I have XFinity for my internet access and land line telephone. The service for both in the last 2 years have been very reliable and have had no issues with either.
We are seniors with a fixed income living on a budget. I told them that when I had xfinity put in. In the 2 years there have been 3 increases in cost of service even tho I was supposedly put on a fixed price. I've talked with other family members and friends and they all tell me that Comcast/Xfinity is a rip off! They, like ATT lure you in with a cheap price and then as soon as they can will increase they're prices. The increases aren't nickle and dime you to death, but substantial Anywhere from $30-$50 like my recent bill showed. We had a 45% increase. They will do this without advance notice as with me.
So, when I called them up I was told that my promo had expired and need to call them every year for a new promo. It's not like you're locked in for several years. It's a game they play with you to make more money off you. They also set these promos in a way that you have to sign up for a bundle in order to save. You can't just sign up for internet because it's more expensive than having a bundle. I have phone and internet service thru Comcast and wanted to delete the phone service. They told me that I would not save anything if I did and basically I could not just have internet service. If I really pressed it, the cost would be the same as with the phone service, so the phone service is basically a give away according to them. I just don't buy that!
My promo ended up being $10 more than I had up to this point which also increased all of the other fees along with equipment rental, another rip off! The modem rental is now $11 a month. I've already paid 2 years rental at $10 or $240. The modem costs about $180 so by the time I'm done with my new promotion I will have as well bought 2 modems. One positive outlook on this is that my speed went up from 60mbps to 150 so I can look at it as if I'm paying $10 more a month for service supposedly over twice as fast as I had. So far I have not seen any difference!
If you are expecting to get the speed you think you are paying for remember that the words are up to. I don't know anyone who actually gets the speed advertised or they are selling. I'm constantly doing speed tests from different devices. My desktop, using a 300mb wi-fi adapter shows me getting anywhere from 60-84mbps download with around 12mb upload with a 150 mbps service. I haven't seen anything above a 100mbps yet. My lap top with a 300mb wi-fi capability shows under 50mb download and a 12-13mb upload. My tablet with a 150 mb capability shows between 30-45mb download and between 6-8mb upload.
I was told that I would receive a new bill and just to disregard the one with the 45% increase as it would be adjusted. I waited and waited...no bill. We got the new bill the other day, no adjustments and a bill for almost $200 for 2 months service. I should have known they are crooks before signing up!
If you have something else available in your area, try them first. I can't recommend Comcast nor ATT. I had ATT and had plenty of problems with their service due to old lines. Even after they replaced the wires, we had issues and lack of service. They are not very reliable! They will however nickle and dime you to death with their increases in time.
Sunday, July 22, 2018
my review of Netgear A6210 USB WiFi Adapter
Here's what Netgear says about it:
"802.11ac Dual Band with High Gain Antenna
I use it to gain access to the internet thru XFinity WiFi at 60mbps. The Genie is connected to my desktop with Windows XP Pro with all the updates until Microsoft stopped updating it. I also use FireFox ESP 52.9.0 (32 bit) USB2.0
The Genie as far as I am concerned is a piece of crap! Each time I want to use my desktop, I have to go thru a routine of connection repairs before it works. Ever since the last Netgear update on it, I've had nothing than problems with it. It has been very unreliable. Even when I am on the internet, I can lose the connection at any given point in time. As a matter of fact, I just did a few seconds ago and had to do another connection repair. I have no problems using my other computers using the XFinity router/wifi. The problems are with the Netgear Genie.
I don't recommend this device for anyone using the USB 2.0 even tho the device is supposed to be compatible with all Windows and both USB 2.0 and 3.0.
"802.11ac Dual Band with High Gain Antenna
Your PC at the Speed of AC. Now Faster with USB 3.0
When it comes to connecting online, speed is everything. Now with this AC1200 USB 3.0 adapter, you can make even your older Windows®-based laptops and desktops connect at the speed of 802.11ac, the world's fastest WiFi technology. Increase range with high gain antennas, and with USB 3.0, you can connect even faster than USB 2.0. Just plug this adapter into a USB 3.0 port and enjoy faster browsing, streaming and gaming. Compatible with USB 2.0 and the latest 11ac WiFi devices and backward compatible with 802.11 a/b/g/n devices." | ||||||||||||||||||
| NetGear A6210 Genie |
I use it to gain access to the internet thru XFinity WiFi at 60mbps. The Genie is connected to my desktop with Windows XP Pro with all the updates until Microsoft stopped updating it. I also use FireFox ESP 52.9.0 (32 bit) USB2.0
The Genie as far as I am concerned is a piece of crap! Each time I want to use my desktop, I have to go thru a routine of connection repairs before it works. Ever since the last Netgear update on it, I've had nothing than problems with it. It has been very unreliable. Even when I am on the internet, I can lose the connection at any given point in time. As a matter of fact, I just did a few seconds ago and had to do another connection repair. I have no problems using my other computers using the XFinity router/wifi. The problems are with the Netgear Genie.
I don't recommend this device for anyone using the USB 2.0 even tho the device is supposed to be compatible with all Windows and both USB 2.0 and 3.0.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Canson® XL® Oil & Acrylic paper review
Canson® XL® Acrylic features a
bleed proof, canvas like textured paper that is ready to use with oil or
acrylic without the need of priming or preparation and it's my favorite paper to use. There is only a minimum of curling on the edges and is easily straightened out The weight is 136Lbs for both the 9x12" and the 11x14". One side has more texture than the other. Either side can be painted on. There are 24 sheets in both pads. I paid just under $10 for 9x12" and $12 for the 11x14" at my local Walmart.
I can easily recommend either sizes of this paper as there is no prep involved and I can use either oil or acrylic paints or both as in wet on wet technique. The paper will stay sturdy throughout my painting and don't have to worry about warping
Here are some paintings I did on the Canson XL Oil & Acrylic paper. They are all painted with Apple Barrel acrylic paints by Plaid.
I can easily recommend either sizes of this paper as there is no prep involved and I can use either oil or acrylic paints or both as in wet on wet technique. The paper will stay sturdy throughout my painting and don't have to worry about warping
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| male and female cardinals |
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| male cardinal |
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| chipmunk |
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| squirrel looking out of a hole in a wall |
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| my backyard squirrel sitting on a fence |
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| sunlight between rocks |
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| tall ship inundated by a huge wave |
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| tall ship getting hit by a huge wave |
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Folk Art acrylic paint review
Paints are rated on a light-fastness scale that runs from 1 to 5.
1=Excellent2=Very good
3=Good
4=Fair
5=Poor
All of the Folk Art Acrylic Paint Colors are rated Excellent or Very Good (1 or 2). These paints are made from some of the purest pigment available, which results in its superior quality.
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| folk art paint |
I could just use the Apple Barrel acrylic paints but every now and then I need something a bit heavier in viscosity so I turn to folk art paints. I've done plenty of paintings just using the folk art paints. The colors as with any acrylic paint dries darker than what you see when pouring it out to your palette so you may need to make some adjustments to enhance the color by adding a little white or yellow depending on what you are striving for. I usually end up having to add a few layers to my forefront to make them stand out. Often times the painting might look darker than I expected but when I add my acrylic sealant or a gloss varnish the colors seem to pop a bit more.
I do recommend using these paints. They are fairly inexpensive compared to the ones in a tube. They come in 2 oz and 8 oz bottles and are pour-able. The colors are vibrant and the paint has superior quality as the one's in tubes. Below are a few paintings I did using just the FolkArt acrylic paints by Plaid.
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| painting with FolkArt acrylic paints |
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| painting with FolkArt acrylic paints |
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| painting with FolkArt acrylic paints |
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| painting with FolkArt acrylic paints |
Saturday, July 7, 2018
Daler/Rowney acrylic paint paper review
Recently I stopped in at a local Walmart to buy an art paper pad for acrylics. I had used up my last paper and needed to stock up with my usual 9"x12" pad. I like to use these special papers for painting as they are inexpensive, light weight and are easy to store without taking a lot of space like stretched canvas would. Paintings look great on this paper and the colors get enhanced so much after putting on a sealer that sometimes it's hard to tell if the paint is oil or acrylic.
I paint for the sake of painting and unless I'm commissioned to do a painting, I"ll paint on paper. I live in an area where people will not pay much (over $50) for a painting, so I can offer them paper instead as long as it's good quality and has some decent weight. Weight of paper simply is determined how much pressure is used in creating it, i.e. 60# paper = 60# of pressure to make it. The higher the pressure the better the paper.
When I got to the area where the paper pads were, my usual paper pads were out of stock. All they had was Daler/Rowney 9"x12" Acrylic paper pad.
I like to cut these papers into 8"x10" for inexpensive frame options as one can find them just about anywhere for fairly cheap. This paper is 115lb and come 10 sheets to a pad. My price was $2.97 + tax. It was cheap enough to give them a try to see how well this paper performs compared to my usual ones. I was in a pinch and didn't have time running around looking for my usual papers, so I bought one pad.
The next day I decided to try a sheet out and compared it to what I was used to. The paper was much thinner and smoother. Once I started prepping my paper with a thin layer of gesso, the edges began curling and the middle buckled out. I had also used some masking tape for a straight line, for an ocean horizon, which I do often with my other papers. When I pulled the tape off, it pulled a layer of paper along with it. I also tape the corners down to keep the paper flat and so that it won't move and was worried that the tape would pull off a layer from my corners.
During the course of painting on this paper, I notice that things just began getting worse with warping. It would even undo the taped corners from my table as I painted. Each time I painted a layer I would have to stop and let the paper dry totally, before continuing otherwise I'd have a rolled up piece of paper. To solve the problem of warping on my next painting, I added a few layers of gesso on both sides of the paper. That seemed to have eliminated some of the problem. With thicker paper I've never had a problem of warping nor the need for gesso. The papers come ready for painting.
Once I finally got my painting done, it looked good but the paper was rolled up after drying. No....I do not like this paper by Daler/Rowney nor do I recommend it! There are much better papers out there available. Here is a link regarding painting on paper and the outcome: http://www.justpaint.org/paper-warping-when-painting-with-acrylics/
I paint for the sake of painting and unless I'm commissioned to do a painting, I"ll paint on paper. I live in an area where people will not pay much (over $50) for a painting, so I can offer them paper instead as long as it's good quality and has some decent weight. Weight of paper simply is determined how much pressure is used in creating it, i.e. 60# paper = 60# of pressure to make it. The higher the pressure the better the paper.
When I got to the area where the paper pads were, my usual paper pads were out of stock. All they had was Daler/Rowney 9"x12" Acrylic paper pad.
 | ||||
| acrylic paper |
The next day I decided to try a sheet out and compared it to what I was used to. The paper was much thinner and smoother. Once I started prepping my paper with a thin layer of gesso, the edges began curling and the middle buckled out. I had also used some masking tape for a straight line, for an ocean horizon, which I do often with my other papers. When I pulled the tape off, it pulled a layer of paper along with it. I also tape the corners down to keep the paper flat and so that it won't move and was worried that the tape would pull off a layer from my corners.
During the course of painting on this paper, I notice that things just began getting worse with warping. It would even undo the taped corners from my table as I painted. Each time I painted a layer I would have to stop and let the paper dry totally, before continuing otherwise I'd have a rolled up piece of paper. To solve the problem of warping on my next painting, I added a few layers of gesso on both sides of the paper. That seemed to have eliminated some of the problem. With thicker paper I've never had a problem of warping nor the need for gesso. The papers come ready for painting.
Once I finally got my painting done, it looked good but the paper was rolled up after drying. No....I do not like this paper by Daler/Rowney nor do I recommend it! There are much better papers out there available. Here is a link regarding painting on paper and the outcome: http://www.justpaint.org/paper-warping-when-painting-with-acrylics/
Monday, July 2, 2018
Apple Barrel Paint Review
I do a lot of painting and most of it is done with acrylics. Unless I'm doing a commissioned painting, I will only use either Apple Barrel or Folk Art acrylic paints by Plaid.
I've had a lot of good luck using them, I like them and best of all they won't cost me an arm and a leg. As a matter of fact I pay 50¢ for Apple Barrel matte colors and 97¢ for the gloss paints at my local Walmart. I use the 2oz bottles although some come in 8oz bottles for a bit more than I would pay for 4-2oz bottles. There is a satin finish paint in the 2oz bottles which cost me about $1.29 a bottle. Prices vary from location to location so what you might pay for a 2oz bottle might vary.
2=Very good
3=Good
4=Fair
5=Poor
All of the Apple Barrel Acrylic Colors and Apple Barrel Gloss paints are rated Excellent or Very Good (1 or 2). These paints are made from some of the purest pigment available, which results in its superior quality.
I currently have at least 75 bottles and half of them are unopened. Since I paint daily, I go through a lot of paints and don't want to take the time out to run out and buy more if I run out during a painting. Whenever I'm in a Walmart, I'll just go ahead and buy a few bottles that I use more often. The problem with Walmart is that the paints seem to be out of stock often, that's why I stock up in advance. I know buying them on the internet will cost me a lot more.
I've used them on just about every kind of painting from landscapes to portraits. The Apple Barrel paints are thinner than the traditional acrylic paints but work just as well for what I do. I've even used them on crafts and as long as I seal the paint with an acrylic sealer or varnish, they will last me a life time and then some.
I did have a problem about a year ago with the paint. They would smell like rotted flesh in the bottle and after I applied the paint. I contacted Plaid and received 50 new bottles for replacement. Fortunately I had a receipt for them all. Their answer for the smell was that someone had exposed the paints to extreme temps but I doubt that was the case. Never the less I have not had that problem since.
Here are a few paintings I did using just the Apple Barrel Matte acrylic paints.
I've had a lot of good luck using them, I like them and best of all they won't cost me an arm and a leg. As a matter of fact I pay 50¢ for Apple Barrel matte colors and 97¢ for the gloss paints at my local Walmart. I use the 2oz bottles although some come in 8oz bottles for a bit more than I would pay for 4-2oz bottles. There is a satin finish paint in the 2oz bottles which cost me about $1.29 a bottle. Prices vary from location to location so what you might pay for a 2oz bottle might vary.
Paints are rated on a light-fastness scale that runs from 1 to 5.
1=Excellent2=Very good
3=Good
4=Fair
5=Poor
All of the Apple Barrel Acrylic Colors and Apple Barrel Gloss paints are rated Excellent or Very Good (1 or 2). These paints are made from some of the purest pigment available, which results in its superior quality.
I currently have at least 75 bottles and half of them are unopened. Since I paint daily, I go through a lot of paints and don't want to take the time out to run out and buy more if I run out during a painting. Whenever I'm in a Walmart, I'll just go ahead and buy a few bottles that I use more often. The problem with Walmart is that the paints seem to be out of stock often, that's why I stock up in advance. I know buying them on the internet will cost me a lot more.
I've used them on just about every kind of painting from landscapes to portraits. The Apple Barrel paints are thinner than the traditional acrylic paints but work just as well for what I do. I've even used them on crafts and as long as I seal the paint with an acrylic sealer or varnish, they will last me a life time and then some.
I did have a problem about a year ago with the paint. They would smell like rotted flesh in the bottle and after I applied the paint. I contacted Plaid and received 50 new bottles for replacement. Fortunately I had a receipt for them all. Their answer for the smell was that someone had exposed the paints to extreme temps but I doubt that was the case. Never the less I have not had that problem since.
Here are a few paintings I did using just the Apple Barrel Matte acrylic paints.
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| squirrel in my backyard |
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| Luna our dog |
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| a bright fall day |
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| a walk thru the forest preserve |
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| melting ice on the lake |
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| mountain side brook |
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| sunrise at fall |
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