Panasonic HDC-SD9 High Definition Camcorder

I bought a Panasonic HDC-SD9 for a great price ($350 brand new) almost a year ago and it takes great video in HD format, HDMI out, etc. It shoots in native HD1920 and has various options to lower the HD quality to preserve flash memory space 16GB SDHC Flash Memory for a low price. The user manual only shows up to 16GB but I don't think anything is stopping it from using 32GB SDHC cards. The one complaint was the OEM battery which only lasts about one hour at full HD quality. Then a solution was found...

I purchased a VW-VBG130/260 replacement kit from Dino Direct. For $15.99 (Buy.com sells it for $119.99). It comes with the specific charger (required), a car adapter and 4-5 hour extended life battery. The trick here is that the original Panasonic VW-VBG130 and 260 have a chip that sends the battery life via a current through the power socket on the camcorder. With the replacement, this chip (which is patented) doesn't exist so a nasty message saying "This battery cannot be used" shows up on the screen if it's not covered. The battery kit comes with 2 lugs to cover the power socket! I now have a 4-5 hour battery!

Another issue was editing the AVCHD (Sony format) HD video. Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum (I got my copy for $49.99 on eBay) has native MTS/AVCHD support and it works great! It imports and reads MTS files directly without issue in its high definition greatness. It also allows to share edited videos quickly to Youtube through the software. Now with all the tools and batteries for ease and convenience of operation, this makes the smallest full HD camcorder in world one of the best in its price class. People who thought they were stuck with a dud for so long can now rejoice.

(www.gizmodo.com)

The Quality of Shoes - How To Buy Comfortable Shoes

There are two things a person does most of their life. One is sleep, the other is stand on their feet, so never buy an uncomfortable bed or shoes. With the thousands of shoes that shoe companies offer it's easier to find shoes that don't fit well and are not comfortable than it is to find ones that are. However, it's wonderful to have choices, if you walk into a shoes section, whether it be a department store, shoe store or sports store there's a wide variety of manufacturers, makes and model to choose from. Each has their own marketing and some even patenting their technologies. Lots of thought goes into feet you know, from that athlete's highly functional sports shoes to the stylish high heels the lady next to you is wearing. 


First, there's nothing like trying shoes on first and walking in them a while before purchasing them. You may find some shoes fit you well and others feel like they don't. This is normal, everyone's feet are different and everyone has different perspectives of comfort and fit. I offer a few basic things to look for and practices before choosing the right shoes for you. It's even better when the better quality and more comfortable shoes are possibly cheaper and better looking. This article offers some basics of finding and buying shoes of your choice using a simple guideline of quality, comfort and fit.

Quality = stitching, fabric cuts should be even, smoothly cut and stitched together.
You should be able to see the quality of the fabrics, stitching and the cuts of fabric. A tell tale sign a shoe are  not up to par is an initial view from the outside. Check the fabric cuts. If they are rough, hard and stitched unevenly where the fabric lifts up or the cuts of fabric just don't seem to be accurate they better be a good price. Quality control on the shoes were probably set to low standards at that particular factory or shoe manufacturing line. For example, I saw a pair of New Balance shoes that exhibited poor cuts and saw another model right next to it from the same manufacturer of much higher quality and the prices were the same. The obvious choice was to try the ones that looked like they were made properly with clean cuts of fabric and consistent stitching. Uneven fabric and bad fabric cuts means there's a good chance it could catch on something and possibly tear or cause odd wear. In this case, the cut was too large therefore the stitching could not be stitched down consistently and smoothly. Most importantly, it's very possible that the inner part of the shoe may have the same flaws.

Comfort - they should feel good standing, walking or whatever activity they are aimed for.
If you try on shoes and walk in them a bit, you will know in 5 minutes of trying them where the simple Quality meets foot Comfort, which means happier feet and a happier shoe wearer. Walk around in them and get a feel, then try on some other manufacturer's or different models from the same manufacturer and see what the they feel like and what your feet are telling you, there may be some differences you prefer. I recommend trying on many different pairs before making the choice that your feet and you will be happy with and keep in mind what features you are looking for if buying specific shoes for sports, walking or simply for fashion and won't wear that much.

Fit -Size, Width, Ankle Support - Mens and Womens Shoe Sizes and Widths
Shoes are sold in a range of sizes and widths. Mens shoe sizes and widths and Women's shoe sizes and widths differ. Click on the text to see them. Shoes also range from low ankle to high ankle support. Many hiking boots and sports shoes offer ankle support while dress and casual shoes do not. In no way should these features affect the comfort of your feet but only provide increased support for the heel and ankle. A shoe too narrow will constrict blood circulation, shoes too wide could cause blisters and not provide enough support for activities. Depending on what your aim is for the shoes, whether fashion, sports or casual wear, they should fit your feet well. No one person has the same exact foot dimensions, bones or sensitive feet but there are shoes out there that will fit you and your feet.

Cary Judd - Goodnight Human (New Album)

Goodnight Human by musician Cary Judd who is currently touring around the US, has hit the shelves of Barnes&Noble. I was turned to his music with his video for American Girl 2 (The Ah-ha Song) before the release of the album. On the new album, I personally was struck by the instrumental beauty of Andromeda and it sets up the album well. The tone of the ablum is put together with appealing tunes that have a modern cater, easy on the ear acoustic and love song timbre. His performances are one man band performances and worth catching. Cary Judd is a musical artist in his own right.

The Kogi BBQ Bus - Korean Tacos? Love At First Bite.

The Kogi BBQ Bus of Los Angeles has been a hit and I know why. They serve up Korean sytle tacos all day and all night around in their Kogi BBQ Bus! Yummy! It's possibly the best thing invented after a night at a bar or club in Los Angeles.

You can simply find out where they are and where they are going to be by following them on KogiBBQ on Twitter.

You can read more about the phenomenon at the LA Times

Gold, Silver and Precious Metals Becoming An Alternative Currency?

\Is Gold is becoming an alternative currency? There are signs it seems to be. The proof is there when financial markets, stocks and currencies devalue. It is more than evident that individuals, countries and institutions consider Gold as an alternative currency or at least a safe-haven asset class. Now even financial advisers are recommending a small position in Gold and Treasury Bonds, more evidence that investors go to Gold as a "flight to safety" or "safe haven investments" during times of economic uncertainty and distress.

So, you're interested in Gold, possibly Silver, Platinum and Palladium as well as commodities for investment, holding your wealth, hedging against inflation, and rounding out your portfolio. Funny thing is Gold does all these things. Let's start with a few basic myths and truths. Most of the currency in America used to be minted in gold and silver but things changed gradually to the point where we are today, there is no longer any gold or silver in our everyday use of fiat (printed currency). Most people don't even know that gold once backed currency or that gold no longer backs currency, though some have questioned what is the point of Fort Knox if we have the Federal Reserve?

It is true the whole world is now essentially off the Gold Standard. Today most nations back their wealth with debt and bonds. However, sometimes, like current times, countries are on the fringe of defaulting on their debt owed to other countries. In today's news, it's called a sovereign debt problem when it seems a country may not be able to pay off its debt. Historically, gold, silver and other metals have been used to back the wealth and currency of a nation. If the nation didn't have enough gold to cover their debt, they would become bad nations to lend to, however now debt is looked at as wealth as well as huge risk many bankers are willing to take as banking has evolved into a fractional banking system. A rather backwards perspective which runs our financial systems and banks if you asked me. Fractional means that the bank only needs to have up to 10% of actual money they take in from depositors such myself and everyone else who saved money in banks.

Richard Nixon officially took the USA off the gold system believe it or not, it's true the US government at one point confiscated and made it illegal to own gold until the early 1963 while moving silver out of our quarters, dimes and half dollar coins. Now we are stuck in between eras. From one of grave and frivolous economics adopted during the Great Depression and spending beyond to the one we are experiencing during the Great Recession. Instead of fixing things, the people in power convinced themselves that not fixing things and just continually improving upon a broken foundation is best. Well... look where we are today. We are experiencing another first along with the housing market crash, credit crisis, economic depression, consumer recession, man made ecological and financial disasters. We see more than enough news stories everyday.

So who can you trust? YOU! And your will power and growing knowledge of sound economics, being financially responsible and being independent.  If you're realize, paying off debt, living without debt and living within your means should be the norm you're ready to begin looking at alternatives and hedge against risk and uncertainty. Due your own diligence when listening to verbal guarantees of your money's safety and any type of sales tactics to get you to put your hard earned cash in other people's control. Quick money is associated to high risk and that is the the trend now. Long gone are the days of owning a stock for years on end, now it's about the quick trade. So know your risk tolerance, financial situation and what you are comfortable with. Slow and steady is reserved for the sound in society, as is precious metals and core commodities. Invest in things we all need like food, water, energy, tech and industrials in the long run. So let the sales people tell what you want to hear but never forget what you want which is smart money not quick money, even if it how the markets operate in today's uncertainty.

To start in Gold, it's not recommended to trade or invest in ETFs, IRAs, or any form of investment you don't have control of, because that's why we're here and if you don't control your money others will take that risk for your. The goal is to be able to preserve your wealth, not let other people lose it for us. What any trader will not tell you is how much more they lose than gain, they are just better at hedging, balancing and keeping money flowing in arbitrage. Something that not all people need or even should know about.

Starting off with your own base or foundation of precious metals might interest you, whether a coin, a round or a bar, make sure it's a sound place you are making the purchase from. Visit an honest coin shop or bullion shop and purchase some bullion bars, rounds and even fairly price numismatic coins on the precious metal price dips. Avoid the TV advertised places, endorsed by talking media heads that are there to make that quick buck off you. The price for bars and rounds fluctuate following the price the precious metal is being traded for on the Comex and London Fix. By watching the precious metals prices and buying on the price dips, it will be easier to recover equity and gain value, but most of all you own it, it's in your hands. Same concept goes into why NOT to buy from an IRA or 3rd party custodian when starting unless you need to roll it over to avoid taxation (which has its own benefits). So the best practice is to buy the lowest premium bullion bars or rounds, but others like to collect historical pre-1933 gold and silver coinage which have a high collector's premium. Either way, just be sure to do your research and don't get taken advantage of.

Once you've established your base of bullion you  control, that is coins, bar and rounds in your personal possession that no one could steal from you without prying from your cold dead hands, it may be time to consider precious metal ETFs and mining stocks if you've got more money you want to invest. You can even short Gold and Silver on the stock exchange, so be aware prices do go up and down but precious metals have an intrinsic value. You can trade paper gold and silver through a brokerage firm like Fidelity, Ameritrade, ScottTrade and the many others out there. The best ones to use is the one with the lowest trade fees. Then as Warren Buffet does, keep your eye on a small basket of investments like gold, silver, ETFs and mining stocks. Invest or trade by doing your own diligence. In general, buy low and sell high. You may also get into technical swing trading which is a good foundation to look at stock charts and get some meaning from them even though technical analysis/trading is a day trader's momentum trading tactic. Also remember, you cannot eat gold or silver so many say only 10% of your assets should be invested. Some say more, some say less. That will be a personal choice but in the end, there will be a time to sell and times to buy, be diligent and keep your best interests in mind.

2007 Honda Accord VP (Value Package) - owner report

 The 2007 Honda Accord VP (Value Package) is Honda's base model Accord. In 2010, the LX has become the base model. The Accord VP includes power windows, 2-speaker AM/FM/CD, remote trunk, alarm system, AC/Heat. A insurance lowering 5-Star Safety Rating, Grade Logic, anti-lock brakes and more. Coming from a sports coupe, the Accord dropped my insurance premium by a few hundred dollars. Even the base model has the bare essential features. The only thing I missed was having a radio control on the steering wheel, it did have cruise control on it however. I test drove a fully loaded EX-L V6 and was impressed by the ride and finish. The L is for leather but cloth interior is also available. In fact the EX V6 manual transmission with cloth interior is a great combination for the price at around $23,000. Even at the base model, it is clean and comes with the expected Honda quality. Truthfully, I never really appreciated or respected the Accord until I drove one daily for nearly three years. I am truly impressed by its overall driver friendliness, very decent road feel/handling and the peppy 2.4liter iVTEC engine which by all means is good enough for the majority of drivers. The Grade Logic control is impressive once you get used to it. On up hill grades it can figure out if it needs to kick in the over-head cam with VTEC or down shift. The program also recognizes if braking while headed down hill and will down shift to assist with braking, quite clever and useful.

The V6 version is effortless as it handles the car's weight and easily moves the car with over 240lbs of torque and 263HP using an intelligent cylinder management system similar to Cadillac. The engine shuts down up to 2 of this cylinders when not needed, saving you gas. In addition, Honda is best known for their bullet proof 4-cylinder engines, the Accord is available with a very efficient 2.4L engine which carries 173 horsepower and 163lbs of torque. I can attest, owning a Acura/Honda Integra before and running it well over 100k with plenty of life left in it. The Honda 4-cylinder models have more life, zip and response than the Toyota Camry and the Hyundai Sonata 4-cylinder models. The Accord out handles the Toyota Camry and the Hyundai Sonata as well. American cars in this segment include the Ford Fusion and Chevy Malibu.

At high speeds above 75 mph the Accord begins to float around on its suspension but the steering remains responsive and not loose. You will likely hear bumps rather than feel them, the Accord VP offers a fairly smooth ride on it's budget steel wheels and tires. I averaged about 36mpg going 75mph up and down the coast and probably around 26 in city driving averaging around 33mpg overall average 50% street and 50% highway.  The VP model includes front disc brakes and rear drum brakes which stop better than Honda's rear disc brakes. The AC, heater and defroster work great. The 6 speaker or 7 with subwoofer system sound adequate and has the antenna built into the rear window.

Another strong point if looking for an economical car is determining the total cost of ownership. Maintenance is a breeze with a very nifty oil life indicator that bases the life of the oil by percentage using the number of revolutions in the engine. Doing the math, I found I traveled around 4200 miles before the indicator would get to 10%. With synthetic, one could travel at least 5000 miles and farther, I've read that it's been confirmed some engines can be run up to 10,000 miles synthetic oil. The engine also uses a timing chain instead of timing belt which is good for the life of the engine and should never have to be replaced.  I've only heard of one Honda timing chain breaking on its own at about 105,000 miles and this was because the owner never changed the oil since purchasing the car brand new!

In conclusion, the Accord is roomy, ergonomically comfortable, offers good performance, offers a good driving experience for a vehicle that offers very good gas mileage and a low total cost of ownership. However, Honda is known for not bending on their prices compared to other manufacturers so I would check around and even consider used Accords from non-Honda dealerships if the prices are right.