype, audio comes out the phone earpiece and not media speaker.
Summary: Ok, coming from a Blackberry Storm2, I had finally found the phone that I thought would be my best fit. It does everything the Blackberry did but so much better. ...
Summary: Ok, coming from a Blackberry Storm2, I had finally found the phone that I thought would be my best fit. It does everything the Blackberry did but so much better. My exchange email now arrives instantly, compared to six or seven minutes later. No more truncated emails!
First of all, the display! I can't get over reading about people complaining over no 720p display, its blurry, or whatever else. This screen is just as good as my wife's iPhone 4 at any angle, along with anything you can grab at a Verizon store. I'm not sure of how any higher resolution screen could look "better" unless looking under a magnifying glass?? Netflix, Skype, websites all look great.
I am admittedly addicted to my phone and use it too much. It will normally make it through 18 to 24 hours with a lot of screen on time, time of Skype video calls, Netflix, Facebook, games, updates, etc.
Navigation is dead on, although I would have preferred a different more natural sounding voice. Also a little hard to hear in the car dock and on speakerphone.
Car dock is amazing, fits great, charges plays music, Pandora or other music apps. Can record videos, see text messages and emails pop up. Only complaint is you can't go to home screen from car dock app. To access an app you want to use, you have to have it running in the background (or on recent apps) and hold the home screen button to open it. May have to unplug the dock and open the app if it isn't up in the background.
Camera is much better than my Blackberry, of course not as good as a point and shoot. Wish it would have had a dedicated button under the volume rocker for better auto focusing. I'm still playing with it and plan on trying out CameraFX and maybe a couple apps.
Video in 720 is good and clear, a little choppy. Audio could be a bit better. I like it though.
CDMA radio is excellent, great signal most everywhere. Surpasses my Blackberry and some co-workers phones. Wi-Fi radio could have been stronger, I get signal through the house, but not as good as it should (in my opinion). I have not tryed out the Mobile Hotspot, don't want to root my phone and have not wanted to pay extra). After the recent update, the forums are reporting it to be working good though.
I would recommend this phone to anyone, even a novice at smart phones. This is my first Android device and so far was easy to customize and learn. You really can't go wrong here..
MOST IMPORTANT: Remember all devices, computers, etc, will have bugs and issues of some sort. I'm tired of reading reviews over multiple platforms of people complaining about the little stuff. We may eventually have devices that are 100% perfect, but we don't have anything like it right now. - Again, my personal opinion -
9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
The best phone on the market, hands down!
by Caldrumr2010 on February 18, 2012
Pros: Ridiculous battery life, solid build quality, fast and powerful, large screen, great call quality.
Cons: Lack of Android 4.0, less-than-stellar screen, mediocre camera, low resolution.
Summary: This is a really great phone. I had the original Droid, and have had nothing but problems with it for over two years. So, needless to say, I was very ...
Summary: This is a really great phone. I had the original Droid, and have had nothing but problems with it for over two years. So, needless to say, I was very excited to upgrade. I am not a big fan of the small, underwhelming iPhone, so it was either this or the Nexus. The battery and build quality sold me on this one.
First off, this is exactly the same as the Droid Razr, except for a (much) larger battery, and a slightly different shape, due to that larger battery. So does the larger battery rationalize the fifty-dollar price increase. In two words, oh yeah! The battery is amazing. With over double the capacity of phones like the iPhone, you won't need to charge this baby often. You would have to put this phone through the ringer all day long to drain its battery, and if you use it more moderately, you could easily get two or three days out of a charger. I haven't reached 70% since I got it.
Build Quality
This is a nice-looking phone. It's sharp, it feels great, and it is sure to make your iPhone-using friends squirm with envy. It's slim, light, and large. Just note that if you have small hands and you like to do one-handed texting or browsing, you may have issues due to the large screen size.
The gorilla glass screen is great, it's water resistant, and the overall build quality just seems solid. The Kevlar backing is more of a gimmick than anything else, but it looks neat, and it has a nice feel to it. Just don't expect to stop any bullets with this one!
This has a nice, large Super Amoled+ screen. It is fairly bright, and images look really nice and sharp. However, if you compare it side by side with a phone like the Galaxy Nexus, you will notice the difference. The screen is less bright and colorful. So, while it's nice, it's not the best. And at this point in technology, for a top-of-the-line device, I expected 720p. It's a shame, but the screen really isn't bad, and you are sure to enjoy it. Movies and games look nice and sharp.
This is where the phone really stumbles a bit. Again, for a flagship device, I can't believe this doesn't have Android 4.0. And from the looks of things, we won't be getting it this year at all. Very sad. You shouldn't have to root your device to get the best software. This isn't an old phone. Motorola, update your gear!
The Motoblur version of Android is okay. It's not so intrusive as it has been in the past. But you will probably want to replace most of it with custom apps from the marketplace. The smart settings are very nice, however. For instance, I set my phone to go silent at night, only if I am home and my phone has been inactive for a few minutes. However, calls from certain individuals will still go through. Very nice!
This thing has a great speaker! The speakerphone is surely the best I have ever heard, and even music sounds clean and crisp. This tops the sound quality list for any phone I have ever seen. Even if you set the phone down on its back (speaker down), the sound is clear and loud. Very nice.
Call Quality
I'm not a big talker when it comes to the phone. However, I have had some serious issues with other phones in the past regarding call quality. That is definitely not an issue here. Calls are crisp and clear, and both parties can hear each other well. The speaker has nice volume, and I have yet to have a dropped call. No issues here at all. Calls sound much cleaner than on my old phone.
First off, the 1080p video on this phone is very nice. You won't want to be ditching your camcorder anytime soon, but for a mobile device, the video is very nice.
However, the camera is a bit blah. While 8 megapixels is nice to have, it doesn't matter too much if the camera isn't great, and other phones have better cameras. If the camera is a primary feature for you, you may want to look elsewhere. The pictures are mediocre: a bit washed out, and not very clear. It does not perform well in low light, though this is a problem with many phones out there.
This phone is fast! It has a dual-core processor that will keep you zipping along. Things open quickly, transitions are smooth, and apps perform very well. Multitasking is a breeze, and I don't get constant force closes. It has the processing power, memory and overall juice to do what you need, when you want, all the time.
This phone comes with 16 GB internal memory, about 8 GB of which is set aside for storage. It also comes with a 16 GB SD card, upgradeable to 32. While I would have liked the option to have a 32/32 combination, it's not a big deal, and this will work for most people. If you have a lot of music files, Google Music comes pre-installed, and works like a charm!
In the end, this phone makes me happy, and not just because of have been waiting two years to replace my old piece of junk. This is a slick, slender piece of powerful hardware that will make just about anyone happy. It makes my Droid look like a doorstop, and makes the iPhone look like somebody's chubby misfit cousin who showed up to the party uninvited.
I would take off a star for the software, the camera, or the lack of 720p resolution, but really, these things are just nitpicking, and each of them does the job well, if not perfectly. Since I don't think there is another phone on the market that outshines this one, I give it 4.5/5. However, if it had Android 4.0, and brighter 720p screen, and the iPhone camera, I think it would be smartphone perfection!
Bottom line: if you want a top-of-the-line, powerful smartphone, this is the one to get.
9 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
Don't buy this phone until Motorola addresses issues
by draythomp on April 23, 2012
Pros: Long Battery Life
Really sharp display
Software works well
Did I mention long battery life
Cons: Screen breaks for essentially no reason
Warranty too restrictive
Summary: I've had a RAZR MAXX since the first day I could get it. It worked really well and I thought I had found the perfect phone. This good fortune ...
Summary: I've had a RAZR MAXX since the first day I could get it. It worked really well and I thought I had found the perfect phone. This good fortune was short lived. I picked it up from the table where it spends 90% of its time hooked to a charger and communicating over bluetooth, took it outside to take a picture and the screen was broken. There was a crack straight down the middle of the screen. Notice, I didn't say anything about dropping it. The Motorola warranty excludes all physical damage and so does the Verizon warranty. The insurance company didn't care, they just replace phones.
I even took it to a Verizon store. The salesman didn't see any reason for the screen to break, but while we were playing with it, it cracked again, this time in a different place horizontally. These phones are advertised with Kevlar, Gorilla glass and other features that lead you to believe that it is tough. This is simply not true.
When you talk to either Verizon or Motorola they claim there is no record of this kind of problem. Of course there isn't, they claim physical damage and let themselves off the hook regardless of the facts. Before you get one, check out the web for cracked screen problem; you'll see what I mean.
4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
Solid Phone, no regrets on the purchase at all.
by jabari on May 1, 2012
Pros: Long Battery
Solid build
Nice back
Bluetooth 4.0
Cons: No official ICS yet
No NFC
Summary: I rarely write reviews but I feel compelled to write about a solid product. Let me start by saying it is annoying to buy tech because soon as you get ...
Summary: I rarely write reviews but I feel compelled to write about a solid product. Let me start by saying it is annoying to buy tech because soon as you get it something better comes out or is announced. That is what took me so long to settle for the Razr Maxx. I was going to hold on to my off contract phone until the latest Jesus phone was announced preorder and have it on day one until my old phone finally said No mas. So I looked at reviews and checked phones out in the store and was just torn between the beautiful Nexus and the Maxx. To make things worse the Maxx Hd is coming any day but I couldn't hold out and I pulled the trigger and hoped it would not disappoint.
It has not. First there are people making a whole to do about the screen. it is a phone not a theater. You want to watch legit movies go to a theater. IMHO this thing is clear, good screen quality movies show up clear, not just for a phone but for a movie on any platform. I mean seriously its a tiny screen if you really cared about the movie you would watch it on a legit screen. So to all the people who drove me nuts saying the screen was so so when I was reading reviews that is nonsense. It is sharp clear and a good size for my hand. I can use the phone with one hand and yet I am not looking at a tiny screen. Plus while I won't test it I hear the screen is scratch proof, water resistant and generally damage proof.
The biggest factor to me is the battery life. Wow. I am used to my phone being on the charger a few times a day especially if i fire up the GPS. I literally forget to charge this thing for about a week and I still have more than half battery with use. I hardly ever put it on the charger and that to me is amazing and the most important factor on a mobile device like a phone that stays on constantly. The battery life truly is incredible. This IMO makes this a must buy as a phone above all the other parlor tricks of any other phone. I'm not sure if I can go back.
Now the bad. I'd like to have seen the NFC on the phone only because when you sign a 2 year contract you don't want a phone without even all the current bells and whistles but you know it is what it is. I've had the phone a month and a half and never missed it. I'd prefer it not to say Verizon and Motorola across the front, that is a bit tacky and maybe if it would have come in white that would have been cool. However the Kevlar back is totally hot. It makes the phone look and feel boss. I peeped the Nexus and honestly it felt cheap.
So then there is the ICS situation. Unlike some I have not been waiting for ever so it is not a big thing. May 22 I hear. That is whatever. Out of the box I rooted and threw in an ICS rom. So many people can't/won't do that ok. I only played with the HC motoblur interface for a few minutes but it seemed fine and ICS is coming for all so chill out ( no pun intended.)
The cameras: First my impressions maybe affected by the roms so I will stick to the quality. The zero lag of the Nexus is nice but this phone shoots good photos. I have a Sony Cybershot and the pics are of about the same quality. I must say I'm old fashion and prefer my photos to be taken on a dedicated camera but I used both at my birthday to whatsapp some pics to my cousin overseas and again the quality was fine.
Overall a very solid phone, I'm pleased. I think some things are personal preference and I would not tell someone what phone to buy but IMO solid phone I feel comfortable with for a while. Nothing is perfect so I'll take a half a point off for that, the branding and lack of NFC but honestly all petty. Given the choice I'd do it again.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
Fantastic Phone!
by Funkyfour6 on January 29, 2012
Pros: Phone Performance
Cons: Non Removable Battery
No Android 4.0 (ICS)
NO HD Screen
No NFC
Not a phone for small hands
Summary: Now I know there will be a lot of people out there who will be upset at the fact that this phone was launched so soon to the original Razr. ...
Summary: Now I know there will be a lot of people out there who will be upset at the fact that this phone was launched so soon to the original Razr. As a previous owner of the Galaxy Nexus I will say the Droid RAZR is an outstanding example of a smartphone. It is not perfect by any means of the imagination but I must say the engineers at Motorola did a great job with this phone. I love this phone when compared to the Nexus. It accomplishes the primary purpose of a cell phone and that is to work as a cell phone!
No signal problems! Good speakerphone! Great Construction! The battery life is a pleasure. Motorola claims 21 hours of talk time. I am happy the phone can work on 4G without thinking about use for at least 10 hours. I charge my cell phone daily.
The screen on this phone does not have the resolution of other competitors like the Galaxy Nexus, but the colors are more vibrant with better contrast.
If you are looking for a cell phone that will last the entire work day without a recharge, this is the phone for you. There will always be a new cell phone arriving on the market that will make your phone seem old within months of your purchase. Buy a phone that performs the functions you need and call it a day.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
Makes a cool product cooler, yet missing the one thing
by Dexter1268 on January 27, 2012
Pros: - Battery, duh...actually, this is probably the first time that word has made it into the Pros section EVER on a Verizon smartphone.
- Call quality.
- Micro-HDMI
- Nanocoating/Kevlar=awesome design features
- getting 4.0, the ROM is already out
Cons: - Come on...NO 720p resolution? Seriously? siiighh.
- Really, the 960x540 is the same as the X2...remember the X2? It's been a while, think hard. Having 226ppi instead of the Nexus/Rezound/LG's over 300 sucks.
- That's it, I just want 720p
Summary: With a good speaker, nice usable UI, future awesomeness of 4.0, a great battery, decent camera, amazing design, and tons of features, this should be an absolute contender for ...
Summary: With a good speaker, nice usable UI, future awesomeness of 4.0, a great battery, decent camera, amazing design, and tons of features, this should be an absolute contender for anyone needing a new phone....I say "need" because the people who just WANT one should wait until after MWC in February where the Tegra 3's get mentioned. With HTC saying they will release 1 "hero device" every quarter that means (hopefully) creating more future-proof devices. With Motorola signing with Intel one should probably wait to see what they come up with. And of course there's those phones from Sony that pack a mega camera, Bravia-sync, and True HD that are hopeful.
In short, if you have an Incredible (like me!), a Droid X, X2, or anything else that is still getting updates and still works just fine, it's lame to get anything right this second, especially with Spring releases right around the corner and so much hype for the summer...honestly, I'd wait.
But the Maxx is amazing...I still like the layout in the Nexus, the screen in the Spectrum, and the sound in the HTC more though, and lets face it, the next HTC phone will be 720p, have Beats, be slimmer, and have a great camera with 4.0...and be easier to root than Moto.
5 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
iPhone 4 comparison
by Methos1961 on June 29, 2012
Pros: Great Battery, very good screen, fast, good looking and nice build
Cons: Pricey, glitchy, small issues
Summary: I'm an iPhone user. I'm not an Apple fanboy though. In fact, I hated Apple products. But when I went to a smartphone a couple years back, head-to-head ...
Summary: I'm an iPhone user. I'm not an Apple fanboy though. In fact, I hated Apple products. But when I went to a smartphone a couple years back, head-to-head comparisons put the iPhone well ahead of anything else. That gap is closing.
I primarily picked up a Razr Maxx after hearing that Verizon was once again changing their data plan. I wanted to try an Android-based 4G phone before that kicked in. After a little research the Razr Maxx seemed like the obvious choice for me.
The biggest reason out of the gate is the battery. It's great. I ran that phone all day long on the 3G network, streaming music, surfing, downloading and installing apps, you name it. At night I still had 30 - 40 % battery life. Amazing.
The screen is great. It's large and pretty sharp. It's not as good as the iPhone Retina display, but since it's so much bigger it gets a bonus point. The gorilla glass was impressive as was the kevlar on the back. It's a great looking phone.
My phone was still running Gingerbread although ICS had just rolled out and an update would be coming over the air any day. I found the Android software a little easier to use, slightly more intuitive than iOS, but only a little. I still had to look some stuff up online but once there you can find anything.
It is great to be able to do so much customization with the Android. I was very pleased to see how many great apps there available now. I use my iPhone for everything - calls, email, texting, surfing the net, and most importantly - MUSIC!
I stream music to a couple Bluetooth devices (Bose Soundlink, Motorola Headphones) through Slacker, Pandora, Rhapsody, and anything else I happen to have (Spotify, iHeart Radio, etc.). This is where I ran into my first real problem with the Razr. The music would make quick skip or 'tick' noises during playback. It was always random but always a couple times each song and across all apps and Bluetooth devices. I looked for answers and found a couple people reporting the same problem but now solutions. I have never had this problem with the iPhone.
I also did not have the 4G reception that I'm supposed to have. Now they have just begun rolling out 4G in my area and we will get more and more, but the map says I should have it and I don't. Strike two but please note this is a strike against Verzion and not the Razr Maxx.
I also noted several little glitches in some of the apps. If I'm running streaming music and turn off the Bluetooth speaker or headphones, the music then starts coming out of my phone. iPhone automatically stops the music. This might seem like a little thing, but it was a big thing for me.
Another annoyance with regard to music was the volume rocker on the Razr Maxx. I did not like it's placement or it's feel. But worse is the fact that volume control function did not seem to operate linear-ally. It was very strange and hard to describe but a search showed this as an issue across certain Motorola platforms so it gets another strike for that.
Last was the price. At $299 plus an upgrade, its was just too much. Had I stopped by even a couple weeks earlier I could have gotten it for $199 on sale but I missed out. At $299 and with the noted issues above I decided to return the phone and go back to the iPhone until later this year.
The iPhone 5 is coming out supposedly, and also a new Razr Maxx HD. I'll do a head to head then and see how things go. If the iPhone has a larger screen and bigger/batter battery life it will be hard for the Razr to keep up if they do not fix those little annoyances. You have to give it Apple when it comes to that stuff - they got that on lock.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
- Manufacturer: Motorola
- Part number: DROIDRAZRMAXX
- Description: All day, every day. That's how much you use your smartphone. With DROID RAZR MAXX, you finally get battery life that keeps up with your life. The longest talk time of any 4G smartphone - that's what you get with DROID RAZR MAXX. On one full charge, you can host a marathon (as in more than 21-hour) conference call. Whip through the web for 7 hours straight. Get your movie fix with 15 uninterrupted hours of flick watching. Jam out all weekend. That's right - on one full charge, you can listen to music for two and half days straight. DROID RAZR MAXX isn't changing the rules - it's creating a whole new game, in a full-on assault to what's possible. At 8.99mm, it's thinner than most smartphones and it packs more battery, too. Thinner and the longest talk time of any 4G smartphone? The competition doesn't stand a chance. Seriously thin, DROID RAZR MAXX is the exact opposite of frail. It's made strong with DuPont KEVLAR fiber, while Corning Gorilla Glass defends the screen against scratches and scrapes. A force field of water-repellent nanoparticles shields the phone against water attacks - even the electrical boards inside. DROID RAZR MAXX makes "Mach 10" seem slow. Up to 10 times faster than 3G, Verizon's turbo-boosted 4G LTE speeds will have you rocketing through your everyday. Video chat, stream, download - do it all at top speed and with confidence on the fastest, most reliable 4G network. DROID RAZR MAXX delivers twice the battery life of other leading smartphones, so you won't spend your day plugged into the wall. Instead, you'll be more plugged in than ever to what's happening at work. Blazing 4G LTE speeds plus an enterprise-grade VPN keep you connected to the office when you're away, while pre-loaded apps help you get down to business. Collaborate in real time with GoToMeeting and create and edit Microsoft Office files right on your phone, with Quickoffice. DROID RAZR MAXX is ready to do your bidding. Always kill the ringer at work? Or tweak your Bluetooth settings at home? The Smart Actions app understands. It automates everyday tasks so you're free to focus on otherworldly pursuits. And even though DROID RAZR MAXX already has the longest talk time of any 4G smartphone, you can push things even further with Smart Actions battery optimization settings.
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type Smartphone
- Form Factor Touch
- Phone Design PDA
- Resistance Gorilla Glass (scratch resistant glass)
- Integrated Components Wi-Fi hotspot,
GLONASS receiver,
GPS receiver,
2nd camera,
Digital camera,
Digital player,
Voice recorder
- Width 2.71 in
- Depth 0.38 in
- Height 5.15 in
- Weight 5.11 oz
- Body Material KEVLAR
- Technology CDMA2000 1X
- Band CDMA2000 1X 1900/800
- Mobile Broadband Generation 4G
- Service Provider Verizon Wireless
- Operating System Google Android 2.3
- Application Software Amazon Kindle,
Adobe Flash Player 10,
- Installed Games Let's Golf 2,
Madden NFL 12
- Input Device(s) Touch sensitive screen (multi-touch) , Capacitive
Messaging & Internet
- Cellular Messaging Services MMS,
- Instant Messaging Services Yahoo! Messenger,
AOL Instant Messenger Service (AIM),
Google Talk,
Windows Live Messenger (MSN Messenger)
- Supported Social Networks and Blogs LinkedIn,
- Messaging & Data Features Microsoft PowerPoint support,
Microsoft Excel support,
Microsoft Word support
- Mobile Services Slacker Radio,
Google eBooks,
MSN Hotmail,
NFL Mobile,
Google Search,
Google Search by Voice,
Yahoo! Mail,
Google Calendar,
Google Quick Search Box,
Google Latitude,
Google Play
- Data Transmission EV-DO
- Wireless Interface LTE,
Bluetooth 4.0,
IEEE 802.11b/g/n
- Bluetooth Profiles Serial Port Profile (SPP),
Object Push Profile (OPP),
Personal Area Networking Profile (PAN),
Hands Free Profile (HFP),
Headset Profile (HSP),
Dial-up Networking Profile (DUN),
Phonebook Access Profile (PBAP),
Human Interface Device Profile (HID),
Low Energy Attribute Protocol (ATT),
Generic Attribute Profile (GATT),
Heart Rate Monitor (HRM),
Generic Access Profile (GAP),
Message Access Profile (MAP),
Device Identification Profile (DID),
Low Energy Security Manager Protocol (SMP),
Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP),
Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP),
Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP),
General Audio/Video Distribution Profile (GAVDP)
- Communication Features Internet browser,
Mobile Email client
Phone Features
- Phone Functions Voice control,
Call timer,
Conference call,
Flight mode,
Voice dialing,
Vibrating alert
- Polyphonic Ringer Yes
- Ring Tone Formats AAC,
- Sensors Proximity sensor,
Ambient light sensor,
Digital compass
- Additional Features DLNA Certified,
Software updates FOTA (Firmware Over The Air),
TTY compatible,
Intelligent typing (SWYPE)
- Personal Information Management Synchronization with PC,
Alarm clock
Media Player
- Supported Digital Audio Standards WMA 9,
WMA v10,
WMA v9,
- Supported Digital Video Standards MPEG-4,
- Clock Speed 1.2 GHz
- Processor Core Qty Dual Core
- Bult-in Memory 16 GB
- User Memory 11.5 GB
- Supported Flash Memory Cards microSDHC - up to 32 GB
Digital Camera
- Sensor Resolution 8 megapixels
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Digital Zoom 8
- Camera Light Source LED light
- Video Recorder Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
- Features Video recording,
Navigation System
- GPS Navigation A-GPS/GLONASS receiver - Simultaneous GPS (S-GPS)
- Navigation Software & Services Google Maps,
Google Maps Street View,
Google Maps Navigation
- Type OLED display - Color
- Technology Super AMOLED Advanced
- Diagonal Size 4.3 in
- Display Resolution 960 x 540 pixels
- Features Wallpaper,
Scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass
- Connector Type Micro-USB,
Headset jack - Mini-phone 3.5 mm
- Technology Lithium ion
- Capacity 3300 mAh
- Run Time Details Talk - up to 1290 min,
Standby - up to 380 hour(s)
- Compliant Standards HAC(Hearing Aid Compatible)
- Included Accessories Power adapter , Power adapter
- Also Included microSDHC - 16 GB
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Motorola products on Shopper.com
- Manufacturer:Motorola
- Address:
600 N. Highway 45, Libertyville, IL 60048
- Phone: 847/576-5000


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A promising young musician is facing stage four cancer with the support of her community, school and church, but she is not letting the disease silence her talent.
When the congregation at Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral hear music, it is probably coming from organist Desiree Hines.
Hines remembers when she first saw and heard a pipe organ on TV and was immediately hooked.
"I was transfixed with her and the sound of the pipe organ. Immediately, I knew there was this divine calling," Hines said.
She grew up in Jackson, MS, and her mother had to work an extra job to pay for her first instrument.
"Access to music for me was through the public schools system. I started by playing the violin through the Saturday String program," she said.
Hines is now the Isabel Curdy endowed organ scholar at Grace and Holy Trinity. She studies at the Conservatory of Music and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, However, just months into her stay in Kansas City, she was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroendocrine cancer.
"It was tough. I had just buried my mother in January. I was doing so well at the conservatory and the cathedral. To get knocked down with such an aggressive case was really, really tough," she said.
But the congregation at Grace and Holy Trinity sees every week just how hard Hines is fighting.
Cannon pastor Susan Sommer says Hines' outlook is simple: take it day by day and reach out to the Lord and those around her.
"She is really quite inspiring in that way," Sommer said.
It was also very difficult for her friends.
"It was very difficult. The diagnoses wasn't good, but the response has been exceptional," Sharon Cheers said.
Hines is heading to Louisiana on Monday to a facility that specializes in her rare form of cancer.
"Stage 4 cancer is pretty much incurable, but they can do their very best to help me sustain life," Hines said.
She spent two months this spring in the hospital, many days unable to keep even water down. But she is doing better, and her doctors say neuroendocrine cancer is slow growing.
Hines doesn't know how long she has left, but those close to her can bet she will make the most of it.
"When I'm sick, it affects me. But it is actually given me a better outlook on life, more drive to be a better person, a better musician," she said.
Her family at Grace and Holy Trinity continues to support her. She calls them Team Desiree. They are the reason she keeps fighting.
"Even though I have stage 4 cancer, I have so many good things going on in life that I cannot give up," she said.
Team Desiree has set up an Indie GoGo fundraising account for her, to find out more information, click here.
Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.
A woman who was texting while driving was impaled by guardrail pole.


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Add a fun, sleek and modern take on the traditional dry erase board with our Magnetic Glass Dry Erase Board. Its magnetic aspect is perfect for holding extra notes, and creates a magnetic glass surface for which to write on. Coordinates with our Weekly and Monthly Glass Boards.
We can help! Click here to chat with an expert.


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It took awhile due to some miscommunication about police terminology, but CityBeat managed to get a copy of the incident report that Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Berding filed late last month against a one-time political ally.
Berding filed a report with Cincinnati Police Officer Jay D. Barnes on Jan. 27, the same day that Berding announced his impending resignation from City Council.
Cincinnati cyclists have been waiting for the arrival of bike lanes on Riverside Drive since summer of 2011, and patience is running thin. Yesterday, Cincinnati's Department of Transportation announced that it was considering "indefinitely postponing" the bike lane project because of possible future construction on I-471.
The plan was originally postponed because Duke Energy needed to perform some work in the area. Now, Cincinnati officials are concerned that the I-471 traffic could redirect to Riverside in the face of construction, meaning Riverside could become saturated with rerouted motorists. The bike lane project originally required a travel lane to be removed from Riverside drive to install bike lanes.
Nern Ostendorf, Queen City Bike's executive director, expressed disappointment with the decision. "We really have to stick to our plans and prioritize. If we keep being bullied [by the city], nothing's ever going to change."
Riverside Drive is currently a main thoroughfare for East End bikers who work downtown, but problems with speeding call for reform. "The road doesn't have the infrastructure that it needs right now for bikers to be safe," says Ostendorf.
She says that the installation of the lanes is crucial to Cincinnati's urban and economic development. "We need to change people's understanding of navigating space with things other than cars." Ostendorf says there's an immediate correlation between the installation of bike lanes and hikes in business in surrounding areas.
Park + Vine owner and cycling enthusiast Danny Korman posted on his store's blog yesterday regarding the postponement, arguing that the ruling was unfair for two reasons.
"1. There is no guarantee that substantial I-471 traffic would shift to Riverside Drive; 2. East End already deals with commuters speeding through their neighborhood on a daily basis. It's time for DOTE to make Columbia Parkway the obvious alternative for motor vehicle commuters by going ahead with this project, which will reduce traffic and speeding in a residential area."
The post directs proponents of the bike lane installation to contact City Council members, along with Michael Moore, director of Cincinnati's Department of Transportation, to lobby for the reversal of the postponement.
Moore could not be reached for comment on Friday.
A new Census Bureau report reveals that from 2005 to 2009, a segment of Over-the-Rhine had the highest income inequality of more than 61,000 communities nationwide.
The segment — known as Census Tract No. 17 — is the northeast quadrant of Over-the-Rhine. The findings were featured in an article Tuesday by McClatchy Newspapers, which attributes the disparity in the tract partially to gentrification and the influx of young professionals into the predominantly low-income neighborhood.
Queen City Bike today sent out an email asking for help in convincing St. Bernard Service Director Phil Stegman why including a climbing lane on Mitchell Avenue between Vine Street and Reading Road is important to the area's cycling infrastructure. According to QCB, St. Bernard's engineers prefer to keep 10 feet of space for parking rather than use 8 feet for parking and include the bike lane. The city of Cincinnati, which owns half the road, needs St. Bernard to sign off on the infrastructure improvement, according to QCB.
At least three of Cincinnati City Council's four new members will appear at a meet-and-greet event next week in Price Hill to answer questions.
Chris Seelbach, Yvette Simpson and P.G. Sittenfeld are scheduled to attend the Jan. 5 forum, which will be held at Elder Hill School's Schaeper Center. It's uncertain at this time whether the fourth and final new council member, Christopher Smitherman, will attend.
The city of Cincinnati is planning to restripe a section of Martin Luther King Drive between Reading Road and Victory Parkway and would like input from cyclists who commute into Clifton and Walnut Hills. Queen City Bike today sent out an email asking anyone who regularly uses the route to fill out an online survey to help planners determine which infrastructure improvements to make.


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High Country News December 10, 2012
As it goes high-tech, wildlife biology loses its soul
We're learning a lot by monitoring wild animals, but the high tech methods used to track them take some of the mystery out of our relationship with the wild.
Producing more power means using more water
Federal agencies often overlook the tight relationship between energy production and water use.
Weird and wacky White House petitions
Opinionated Americans ask to create the 51st state of Jefferson on the West Coast and ride their ATVS where they please, among other things.
A new measure of poverty shifts rankings in the West
When determining who is poor, the Census Bureau takes geography into account in its Supplemental Poverty Measure.
Turning dead deer into good soil
A pilot program in Oregon transforms roadkill into compost.
Can the oyster industry survive ocean acidification?
As fossil fuel emissions lower the ocean's pH, Pacific Northwest shellfish growers face an uncertain future.
Will Navajos approve a Grand Canyon megadevelopment?
An audacious development proposal near Grand Canyon National Park divides a tribe and its neighbors.
Editor's Note
A bird in hand
Will the soul of wildlife biology survive in an era of remote monitoring technology?
Date with a climate-change denier
A first (and last) date with someone who doesn't believe in global warming.
Dear Friends
Good news and goodbyes
Editor Michelle Nijhuis wins an award; three brave Westerners pass away.
Book Reviews
Of faith and frostbite: a review of True Sisters
Mormon pioneers crossing the country in 1856 meet with disaster in Sandra Dallas' book.
Up the road and a world away: A review of Elsewhere, California
A black girl growing up in '70s L.A. must learn to navigate between two worlds, in Dana Johnson's new book.


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Phone: (858) 279-8227
Toll-Free: (888) 825-3636
Fax: (858) 576-6564
Email: email@example.com
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American Council on Exercise4851 Paramount DriveSan Diego, California 92123
Posted on Friday, March 22, 2013
America's Fitness Authority Initiates "Action Tour for a Healthier America"
LAS VEGAS- (March 21, 2013) —Turning vision into action - such was the rallying cry from Continue reading »
Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Biggest Loser-style weight-loss approach has limited application for majority of Americans who struggle with weight
San Diego, Calif. (Mar. 14, 2013) — As NBC prepares to conclude season 14 of its primetime reality show, "The Biggest Loser®," Continue reading »
In response to the airing of the 14th season of the primetime reality show The Biggest Loser, the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the largest fitness certification and education organization in the U.S., issued the following statement:
As is well known, the United States suffers from an epidemic of obesity, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition with two-thirds of its ad ...
Continue reading »
Posted on Friday, March 01, 2013
New Leadership Aligns ACE and NCPPA in Fight to Eliminate Obesity Epidemic
San Diego, Calif. (Mar. 7, 2013) — Scott Goudeseune, president and CEO of Continue reading »
Senior Fitness, Therapeutic Exercise and Orthopedic Exercise Specialty CertificationsOffer Expertise to Help Growing Number of Americans over Age 55
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2012) – With the number of adults reaching retirement age in the next two decades soaring by 31 percent since 2000, the demand for qualified, knowledgeable health and fitness p ...


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BROWNSBURG — Following a recommendation from Brownsburg Community School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Jim Snapp that the Challenger Learning Center cease operations at the end of the 2012-13 school year, the school board voted unanimously to end the program that has been a fixture in town since 1994.
Snapp cited heavy financial losses over the past decade, coupled with diminishing funds as opposed to when the program opened, as reasons that it was no longer sustainable to keep it open.
"The center has served the community since 1994 very well over the years," Snapp said. "However, a review of the financial records for the CLC detail extensive losses for the corporation.
"The past two years I've worked with Mary Patterson, director of the CLC, to shore up financial losses. During that time, I shared with Mrs. Patterson that it was critical to the CLC's future in Brownsburg that it be a break-even venture, which it's not. During that time, Mrs. Patterson retired and then returned on a part-time schedule to reduce cost. One flight director retired and returned on a part-time schedule to reduce cost. Three other flight directors reduced their work schedules from full-time to part-time to reduce costs."
Snapp said the CLC offered a mission option over fall break that had to be canceled because of low registration and that distance learning fees were down 30 percent from last year as well as fees paid by schools other than Brownsburg.
"From 2002 to present, the CLC has generated $1,827,724 in revenue with expenditures of $3,620,800 for a loss of $1,793,076," Snapp said.
He said that figure does not include the annual licensing fee and utilities to operate the facility, which come in at around $440,000 in additional losses.
Snapp said they tried to increase the fees three years ago, and that has nearly tripled the number of registration fee gains in that time coming from Brownsburg students, but he felt like students were essentially subsidizing their own education.


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In October 1999, the Tax Faculty of the ICAEW issued a paper entitled 'Towards a better tax system'. It set out ten criteria which good tax legislation ought to satisfy, one of which was simplicity.
The CIOT's response focussed on the unnecessary complexities in the UK tax system, which should be addressed as a matter of some urgency. It looked at some of the reasons for complexity in any modern tax system and then went on to consider what can be done, both to avoid unnecessary complexity, and to help businesses and other taxpayers to cope with the system.
The CIOT believes that the UK tax system is now so complex, and is increasing in complexity at such a rate, that it is in danger of malfunctioning.
Reasons for complexity
In order to be fair, the tax system must take account of the capacity of taxpayers to pay.
For example, although the poll tax was a very simple tax, it was widely perceived to be unfair because it took no account of the taxpayer's resources and ability to pay.
Taxpayers' capacity is determined not only by their income and gains but also by their personal circumstances.
Having said that, excessive complexity in a tax system is itself unfair because most taxpayers, and many Inland Revenue staff, will be unable to understand the system with the result that it will not be administered correctly. Further, complexity favours those who can afford tax planning advice.
Tax avoidance
The CIOT recognised that no one likes paying tax, and that if taxpayers can escape liability by lawful means, they may try to do so. Loopholes in the legislation become apparent, and these have to be closed by new legislation. Almost every Finance Bill in the last 40 years has contained anti-avoidance legislation. Such legislation tends to be complicated because of the complexity of the arrangements which taxpayers make to avoid paying tax.
The recent attempt to short-circuit these procedures by mean of a general anti-avoidance rule was abandoned largely because of the difficulty of formulating a workable rule and resourcing a clearance system.
Increasing complexity of society
The world of industry, commerce and investment is vastly more complex today than it was when income tax in its present form was introduced 150 years ago. One example is the profileration of financial instruments and derivatives during the last quarter-century. This increase in complexity will inevitably be reflected in the tax system, but the CIOT believes that the impact on the tax system is sometimes made unnecessarily complex.
Economic objectives
Successful governments have used the tax system to encourage particular economic activity or investment. The Government recently introduced a tonnage tax regime for shipping companies, and it clearly believes that this is justified on the basis that it should create jobs for UK-based individuals. However the draft legislation runs to 53 pages, and further regulations and Statement of Practice will be required to implement the legislation in detail.
Some people might excuse this complexity on the basis that the legislation is relevant only to a small number of persons who can afford to pay for specialist tax advice. In practice, however, there are costs – for example further administrative burdens will be placed on the Revenue at a time when they are under great pressure as a result of other changes.
Social objectives
Successive governments have used the tax and benefits system as a means of re-distributing wealth. For example, the Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Persons Tax Credit schemes have recently been introduced largely with social policy objectives in mind.
Change for the sake of change
The CIOT suggested that any new government may dislike the initiatives of the previous government simply because they were 'not invented here'. The CIOT felt this was the only explanation for the replacement of PEPs and TESSAS by ISAs, for example. The Government could have made small changes to the existing rules – instead, it has introduced a new type of investment which is difficult for the layman to understand and whose revenue effect will be little different from PEPs and TESSAs.
Similar considerations apply in relation to stakeholder pensions. Instead of making the limits of investment more flexible and imposing restrictions on costs charged to PPS policies, the Government has decided to introduce a new type of policy which may not be any better than personal pension schemes.
Tackling complexity
As discussed, the tax system is bound to be complex and has an inbuilt tendency to become more complex over time. Therefore, conscious efforts need to be made to ensure that it does not become needlessly complex. Such efforts have not been made in the past in any systematic way.
The CIOT suggested that 'simplification' has become something of a spin word, which is used to justify tax changes which the Government wants to make for other reasons. In the past, attempts at simplification have taken the form of the enactment of new legislation. The result has been an increase in the total amount of legislation which the Government wants to make for other reasons. In the past, attempts at simplification have taken the form of the enactment of new legislation. The result has been an increase in the total amount of legislation. That, by itself, has increased the complexity of the system.
Spin-offs from the Tax Law Rewrite Project
Currently, the Inland Revenue and professional bodies are going through the direct tax legislation with a fine-tooth comb in an effort to rewrite it in plain English. Whilst the rewrite exercise cannot itself change the law, nevertheless the opportunity must be taken by the Government to reconsider any legislation which is complex but which does not involve large amounts of revenue, with a view to repeal or simplification.
The first rewrite Bill – the Capital Allowances Bill – has now been published. It runs to 350 pages and illustrates how complex the capital allowances legislation has become. The CIOT is persuaded that there is a strong case for abandoning the capital allowances system and allowing a deduction for depreciation charged in business accounts in accordance with GAAP.
Other, less ambitious changes would be repeal of the Schedule E benefits provisions on shared vans, and a modernisation of the rules for calculating the benefits from living accommodation provided for employees. Also, the need for the accrued income scheme should be reviewed.
The capital gains tax legislation is horrendously complicated and brings in a comparatively small amount of tax in macro-economic terms. Various attempts have been made in the past to bring about some simplification, all without success. A bolder attempt would seem to be required.
The CIOT also believes that there is a case for replacing the complicated age-related allowances and marginal reliefs with a single allowance for the over-65s which does not depend on the taxpayer's income. A similar simplification of the married couple's allowance is also desirable. Older people simply do not understand how these rules work.
Aligning the income tax and NIC systems
The CIOT welcomes the efforts being made to bring the two systems more closely into line with each other, in terms of both the tax base and the administration. It is an unnecessary complication that NIC system should operate as an independent system from income tax on earned income.
A complexity test for new legislation
The CIOT proposed that there should be a complexity test for all proposed tax legislation, whether it introduces a relief or imposes a charge, in addition to the compliance cost assessment. It should compare the amount of legislation required against the amount of tax at stake, and any legislation which is disproportionately complex should be abandoned.
Coping with complexity
When the tax system is so complex that the people who operate it cannot understand it, the system will malfunction and may break down altogether. The income tax and capital gains tax legislation cannot be understood by most tax officers in the Revenue, let alone by taxpayers who have to fill in complex self-assessment tax returns.
Techniques have to be devised for coping with complex legislation. Traditionally, these have included the provision of explanatory material in the form of booklets. This is only of limited use to the layman, since the rules which are being explained are irreducibly complex. New techniques include the use of computerised expert systems, and the provision of help desks and Internet facilities by the Revenue and Customs and Excise.
Clearly, the tax law rewrite project is an essential element of any strategy for coping with complexity although, due to the underlying complexity of the system, the rewrite is likely to benefit tax professionals rather than the layman. The CIOT would like the rewrite project to be expanded to include the rewrite of the main statutory instruments, including the PAYE regulations, which affect a large number of people.
Despite all the help which is available, many small businesses, especially micro-businesses, may find that the burdens being imposed on them by the tax and benefits system, plus other regulatory burdens, are simply beyond their capacity to cope with. This is where the systems breaks down and businesses are put at additional commercial risk. The CIOT would like micro-businesses to be removed from the ambit of as many as possible of the burdens recently imposed.
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Bobcat launches multi-platform social media efforts
Posted by Equipment World Staff on Aug 28, 2012
Bobcat launched its social media efforts yesterday on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Flickr. Bobcat has had an established YouTube ...
Do you want some tips to stay safe on the job site?
Equipment World has created an entire section devoted to safety.
Here are the most recent tips we've posted:
Hauling headaches: Know your load limits when trailering equipment
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Considering weather for a February cruise, we decided to fly to Miami a day early. AA flight ... continue
This is the 3rd year in a row we've cruised over the Thanksgiving break, and this year easily ... continue
We just got back from a nice cruise on the Breeze. We selected the Ocean Suite and the cabin was ... continue
- Background: My wife and I enjoyed our 6th cruise with Carnival. We are a mid 30s couple and ... continue
This was our second cruise on the Breeze. So we knew what to expect and weren't disappointed. I ... continue
We cruised on this ship and were super excited for the newest carnival ship. Let me be upfront, ... continue
This was my 37th cruise, 11th on Carnival. We flew in 2 days prior and stayed with relatives. ... continue
Quick review of our 10/26/13 sailing on the Carnival Breeze, 8 day exotic southern Caribbean ... continue
Arrived at 11:15 and were on the ship by 11:45. Headed for the Lido Deck and there were lots of ... continue
We sailed on the Carnival Freedom Oct. 19-27 immediately after a seven-day cruise on the Royal ... continue
Prior to this cruise, my last experience on Carnival (Paradise) was horrendous. Never the less ... continue
Carnival Breeze not for the pretentious and up-tight
Overall had a great time. There are three components to a great trip Itinerary (done!), ... continue
The Breeze was a perfect family vacation for us.
Awesome crew, awesome service, awesome cruise!
Through my successful career, I have learned that things will go bad, if the leader allows ... continue
Best Cruise Ever!!!!!!!!
Beautiful new ship but Carnival has cut corners
Expereinced Cruiser takes on a new ship!!
This trip was our 4th voyage on a Carnival Funship. My expectations were very high, but many ... continue
Somewhat disappointing... this is our 2nd trip on Freedom
1st time Carnival Cruiser who expected the worst and had the time of her life!
We are veteran cruisers , looking for new adventures on new ships and new ports of calls.
Nice ship, good service, so so comedy.
First off the Breeze is a fantastic, beautiful, great ship!