I grew up on a farm in South Georgia, near Jay Bird Springs. I quickly became my father's shadow, as I followed him everywhere he went. By the time I was eight years old, I could out-work most grown men. This won me praise from my parents, but only disdain from my older siblings. On long, lonely summer nights, with no homework to occupy my time, and with poor television reception, I fought the isolation I felt by writing stories. I mostly wrote about local events, but after studying Georgia's involvement in the Civil War, in the fifth grade, I wrote a complete manuscript about a young couple who accidentally dig up the long, lost Confederate gold shipment, a story that becomes an international incident. Then, I wrote a manuscript about political corruption in the Deep South and the pain and suffering inflicted on innocent, hard-working families. Then, I wrote about a country boy separated from the love of his life by the young lady's evil, uppity mother. He becomes a race car driver and through an exciting chain of events is reunited with his heart's desire. I also wrote a manuscript about a very smart, but lonely young man who becomes deeply involved in the NASA spy satellite program. Orphaned shortly after birth, his loneliness ends at the age of thirty when he marries a beautiful, young lady who he believes is a foreign trade student. Unfortunately, only days before their first child is to be born, he is informed by the CIA that she is actually a spy and that his life is in danger. He is suddenly forced to commit a horrible act to save his unborn child. In high school I was encouraged by a wonderful teacher, Miss Barbara Ann Davidson, to become a writer. After graduation from high school, I worked full-time while going to college and continued to help my parents with their farm. When I was twenty-one, I started my own business and a few years later, I married Brenda, and we started a family. It was many years later when I was reunited with my high school teacher that I promised her on her death bed that I would make a diligent effort to become a writer. We started mailing manuscripts to publishers, movie companies, and even to NASCAR. I was told my stories were very interesting and exciting, but because I was an everyday nobody, they weren't willing to help me. I was very disappointed, so I decided to self-publish some of my stories. I believe the average person is very important. We made this country great and it's our sons and daughters who risk their lives to protect us and we should never accept the label, everyday nobody I am pleading for the everyday, very essential people, for your help to prove to the elitist that they are wrong. I pledge to you that I will never stoop to using the F-word or God's name in vain to take the place of hard work and true integrity Thank you very much. Gary C. Brown If you like my stories, please tell others

Trucks that get up to 50 Miles Per Gallon In his book, Shade Tree Conversions, Gary C. Brown, a small businessman in the Middle Georgia area, describes how average Americans can convert gas-guzzling vehicles into fuel efficient diesel vehicles that get up to 2-3 times more miles per gallon by installing diesel tractor engines into these vehicles. www.shadetreeconversions.com 1-478-956-3169

The management of major vitreoretinal diseases has changed dramatically since publication of the first edition in 1999. The field continues to evolve rapidly and is becoming an increasingly complex, multifaceted practice of medicine and surgery. As such, retinal specialists are faced with increasingly sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic modalities to learn and master. Contributors to this completely updated reference are renowned experts in retinal disease and vitreous disorders. Divided into four essential sections, the book starts with a basic overview of posterior segment anatomy and physiology. The second section reviews the spectrum of diagnostic tools used in the field from relatively low technology such as the indirect ophthalmoscope to the latest, state-of-the-art optical coherence tomography test. The third and most comprehensive section covers disease states, subdivided into eight categories: retinovascular conditions, macular diseases, inherited vitreoretinal conditions, inflammatory conditions, intraocular tumors, vitreous and retinal detachments, trauma and toxicity, and fundus conditions. The text concludes with specific vitreoretinal procedures. Key Features New technologies including spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), intravitreal injections, and microincisional vitrectomy The utilization of multifocal electroretinography, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, and fundus autofluorescence Advances in treatment of macular edema and age-related macular degeneration with anti-VEGF therapy Summaries of the latest and most important clinical trials Richly illustrated with more than 700 color state-of-the art retinal images and surgical procedure drawings Clinical pearls, controversies, and special considerations highlighted in color boxes in every chapter This up-to-date, clinically-oriented resource will greatly benefit ophthalmology residents and ophthalmologists with comprehensive practices.