So I've been toying with the idea of 3D printing for almost an year now. Last October, after much research I went for the ultra-low budget printrbot. It was a complete disaster from shipping to installing to printing, every step of the process was slow and painstaking. Right now, 3D printing is still much of an enthusiast movement, and it ...

Last weekend I went to see the Hoyt with Theresa. She was eager to give me a lesson in Botany, and I was craving for a morning walk, so we chose the Arboretum in Portland. It seemed like a good place to visit in the fall, although the evergreens and morning sun peaking through the branches are fairly good excuses ...

We live simultaneously in a market-driven world and a social-driven world. And I feel like some people don't know how and when to differentiate between the two. I'll tell you a personal story that happened to me not so long ago; see if you can pick up where my friend got mixed up in the two worlds. Background story: My ...

When I meant aerial photography, what I really meant was I took some photos on a plane during a trip from Portland to Houston. The cameras on mobile phones these days are comparable to what you would get if you would shoot with a kit lens of DSLR, so the photos aren't actually bad. In fact, I'm quite amazed at ...

Seriously, this is why men need to be more vocal about gender. Or at least those who speak about gender, speak with empathy towards men.Helaine Olen, writing to Reuters, claims that the lack of workplace flexibility is sexism towards women! At one point she goes as far as to saying that government should intervene and penalize companies that don't offer ...

The last year has been quite an eventful year. I earned a PhD, got a kick-ass job, moved to the west-coast, settled down in a new city, a new home, met some amazing people and learnt a lot about myself and the world I inhabit. Here's five.1.) I like doing things more than I like debating about things. My PhD ...

This is a sensitive issue. Aside from comments like "That's cute, but men can't be raped", "He probably enjoyed it. Men always enjoy sex." and "How do you get an erection if you're not aroused?", there is a general disregard for male victims - both from other men and women. I'll talk about why later, but let's first look at ...

As a much needed company outing, we went out and watched Ender's Game in one of those fancy lounge cinema places where you can order drinks and food and can also sit comfortably in a rather extravagantly decorated room with couches/loveseats etc. Surprisingly the film that we watched was pretty good too. Ender's Game, a film based on the 1985 ...

Photocredit: abrinskyIn the beginning, man thought the mind and body were separate from each other. Religion and philosophies based on a "soul" or a metaphysical substance that goes beyond rules of day-to-day life was embraced, partly due to the grandeur of having a spiritual existence, partly due to our egoistical and narcissistic notion that humans are somehow different from nature. ...

Remember Mt Saint Helens? I went there again this weekend. This time attacking the volcano from the southeast side. I started on the Lava Canyon trailhead but couldn't complete it because the sun was setting on me sooner than I expected. Yes, the winter is coming! I managed about 2 miles and then started to head back because I didn't ...

I wanted to go to Crater Lake this weekend but US government had better ideas. I really hope the shutdown doesn't last any longer because there are so many national parks that I want to go to before it gets cold. Anyways, I decided to go see Angel's Rest, which seems to be one of the favourite spots among locals.Much ...

I don't deny it. I'm attracted to sexy women. From the irresistible Hannah Simone to the luscious Kate Upton (nsfw links), I enjoy and appreciate the female form. I don't know anything about these women; their education, livelihood, sense of humor or political ideology: it is quite irrelevant really, and my brain has no space for such subtlety. I just ...

I'm pretty psyched about this.I haven't had a proper desktop for nearly 5 years now, so I didn't plan on going kosher on this. So without further adieu, let's get on to business.CPU: Intel i7-4770K. This is the flagship 4th generation Intel processor, until the Haswell-E lineup comes to the market. And it is damn fast. The stock speed is ...

After a rough week at work and nearly 24 hours of staring at a LCD screen I needed to get out. I recently got a neutral density filter for my lens as well as a travel tripod, so I wanted to go out and capture some flowing water. So naturally, silver falls state park was my go to destination.The hike ...

Last weekend I went on a hike to Mount hood. It's a dormant volcano and the highest point in the state of Oregon. The top of the mountain is covered with snow even in the summer and people do ski in that area. The skiing season really begins in late autumn, and apparently it gets really busy. So I wanted ...

I feel like this is least talked about and underrated technology out there.Ever wanted to wirelessly broadcast a video from your PC to your TV? How about a web-browser window or a powerpoint presentation or netflix, or youtube or any goddamn application that you can run on your PC? How about your entire desktop, reproduced with HD clarity, 5.1 surround ...

Blatant disobeying of rules.I came across this while visiting Crystal Spring's Rhododendron garden the other day. Looks like someone thoroughly enjoys breaking the rules. Btw, if you're planning to visit the garden: don't. It's a unkept mess with no flowers what-so-ever. The people at the front gate charge you $4 for entrance without warning you of the parks condition. If ...

Last weekend I visited Mount St. Helens in the state of Washington - around 2 and half hour drive from the city of Portland. It's an active volcano that last erupted in 1980 killing 57 people and destroying over 250 homes. It's recorded as the deadliest and most economically destructive eruption observed in the recent history of the United States. ...

Walked around the rose garden at Washington Park today. Being a sunny Sunday, parking was a nightmare. But eventually found a spot. The whole place had a lingering aroma of spring and happiness. I was drinking my first Kombacha tea as I walked around, and that may have also helped with the heightened senses, but it certainly was a pleasant ...

From a gallery at MoMA, NYC (2010)1.) Blaming everything on the "Patriachy""OMG Patriarchy!" One of the most common things that you would hear a feminist say. Apparently everything in her life, all her trails and tribunals, all the unsuccessful endeavors she started but couldn't complete, and everything she didn't start because of her irrational fears, is due to Patriarchy. Patriarchy, ...