David L. Farquhar, computer security professional, train hobbyist, and landlord
O27 scale is something of a misnomer. If you’re looking for scale fidelity, you won’t find a lot of it in O27, regardless of manufacturer. But there are still some general guidelines you can follow.
O27 is the designation for entry level O gauge trains that are smaller and less expensive, though capable of running on the same track. But their scale can be confusing, even for experienced hobbyists.
The IBM PS/Valuepoint was IBM’s attempt to address public objections to the IBM PS/2 series. Introduced in October 1992, they were the most clone-like IBM business desktops since the IBM PC/AT. As the name suggests, they were designed to be price competitive with the higher-end PC clones like a Compaq Deskpro. IBM sold them alongside the PS/1 and PS/2.
The Old City Hospital in St. Louis operated from 1845 to 1985. The present-day structure dates to 1896. Initially founded to deal with a severe cholera outbreak, the City of St. Louis owned and operated the hospital for nearly a century and a half.
Old City Hospital in St. Louis occupied five city blocks at the intersection of 14th and Lafayette Avenue. A public hospital serving the poor and uninsured, it had a capacity of approximately 1,100 beds.
The Sega Genesis and Nintendo SNES were natural rivals. They weren’t the only 16-bit game consoles of their era, but they ended up being the two most popular. Sega leapfrogged Nintendo with the Genesis, and the SNES was Nintendo’s answer. Let’s take a look at the Genesis vs SNES.
Overall the SNES was the better console of the two and its popularity reflects that. But the Genesis had its moments, so it retains a following today, even if it has to stand in the shadow of the SNES.
I recently acquired a 3D printed door for my Commodore 1084 monitor. It was missing its original. Of course, it came in white. I can live without an imperfect match, but I want something closer than white. But can you paint 3D printed objects? Yes you can. Here’s how to paint 3D printed models.
Plastic can be tricky to paint, but 3D prints tend to have some texture, and that makes it easier for paint to bond to them than molded plastic. Still, some prep work is still a good idea.
The S gauge vs O gauge rivalry is certainly a natural one. They were the two most popular sizes of electric train immediately after World War II, before HO scale eclipsed both of them in the later half of the 1950s. Let’s take a look at the two standards for trains, what’s different about them, and see what kind of common ground we can find between them.
Years ago, my monitor broke. Back then we had repair shops for such things. I called one and described the symptoms I was having. “Sounds like it could be a cold solder joint. Bring it in,” he said. But what is a cold solder joint? Isn’t solder hot?
A cold solder joint doesn’t refer to temperature, but rather, lack of electrical conductivity. A cold solder joint is a solder connection that isn’t conducting electricity the way it should.
Does paint have lead in it? It’s not supposed to anymore, because it’s a serious safety issue. But there was a time when it did, and people might even pay extra for more of it. So why did paint have lead in it, and what can you do about it now?
Ingesting lead lowers IQ and causes other health issues. That’s why the United States banned lead paint for residential use in 1978. However, certain industrial paints, such as the paints used for street markings, can still contain lead even today.
Gaslight Square was a popular arts and entertainment district in the St. Louis Central West End neighborhood whose heyday ran from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s. It was a three-block area near the intersection of Olive and Boyle, a mile or so north of what’s now the Cortex District. Today, suburban-style housing stands where the clubs and shops once stood. One business with a Gaslight Square connection remains, operating nearly three miles away.
Gaslight Square was a phenomenon, a widely cited example of urban redevelopment, born of a tornado, and extinguished by a highly publicized murder. Despite its best efforts, St. Louis has never replicated it.
If you’re messing around with routers, you’re going to come across the phrase 30-30-30 reset. Often without explanation. Here’s what this reset is and why it works.
A 30-30-30 reset is the technique of holding the reset button on a router for 30 seconds, unplugging the power at the 30 second mark while continuing to hold the button down, then plugging the power back in while holding the button an additional 30 seconds before releasing. It’s helpful on older routers, but on AC routers and newer, it’s not recommended.