Archives for December 2024

Happy Monday and Happy National Pastry Day! 🥐 It’s the perfect day to treat yourself to something sweet and flaky! What’s your favorite type of pastry?

In This Issue: Overcoming Challenges and Thriving in a Busy Week! | Deal of the Day | Cisco Female Console Adapter | Twinax Cables | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Overcoming Challenges and Thriving in a Busy Week!

Happy Monday!

16 days and counting! The weekend flew by quickly even though we didn’t do anything super exciting. Part of it was because my youngest daughter was sick and slept most of the weekend. She’s feeling better, but caught some bug that’s been going around. She also has been dealing with an ear infection, poor girl.

Other than that I changed the oil on my Volkswagen Beetle and changed a headlight bulb, which was a bit complicated, since everything near the headlight is so compact in those tiny cars. I kept having to reference a YouTube video on how to do it. I may save myself the trouble and pay a mechanic to do these things next time. But it was a good experience overall to get to know how stuff in the vehicle works.

This week will be a busy one with a children’s Christmas play coming up (my daughter has a speaking role), and an Odyssey of the Mind competition on the weekend. Tis the season for business! But don’t forget to stop and appreciate what you have!

I hope you have a great day and a wonderful week!

Cris

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

This Cisco adapter is a straight-through DB9 Female to RJ45 Female, perfect for connecting desktop terminals back to a central patch panel. This includes equipment like printers, POS terminals, modems and other kinds of serial equipment. Having this kind of adapter on hand can make a complicated connection project a lot easier.

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Learning Center Article – Fast Data, Zero Hassle: Discover the Power of Twinax Cables for Seamless Connectivity!

Twinax cables have emerged as a popular solution. They provide high-speed data transfers with minimal interference. Twinax cables also strike the perfect balance between performance and cost-effectiveness. In this article, we’ll explore why Twinax cables are a top choice and highlight two standout products: the Meraki QSFP+ Passive Twinax Cable and the 10GBASE-CU Twin-Ax SFP+ Active Cable.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• This December, Netflix offers a festive lineup for every viewer. Highlights include That Christmas (Dec. 4), a heartwarming animated family movie perfect for the holidays, and Maria (Dec. 11), a biopic starring Angelina Jolie that’s already generating Oscar buzz. For thrill-seekers, Carry-On (Dec. 13) delivers an intense Christmas Eve airport thriller. On the skip list are Mary (Dec. 6), a biblical drama about the Virgin Mary, and The Six Triple Eight (Dec. 20), a World War II film that may not suit everyone’s holiday mood. Plan your movie marathon and pick your favorites!
• Dollar General is testing same-day delivery from about 75 of its stores.
• On Dec. 13, Burger King is giving away free King Jr. Meals with a $10 purchase to celebrate the holidays. In addition, the fast-food spot will offer more perks and deals as part of its “The Most Whopper-ful Time of the Year,” campaign happening all month long.
• Pepsi has left fans divided with the launch of their new Christmas-inspired flavor. The cola company has launched Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread in the US – that is said to blend its signature taste with festive flavors such as cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, and molasses. The fizzy drink comes packaged in a new brown colored can, complete with an adorable gingerbread character on the tin.

Happy Friday! We hope you had a wonderful week and are looking forward to the weekend ahead. Do you have any plans? We’d love to hear about them!

In This Issue: Holiday Traditions | Deal of the Day | HP Original Hard Drive | NaaS (Networking as a Service) | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Holiday Traditions

Happy Friday!

The holiday season is here. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is counting down to midnight with my family and opening gifts exactly at 12am. Afterward, we enjoy the delicious food we’ve prepared together.

Seeing my kids’ faces light up as they open their gifts is absolutely priceless. To add a little extra magic, ‘Santa’ secretly drops off the gifts just minutes before midnight—bringing an extra spark of excitement to the moment!

What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Share it with us! 🎄

Avain

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The SAS hard drives operate in a state-of-the-art performance for hosting high transaction applications. The SAS hard drives are available in 2.5-inch small form factor (SFF) and comes in a wide selection of storage capacity. Each hard drive is wiped of previous information and is fully tested.

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Learning Center Article – NaaS (Networking as a Service)

Networking can prove challenging, especially when your business and networking needs grow. It takes a lot of expertise, not to mention time, money, and energy to design, build, and maintain a professional network. If you’re looking for an easier option, it does exist, and it goes by the name, “NaaS”.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• NASA officials announced the delay at a news conference on Thursday, also noting that the Artemis III mission—which would be the first to land humans on the moon since the Apollo program in 1972—would be delayed from 2026 to “mid-2027.”
• Foods that make you feel good in times of stress are often not good for you. But in a sweet turn of events, scientists have found that pairing a high-fat meal with a certain kind of cocoa could counteract some troubling health downsides.
• Lululemon surpassed Wall Street’s expectations for both revenue and earnings, delivering solid results ahead of the holiday season. While the athletic apparel retailer reported slowing sales in its largest market, the Americas, it continues to see strong growth internationally. The company’s holiday guidance aligns with expectations, maintaining optimism for the festive season.
• One of the most critically mauled movies of 2024 has now landed on Netflix. The science fiction thriller Subservience stars Megan Fox as an android which, as so often happens with these things, gradually gains sentience and becomes hostile. Centering on the topical subject of the ethics and issues with AI, with a horror twist, Subservience was panned by both audiences and critics when it was released back in September. But, now that you can stream the movie on Netflix, is it worth another look?

Happy Thursday! ❄️ We’re so close to the weekend! Take a moment to appreciate how much you’ve accomplished this week—you’re doing great.

In This Issue: The Trip of a Lifetime | Deal of the Day | Cisco Rack Mount Kit | Cisco 3750X Network Switch | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – The Trip of a Lifetime

Happy Thursday!

I wanted to share a little about the best vacation I have ever been on. For me, it was our trip to Osaka and Kyoto, Japan, right before the pandemic hit in February 2020. It was such a special time because it was our family’s first trip outside the Philippines, and we were all complete.

Everything about the trip was perfect. The beautiful places, the amazing food, the friendly people, and the cool weather all came together to create one of the happiest moments of our lives. It is a memory I will always treasure and hope to relive someday.

Now I am curious. What is the best vacation you have ever been on? Where did you go, and what made it so memorable? I would love to hear your story! 😊

Regina

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Constructed from high quality steel, the rack is sturdy and reliable and holds your equipment safely in place. Using the rack mount kit, proper airflow and efficient cable management for the routers can be ensured. This helps in maintaining the reliability and performance of the networking equipment while saving space in the rack. The rack mount kit provides a convenient and organized way to install and manage the Cisco routers in a rack environment.

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Learning Center Article – Why Choose the Cisco 3750X Network Switch for Ethernet?

In today’s fast-paced business environment, having an efficient and scalable network infrastructure is essential for staying competitive. As companies grow and their technological needs expand, the demand on their networks increases as well. A well-implemented network switch serves as the foundation, ensuring all devices within a network are connected seamlessly, allowing data to flow efficiently between systems.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• It’s been two years since we last saw Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, but the spooky queen will be returning to our screens next year in season two of Wednesday, and Netflix has offered the first look at Ortega back in her iconic role.
• American Airlines, which partners with Citi and Barclays for co-branded credit cards following its 2013 merger with US Airways, has announced a new agreement with Citi set to begin in January 2026. These co-branded card deals are a major revenue source, generating billions and significantly boosting airline profitability.
• Pizza Hut is launching a pilot restaurant with new features including a “guest-facing pizza-making station” and self-service kiosks. The new restaurant in Plano, Texas will feature “digital and technology innovations” to newer fast-food restaurants as well as energy-efficient kitchen appliances.
• Austin bars know how to do the holiday season right. The city offers a variety of festive pop-up bars and holiday-themed cocktails to get you into the spirit(s). From cozy, fireside lounges to over-the-top Christmas-themed bars, there’s something for everyone.

Happy Wednesday! We are halfway through the week. How’s your to-do list looking? Cheers to a great rest of your week!

In This Issue: Thanksgiving in Disney! | Deal of the Day | Kendall Howard Sliding Keyboard/Mouse Tray | CMP Cables for Fire-Resistant Performance | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Thanksgiving in Disney!

Happy Wednesday!

I’m sure you are all on the edge of your seats waiting for me to report back on my Disney trip…haha probably not but I’ll update you anyways!

The trip went well! It was a good time with family and Disney was fun. I was surprised at the amount of people. I was really expecting it to be a mad house and for there to be lines for days, but I think the longest we waited in a line was about 50 minutes. Most everything else was fairly quick!

Taking our little one was so fun. There were times where he had his moments (don’t we all) but when we were on rides he loved it. I think his top two rides were the Nemo ride and the Buzz Lightyear ride, both in Magic Kingdom. He loves Nemo and all things fish and sea life. After we rode the ride and it dumped us out in their little area of fish tanks and such, he ran straight to the tank with the manatees. On the Buzz Lightyear ride, I think he got a kick out of using the lever to spin our rocket around and around in circles over and over again.

It was a non-traditional Thanksgiving for us, but it was nice to spend time with family considering all the changes that have taken place this year. I’m looking forward to the additional family time to come in the weekends to come and for a few weeks of less travel!

Ashley

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

This simple, yet effective sliding shelf is perfect for keyboards, writing surfaces and mouse trays. Mounts in just minutes to any Performance Series Workstation. The 19″ x 19″ sliding tray will accommodate most standard keyboards.

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Learning Center Article – Don’t Risk Your Network’s Safety! CMP Cables for Fire-Resistant Performance

In any modern building, safety and reliability are essential, and choosing the right network cabling plays a vital role in achieving both. CMP-rated cables are specifically engineered for environments with air circulation systems, such as plenum spaces, where standard cables may increase fire risks. CMP cables use fire-retardant materials to reduce flame spread and smoke production. They are essential for maintaining safety and meeting fire regulations.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• In anticipation of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule that would cut allowable late fees, credit card issuers like Synchrony and Bread Financial have increased interest rates and introduced new fees, despite doubts the regulation will take effect. Other banks, including Barclays and Citigroup, have also raised interest rates on their store cards, citing the potential impact of the proposed changes.
• Starbucks’ early 2025 menu has been leaked online, and it appears big changes are ahead at the coffee chain. Called the “winter part two menu,” it comes after Starbucks holiday menu was released in November with the likes of Cran-Merry Orange Refresher and a Turkey Sage Danish. 
• Netflix has acquired the rights to a viral epic fantasy trilogy in a seven-figure deal. The first book, which skyrocketed to No. 1 on Amazon’s bestseller chart, gained massive popularity on BookTok, amassing 3 million views within two months of its debut. Written by the acclaimed author of Blood & Rose and Dirty Nasty Freeks, this trilogy is set to expand Netflix’s slate of literary adaptations.
• Apple disclosed at Amazon’s annual AWS Reinvent conference that it utilizes Amazon Web Services’ custom AI chips for tasks like search and is exploring their potential for pretraining Apple Intelligence AI models. This collaboration highlights Apple’s reliance on AWS and serves as a significant endorsement for Amazon’s cloud services as they compete with Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud for dominance in AI spending.

Happy Tuesday! Black Friday and Cyber Monday are complete. Did you score any big deals? Were there any deals you were shocked to see?

In This Issue: A Fruitful Thanksgiving Season | Deal of the Day | Velcro One-Wrap Straps | Best Rack Cable Management Solutions | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Fruitful Thanksgiving Season

Good morning & happy Tuesday! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

I love this time of year when, even though it seems like time flies, we also get a few days to slow down and enjoy time with family. We had a great Thanksgiving dinner with an obscene amount of food. Some of the favorites were of course the sweet potatoes along with the green beans and scallop potatoes. It was delicious food but we were all miserably stuffed by the end of dinner!

The rest of the weekend was also a lot of fun as we got to watch the Dawgs squeak by with a win against Georgia Tech on Friday night. On Saturday we celebrated my niece Charlotte’s 8th birthday at my house, followed by a trip to Urban Air which the kids LOVED. On Sunday we went to church and then had a lowkey afternoon which was nice. I feel like I truly soaked up every moment of the long weekend and am thankful for all of it!

Rebecca

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Managing cables of any kind has never been easier. No more looking for the right size strap, cutting and replacing zip ties or relying on more expensive proprietary solutions to make sure your cables are in order. Replacing, changing and troubleshooting copper, fiber and power cable runs is a snap when they are organized using these VELCRO® Brand Qwik Tie Die Cut Straps.

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Learning Center Article – Upgrade Your Network: Discover the Best Rack Cable Management Solutions!

Rack cable management is essential for keeping your network efficient, organized, and easy to maintain. Without proper organization, cables can quickly become tangled, making troubleshooting a nightmare and disrupting airflow that’s crucial for cooling equipment. Professional-level cable management not only improves functionality but also presents a clean, tidy appearance that reflects well on any organization.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Jaguar revealed its new vehicle design direction of an all-electric concept car called “Type 00.” The vehicle features a minimalistic yet somewhat gaudy design. The new car is boxy with sleek lights and large wheels, a notably visual change from the brand’s current, sporty cars and SUVs.
• Frontier Airlines will install first-class seats as industry battles for high-paying flyers.
• Disney’s “Moana 2,” Universal’s “Wicked” and Paramount’s “Gladiator II” pushed the five-day Thanksgiving holiday to its biggest haul in cinematic history.
• Microsoft was accused in a U.K. lawsuit of unfairly overcharging customers of rival cloud companies including Amazon, Google and Alibaba Cloud. The lawsuit alleges U.K. businesses are forced to pay more to license Microsoft’s Windows Server software on rival firms’ clouds than its own Azure platform.

Happy Monday! 🍂 After a holiday filled with gratitude, it’s time to dive into a fresh start. Let’s channel that post-Thanksgiving energy into a productive week ahead!

In This Issue: Thankful Feasts, Festive Traditions, and Holiday Cheer Ahead! | Deal of the Day | Cat5e Surface Mount | Best Outdoor Wi-Fi Access Point Solutions | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Thankful Feasts, Festive Traditions, and Holiday Cheer Ahead!

Happy Monday!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Ours was busy, but full of thankfulness and great food! We had two great traditional Thanksgiving meals and one not so traditional family meal the day before Thanksgiving.

At one of our gatherings, we had sort of a “Tacosgiving” which has been a bit of a running joke at the office, but I thought I’d make it a reality with my in-laws. I made some delicious steak fajitas for my in-laws, and they made some awesome chicken tortilla soup! Afterwards we all headed to the cinema to watch Moana 2 with all of our kids. A quick review – it wasn’t as great as the original. I think the songs had a lot to do with it, I can’t really remember a stand out song in the film, whereas the original had some earworms like “You’re Welcome” and “How far I’ll go”. The story was engaging and the kids loved it, so that was a plus!

The day after Thanksgiving we broke out the old artificial Christmas tree and decorated it for Christmas! It really lightened the mood. It’s said you can tell the age of an artificial Christmas Tree by the number of duct tape rings on the box and ours have plenty, it’s ancient! By the way only 23 days left until Christmas!

I hope you have a great day and a wonderful week!

Cris

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Give your wiring installation a finished look with these RJ45 surface mount jacks for Cat5e. Mount these on any flat surface for easy connections. Termination style is a 110 punch down.

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Learning Center Article – Don’t Miss Out: Maximize Your Wi-Fi with the Best Outdoor Access Point Solutions

In today’s fast-paced world, reliable internet connectivity is essential, not just indoors but outdoors as well. From parks to outdoor business spaces and large campuses, having seamless Wi-Fi access in open areas has become a necessity. Outdoor Wi-Fi access points (APs) provide the solution, delivering consistent and widespread wireless coverage that keeps users connected no matter where they are.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• JINGLE! held its grand opening on Saturday, lighting up the tree with the help of actor and Kansas City native Rob Riggle.
• ‘Moana 2’ snares $221 million in its five-day domestic opening, fueling the biggest Thanksgiving box office of all time.
• Popeyes is launching a new festive family box and a few fantastic mid-week deals.
• TikTok is expanding its dominance by promoting TikTok Shop as a competitive e-commerce platform, enticing Amazon sellers with low fees and company-funded discounts. The platform has even recruited talent from Amazon to bolster its efforts. Despite the looming threat of a potential U.S. ban on January 19, many retailers and brands remain committed to investing in TikTok Shop, recognizing its growing potential in the e-commerce space.