Author Archives: torbengb

How large is the broad side of a barn, anyway?

I was trying to find a way to remember my license plate that ends with the letters “FB”. I discovered that it is also a unit of measurement used in particle physics: fb means femtobarn. What I want to share here is the ridiculous backstory of this unit of measurement: what the hell is a femtobarn?! Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Achievement unlocked: maintain “inbox zero” for a year

“Inbox zero” means having no messages in your “IN” tray (and keeping it that way). This is not meant to be a goal in itself, but it’s a clear indication of whether or not you’re staying on top of things.

With Outlook I have finally been able to maintain “inbox zero” since I started this job last year. I feel it’s worth sharing my method in the following. Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Achievement unlocked: maintain “inbox zero” for a year

Get fooled by this photo

“Big boys have big toys,” as they say. The obvious downside is that big toys are expensive. I’d love to drive around some tricky off-road terrain in a Land Rover Defender, but solid off-road trucks cost at least one year’s worth of salary (or two, or three…). Radio-controlled models are much cheaper and provide lots of entertainment – and look incredibly convincing. Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Get fooled by this photo

Linux: How to lose data fast with ‘rsync’

I’ve been around Linux long enough to know that the fabled Linux command `rm -Rf *` is dangerous, and I have to say I’ve never lost data by using that one wrong. But there are other, more subtle ways to lose data if you’re not careful, and today I’m going to share a tale of this. Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Linux: How to lose data fast with ‘rsync’

Fasten your seat belt!

Two cars collide directly in front of me on the highway during my morning commute. One car gets flipped on its side, driver is not wearing a seat belt. Stupid! Please, people: wear a seat belt! Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Fasten your seat belt!