Samsung 32 Inch 1080P LED Smart TD Review

Samsung Full HD 32 Inch Smart TV

First Published Date: September 17, 2014

The reason I wanted to upgrade to a smart TV was not because of how smart it was or anything else, but its incredible low electricity consumption. For example, my old 23-inch LED 1080P HD TV consumed about 100 Watts of electricity. However, even with a bigger screen and much more features, the Samsung 32-Inch LED consumes only 40 watts. That’s a lot of savings if you look at in terms of years or its lifetime.

Some of the features:

– 32-Inch Full HD 1080P 1920×1080 resolution

– Samsung Smart Hub features apps that let you stream content including YouTube and Netflix.

– You can stream content from your smart phone or table. You can even cast your device’s screen on TV.

– Surf web on TV using Samsung web browser, or you can browse web on laptop and cast screen on TV using Chromecast.

What I Like

The price is very low in terms of what you are getting. Stunning crisp clear picture quality will grab your attention right away once you turn this on. You will be paying $100 to $200 more for similar smart TVs from other manufacturers. Also, I noticed that those from other manufacturers consume more electricity as well. Audio quality is also good with its Dolby Digital Plus/Dolby Pulse sound. There is no need to use a separate sound system.

What I Don’t Like

At times, the Samsung 32-Inch 1080P LED Smart TD can be a little slow, if you try to access its apps via the Internet, or if you try to load up its built-in TV guide. The reason model UN32H5203 is a little slow is because it uses a standard processor. However, there is another model UN32H5500 that uses quad-code processor and it’s a lot faster (and pricier as well).

Another thing to mention it’s not super slim as it has a 0.5 inch bezel. Same here with model UN32H5500 – which comes with a thinner 0.3 inch bezel and it is very thin.

Last Word

Even with some minor flaws, the Samsung 32-Inch 1080P LED Smart TD is definitely a smart buy and you can’t go wrong due to its reasonable price.

The Environmental Trend of Using Sod Roofs

Eco Friendly Sod Roof

Published Date: May 15, 2010

When you think of the roof of a house, you probably think of shingles, sheets of tin or ceramic tiles. However, there is a new trend in roofs that is actually not anything new. It is sod roofs and for thousands of years they were the way most humans built a roof. It is nothing new, but this age-old practice is being rediscovered as more and more individuals try to become more self-sufficient and environmentally-friendly.

Also called turf roofs and green roofs, a sod roof is typically built these days by combining dimpled plastic drainage membranes that are used instead of birch bark. Bitumen roofing felt is nailed down and a drainage membrane is put over this to create the drainage layer. Turf is then put on.

Other types of green roofs do not use this method. Some are only roofs with container gardens on top, while others feature irrigation systems and while not sod, allow for the growing of plants. Another form of green roof is the use of rooftop ponds that are used to treat grey water before it is used elsewhere by the homeowners.

A green/sod roof serves many purposes for a home or building. It helps to create a habitat for some wildlife, especially birds and insects, while absorbing rainwater, insulating the building and lowering the urban air temperature. It has also been found that not only do green roofs increase the value of a home; they also greatly increase the life span of the roof itself.

Some other benefits of the green roof include:

1.    It can reduce the cooling load of a building by as much as 90 percent, with 50 percent being the norm.

2.    It reduces storm water run off.

3.    It filters both pollutants and carbon dioxide out of the outside air.

4.    It helps to filter out any pollutants that may be in the rainwater.

5.    It insulates the building from outside sound.

6.    It provides agricultural space even in the middle of the city.

In a study done by Environment Canada, it was found that a green roof greatly improves the insulation of the roof. In the study, there was a 26 percent reduction in summer cooling needs and a 26 percent reduction in winter heat loss when there was a green roof. The lifespan of a roof was also increased by two to three times when it was a green roof.

Buildings all over the world are beginning to latch onto the idea of a green roof, including in Vancouver where more and more buildings are growing gardens on the roof instead of just leaving it bare.

Just recently, the University of Central Arkansas put in plans to put soil and plants on top of a classroom building in order to save money on the cost of utility bills and to help gain more benefits from the natural surface on top of the roof. University officials plan to put low-growing and slow-growing plants on the top of the roof, amounting to roughly 2,000 square feet of soil and plants. The life of the building will also be extended because the green roof will soak up UV rays.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Thegreenlivingblog.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to A Dawn Journal. This article originally published on the above website on May 15, 2010.

How To Increase Fuel Efficiency

Tips To Conserve Gas And The Environment

Published Date: Apr 03, 2010

When you drive a car that does not have good fuel-efficiency, you are doing no good for yourself, or the environment. It is important to find ways to conserve gas so that you can ensure you save money, and the environment in the process. Here are some ways you can increase your fuel efficiency.

1.    Do not warm your car up too much, even when it is cold. When it is -30 degrees outside, you only need to warm up the vehicle for about one minute at most.

2.    Revving up your engine can cause fuel to be wasted for no reason.

3.    Slowly accelerate your vehicle rather than speed up quickly. Only push the pedal down about a quarter of the way so that the vehicle can operate at its most efficient level.

4.    When you buy gas, buy it when it is coldest outside because gas is denser when it is cold. This gives you more fuel concentration for less money at the pump.

5.    A very important tip is to not speed. When you speed, you lower your fuel efficiency. For example, traveling at 55 mph will give 21 percent better mileage compared when you are driving at 70 mph.

6.    When you are driving on the highway, close the windows of your car because the air drag of open windows will reduce your fuel efficiency by about ten percent.

7.    Use your cruise control whenever you can because this keeps your vehicle from constantly adjusting in speed, which ensures your vehicle stays at its most efficient.

8.    Coast down hills as much as you can. Coasting down a hill and letting the momentum carry you for a brief period of time will save a lot of gas and keep the fuel efficiency high.

9.    Try to limit how much you reverse as much as you can because reverse uses more gas than going forward. One good tip is to back into a stall so you can pull out in drive when you start your vehicle to leave.

10.    Keep your vehicle tuned-up because this will give you the most fuel efficiency when you are driving. Clean air filters in your vehicle to keep fuel efficiency high.

11.    Keep your tires inflated to their optimum limit. Tires that are underinflated will lower your fuel efficiency. You should also get tires that have a larger diameter for your rear tires because this will also save you fuel.

12.    Do not have the air conditioning on because it will lower your fuel efficiency by about 20 percent. The more you use electronics in the engine, the more of a load on the engine and the less fuel efficiency you will get.

13.    One of the easiest things you can do to save money and fuel is to walk as much as possible. This keeps you healthy and it keeps you from using gas. In addition, you should look at car pooling to work. This will save you 75 percent on your fuel costs for your commute to work.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Thegreenlivingblog.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to A Dawn Journal. This article originally published on the above website on April 3, 2010.

The World’s Best Places to Live

Canadian Cities Are Among The Most Liveable on Earth

First Published Date: October 2, 2014

If you have been thinking cities like New York, Los Angeles, Florida, London, Tokyo, and Paris are some of the best places to live, think again. A recent report published by The Economist’s Intelligence Unit puts three Canadian cities in the top ten list of the most liveable cities on the world.

Here are the top ten most liveable cities among 140 cities on earth, based on 30 factors across categories such as stability, infrastructure, education, health care, and environment.

1. Melbourne, Australia

2. Vienna, Austria

3. Vancouver, Canada

4. Toronto, Canada

5. Adelaide, Australia

5. Calgary, Canada

7. Sydney, Australia

8. Helsinki, Finland

9. Perth, Australia

10. Auckland, New Zealand

On the top ten, three cities are in Canada and three cities are in Australia. Most liveable cities are often mid-sized cities in rich countries with lower population, as the report points out.

The liveability of the Canadian cities has improved compared to other cities. On the other hand, the conditions on the bottom cities on the list deteriorated, especially concerning human rights violation and conflict.

The least 10 liveable cities on earth are Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire), Tripoli (Libya), Douala (Cameroon), Harare (Zimbabwe), Algiers (Algeria), Karachi (Pakistan), Lagos (Nigeria), Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), Dhaka (Bangladesh), and Damascus (Syria). To view the full report, visit The Economist.

Next eBook: Money Hacks

My Next Book Will Be An EBook

First Published Date: October 9, 2014

I have decided to publish my next book as an eBook via Amazon Kindle. For those who are not reading A Dawn Journal for long, I would like to mention that my first book, Invest Now, was a paper book.

eBook sales will overtake print sales across the globe, if they haven’t already. eBooks offer various advantages over printed books, such as instant global distribution, instant access for readers (instant gratification), very short timeframe to publish (about 24-48 hours once uploaded on Amazon), affordability for readers, and more control for authors.

I have contemplated about 20-30 names for my next book. Initially I was thinking about naming it Save Now: A Universal Guide to Saving. However, I think I found a name that better fits the content and more attractive than the above name:

 Money Hacks: How Small Changes Save Big Money

But I might change the above name if I can come up with something better. The book will be filled with tips you can use daily to save money. Like Invest Now, I will keep Money Hacks simple and short. Expect it to be around 150 pages.

I have decided to set the price at $2.99. However, I will have some free days so A Dawn Journal readers can download it for free. The free download announcement will be published on A Dawn Journal.

I have finished writing in my notebook and am now typing it on MS Word. In between editing, formatting for Kindle, and finishing the cover, you probably are looking at another one to two months before it is available. Stay tuned for more, as I will keep you posted as work progresses.