Wednesday, 31 December 2008

Ethernet Cables - frustration-fre, cat5e


The AmazonBasics RJ45 Cat5e Ethernet cable is an excellent value when compared to name-brand cables from the likes of Belkin and others. You get the same quality cables but for less money. You no longer have to take the risk of buying random generic cables in order to find the best value. My only reservation is that Amazon's warranty is an anemic 1 year. Belkin typically offers a lifetime warranty on their cables. Every now and then cables go bad, but it's pretty rare unless you abuse the connectors.



The PVC shielding is flexible enough so that you can wrap the cables easier. The RJ45 connector clips have a snag-free design so when pulling your cable from the tangled mess of other cables, it will not snag or break off. They are also gold-plated to resist corrosion but I have never had Ethernet cables corrode on me. I have crimped thousands of feet of Ethernet cables for work but none as nice as these.



Cat5e is limited to 328 feet, just like Cat5. Cat5e however, will support gigabit Ethernet (1000Base-T) better than Cat5 because of stricter specs on far end crosstalk. Gigabit Ethernet was designed for use with Cat5 but is more typically used in 10/100Base-T networks.



If you are looking for pre-made Ethernet cables, I highly recommend the AmazonBasics cables without any reservation whatsoever. All my future Ethernet cable purchases will only be AmazonBasics cables with the hope that they offer more color choices. AmazonBasics RJ45 Cat5e Ethernet Patch Cable (50 Feet / 15.2 Meters)

I use this Ethernet Cable to connect my Roku to my computer to stream Netflix. The connection cable is very solid, unlike other cables that don't fit right. Streaming is great and I haven't had a problem at all. Excellent price too!

Basic Review: Technical highlights are provided by others. When searching Amazon for network cables before coming across this one, I read other reviews by people who were disappointed with their purchases. This was because they thought that they were getting something similar to this product, when in fact, what they were getting was custom made or just the individual pieces. If you are looking for a no hassle network cable just like you would find in a retail store, then look no further. Not only are there no problems, but this cable is much cheaper than you would find in an ordinary store. I am currently using it as I type this review.

Cable is fine - no problems. The design of the plug, however, is a bit of a bother. The flexible, beige protector tab coming from the cable side of the plug makes sense - it is there (presumably) to protect the clear tab at the top of the plug - the one that "clicks" when you insert the cable into the jack. The problem is, the beige protector tab is too long. So when you plug it into certain jacks, the beige protector tab is not only in the way, it makes it more difficult to press down on the clear, clicking tab so you can take the plug out of the jack.



What should be a "benefit" wasn't tested in enough jacks. The packaging might be "frustration-free," but the product itself has frustration built in. Not a big deal, but I won't buy this cable again.

I bought this cable for a few bucks more than a generic cable, for quality reasons. An ethernet cable will work regardless of its quality (it's just a cable), but many cheaper cables have much crappier wire coverings and its extremely annoying to remove the heads once you connect them. With this cable however, the heads are easy to remove, and the casings very high quality. If I have need of another hdmi cable, I'll buy these again for sure.

Just wanted to leave feedback for the great cables, they are also and packaged with all recyclable packing and also easy to open. Very good cables and ordered many in the past and when i need more i will be back!! - Frustration-fre - Rj45 - Amazonbasics - Cat5e'


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Urban Homesteading


I'm a landscaper, and so come to most gardening books from a design perspective - I look at the photos and read some of the text, but not all. This book is different. While the photos are attractive and appropriate, the text is so packed full of intense tutorials and ways of re-thinking our relationship with, well, everything, that I had to slow down and read carefully to get the most from this book.



While the philosophical sections are non-preachy and inspiring, the meat of the book is in the suggestions and simple how-tos that make all aspects of homesteading seem doable, fun and attractive. You can learn to:



garden vertically

make and plant a seed ball

create your own self-watering container

plant an herbal medicine chest in your garden

grow potatoes in a barrel or trash can

grow mushrooms

make your own cultured butter or cheese

attract pollinators to your garden

make your own natural, safe pesticides

keep rabbits

choose and keep goats

harvest edible weeds

build a solar drying rack

ferment your own sauerkraut and make your own naturally-bubbly sodas

figure out your soil type

build a composting toilet

harvest rainwater



This book is clearly destined to stay in my shelf for a long, long time. While none of the articles will make you an expert on the topic, after trying a few of these projects, you'll realize you don't need to become an expert in order to live lightly on the land, make your own healthy foods and simple medicines for basic ailments, and become more independent and self-reliant. Each of the how-tos is simple enough to get you started successfully on a new path and give you confidence to do things in a new way.



If you want to buy just one book on how to live lightly on the land even with limited money or space, this is the book to start with. I was blown away by how thorough it is. And while my political beliefs may be different from that of the authors, I didn't find their philosophies overbearing or preachy. Their genuine desire to see us all become confident, productive people able to take care of our own needs is evident, and makes their writing attractive for people from any background. Urban Homesteading: Heirloom Skills for Sustainable Living

I only bought this book as a protest against the Dervais family's copyright of the phrase Urban Homesteading (I also bought another wonderful book here - The Urban Homestead. Anyway, as I began to read this book, I was really sucked in by the wonderful photos and ideas about things I can do here on my own homestead. I highly recommend this book. Lots of great info and ideas. I have never been so invigorated and excited.



The only negative I would give this book is not really a negative at all. With so much information, and so many ideas, it's hard to know "where do I start", but that's what I have ThoughtOffice for, right?



I was inspired by the section which teaches us how to transform our ornamental or boring yards into food production area - starting with bringing life to the soil.



Just this week I made the ricotta cheese with organic whole milk. Best. Ricotta. Ever. Absolutely MADE the lasagna (although it was an amazing recipe - (Google: "World's Best Lasagna"). I am looking forward to making the cultured butter (I now make regular, non-cultured butter from organic whole cream, which is delicious). The nice thing about cultured butter is that the buttermilk, which is a byproduct, can be used to culture cheese, make buttermilk pancakes, bread, dressing ect. Non-cultured buttermilk cannot.

I have the 2 specialty ingredients for feta cheese on order and cannot wait to stop paying for store bought, bland feta. Our household goes through a lot of feta - this is going to be a very good thing. Tomorrow I make mozzarella cheese (not in the book, but it's easy to find directions online, and it uses much of the same things you use to make the dairy recipes in the book).



I have been rereading the section on bee-keeping, raising rabbits, preserving and storing food, and many others which I won't bore you with. Bottom line - get this book. You'll be happy you did.

This is a great book. It is simply, a great book. It's also a great book if you need motivation or information on moving toward self and community sustainability. Or if you need to see that people are actually doing the sustainability things you only hear about. I already make much of my own food, have a CSA farm share, milk from a cow share, I ferment my own veggies, grow a garden, etc. I really didn't think this book would teach much. After all, I'm already ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainability...(or so I thought).



Well, I was wrong. Thankfully and delightedly wrong!! Not only did I learn about things I had no idea about before (composting toilets? rainwater systems? companion planting?) but she gives diagrams and instructions on how to actually go about it. I was SO excited to start new projects and keep going on my current ones. Keep moving towards one-ness with self, community and environment. Keep learning more and more about how to grow things in my area. Keep talking to others in my community to improve relations. Keep bees!



As the industrial food system keeps plugging away, creating more and more disease and pollution and public outcry, we can STILL MAKE A STAND by bucking the system and doing it ourselves. Who says you have to purchase food at a huge chain grocery store? Who says you can't see how your meat becomes meat? Who says you have to stay ignorant about food safety and storage? Who says you can't feed yourself??? It's down right un-American to assume we have to have others do it for us! We are smarter than that!!!



And this book gently, beautifully and lovingly explains it all. The pictures alone are worth the price of admission.



I'm (im)patiently waiting for the second book to come out....'


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Yoga Tart - dance workout, ballet and dance


I have a necessity for arm warmers since I get susceptible to the harsh AC conditions in my workplace. My fingers and toes easily turn into ice. (Seriously, and I live in Honolulu where they hike up the AC to 60 because its like 90 outside). Although I dare not wear these to work for fear of dirtying them, these are just perfect to wear under my baby tees, light sweaters, and hoodies. I love to accesorize so these are just wonderful to wear with my favorite pair of jeans, casual dresses, and cute tops. The color is so vibrant and pretty and the quality is just superb! I love the thumb holes because a lot of arm warmers I had didn't have these and I felt handicapped without them. I also had very loose arm warmers so I had to hoist them up constantly and it was very annoying. (They are going in the trash now). These arm warmers are very stretchy and tight at the same time so they don't pose that kind of annoyance to the wearer. Thank you so much for your awesome products! Keep up the GREAT work, KD DANCE!!! New York Black High Quality KD dance Arm Warmers, Durable & Soft On Skin Stretch Knit with Thumb Hole, Cell Phone Texting Chic, Made In New York USA

True story: I'm a graduate student in Louisiana, and this evening I was walking to the library around dusk. It was that time of day when the sky turns dimly blue, and it's hard to spot details or colors. So, I'm walking along, and a guy sitting about 20 feet away calls out, "Hey, girl with the green shirt: I like your arm warmers!"...and I say, "Thanks..." and keep walking, when he shouts, "Hey! My friend [the girl sitting next to him] wants to know where you got them, or if you made them yourself?!"...So I turned back, and told her right where to click on Amazon to find these coveted cozies. Long story short, even in the near-dark, people sitting *20 feet away* were so smitten with these long, sleek, sophisticated, and cute arm warmers (mine are a delicious charcoal grey) that they just had to know where they could find a pair of their own. Now *that's* impressive! A bonus detail I love about this item is the slightly looser, ribbed cuff that accentuates the top end of them - it adds a touch of elegance. Highly recommend these - so perfect for spring, when you want to wear a lightweight shirt, and never know when a cool breeze might come along. - Sexy - Ballet And Dance - Dance Workout - Low Rise'


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Interior Folders - folder accessories, file folders


I needed to buy 15 boxes of legal hanging file folders, 25 per box. Therefore, I searched all the major office supply online vendors, including Amazon, and this was the best price. I got my 15 boxes.



These are great hanging file folders. I prefer the recycled green ones for several reasons. I like the way they look - all business, they use recycled paper and they're less expensive.



The large tabs are very good. One can write a longer title for the tab or even leave space and reuse the same tab by crossing out what was written and using the remaining space. I write on these tabs rather than use a label maker because I'd rather save time and go with my own legible printing, but that's a personal choice.



Pendaflex is a big name in hanging file folders. You can't go wrong because there's nothing wrong that I can see with these. They're just as strong as all the green file folders you've ever used. That's why price matters. I recommend this product. Pendaflex Essentials Hanging Folders, 25 Per Box, 1/3 Cut, Legal, Green (81621)

What's to say? Pendaflex has been around a long long time, and knows how to make a quality product. Believe it or not, there is a difference; others I bought have plastic top bars, which bend and break with anything other than very thin file folders. These have metal, and really hold up, and the price was very competitive. - File Folders - Office Supplies - Pendaflex - Folder Accessories'


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Personal Protection - safety, personal protection


This book covered alot of information in great detail. The information on the legal ramifications was very good. The advise on contacting an attorney before talking with the police or allowing them to search your car or home was very important. In fact, there was a tremendous amount of information contained in the book that was excellent and covered many aspects related to concealed carry in an easily understood style. Concealed Carry Fundamentals

This is a must have book for gun owners who chose to carry or use firearms for home defense. As all responsible gun owners know, the best way to survive a critical life or death situation is to not get yourself in that situation. Michael Martin has raised the bar with this holistic user friendly guide on what you need to know about personal defense. The great illustrations, world class photography and smooth layout of the book make it hard to put down. You will want to keep it handy for all the great references found on each page. Being an NRA Certified, Rifle, Shotgun, Pistol, Personal Protection in the Home, Home Firearms Safety Instructor and Range Safety Officer, I would feel almost negligent if I did not offer this book to students. No matter where in the United States you choose to exercise your second amendment rights, this book is for you and will apply to you! Get it today.

Anyone who carries a concealed handgun for personal protection should read this book. It covers the fundamentals of concealed carry practice, but goes much further than most resources individually. To get all of this infomration in one place, in an easily understandable and well-organized manner would require multiple reference resources (if it could even be done). Mr. Martin runs the carry gamut from why to carry all the way to very effective training exercises to build the skills necessary to do so, safely and with confidence. This is an absolutely invaluable tool.

Have you ever encountered something that screams to be shared with others? In my case this book is one of those times.As an instructor of a musical instrument,I am familiar with all kinds of teaching materials.The interesting thing to me about this book is that while it is an introductory guide to concealed carry,it has something in it for any skill level.If you are interested in learning something new or sharing handgun fundamentals with another person,this is a very good choice for an instructional text.The other reviews are exactly right in their descriptions of the book.However they leave out one important thought.If one could give a book to every person as required reading about handguns this book would be the one.For those who are wondering,I am not related to the author but would be proud to be if it were the case.

"Concealed Carry" covers every aspect of what a person needs to know if he or she has a concealed carry permit. Once you read the legal section you will never want to use your weapon until you think you are about to die. Shooting fundamentals are an added bonus. The presentation and color photos add to the reading and learning experience.

Author Michael Martin did a great job writing this book. The photos and illustrations are informative and easy to understand. I am not new to handguns or concealed carry but still got alot out of this book. This book is for the beginner or the experienced handgunner. This is one of the first concealed carry books I have read cover to cover and went back and reviewed chapters. Put this book on your list to read. FIVE STARS

This book is probably the single best gun book I've seen yet. It covers all critical concealed carry issues, from legal to physiological and mental; covers firearm fundamentals (e.g. safety procedures, different types of guns, gun operation and much more), and does it all with the very highest level of writing and illustration. Frankly, I think this book could be priced higher, given its quality from content to printing, but I'm glad it's reasonably-priced. (It would be nice if Amazon sold it directly.) Five stars, top recommendation. Get it if you're even thinking of carrying, but get it also for a reference of critical gun essentials and safety that you can use to teach other people, while brushing up on your own knowledge.

I am new to the ccw world and I wanted a book that told me about it. I truly enjoyed reading the book. I am looking forward to trying some of the drills in the back of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in joining the ccw world we live in today. - Self Defense - Safety - Personal Protection - Self-defense'


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7 Port Usb Hub - powered usb hub, hub


This was a cheap USB hub that I was using to connect a hard drive, printer, and keyboard to a laptop. It worked great for about a month, then I noticed the hard drive started disconnecting randomly (A terrible thing when backups are running). Well this morning, about a month after I bought it, it just died completely.



I have it velcro'd to the desk, so it doesn't move. Wear and tear is definitely not the reason for this, It just died. USB Highspeed 7 Port Hub w/ AC Adapter (Silver)

I keep getting emails asking me to review this item. I do a review and it gets removed. I get another email, I do a review, it gets removed. What is this...groundhogdayazon?



I bought two of these and neither one has more than 2-3 ports that work.



They were really inexpensive, so it's really not worth my time to return them.



Will all 7 ports work on the ones you buy? Maybe. Maybe not.



The 7 port hubs at my local retailer are WAY more expensive than these and I'm guessing you get what you pay for.



I sure did.

This was an inexpensive hub. The pictures make it look much sturdier than it is, it's really lightweight and tips over if you plug things into the back 2 ports. Also, I plugged in 2 external self-powered hard drives, a digital camera, an iPod, a memory stick and a PSP, and when I connect the hub to my laptop, at least 1 of the items is not recognized. I don't know why. What I do know is that I stopped using the hub the day after I got it, so if I were you I would just not bother with this hub, as all it really does is take up a space on my power strip.

I LOVE this USB hub.



I do not know if I just got a good product, or I ordered from a different company, but this product is AMAZING! Unlike some other reviews, ALL of my USB ports work and I can run a flash drive perfectly. It seems faster than the ports on my computer. I simply love this product.



It is also very small. I did expect it to be as small as it was. It fits right in the palm of my hand.



Whether it makes a difference or not, I bought from HDE.



My ONLY complaint is that the USB and power cords could have been a little longer. I am going to purchase a cheap USB extender from my local computer stores.



In conclusion, if you willing enough to shell out a few bucks on a USB hub, this hub is PERFECT!

Looks like I bought this about 8 months ago or so... it was a good price, and I have too many external USB optical and hard drives that I always want to share on the network. Right off, if this was connected, the computer wouldn't complete the boot process; the system kind of seemed to get "trapped" looking for Operating Systems, and would hang. No big deal, I restart the computer about 3 times a week, so it was a minor annoyance to plug it back in once the boot process started.



2 nights ago, I went in to my office and saw the on-screen message of a lost connection to the drives that were connected to this while I was off at work. I was simply going to reboot, so I went to disconnect this and found a nice molten pile of plastic that was so hot it had burrowed through the better part of the external DVD drive it was sitting on, and it looked like it was getting hotter.



Good price or not, this is definitely the last product I buy of this brand - I don't know what would have happened in another 10 hours, but am glad I saw it when I did.

1. Within hours of plugging it in, 4 of the ports burned out, leaving me with only 3 left working. These 4 receive power, but no longer connect to the computer.



2. Powered is an overstatement. Depending on the port choice, it can have problems supporting one external hard drive (usb powered) and a USB fan. If the bottom 3 ports on the front (the only ones that still conduct data for me) are used, then more then two hard drives can work... barely. In addition, the included power supply has about 2.5 feet of cord. Not enough to stretch from a desk to a power strip on the ground, meaning I had to rearrange power cords to even get this installed.



3. It's slow. Speed decreases are of course to be expected with a hub, but I think the low power it provides means drives have to spin down more often, meaning seek times are increased.



For 7.50 I probably won't send it back, since it's too much trouble. But I wouldn't buy it again. Here's some I may get when I decide I need all the ports working:



7-Port USB 2.0 Hub, Black

Nu USB 2.0 10 Port Hub (with Power Adapter)

Belkin F5U706 2 in 1 USB 2.0 7-PORT HUB



Yes, all these cost between 20 and 30 dollars, but if you think of this hub as an unpowered 3 port hub, then you begin to understand the price difference.

I bought this "powered" USB Hub to charge an Ipod and a GPS unit. For some reason the power cycled on and off which caused the GPS unit to continually beep and power on & off. Figuring the first unit was defective, I was send a second unit which acted the same. - Compact - Usb Hub - Powered Usb Hub - Hub'


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Tilting Wall Mount - tv wall mount, tilting wall mount


We have installed (2) of these mounts. (1) on a 26" LCD and (1) on a 32" LCD. Both installations were easy, with the product meeting expectations. The second mount we installed was missing a couple of minor parts so I sent a quick e-mail to Cheetah mounts. An hour later, I had the 2nd day air tracking number for the remaining parts. While it was frustrating to be missing the parts, I was amazed by the quick response. Cheetah Mounts ALAMLB LCD TV Wall Mount Bracket with Full Motion Swing Out Tilt and Swivel Articulating Arm

I like this mount. It is strong and holds a 30" TV no problem. The extension is very nice and the tilt helps with the glare from the dome light in the ceiling. It can turn all the way to the side and lets the TV face the kitchen counter. Our TV used the inside holes which are VESA 100 but it has wider holes as well so we could use it for a larger TV in the future. A torpedo shaped level comes with it which is now a nice addition to the tool drawer. Basically really liked it. The only issue is the TV being level. The TV tilts just slightly to the right. Enough to bother me. Only annoyance on an otherwise good product.

Update: I called Cheetah about the TV not being level. It turns out the screw behind the TV which controls the tilt Also allows the TV to twist a little. Now our TV is level!

We just mounted a 26" LCD and this mount worked perfectly. Well constructed and super easy to install. Before purchasing I called the company to verify the TV would work with this mount, I was only on hold for a few seconds before speaking with a rep who was more than helpful. I highly recommend, especially at this sale price.

I was trying to save some money on a wall mount and came across Cheatah Mounts which sells mounts that look like the ones you see at a store but waay cheaper. I was excited and ordered. Once delivered, I installed the mount (I have experience installing 3 mounts previously for various TVs). THIS IS THE WORST MOUNT I have ever installed. Installation was easy, but the metal arm sags away from the mount badly, making anything you mount on it crooked. I was really disappointed in this mount. The return policy does not cover shipping, so BUYER BEWARE. CHEETAH MOUNTS LCD TV ARTICULATING ARM WALL MOUNT FOR 23-37" DISPLAYS BLACK



UPDATED: - The company cantacted me by phone expressing their concern about the RMA I requested. The representative was extremely helpful and wanted me to know that it was most likely a manufactuing defect. They sent me the RMA number and shipping label and are giving me a full refund. I was very impressed with their reponsiveness and would consider purchasing from them again as I know that they seem to stand behind their products and have excellent support.

I can't imagine why anyone would rate this poorly. Those that do, are doing everyone else a disservice. I almost passed this one up because the poor reviews and low price made me apprehensive. This mount is well built, well packaged, attractive, easy to install, and how can you beat the price? I can only imagine that those who rated it poorly don't know what they're doing with tools and/or can't or won't follow instructions. For those that complained of insecure and sagging mounts, they probably know nothing about wall construction and didn't bother reading the instructions. YOU MUST INSTALL TO A WALL STUD OR MASONRY!!! For the other mounting complaints, I can only repeat, these people either failed to read the instructions or with no offense intended, are not mechanically inclined. You only have yourself to blame, not the manufacturer. If I ever need another, I will definitely buy this one again.

good price for this mount and is a decent deal. desc says "single stud mount" but mine apparently arrived only with the docs and h/w for installation in a concrete wall....nevertheless with some deck screws we solidly installed it into a stud anyway. mounted a 37" Vizio tv with no difficulty whatsoever. this is definitely strong enough for a 37 lcd w/o prob. seems to be decently made w/good enough materials for this type installation anyway. satisfied enough.

Bought the CHEETAH Articulating wall-mount arm for a 32" LCD TV. Before I mounted it to the wall, which was quite straight forward, I inspected it and checked it over. It seemed as if the arm movements were very tight and difficult, so I loosened the adjustment screws per the instructions. Part of the arm mechanism still seemed very tight and difficult. After installing the arm on the wall and attaching the TV to the arm, I still had difficulty making adjustments for the arm to move smoothly and freely. I never could could get it to the point where the arm moved smoothly. It bound up no matter how much I adjusted it, making it very difficult to move and swing the TV around. Bottom line - the articulating arm doesn't articulate very well at all. Now I have to go through the royal hassle of removing the TV from the wall mount, and removing the mount from the wall to send it back. The other problem I had was not being able to secure the mounting face plate ( the plate that attaches to the TV) adequately to the arm bracket. No matter how much I tightened the face plate bolt, it still moved, which put the TV out of level. This is one product I DO NOT recommend. - Lcd Wall Mount - Tv Wall Mount - Lcd Mount - Tilting Wall Mount'


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