PLEASE READ TO THE END
Ever since I was a little child I remember that I always noticed people's feet!
I don't exactly know why I was drawn to the lowest extremities of the human
body. I must have been born with it. To me there was nothing unusual about noticing
feet. I just happened to look for them and take furtive glimpses of them. I
especially noticed ladies feet because they were often pedicured and/or adorned
with jewelry and beautiful shoes. As I grew older, I actually became fascinated
by how everyone's feet differed from one another, and that our feet could be a
genetic pattern in need of further research. Maybe I should have become a
podiatrist, but instead I obtained a Ph.D. degree in another area of science
totally unrelated to podiatric medicine. I am married to a beautiful, thoughtful,
wise, kind woman; a master teacher who not only understands my fascination with
feet, but she also allows me to indulge in my interest without overreacting or
becoming jealous. Although she doesn't share my fascination so intensely, she
knows that it's a harmless interest of mine and not a way to meet strangers. I
love my wife immensely and respect her for being so open minded and accepting.
Both she and my daughter have modeled their feet for this website.
We travel often and I always carry a camera. Throughout these years, I have
collected a large archive of foot images that I consider "unique" and
would like to share them with the world. I will strive to add more to this
collection. I have traveled to many countries and approached ladies from all
over the world--with or without my wife--and asked them to model their feet for
this website. I have received mixed reactions and all kinds of responses from
people; even on some occasions my intentions have been misconstrued. A great
number of ladies, however, have been very open minded, unassuming and
cooperative about it.
Our main goals are:
1) To display close-up images of women's feet--mostly bare feet--and to dispel
any stereotype associated with having an interest in feet. They are just
another part of the human anatomy and they should be treated like our hands,
noses, ears, hair, etc. We are all different, and that is what makes us unique.
Some of us notice other people's eyes first, or their hair, or figure. Feet are
known to secrete pheromones. That is why a large percentage of the population
is drawn to feet and many aren't even aware of it! In some cases, this trait
has either not fully expressed itself, or it has been suppressed due to its
eccentric nature. Nobody wants to be labeled as a "weirdo." But let
us ask you this: Would you be called a weirdo if you paid close attention to
other non-sexual, exposed parts of another person's body? (i.e. hair, lips,
eyes, hands, etc.) I believe everybody does. Then, what is so strange
about feet?
Feet are actually two of the most essential members of the human body. They
carry our weight most of the time and they take us to wherever we want. But
most important of all, they contain the sensory neurons that affect many other
body organs. The science of reflexology has been practiced for many centuries.
Only lately it has become more understood and popular within the western world
and is commonly used in the treatment of various body ailments. This explains
why everyone enjoys a good foot massage. Experts employing acupuncture or
acupressure have successfully treated chronic pains such as migraine headaches,
backaches, cramps, etc., by targeting certain sensitive nerve endings in the
patients' feet.
As it turns out, most of us are self-conscious about our feet and try to give
these vital members of our body the best treatment. We buy comfortable and
attractive shoes. We keep our feet warm and toasty when the temperatures dip.
We often adorn our feet with nail polish, anklets, toe rings, tattoos, etc., as
a way to express ourselves. No wonder there is a special category in the
medical field known as 'Podiatric Medicine' that deals with the ailments of
only feet! Our feet certainly deserve special treatment.
2) To promote foot products and to familiarize the consumer with the diversity
as well as the advantages of these products. Over the years this has evolved
into a great number of links found on our products/links pages, representing a
wide variety of services and products for feet. All links are run for
free.
3) Due to the fact that we have the images of so many different models' feet on
this site, we believe that we are representing a fair and random sample of the
population. That is why our theme is "Everyday Feet." We are hoping
to continue to grow larger, and that our website would prove to be a great
resource for scientists who are studying various genetic traits, conditions, or
ailments of feet. Since we have displayed images of feet from all angles, it
would be as if scientists are closely examining hundreds of patients. It is
through research and technology that we have gained significant knowledge about
our feet and we hope to contribute to it in the process. We hereby invite
podiatrists, orthopedists, geneticists, and other scientists who are studying
anything pertaining to feet, to closely examine our website. They have our
permission to copy, download, print or use these images for their research
purposes. They should also feel free to contact us if we could be of any help
regarding this matter.
4) With the computer technology that we have available today we could use a
great deal of science to manufacture shoes that are designed for comfort.
The technology is definitely here. For instance, by calculating the
pressure exerted on a shoe, we can create more comfortable footwear.
Pressure, which is force divided by area, can be easily calculated by dividing the weight
force of a model by the area of the sole of the foot pressing against the
ground. The smaller the area, the higher is the pressure. This is
why high-heel shoes are so deleterious to women’s feet because most of their
weight is concentrated on the front end of their feet over a smaller surface
area. Why not use these simple rules of physics to make more medically
supportive, comfortable shoes? How about shoes that exert more pressure
on certain pressure points of feet, targeting specifically sensitive nerve
endings? Finally, here is a little synopsis on
me. I am a graduate of 3 American universities, with a BS, MS, and a
Ph.D., which took 12 years of my life all together to accomplish. I have
conducted both basic and applied research in the fields of biochemistry,
analytical chemistry, physical, and biological sciences for many years; I have
also taught classes in chemistry, physics, earth science, astronomy, biology,
botany, horticulture, and many other science related fields to teenagers as
well as adults at middle school, high school, and college levels. I have
two science inventions credited to my name--tools that can help students learn
some difficult concepts. I consider myself a scientist because I know a little
bit of something about a few things. I am a born educator and a
researcher; I just have a knack for teaching and investigation. My
students often say that I am dynamic, funny, and have a passion for my
subject. Practically all those ladies who have modeled their feet for
this website can attest to the fact that they have learned something from
me. Our interaction usually involves a conversation with them and their
companions, and I teach them a few lessons that might save their life
someday. For example, what should you do if you are stranded in a cabin
in Alaska with no warm clothes, heater, or logs to burn? Answer: You can
extract "heat" from the motion of the molecules of water, and I can
show you how. How can you survive an avalanche, a tornado, or an
earthquake? How should you cross a frozen lake if you had to, and what
should you do if the ice breaks and you fall into frigid waters? Why can
you still get sunburned even when it is cloudy? What should you do if you
are accosted by a stranger who wants to abduct you? This is just a small
sample of what I share with whoever listens, and the list goes on. All my
lessons are backed up by scientific reasoning, explanations, and sometimes
formulas. The fact remains that I love people and am a true
humanist. I am a contributing member of society and what I teach can save
lives.
I teach workshops to teenagers on safe driving. Kids often think that
they are invincible. They don’t realize that when they are behind the
wheel of a motor vehicle they have a lethal weapon at their hand and that they
can get themselves or others hurt or killed if they are careless. I teach
them some basic physics, in this case mechanics, which is the
study of objects in motion. Most non-DUI-related accidents happen as a
result of speeding, tailgating, and distractions like cell phones. When
your speed becomes doubled, your kinetic energy (motion energy) becomes
quadrupled, so you become four times more “lethal.” Your stopping
distance also becomes four times longer. Take into account other factors
such as the mass of your vehicle (inertia), friction, and a number of other
physical factors and they all can lead to tragedy. I teach these
youngsters some basic rules of physics on moving objects, a few things about
Newton’s laws, the importance of wearing seat belts, etc., and hope that they
can remember them when they are behind the wheel, thus becoming scientifically educated, better
drivers. I may have saved thousands of lives in this particular case
alone, of my students as well as others on the road, through education.
In addition, I have taught classes to young folks on alcohol and drug abuse and
its aftermath. I show them the chemical formulas of various plant
alkaloids and secondary products, hydrocarbons, and other biological as well as
laboratory-synthesized chemicals, and how they can affect their brain and other
body organs, once they enter their system. The students are taught the importance
of staying healthy and in control of their life, and to never take any
substance unless it is prescribed by a doctor. It is like taking someone
else's prescription medicine, only much worse! They learn that overdose
is a relative term. One may take just one dose of a chemical substance and die
instantly, and this is a very serious matter! Just remember, if YOUR body
happens to show an allergic reaction to a particular substance you can
die. No high is worth dying for! Read the following
testimonial on inhalant abuse among teens: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/dustoff.asp
This website has given me the opportunity to interact with total strangers that
I couldn’t have done otherwise. I have met some very interesting people
throughout all these years, interacted with many intelligent, intellectual
ladies or their spouses/friends/companions, and I have also learned a great
deal from them, all of which have made it worthwhile. It’s as if these
folks are part of our family, and this is why we regard them as our “Website
Family.”
This website has also given me an excuse to reach out to the youth, totally
random strangers, and teach them valuable survival lessons. I’m always
throwing in a few free science facts that might be useful to them
someday. The
wetting of the feet, for instance, is one of the props I often use to teach
them a few lessons in thermodynamics. Unfortunately and tragically, throughout
all these years of teaching I have witnessed the untimely demise of many
teenagers, and I intend to prevent it as much as possible. I have grieved
and wept at the funerals of young lives tragically cut short by senseless
traffic accidents or substance abuse. Therefore, my mission is to reach out to as many young folks as
possible and share my knowledge and findings with them so that I can help
educate them on these subjects.
Furthermore, I have developed a system of categorizing certain genetic traits
and toe patterns in feet that might be useful to scientists someday, all of
which are part of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. All I know is that I am
doing something very unique that no one else has done! As an American I'm
merely exercising my first amendment. I am not seeking recognition, fame,
or fortune. This website is something I own and cherish. It gives
me a reason to get up on a day off, get out there, meet a total stranger, and
make an impact. I don’t even think of those thousands of dollars I have
spent on this expensive project because the satisfaction I get far outweighs
its expenses. You may say I am insane, but I sincerely hope that by
reading this long article YOU too have learned something new today! We
all are mere "star dust." May the creator of the universe be
with you.
