diff --git a/astrid/AndroidManifest.xml b/astrid/AndroidManifest.xml
index 198d21dfd..b88ec4cf6 100644
--- a/astrid/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/astrid/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@
         <data android:mimeType="vnd.android.cursor.item/task" />
       </intent-filter>      
     </activity>    
+    <!-- Activity for preferences -->
+    <activity android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.activity.EditPreferences" />
 
     <!-- ======================================================= Receivers = -->
 
diff --git a/astrid/common-src/com/todoroo/andlib/sql/Functions.java b/astrid/common-src/com/todoroo/andlib/sql/Functions.java
index 4099d3c72..fb4f964ee 100644
--- a/astrid/common-src/com/todoroo/andlib/sql/Functions.java
+++ b/astrid/common-src/com/todoroo/andlib/sql/Functions.java
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ package com.todoroo.andlib.sql;
 public final class Functions {
 
     public static String caseStatement(Criterion when, Object ifTrue, Object ifFalse) {
-        return new StringBuilder("CASE WHEN ").
+        return new StringBuilder("(CASE WHEN ").
             append(when.toString()).append(" THEN ").append(value(ifTrue)).
-            append(" ELSE ").append(value(ifFalse)).append(" END").toString();
+            append(" ELSE ").append(value(ifFalse)).append(" END)").toString();
     }
 
     private static String value(Object value) {
diff --git a/astrid/common-src/com/todoroo/andlib/utility/AndroidUtilities.java b/astrid/common-src/com/todoroo/andlib/utility/AndroidUtilities.java
index a1e4fd4a9..08cd18d9b 100644
--- a/astrid/common-src/com/todoroo/andlib/utility/AndroidUtilities.java
+++ b/astrid/common-src/com/todoroo/andlib/utility/AndroidUtilities.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import android.text.InputType;
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.View.OnTouchListener;
+import android.view.ViewGroup;
 import android.widget.TextView;
 
 import com.todoroo.andlib.service.Autowired;
@@ -253,4 +254,26 @@ public class AndroidUtilities {
             fos.close();
         }
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Find a child view of a certain type
+     * @param view
+     * @param type
+     * @return first view (by DFS) if found, or null if none
+     */
+    public static <TYPE> TYPE findViewByType(View view, Class<TYPE> type) {
+        if(view == null)
+            return null;
+        if(type.isInstance(view))
+            return (TYPE) view;
+        if(view instanceof ViewGroup) {
+            ViewGroup group = (ViewGroup) view;
+            for(int i = 0; i < group.getChildCount(); i++) {
+                TYPE v = findViewByType(group.getChildAt(i), type);
+                if(v != null)
+                    return v;
+            }
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/core/CoreFilterExposer.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/core/CoreFilterExposer.java
index e75b4d4f6..1cf0b2df4 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/core/CoreFilterExposer.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/core/CoreFilterExposer.java
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public final class CoreFilterExposer extends BroadcastReceiver {
                 new QueryTemplate().where(Criterion.and(TaskCriteria.isActive(),
                         TaskCriteria.isVisible())).
                         orderBy(Order.asc(Functions.caseStatement(Task.DUE_DATE.eq(0),
-                                Long.MAX_VALUE, Task.DUE_DATE) + "+" + Task.IMPORTANCE)), //$NON-NLS-1$
+                                DateUtilities.now()*2, Task.DUE_DATE) + "+" + Task.IMPORTANCE)), //$NON-NLS-1$
                         null);
         dueDate.listingIcon = ((BitmapDrawable)r.getDrawable(R.drawable.tango_calendar)).getBitmap();
 
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/timers/TimerDecorationExposer.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/timers/TimerDecorationExposer.java
index b8b980b7c..9fc908bae 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/timers/TimerDecorationExposer.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/timers/TimerDecorationExposer.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.graphics.Color;
 import android.os.SystemClock;
+import android.text.format.DateUtils;
 import android.widget.RemoteViews;
 
 import com.timsu.astrid.R;
@@ -62,11 +63,16 @@ public class TimerDecorationExposer extends BroadcastReceiver {
         if(task.getValue(Task.TIMER_START) != 0) {
             decoration.color = TIMING_BG_COLOR;
             elapsed += DateUtilities.now() - task.getValue(Task.TIMER_START);
+            decoration.decoration.setChronometer(R.id.timer, SystemClock.elapsedRealtime() -
+                    elapsed, null, true);
+        } else {
+            // if timer is not started, make the chronometer just a text label,
+            // since we don't want the time to be displayed relative to elapsed
+            String format = buildFormat(elapsed);
+            decoration.decoration.setChronometer(R.id.timer, SystemClock.elapsedRealtime() -
+                    elapsed, format, false);
         }
 
-        // update timer
-        decoration.decoration.setChronometer(R.id.timer, SystemClock.elapsedRealtime() -
-                elapsed, null, decoration.color != 0);
 
         // transmit
         Intent broadcastIntent = new Intent(AstridApiConstants.BROADCAST_SEND_DECORATIONS);
@@ -76,4 +82,8 @@ public class TimerDecorationExposer extends BroadcastReceiver {
         context.sendBroadcast(broadcastIntent, AstridApiConstants.PERMISSION_READ);
     }
 
+    private String buildFormat(long elapsed) {
+        return DateUtils.formatElapsedTime(elapsed / 1000L);
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
index 5a2c78bef..e781d48ca 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ import android.graphics.Color;
 import android.graphics.Paint;
 import android.text.Html;
 import android.view.ContextMenu;
+import android.view.ContextMenu.ContextMenuInfo;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
-import android.view.ViewGroup;
-import android.view.ContextMenu.ContextMenuInfo;
 import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
 import android.view.View.OnCreateContextMenuListener;
+import android.view.ViewGroup;
 import android.view.ViewGroup.LayoutParams;
 import android.widget.Button;
 import android.widget.CheckBox;
@@ -300,6 +300,10 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter {
                 viewHolder.extendedDetails.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                 viewHolder.actions.setVisibility(View.GONE);
             }
+        } else {
+            long taskId = viewHolder.task.getId();
+            detailManager.reset(viewHolder, taskId);
+            decorationManager.reset(viewHolder, taskId);
         }
     }
 
@@ -393,8 +397,8 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter {
             if(details == null || viewHolder.task.getId() != taskId)
                 return;
             TextView view = extended ? viewHolder.extendedDetails : viewHolder.details;
+            reset(viewHolder, taskId);
             if(details.isEmpty() || (extended && expanded != taskId)) {
-                view.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                 return;
             }
             view.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
@@ -411,6 +415,11 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter {
                 view.setText(string.trim());
         }
 
+        @Override
+        void reset(ViewHolder viewHolder, long taskId) {
+            TextView view = extended ? viewHolder.extendedDetails : viewHolder.details;
+            view.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -432,11 +441,7 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter {
             if(decorations == null || viewHolder.task.getId() != taskId)
                 return;
 
-            if(viewHolder.decorations != null) {
-                for(View view : viewHolder.decorations)
-                    viewHolder.taskRow.removeView(view);
-            }
-            viewHolder.view.setBackgroundColor(Color.TRANSPARENT);
+            reset(viewHolder, taskId);
             if(decorations.size() == 0)
                 return;
 
@@ -462,6 +467,15 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter {
                 i++;
             }
         }
+
+        @Override
+        void reset(ViewHolder viewHolder, long taskId) {
+            if(viewHolder.decorations != null) {
+                for(View view : viewHolder.decorations)
+                    viewHolder.taskRow.removeView(view);
+            }
+            viewHolder.view.setBackgroundColor(Color.TRANSPARENT);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -483,12 +497,7 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter {
             if(actions == null || viewHolder.task.getId() != taskId)
                 return;
 
-            if(expanded != taskId) {
-                viewHolder.actions.setVisibility(View.GONE);
-                return;
-            }
-            viewHolder.actions.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-            viewHolder.actions.removeAllViews();
+            reset(viewHolder, taskId);
 
             LinearLayout.LayoutParams params =
                 new LinearLayout.LayoutParams(LayoutParams.FILL_PARENT,
@@ -516,6 +525,16 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter {
             }
 
         }
+
+        @Override
+        void reset(ViewHolder viewHolder, long taskId) {
+            if(expanded != taskId) {
+                viewHolder.actions.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                return;
+            }
+            viewHolder.actions.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+            viewHolder.actions.removeAllViews();
+        }
     }
 
     /* ======================================================================
@@ -675,6 +694,9 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter {
         /** updates the given view */
         abstract void draw(ViewHolder viewHolder, long taskId, Collection<TYPE> list);
 
+        /** resets the view as if there was nothing */
+        abstract void reset(ViewHolder viewHolder, long taskId);
+
         /** on receive an intent */
         public void addNew(long taskId, String addOn, TYPE item) {
             if(item == null)