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Hard road ahead for Europe at Ryder Cup

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Europe were crushed by the United States in the 2021 Ryder Cup, suffering a record-breaking defeat at the hands of their rivals at Whistling Straits. Padraig Harrington’s team failed to compete with the States, who dominated proceedings from the off to regain the Ryder Cup with ease.

Dustin Johnson was the standout for the States, winning all five of his matches. Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Bryson DeChambeau, Daniel Berger, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas were equally effective in Wisconsin, putting the Europeans to the sword. The States have a fine blend of talent that has dominated the PGA Tour and the Ryder Cup over the last two years.

In the latest golf betting odds, the USA are backed at ½ to regain the Ryder Cup in Italy in 2023. With the talent at their disposal that are the leading contenders in the golf tips to sweep up the majors in 2022 and beyond, it is hard to look past them winning in Europe for the first time in the 21st century. The next European captain has a major problem on his hands, dealing with the quality of the United States’ line-up and the lack of talent emerging in Europe to counter them.

At the peak of its powers between 2002 and 2006, Europe won three successive Ryder Cups. They had a good blend of talent among the older players in the ranks and younger talent such as Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood. Those players were the foundations of further success stories in another three-peat in 2010, 2012 and 2014. There was a setback in 2016 when the States hit back hard, but Europe were on their mettle in 2018 through the brilliance of Francesco Molinari among others to regain the Ryder Cup in Paris.

The 2021 Ryder Cup highlighted the problem that future European captains are facing as the old guard of Westwood, Poulter and Casey faltered at Whistling Straits. Garcia may have one Ryder Cup left in him, while others who missed the tournament such as Justin Rose and Molinari could be drafted back into the team. However, the young talent is failing to thrive under pressure.

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The case of Matthew Fitzpatrick is evidence of that fact. Fitzpatrick has played in two Ryder Cups, albeit both in the United States, but has failed to win a single point or half point in his five matches. He displayed his quality to bounce back to win the Andalucia Masters, but Harrington would have been scratching his head wondering where that form was in the States. After a brilliant Ryder Cup debut in 2018 when he partnered Molinari, Tommy Fleetwood went off the boil in 2021, winning only one of his three matches. In matches without Molinari, Fleetwood’s record falls to 1-4.

Tyrrell Hatton appeared to be a golfer on the rise, winning the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational to secure his first PGA Tour crown. However, he endured a miserable end to 2021 by missing the cut at the US Open and The Open before mustering 1.5 points from his four games at the Ryder Cup.

Jon Rahm will carry the burden moving forward as the superstar of the European team. He was near flawless at Whistling Straits until he cracked on the final day against Scheffler to lose his singles match. Rory McIlroy too has been mediocre at Ryder Cups with 12-12-4 overall record. Unlike the past generations, it is the States that are building the platform for future success rather than the Europeans. It could be a tough road ahead for European golf in the Ryder Cup.

9 reasons why people who love gardening are good lovers

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Actively enjoying the great outdoors is an excellent way to stay healthy, and there are so many amazing ways you can take advantage of fresh air and sunshine. Often overlooked is gardening, a pastime that is both physically and mentally stimulating, and provides outdoor enjoyment for a wide range of abilities – not to mention that fresh produce and flowers are a secondary perk to the hobby.

What also isn’t mentioned is how amazing gardeners truly are, and why being romantically involved with one is truly a benefit you may be missing out on! Looking for a partner that is independent and pays attention to detail? Look no further and see why gardening enthusiasts make great lovers.

What Supports Healthy Relationships

Relationships are often full of highs and lows, bumps and twists, and confusion, but healthy relationships manage to find their way out of these moments due to the building of communication skills and honesty.

Supporting your partner in their endeavors and committing yourself to respecting what they enjoy and feel passionate about is a foundation of trust even when you don’t always see eye to eye. This openness provides communication skills you can build upon, so when your road does become rocky, you can see the reasons why – and work together to get through them.

Supporting a partner doesn’t mean you accept personal responsibility for their actions either. Nothing is wrong with supportive aid, discussion, and help in making decisions, but in the end,  you need to be comfortable with allowing them to decide what is best for them and let them take their own responsibilities. Encouragement in all this is also a highly supportive endeavor!

So, what does this have to do with the awesomeness of being involved with a gardener? Lots actually!

Reasons Why Gardeners Make Good Lovers

Gardeners come from all spectrums of beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds and you don’t have to line up your stars to determine if your Sagittarius sign is compatible with a Libra.

Gardeners are an organized bunch who appreciate the efforts of their toil with the earth and are used to making independent decisions with their time. They have learned through trial and error in their efforts with their gardening and apply it to their everyday lives. This makes for an excellent foundation for a couple to grow upon!

They Know the Value of Patience

Gardeners know the value of patience as they work with natural processes concerning the care of the planting environment, seeding and fostering plant growth, health of mature plants, and harvest where appropriate. This care often reflects well in their relationships with others.

They Make Deep Connections

The time and effort it takes to foster plants and gardens creates connections with efforts of care, and with the living plants. Gardeners respect this relationship with the products of their time and know that it can be applicable to human relationships as well.

They Understand Personal Responsibility

Because their decisions concerning the gardening process are directly related to the health and success of the garden, they know well how their own actions influence results. This is as true in human relationships as with the things they care for.

They Share the Love of The Outdoors

Since most of gardening is done outdoors, they are often found out in the elements no matter what the weather is. They appreciate those who toil alongside them and will influence healthier decisions in relation to nature.

They Know How to Foster Growth

The time and effort it takes to foster a garden is much the same as in a relationship. Gardeners are masters at this skill and realize the patience and care growth in any aspect requires.

They Foster Good Mental and Physical Health

All of this patience and effort lends itself well to healthy approaches to both mental and physical health. Just being outdoors works wonders on physical activity through walking, bending, lifting – and in general moving about. The fresh air and sunlight is also incredibly beneficial.

They Don’t Mind Getting Dirty

Gardening is not a clean sport, and who wants to be with somebody who isn’t willing to do what it takes to foster growth in any aspect. Relationships can be dirty and difficult as well, but the focus of the end goal is worth the effort.

They Understand How Their Actions Affect Others

Because of the personal responsibility they make to their garden, gardeners are well aware of how every action they take can affect the end result of their goals. Thinking before they act is part of the process they have learned in helping things grow and it is a great reflection on life in general as well.

They Appreciate the Small Things

Gardener’s, probably more than anyone, see the value of the small things – and know how much potential even the smallest of seeds can offer. Just like a small action can grow to encompass so much larger, this awareness can help foster and grow a relationship as well.

Conclusion

When you are looking for an honest relationship that is based on the values of hard work and responsibility, becoming involved with a gardener may be the answer you have been looking for. Their love of the outdoors and understanding of the effort fostering growth in all aspects of life will serve the two of you well.

Council hiring fleet of OAP snow clearers to solve gritter driver shortage

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elderly snow plough
Suffolk OAP Bill Robinson training for council snow-clearing duties

Suffolk County Council is hiring an army of pensioners to clear snow this winter.

The nation’s driver shortage is hitting the road gritting fleet, meaning roads could go uncleared when the bad weather arrives.

But highways chiefs have come up with an ingenious and cheap alternative plan.

They have placed adverts for elderly people to head out into the snow and clear roads with adapted walking frames.

Council spokesperson Lorraine Fisher, 34, explained: “There are plenty of old people out there with little to do to pass the time.

“This gives them a renewed sense of purpose and some extra money in their pocket.”

OAP snow clearers will be paid £4.25 an hour and given a free hat and scarf to help cope with the chilly conditions.

Asked why the rate was so low, Ms Fisher said: “Our tests and training so far has shown they are very slow, so we have to work out an hourly rate that reflects the amount of tarmac they can actually clear in any shift.”

Pensioners keen to get involved can expect fantastic conditions. Hours are 4pm to 6am and, once they have walked to their designated road, they can go home as soon as they have finished.

However, local hospital medics are not sure the plan has been thought through.

Dr Steve Walshe, of Ipswich Hospital, said: “While the council might be saving some pennies exploiting our elderly, it will be costing us a fortune in cases of hypothermia and broken hips.”

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Lucky Suffolk punters strike it big with gambles that pay off

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Have you ever dreamed of winning the lottery? That 10-game football accumulator finally coming in? Or landing a huge slot jackpot?

Well, dreams became reality for two lucky Suffolk punters who are among the biggest ever gambling winners.

A man from Kesgrave hit the big time last month, landing a staggering £885,000 from a 60p bet at an online casino.

And with lots of reputable slot sites operating in the UK, the choice for players is better than ever.

The lucky winner plans to buy a new dream house for him and his girlfriend, send his parents on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Canada for their 50th wedding anniversary and holiday in Dubai after striking lucky.

“It’s a completely amazing experience and for a long time I had no idea exactly how much I’d won,” he said.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes until I looked closely at the balance and saw £885,000 – from a spin of just 60p.

“I’ve enjoyed a bet my entire adult life but never come close to winning as much as this before. I took my girlfriend out for dinner to celebrate, then we’ll start looking for our dream house.”

Betfair Megapays jackpot winner
Megapays jackpot (Image: Betfair)

The win came on Betfair Casino’s ‘Millionaire Megapays’ game, with a Betfair spokesperson saying: “We are delighted to pay an £885,000 jackpot to our casino winner, who won the sum with a bet of just 60p.

“Since his big day, we’ve been in touch to help our winner with his withdrawal and to deliver his big win education, where we discuss the importance of controlling play, applying safer gambling tools, and coming to terms with a sum like £885,000, which sounds like it’s going to be well-spent.”

The Kesgrave winner follows another Suffolk punter who won a hefty £223,000 from a £5 bet on a 20-team football accumulator with odds of 44,629/1.

Every single result came off to make it a Christmas to remember for the lucky bettor, who made the stake in December 2016.

And to make it even sweeter, BetVictor honoured their price promise pledge to boost the winnings by 15%.

But while those wins were massive, they aren’t even close to the biggest in gambling history.

A Belgian player on Napoleon Sports & Casino became the biggest ever single spin online slot winner when they landed a jackpot of more than €19.4million on Microgaming’s Absolootly Mad Megah Moolah.

The player took the jackpot from just a €15 stake, saying: “The feeling at that moment is just indescribable.

“At first you can hardly believe it and I think it will take a long time to sink in completely. It was on my last spin that it happened.

“I read how last week a Napoleon player won a multi-million jackpot and of course I started dreaming about it as well. But to actually live this moment… I feel so lucky.”

However, having given you a taste of the top we feel it would be remiss not to include a tale of warning.

A New Yorker by the name of Katrina Bookman was playing on the slots at the Resort World Casino when she was presented with a winning ticket of $42.9million, almost the largest casino win in history.

However, there was a malfunction with the machine she was playing on only offering a maximum winning potential of $6,500. She was reportedly offered a steak dinner by the casino as an apology, but that probably wouldn’t have done the trick!

Slots are the games to beat if you’re looking for a big return, with these titles easy-to-understand and highly entertaining.

And you don’t even need to jet to Las Vegas to land big as you can play in the comfort of your own home online.

Brexiteer looking forward to war with ‘cheese-eating surrender monkeys’

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Brexit supporter Steve Walshe says war with France is the only way to sort the “cheese-eating surrender monkeys out, once and for all”.

As the latest dust-up with the French over fishing rights threatens to escalate, Mr Walshe said Britain rules the waves and will stand firm.

“We didn’t win two world wars and bail out the French just to let them dictate to us about scallops.

“Send in the gunboats – it will be like Trafalgar all over again. Tremendous.”

Mr Walshe said France was a “very good reason for leaving Europe, after all” – and that we didn’t vote to leave only to be told we couldn’t catch a scallop.

UK diplomatic expert Lorraine Fisher, 34, said the war would be averted because the French ambassador had been summoned by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for a telling-off.

“We will give the French a severe talking to, and they will shrug their shoulders and flounce off.

“Then everyone will forget about what they were arguing about and we can all concentrate on important things like Halloween.”

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Budget: Rishi Sunak makes Suffolk Gazette free for everyone

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Chancellor Rishi Sunak plans his Budget (Image: Twitter)

Chancellor Rishi Sunak today makes free readership of the Suffolk Gazette a key component of his 2021 Budget.

As part of the Government’s level-up initiative, everyone can now enjoy Britain’s favourite newspaper at no cost.

From midnight tonight, readers need only click on the SuffolkGazette.com website to read the most informed and accurate news reporting of the day.

Mr Sunak will tell a hushed House of Commons: “In these difficult times, with rising costs and hard-working families facing economic hardship, this Government is making tough decisions.

“But one thing we can do is make key media information absolutely free, starting with the Suffolk Gazette.

“It is important that everyone gets real news on key issues like COVID and all that questionable behaviour in Norfolk.”

Suffolk Gazette spokesperson Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “I have no idea what Sunak is talking about.

“The Suffolk Gazette is free anyway.”

Health insurance statistics in the United Kingdom 2021

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Health insurance is no longer a luxury. It is one of the most important necessities that anyone can avail of, and for a good reason. It is a buffer of protection that saves lives in a pinch and ensures everyone has access to healthcare. It is one of the cornerstones of modern society, and the Coronavirus pandemic has put into stark contrast just why it is so important.

The state of affairs is always changing, and the sphere of public health is no exception. In this article, we will take you through the statistics surrounding health insurance in the UK and try to make sense of everything. With that said, let’s get into it. Here is everything you need to know about insurance stats in the UK.

Health Insurance Market Overview

The health insurance market is prospering. According to data published by ResearchAndMarkets, the positive trend is here to stay in the long term. It is expected that the health and medical insurance market  will have a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CARG) of 5.05% from 2021 through 2026. One of the key sectors, which is gaining prominence at the moment, is the private healthcare services market. It is projected to reach a value of 13.8 billion USD by 2025, thanks to the rise in waiting times and increased frequency of referrals to private sector healthcare providers.

The Biggest Providers of Health Insurance in the UK

Four companies provide the most insurance policies in the UK. In this section, we will be taking a brief look at them and what makes them so popular.

  • BUPA: BUPA is the market leader in the medical and health insurance department and holds 50% of the market share. Just from health insurance alone, its annual revenue accounted for more than 80%.
  • Vitality: Previously, PruHealth, this company has amassed a large following by offering a lot of discounts to customers and rewards for using their policies. It is dedicated to keeping people healthy, and good marketing practices drive its popularity.
  • Aviva: This was previously Norwich Union and had a history going back 300 years, with millions of customers internationally, not just the UK. 
  • AXA: AXA has been around since 1940 and has survived for a reason. It is one of the biggest health insurance providers in the UK today and has been named Health insurance Provider of the Year in 2018 due to its exceptional service and practices.

The big four has something to offer for everyone. It is only a matter of doing enough research and comparing policies using a service like Healthplan and finding what suits you best. Without proper research and reading the fine print, it is very easy to get misled.

Key Facts About Health Insurance in the UK

The Association of British Insurers publishes data that is very interesting to behold. Across the UK, about1.7 million people have private medical insurance. The NHS spent nearly 159 million GBP in 2018-19, around 2,300 GBP per head for every person in the United Kingdom. That’s a whopping 7.1% of the GDP of the country.

Not only does the NHS focus on the needs of the UK, but it also exerts its influence internationally. The NHS is part of the Prosperity Fund’s Better Health Programme. The NHS helps support eight middle-income countries by providing them better healthcare and strengthening their services, helping them achieve universal health coverage as fast as possible.

This is also where the need for private medical insurance comes into play. 11% of the UK’s population subscribes to such a policy. This is because the NHS provides healthcare for free as opposed to other countries. As a result, the public and private sectors complement each other. People only opt for privacy policies if they want very specific conditions not present in any public policy.

Due to increased spending by the NHS to provide better policies, people rarely look to private providers to meet their needs. Thanks to better performance, people are more satisfied with the NHS and therefore unlikely to look elsewhere. The labor market has also deteriorated, with fewer people opting for more expensive private health insurance.

Covid, in particular, has had an effect on the need for better and more comprehensive medical insurance, with the virus still running rampant across the UK population. With the devastating loss of livelihoods among the population, the increased dependence on public medical insurance is likely to continue, putting more and more strain on the NHS.

Conclusion

Medical insurance is a necessity now in the UK, as well as the world over. With the Coronavirus not going anywhere, it is best to stay protected. The NHS makes it easy for you and your loved ones to get insured – and there are enough private providers of insurance to have a decent experience, as well as good options to choose from. Just be careful about knowing the terms of your policy, and you should be fine.

Norwich fans able to count Chelsea goals on one hand

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By Ian Bred, Norfolk Correspondent

Disappointed Norwich City supporters had to watch Chelsea run rampant against their team at Stamford Bridge, but at least they could count all seven goals on one hand.

Chelsea romped home 7-0 against a woeful Norwich side that is now rock-bottom of the league, with just two points from a possible 27 – and a miserable goal difference of -21.

Those supporters who did make it to London for the game were able to keep track of counting all seven goals on the fingers of one hand.

This was obviously necessary because most of them are unable to read a scoreboard correctly.

Head of Chealsea Matchday Stewards, Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “We felt a bit sorry for the Norwich fans. They were sitting there, quiet as mice, holding up one finger after another to keep track of the score.

“They managed all seven goals on one hand.”

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