Portland's Water System

I am always amazed at the water that comes out of my faucet at home. After visiting my in-laws in Phoenix, Arizona, we realized how much we take for granted Portland's water. It is SO clean! The Portland Water Bureau mailed me (along with all other citizens) an annual water quality report, and I thought this image was very interesting. The water has been through quite a journey before it ends up in my cup, and I'm only talking about one phase of the water cycle: Runoff!

Image from the 2011 Portland Water Bureau Water Quality Report mailing
Imagine the incredible journey that all of these water droplets go through in the rest of the water cycle! Not only runoff, but also evaporation, condensation, and precipitation as well! Super cool.

Arizona Thunderstorm

Here is a video clip I took of the thunderstorm on the last night of our stay visiting family in Arizona. Jen and I were just sitting together in the garage, watching the amazing beauty of the lightning. Check out the clip below.

Cumulonimbus cloud from a plane!

Check out this amazing shot I took from the window of our plane. We were flying out of Phoenix, Arizona after visiting Jen's family, and saw this beautiful thunder cloud out of the window. The lady sitting next to me said she saw lightning, but I wasn't so fortunate. Such beauty from a perspective not often seen!


Finger Dancing?

Watch "Unleash Your Fingers" on YouTube
I can totally see this catching on with my students! It reminds me of pen spinning. I love how the geometric shapes and angles burst into the video. So cool. Gotta integrate this into my math classes somehow.



Traffic Paint

Watch "Painting Reality" on YouTube
This is awesome art, although I'm not so sure the street cleaners would be all that happy. :-)


New Rebecca Black Music Video

Watch "Rebecca Black - My Moment - Official Music Video" on YouTube
Her first music video, "Friday" was a painfully catchy song that often got stuck in my head. It even led me to do crazy things like actually play the video for my 8th graders!
Well, a new music video, titled "My Moment" is on YouTube and it actually seems legit. It is tolerable and I have a feeling I'll actually enjoy listening to it once it grows on me. Check out the video below. What do you think?


Gregor Mendel's Birthday!

Today is Gregor Mendel's birthday, according to today's Google Doodle. The letters are formed from the pea pods he is famous for. He was born on this day in 1822, and if he were still alive, he would be 189 years old. Like I taught my 8th graders last year, he is considered the "Father of Genetics" because of his breakthroughs using pea plants to learn about inheritance. His research allowed many scientists to discover new and amazing things about genetics and molecular biology.

Thanks to Delaney for pointing this out to me!

Mr. Riedl Has Poland Syndrome

When I was a kid, I was teased a lot for having a birthmark on my ear, for being short, and even for being a science nerd. But I was never teased for my Poland Syndrome.

Nobody ever notices my birth defect, unless I take off my shirt. So, of course, my students don't notice it since I wear a shirt and tie to school. I always share this fun fact with my classes when I introduce myself. They always get a kick out of how I can lick my own elbow, which is a side effect of my birth defect. I hope you are encouraged by this and learn something new!

I was born with Poland Syndrome, a very rare disorder that scientists know very little about. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, it is named after Alfred Poland, and is estimated to affect between 1-in-10,000 and 1-in-100,000 births. The cause is unknown, but "most evidence supports the idea that something happens during the 6th week of fetal development," possibly an interruption of the embryonic blood supply, stinting growth in a certain area.

Many features characterize this deformity, but here are the ones that specifically apply to me:
  • Absent pectoral muscle
  • Brachydactyly (short fingers)
  • Humerus, radius, ulna bones abnormal
  • Upper limb asymmetry

Based on pictures I have seen of other people online, it seems to me that I have a relatively mild case. I am missing my right pectoral muscle, my right arm bones don't rotate properly, my right arm is noticeably smaller, and my right hand is abnormally small with some crooked, short fingers. However, I can still do most normal physical activities that others can do.

I play sports, do push-ups, pull-ups, and can even walk on my hands. I have found that other muscles compensate for my missing pectoral, allowing me to have enough strength to perform basic activities.

I used to be afraid to tell people about my deformity because I thought people would make fun of me. But now, I have come to appreciate it. It is something special about me, something unique. Some people have big ears, some people are bald, some people are big, some are small, and some people are missing their pectoral muscle. Not a big deal to me. I love educating people about my rare birth defect because people are usually fascinated by it.

Many people in the world who are different are ashamed of being different. I am not. I am proud of who I am and how God created me. I know that I was made this way for a reason. It humbles me every day. Everyone has flaws, and I hope that when you discover things about yourself that are different from everyone else, that you would learn to appreciate it too. Never be ashamed of being unique! One day our bodies will waste away, and I want to be remembered as someone who cares about others more than myself.

JayCut Video Editing

I have discovered an awesome online video editing website called JayCut. This is the site I used to make the video of Nolan in his crib, a few posts ago. I have used Windows Movie Maker to do the same kind of thing in the past, but that program has always been touchy and problematic for me. JayCut is online, so it automatically saves your work if you forget (like I do). It is also very useful when sharing videos to different sources: Web, PC, or Mobile. You just need to upload the video and then you can chop it up, edit it, and create a great looking video.

Below is an image of what it looks like when using the JayCut editing program online. It is extremely easy to use, clear, and great for beginners.


I would definitely recommend my students using it for any school projects they might be putting together. An example of one video I made very quickly, only in about 30 minutes is below. I could have even added text or put music to it, but I decided to keep it simple. Check it out at jaycut.com and have fun with it!

South Sudan

Today is the day that South Sudan celebrates independence from the rest of Sudan. It is of special importance to a Sudanese neighbor of mine. She is one of the other gardeners in my community garden, and she told me (in broken English) that she is having a much more difficult time growing plants here since it is a different climate than what she is used to in Sudan.

She came to the U.S. with her seven children because she said her husband was doing a bad job taking care of them. She is a Christian, from the southern region of Sudan. The northern region of the country is mostly muslim, so many of the disputes were because of that clash. The civil war, death, and pain has been going on for a long time.

Now, there are two countries, and hopefully more peace in the area. South Sudan is one of the world's poorest countries. We will see what happens in the coming weeks, months, and years as they begin to develop separately. My neighbor is glad that things are looking good for the new Republic of South Sudan.

Math Dogs

When I was shopping for our 4th of July hot dogs, I couldn't help but see a math lesson in the works! What is the best deal here? It's hard to think when my mouth is craving barbecue tastiness! Mmm... Jen introduced turkey dogs to me... so good!