binding posts are the type of connecters you see on the back of some home 
stereo speakers...it has a large plastic nut that spins on a metal 
post...you wrap the wire around the post under the nut and tighten the nut 
back down...most modern binding posts have a hole through the center of the 
metal contact post, near the bottom, that you can put the wire through for 
better contact and to keep it attached better.
Most binding posts also have a banana plug jack on the top of the post where 
you can push a smaller female post into the end of the binding post.
they're also called 5 way binding posts because they have up to 5 different 
methods of attaching wires...you can also double or tripple up wires around 
the post for multiple devices.
Usually the posts come in pairs, a posative and negative.  You can mount 
them to something, and attach the feed wires to lugs on the under side of 
the mounting plate or at the very bottom of the post itself.

Anderson power poles are basically double conducter connecters, that go 
together...they can be pulled apart, and they can only go together one way, 
so you can't reverse polarity or anything.
They are the standard connecters used for ARES and lots of other amateur 
radio related situations.
regards
Colin
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John E Sherrer" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 9:29 AM
Subject: Re: Binding post strip


> What is a Binding Pole?
> What is a power pole?
>
> John
> http://WhiteCane.org
> http://BlindWoodWorker.com
> http://abrcaa.com
> http://www.holyteaclub.com/whitecane
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 11:19 AM
> Subject: Re: Binding post strip
>
>
>>I personally don't like Anderson power poles, but to each his own.  I have
>> a couple things that I think were made by mfj.  They have two wires that
>> hook up to your supply.  It is a rectangle about 2 inches wide and 7 or 8
>> long with 4 sets of what I think we used to call 3 way binding posts.  I
>> know power poles some how got to be a sort of standard, I just don't use
>> or like them.  And to save list traffic, I have no interest in debating
>> power poles good and bad points.  The MFJ thing is neat and works well. 
>> I
>> can't tell you exactly what they're called as I was given one by a 
>> friend,
>> and I bought the other one at a swap fest.
>> 73
>> Butch Bussen
>> wa0vjr
>> open Node 3148
>> Las Vegas
>>