GOUT

• Typically, gout patients are about 95% men, 5% women. An initial attack of gout (50% of initial attacks involve the big toe) may last several days and disappear even if untreated. Subsequent attacks may not occur for weeks, months, years, or not at all. In severe cases, repeated attacks occurring over a long period may cause damage to the joints and loss of mobility. The big toe is eventually affected in 90% of cases. Knowing how to treat gout is important for preventing attacks.
• Gout is often related to an inherited abnormality in the body to process uric acid. Uric acid levels can become elevated by eating a lot of purine-rich foods such as meats, by the overproduction of uric acid by the body, or if the kidneys do not eliminate excess uric acid.
• Treatment goals include terminating acute gout attacks, rapid and safe relief of pain and inflammation, preventing future attacks, and avoiding complications (formation of tophi, kidney stones, and joint destruction).
• Though gout treatment is most often treated successfully and without complications, it becomes more of a challenge if other conditions exist along with gout or if there is poor patient compliance to recommended lifestyle changes or a medication regimen.
• Dietary alterations are recommended, such as avoiding a purine-rich diet. Other preventive measures include maintaining adequate fluid intake, weight reduction, reduction in alcohol consumption, and medications to reduce hyperuricemia.
• Medications for gout include:
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
• colchicine
• corticosteroids
• adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
• allopurinol
• probenecid
• sulfinpyrazone
• NSAIDS, specifically indomethacin, are commonly the first medication prescribed to treat acute gout. Other NSAIDS may be equally effective. NSAIDS are initially prescribed at maximum dosage and reduced as symptoms subside. The medication should be continued until pain and inflammation are non-existent for at least 48 hours. NSAIDS which are COX-2 inhibitors may be useful for patients with gastrointestinal concerns but their use for acute gout has not been specifically reported yet.
• Colchicine is used to treat acute flares of gouty arthritis and to prevent recurrent acute attacks. Colchicine does not cure gout or take the place of other medicines that lower the amount of uric acid in the body. It prevents or relieves gout attacks by reducing inflammation. Colchicine may be used in 2 ways: some people take small amounts of it regularly for months or years, while others take large amounts of colchicine during a short period of time (several hours).
• Corticosteroids or adrenocorticotropic hormone can be used for patients who cannot take NSAIDS or colchicine. Patients with acute gout typically receive daily doses of prednisone (20-40mg) or its equivalent for 3 to 4 days, then it is tapered gradually over one to two weeks. ACTH is administered as an intramuscular injection (an initial dose and subsequent doses over several days as needed).
• Allopurinol (brand name - Zyloprim) is prescribed for chronic gout or gouty arthritis and works by affecting the system that manufactures uric acid in the body. It is used to prevent gout attacks, not to treat them once they occur.
• Probenecid (brand names - Benemid, Probalan) is prescribed for chronic gout and gouty arthritis. It is used to prevent attacks related to gout, not treat them once they occur. It acts on the kidneys to help the body eliminate uric acid. Probenecid is known as a uricosuric agent.
• ColBenemid (other brand names are Col-Probenecid and Proben-C) is a gout medication that contains Probenecid, which is a uricosuric agent, and Colchicine, which has anti-gout properties.
• Sulfinpyrazone (brand name - Anturane) is also known as a uricosuric agent and is used to treat gouty arthritis. It works by lowering the amount of uric acid in your blood, preventing gout attacks. The drug helps prevent attacks but is not used to treat an attack once it has started. Sulfinpyrazone is not currently available in the U.S.
• Losartan, (brand names - Cozaar and Hyzaar), is not specifically a gout medication but is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, antihypertensive drug that may help control uric acid levels. Fenofibrate, (brand name - Tricor), is not a specific gout medication but it a lipid-lowering drug that may help uric acid levels.
• Analgesic painkillers are also used to relieve the intense pain of gout. All of the aforementioned drugs can be used in combination, to control symptoms, prevent future attacks, and maintain healthy uric acid levels.

THE BEATLES

Paul McCartney's song 'Yesterday', which was recently voted the most popular song of the century by a BBC poll, had music written before the lyrics. Paul used the working words 'scrambled eggs' before coming up with 'yesterday' while composing this song.

•
The song 'strawberry fields forever' is actually two versions of the song mixed together by George Martin. One was a half-tone higher and slightly faster. When it was slowed down it somehow fit together with the other version perfectly. The Beatles liked both versions and couldn't decide on one and asked Martin if he could put them together somehow. When he tried it - it worked!

•
The Beatles featured two left handed members, Paul, whom everyone saw holding his Hoffner bass left handed, and Ringo, whose left handedness is at least partially to blame for his 'original' drumming style.

•
Paul McCartney wrote the song Lovely Rita, Meter Maid for the album Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band after getting a parking ticket from a female warden in Abbey Road.

•
The Beatles, with Pete Best on drums, made the group's TV debut performing Roy Orbison's 'Dream Baby' on the BBC show 'Teenager's Turn' in 1962.

•
'Hey Jude' was written by Paul in his car. Paul was on his way to visit Julian, John Lennon's son, who was disturbed by his parents' divorce. Paul wrote this song to cheer him up.

•
The Beatles got their name from a line in the movie 'The Wild Ones'. Lee Marvin's character said the motocycle gang wanted Marlon Brando's charcter back, even the beetles (he was referring to the women in the gang). They changed the 'ee' to 'ea' so it was like the musical term 'beat'.

•
The Beatles song "Dear Prudence" was written about Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence, when she wouldn't come out and play with Mia and the Beatles at a religious retreat in India.

•
In a contest held by Mersyside Newspaper to see who was the biggest band in Liverpool, 1962, one of the main reasons that The Beatles won was because they called in posing as different people voting for themselves.

•


'We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.'
Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN

1. Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to be one of the oldest mountains in the world.

2. The world is divided into six floral kingdoms. All these kingdoms encompass several countries, and in some cases, several continents. South Africa, which has a floral kingdom wholly contained within the country, is the one exception. The Cape Floral Kingdom has 9,600 plant species, 70% of which are not found anywhere else in the world.

3. Table Mountain alone has over 1,500 species of plants, more than the entire United Kingdom.

4. South Africa is the second largest exporter of fruit in the world.

5. South Africa has the longest wine route in the world.

6. Kruger National Park supports the greatest variety of wildlife species on the African continent.

7. South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique are tearing down fences between the countries' game parks to create a 13,500 square mile game park, which will become the largest conservation area in the world. It will be bigger than Switzerland, Belgium or Taiwan.

8. South Africa has a penguin colony, which thrives thanks to the cold Antarctic currents on the west coast near the Cape.

9. South Africa is rated 3rd in the world in supplying safe, drinkable tap water.

10. The Palace of the Lost City resort hotel is the largest theme resort hotel in the world as well as the largest building project undertaken in the southern hemisphere.

11. Walt Disney serves South African wine exclusively at its 73-acre Animal Kingdom Lodge in the United States.

12. South Africa has the cheapest electricity in the world.

13. The deepest mine is a gold mine in South Africa. in 1977 the Western Deep Levels Mine reached a depth of 11,749 feet. Most mines descend to about 3,300 feet.

14. South Africa is the only country in the world to voluntarily abandon its nuclear weapons program.

15. South Africa has 19,004 miles of railway track - 80% of Africa's rail infrastructure.

16. South Africa generates two-thirds of Africa's electricity.

17. The Tugela Falls is the second highest waterfall in the world, where the water tumbles down 2,789 feet. First place goes to the Angel Falls in Venezuela at 3,212 feet.

18. Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world - and the largest green one. The Grand Canyon in the U.S. is the biggest, and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia the second, but both are very dry.

19. South Africa is home to the world's smallest succulent plants (less than 0.39 inches) and the largest (the baobab tree).

20. Kimberley may have the biggest man-made hole in the world, but did you know that the southern Free State town of Jagersfontein has the deepest vertical man-made hole?

21. The only street in the world to house two Nobel Peace prizewinners is in Soweto. Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both have houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.

22. South Africa is the world's largest producer of macadamia nuts.

23. South Africa has the third highest level of biodiversity in the world.

24. South Africa is the world's leader in mining and minerals. It has nearly 90% of the platinum metals on earth, 80% of the manganese, 73% of the chrome, 45% of the vanadium and 41% of the gold.

25. South Africa is the first country in Africa to host the prestigious FIFA World Cup (will take place in 2010).

26. South Africa has the oldest meteor scar in the world, just across the Vaal River near Parys, called the Vredefort Dome. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

27. South African grasslands have approximately 30 species per square kilometer, greater than the biodiversity of rainforests.

28. South Africa is the sole producer of the Mercedes Benz C Class, right-hand drive vehicles .

29. General Motors South Africa will be the only manufacturing site outside of the United States to build the Hummer H3 vehicle.

30. South Africa is one of the most generously endowed geographic solar hotspots in the world, soaking up just over half of the world's highest category of solar wattage per square yard of land.

31. South Africa has deserts, mountains, escarpments, plateaus, grasslands, bush, wetlands and subtropical forests.

32. Most of the world's proto-mammalian fossils are found in the Karoo region.

33. Dr. Christiaan Barnard, at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, performed the first human heart transplant in the world in 1967. He was also the first to do a "piggyback" transplant in 1971, and he was the first to do a heart-lung transplant.

34. The vast majority of South African coal exports are shipped through the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT). With the capacity to export 79.4 mmst annually, RBCT is the world's largest coal export facility.

35. The world's largest diamond was the Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless color and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels.

36. There are about 280,000 windmills on farms across South Africa, second in number only to Australia.

37. Three of the five fastest land animals live in South Africa - the cheetah (63 miles per hour), the wildebeest, and the lion.

38. The oldest remains of modern humans were found in Klasies River Cave in the Eastern Cape. They are well over 100,000 years old.

39. In eastern South Africa, scientists have found traces of blue-green algae dating back 3,500 million years. This is some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth.

40. There are more than 2,000 shipwrecks, dating back at least 500 years, off the South African coast. More than one of these, including the Waratah, simply vanished without a trace.

41. The Karoo region is home to some of the best fossils of early dinosaurs.

42. Although Pretoria is considered to be the capital of South Africa, the country actually has three capitals: Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial).

43. In its eastern part, South Africa entirely surrounds another country - Lesotho, an independent constitutional monarchy.

44. Approximately 900 bird species are found in South Africa alone, which represents 10% of the worlds total bird species.

45. South Africa has the most luxurious train in the world, The Rovos Rail.

46. South Africa has the highest commercial bungi jump in the world (710 feet).

47. Mossel Bay is in the Guinness Book of records as having the second most moderate climate in the world.

48. Pietermaritzburg's city hall is the largest red brick building in the Southern Hemisphere.

49. Hippos are susceptible to sunburn, and spend most of their days with just their noses out of water. Their noses have special flaps that close when submerged, and they can stay under water for 25 minutes.

50. South Africa has the oldest wine industry outside of Europe and the Mediterranean, featuring Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cinsault, Riesling, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage varietals.

SUPERHEROES A-Z

A
Abomination (Marvel)
Acolytes (Marvel)
Adam Warlock (Marvel)
Ahab (Marvel)
Angel (Marvel)
Annihilus (Marvel)
Ant Man (Marvel)
Apocalypse (Marvel)
Aquaman (DC Comics)
Arcade (Marvel)
Archangel (Marvel)
Avalanche (Marvel)
Avalon (Marvel)
Avengers (Marvel)
Azrael (DC Comics)

B
Bane (DC Comics)
Banshee (Marvel)
Baroness (Hasbro)
Batman (DC Comics)
Baxter Stockman (Mirage Studios)
Bazooka (Hasbro)
Beach Head (Hasbro)
Beast (Marvel)
Bebop (Mirage Studios)
Beetle (Marvel)
Beyonder (Marvel)
Bionic Commando (Capcom Co, Ltd.)
Bishop (Marvel)
Bizarro (DC Comics)
Black Knight (Marvel)
Black Panther (Marvel)
Black Widow (Marvel)
Blade (Marvel)
Blink (Marvel)
Blob (Marvel)
Blood Wraith (Marvel)
Brainiac (DC Comics)
Brood (Marvel)
Bullseye (Marvel)

C
Caliban (Marvel)
Callisto (Marvel)
Calypso (Marvel)
Cannonball (Marvel)
Captain Planet (TBS Productions, Inc.)
Cardiac (Marvel)
Carnage (Marvel)
Catwoman (DC Comics)
Cerise (Marvel)
Cesspool (Hasbro)
Chameleon (Marvel)
Cheetah (DC Comcis)
Clan Destine (Marvel)
Cloak and Dagger (Marvel)
Cobra (Hasbro)
Colossus (Marvel)
Copperhead (Hasbro)
Copycat (Marvel)
Corsair (Marvel)
Cyborg (DC Comics)
Cyclops (Marvel)
Cypher (Marvel)

D
Daredevil (Marvel)
Dazzler (Marvel)
Decepticon (Hasbro)
Devastator (Hasbro)
Diablo (Marvel)
Doctor Doom (Marvel)
Doctor Mindbender (Hasbro)
Doctor Octopus (Marvel)
Doctor Strange (Marvel)
Domino (Marvel)
Donatello (Mirage Studios)
Doomsday (DC Comics)
Doppelganger (Marvel)
Dreadnought (Marvel)


E
Electro (Marvel)
Elektra (Marvel)
Enchantress (Marvel)
Eradicator (DC Comics)
Excalibur (Marvel)
Exodus (Marvel)

F
Falcon (Marvel)
Fenris (Marvel)
Feral (Marvel)
Firefly (Hasbro)
Flash (DC Comics)
Foot Soldier (Mirage Studios)
Forge (Marvel)
Four Horsemen of Apocalypse (Marvel)
Frenzy (Hasbro)

G
G.I. Joe (Hasbro)
Galactus (Marvel)
Galvatron (Hasbro)
Gambit (Marvel)
Gargoyles (BVTV)
Generation X (Marvel)
Gideon (Marvel)
Gladiator (Marvel)
Goliath (BVTV)
Green Goblin (Marvel)
Grim Reaper (Marvel)
Guardian (Marvel)
Guile (Capcom Co, Ltd.)
Gung-Ho (Hasbro)

H
Harley Quinn (DC Comics)
Haven (Marvel)
Havok (Marvel)
Hawk (Hasbro)
Hawkeye (Marvel)
Hellions (Marvel)
Helspont (Image)
Hobogoblin (Marvel)
Holocaust (Marvel)
Homer Simpson (FOX)
Hulk (Marvel)
Huntress (DC Comics)
Husk (Marvel)
HYDRA (Marvel)

I
Iceman (Marvel)
Impulse (DC Comics)
Iron Fist (Marvel)

J
Jinx (Hasbro)
Joker (DC Comics)
Jubilee (Marvel)
Juggernaut (Marvel)

K
Kingpin (Marvel)
Kraven (Marvel)

L
Lamprey (Hasbro)
Leatherhead (Mirage Studios)
Leatherneck (Hasbro)
Leech (Marvel)
Leonardo (Mirage Studios)
Lilith (Marvel)
Living Tribunal (Marvel)
Lizard (Marvel)
Lobo (DC Comics)
Loki (Marvel)
Longshot (Marvel)

M
Maggott (Marvel)
Magik (Marvel)
Magneto (Marvel)
Mandarin (Marvel)
Marauders (Marvel)
Marrow (Marvel)
Marvel (Marvel)
Masque (Marvel)
Mastermind (Marvel)
Maverick (Marvel)
Medusa (Marvel)
Mega Man (Capcom Co, Ltd.)
Megatron (Hasbro)
Mephisto (Marvel)
Mercer (Hasbro)
Michaelangelo (Mirage Studios)
Mimic (Marvel)
Mirage (Marvel)
Mister Fantastic (Marvel)
Mister Freeze (DC Comics)
Mister Hyde (Marvel)
Mister Sinister (Marvel)
Mojo (Marvel)
Mole Man (Marvel)
Mondo Gecko (Mirage Studios)
Morbius (Marvel)
Morg (Marvel)
Muskrat (Hasbro)
mutant (Not Applicable)
Mysterio (Marvel)
Mystique (Marvel)

N
Namor (Marvel)
Napoleon Bonafrog (Mirage Studios)
Nebula (Marvel)
Nightcrawler (Marvel)
Nimrod (Marvel)
Nomad (Marvel)
Northstar (Marvel)
Nova (Marvel)

O
Omega Red (Marvel)
Onslaught (Marvel)
Orion (DC Comics)

P
Panda Khan (Mirage Studios)
Parasite (DC Comics)
Penance (Marvel)
Penguin (DC Comics)
Phalanx (Marvel)
Phoenix (Marvel)
Poison Ivy (DC Comics)
Polaris (Marvel)
Proteus (Marvel)
Prowler (Marvel)
Psyche-Out (Hasbro)
Puma (Marvel)
Punisher (Marvel)
Pyro (Marvel)
top of page

Q
Quasar (Marvel)
Quicksilver (Marvel)

R
Rage (Marvel)
Random (Marvel)
Raphael (Mirage Studios)
Rat King (Mirage Studios)
Ravage 2099 (Marvel)
Ray Fillet (Mirage Studios)
Reavers (Marvel)
Rhino (Marvel)
Rictor (Marvel)
Riddler (DC Comics)
Roadblock (Hasbro)
Robin (DC Comics)
Rogue (Marvel)
Rumble (Hasbro)

S
Sabretooth (Marvel)
Salacious Crumb (Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Sandman (Marvel)
Saracen (Marvel)
Sasquatch (Marvel)
Sauron (Marvel)
Savage Land (Marvel)
Scarecrow (DC Comics)
Scarlet Witch (Marvel)
Scorpion (Marvel)
Sentinel (Marvel)
Serpentor (Hasbro)
Shazam (DC Comics)
Shiva (Marvel)
Shockwave (Hasbro)
Shredder (Mirage Studios)
Siege (Marvel)
Silver Samurai (Marvel)
Silver Surfer (Marvel)
Siryn (Marvel)
Slapstick (Marvel)
Sleepwalker (Marvel)
Snake-Eyes (Hasbro)
Solo (Marvel)
Spartan (Image)
Spawn (Image)
Speedball (Marvel)
Spider-Man (Marvel)
Spirit (Hasbro)
Steel (DC Comics)
Storm (Marvel)
Stormtrooper (Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Stryfe (Marvel)
Sunspot (Marvel)
Superman (DC Comics)
Synch (Marvel)

T
Tempo (Marvel)
Thanos (Marvel)
Thing (Marvel)
Thor (Marvel)
Thunderbird (Marvel)
Thunderbolts (Marvel)
Tick (Ben Edlund)
Toad (Marvel)
Tombstone (Marvel)
Triceraton (Mirage Studios)
Two-Face (DC Comics)
Typhoid Mary (Marvel)
Tyrant (Marvel)

U
Ultron (Marvel)
Union Jack (Marvel)

V
Vengeance (Marvel)
Venom (Marvel)
Vertigo (Marvel)
Vindicator (Marvel)
Violator (Image)
Viper (Hasbro)
Vision (Marvel)
Vulture (Marvel)

W
Warpath (Marvel)
Wasp (Marvel)
Weapon Omega (Marvel)
Widget (Marvel)
Wolfsbane (Marvel)
Wolverine (Marvel)
Wonder Woman (DC Comics)
Wrecker (Marvel)

X
X-Cutioner (Marvel)
X-Cutioner’s Song (Marvel)
X-Factor (Marvel)
Xi’an (Marvel)

Y
Yakoo the Friendly Bacteria (LES)

Z
Zealot (Image)

THE MANY BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER

1. When you make fun of yourself, you disempower those who would make fun of you and disarm possible confrontations.

2. Laughter dissolves tension, stress, anxiety, irritation, anger, grief, and depression. Like crying, laughter lowers inhibitions, allowing the release of pent-up emotions. After a hearty bout of laughter, you will experience a sense of well-being. Simply put, he who laughs, lasts. After all, if you can laugh at it, you can live with it. Remember, a person without a sense of humor is like a car without shock absorbers.

3. Medical researches have found that laughter boosts the immune system. The study of how behavior and the brain affect the immune system is called psychoneuroimmunology. Though still in its infancy, this science is rapidly gaining much attention as mankind strives to understand the mind-body relationship.

4. Laughter reduces pain by releasing endorphins that are more potent than equivalent amounts of morphine.

5. Humor helps integrate both hemispheres of our brain, for the left hemisphere is used to decipher the verbal content of a joke while the right hemisphere interprets whether it is funny or not.

6. Laughter adds spice to life; it is to life what salt is to a hard-boiled egg.

7. Develop your sense of humor and you will find you are more productive, a better communicator, and a superior team player.

8. Everyone loves someone who can make them laugh. The more you share your sense of humor, the more friends you will have.

9. Humor brings the balance we need to get through the turbulence of life comfortably.

10. Laughter is even equivalent to a small amount of exercise. It massages all the organs of the body, according to Dr. James Walsh.

11. A sense of humor can help you accept the inevitable, rise to any challenge, handle the unexpected with ease, and come out of any difficulty smiling.

FACTS ABOUT PLASTIC SURGERY

Origins and History of Plastic Surgery

* Plastic surgery has been practiced for over 2700 years, since about 600 B. C.
* Barber shops became popular places to perform plastic surgery from 1400 to 1700
* The father of modern plastic surgery was an Italian-Gaspare Tagliacozzi (1546-1599)
* The first breast augmentation surgery took place in Germany in 1893
* The American Association of Plastic Surgery was formed in 1931 by surgeons who served in World War I
* Plastic surgery including skin grafts, limb rebuilding and microsurgery, were widely practiced during World War II
* In the 1960s, silicone breast implants became popular. However, side effects included breast amputation due to infection and “pendulous” breasts by the age of forty
* In 1998, President Bill Clinton signed a bill requiring insurance companies to pay for reconstructive breast surgery for women who had a mastectomy

Plastic Surgery Types

* Currently, the plastic surgery that’s performed the most is Botox. Botox is a protein injected into the skin that leaves a smooth facial appearance.
* Liposuction is the most popular plastic surgery for men and women combined
* The most popular plastic surgical procedure for women is breast augmentation
* There are more than 1.4 million laser hair procedures performed yearly in the United States
* The top five surgical cosmetic procedures are liposuction, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty (nose jobs) and face lifts
* The top five non-surgical cosmetic procedures are botox, laser hair removal, chemical peel, microdermabrasion and hyaluronic acid injections (for knee osteoarthritis)

Men and Women and Plastic Surgery

* Over 90% of plastic surgery patients are women
* More than 10 million women have a plastic procedure each year
* About 1 million men have plastic procedures each year
* Almost half a million liposuction procedures are performed on women each year
* Over 60,000 liposuction procedures are performed on men each year
* Two thirds of plastic surgery patients are repeat patients

Plastic Surgery and Age

* About three quarters of a million cosmetic procedures are performed on 20 to 20 year olds
* Over 2 million cosmetic procedures are performed on 30 to 39 year olds
* Over 5.3 million cosmetic procedures are performed on 40 to 54 year olds
* More than 3 million cosmetic procedures are performed on people age 55 and older

Plastic Surgery and Money

* Over $10 billion is spent on all U.S. cosmetic surgery each year
* Over $1.2 billion is spent annually on liposuction
* More than $1.1 billion is spent annually on breast augmentation each year
* A single botox injection averages about $390

Plastic Surgery Recovery Times

* It takes one to two weeks to recover from liposuction
* It takes one to two weeks to recover from breast augmentation surgery
* It takes seven to ten days to recover from a rhinoplasty
* It takes one to two weeks to recover from a facelift
* It takes one to ten days to recover from cosmetic eyelid surgery

HOLY BIBLE

About 50 Bibles are sold every minute.

Christianity is the world’s most widespread religion (2.1 billion Christians – see list of largest religions).

There are about 34,000 Christian denominations in the world.

The Bible was written in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek.

The Slavonic Orthodox Church has twice as many adherents as the Baptist Church.

The 12 disciples were not were not allowed to carry food, money, or extra clothing.

John was the only apostle who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus.

There are more than 10,000 distinct religious groups in the world.

Delilah was given a few thousand pieces of silver to deceive Samson into revealing the secret of his strength. (NKJV) Judges 16:4-5: “And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, ‘Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may over power him….and every one of us will give you 1100 pieces of silver.’ ”

Dogs are mentioned 14 times in the Bible, and lions 55 times, but domestic cats are not mentioned at all.

The Bible, the world’s best-selling book, is also the world’s most shoplifted book.

The oldest almost-complete manuscript of the Bible still existing is the Codex Vaticanus, dating from the first half of the 4th century, now held in the Vatican library.

The word “Christian” appears only three times in the Bible: Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16.

There are 66 books in the Bible, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.

The 66 books of the Bible is divided into 1,189 chapters consisting of 31,173 verses. The Old Testament has 929 chapters, the New Testament 260. (King James version)

The King James Old Testament consist of 592,439 words consisting of 2,728,100 letters and the New Testament 181,253 words consisting of 838,380 letter (total 3,566,480 letters).

The longest line in the Bible is Esther 8:9 – 89 words, 425 letters.

The longest word in the Bible is Maher-shalal-hash-baz: Isaiah 8:1.

The shortest verse in the NIV Bible is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.”

The longest book chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, the shortest is Psalm 117.

There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after it.

Psalm 118 verse 8 is in the center of the Bible: “It is better to trust in the Lord than put confidence in man.”

Obadiah, with 21 verses consisting of 602 words, is the shortest book in the Old Testament, and the third shortest in the Bible.

II John has the fewest number of verses of any book in the Bible – it is the shortest book in the Bible.

III John has the fewest number of words of any book in the Bible.

Job is the oldest book written in the Bible – it was written by an unknown Israelite around 1500 BC.

Malachi, written about 400 BC, is the youngest book in the Old Testament.

James, written around 45 AD, is the oldest book in the New Testament.

Revelation, written about 95 AD, is the youngest book in the New Testament.

The chapter in the exact middle of the Bible is Psalm 117; there are 594 chapters before Psalm 117 and 594 chapters after Psalm 117.

St Paul wrote 14 (of the 27) books of the New Testament.

The covering for the tabernacle was made out of ram skins and sea cow hides: Exodus 36:19.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say there were three wise men – Matthew 2:1 only says: “Magi from the east came to Jerusalem” and later they present three gifts.

The word “Lord” appears 1855 times in the Bible.

The word “God” appears in every book except Esther and Song of Solomon.

The word “grandmother” appears in the Bible only once: 2 Timothy 1:5.

The word “eternity” is mentioned only once: Isaiah 57:15.

Seven suicides are recorded in the Bible.

In Old Testament times the Mediterranean Sea was called the Great Sea.

There are 7 different Jeremiahs in the Bible: 1 Chronicles 5:24; 12:4, 10, 13; 2 Kings 23:30; Jeremiah 1:1; 35:3.

The raven is the first bird mention in the Bible. It appears in Genesis 8:7, when it is sent out from the ark by Noah to see if the flood waters have abated. The second bird was a dove, in verse 8.

Almonds and pistachios are the only nuts mentioned in the Bible.

A chariot imported from Egypt cost around 600 shekels of silver (1 Kings 10:29). That would be about $77,000. One shekel was 4 days wages.

The word “trinity” is not mentioned in the Bible.

Methuselah is the oldest man on record: 969 years old (Genesis 5:27).

Of the 1.5 billion Islam followers, 1 billion follow Sunni Islam. Shi’ite Muslims number approximately 125 million.

Some 200 mosques in Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, point the wrong way for prayers.

The 7 Fathers of the Church:
St Athanasius, St Gregory of Nazianzus, St John Chrysostom, St John of Damascus, St Basil of Caesarea, St Gregory of Nyssa, St Cyril of Alexandria.

During the 6th Century, it was customary to congratulate people who sneezed because it was thought that they were expelling evil from their bodies. During the great plague of Europe, the Pope passed a law to say “God bless you” to one who sneezed.

The last word in the Bible is AMEN.