TITLE: An inequality about maximal function
QUESTION [5 upvotes]: Consider the function on $\mathbb R$ defined by 
$$f(x)=\begin{cases}\frac{1}{|x|\left(\log\frac{1}{|x|}\right)^2} & |x|\le \frac{1}{2}\\
0 & \text{otherwise}\end{cases}$$
Now suppose $f^*$ is the maximal function of $f$, then I want to show the inequality $f^*(x)\ge \frac{c}{|x|\left(\log\frac{1}{|x|}\right)}$ holds for some $c>0$ and all $|x|\le \frac{1}{2}$.
But I don't know how to prove it. Can anyone give me some hints?
Thanks very much.

REPLY [3 votes]: By definition
$$
f^*(x)=\sup_{B\in \text{Balls}(x)}\frac{1}{\mu(B)}\int\limits_B |f(y)|d\mu(y)\qquad(1)
$$
where $\text{Balls}(x)$ the set of all closed balls containing $x$. We can express $f^*$ in another form
$$
f^*(x)=\sup_{\alpha\leq x\leq\beta}\frac{1}{\beta-\alpha}\int\limits_{\alpha}^{\beta} |f(y)|d\mu(y)
$$
Consider $0< x\leq1/2$. Obviously
$$
f^*(x)=\sup_{\alpha\leq x\leq\beta}\frac{1}{\beta-\alpha}\int\limits_{\alpha}^{\beta} |f(y)|d\mu(y)\geq\frac{1}{x-0}\int\limits_{0}^{x}|f(y)|d\mu(y)=-\frac{1}{x\log x}
$$
Thus $f^*(x)\geq\frac{1}{x\log\left(\frac{1}{x}\right)}$ for $0<x\leq 1/2$. Since $f$ is even then does $f^*$, hence inequality
$$
f^*(x)\geq\frac{1}{|x|\log \left(\frac{1}{|x|}\right)}
$$
holds for all $-1/2\leq x\leq1/2$