diff --git a/astrid/astrid.launch b/astrid/astrid.launch
index 7ce8fc659..f5769e42d 100644
--- a/astrid/astrid.launch
+++ b/astrid/astrid.launch
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 <booleanAttribute key="ch.zork.quicklaunch" value="true"/>
 <stringAttribute key="ch.zork.quicklaunch.icon" value="14.gif"/>
 <intAttribute key="ch.zork.quicklaunch.index" value="0"/>
-<stringAttribute key="ch.zork.quicklaunch.mode" value="run"/>
+<stringAttribute key="ch.zork.quicklaunch.mode" value="debug"/>
 <intAttribute key="com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.action" value="0"/>
 <stringAttribute key="com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.commandline" value="-scale 0.7"/>
 <intAttribute key="com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.delay" value="0"/>
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/reminders/ReminderService.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/reminders/ReminderService.java
index 4805611e8..7b84bc79f 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/reminders/ReminderService.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/reminders/ReminderService.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import com.todoroo.andlib.utility.DateUtilities;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.dao.TaskDao;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.dao.TaskDao.TaskCriteria;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.model.Task;
-import com.todoroo.astrid.utility.Constants;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.utility.Preferences;
 
 
@@ -185,7 +184,7 @@ public final class ReminderService  {
             long dueDate = task.getValue(Task.DUE_DATE);
             if(dueDate > DateUtilities.now())
                 return NO_ALARM;
-            return DateUtilities.now() + (long)((4 + 20 * random.nextFloat()) * DateUtilities.ONE_HOUR);
+            return DateUtilities.now() + (long)((4 + 30 * random.nextFloat()) * DateUtilities.ONE_HOUR);
         }
         return NO_ALARM;
     }
@@ -302,9 +301,8 @@ public final class ReminderService  {
             PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0,
                     intent, 0);
 
-            if(Constants.DEBUG || true)
-                Log.e("Astrid", "Alarm (" + task.getId() + ", " + type +
-                        ") set for " + new Date(time));
+            Log.e("Astrid", "Alarm (" + task.getId() + ", " + type +
+                    ") set for " + new Date(time));
             am.set(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP, time, pendingIntent);
         }
     }
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/rmilk/api/data/RtmTaskNote.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/rmilk/api/data/RtmTaskNote.java
index 5ad24f260..3e5875789 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/rmilk/api/data/RtmTaskNote.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/rmilk/api/data/RtmTaskNote.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ package com.todoroo.astrid.rmilk.api.data;
 import java.util.Date;
 
 import org.w3c.dom.Element;
+import org.w3c.dom.EntityReference;
 import org.w3c.dom.Text;
 
 import android.util.Log;
@@ -37,13 +38,13 @@ public class RtmTaskNote
     extends RtmData
 {
 
-  private String id;
+  private final String id;
 
-  private Date created;
+  private final Date created;
 
-  private Date modified;
+  private final Date modified;
 
-  private String title;
+  private final String title;
 
   private String text;
 
@@ -58,6 +59,10 @@ public class RtmTaskNote
     // note element, so get all of the children.
     for (int i=0; i < element.getChildNodes().getLength(); i++) {
         Object innerNote = element.getChildNodes().item(i);
+
+        if(innerNote instanceof EntityReference) // this node is empty
+            continue;
+
         if(!(innerNote instanceof Text)) {
             Log.w("rtm-note", "Expected text type, got " + innerNote.getClass());
             continue;
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
index e66a6c5d7..e12635a31 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
@@ -301,9 +301,6 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter implements Filterable {
                 task.setValue(Task.COMPLETION_DATE,
                         completedItems.get(task.getId()) ? DateUtilities.now() : 0);
             }
-            System.err.println("look it read " + task.getId() + " was " +
-                    task.isCompleted()
-                    + ", cache had " + completedItems.get(task.getId()));
             completeBox.setChecked(task.isCompleted());
         }
 
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/dao/TaskDao.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/dao/TaskDao.java
index f4c68ec78..c1682428b 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/dao/TaskDao.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/dao/TaskDao.java
@@ -146,13 +146,13 @@ public class TaskDao extends GenericDao<Task> {
         if (task.getId() == Task.NO_ID) {
             saveSuccessful = createNew(task);
         } else {
-            beforeSave(task, values, skipHooks);
             saveSuccessful = saveExisting(task);
-            afterSave(task, values, skipHooks);
         }
 
-        if(saveSuccessful)
+        if(saveSuccessful) {
             task.markSaved();
+            afterSave(task, values, skipHooks);
+        }
 
         return saveSuccessful;
     }
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ public class TaskDao extends GenericDao<Task> {
                             0));
         }
         if(!item.containsValue(Task.REMINDER_FLAGS)) {
-            item.setValue(Task.REMINDER_FLAGS, Task.NOTIFY_AT_DEADLINE);
+            item.setValue(Task.REMINDER_FLAGS, Task.NOTIFY_AT_DEADLINE | Task.NOTIFY_AFTER_DEADLINE);
         }
 
         return super.createNew(item);
@@ -195,24 +195,6 @@ public class TaskDao extends GenericDao<Task> {
         return super.saveExisting(item);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Called before the task is saved.
-     * <ul>
-     * <li>Update notifications based on task status
-     * <li>Update associated calendar event
-     *
-     * @param database
-     * @param task
-     *            task that was just changed
-     * @param values
-     *            values that were changed
-     * @param duringSync
-     *            whether this save occurs as part of a sync
-     */
-    private void beforeSave(Task task, ContentValues values, boolean duringSync) {
-        //
-    }
-
     /**
      * Called after the task is saved.
      * <ul>
@@ -222,16 +204,16 @@ public class TaskDao extends GenericDao<Task> {
      * @param database
      * @param task task that was just changed
      * @param values values to be persisted to the database
-     * @param duringSync whether this save occurs as part of a sync
+     * @param skipHooks whether this save occurs as part of a sync
      */
-    private void afterSave(Task task, ContentValues values, boolean duringSync) {
+    private void afterSave(Task task, ContentValues values, boolean skipHooks) {
         if(values.containsKey(Task.COMPLETION_DATE.name) && task.isCompleted())
-            afterComplete(task, values, duringSync);
+            afterComplete(task, values, skipHooks);
         else {
             ReminderService.getInstance().scheduleAlarm(task);
         }
 
-        if(duringSync)
+        if(skipHooks)
             return;
 
         // TODO due date was updated, update calendar event
diff --git a/tests/src/com/todoroo/astrid/reminders/ReminderServiceTests.java b/tests/src/com/todoroo/astrid/reminders/ReminderServiceTests.java
index 4572fe4a6..3864f308c 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/todoroo/astrid/reminders/ReminderServiceTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/todoroo/astrid/reminders/ReminderServiceTests.java
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public class ReminderServiceTests extends DatabaseTestCase {
             public void createAlarm(Task task, long time, int type) {
                 super.createAlarm(task, time, type);
                 assertTrue(time > DateUtilities.now());
-                assertTrue(time < DateUtilities.now() + DateUtilities.ONE_DAY);
+                assertTrue(time < DateUtilities.now() + 2 * DateUtilities.ONE_DAY);
                 assertEquals(type, ReminderService.TYPE_OVERDUE);
             }
         });