Millions of people have endured a colonoscopy,jimmy choo shoes sale believing the dreaded exam may help keep them from dying of colon cancer. For the first time, a major study offers clear evidence that it does.
Removing precancerous growths spotted during the test can cut the risk of dying from colon cancer in half, the study suggests. Doctors have long assumed a benefit, but research hasn’t shown before that removing polyps would improve survival the key measure of any cancer screening’s worth.
Some people skip the test because of the unpleasant steps need to get ready for it.
“Sure, it’s a pain in the neck. People complain to me all the time, ‘It’s horrible. It’s terrible,’” said Dr. Sidney Winawer, a gastroenterologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York who helped lead the study. “But look at the alternative.”
A second study in Europe found that colonoscopies did a better job of finding polyps than another common screening tool tests that look for blood in stool. Both studies were published in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.christian louboutin shoes
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States and the fourth worldwide. More than 143,000 new cases of cancers of the colon or rectum are expected in the U.S. this year and nearly 52,000 people will die from it, according to the American Cancer Society.
Deaths from colorectal cancer have been declining for more than two decades, mostly because of screening including colonoscopies and other tests, the organization says. People of average risk of colon cancer ages 50 to 75 should get screened, but only about half in the U.S. do.
A government-appointed panel of experts recommends one of three methods: annual stool blood tests; a sigmoidoscopy (scope exam of the lower bowel) every five years, plus stool tests every three years; or a colonoscopy once a decade.
In a colonoscopy, a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera is guided through the large intestine. Growths can be snipped off and checked for cancer. Patients are sedated, but many dread the test because it requires patients to eat a modified diet and drink solutions the day before to clear out the bowel. It usually costs more than $1,000, compared with a $20 stool test.
Researchers at Sloan-Kettering previously showed that removing polyps during colonoscopy can prevent colon cancer from developing, but it was not clear whether it saved lives.
The new study involved 2,602 patients who had precancerous growths removed during colonoscopies and who were followed for an average of 15 years. Their risk of dying from colon cancer was 53 percent lower than what would be expected among a similar group in the general population 12 patients followed in the study died, versus 25 estimated deaths in the general population.
The study was not a randomized trial that’s the gold standard in medical research. But Robert Smith, director of screening at the American Cancer Society, said it’s the first direct evidence that removing polyps can reduce the risk of colon cancer death.
“There’s no question that these are findings that we can take to the bank,” said Smith, who had no role in the research.jimmy choo outlet shoes
Colonoscopy cuts colon cancer death risk
Teen drivers and marijuana: A ‘dangerous trend’
A growing percentage of teens fake rolex watchs do not see marijuana use as a distraction while driving, and nearly one in five (19%) say they have gotten behind the wheel after smoking pot, a study out Wednesday finds. Thirteen percent of teens report driving under the influence of alcohol.
In the study of nearly 2,300 11th- and 12th-graders across the country, commissioned by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD, 70% of teens said marijuana use is “very” or “extremely” distracting to their driving, down from 78% in 2009.
The findings reflect “a dangerous trend toward the acceptance of marijuana and other substances compared to our study of teens conducted just two years ago,” says Stephen Wallace, senior adviser for Policy, Research, and Education at SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions).
That trend has been reflected elsewhere, as well. In December, the University of Michigan’s “Monitoring the Future” study of 47,000 eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders found that marijuana use rose in 2011 for the fourth straight year, and that daily use was at a 30-year peak level among high school seniors.The new study’s findings are disturbing, “both in terms of the increased use of marijuana and from the perspective that many think this is not a danger,” says Wallace.
Among teens who have driven after using marijuana, 36% say it presents no distraction when operating a vehicle. Nearly one in five (19%) say alcohol is no distraction.
In talking with teenagers around the country, “we hear from young people who believe that marijuana actually makes them a safer driver, that they concentrate harder, drive slower,” says Wallace. Those are all misconceptions, he says, adding that “marijuana affects memory, judgment, and perception” and can lead to poor decisions when behind the wheel.cheap lacoste polo outlet
The study highlights the need “to get the message out about the dangers of marijuana impairment,” says Tom Hedrick of The Partnership at Drugfree.org, an advocacy group that was not involved in the study. “It’s a wake-up call for parents about the importance of having this conversation” with their teens.
Friends and peers also play a role in getting teens to make safer driving choices, says Wallace. He notes that 72% of teen passengers said they would speak up and ask a driver who used marijuana to not drive; 87% would ask a driver who had been drinking. “We’ve got to empower passengers to speak up,” says Wallace.jimmy choo outlet shoes
GE to Employees: Any Fleet Car You Want, As Long
GE to Employees: Any Fleet Car You Want, As Long As It’s a Volt,have you ever thought?And Electric Delivery Vans Receive
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Well, it's an election year, so politicians have to stoke the fire any way they can to keep potential voters properly outraged. So we've got FOX News making one of their classic "mistakes" and claiming on air (with text overlay and everything) that it is GM and not GE that is using the cars in its fleet and "forcing employees" into them. This whole "forcing employees" thing is ridiculous. Getting a company car is a perk, and while it's fine to allow more choice in a regular gas-powered fleet, GE's decision to have a plug-in fleet restricts choice simply because there aren't tons of plug-in cars available right now. I'm sure that at some point there will be more choice, and GE is already allowing employees who need to carry tools or have other special needs to get a van or a truck. But if all you need to do is get from point A to point B, the Volt should do just as well as previous fleet cars (while burning a lot less gas). People still not happy can just refuse the company car and pay for their own vehicle
Then Newt Gingrich piled on the Volt and made this jewel of a pandering statement: "Let me start from a simple premise that Oklahomans will understand: you cannot put a gun rack in a Volt." What? Neither can you in a Corvette, but I don't see politicians singling them out... And if it is shown that you can still carry a bunch of firearms in a Volt, will Newt suddenly reverse his position? All this politically-motived Volt bashing is getting a little much
When Robert Llewellyn test drove the Ford Transit Connect EV delivery van, I suggested that urban business vehicles like this might be the perfect application for early electric vehicle technology. In fact many businesses like ">UK retailer Tesco are already deploying EV delivery vans.
From improved city air quality to the fact that fixed delivery routes eliminate range anxiety, there is a strong case to be made for electrifying urban business fleets first. So it’s good news that Business Green reports on the British Government announcing that eleven electric delivery vehicles will be eligible for a plug-in electric grant of 8,000 (about US$12,000):
To qualify for the scheme models must emit less than 75g/km CO2, be capable of travelling at least 60 miles between charges or 10 miles in electric mode for hybrid vans reach speeds of more than 50mph, and meet European safety standards.
As well as benefiting from reduced refuelling costs, electric vans are exempt from company car tax, attract capital allowance concessions, and receive a 100 per cent discount for the congestion charge in the London, making them an attractive choice for many businesses’ fleets. A report released today by The Climate Group in collaboration with the Energy Saving Trust and Cenex finds that, when used for the right tasks, electric vehicle’s save businesses 700 per vehicle per year compared to diesel alternatives.authentic jerseys wholesale
Bodan Peters, president of the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association
Bodan Peters, president of the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association
nfl jerseys wholesale But in northern Vermont, Jacques Couture is optimistic. Couture, 61, has been sugaring since he was a toddler and has run his own operation for 40 years. Some of his best crops have been after winters just like this one, he said.
“Some people say, ‘Is it worth tapping this year, you don’t even have any snow. It’s going to be spring before you know it,’” he said. “But the caution I would say is, ‘Don’t transplant your tomatoes outdoors just yet, because it ain’t over.’”
Unlike points further south, there has been some snow in Westfield, Vt., where Couture lives. But it’s closer to knee-deep than the chest-deep drifts he faced last year when it was time to tap his trees.
“We’ve had a lot of thaws this winter,” he said. “But the old timers say, every thaw in the winter is a run of sap in the spring,” he said. “This is agriculture, and you never what kind of crop you’re going to get, but you’ve still got to try to do the best you can. So I’m not the least bit discouraged about it at this point.”
It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Last year, U.S. maple production hit an all-time high of 2.79 million gallons, led by Vermont with 1.14 million gallons. Beyond good weather, technology has played a role in the industry’s growth, with vacuum tube systems that pull he sap from trees and new taps with valves designed to prevent sap flowing back into the trees.
Small amounts of syrup already have been produced in southern and central Maine, the No. 3 syrup-producing state behind Vermont and New York. Eric Ellis, a manager at Maine Maple Products in Madison and vice president of the Maine Maple Producers Association, said producers statewide are tapping their trees.
“There certainly is concern, but going into any season there’s always a little bit of doubt,” Ellis said. “We don’t really know until it’s over what the crop’s going to be.”
Bodan Peters, president of the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association, said he probably will wait until early March to set up his 800 taps in Sugar Hill. The mild winter doesn’t have him too concerned.
“Everything leading up to this point is just what gets thrown at us,” said Peters, who grew up on a farm and has been tapping his own trees for 12 years.
“If you’re going to get into maple sugaring, you’ve got to love it, the good and the bad about it,” he said. “If you can actually pay for your equipment, that’s a plus.”soccer country jerseys wholesale
Happiness is an Inside Job: 7 Ways to Enjoy it!It
Happiness is an Inside Job: 7 Ways to Enjoy it!It will also give you the same happyness
nba jerseys wholesale Recently we taught a workshop where a number of the participants had lost loved ones in the past years: one had lost her son to AIDS, another had lost her husband, son, and mother all within twelve months, anothers partner had drowned. Others were dealing with specific illnesses, or difficult issues in their lives.
Through the tremendous grief, what eventually emerged was the awareness that our real happiness lies within ourselvesCthat it is not dependent on someone or something outside of ourselves. Where people had lost what they had thought of as their source of happinessCa loved one or their healthCthey have now come to look more deeply within. It was a weekend of many aha moments!
On the way home we were delayed for three hours at Dallas airport and, as it is easy to do when waiting at airports, we browsed the magazine rack and casually looked through an edition of People Magazine. It just happened to be filled with people like Angelina Jolie saying what it is that gives them happiness. Most of the answers were about loved ones and children, but some were as banal as, Free popcorn refills and clean underwear, or Happiness is a Chick-fil-A and a soft pretzel.ncaa jerseys wholesale
We thought we would share some of the ways our workshop participants discovered how to truly be happy and enjoy their lives.
1. Not to take yourself too seriously. At times of hardship, such as loss or illness, we can easily lose our humor, and even more easily get very involved with the negative aspects of what is happening. We become the center of our universe. Remembering not to take ourselves too seriously brings a lightness and ease to the weight of circumstance around us. Dont forgetCangels can fly because they take themselves lightly!
2. Not to identify with suffering, loss, or illness, as being who you are. Many of our participants realized how they had been identifying themselves as a cancer survivor / widow / recovering addict, or whatever it may be, but had not asked themselves who they were without that label or identity. When we do not identify with the negative label, then the positive side of who we are has a chance to shine.
3. Its OK to be you, just as you are, warts and all. We may think we are imperfect, a mess, falling apart, hopeless, or unable to cope. But true perfection is really just accepting our imperfections. It is accepting ourselves, complete with all the things we like and the things we dont like. In this way we are not struggling with or rejecting ourselves. Each one of is unique, a one-time offer, but we cannot know it if we are facing away from ourselves.
4. Feel everything, whatever it may be. When we are suffering, our feelings get huge and can be overwhelming. It is easy to want to deny or repress them. But if we can really honor whatever we are feeling, then it will bring us closer to the happiness beneath the suffering or grief. Acknowledging our real feelings is the greatest gift.
5. Make friends with yourself. Our relationship with ourselves is the only one that we will have for the whole of our lives, and we can be the greatest friend to ourselves. So it is very important not to put ourselves down or beat ourselves up. As Ed used to sing in Elementary school:
I love myself, I think Im grand,
I go to the movies and hold my hand.
I put my arm around my waist,
And when I get fresh I slap my face!
6. Forgive yourself. Treasure yourself. These are big steps, but each one liberates the heart and sets us free. We need to forgive ourselves for feeling angry, for getting upset, for all things we think we have done wrong. They are in the past and we are not who we were then. We can then begin to embrace and love ourselves, for we are so worthy of that love. And then we can take any resistance or fear by the hand, invite it in, and open our heart to the universe.
7. Meditate. There is an overwhelming amount of research showing how meditation changes the circuits in the part of the brain associated with contentment and happiness and stimulates the feel-good factor. Meditating on love and kindness makes us much, much happier! And the only way to know this is to try it!!
What does inner happiness mean to you? Can you connect with that place of unconditional happiness within yourself? Do leave us a comment.authentic jerseys wholesale
Plastics from Biomass Opens Pathway to Reduced Reliance on Oil
Plastics from Biomass Opens Pathway to Reduced Reliance on Oil and at the same time will give
nfl jerseys wholesale Plastics from Biomass Opens Pathway to Reduced Reliance on Oil.Scientists at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, in cooperation with Dow Chemicals, can make chemical raw materials from biomass rather than from petroleum.
We have long wondered why the discussion about peak petroleum always emphasizes how expensive personal transportation will become as petroleum supplies dwindle. The better question is why are we wasting such a valuable raw material by burning it in our cars?
The forces of nature that pushed carbon molecules together into longer chains in the form of petroleum have subsidized modern development for almost a century now. When petroleum runs out, putting together the raw materials for modern products ranging from pharmaceuticals to paints to plastics is not so easy.
Nanocatalyst Converts SynGas to Ethylene and Propylene
The key to the new process is a nanocatalyst consisting of iron particles only 0.00002 millimeters stabilized on a carbon nanofibers. A gaseous mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, called SynGas because it is a gas synthesized from biomass, passes across the catalyst and is converted to ethylene and propylene.
Ethylene molecules have two carbons linked together and propylene molecules have three carbon chains. These molecules are exactly the same as the molecules derived from petroleum. In fact, they may have advantages in health and safety, because they do not need to be purified of the many carcinogenic and otherwise hazardous constituents of petroleum.
Of course, nanotechnology needs a lot more work to ensure that the hazards are understood and properly managed, but processes such as these weigh on the positive side of the risk-benefit analysis.nhl jerseys wholesale
Making the SynGas
Making fuels from biomass has been done on large scales in times of severe duress, such as during wars, when tree roots might be turned into fighter plane fuel for example. More recently, in the face of peak oil, experiments with coal-to-liquid fuel or landfill gas reclamation
The conversion relies on a series of reactions called the Fischer-Tropsch process. .
The Fischer-Tropsch process can be used on crop remains, grasses, trees, or other non-consumable biomass. This would reduce one major issue that bioplastics are facing: bioplastics often compete with our tables for raw materials.
The Path to the Future
This research does not mean that substituting the chemicals we get from petroleum today provides the only path to the future. But as bioplastics hit obstacles from performance issues to beer price crises, and as petroleum supplies dwindle, alternatives may provide a bridge to the bio-based economy we hope for in the more distant future.
The research of Professor Krijn de Jong and his team is published in the 17 February 2012 issue of Science.mbl jerseys wholesale
Christmas collection from Topshop
In anticipation of the holidays many fashion-retailers are releasing a special collection of clothes for a stylish holiday wardrobe. Topshop was not an exception and has released a limited edition collection especially for Christmas and New Year. To fans attention the brand Topshop presents the romantic dresses maximum of translucent fabrics, flirty mini, bands in the style of the seventies, and baby doll dresses in bright candy colors.
Christmas collection of British fashion brand Topshop riddled with an eclectic spirit of multilayered clothes and an ideal choice for those who are going to a music festival in the hippie style, in the spirit of free love.
Kate Moss brought in her collections Topshop Christmas collection filled with a mixture of feathers, fur, beads, leather, knitted jersey and spirit of the 70s C the combination of vintage and bohemian chic.
Fortunately, the presentation of Topshop on festive fashion is not limited to dresses. Topshop Christmas collection includes various models of trousers, skirts and tops, as well as a few fur items. Brand shoes to match outfits C open high-heeled shoes, suede boots and ankle boots heels.
Fine jewelry or utensils, ceremonial weapons, or a desk lamp, a strict Cup yacht club or a compact travel clock – Tiffany and Co had long since ceased to be merely the name of the jewelry at home. Tiffany and Co C an empire ruled by a refined taste, luxury, elegance and impeccable style. Each product is packaged in the famous blue box bears the invisible, but paradoxically the distinct stamp of belonging to this universe. Tiffany & Co. conquered the world gracefully and easily, keeping true to the style at all, even in its own history.
Tiffany & Co. jewellery is not just objects of exquisite art. It is an universal system of symbols that does not require any translation and commentary.
Recently Tiffany & Co. has released the Tiffany and Co New Blue Book Holiday Collection 2010-2011, the jewelers annual presentation of the worlds most spectacular diamond and gemstone jewelry.
The main discovery of Tiffany and Co New Blue Book Holiday Collection 2010-2011 is its Necklace Tiffany Majestic, which fascinates. Necklace consists of 300 round and pear-shaped brilliant stones. This necklace came to light after 700 hours of hard labor.
In addition there are diamonds and other stones. 28.01-carat Kashmir sapphire unenhanced fit in a necklace made of round diamonds.
Tiffany and Co New Blue Book Holiday Collection 2010-2011 also includes a necklace. This necklace features three suspensions with three rare vivid yellow diamonds. Yellow diamond 13,09-CT. rectangular shape and two 6-CT. yellow diamond, surrounded by 642 round white diamonds.
There are still some novelties. The catalog presents a new version of Jean Schlumberger Bird on a Rock design. This is a 18 carats golden bird. The bird is encrusted with diamonds and sits on the 104.66-carat cushion-shaped kunzite.
Babies Understand You More Than You Know
Babies between six and nine months of age understand the meaning of some spoken words, according a new University of Pennsylvania study, which challenges previous beliefs about early childhood learning.
Although many babies vocalize aloud with sounds such as ba ba, da da and goo goo, the study finds they can still learn the meanings of words for foods and body parts, through daily experiences and interactions with caregivers.
Babies have been thought to understand certain sounds related to their native languages, but experts believed babies between 6 to 9 months old C often referred to as pre-linguistic C did not have the ability to understand the meaning of spoken words.
It was thought that childrens word comprehension abilities really didnt appear until they were closer to the first birthday.
The researchers reached their conclusion after completing two kinds of tests.
For the first test, the baby, while sitting on their caregivers lap faced a screen that had the images of one food item and one body part.
Wearing headphones, the caregiver was fed statements like, Look at the apple or Wheres the apple? to repeat to the child.
As a precaution, the caregivers also wore visors to keep them from looking at the screen. Using an eye-tracking device, which showed where a child was looking and when, the researchers were able to follow the childs gaze.
The second test, instead of displaying a food item and body part on the screen, showed objects arranged in natural contexts, such as a few foods laid out on a table or a human figure.
The researchers used both tests to see whether the baby, after hearing a word for something on the screen, would look at that specific object more, indicating that they understood the spoken word.
A baby participates in the study of language acquisition. (Photo: University of Pennsylvania)
A baby participates in the study of language acquisition. (Photo: University of Pennsylvania)
The test results showed the 6-to-9-month-old babies tended to fix their gaze more on the picture named by their caregiver rather than on the other images on display.
For the researchers, this demonstrated that the babies are able to understand the word associated with the appropriate object.
The researchers tested 33 6- to-9 month-old children.
They also gave the same tests to 50 children between 10-to-20 months of age, in order to compare test results of the younger children with those who were older.
Interestingly, the researchers found no noticeable improvement in word recognition in 8-and-9-month-old babies as compared to 6-to-7 month olds.
Researchers found little improvement until the children reached roughly 14 months, at which point word recognition spiked dramatically.
The researchers think that increase in the babies performance may either be due to the little ones being able to better understand the nature of the task because its part of a game theyre playing, or that it may be due to natural language development.
Facebook Unsure of China as a Market
Facebooks CEO, Mark Zuckerberg may want to come to China, but the companys IPO filing certainly lowers expectations.
In its recent IPO filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Facebook says:
China is a large potential market for Facebook, but users are generally restricted from accessing Facebook from China. We do not know if we will be able to find an approach to managing content and information that will be acceptable to us and to the Chinese government. It is also possible that governments of one or more other countries may seek to censor content available on our website, restrict access, block our website, or impose other restrictions that may affect the accessibility of Facebook for an extended period of time or indefinitely.
The social networking website has more than 845 million registered users, including Chinese speaking populations in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. However, they have almost no penetration in the mainland Chinese market.
Recent media reports have included speculation that Facebook could never do will in China because:
China would be a tough market to crack. Chinas RenRen social network and Sina, parent of Chinese microblogging service Weibo, have strong footholds there. (USA Today)
Indeed, Chinese social networking sites such as Renren are already well established. On Baidu, Chinas biggest search engine, its wiki-style page Baidu Knowledge featured the popular question:
Who can tell me what are the advantages of Facebook? Why are there people hoping that it would IPO on the Chinese mainland but why do people not wish its own brands to be made international?
This reflects the mood of many netizens, why should they use a foreign service when Sina microblog, Renren, Kaixin and others are all providing similar services?
On another popular social networking site, Douban, a post in January 2012 asked if Chinese mainlanders are able to go on Facebook. The replies were varied:
Sea: What is Facebook? Ive never heard of Facebook. I hate it when people Facebook this and Facebook that.
Illusion: Who said China could be a financial center of the world? Its laughable, information is unable to flow from both sides!
hchchc: Please this poster dont lie. I have never heard of Facebook, Twitter, Youtube or MySpace.
From all of the netizen reaction, it seems most people are resigned to the fact that Facebook will not make it to China anytime soon.
‘Sports Illustrated’ swimsuit issue goes to the Gulf
In October, swearing secrecy from all involved, the magazine packed up models, photographers, editors and other staffers and headed south to drum roll, please . Apalachicola, Fla.
“It took us a couple days to master saying it,” admits Diane Smith, SI swimsuit issue editor, with a laugh. Although the magazine has been to Florida (the last time was in 2008), it has never featured the Gulf Coast region, which became a specific goal. “We thought we can do some good for our country, really help a region that needs to be showcased,” says Smith.
The Panhandle town’s picturesque, historic port scenery, combined with the 22-mile St. George barrier island off the coast, provided just the backdrop SI was looking for. Smith adds, “For all the exotic places we’ve been to, there’s no place like home.”
The town offered boats, verandahs, beautiful Victorian houses, golf carts and dogs. “It’s a such a dog-friendly town. You’ll see two local doggies in the magazine.”
More than anything, though, says Smith, “We really wanted to shine a light on the area to show it’s a vibrant place. It’s called the ‘forgotten coast.’ And we wondered, ‘Why is this forgotten?’ ”
That’s all about to change as the town is featured (as one of five locations, plus some studio shots) in the SI issue, whose circulation is expected to be around 60 million. The cover will be unveiled on CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman on Monday night. The issue will be available Tuesday on newsstands, on SI.com/Swimsuit and for tablet and mobile.
“Apalach,” says Ariel Meredith, one of the models who got to know the Florida town pretty well during the 10-day shoot. Meredith was in the SI swimsuit issue in 2009, took a break, and now returns for this issue. She’s from Shreveport, La., so she considers herself a Southern belle, but she hadn’t traveled to this part of Florida.
“I had never heard of it, to be honest,” says Meredith, who would love to follow in such famous footsteps as SI swimsuit cover girls Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Marissa Miller, Rebecca Romijn, Christie Brinkley and Cheryl Tiegs.
“But now I have an Apalach family there.” The “really friendly” locals taught her to shorten the name of the town. “I was having the worst time Apalachahoola? I couldn’t get it right.”
Meredith went to the Maldives for a fashion shoot and says the Florida sand ranks with the best. “It’s super soft. I thought I was in the Caribbean or at least Miami. It’s nice to roll around in,” she adds, a requirement for an SI model.
The suits they had her wear, she says, “fit perfectly” for the Gulf Coast. “Cute ruffles, heart-shaped bottoms, in colors that reflected the area.”
For Apalachicola, which is about 70 miles from Tallahassee and 60 miles from Panama City, the shoot was a very big deal.
“Indescribably huge,” says Shari Kerrigan of Florida’s Office for Film and Entertainment. The shoot, she says, “will certainly put it on the map.”
She adds, “I know how much we’ve tried to rejuvenate that area. It kills tourism when people are going to the beach and there’s oil in the water. This is going to be so good.”
Beyond that, she says, “it’s mostly just because I’m so darn proud.” She was born in Pensacola and wants the world to know how beautiful the area is. “Above and beyond my job title it’s a hometown pride kind of thing. What Sports Illustrated has been so amazing at doing is finding these beautiful, exotic places that are hidden and unknown. To be in the same ranks as these other exotic beautiful places is amazing.”
Anita Grove, executive director of the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce, says the town was not directly affected by the 2010 BP oil spill. “We did not get oil on our shores. We got debris that had oil on it, but the whole BP incident was like someone sitting with a gun at your head the possibility of getting oil was always there as it was gushing, gushing, gushing. It was a stressful situation.”
Now, the town will be celebrating as SI shows off the clean and pretty area. Grove says she was on hand every day during the shoot.
So, how sexy was it? “I’m pretty conservative, and I don’t think there was anything more revealing than you’d find on a summer day. The bathing suits to me were very tasteful. However, when they offered me one, I said I can’t even get my leg in one.”
She’s also happy to finally be able to talk about it, having been sworn “on pain of death” to not tell anyone that Sports Illustrated had been there.
Didn’t gorgeous models and camera crews prompt curiosity? Says Grove, “We did notice an increase in firemen and police who knew and kept coming to check on us.”