Ben Carson blames his wife for the outrageous $31000 dining set purchased for the HUD office

His spokesman first of all denied that the secretary and his spouse had been worried inside the lavish buy decision. After reviews surfaced earlier this month that Housing and urban development Secretary Ben Carson spent $31,000 of taxpayer budget on a eating set for his government workplace, the previous Republican presidential candidate stated he turned into “as amazed as all and sundry to discover” about the lavish purchase. That’s due to the fact Carson’s spouse become liable for the choice, the secretary stated at a congressional hearing on Tuesday. After staffers gave Carson a few options for tables, the secretary said he “left it with [his] wife” and asked her to “help pick out something.” “the following aspect that I, quite frankly, heard approximately it was that this $31,000 table were bought,” he instructed a residence Appropriations subcommittee. “I said, ‘What the heck is that each one about?’ I investigated, I without delay had it canceled. not that we don’t need the furnishings, however I concept that that was excessive.” A request to cancel the purchase become issued handiest after more than one information outlets mentioned about it. The steep value raised ethics issues for exceeding the $5,000 federal limit on office decor, mainly in mild of the agency’s proposed finances cuts. Carson stated on the listening to that all price range have been back to the U.S. Treasury. moreover, when The big apple instances first stated at the extravagant purchase, HUD spokesman Raffi Williams informed the paper that Carson did not assume the purchase became over-the-top and did no longer intend to go back the fixtures set. Carson has additionally said that he become now not concerned with the very last selection, arguing again on Tuesday that he turned into busy doing other things and “absolutely wasn’t worried approximately fixtures.” A HUD spokesperson first informed CNN that neither Carson or his wife, sweet, were concerned within the selection to purchase the $31,000 dining set. but emails received through a Freedom of records Act request through American Oversight, a liberal watchdog group, display that Carson and his spouse, candy, had been each concerned in selecting the furnishings. At Tuesday’s hearing, Carson defined his wife as “the most frugal character inside the world.” when asked if his spouse had any other involvement with taxpayer money, he replied, “None in any way.” sweet’s involvement with the method had already raised questions, with former HUD authentic Helen Foster filing a whistleblower complaint with the department’s special recommend remaining year. Foster said she become demoted after raising concerns about the office decor fee exceeding the $5,000 federal restriction. The instances mentioned the grievance additionally accused sweet of pressuring the HUD body of workers to locate ways to get around the rate restriction.

Top 20 Foods that will remove your belly fat and keep you Slim and Fit

The best way to achieve a flat stomach is through a healthy, low calorie diet and plenty of exercise. But if you want to fasten the process along, try incorporating some of these foods into your meals. Not only do They relieve water retention, but They also help to stave off cravings, boost your metabolism and keep you feeling fuller for longer

1. Almonds
Not only are almonds packed full of skin boosting vitamin E and protein, but their high fibre content stops you from feeling hungry. In 2007, researchers at Purdue University also reported that despite the fact they are relatively high in calories, almonds themselves do not contribute to belly fat. You can swap out your usual mid-morning snack for a handful and see if it makes a difference.

2. Leafy Greens
The second on the list is leafy Greens, which is one of the quickest ways to flatten a stubborn stomach. It will be perfect if you include a portion of leafy green vegetables at every meal. Kale, spinach and romaine lettuce are all extremely low in calories, full of fibre and offer several vital vitamins and minerals that help to ease water retention without causing the bloating and discomfort that some other vegetables might do.

3. Oats

Oats are quite filling, which makes it hard to believe that they can actually help you lose weight. But eating a portion in the morning for breakfast as part of a low-calorie diet is a great way to provide your body with slow release, natural energy throughout the day,
which keeps you feeling fuller for longer and can even lower your cholesterol.

4. Olive Oil
  I can hear you scream, but it's actually true because it can help you to lose weight. Poly unsaturated fats like those found in olive oil can stave off hunger pains, while olive oil itself contains a naturally occurring chemical called oleic acid, which aids the breakdown of excess fats in the body.

5. Beans
    If you are not taking beans, then you are really missing out. Each tiny bean is packed with nutrients, including protein and fibre, while remaining low in calories and full of slow release energy. This means you’ll feel fuller, while the high protein content will help firm up
your muscles and keep you toned. I will really suggest you Swap out burgers for burritos, and beef chilli for bean chilli so as to get the desire fast.

6. Peppermint
As you already know, Peppermint is known for its potent healing and calming digestive properties, so if you desire to slim down your stomach, then it makes sense to start including it in your diet. The easiest way to do this is to drink it in tea form, so pick up a box from your local supermarket (organic if possible) and try drinking three cups a day. Great for clearing the skin, too.

7. Green Tea
As the saying goes "Do what you have to do to get what you want". I know this is not the right time to talk about changing your brand of tea. But i think it's necessary especially when you are addicted to your builder’s brew. It may be time for a change. Swopping to green tea has been found to assist the body in flushing out excess fluids, helping to calm bloating around the stomach caused by water retention. What’s more, it has been found to speed up the metabolism, which can aid the burning of excess fat in the body.

8.  Kelp
Kelp or seaweed as its also known is prized for its high  levels of iodine which helps to create the thyroid hormones in your body. These regulates your metabolic rate, the rate at which your body burns fat. It also contains several minerals which have been found to assist the breakdown of belly fat and relieve water retention. You can Source it out in Japanese supermarkets or pick up from health food stores in a supplement form.

9. Apple cider Vinegar
  You probably might be asking yourself, 'must I really take all this' in reality the answer is NO. But If you’re looking for a quick fix body detox, try adding a few capfuls of apple cider vinegar to your meals. It acts as a digestive tonic, helping you to slay off harmful bacteria in the intestines, flush out toxins and relieve water retention around the stomach. Try adding some to your vegetables during cooking or as a dressing over salad. Its quite glaring you have some questions already, but you just have to continue reading and at the end drop your questions in the comment box.

10. Cranberry juice
As well as high levels of antioxidizing vitamin C is available, cranberry juice also has fantastic diuretic properties. This means that it encourages the body to get rid of excess fluids through excretion (going to the toilet). It would be a great substitute for your regular morning OJ by just taking a glass of sugar-free, all natural cranberry instead.

11. Asparagus
Asparagus is often considered a luxury vegetable, and not without good reason. Each spear of Asparagus is packed full of vitamins A, B-complex, C and E, as well as containing high levels of skin clearing zinc and potassium, which assists the removal of excess fluids from the body. Asparagus has long been used to treat inflammations such as arthritis and rheumatism too. As far as skin building is concerned, Asparagus is a big player.

12. Tomatoes
I dont think it's a bad idea having your stew with freshly prepared tomatoes. They are delicious, full of antioxidants, and they can help you to lose weight. Tomatoes are definitely among our favourite fat fighting foods. Tomatoes have been found to reduce inflammation and water retention in the body, as well as reversing leptin resistance. Leptin is also a type of protein which helps to regulate metabolic rate and appetite, so our bodies actually rely on it to shed those extra pounds.

13. Garlic
Surprising as it may look, its an asset when it comes to rrmoving belly fat. It might make your breath smell a bit, but each clove of garlic is packed not just with toxin-battling antioxidants, but also a naturally occurring chemical called allicin. When digested, allicin reacts with the blood to create a product capable of killing off many harmful bacteria and viruses that your body may be harbouring – including in the digestive tract. A healthy gut is essential for achieving a flatter tummy, so try adding a few raw cloves to your food just before serving to get the most out of it.

14. Chilli
Adding chilli to your food is a great way to boost your metabolism, which helps you to burn fat faster. A single chilli pepper also contains a full day’s supply of beta carotene
(which is great for maintaining healthy skin, hair and nails) and twice your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, an essential antioxidant that helps to battle
toxins and foreign bodies in the blood stream.

15. Bananas
Contrary to what some people believe, bananas contribute to weight loss NOT gain. Eating a banana is not just a great way to
provide your body with skin-healing zinc, brain-powering slow release energy and filling fibre, but can also help you to relieve water retention thanks to the high levels of potassium they contain.

16. Melon

Half a melon contains almost twice as much potassium as bananas do, making it a low-calorie, high antioxidant alternative that can
aid the removal of excess fluids around your body. Cantaloupe melon also offers twice the recommended dose of vitamin C too, which will help to support your immune system and keep your skin in tip-top condition.

17. Cucumber
Believe it or not, cucumbers are actually a member of the melon family, and therefore have very similar slimming properties. It is a
natural diuretic, which means consuming it eases water retention and bloating in the body.By now you must be having ideas of food combinations. Why not make a slimming watercress, bean, mint and cucumber salad for a powerful tummy flattening lunch?

18. Watercress
  Watercress is jammed full of nutrients, including vitamin B1, B2, B6, C and E, as well as minerals manganese, carotene and potassium. This makes watercress a powerful cleansing agent, improving the digestion and nourishing the skin, while its diuretic
properties help to flush out toxins and excess fluids. Watercress is also a fabulous source of iodine, which helps to boost your metabolism, so it makes sense to include it in your diet if you’re striving to achieve a flat stomach.

19. Fennel
  This liquorice-flavoured root vegetable is packed with vitamin C, potassium, and manganese and has long been used as a remedy for digestive problems. Thanks in part to its high dietary fibre content, it promotes healthy digestion, reducing swelling in the body, flushing out toxins and excess fluids. Fennel tea can also help to
stave off hunger pangs, so pick up a box from your local health food shop and add it to your slimming kit and get slurping.

20. Berries
    Lastly, Berries are tiny but mighty, berries are stuffed full of antioxidants and fibre. Just one cup of raspberries contains a whopping 6g. Plus, they’re low in calories too. Add a handful into a healthy smoothy or sprinkle over your breakfast cereal.

So you now have it, and I know ideas are really pumping in your head on What to do with Them. But before that, if you enjoyed this post kindly help me by liking it on facebook and sharing it with your friends on twitter. Now its your turn to tell us What you know. The comment box is now yours.

Top Five Ways to Get Rid Of Parasitic/Toxic Friends

Friends are supposed to be there for you, all the time, no matter what. However far too often people find themselves with a friend who is constantly hurting them. You may want to sever ties with them, but maybe you're afraid of the consequences, or just don't think its the right thing to do or the right approach.
But before you make that decision of getting rid of that friend, ask yourself these questions.

Are They consistently Negative?
Do They always find something wrong with life or something to complain about.

Are They selfish?
  These so called friends don't give a hoot about your needs or anything, for that matter. All they know is What They need from you and that they expect to get it. If you ever feel you can't say no to them, even for a completely valid and fair reason. Then it's time to start planning your way out.

Do They actually criticize everything I bring up?
 
Staying in a “friendship” with someone who is constantly making you feel bad about yourself is destructive to every part of your life even if it’s just having the confidence to get out on the dance floor. But when you have to take that big career risk, don’t you want a friend who’s there saying, “You can do it”
  
Here are the best Five ways to get rid of those toxic friends

1. Mentally establish a different friend to take their place
  Get busy. Focus more on school, work or making plans with some of your friends that are fun– anything that makes you happy! The more time you spend doing things you enjoy or hanging out with people that make you laugh your butt off, the easier it will be to say no to your toxic friend because you now know how easy it is to be happy and have a good time. The less time you spend with them, the less control they have on you.

2. Detach yourself emotionally
Now that you are more than aware of how this person is and you are becoming stronger everyday, the easier it will be to detach yourself from the situation and their negative energy. If you realize these are just unhappy people, the way they put you down or make you feel will not have the power it did before. You will be brave enough to walk away and let go, which is exactly what you need to do.

3. Don't cut Them off all of a sudden
This will probably just enrage them which will end up in a huge blow out that will also probably involve them trash talking you from here to New York and making your life a general hell. It will only exacerbate the
situation.

4. Stick up for yourself
This is easy once you start setting boundaries and being honest, which are not easy to put in place if you’ve been Drama Queen’s door mat for years, but it must be done. If your toxic friend invites you out and you want to stay in tonight and read, tell them that. Tell them you’ve set aside this time for your new book, a trip to the gym, a nice relaxing soak in the tub after a hard week and stick to it! You’re allowed to live your life on your accord and any friend will totally remember you had a terrible time dealing with lay offs at the office the past couple days and say “Enjoy yourself!” Also, let these people know when you are not comfortable with the way they are acting.
The more you speak up about how it bothers you that they are saying terrible things about your mutual friend, the derogatory things they say about your family or whatever other negative ways they impact you, the more strength you give yourself.

5. Don't try to fix Them
This is a lost cause that will just leave you exhausted from going in circles. As we already discussed, poisonous people are never at fault. They will find a way to be the victim again and manipulate their way back into control of the relationship. These people will never change until they want to change themselves.

With these few ways you should be able to get rid of that toxic friend. Share this post with your friends in twitter and facebook if you find it informative.

I know you still have one or two ways to suggest. Kindly put it down in the comment box so we can know about it.

Van Persie set for more arsenal talk amids increasing interest from Juventus

The Arsenal captain last week revealed that he will not renew his contract with the club, but Wenger and Gazidis want to speak to him without interference from his agent Kees Vos, to establish if there is any chance of keeping him in London until the end of his contract. Manchester City are yet to formally announce their interest in adding 29-year-old Van Persie to their already strong squad, and it is believed they will not pay over-the-odds for a man with a poor injury record and with little resale value. The Premier League champions are also looking to offload former Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor before launching any bid for the Dutchman and, as Goal.com exclusively revealed on Saturday, they are hoping to sell the Togo international to Tottenham for a bargain £5 million. Although City have kept quiet on any pursuit of Van Persie, former Emirates favourite Kolo Toure and Mario Balotelli have declared they would like to see him join them in Manchester. It is also believed Nigel de Jong has been encouraging his international team-mate to join the Citizens. Italian champions Juventus are also set to step up their efforts to capture the Gunners captain, and believe they stand a better chance than City as they are not a domestic rival. Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping tabs on the situation, whilst club insiders are also wary of a potential bid from Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. Meanwhile Wenger is also looking to ensure another transfer battle does not develop over forward Theo Walcott, who is out of contract at the end of next season. The England international is said to be a target for London rivals Chelsea. In a week of bad news for Wenger, there has been a slight cause for a smile however with Arsenal fans giving the Frenchman a big vote of confidence. The Arsenal Supporters Trust are set to reveal figures that 80 per cent of their members believe 62-year-old Wenger is doing a good job with the club, a dramatic rise from the previous campaign where 42% said he had taken the club as far as he could.

The latest Samsung Galaxy Nexus

We recently reviewed the unlocked version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus intended for European markets. Due to the phones' similar build and components, applicable portions of that review will also be used in this Verizon-specific evaluation. When Samsung announced the Samsung Galaxy S II line for every major carrier except Verizon, we knew something was up. That something is the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Verizon's ace-in-the-hole 4G LTE smartphone, and the first of its kind in the U.S. to introduce Google's Android 4.0 operating system, better known as Ice Cream Sandwich. In the weeks since reviewing the unlocked version of the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich (henceforth known as ICS), we've come to really enjoy both the handset and the OS, and the two of them together. The Verizon version has erased at least two complaints--its Galaxy Nexus is substantially weightier than the unlocked GSM version and it doubles the internal storage capacity. Yet, no phone is perfect, and the Galaxy Nexus has its flaws. We'll get to those later, but they include camera performance that was less than Samsung is capable of delivering, no expandable memory, a disjointed OS that requires some study, and no support for Google Wallet. On the plus side, LTE speeds are impressive. When you add up the screen, the exciting (but still not totally perfect) ICS operating system, the nice in-hand feel, and the fair cameras, you have one compelling phone that vies with the likes of the Motorola Droid Razr and the HTC Rezound, Verizon's other two killer phones of the season, though you should also consider the drawbacks. What's different The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a few notable differences on Verizon. First, it runs on the network's 4G LTE network. Second, it's thicker: 0.37 inch versus 0.35 inch thick for the unlocked version. (The LTE chip accounts for the extra girth.) It's also a heavier 5 ounces versus 4.76, which felt especially light for the phone's size. It still isn't an astoundingly hefty device, but I appreciate the more solid build. Fourth, it has 32GB of internal storage versus 16GB. The battery is also larger, 1,850mAh versus 1,750mAh for the unlocked version. Finally, there are a few Verizon applications preinstalled, and no support for Google Wallet, one of Google's main NFC scores. Design A few years ago, we used to joke that Nokia kept building the same phone design while slightly tweaking it for each subsequent model. These days, however, we're more likely to apply that jest to Samsung. Ever since the company started making Galaxy devices last year, many of them have looked a lot alike. Indeed, the Galaxy Nexus has much in common with its predecessors, especially last year's Nexus S (a Galaxy device if not by name). You'll see the same dark color, tapered edges, and "contour" shape that's supposed to follow the curve of your head. The handset is large (5.33 inches long by 2.67 inches wide) so it may be too much for some users to handle. Samsung, however, squeezed off every inch it could to make it as thin as possible (0.37 inch for this LTE version). The Galaxy Nexus fits comfortably in the hand (as long as you have large paws), but it feels too fragile. It's eye-catching, yes, but like other Samsung phones before it, the Galaxy Nexus also looks and feels like it's just on the wrong side of fragility. Luckily, the thicker Verizon version is also stouter, weighing 5.1 ounces, unlike its trimmer unlocked cousin at 4.76 ounces. Here again we fear that we have to be extra careful not to drop it even once on a hard surface. A case is an option, but that would fatten up the phone. The "hyperskin" material on the back cover adds some texture, but it's not quite the Kevlar material that's on the Motorola Droid Razr. On the right side you'll find a power control/lock button and three metal contacts that will be used for a future dock accessory. Over on the left side is the volume rocker and on the bottom end are the Micro-USB charge/syncing port and the 3.5mm headset jack. We'd prefer if the jack were in a different place. The camera lens and flash sit on the top end of the back cover. Display and interface The display measures 4.65 inches, though on the home screen only 4 inches of that space is usable given the programmable shortcut tray that sits at the bottom (the tray also shows up on some, but not all, internal screens). Even with that quirk, the display is plenty big for a smartphone, but not quite big enough for ICS. We'll explain in the ICS section. With a 1,280x720-pixel Super AMOLED resolution, the HD display is wonderfully bright and vivid with eye-popping colors. Everything looks great, from graphics to photos to menu icons, and you can customize the five home screens with the Google Search bar, menu icons, and widgets. ICS brings new folders and new widgets, but we'll get to those later. The main menu shows the traditional icons, and internal menus have the familiar list structure. This is a clean, elegant design that especially shines in the texting and e-mail apps, where it's dead simple to append an attachment, audio, video, and photos. Bravo, Google. Like other Nexus devices, the Galaxy Nexus has a pure Android interface that isn't hidden by a manufacturer or carrier skin. It's great for users and developers alike as it lets Android's true glory shine through. Developers also will love the dedicated "Developer options" in the main menu, which offers access to such features as showing CPU usage, setting a background process limit, and activating a visual feedback for the touch screen. Truly, personalization options like these set Android apart. Though we were hoping that it would be different, the Galaxy Nexus still has that slight laggy effect that we've seen on other Android phones. Indeed, you'll notice it here when scrolling through lists. It is better than we've seen on previous models, so it doesn't ruin the touch interface, but you do notice the difference when switching from an iOS or Windows Phone 7 device. You can change the brightness, backlight time, and font size. The display also has an accelerometer, which you can turn off, a proximity sensor, and a light sensor. At the very bottom sit three touch controls for moving backward through a menu or feature, returning to the Home screen, and opening your list of recently viewed screens. Yes, you lose the dedicated search button that's on earlier Android phones, but that's a trait that the Galaxy Nexus inherited from Honeycomb (the search field is available in almost every native app and home screen). And as in Honeycomb, these ICS controls will fade in some apps to three points of light, until you tap them again. What's more, the controls rotate 90 degrees when you reorient the phone. Touch this new navigation button to see the apps you recently opened. Otherwise there are no physical controls on the front of the phone. Yet, you'll notice a glowing indicator light when you have a call and receive messages, e-mail, or notifications. Besides it being rather soothing, we're just glad it's there since that was a big omission on the Nexus S. The virtual keyboard takes up the whole width of the display, whether you're using it in portrait or landscape mode. The primary screen has three rows of alphabetic keys with main punctuation just above. On the bottom row there's a huge spacebar smack in the center with a voice-activation key just to the left (when entering an e-mail address an "@" key takes its place). You'll need to click through to the additional keyboard for more punctuation and numbers, but the keyboard is spacious and easy to use. Unfortunately, it does not support Swype. The dial pad shows huge numbers, but tiny text. Basic features The phone book size is limited by the available memory. Each entry holds multiple fields for phone numbers, as well as e-mail and street addresses, a company name and title, an instant-messaging handle, a birthday, a nickname, a URL, and notes. You can pair contacts with a photo and organize them into groups. Unfortunately, pairing individual contacts with one of the 25 polyphonic ringtones is another nonobvious feature. You'll have to open the person's profile "card," then tap into the Menu to set the ringtone or send all that person's calls to voice mail. Of course, the Galaxy Nexus has all of the other essentials you'd expect from a smartphone, like text and multimedia messaging, e-mail syncing (both Gmail and not), calendar syncing (both Google and not), a calculator, an alarm clock, and a news and weather widget. Also onboard are Bluetooth 2.0 (with A2DP), Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), and a download and file manager. We're not pleased, however, that even though ICS supports USB mass storage, the Galaxy Nexus does not. However, it does let you transfer images and connect as a media device. The speaker-independent voice commands let you do just about anything using only your voice. They work fine as long as you speak clearly and use the phone in a place without a lot of background noise. Google features and apps Google fans have plenty of Google apps and services to use and explore. The list is no different from the handset's Nexus ancestors, but they're worth repeating: Google Talk, YouTube, Google Search (with voice), Google Latitude, Google Places, Google+, Google Maps with Navigation, and Google Messenger. Maps also gets a little more 3D treatment with ICS. Zoom in far enough (with two fingers) and you'll see the buildings start to get some 3D shape. Glide two fingers up and down the screen to tilt the screen for a better view. The headset jack and Micro-USB port sit on the phone's bottom end. GPS features performed well, though we were a little wary given the GPS issues that have plagued previous Samsung Galaxy devices. On the first try it located us about a block away from CNET's offices, which is normal. On the second try, however, it pinpointed our location precisely. For the best experience, you should activate Wi-Fi and the GPS location feature in the Settings menu. The Galaxy Nexus has a gyroscope and a compass and a big leg up over the iPhone: it supports real-time turn-by-turn voice directions out of the box. The built-in barometer could be partially to thank for that, as its purpose on the Galaxy Nexus is to assist with GPS locking. With a pure Google experience, you have the freedom to use whichever apps you want through the Android Market. Almost. Verizon adds a few apps of its own, including a backup assistant and MyVerizon. While you can disable these to make the icons disappear, you won't actually be able to uninstall the apps. Just keep in mind that the Verizon's Galaxy Nexus has 32GB. Yes, that's a lot, but we say "just" because the Galaxy Nexus does not have an external memory card slot. Camera, video, and music The main camera has a 5-megapixel resolution, but you also can shoot in 3 megapixels, 1.3 megapixels, QVGA, and VGA. There's also a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for photos and video calls. The shooters come with a fair, but not overwhelming set of editing options you can use while taking the photo (more options are available in the photo gallery). You'll find a digital zoom, face detection, location tagging, four white-balance choices, seven exposure settings, and four "scene" modes (action, night, sunset, and party). The flash on the rear side is powerful to a fault. In dim environments it can wash out the lighter colors. You can set the flash to auto, keep it always on, or turn it off completely. ICS brings a host of camera improvements, which we'll discuss in more detail below. We'll say here, though, that the lack of shutter lag is remarkable. In fact, when took the first photo, we didn't realize that the shutter had closed. Believe us when we say it's really that quick. Nice work, Google.

We're glad to see Google investing in photo-editing tools. More interesting and useful in our eyes is the full suite of built-in editing tools in the photo gallery: cropping, red-eye reduction, face glow, straightening, rotating, flipping, and sharpening. There are also effects you can add like warmth, saturation, and sepia tones. In total, there are 16 color and style effects, and another four options for adjusting lighting. Google could have easily stopped short and continued to let the manufacturers add their own filters, but onboard editing makes the Android OS that much stronger on its own. The camcorder shoots clips in three resolutions: 1080p HD, 720p HD, and 480p. You can adjust the white balance, you can use the flash as a recording light, and ICS added zooming while recording and several time-lapse intervals, from 1.5 seconds up to 10 seconds. Exactly how much you can record will depend on the available memory. If you really want to get creative, the camcorder has several effects that will add some zaniness to your videos. Some of the options are nothing but fun--the sunset, disco, and space effects will add a background to your clips--but others are weird and pretty freaky. For example, a "big nose" effect will give your subject an enormous honker, "big mouth" will do the same for the smackers, and "big eyes" will give your friend vaguely disturbing bug eyes straight out of a Lady Gaga video. Here's one great hidden feature: you can tap the screen while recording a video to capture a still shot. Photo quality on the Galaxy Nexus was mixed. Our standard studio shot showed muted colors. Photo quality was mostly satisfying, but color accuracy was uneven. In some shots the brighter hues were faded, while in other pictures, we had too much saturation. There was also some questionable focusing from time to time. You can see some comparison shots with the iPhone 4S, Samsung Skyrocket, and HTC Vivid. Videos were a mixed bag. HD clips were crisp and bright, though quick motions were blurry. Lower-res clips are usable in a pinch, but nothing appropriate for your wedding. The Galaxy Nexus also has an integrated Movie Studio app for creating your own video projects. When you're not using the camera, the Galaxy Nexus has a Slacker radio app and a music player (MP3 and AAC files) that's linked in with the new Google Music. Features aren't extensive, but it's easy to use, and loading music on the phone is a seamless process, either wirelessly or using a USB cable. We'll explore Google Music in a future post. We love the new video rental store that operates through the Android Market. We haven't plowed through the store completely, but the selection appears to be broad and the prices ($3.99 for a standard title and $4.99 for HD) are fair. In any case, an easy way to get videos is something Android has badly needed for a long time. Google Books also gives you access to plenty of titles. Browser The basic shell of the Web browser is the same, though ICS adds "Request desktop site," which opens the full version of a Web site and syncs with your bookmarks. You also can save Web pages offline, view your browsing history, share a page, and find text on a page, and use up to 16 tabs. And in true Android fashion, you can change the browser's settings down to the smallest detail. All of this adds up to make a useful and powerful mobile browser that's very much like one you'd use on a computer. Another new feature is an "incognito" mode that allows you to browse pages without them appearing on your history or search bar and without leaving traces like cookies. Third-party apps have done this before, but now Google has baked it right into the browser. Even with all the new features, the browser user experience doesn't feel too different. The interface isn't cluttered or difficult to learn. Both mobile and full versions of Web pages look great. There's pinch-to-zoom multitouch, you can change the text size, and you can change how far you'd like to zoom when you double-tap. Ice Cream Sandwich screenshots Ice Cream Sandwich screenshots Ice Cream Sandwich By all accounts, Ice Cream Sandwich is the Galaxy Nexus' star attraction. More a full-on revamp than update, an OS bump this deep and broad brings with it a truckload of new goodies that (as we've said before) make Android 2.3 Gingerbread look like a stale cookie. However, Google has somehow missed the cherry on top. But more on that later. Ice Cream Sandwich is so packed with such a laundry list of detailed changes that it's easy to drown in the minutiae. As a result, we're going to keep this review focused on the bigger-picture features that are new to ICS, including that crowd-pleasing favorite, Face Unlock. Later, we'll expand the review after some more time getting to know the OS more fully. As for the rest of the additions and enhancements--of which there are many--we think the pictures in the screenshots gallery will be worth several thousand words. New look and feel: Say goodbye to the Android you thought you knew. Google has all but transformed the visuals, leaving almost no screen as it was before. Instead, it blends many Android Honeycomb tablet sensibilities--the navigation buttons, tabs for recent apps, darker colors, and a more assertive look--with reworked Android flair. The Galaxy Nexus has a thin profile and a contour design that's slightly curved. On the left side, the power control rests above three metal ports for a future dock accessory. Google's goal is to unify the smartphone and tablet designs, so that Android looks like Android at any screen size. From a features standpoint, it seems to work. From a design position, much of the new look is simple, elegant, grown-up, and, dare we say, sexy. Just look to the new menu button and menu lists, the redesigned notifications pull-down, the highly organized settings menu, and the photo-editing Gallery app for examples. Yet, there's also a side of Ice Cream Sandwich that suffers from conflicting design ideologies, like a Honeycomb Mini that's also trying to make sense as a smartphone OS. Interface and home screens: Right off the bat, the default home screen is just gorgeous. It's the first place you'll encounter a new typography called Roboto--it looks crisp and clean as promised, but unless you're looking for changes, most users won't notice a huge difference.