-Thirty times larger than the Empire State Building, the Pyramid’s features are so large they can be seen from the Moon.

-Its base covers 13.6 acres (equal to seven midtown Manhattan City blocks), each side being greater than five acres in area.

-A highway lane eight feet wide and four inches thick could be built from San Francisco to New York and put inside the Great Pyramid.

-The oldest structure in existence, having been started 4,617 years ago, it is the sole remnant of the Seven Wonders of the World.

- It is built to face true North

- The Pyramid is located at the exact center of the Earth’s land mass. That is, its East-West axis corresponds to the longest land parallel across the Earth, passing through Africa, Asia, and America. Similarly, the longest land meridian on Earth, through Asia, Africa, Europa, and Antarctica, also passes right through the Pyramid. Since the Earth has enough land area to provide 3 billion possible building sites for the Pyramid, the odds of it’s having been built where it is are 1 in 3 billion

-The casing stones, 144,000 in all, were so brilliant that they could literally be seen from the mountains of Israel hundreds of miles away. On bright mornings and late afternoons, sunlight reflected by this vast mirrored surface of 5-1/4 acres distinguished the Pyramid as being visible from the moon. (Note: For those interested in possible symbolic significance, in Bible prophecy 144,000 is the number of people-12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel-who are supposed to evangelize the world at the endtime.)

-Amazingly, the outside surface stones are cut within 0.01 (1/100th) inch of perfectly straight and at nearly perfect right angles for all six sides. And they were placed together with an intentional gap between them of 0.02 inch. Modern technology cannot place such 20-ton stones with greater accuracy than those in the Pyramid. Even more amazing is that the 0.02-inch gap was designed to allow space for glue to seal and hold the stones together. White cement that connected the casing stones and made them watertight is still intact and stronger than the blocks that it joins.

- We know from geometry that there is a universal relationship between the diameter of a circle and its circumference. Consider this: The height of the Pyramid’s apex is 5,812.98 inches, and each side is 9,131 inches from corner to corner (in a straight line). If the circumference of the Pyramid is divided by twice its height (the diameter of a circle is twice the radius), the result is 3.14159, which just happens to be pi. Incredibly, this calculation is accurate to six digits. So the Pyramid is a square circle, and thus pi was designed into it 4,600 years ago. Pi is demonstrated many times throughout the Pyramid.

-Other numbers are also repeated throughout. Each of the Pyramids four walls, when measured as a straight line, are 9,131 inches, for a total of 36,524 inches. At first glance, this number may not seem significant, but move the decimal point over and you get 365.24. Modern science has shown us that the exact length of the solar year is 365.24 days.

-The average height of land above sea level (Miami being low and the Himalayas being high), as can be measured only by modern-day satellites and computers, happens to be 5,449 inches. That is the exact height of the Pyramid.

-All four sides of the Pyramid are very slightly and evenly bowed in, or concave. This effect, which cannot be detected by looking at the Pyramid from the ground, was discovered around 1940 by a pilot taking aerial photos to check certain measurements. As measured by today’s laser instruments, all of these perfectly cut and intentionally bowed stone blocks duplicate exactly the curvature of the earth. The radius of this bow is equal to the radius of the Earth.

I have been sitting quietly on the sidelines watching all of this national debate on healthcare. It is time for me to bring some clarity to the table by explaining many of the problems from the perspective of a doctor.
First off, the government has involved very few of us physicians in the healthcare debate. While the American Medical Association has come out in favor of the plan, it is vital to remember that the AMA only represents 17% of the American physician workforce.
I have taken care of Medicaid patients for 35 years while representing the only pediatric ophthalmology group left in Atlanta , Georgia that accepts Medicaid. For example, in the past 6 months I have cared for three young children on Medicaid who had corneal ulcers. This is a potentially blinding situation because if the cornea perforates from the infection, almost surely blindness will occur. In all three cases the antibiotic needed for the eradication of the infection was not on the approved Medicaid list.
Each time I was told to fax Medicaid for the approval forms, which I did. Within 48 hours the form came back to me which was sent in immediately via fax, and I was told that I would have my answer in 10 days. Of course by then each child would have been blind in the eye.
Each time the request came back denied. All three times I personally provided the antibiotic for each patient which was not on the Medicaid approved list. Get the point — rationing of care.
Over the past 35 years I have cared for over 1000 children born with congenital cataracts. In older children and in adults the vision is rehabilitated with an intraocular lens. In newborns we use contact lenses which are very expensive. It takes Medicaid over one year to approve a contact lens post cataract surgery. By that time a successful anatomical operation is wasted as the child will be close to blind from a lack of focusing for so long a period of time.
Again, extreme rationing. Solution: I have a foundation here in Atlanta supported 100% by private funds which supplies all of these contact lenses for my Medicaid and illegal immigrants children for free. Again, waiting for the government would be disastrous.
Last week I had a lady bring her child to me. They are Americans but live in Sweden , as the father has a job with a big corporation. The child had the onset of double vision 3 months ago and has been unable to function normally because of this. They are people of means but are waiting 8 months to see the ophthalmologist in Sweden . Then if the child needed surgery they would be put on a 6 month waiting list. She called me and I saw her that day. It turned out that the child had accommodative esotropia (crossing of the eyes treated with glasses that correct for farsightedness) and responded to glasses within 4 days, so no surgery was needed. Again, rationing of care.
Last month I operated on a 70 year old lady with double vision present for 3 years. She responded quite nicely to her surgery and now is symptom free. I also operated on a 69 year old judge with vertical double vision. His surgery went very well and now he is happy as a lark. I have been told — but of course there is no healthcare bill that has been passed yet — that these 2 people because of their age would have been denied surgery and just told to wear a patch over one eye to alleviate the symptoms of double vision. Obviously cheaper than surgery.
I spent two year in the US Navy during the Viet Nam war and was well treated by the military. There was tremendous rationing of care and we were told specifically what things the military personnel and their dependents could have and which things they could not have.
While I was in Viet Nam , my wife Nancy got sick and got essentially no care at the Naval Hospital in Oakland , California . She went home and went to her family’s private internist in Beverly Hills . While it was expensive, she received an immediate work up. Again rationing of care.
For those of you who are over 65, this bill in its present form might be lethal for you. People in England over 59 cannot receive stents for their coronary arteries. The government wants to mimic the British plan. For those of you younger, it will still mean restriction of the care that you and your children receive.
While 99% of physicians went into medicine because of the love of medicine and the challenge of helping our fellow man, economics are still important. My rent goes up 2% each year and the salaries of my employees go up 2% each year. Twenty years ago, ophthalmologists were paid $1800 for a cataract surgery and today $500. This is a 73% decrease in our fees. I do not know of many jobs in America that have seen this sort of lowering of fees.
But there is more to the story than just the lower fees. When I came to Atlanta , there was a well known ophthalmologist that charged $2500 for a cataract surgery as he felt the was the best. He had a terrific reputation and in fact I had my mother’s bilateral cataracts operated on by him with a wonderful result. She is now 94 and has 20/20 vision in both eyes. People would pay his $2500 fee.
However, then the government came in and said that any doctor that does Medicare work cannot accept more than the going rate ( now
$500) or he or she would be severely fined. This put an end to his charging $2500. The government said it was illegal to accept more than the government-allowed rate. What I am driving at is that those of you well off will not be able to go to the head of the line under this new healthcare plan, just because you have money, as no physician will be willing to go against the law to treat you.
I am a pediatric ophthalmologist and trained for 10 years post-college to become a pediatric ophthalmologist (add two years of my service in the Navy and that comes to 12 years).A neurosurgeon spends 14 years post -college, and if he or she has to do the military that would be 16 years. I am not entitled to make what a neurosurgeon makes, but the new plan calls for all physicians to make the same amount of payment. I assure you that medical students will not go into neurosurgery and we will have a tremendous shortage of neurosurgeons. Already, the top neurosurgeon at my hospital who is in good health and only 52 years old has just quit because he can’t stand working with the government anymore. Forty-nine percent of children under the age of 16 in the state of Georgia are on Medicaid, so he felt he just could not stand working with the bureaucracy anymore.
We are being lied to about the uninsured. They are getting care. I operate at least 2 illegal immigrants each month who pay me nothing, and the children’s hospital at which I operate charges them nothing also.This is true not only on Atlanta, but of every community in America.
The bottom line is that I urge all of you to contact your congresswomen and congressmen and senators to defeat this bill. I promise you that you will not like rationing of your own health.
Furthermore, how can you trust a physician that works under these conditions knowing that he is controlled by the state. I certainly could not trust any doctor that would work under these draconian conditions.
One last thing: with this new healthcare plan there will be a tremendous shortage of physicians. It has been estimated that approximately 5% of the current physician work force will quit under this new system. Also it is estimated that another 5% shortage will occur because of the decreased number of men and women wanting to go into medicine. At the present time the US government has mandated gender equity in admissions to medical schools .That means that for the past 15 years that somewhere between 49 and 51% of each entering class are females. This is true of private schools also, because all private schools receive federal funding.
The average career of a woman in medicine now is only 8-10 years and the average work week for a female in medicine is only 3-4 days. I have now trained 35 fellows in pediatric ophthalmology. Hands down the best was a female that I trained 4 years ago — she was head and heels above all others I have trained. She now practices only 3 days a week.

In 1979, Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall album was released which can arguably be noted as his departure from the Motown days. The album had a new sound that deviated from Jackson’s previous works but again had tunes that were catchy and had no difficulty receiving airplay throughout the world. It also produced four top-ten hits and within a few short years came the Thriller album which is still setting records in sales and remains as the best selling record of all time. During the age of “Thriller”, Jackson began changing radically from his appearance to his behavior and was no longer the little black boy with endless energy that had graced the stages of the world. Although Jackson denied having cosmetic surgery in numerous interviews, one thing is for sure, his physical features began changing dramatically from this point on. Despite fame unachieved by none before, Jackson went on to be plagued with tabloid articles reporting on his bazaar behaviors as well as legal allegations of child sex abuse that always seemed to work out in the artist’s favor after undisclosed settlements were supposedly agreed upon. One might argue that Jackson never had a childhood and perhaps this is what led to some of his peculiarities. Another argument might be that his very album titles themselves were a mockery of society noting his behavior or as some psychoanalyst might claim, “a cry out for help”…..Off the Wall…Thriller…Bad…Dangerous…HIStory…Invincible….

Nevertheless, Michael Jackson the King of Pop was pronounced dead yesterday, June 25, 2009, at UCLA Medical Center 15:15pst following over one hour of resuscitative efforts with the cause of death not yet released. The child star that grew up before us and set unparalleled records in the music industry is no more and the end of an era has passed. You will be missed Michael. Farewell.

Ingredients:
1lb dry red beans (small or large size)
2lbs Johnsonville New Orleans Brand Andouille spicky smoked sausage
1 Large onion
1 bell pepper
1/4 tsp cheyenne pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
4 bay leaves
1 garlic clove minced or 1tbls spoon flakes
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1/2 Tsp Kosher salt
1 cup rice (cook according to my recipe on this site)

Rinse beans and place in a large 8qt+ boiler and and cover with water until water level is about 2-3 inches above beans. Cover and allow to soak overnight or bring to a boil, turn off heat and allow to soak for 3-4 hours covered. Once beans have soaked, place them on burner over medium heat and STIR often to prevent sticking.

Slice sausage into 1/4″ pieces and then cut those in half. Dice onion, bell pepper, and mince garlic.

Place sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic in a large skillet over medium heat and sautee until sausage is slightly browned and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Once beans begin to become tender, Add parsley, bay leaves (remove once dish is cooked), Cheyenne pepper, sugar, and salt. Add sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic to beans.

Stir then cover and allow to simmer for 1 hour stirring every 5-7 minutes.

When Beans are tender to your liking, serve over rice. Enjoy!

Plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the tissue or ligament that runs across the bottom of the foot connecting the heel to the toes. The plantar fascia acts as a natural shock absorber for the foot and supports the arch. When the tension becomes too great the tissue develops small tears, which with continued strain and tearing leads to irritation and inflammation. This inflammation causes a stabbing pain in the heel area that most often occurs when an individual first gets out of bed. The pain usually decreases when the foot loosens up; however, may it recur if the affected person stands for long periods or gets up from a sitting position. The condition usually progresses gradually and most often only affects one foot, although it is possible for both feet to be affected at the same time.

Factors that may increase risk include: age, it is most common between ages 40 and 60; gender, women are more often affected than men; obesity; exercises that cause increased stress on the heel such as running and dancing; occupations that require a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces such as nurses, teachers, and waitresses; wearing improper shoes that lack arch support
or shock absorption; and things that cause an abnormal walking or standing pattern such as being flat footed or having a high arch.

Individuals should consult their family doctor, who may in turn refer them to a specialist. The doctor will perform a physical exam to check reflexes, muscle strength and tone, sensations, and areas of tenderness of the foot or ankle. Your doctor will more than likely initially order an x-ray to determine if there are any other issues with the bones such as stress fractures or bone spurs that could be causing the pain. Once they get those results they will probably recommend a magnetic resonance image (MRI) to ensure there is not a pinched nerve or other cause.

Once your doctor determines you have plantar fasciitis he will recommend an appropriate treatment. Treatment may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, also referred to as NSAIDS. These are medications that can be purchased over the counter such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen
(Aleve). These will ease the pain and inflammation but will not treat the underlying cause. Another type of medication that your doctor may prescribe is corticosteroids, which can be administered topically (on the skin) and absorbed with the aid of mild electric currents at the site of pain. They can also be given in the form of injections into the affected area; however, multiple injections can contribute to a weakening of the ligament and may cause it to rupture.

Approximately 90 percent of people affected recover in a few months with conservative treatment. A physical therapist can teach you exercises to stretch the ligaments and tendons in your foot and to strengthen your leg muscles to help maintain stabilization of the ankle and heel. Other treatments
may include wearing a splint on your foot while sleeping, which will hold the ligament and tendon in the lengthened position; wearing an orthopedic shoe or boot until the area heels; or using an arch support in your shoes to help distribute pressure.

There are some things you can do at home to help with the pain and inflammation. First, stay off your feet for several days when the pain is severe. Use ice on the area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time 3 to 4 times a day or after any activity. You may also use a frozen water bottle and roll it over the
painful area for 5 minutes, which is referred to as ice massage. When used on a routine basis ice massages can be very effective. Decrease your activity or substitute lower impact activities during periods of exacerbation. Wear supportive shoes or add arch supports to your shoes. Avoid high heels. Do not go
barefooted. Change your athletic shoes frequently to avoid wearing worn out, unsupportive shoes during exercise and activity.

Use stretching exercises to stretch the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, and calf muscles. These exercises should be held for at least 30 seconds 2 to 3 times a day and include the following:

• Place a towel on the floor and using your toes pull it toward you to aid in strengthening your arch muscles.
• While sitting grab your toes and pull them up toward your chest until you feel stretching in the arch of your foot. Only do one foot at a time.
• Stand facing a wall. With both hands flat on the wall straighten one leg out behind you with the heel down then move your hips forward until you feel your calf muscles stretching.    Switch and do with your other leg as well.
• Stand on a bottom step and put your weight on the ball of your foot. Slowly lower your heel until you feel your calf muscle stretch. Change and repeat on other side.

For those individuals with chronic plantar fasciitis that is not responding to conservative treatments, more extensive treatments are available. These include extra corporeal shock wave therapy, in which sound waves are directed to the area of pain to stimulate healing. This may lead to numbness or tingling, bruising, swelling, and pain. This treatment is not effective on a consistent basis. The other treatment is surgery. Only a small number of people need surgery and it’s usually an option only when the pain is severe and all other treatments fail.

If plantar fasciitis is left untreated it can lead to a chronic foot, knee, hip, or back problem due to the way it affects or alters your walking motion. So, if you are having chronic foot pain schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider.