Author: Dave Farquhar

OPS in baseball statistics

Dave Farquhar Baseball
OPS in baseball statistics

Baseball, perhaps more than any other sport, attempts to quantify how good or bad a player is with statistics. Most baseball statistics only measure a small part of a player’s ability. One statistic that gained popularity in recent decades is On-base Plus Slugging, or OPS. Here’s an explanation of OPS in baseball and what it means.

OPS is the sum of a player’s on base percentage plus slugging percentage. Modern analysts argue it’s a better measure of a player’s ability than traditional stats like batting average or runs batted in.

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Which wire is hot, black or white? Is the black wire hot?

Dave Farquhar DIY
Which wire is hot, black or white? Is the black wire hot?

If you don’t do electrical work very often, it can be confusing and can lead to questions. Is the black wire hot? Which wire is hot, black or white?

By convention, the white wire is neutral, the black wire is hot, and a green or bare wire is ground. But the first rule is there are no rules. So if you see lots of different colors in an electrical box, you probably need to call an electrician. But if you see three or four colors, you can probably figure it out.

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Most valuable baseball cards of the 1990s

Dave Farquhar Baseball , , , , , , ,
Most valuable baseball cards of the 1990s

Baseball cards were big in the 1980s, which led to overproduction and the baseball card bubble. That overproduction spilled over into the 1990s, and so did some of baseball’s scandals. Between that, and so many people buying and preserving cards during that decade, there aren’t a lot of super-valuable cards from the 1990s. But that doesn’t mean all 1990s baseball cards are worthless, and you’re more likely to find a stash from the ’90s than the ’70s. So let’s take a look at the most valuable baseball cards of the 1990s. The decade includes at least one big surprise.

The 1990s featured a number of exceptional players. And by late decade, the manufacturers had mostly sorted out their overproduction issues. Late 1990s cards also tend to be very attractive, with vivid colors and high quality photography. So the 1990s can be a nice decade to collect, even if the 1980s jaded you like it did me.

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How to cut FRP panels quickly and easily

Dave Farquhar DIY
How to cut FRP panels quickly and easily

I recently put some FRP in a bathroom to shore up the area around the shower head. If you’re wondering how to cut FRP panels, or you’re just looking for the best way to cut FRP wall panels to a smaller size, I have some tips.

FRP won’t win design awards, but if you need a waterproof material to protect a wall from moisture, it’s inexpensive and works extremely well. Besides using it inside a shower, I’ve also used it to waterproof a bathroom window that was near a shower to prevent future moisture damage.

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Nintendo NES AC adapter replacement

Dave Farquhar Retro Gaming , , ,
Nintendo NES AC adapter replacement

If you misplaced the AC adapter/power supply that came with your Nintendo NES, or it broke, you may need a replacement Nintendo NES AC adapter. Fortunately, you have a number of options.

Most devices are super picky about electricity. Don’t use random AC adapters as a general practice. What I’m about to say applies to the original Nintendo NES console, and the original NES only. I have general advice on replacing AC adapters that applies to other devices.

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Why have Marx toys dropped in value?

Dave Farquhar Uncategorized , , , , , , , , ,

“Why have Marx toys dropped in value?” you ask? Blame Millennials. Well, actually, my generation bears more of the blame for this one. Blame Gen X. The value of vintage toys tends to follow trends, and those trends don’t necessarily pass from generation to generation.

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Least valuable baseball cards

Dave Farquhar Baseball , , , , , , , , , ,
Least valuable baseball cards

I’ve talked about the most valuable baseball cards of the 1970s and 1980s. But what about the least valuable baseball cards? What does it take to be on that list? What is the Kmart blue-light special of baseball cards?

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Rent a house with bad credit

Dave Farquhar Landlording , , , , , , ,
Rent a house with bad credit

If you need to know how to rent a house with bad credit, it’s possible. You have an uphill climb, but renting a home with bad credit isn’t a completely hopeless cause. Here are some tips from a landlord.

How do I know it’s an uphill climb? Other landlords ask me if I’d rent to someone with bad credit. But what I’d tell you is probably more valuable to you than what I tell them.

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Commodore RAM expansion units

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing , , , , , , ,
Commodore RAM expansion units

The 6502-family CPUs in Commodore 8-bit computers famously used 64K of RAM at a time. But in 1985, Commodore introduced a cartridge that added up to 512K of RAM to the 128. Commodore followed up soon after with a 256K cartridge for the 64. How did Commodore RAM expansion units work?

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Fix gaps in laminate floor

Dave Farquhar DIY

Sometimes the locking system on laminate floor fails over time. When this happens, the piece slides around, leaving a big, unslightly gap in the floor. Tearing the floor up and replacing the worn-out pieces takes a lot of time and runs the risk of creating more damage. When this happens, here’s how to easily fix gaps in laminate floor.

You will want to fix these gaps sooner, rather than later. Gaps in laminate floor increase the risk of gouging the individual pieces.

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