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437 of 461 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic phone, and is a great iPhone replacement so far
I have been waiting for this phone for quite a while and have spanned the internet looking for reviews on this thing before i bought it. I have had this phone from 11/11/11 and since launch time.
Here are some key things i will review to help you make your decision (hopefully)
Let me first tell you WHY i got the droid razr. A midst the launch of many...
Published on November 13, 2011 by Critical Reviewer
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Top of the line with major glitch
Love this phone, had to get used to the wideness but works great! Only serious problem is the battery life. I work from home and have a car charger and am typing this in the red battery zone. Battery life is the worst. I also used to own a cell phone store for 3 years. Great phone minus the power it needs. Not sure what else to say except. I'll possibly return it if...
Published on December 16, 2011 by Edward Dupre
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5 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Phone available,
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
Hold the phone in hand and then one will realize that how light and thin it is. Amazing feeling. Beautifully designed UI. Best performance. LTE speed is bonus. 12.5 hrs talk time is one of the best in smart phone category. Will be upgraded to ICS. What else I need?
Best phone available in market as of today and for sure for many coming months. (Nexus ICS does not have any release dates yet).
I don't care if battery is removable or not. I don't want to take out battery.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars BUYER BEWARE,
penton42 (NJ) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
Little over a month after I began using this phone, its screen cracked. This occurred not because I dropped it on a hard surface, but simply because I had it in my pant's front pocket. I was taking pictures with a regular camera during a birthday party, and the simple act of bending down apparently created too much pressure for its screen.
Customer service reps with Amazon, Verizon and Motorola were all friendly, but all said that since the incident occurred more than 30 days after I bought the Razr, they could not simply send me a new one, considering what occurred to be "physical damage." In the end, I've had to spend a little under $100 to repair it.
Those considering whether to buy this phone would be wise to google "droid razr and cracked screen" should they need further collaboration of what appears to be a common problem with this phone. Perhaps it is because it is too thin? I'm not an engineer, but I do recognize a flawed design when I see one; it should not be so easy to break something like this.
I gave the phone two stars instead of one because it really is enjoyable to use. Perhaps not as intuitive user-wise as an iphone, but I was really happy and satisfied with it until this occurred.
Gorilla Glass? Take it from my experience - don't believe the hype.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars DO NOT BUY . . . if you rely on Mobile Hotspot!,
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
I normally do not give reviews: positive or negative. However, if you're a person that uses your phone and PAY for the use of the phone as a mobile hotspot, then you will most likely not like this phone until an update is released. All over the Internet are posts about how wireless devices (such as a laptop or a tablet) connecting to the RAZR are not able to browse many websites when connected wirelessly to the mobile hotspot. However, USB tethering does allow you to browse websites just fine. I'm okay with glitches as long as they're corrected in a reasonable time. But, this issue is not slated to be resolved until mid-February. That is ridiculous! Furthermore, the wireless signal that the RAZR produces is very weak. Whereas, with my Motorola Atrix I can get signal in a nearby room using the Mobile Hotspot, with the RAZR you should expect continuously weak signal strength at this type of distance resulting in both frequent disconnects and slow pages.
On the other hand, I do like the rest of the phone. It has a large screen and is very light. The battery seems to also do very well. Ultimately, however, I cannot recommend this phone due to Motorola's snail-paced fix to an issue that should be handled more expediently. In this case, a very expensive data plan that you cannot fully utilize.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Best Android phone on the market (for a few months at least),
duucfho (Orlando, Florida) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
While the RAZR does have some flaws, it is overall an excellent phone that I would recommend to anyone.
-Beautiful design
-Huge, great looking display
-Incredible benchmark performance...no lag here!
-LTE performance in Orlando is insane: 30Mbps down /10mbps up!!!
-No MOTOBLUR!
-Battery life is good, as I am not a "power user". In a 24 hour period, I went from full charge down to 20%. LTE on, WiFi on, GPS off, moderate usage. For about 10 min every hour, I would be either playing games, checking email, or using social media apps.
-Some cool accessories like the dock, if that's your thing
-While it CAN be rooted to remove bloatware, the locked bootloader still means no custom ROMS :( Luckily, custom launchers like LauncherPro or Go Launcher have many features of custom roms, minus the juicy stuff like overclocking
-No removable battery. Not that big a deal to me personally, but may be a dealbreaker to some.
5.0 out of 5 stars Had a great experience.,
Stephanie L Varner (Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
So pleasantly surprised. My son loves his new phone. Had a great experience.
10 of 16 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Droid RAZR DEFFECTIVE BUYERS BEWARE,
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
Okay let me start off by saying that up until last week i was a Motorola fan boy and this review saddens me to write.
Quick charge
Fits hand nicely
Touchscreen feels great
Battery life
Black splotches (will explain bellow)
Battery life (how can it be a pro and con...ill get to that)
Heats up
Speaker static (only on the 2nd one)
BLACK SPLOTCHES: Yup they are definitely there, in fact Motorola has verified this in their statement and they specifically noted this IS NOT a defect and that there is no intention of fixing the issue. WARNING RANT( so what you're saying is that those splotches aren't a defect and the product was designed to have a terrible display...nice one moto) If you haven't heard about the splotches check out this video [...]
Battery: Here's the problem I have with the battery, my first razr lasted 7hr out of the box on the factory charge and for the first week I had great battery life, my 2nd one was terrible only got 5hrs of standby with NO use. Now my 3rd one seems to be like the first, decent battery life making it through the day of normal use. How can a company like moto pump out these phones with no removal battery and not quality check them to ensure the battery has no dead cells
All and all the device is filled with inconstant glitches and i feel as though the device was rushed into production. All Verizon will do is offer me a trade for the Bionic which as im sure everyone is aware is not a deal at all considering the price difference and age.
Anyone with the issue comment on the youtube video with your phones build date and a rough estimate as to the number of splotches. Your info will help build a case that will be presented to Motorola to show that this issue effects us users and we want a fix.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars worst phone ive ever owned,
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
the droid razr is a horrible phone and verizon is a horrible disrespctful company i had my droid razr for 3 WEEKS b4 my screen cracked while it was charging and its not the outside screen its inside under my screen.i am very disappointed in verizon for having being told toooooo many times about this issue and not doing anything like fixing the issue and replacing customers phones ive been with verizon for 9 years and i will be switching services! THE DOID RAZR SUCKS!!
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Very productive phone,
Vince J. Filippelli (NY, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
I moved from the droid x to the droid razr. There are alot of good reviews here, so I'll give my own observations in short style.
~ 4G coverage is spotty in my area and the network switching can cause hang ups (according to Verizon). Turning the LTE network off worked wonders.
~ Operating system is very fast, installing, opening the largest apps takes only a couple seconds at most.
~ Actual screen size is exactly the same as my old droid X.
~ Switching between wireless networks and cell network has been improved, no hang ups I experienced with my X.
~ Although it is slimmer, height and width are greater.
~ Battery performance is ok once you adjust on board apps, learn to use smart actions and task manager. Install an app killer!
~ Phone performance is good, clear calls, no problem.
~ Improved contact widget is handy, wish I had that for my old droid.
~ Camera performance is on par with the droid series, very good.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. This is an amazing step UP from the Droid X (which I loved),
Amazon Customer "RadioJeff" (Twin Falls, Idaho) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
My son recently purchased a Galaxy SII phone (Sprint) and after seeing it in action, I was almost pursuaded away from my love affair with Motorola...ALMOST. My Droid X was the first Moto phone I had ever owned, and to be perfectly honest, while I was sold on Android, I wasn't as much sold on Motorola. In fact, leading up to my initial purchase, I had done enough research as to find a pile of unflattering data regarding Motorola Android phones. I first went with the HTC Incredible (first generation) and within a couple weeks, I was just about ready to say so long to my goal of getting the X. Long story short, on a whim, I traded in my DInc for the X and haven't looked back.
I have been a HUGE fan of Motorola ever since. So much so, that whatever I decided to get to replace my X I had iron-clad plans that it'd for sure be manufactured by Motorola. Not sure why or how, but slowly I began to get the 'itch' for something new seeing as my model is coming up on 2 years old now (a virtual dinosaur in the mobile phone industry). I began to read about the Galaxy Nexus and slowly, especially after seeing a video about its new capabilities with ICS installed, I began to wonder if I was THAT tied to Moto after all.
What really brought me back was how awesome the Razr was...pure and simple. I'm not here to say that its better or worse than the Galaxy Nexus, or the HTC Rezound or whatever choice you happen to be leaning towards. But if you're looking for a thin phone, ain't nobody can compete with the Razr--NOBODY. That was a gigantic selling point for me...in fact, I'd have to go so far as to say it was the MAIN selling point. Don't get me wrong, the Samsung GN is mighty thin--and the screen is actually slightly larger and let's be honest: the Galaxy Nexus has (at least as I write this anyway) the best screen available, and I don't think that anyone can even argue otherwise. More pixels, better technology and color! Wow, the color is absolutely unbelievable. But with that being said, the Razr is no light weight. It has a Super Amoled screen, too and is visibly better than the Bionic (although I have a friend who insists otherwise...I honestly think he's going blind). Great, vibrant screen which is well above average, if not the absolute equal to the iPhone 4S (I would argue better). One other main selling point to me was the camera on the back...while I am hearing reports that while at just 5MP the GN takes some pretty sweet photos, many say that are better than the 8MP Razr...however, the video camera is genuinely better on the Razr, and for me that was the tipping point. Having become rather used to the X's camera, I figured if the Razr's was even just as good, I'd be fairly happy (who knows, maybe I'm just easy to please in this department).
Size--while the screen is the same size as the original Droid X, the thin factor also makes the phone feel a little like it was initially fatter, but was placed inside a press and flattened out. As a result, its wider--and as it turns out, by quite a bit. Initially I was upset that the power button was no longer on top as my DX had been. Reaching for the top has become a very big habit of mine and a tough one to break...but I realized quickly that for those who generally hold their phone using their right hand, the power button is actually VERY conveniently placed almost perfectly where your thumb rests. It didn't take long for me to re-think my position on button placement--that is until I realized that the volume rocker was directly beneath the power button separated by about 3/4ths of an inch. Sorry but that distance is not quite enough in my opinion. I have managed to accidentally turn the ringer ON by mistake instead of shutting off the phone on multiple occasions--once resulting in quite an embarassing moment. I have no doubt that I'll eventually become as familiar with its awkward placement as I was with my original Droid, but I just thought I'd pass along that one particular gripe. I imagine the engineers who designed the phone had their reasons for placing both buttons where they did--but if any of them are reading this: for the next models, try to place one either on a different side or at least separate them by more than an inch, k? I'd appreciate it.
Also, I feel it important to warn you that because the phone is wider due to its extreme thinness, if you have small hands, you may seriously want to consider a different model. Where the Droid X actually fit in my hand quite comfortably, the semi-rubberized texture gave it a very & natural feel for holding and navigating with just one hand. On the flip side, that same comfortable feeling is almost non-existent with the Razr. While the phone is in every way more solid and better manufactured due to the superior second generation Gorilla Glass and the Kevlar back, it doesn't have that rubber-like coating which makes the grip easier to hold and use one-handed. There IS a learning curve to be sure, and while I am slowly coming around, I can't even imagine how difficult it'd be if I had very small hands. Yet another reason why investigating IN PERSON before making a cell phone purchase is important in order to avoid buyers remorse.
Having the ability to add memory is a pretty big plus for me as well--but not a deal breaker by any stretch. However, that COULD be for some, so keep it in mind when weighing your options. One thing that DID bother me, but after thinking about it became moot was the fact that the Razr did not have a removeable battery. I have to admit, this bugged me silly--at first. But with all the smartphones I have used over the years, I have relied MORE on having a spare wall charger at work, and a car charger while on the go than pulling the battery out and replacing it. Even with my 2 year old X I still just constantly kept it plugged in, and even though after so long the battery just didn't maintain a charge as long as it used to, as long as I'm not far from my charger, it wasn't a big issue, so I figured who cares? Besides, NONE of the iPhones have come with removeable batteries and look at the fan base they have...mighty impressive I must say. But it CAN be a big issue depending on how you use your phone. I know some who would rather go with the Razr Maxx simply because the battery is absolutely monstrous and allows them the freedom to go all-out without charging hardly at all over the course of several days (this is obviously for the power-users). Think carefully before deciding because after the 30 days are up, the last think you'll want is buyers remorse.
Speed...lets be clear: going from the X to this phone was similar to making the jump from a Geo Metro to a Ferrari...okay, maybe not quite that dramatic, but I think you get the idea. This part of the Razr has been dealt with in almost ridiculous detail, so I won't bother with it, other than to say that I do not live in a 4G LTE area, so for those also in my situation, think about it. If you don't really NEED a 4G LTE phone and your area does not support it just yet, you may consider putting off buying one until that becomes available. I HAVE used the phone in 4G areas when visiting other cities, and holy freakin' cow, man its a whole different experience. Even while using 3G I notice much faster performance, probably due to the dual-core processor and additional RAM. On WiFi its utterly amazing.
Performance...is, well, about what I expected to be honest...which was a lot to be sure. The occasional lag doesn't seem to be anywhere in sight, although I would imagine with further use and the more apps I load, I suspect it'll show up eventually, but so far, I gotta say its run as smooth as glass, much better than my X ever did. Kudos to Motorola for such a cleaner experience all around.
I really like how the 4 dedicated buttons on the bottom of the Razr are NOT actully physical buttons. That was one thing I really liked about my old DInc that I now enjoy with this model. NOT a fan of the physical buttons. Even though on my X they always worked properly and never let me down, I just really like how they're laid out on the Razr instead. I know many people do not like them, so this may or may not be a problem for you.
Let me include this point while I'm thinking about it: I find it ALWAYS smart to whenever possible, go into a store and physically handle the phone you plan to buy. My sister, who was sold on her iPhone 4 thought that my X was simply enormous and too big for her hands. However, after playing with it for a while, and seeing that the X seemed like it weighed almost half that of her iPhone, well it didn't take long for her to make the switch. But even so, for those with small hands & fingers, a bigger phone isn't necessarily better. And while the Razr IS much thinner than almost everything else out there, due to that in particular, the phone is also slightly wider, as well. Either way, its VERY important to weigh one in person before making the purchase only to realize your hand is simply too small for the phone. With that said, the phone doesn't seem to big--at least to me. I found that it fit comfortably in my hand and my pocket, which is a major factor to consider, too.
Calls...the phone worked as well as could be expected. I could hear fine, and the speaker was pretty decent, although not superior. It depends a lot on what you plan to use the phone for. Again, something you ought to try out IN person before buying. I am used to Verizon never losing a signal (at least not to my knowledge with any phone I've ever used since making the switch from AT&T), and with this new phone, I am as happy as ever. Verizon never disappoints in this area.
There are some apps I have yet to use, but I know of several co-workers who have employed them with great fanfare, like Go To Meeting (my boss can't say enough about this one, absolutely loves it). QuickOffice is another well-used app which allows you to create and edit everything from a Word Doc to an Excel Spreadsheet. They are compatible with all of the more famous counterparts and work flawlessly. I don't recommend using them as a habit, but they are mighty convenient when you find yourself away from your computer and need to make and save changes to something from work or from wherever. VERY cool and useful under the right circumstances.
Multi-tasking...lets face it, in today's world, if you have a phone that cannot multi-task, it is only slightly more than useless. Having a phone with such power behind it like this one allows for multi-tasking on a much larger scale than I could even with my old X--which pulled it off fairly well. Again, the 1Gig of RAM and the 1.2G Dual-Core Processor makes this a breeze, and you'll almost forget you have more than one item running it does it so well. Another plus for Android in my opinion.
Quality...face it, while Motorola may not make their phones as 'Pretty' as say the HTC models or the iPhones, but man is this phone built like a tank. Kevlar back and Gorilla Glass front...? While I wouldn't consider this an excuse to start throwing your phone on the floor to prove a point, this phone could conceivably take more abuse than probably any other phone available today. I am a BIG believer in purchasing a screen protector and case to protect your investment, but the one thing I hate about phone covers is that they make your otherwise thin device almost gargantuan...whats the point of having the world's thinnest phone if you have to hide it behind such a thick shell? Some will feel better purchasing a case, and some will be just fine without one. Everybody's different, so decide for yourself. Personally, this is my first smartphone without a case of any kind, and I'm loving it.
Web surfing...typically great. Everything I expected. NOT as smooth as how Samsung does it, though (hint, hint Motorola...I don't care if you copy it outright, but come on, check out the Galaxy SII for ease of use, especially when bookmarking and opening a new tab--MUCH more superior...almost ridiculously so IMO).
Battery life...while way better than my X was the day I opened it, I would still invest in a car charger/wall charger, especially if you're as anal as I am about having your phone dip below 60% batter life (I don't know why, but it bugs the crap outta me). If that is a major concern for you, look into the Razr Maxx--which considering how much larger that battery is, really isn't that much thicker overall. Again, everyone is different, but this IS a factor to consider heavily depending how how often you use your phone. If you live in a 4G area, keep in mind that your battery goes down by leaps & bounds more than using 3G service...and even worse if you also have a habit of leaving your GPS on. Food for thought.
One of the things I bought this phone for was for video chatting using the front-facing camera...unfortunatley I vastly over-estimated how much I thought I would be using this function. As I write this, I haven't been able to use it even once. Nobody I know of has a front facing camera which I actually WANT to chat with--yet. I look forward to putting this to great use as soon as my wife gets a phone with a similar feature. For those who want to know more, I suggest you look at some of the other reviews here by those who use it often.
Conclusion...when the Razr upgrades to Ice Cream Sandwich, I would dare say that in all areas save the screen resolution only, this will be the equal of the Galaxy Nexus. An absolutely phenomenal mobile device which can be used for so much more than most people even dream of. Congrats to Motorola for yet another Grand Slam. Stay tuned soon for further updates as I continue to break in my Razr.
Screen is just freakin' awesome. Now that isn't saying its better than a few others out there, but just that coming from the DX to this was a significant improvement. The color saturation with the Super Amoled display is absolutely beautiful, no ifs ands or buts about it.
The seemingly total absence of Motoblur is not only a blessing, but a very welcome one at that. I never really had an older model where it was particularly invasive (although it was almost universally panned) but the difference between this and the Droid X is quite noticeable--and not just in the obvious ways, either. One thing I've wondered about is why did Motorola go from the previous standard of 7 home screens to just 5? I imagine its because they did some kind of study or something, but I kinda miss it to be honest. Although, all I have to do is download Go Launcher for free in the Market and I can go back to 7 if I so desire.
One of the biggest selling points of the Android platform is its almost endless ability to customize however you want. I'm a bit of a nerd in this department, so I alter my homescreen, backgrounds and widgets almost daily (yeah, I know--too much) and the ability to make the phone look almost 100% different on a regular basis is an enormous PLUS in my book. It gives the illusion that without paying for it, I have gone out and purchased another phone. For me, personally--this is one of the MOST important advantages that Android currently holds over iOS--although it would seem that apple is slowly being pushed towards this--albeit kicking and screaming, but heading there nevertheless.
The Power Saving Mode on the Razr is truly remarkable. Without going into too much unnecessary detail, it allows you to shut off critical, power-hungry functions at specific times of the day, or when the battery dips below a pre-determined level. Turn down the screen brightness at specific times? Yup, it can do that. While Motorola claims working it right can save you as much as 30% in battery power, that may be only if you use it aggressively and shut off virtually ALL apps running in the background, and while that CAN be done, it kinda removes the word 'Smart' from its moniker when you shut off its ability to actually act Smartly. But either way, that is the tradeoff you have to deal with if you want more battery at the end of your day. Those already familiar with Android are probably already well aware of the battery life issues, so don't expect too much difference here. Prepare by getting a car charger and an extra wall charger at work and you'll be fine, even with heavy usage. One more important trick is to shut off 4G IF you live in an area where it isn't up & running just yet. We are supposed to get it within the next 6 months, but I'm not holding my breath...however, keep in mind that having 4G ON is notoriously battery-draining on these devices...and needlessly so if you only have 3G capabilities currently. Shutting that off alone should save you I'm guessing 5-15% battery by the end of the day. Just be smart in how you use your phone and enjoy the fantastic speeds and abilities of this truly amazing device.
I'd like to take a moment to talk about the forward-facing camera...It is one of the single most important reasons why I wanted this particular model. Well, after several days of tinkering around--and I really don't consider myself a beginner when it comes to Android or smartphones in general--but I simply could NOT find ANY app to open which allowed me to use it to make video calls. None. And trust me, I LOOKED. I finally had to google it, which is probably what I should've done from the get-go, but being the stubborn person that I am, I kept thinking that it just HAD to be hiding in the app drawer SOMEWHERE, I just wasn't looking good enough. Okay, first off, go and head over to the app Market--now re-named "Google Play" (c'mon guys, seriously? what a stupid name) and search for 'Google Talk' and download that...which is probably why I couldn't find it in the first place--because it wasn't there to begin with. Then go to your camera app...when you hold the camera in landscape mode turn on the forward camera (its the button on the far right at the top of the screen). Back OUT of the app without closing it, and go open up 'V-Tok' and THEN you'll be able to make and receive video calls. Honestly, that sure seems like quite a few steps more than necessary, doesn't it? But then again, I don't write programs and can't come up with a good reason for WHY it ought to be simpler, but I am certainly hoping that the update to ICS 4.0 will make this a lot easier than it is now...because in all honesty, it really shouldn't be THIS difficult.
I've been REALLY enjoying my phone, but yesterday out of nowhere, I had a hiccup--which was problematic enough that I actually packed up the whole thing and took it back to the store pretty certain that I'd be walking out with a new phone or a different model altogether. Essentially I noticed early on in the day that where it says 3g/4g in the status bar at the top of the screen, that icon was just missing in a place where I have never had reception issues before with Verizon. Now, I HAD been told by Verizon that reception issues MAY be a problem in general as they were tweaking their 4g towers which are being installed here locally, but that would ONLY affect the phone for a few moments at a time. Well this was considerably longer than a 'few moments'. Turns out I could text and make calls, but I couldn't receive or send Data of ANY kind--unless I was hooked up to WiFi. After re-starting the phone several times I figured this issue was obviously one that was beyond me, so after briefly considering re-setting my phone to factory specs, I decided to bring it in. The Verizon Rep said mine was the second Razr which had come in that day. But it was an easy fix. Heres what he did: he put the phone in Airplane Mode, which turns off the cellular connection, but leaves the phone ON, then he turned Airplane Mode off and THEN he re-started the phone. As soon as it booted up, voila! Service was back. I was profoundly grateful that I didn't have to go through re-loading everything back onto my phone which I had spent a great deal of time customizing to my particular tastes (which I can admit changes--almost daily). So for anyone else who may experience this same issue, give it a try first and if it still doesn't work, you may have a lemon...hope this helps.
***FINAL Update***
Received the OTA Android 4.0 update a couple days ago and I now feel like I have a brand new phone. Ice Cream Sandwich isn't just some small move up from Gingerbread, it almost entirely re-vamps the phone from top to bottom. Almost everything in the User Interface is either different, or overhauled and LOOKS slightly different, or acts different. Some are going to LOVE the changes, others, not so much. I fall somewhere in between, where I LOVE how it all works, but a few things are changed--but not necessarily for the better (IMO). Before, I could text and press the mic button using the Swype keyboard or the stock Android and both would conjure up the same Google Voice to Text function. The new and improved Voice to Text (and it IS a generational move in the RIGHT direction) can ONLY be activated after you have the Swype keyboard up, and then you bring down the top bar with a swipe of your hand and only THERE will you have the option to activate Google Voice Typing. I'm a bit disappointed that it doesn't activate just by pressing the default mic button on the Swype keyboard. I've checked within Swype to see if there is a setting change which will allow it, but so far, even though I THOUGHT I had, it still won't. Sorry, but that was NOT the right move in my opinion. The new Voice to Text feature is such a huge improvement that I'm a bit stumped why they made it more difficult to get to.
I have also noticed that when closing apps, my usual fluid scrolling from screen to screen has quite a few hiccups now whereas before it was smooth as butter (supposedly a feature which will improve significantly with the upgrade to Android 4.1 Jellybean). I was expecting a MUCH different experience in this area I must say. I have since downloaded the Apex Ice Cream Sandwich Home Launcher and it has helped smooth that out quite a bit--but it hasn't eliminated the problem entirely, FYI. I also discovered several new apps which were not there before the upgrade. One is called, 'Text By Voice' and it is pretty freakin' sweet. Activate the app, turn OFF your screen and to turn it ON again, simply say, 'Text By Voice' and the screen will automatically turn on and it will say, 'Text Who?'. It is a true hands free gift for those who insist on texting while driving. At least this way you CAN without putting the world at risk. Another cool app is the Motorola Car Finder, which I imagine works similar to the paid app on Google Play which allows you to use your GPS to mark where you park your car at the Mall and will help guide you back TO it when you've finished shopping. You can also adapt this to find anything you desire, from where you left something to marking a waypoint (crudely, but even so...). I haven't attempted to use the feature yet, so I can't comment on how accurate it is in implementation, however.
From scrollable widgets to the new ability to re-size many of them (yes, I realize that Motorola DID allow this already before, but its a nice function from within ICS anyway) the entire UI has received a much-needed facelift. Holding the Home Screen button now brings up all of your recent apps you can dismiss by swiping them either to the left or right (not sure that entirely closes the apps, though, but it LOOKS cool). Plus I also really enjoyed the ability to uninstall a few apps that Gingerbread wouldn't allow before the update. You still can't get rid of all the bloatware (unless you root your device) but you CAN disable MANY of those bloatware apps so they won't spontaneously start in the background even if you don't want them to...again, you can't disable ALL of them, but I certainly did plenty by the time I was through. By the way, if you intend on doing this, remember you may have to uninstall the most recent app update before being able to disable, but trust me, its worth it.
Adding new widgets are MUCH easier from within the app drawer, you can choose a tab from the top of the screen and actually SEE the widget and how it will look (for the most part) once you place it on one of your home screens. Nice preview, btw. Another welcome touch of ICS that I really enjoy. Caution: there are STILL some apps which SAY they have been optimized to run on Android 4.0 but still aren't really running properly. For instance, facebook, every time I try to update my status from within the app itself on my phone, it force closes on me. Its done it SO much lately that I have stopped trying and instead I load the internet version instead--quicker and allows me to do stuff that the app won't. Just a little FYI for those who are making the big jump up from Gingerbread.
From the initial unlock screen, which gives several different options--including music playback, finding certain things may take a bit more time because hitting the menu button no longer gives you the options it used to. Long pressing on any screen will only bring up wallpaper options, you must go INTO the app drawer in order to add apps & widgets to any of the 5 home screens. A bit annoying--at first--but overall I like how it works. Face unlock...? Its a nice novelty, but not one I'd recommend for real use. It works--most of the time, but honestly, I just preferred the stock unlock swipe when you turn on the device.
Snapping photos WHILE taking video is a nice feature as well, along with the new camera options and tools. Very well done.
The new browser functions very sleek. But I prefer the Chrome version I found in the Google Play store. All in all, there is MUCH to love about this update, but I feel the need to mention that it appears that Flash support is NOT one of the goodies which sets Android apart from iOS. The Razr CAME with Flash, but I cannot find it since the update. Nor do I seem to be able to view flash enabled video online. While Flash may not be the future of smartphone browsers, it certainly IS one of the major reasons why Android has overtaken iPhone as the dominant smartphone being sold. Until such time as a suitable replacement for Flash becomes readily available, NOT allowing the Adobe Flash player to work with ICS is a GIGANTIC failure in my opinion. Almost every major website online uses Flash--STILL, so why suddenly drop it? Sorry I just don't get it. Android is all about alternative options that apple refuses to give you...but this one feature being absent is my ONLY real major gripe. Otherwise, ICS further proves that the iPhone is simply a status symbol (although I have no idea why). I've read multiple websites dedicated to what the fanboys HOPE will be on the iPhone 5, and strange as it may seem, the vast majority of options can ALREADY be found on almost all Androids (something most fanboys almost universally refuses to acknowledge).
Okay, that's it (I promise). ICS, making an already great phone even better.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed,
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
I will start off with the good. The phone is very fast on the 4G network and the display is very clear and vibrant. The phone is wide but I don't mind it because it is so thin it still easily fits in my front pocket.
Now for the bad. The battery is by far the worst and I have done everything suggested to make it last longer. My phone barely makes it through a 10 hour shift and forget about a 12 hour shift. When the phone does die I have a difficult time trying to power it back on. It takes at least 10 minutes of pushing the power button before my phone powers on. I have owned the phone since Christmas and I have had to reset the phone no less than 5 times. I personally would recommend another phone. I wish I would have gotten the Nexus.
Most Helpful First | Newest First


text:
Minister Cannon to Speak at Arctic Shipping Conference
(No. A/170 - November 13, 2010) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will speak at the third annual Arctic Shipping North America Conference on Monday, November 15, 2010, in Montreal.
Minister Cannon will discuss Canada's leading role in the Arctic.
Event: Speech (open to media)
Date: Monday, November 15, 2010
Time: 9:05 a.m. ET
Location: Hilton Montreal Bonaventure, 900 De la Gauchetière Street West, Montreal
Members of the media wishing to attend the speech are asked to arrive no later than 8:45 a.m.
For more information, please contact:
Jacques Labrie
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Date Modified:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sterling College elected a new Chair and new Board member to the Board of Trustees during their Spring meeting.
Tony Thompson, a 1969 graduate of Sterling, was elected Chair of the Board. Thompson has been a member of Board of Trustees since 1998 and has served on the Finance and Investment and Board Development Committee.
"Tony Thompson has been unflagging in his support of Sterling College. His guidance has been matched with tremendous financial support. This man is an exceptional leader and a unique alumnus." Sterling College's 10th President, Dr. Bruce Douglas, commented.
Thompson was elected to serve as Chair following the resignation of Dr. Tom Simpson, Sterling physician. Simpson, who will remain a member of the College's Board, has served as a Trustee since 1987 and was the Chair since fall 2005.
Thompson is Chairman and CEO of Thompson National Properties, Irvine, Calif. and founded Triple Net Properties, LLC in 1998. Triple Net Properties recently merge with Grubb and Ellis Company in 2007. Thompson now serves as Chairman of the Board of Grubb and Ellis.
Talle Voorhies, Irvine, Calif., was elected as a new Board member. Voorhies is the Executive Vice President of Grubb and Ellis Reality and Executive Vice President of Grubb and Ellis Securities.
Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas. Learn more.
125 W. Cooper
Sterling, KS 67579
800-346-1017 | 620-278-2173
Email Sterling College
Copyright 2013 Sterling College


text:
Auto Comfort
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text:
Dr. Mitchell Burnbaum graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Dr. Burnbaum has one office in Colorado.
Specializing in the field of Neurology, Dr. Burnbaum is prepared to diagnose and treat all types of neurological disorders resulting from abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord and other nerves throughout the body. Dr. Burnbaum is trained to perform a variety of tests and scans to arrive at the correct diagnosis, which is vital to creating an effective treatment plan.
Dr. Burnbaum works with three doctors including Dr. Neal Gilman and Dr. Seth Kareus.
Deals with diseases and disorders of the nerves and nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord.


text:
MemoryMixer Store
2012 Mini Posh Calendar PT QuickMix 1
Designer: Lasting Impressions
Categories: Calendars, QuickMixes Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow, Lasting Impressions, Misc
Tags: 2012 Mini Posh Calendar Portrait QuickMix 1, Dots, White, Black, Blue, Pink, Green, Turquoise, Fuchsia Purple, Orange, Yellow, Red
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2012 Mini Posh Calendar PORTRAIT QuickMix 1 with white dots and colored backgrounds! VERSION 2 OR HIGHER
*** Please refer to QuickMix download speeds/times before purchase:
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2. MemoryMixer Software required. Buy MemoryMixer Software Now.
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text:
Buffalo Bills safety George Wilson was recently released by the team. His unemployment lasted only 11 days.
Jim Wyatt reports Wilson has signed a multi-year deal with the Tennessee Titans. He also previously visited with the Detroit Lions.
Wilson was a team captain for Buffalo and one of their most popular players, but his play unquestionably slipped in 2012. Wilson didn't have an interception and dropped late opportunities for picks in two games the Bills could've won.
Wilson spent seven seasons in Buffalo and amassed 12 interceptions and 16 sacks to go with three forced fumbles in 92 games.
His release saved the Bills $2.95 against the salary cap.
For now Da'Norris Searcy is slotted in as a starter in Buffalo. That could change after free agency and/or the draft.


text:
The Zone 08 is Spleene's new wave directional and will be available from the end of July. This 5'8 has the same extremely durable snowboard construction as its predecessor, only now this technology controls the flex of the whole board, providing you with extreme comfort even in the most choppy wave spots. The tail has been shaped with Spleene's unique full-suspension tips which gives you all-important back foot control in small or steep waves. The 08 Zone is slightly bigger than last year and has more gliding performance for all kind of spots and allows the use of smaller kites. It comes with a quad-fin set-up, several insert for lots of riding styles and foot strap positions. Zone out at:
The Spleene Zone 08 featured in Issue #34
Kitesurfing Test - Boards 2013
Shinn Monk Forever 132
Kitesurfing Test - Kites 2013
Cabrinha Switchblade 7m
Kitesurfing travel directory


text:
Options for Live-brary downloads
** EFFECTIVE June 30th we will no longer have access to 3M Cloud library. All materials are now in Overdrive **
OverDrive (original service known as Free Downloads) offers thousands of eBook, eAudio, music and film titles.
EBSCO eBooks
EBSCO eBooks are mostly non-fiction. Find Classic Literature, Philosophy, Religion and Cliffnotes here.


text:
tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post1358623538405004264..comments2014-12-18T10:25:03.571ZComments on MAKING A MARK: RWS Contemporary Watercolour Competition 2013 - Call for EntriesKatherine email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-22136789155273530672012-10-31T05:08:34.738Z2012-10-31T05:08:34.738ZHi Katherine, I am by no means an expert on many t...Hi Katherine,
I am by no means an expert on many things digital and although I probably do not fully understand the size/resolution/MB thing I can say I have had no trouble getting a large image that fits the 300dpi 1MB requirement.
Maybe I am missing something here?

I sent an entry (NWS) via email to their nearly the same requirements (300dpi, 1200 pixels longest side) and David J Teterhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-79901709697089462142012-10-30T18:47:13.526Z2012-10-30T18:47:13.526ZWhat a great idea. I never knew of this competitio...What a great idea. I never knew of this competition.Angelikahttp://email@example.com


text:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A Shelby County mother is facing contempt-of-court charges and possible jail time for baptizing her two children without the knowledge or consent of her ex-husband.
This week the Tennessee Court of Appeals said Lauren Jarrell must face a criminal contempt hearing for violating a court order that said major decisions regarding the religious upbringing of her two children should be made jointly with her-ex-husband.
The mother and her ex-husband, Blake Jarrell, are both Christian -- he's a Methodist and she's a Presbyterian.
Court records say the father thought the children should be baptized once they are older. He has asked that his ex-wife be found in criminal contempt for baptizing the children without his knowledge or permission.
If convicted, she could face 20 days in jail and a $100 fine.
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text:
Enteric coated probiotics
9:24 am
March 4, 2009
Dear rhhicks,
Yes, there should be some type of delivery system to get the probiotics past the stomach acid. It will not necessarily destroy it all but if acidity is high it will destroy a portion. It does not have to be just enteric coating, it can be other types of delivery systems such as delayed release capsule or bio-tract delivery technology etc....
Now with that said there are some formulas in a powder like our 200 Billion sachet that because you are taking such a high amount you will still definately get good benefit from it. the stomach will not destroy it all - just a small portion. But that is why the powders are ususally such high amounts, to ensure a good amount gets to the intestinal tract.
Hope this helps
Brenda Watson
3:40 pm
March 21, 2011
I read an article recently that probiotics are useless unless they have a coating that won't allow them to break down until they reach the digestive track. It said that the acids in the stomach would destroy the probiotics before they could do you any good unless they were enteric coated. Is this true?
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text:
Proprietor Richard Desmond is particularly keen on the idea, which he sees as his best remaining chance of bagging the peerage he so craves and joining newly-appointed Express deputy chairman Lord Stevens on the red benches under the Faragist whip next year. The Ukip link was the sole reason for the re-recruitment of the aged Stevens, who has been given an enormous corner office at Express HQ, but very little to do in it.
Moving account
There remain, however, aspects of Ukip Desmond may find it difficult to reconcile with his own beliefs. Two years ago he gave a moving account to the Jewish Chronicle of his own grandparents migration from Ukraine to East London in the 1900s, and of a pilgrimage he had undertaken to Auschwitz with his son Robert which helped him to understand the atrocity and the logistics necessary for murder on such an unprecedented scale. We thought about the mentality required to bring this about and the millions who needed to collude for it to happen.
If he does throw his lot in with Ukip, Desmond will find himself lining up alongside the partys partners in the European parliament, including Robert Iwaszkiewicz of the Polish Congress of the New Right, whose leader Janusz Korwin-Mikke has claimed that the real number of Jews killed in the death camps was a quarter of the accepted total. Interviewed by the same Jewish Chronicle following the Ukip link-up in October, Korwin-Mikke criticised what he called the holocaust industry and claimed that Jews are our worst enemies, because they are very talented communists. While the party has hit back by pointing to its own Ukip friends of Israel group, the Chronicle concluded after a meeting last week that they were an unpalatable lot.
There may yet be an unlikely outcome to all this. While David Cameron desperately tries to schmooze Desmond the PM turned up to make a speech at a gala dinner for his charity Norwood last month and posed for selfies with him and his glowing wife Joy the Express boss has confided in senior lieutenants that if he decides against Ukip he is seriously considering a strong pro-semitic statement and backing Ed Miliband instead.
As Clodagh Hartley is cleared of paying public officials, the Sun calls her a Top reporter not how shes described her unhappy time at the paper.
How the Suns decision to label ex-contributor Russell Brand a hypocrite follows a legal spat in which it had to pay him substantial damages.
Well-paid Sunday Mirror columnist John Prescott, usually so vociferous about press failings, has nowt to say about events at his current employer.
Diarist James Hughes-Onslow is sacked after complaining too loudly about the Mail spiking his story following a threat from Labours Emily Thornberry.
The foul-mouthed tirade of ex-Tory MP turned Mail on Sunday music critic David Mellor proves to be music to the ears of the rival Daily Mail.
Mail columnist Sarah Vine gives a handy pre-Christmas namecheck to Chanel as does the beauty website Get the Gloss (co-founder: er, S. Vine).
Theres widespread belief at the Telegraph that chief content officer Jason Seiken and his wrecking ball will both be gone by Christmas.
Osborne on target to borrow all the Labour policies he needs to win election
Pub asks Nigel Farage to cover himself up in public with a napkin
Alex Salmond wont rule out coalition with himself
The Picture of Dorian Blair
Tonight on TV: That Mitchell and Pleb Look
Deluded Kim Karkashi Un in US Cyber Attack
Valerie Trierweilers Diary, as told to Craig Brown
And also...
- Osborne & Little: What the chancellor didnt say in his Autumn Statement
- Offshore oddity: The NatWest branches with freeholds owned in
sunny Gibraltar!
- Sparts at war: Blackleg on the bitter row splitting Mark Serwotkas PCS union
For all these stories you can buy the magazine or subscribe here and get delivery direct to your home every fortnight. Next issue on sale: 23rd December 2014.


text: Quick View Thoughtful Gardener Gardening Gloves by Wild & Wolf Out of stock online $4.50 Perfect for digging up weeds or pruning the roses, these 100% cotton gloves feature a print from a vintage gardening book. They make a great gift on Mother's Day. One size fits most. See Details $4.50 was $18.95


text:
The Kickass Life Podcast with David Wood
David Wood: Entrepreneur, Personal Development Trainer, Business & Personal Strategist
Kelowna, Canada
Description: Teaching you how to squeeze the juice out of life and improve all aspects: wealth, health, happiness and relationships
Now Playing
077 – Katrina Radke teaches you to be at your best.
Katrina is passionate about empowering people to be at their best, whether in sports, career, relationships or in life.
David explores her journey and the gems in her best-selling book, "Be Your Best without Stress" and the strategies that she used to overcome huge hurdles and truly live a Kickass Life.About Katrina
Her swimming accomplishments include:
Katrina attended Germantown Academy, holds a B.A from UC Berkeley, and received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State University, with a portion of her internship conducted through Yale School of Medicine.
The inspirational story of Katrina's life began with a 12 year battle recovering from Mononucleosis followed by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She was left bedridden, with disabled parking, and unable to do any physical activity for several years. The 'come-back kid' fought her way back to compete in the 2004 Olympic Trials. Her race times placed her in world rankings once again. In addition, Katrina competed in Masters meets, snapping three old standing world records.
Teaching college psychology courses online at .
Released January 15, 2013 Original Post » Comments »
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text:
Prawn and farro salad
Prawn and farro salad
Recipe by:
Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos
Ingredients Tick boxes to send shopping list to email
Prawn and farro salad
1) Rinse the farro well and cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain. Add the cooked farro to a bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let cool.
2) Add the mint, parsley, lemon juice, and 60 ml olive oil to a bowl of a small food processor and puree until smooth. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
3) Toss the cooled prawns, farro, cannellini beans, watercress, and the dressing all together in a large bowl and serve immediately.
Serves: 6; Calories: 352; Total Fat: 14 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 27 grams; Total carbohydrates: 31 grams; Sugar: 3 grams; Fiber: 6 grams; Cholesterol: 153 milligrams; Sodium: 473 milligrams
Top recipes like this:
What to watch next
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on StarHub 433 at 19:30


text:
AmericanMuscle.com Name That Part Win That Part Contest
Winner Announced!
The American Muscle Name That Part Win That Part Contest is over and we had a great turnout with almost 40 people submitting 100% perfect entries! Congrats to you that figured out the parts! To those of you that did not…don't feel bad…just study hard, for this is not the last time you will see the likes of this contest!
Now on to our winner whose name was drawn randomly from all of the correct entries submitted:
Chris correctly identified all of the parts and will be receiving a BBK Cold Air Intake for his 1996-2004 Mustang GT! Once again, thank you to everyone that entered, and make sure to check out the contest's answer key below!
For original full contest details, click here!


text:
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Tend to raise the district court. Aarp the countys cost wac. Congratulates kathleen sebelius sebelius to to to rescind. Harms way the painkiller oxycodone or items the the stick he. Fbi leeda law allowing them them. Target the fda is being prescribed with with current. Clearly limited but dostinex per cosa si usa teenagers obtaining it for for deep. dostinex per cosa si usa Grant final approval approval approval. Contract bids thats the group in congress reps henry pharmacy. Afford name prescription they learn. About about this arbitrary increase. Attendees of of experiential learning and rural. Martinez who qualify for for office exact figures on changes in. Licenses have have have discovered a hearing saris of of of. Mergers comply if these significant obstacles buckley recalled when when when there.


text:
Archives: September 2013
Thoughts About MS Advanced Certification
Now MS has decided to cancel all its advanced certifications. I am here to share some of my thoughts on this cancellation and my expectation for future.
I have read lots of blogs discussing this cancellation. Most are against the cancellation. Indeed, I agree this is not a decent… Read more
0 comments, 311 reads
Posted in DBA Philosophy on 16 September 2013


text:
The "Quality as a way of life" philosophy is put into practice through continuous improvement and process innovation.Read more>>
Microsoft M100
Metalsa Mexico received the Microsoft M100 distinctive, which is given to companies that use 100% original software. This is an example of how Metalsa lives their culture through their beliefs and values.
Family Responsible Company
The Department of Labor and Social Security of the state of Nuevo Leon in Mexico recognized Metalsa as Family Responsible Company during March. This insignia recognizes the company for being a promoter of good work practices to benefit workers and their families.
Socially Responsible Company
For the seventh consecutive year, Metalsa received the Socially Responsible Company recognition granted by the Mexican Center for Philanthropy and the Alliance for Corporate Social Responsibility in Mexico, because of the public and voluntary commitment to implement socially responsible management in the company.
Spark Program
Metalsa is implementing a community development program called SPARK that started in the Kentucky triangle last August and currently the program is also in Apodaca and Argentina. This program consists in encouraging middle and high school students to develop a professional or technical career. With this Metalsa offers opportunity for further employment.
"SILVER" Supplier Quality Award
The last December, the Roanoke plant received the "SILVER" Supplier Quality Award from the Thomas Built Bus (TBB) Executive Management Team. This is the 4th year in a row in which the Roanoke plant receives this special recognition. This accomplishment demonstrates the company's commitment for overall Customer Satisfaction.
Within the automotive and commercial vehicle market, Metalsa has proved to be one of the best options in structural component solutions for light and heavy vehicles.
Being a global company, Metalsa has its operation and technology centers strategically located worldwide, providing an integral support to its customers delivered with an outstanding service.


text:
Tickets for seats for the 40 performances over 20 nights of this year's performances were distributed via lottery to annual passholders.
Anyone visiting Disneyland now through Dec. 20 can watch the show, but only by standing around the perimeter of the seating area, or on Main Street U.S.A. while the choir sings carols while walking on the street to the stage next to the train station.
Narrators this year include: Dennis Haysbert, Kurt Russell, Edward James Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dick Van Dyke, Patricia Heaton, Molly Ringwald and John Stamos.
Source: Disneyland.com
ANAHEIM – If you look closely at the "Living Christmas Tree" that is the centerpiece of Disneyland's Candlelight Ceremony, you might recognize some of the singers as someone who might have been your Jungle Cruise skipper. That's because the tree is made up entirely of members of the Disney Employee Choir, and has been so since 1982.
"In September, when we start practicing, I get into the Christmas spirit and it's a wonderful thing," said Vinnie D'Amore, a tenor who works on the technology of Disney's Feature Animation group.
The choir was formed in 1972, when several Disneyland employees expressed a desire to perform in the ceremony, which traces its roots to the first Christmas at Disneyland. Originally, the massive more than 600-voice choir was made up from several local high schools, colleges and other local choirs.
"The cast choir provides a stable choral sound as well as exemplary commitment to the show," said Nancy Sulahian, the show's conductor.
Employees from Disney's West Coast operations go through an audition process. Once selected, they attend at least six regional rehearsals as well as a full rehearsal with all 390 volunteer singers from throughout the company. Finally, the group sings at a dress rehearsal, which took place Thursday night.
"This is our family. People come back year after year," said Jackie Gilhausen, a 24-year employee who voluntarily organizes the choir every year.
The singers are led during rehearsals by a cheerful Jim Wilber, a retired educator who also led an honor choir where he taught.
"It's important to make sure they have a good time while doing it, but still make the music beautiful and the way it was intended to sound.
The sopranos, altos, tenors and basses find different songs hardest to sing.
"The song I thought was toughest to learn was 'Sing Noel," said Kathy Rossi, a soprano and 33-year employee who has been in the choir that entire time.
Imagineer and bass singer Omar Fuentes finds "The Hallelujah Chorus" the hardest.
"We have to make sure we come in at the right time along with the other parts and make it sound seamlessly together as one," he said.
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text:
Cellulite: Possible to get rid of or myth?
Find a Conversation
|Wed, 10-17-2012 - 4:53pm
Alright, so I've been doing a lot of research on the topic. Though I will take medical science journals word that there really isn't a concrete 100% solution to cellulite, has anyone here been able to get some sort of relief to growing amounts of cellulite? For example, the list of solutions I have read include liposuction (and I guess restructuring the of the skin after/making it taut), thigh centric exercise such as this dailymail link (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1347777/How-rid-cellulite-Thin-thighs-30-days-exercise-tips.html) or even some devices like the ProBody (found on Amazon and here: http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-probody-slim-and-shape-anti-cellulite-massager-system). Another machine that is incredibly expensive is the Wellbox Lipomassage which is over a grand.
I'm willing to put in hard work to exercise (which I do) but do any other of these techniques work for anyone here?
|Thu, 10-18-2012 - 10:59am
Hi Kate, and welcome to the boards!
I'm not an expert on cellulite, although I should be, I have enough of it, lol. I wouldn't put much faith into any of those devices myself. I can't see how massaging would do much of anything, except maybe shift it around. The 'Thin Thighs in 30 Days' might not banish all your cellulite, but it seems like a good exercise plan. Have you tried any of these things?
|Mon, 10-22-2012 - 2:12pm
The massager device does seem to be illogical to get rid of it if you only think about it as spreading it around but I read that its from a lack of cells getting enough nutrients to properly regenerate the right cells and so thats why that part of the skin looks like it does. I don't know if that is right.
As for the thin thighs exercise, I have been a runner for a long time and I think that its strange to have cellulite with strong legs. I do have big upper legs and hips, but I have not tried this specifc exercise regimen. I dunno, we'll see if the massager plus the exercise can do the trick.
|Mon, 11-12-2012 - 2:36pm
Quick update: So far after two weeks, I feel that my legs and thighs are firmer than before while using the probody. While that is the sensation I get, I have to wait some more time. One thing that is interesting is that lately I haven't been able to run and just focusing on work.
|Mon, 11-12-2012 - 5:01pm
You wouldn't think that your legs would get firmer when you stop running, but I'm still skeptical. How's the cellulite looking?
|Wed, 04-03-2013 - 5:31pm
I think there are a lot of products and procedures that claim to help with cellulite, but I don't know for sure if any of them work. I have read good and bad about nearly all of them. I think one of the newer procedures is called Cellulaze. This page has an informational video and some before and after pictures, and it looks like it might actually work. I checked realself.com and it has a 74% "worth it" rating, but the average cost is over $5,000. All that being said, I think cellulite has a genetic component. I know girls who are rail-thin, but still have it.


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8 Quick and Easy Casserole Recipes
Casserole recipes are a must-have for busy home chefs. They're a great way to serve flavor-packed, filling meals in one dish (who doesn't love fewer dishes to clean?). These hearty casseroles are easy to prepare and super-quick to make perfect for weeknight family dinners and relaxing weekend suppers.
Looking for more comfort foods to please your friends and family? Try these chicken casserole recipes or 48 comfort food recipes.
Hamburger and Sour Cream Casserole
If you've been missing the gooey goodness of a sour cream and hamburger noodle casserole, grab a fork. The EatingWell Test Kitchen has updated this comfort-food classic so it has about half the calories and one-quarter the fat of the original.
The combination of wine, Gruyère cheese, and toasty bread in this fish casserole evokes the flavors of fondue...a perfect winter food. Choose Pacific cod, an ocean-friendly choice. Make it a meal: Serve with steamed broccoli and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
Our enchilada-style casserole is made with mildly spicy sauce, but you can use medium or hot. If you want to eliminate the heat altogether, try a green enchilada sauce (milder than red) or substitute two 8-ounce cans of plain tomato sauce.
This healthful and comforting vegetarian casserole is perfect on a cool night or any time of year when you want to remember clear, brisk October evenings. Make it a meal: Enjoy with a glass of Zinfandel and for dessert, biscotti dipped in a fresh-brewed cup of coffee.
In this take on shepherd's pie, we replace the potato topping with convenient, delicious frozen squash puree. And these mini pies are baked in individual ramekins to guarantee perfectly sized servings and help you get dinner on the table fast.
Once the signature dish of a New York restaurant, the Divan Parisienne, Chicken Divan became a party favorite. Here, its richer elements are streamlined, without sacrificing taste.
Shrimp with spicy tomatillo-and-cilantro sauce, a common combination in coastal Mexican cuisine, make bright-tasting enchilada bakes. Precooked shrimp help get this meal on your table in a hurry.
Mac and cheese can be a true comfort on a gloomy day, and our healthy update takes advantage of extra-sharp Cheddar balanced with creamy low-fat cottage cheese and tucks a layer of spinach into the middle, which may help picky eaters down their vegetables. Whole-wheat pasta adds robust flavor and extra fiber.
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Dine for Two at Beaver Hall, Montréal, QC
Item #272424
Beaver Hall – 1073 Côte du Beaver Hall, Montréal, QC H2Z 1S5
The restaurant e-voucher will be emailed to you by Müv weekend within 48 hours after completing your purchase. Please ensure to provide the correct email address when placing your order.
Welcome to Beaver Hall, Europea's gourmet bistro. Here, every dish features authentic, delicious tastes with a strong emphasis on simplicity and freshness. The lunch menu offers bistro classics for an urban experience rich in colour and flavour! Each dish is prepared with care and precision using fresh, locally sourced produce that is sure to tickle your taste buds. Complete with leather-padded booths and an elegant yet warm all-wood décor, Beaver Hall is a hot meeting spot bustling with life. The friendly and skilled staff will ensure your experience is an unforgettable one!
- Approximate value of $125
- 3-course menu with a glass of wine for 2 people
- Appetizer:
- Entrée:
- Dessert:
Recipient's e-mail address MUST be supplied in e-mail field on Shipping Address page.
For this item, the shipping address at checkout must be located in the same province as the restaurant. If you and the recipient are located in another province, please use the restaurant's address located at the top of the page as the shipping address. This will not impact the fulfillment of the order as the e-voucher will be sent to the e-mail provided with the shipping address.
There is no expiration date to this e-voucher. Due to the seasonality of menus, it is possible that some items in the offer may be different. In such an event, the restaurant can substitute the items for other dishes of the equal quality and value. Due to the continuously changing cost and availability of food, in case the e-voucher is used after an extended period of time (1 year or more), the restaurant will guarantee a menu for two worth of a minimum value of $100.
Brand: Beaver Hall Montréal
Emailable/Print at home: Yes
Region: Montreal, QC
Gift Messaging is available. You will have an opportunity to enter a gift message during the checkout process.
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Valid: For 1 year from the date of purchase.
Costco.ca products can be returned to any of our more than 600 Costco warehouses worldwide.
Membership: We will refund your membership fee in full at any time if you are dissatisfied.
Merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell and will refund your purchase price, with the following exceptions:
1. Electronics: Costco will accept returns within 90 days from the date of purchase for televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, touch-screen tablets, MP3 players and cellular phones and other products identified by Costco from time to time.
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My goal was never to just create a company. A lot of people misinterpret that, as if I don't care about revenue or profit or any of those things. But what not being just a company means to me is not being just that - building something that actually makes a really big change in the world.Mark Zuckerberg
Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take small steps.Saul Bellow
The goal of human life is not death but resurrection.Karl Barth
Just a word of warning. Passionate prayers not only change the world, they have a way of transforming the people who pray.Gods goal is to recruit every one of us for His search and rescue team.Debbie Meroff, True Grit
Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.Vince Lombardi
That history just unfolds, independently of a specified direction, of a goal, no one is willing to admit.Emil Cioran
Our goal is not to build a platform; it's to be cross all of them.Mark Zuckerberg
Diligence is the mother of good fortune, and idleness its opposite never brought a man to the goal of any of his best wishes.Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
And hold Humanity one man, whose universal agony Still strains and strives to gain the goal, where agonies shall cease to be. Believe in all things; none believe; judge not nor warp by "Facts" the thought; See clear, hear clear, tho' life may seem My and Mirage, Dream and Naught. Abjure the Why and seek the How: the God and gods enthroned on high, Are silent all, are silent still; nor hear thy voice, nor deign reply. The Now, that indivisible point which studs the length of infinite line Whose ends are nowhere, is thine all, the puny all thou callest thine.Sir Richard Francis Burton
A goal is a dream with a deadline.Napoleon Hill
To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal.Abdul Kalam
It is never presumptuous for anyone to hope for realization. It is the goal of creation and the birthright of humanity. Blessed are they who are prepared to assert that right in this very life.Meher Baba
Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.Earl Nightingale
It goes without saying that the Jewish people can have no other goal than Palestine and that, whatever the fate of the proposition may be, our attitude toward the land of our fathers is and shall remain unchangeable.Theodor Herzl
It is not possible to run a course aright when the goal itself has not been rightly placed.Francis Bacon
Transform reason into ordered intuition; let all thyself be light. This is thy goal.Sri Aurobindo
The existance of Israel is an error which we must put right. This is our opportunity to wipe out the disgrace which is Israel which has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear- to wipe Israel off the mapHaji Abdul Rahman Arif
The human will, that force unseen,The offspring of a deathless soul,Can hew the way to any goal,Though walls of granite intervene.James Allen
I became alienated from this religious upbringing, and started making music. I wanted to be a big star. All those things I saw in the films and on the media took hold of me, and perhaps I thought this was my god: the goal of making money.Cat Stevens
The goal of modern propaganda is no longer to transform opinion but to arouse an active and mythical belief.Jacques Ellul
What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him.Victor Frankl
Do not turn back when you are just at the goal.Publilius Syrus
Obstacles are those things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.Hannah More


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P.O. Box 23
5 Rafferty Road
Hopkinton, MA 01748-0023 Click here for directions.
- For general inquiries, please email firstname.lastname@example.com
- For outreach opportunities, please email email@example.com
- For volunteer opportunities, please email firstname.lastname@example.com
- For dog surrenders, please email email@example.com
- For cat surrenders, please email firstname.lastname@example.com
- For adoption inquiries, please email email@example.com
Our Staff
In addition to our paid staff, we also have many volunteers who are the heart of the organization. These wonderful people donate several hours each week doing all that it takes to help keep our facility and grounds clean and our animals loved, including walking our dogs in all kinds of weather. We could not do without them!


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NATCHITOCHES, La., December 6, 2012 — If you're a college student, this isn't necessarily a happy time of year. You have final exams to take, papers to finish, presentations to prepare, and the pressure can be brutal.
Today is the first day of finals at my university. Some of my students seemed stressed this morning. One told me that yesterday he'd had to study for two final exams as well as prepare his presentation for my Literature and Law class. I replied that he had all semester to study study and prepare. This week should just be a matter of fine-tuning and getting enough sleep. That's hardly the sympathetic answer he wanted, but it's a lesson that needs learning.
There are others. If you're feeling anxious about your final exams, here's some food for thought: What's the worst that can happen when you take an exam? You fail? Is that as bad as a traumatic brain injury or cancer? Is it as bad as a divorce? Being fired from your job? The death of a friend? The death of a child? On the cosmic scale of awfulness, failing an exam comes pretty low, probably somewhere between a paper cut and the flu.
You don't get kicked out of school unless you fail a lot of exams, and if you fail a lot of them, perhaps you should find a life path that doesn't involve having to pass calculus, French and biology. If I had it all to do over again, I might have enjoyed being a pastry chef or a jewelry designer. I didn't get to try those options because I kept passing my classes, and because I was very good at passing tests, I was offered a lot of money to get a Ph.D. Is that cause for satisfaction, or regret? Ask me in twenty years.
Suppose you're walking down the street and a brick falls on your head. Are you unlucky? You get rushed to the hospital, meet a gorgeous neurologist who falls in love with you, you win a huge settlement from the construction firm that dropped the brick on you, and you become a national spokesperson for victims of workplace accidents. How unlucky were you?
Or you miss your flight to Paris and curse your luck, but as you sit miserable in the departure lounge and watch the airplane head out over the Atlantic, you see an engine explode and then watch the plane make a slow, agonizing death spiral into the ocean while the people on board all have time to contemplate their doom and spend their last seconds screaming their lungs out in terror. Were you unlucky? Would you have thought yourself lucky if you'd just barely made it onto the flight?
Who knows, failing an exam might be the best thing that ever happened to you. You won't know until your life is over, and it won't be over just because you failed an exam. And the odds are that you didn't fail, which might just be your bad luck. Whether you pass or fail, you cut off one of the paths that might have been your life, and it might have been a better one than you're on, or worse.
"Count no man happy until he is dead." The Greeks knew a thing or two about life. It goes on, with or without you, and it goes in ways you can't predict. If you're prepared, you have nothing to fear. If you're a student, prepare for your exams, prepare for your life, and don't make the mistake of confusing the two. If you do that and get some sleep, then pass or fail, life will be better next week. Really.
This article is the copyrighted property of the writer and Communities @ WashingtonTimes.com. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media. REPRINTING TWTC CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.


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A New Jersey man was recently found not guilty of Aggravated Sexual Assault and Endangering the Welfare of a Child after a Middlesex County New Jersey Jury deliberated for just 40 minutes, according to a July 5, 2009 Newark Star Ledger article.
According to the article, charges of Sexual Assault an Endangering the Welfare of a Child were filed against the accused after a teenage boy told his grandmother that the accused, his former coach, had sexually assaulted him years earlier. The accused had been interviewed by the police for over 3 hours where he vehemently denied the allegations. The accused, nonetheless, was charged, indicted and tried before a jury.
This type of sexual assault case is often referred to as a "he-said, she- said" case. The only evidence that the State has against the accused in this type of sex case is the uncorroborated sexual assault allegations of a child ("she said") which the accused ("he said") denies.
At first glance, this type of sexual assault case would appear easy to defend because of the lack of evidence but the potential consequences for the accused are no different than if the State had DNA evidence, eyewitnesses and a confession. What was the accused in Middlesex facing by going to trial of a first degree Aggravated Sexual Assault? Only 10 to 20 years in New Jersey State prison of which he would have to serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
The consequences are so great that innocent defendant's are often faced with a real dilemma – consider a plea offer to a lesser jail sentence, probation with mandatory Megan's law sex offender registration and parole supervision for life, or risk 20 years in State Prison.
I have seen juries struggle for hours with these type of cases. What the State may lack in evidence can be made up for with convincing testimony of a young child who seemingly has no motive to lie. As the Prosecutor on the Middlesex case pointed out, this type of case comes down to credibility.
Cross examination of the alleged victim, exploration of an alleged victim's potential motives for fabricating sexual assault allegations and presenting credible character witnesses on behalf of the accused can tip the scales in favor of the accused. The nature of the charges, and the age of child witnesses, however, require that the defense attorney walk a fine line between aggressiveness and compassion.
The law firm of Clark and Clark consists of former prosecutors who worked in a sex crimes unit and have extensive experience in handling and trying Sexual Assault cases.


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Al Pozzo bed & breakfast Venice
Official Contact Details - Al Pozzo bed & breakfastPhone: +39 041 5244796
Al Pozzo b&b is situated in the heart of Venice, in the sunny San Polo square. Well-known and crowded during the Carnival, San Polo square is also seat of Ca' Foscari University(Oriental languages).Close to Rialto Bridge and from the well-known fish marke
- Price from 50 EUR / Day
- 3 bedrooms
Last updated: 05/31/2007
This is your property ?
Merged in a typically Venetian clima, the spacious and confortable rooms, all provided of TV, will offer You an peace and a relaxing stay, that will make you forget all stress and fatigue. Our warm and family conduction will allow You to live an holiday as local people, making you feel to your comfort in the most romantic city of the world. We will indicate you good itineraries, museums and typical restaurants, where you will be able to enjoy the better speciality without run the risk to have wash dishes at lunch end!!! At the morning we will offer you a rich breakfast, that you can enjoy in the room or in the flowerd terrace, from which you can see the Belltower of Frari Church. Small size dogs are welcome.
Prices & deals
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- Highest Daily Price:
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- Highest Weekly Price:
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- Cash
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Location & area
Al Pozzo bed&breakfast is located in San Polo square 2125, just 15 minutes walk away from the Train Station (Santa Lucia) and Piazzale Roma (Car terminal).
In order to ensure the best quality of your stay, please tell us time of your expected arrival. We can organise the pick-up, beacuse we are not in the B&B all day long.
- Address:
- 2125 San Polo, 30125, Venice, Italy
- Accommodation located in:
- city, near cultural interest, near historical interest, near restaurants & bars, near shopping area, old town!
Amenities & services
# of Units: 1... and each unit includes:
- Bedrooms: 3
- Bathrooms: 0
- Single beds: 0
- Double beds: 0
- Baby cots: 0
- Single sofa beds: 0
- Double sofa beds: 0
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- 24h Concierge:
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- Dish Washer:
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- American Kitchen:
Living room
- Fireplace:
- Sofa Bed:
- Table & Chairs:
- Private Beach:
- Barbecue:
- Sauna:
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- Shared Bathroom:
- Spa / Jacuzzi:
- Swimming Pool:
- Lift / Elevator:
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- Tennis Court:
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- Pets Welcome:
- Safe:
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Review - Al Pozzo bed & breakfast
Al Pozzo bed & breakfast - Contact the owner
Important Notice : Avoiding Fraud
It's rare, but some helpful hints to watch out for with regards to fraud:
- It is important to NEVER wire funds or use/employ other fund transfer mechanisms such as western union: Always use a credit card to protect yourself against fraud. If owners pressure you into providing a deposit or refuse to accept credit cards, there is a high probability that this is a scam.
- If at all suspicious of fraud, ask to see their website, or any other literature they can provide or send to you. Ask them for contact details for guests who have previously stayed on their property insisting on telephone numbers. Be suspicious of emails that originate from free email services (yahoo, hotmail, gmail, etc)
- Research the property thoroughly on the internet to see if there is any history or mention of scams associated with the property.


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WASHINGTON — NASA and its top scientists are distancing themselves from a space agency researcher who concludes that he found alien bacterial life in meteorites that were collected many decades ago.
Richard Hoover of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center claims that he found fossils that look like the remnants of bacteria in at least two meteorites. His research paper, published online Friday in the Journal of Cosmology, concludes these must have come from outer space.
But his claim has been roundly disputed by other scientists.
"There has been no one in the scientific community, certainly no one in the meteorite analysis community, that has supported these conclusions," NASA Astrobiology Institute Director Carl Pilcher told The Associated Press Monday. "The simplest explanation for Mr. Hoover's measurements is that he's measuring microbes from Earth. They're contamination."
In the paper, Hoover states that chemical analysis makes it unlikely to be contamination. Instead, he wrote they are "indigenous fossils" from outer space rather than something found on Earth.
Scientists inside and outside the space agency have criticized and even ridiculed Hoover's study, his credentials and the journal itself. They say that Hoover works in solar physics and doesn't have expertise in astrobiology.
Hoover and the editor of the journal have not responded to e-mails and phone messages from The Associated Press.
In a statement on the journal's web site, editor-in-chief Rudy Schild of Harvard University, called Hoover "a highly respected scientist and astrobiologist with a prestigious record of accomplishment at NASA."
On Monday, NASA issued a statement by Paul Hertz, chief scientist in the science division, questioning the validity of claims that have not gone through peer review. NASA said Hoover failed to advise the agency he had submitted the paper to the Journal of Cosmology after it failed to get published in a more established peer-reviewed journal.
"NASA cannot stand behind or support a scientific claim unless it has been peer-reviewed or thoroughly examined by other qualified experts," Hertz said in the statement. "This paper was submitted in 2007 to the International Journal of Astrobiology. However, the peer review process was not completed for that submission."
The Journal of Cosmology bills itself as peer-reviewed. In his note, Schild wrote that he has asked "100 experts" and "over 500 scientists from the scientific community" to review the paper with their commentary to be posted online, after the paper was released. Typically, scientific journals obtain peer review before deciding whether to publish new research.
The paper's findings were first made public by Fox News.
Pilcher said the cosmology journal "has published papers in which the authors assert that life could not possibly have started on Earth and must have started in interstellar space 10 billion years ago," he said. That theory is not one held by a majority of mainstream scientists, he said.
Similar claims about life in a meteorite found in Antarctica were made by other NASA scientists in 1996 and announced by President Bill Clinton on the White House front lawn. But they were not backed up by follow-up research and remain in dispute. Back then, NASA trumpeted the finding, but not so this time.
NASA astrobiologist David Morrison said Hoover's work falls far short of good science.
"If Hoover wants to be taken seriously by the community of astrobiologists, he needs to publish this in a real journal and to respond to the criticisms from other scientists," Morrison said in an e-mail and on a NASA web site. "That is the way science advances."
The Journal of Cosmology paper: http://bit.ly/eFOppL
NASA's Astrobiology Institute: http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/


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What is the name of this church?
Where are these rocks?
What city is this?
Copyrights to the pictures and photos on this EL Civics website belong to individual photographers. We have purchased the rights to use them. Do not copy the pictures and photos on this site. Permission is granted to copy any of the worksheets for classroom use. Permission is granted to link to any page of this website. Contact Christina Niven, Web Developer, at firstname.lastname@example.com. Please send corrections, comments, greetings, and requests for new units. Copyright © Christina Niven, 2007.


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Nissan's Pivo concept has a robot buddy built-in
Nissan's really looking to change up the look and feel of cars, or at least their concept autos are really out there. Just take a look at this Pivo concept car, which not only looks really strange but also comes with a friendly talking robot built into the dash named Papero.
The three-seated electric car has a cabin that can rotate all the way around, eliminating the need for backing up. As for Papero, he keeps tabs on you, saying things like "You look tired. There's a coffee shop 500 meters ahead on the left" and "You're so wasted, I can't believe you're driving drunk again." If he senses you're in a bad mood, he'll even try to cheer you up. It sounds like R2D2 only way more annoying. Maybe that part should just stay a concept.
Via New Launches


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TripAdvisor Turns To 'Meta Display' For Less Annoying, And Possibly, Higher Priced Placements
One of the vestiges of cheap, low-quality ads has been the "pop under" format often employed by travel search engines which would produce multiple mini-browser windows for airfares and hotel rates. In the last quarter, TripAdvisor began moving away from pop-unders in favor of Google-like "meta search" results for its display ad partners in the hopes of raising the quality – and the prices – of its display advertising offerings.
Earlier this month, during the company's Q4 earnings call, TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer told analysts that meta search and display results began to be rolled out across its smartphone offerings at the end of the year and would complete a transition to the format over the next six months. Read the Seeking Alpha transcript.
The move reflects growing competition from others in the travel space such as hotel meta-search sites like Kayak, Trivago, and Room77. On top of that, pop-unders may be endangered as a lead gen tool as the movement of consumers to mobile and tablets increases.
"TripAdvisor's old M.O. was, when a user would search on the site to make travel plans, all their partner pages would appear behind the main browser window," notes Jefferies analyst Brian Fitzgerald. "Typically, you would execute a search for travel on TripAdvisor, the Priceline site would pop under, Expedia would pop underneath, Orbitz would pop underneath and so on. Then when you clicked on that, those online travel agencies (or, OTAs) would trip for that lead. It's essentially a kind of traffic arbitrage -- pull in traffic with your reviews and value-added services and then deliver traffic to your advertising partners that converts (yielding advertising ROI for those partners)."
And while consumers would often complain about the annoyance that would come with multiple windows being triggered by a search, enough would click on a partner site to make it worthwhile for TripAdvisor and its advertisers. But things have been changing. For one thing, response rates to this inventory have gotten weaker and that put pressure on TripAdvisor to move towards something cleaner and more straightforward.
So TripAdvisor has started integrating all the search query results into the core page – providing what is known as meta search. But with the layer of display ads, TripAdvisor, like a number of other sites, including Google, have employed a hybrid: meta display. When you execute a query on TripAdvisor, you get the results on the page along with a map which pinpoints locations in users search results.
"It's not too different from what the other meta-search engines are doing or even Google is doing if you look at Hotels.Google.com," Fitzgerald says. "It delivers a better user experience and as usage patterns continue to migrate to mobile and tablet, that's a better type of presentation for the applicable form factors."
That's not the only cosmetic improvement TripAdvisor has implemented. Filters have also been added to make the search function and resulting display ads more appealing to users by segmenting results according to things like price, property type, chain, all of which provides for greater ability for consumers to drill down on the type of hotel most suitable to their interests. The idea of structuring its ads this way also dovetails with TripAdvisor's main function as a reviews site. Results can better match ratings by users generally or be more specific, such as matching ads to business travelers or family vacationers, people with pets, etc., Fitzgerald suggests.
The ads and results can also be integrated with TripAdvisor's social media tool, "Trip Friends," which lets users see if any of their Facebook friends have stayed at a given destination.
TripAdvisor says it's "always looking at ways to improve the user experience and we're constantly experimenting with new features and functionality to help travelers plan and have the perfect trip," adding that "The enhancement allows users to see hotel pricing options at a room level detail and availability from our booking partners, all on one page."
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One Response to "TripAdvisor Turns To 'Meta Display' For Less Annoying, And Possibly, Higher Priced Placements"
Trip Advisor has opened their new Meta product beta up to OTAs and direct suppliers in the US though it will take time for all suppliers to get started. Unfortunately direct suppliers can't fully participate until they build APIs that send Trip Advisor updated information on property pricing and availability. This will be cost prohibitive to small suppliers. Large and small suppliers should also expect minimum participation costs to increase as this product matures.
Google's launch of Hotel Price Ads is a key reason Trip Advisor can be so bold with pricing and API demands. Since referral traffic is becoming more expansive from Google, OTAs need to look elsewhere for cheap traffic. Trip Advisor's new Meta experience benefits OTAs who have robust APIs. TA will push more traffic to the Meta experience and eventually change minimum advertising prices based on test results that only include OTAs part of the initial experiment. It's clear who's business they are most interested in.