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FRANKFURT, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Bank lending to euro zone companies and households picked up pace in November despite signs that the economy of the single currency bloc was slowing, European Central Bank data showed on Thursday.
Corporate loans grew by 4 percent year-on-year while credit to households rose by 3.3 percent - in each case 10 basis points faster than in October, the data showed. (Reporting By Francesco Canepa Editing by Gareth Jones)


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Introduction to NYAA
New York Audio Academy is the place to be if you are interested in learning about the music business!
In the Spring 2014 we are introducing our Music Industry Intensive course that will cover all aspects of the music industry, from how microphones work all the way to how to track your royalties and everything in between.
The Music Industry Intensive course will give you information about every aspect of the business, but will also allow you to acquire specific knowledge with the extensive workshop series. Want to work with Pro Tools™ certified instructors and get in-depth practical knowledge of the workings of Pro Tools™? We've got you covered. Want to go deep into the workings of Reason™? We've got one of the actual sound designers who built the program as one of our instructors. Want to get into Artist Management? We've got actual working artist managers who will mentor you. The Music Industry Intensive course will offer the flexibility that you need in order to learn what you most want to learn, while giving you all the information you need to see the big picture. And you will be learning it directly from some of the biggest names in the business.
This quarter, the Music Industry Intensive program will be offered in a ten-week course meeting twice a week, for three hours each session on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The course is structured to give you maximum flexibility in how you want to learn, and what you want to learn. The scheduled classes will provide you with a wealth of information about the music industry: the creative process, the art of recording, artist management, publicity in the internet age and distribution, and so much more. In addition, the amazing optional programs that are offered will give you the opportunity to dive into specific technical areas of the world of audio recording, and give you the opportunity to earn operator certificates using the most cutting edge studio tools available today.
Our list of Guest Speakers represents some of the biggest heavy hitters in the business, and gives you the chance to learn directly from the best in the business, face-to-face.
In addition to the actual class time, there will be optional Workshops offered at no additional charge that will provide in-depth instruction in specific technical areas like Pro Tools™, Reason™ and operating the SSL™ Console. You will have the opportunity to earn Operator Certifications in as many of these areas as you choose.
We have an optional Internship program that allows you to spend valuable time in an actual commercial studio, assisting on sessions and learning the ropes.
In addition to all the other features of the Music Industry Intensive course, our unique Submissions program will give you the opportunity, if you choose, to have some of your original material reviewed and evaluated by some of the top talent buyers in the industry today.
Whether you are looking to launch a career in the music industry, or just want to explore and learn, the Music Industry Intensive course from the New York Audio Academy has what you need. Go to our Tuition Information page today to get started!

subset: commoncrawl


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While cooking, listen to this: Same Drugs - Chance the Rapper
Hello, sweater weather! It is about damn time that the city cooled down - don't get me wrong, I love my tank dresses and jelly sandals, but I am giving a hearty goodbye to 150 degree subway platforms and that terrible first drip of sweat down the back. You know what I'm talking about - why is that first drip so horrific?
Anyway, I usually eat soup all year round because it is DELICIOUS, but eating soup in the summer is a very different experience from eating it in the fall. In the summer, I eat soup with a fan in front of my face, enjoying my food but questioning my life choices. In the fall though, eating soup is an easy, delicious comfort in the face of cooling weather and darkening skies. Alyssa and I are very big fans of soup, and are constantly looking for new recipes.
Thanks to Alyssa's CSA we get a lot of produce that's well, weird. Take, for example, the sunchoke, which also exists under the alias of Jerusalem artichoke, which is really weird because there is no connection to Jerusalem and it is also not an artichoke. What can you do. But Alyssa got a bunch of these teeny tiny root-things, and I immediately remembered a soup recipe I had pinned years ago that I had always wanted to try, mostly because it's topped with caramelized shallots. I too would like to be topped with caramelized shallots.
This recipe comes from A House in the Hills, and not only is it stupid easy to make, but it's tasty too! I'll admit, I had never had sunchokes before, let a lone in soup, and was a little weirded out by the idea, but was pleasantly surprised. The shallots are, obviously, fucking bomb on top, and the fresh thyme brings an herby, earthy taste that's super complimentary to the sunchokes. Nature's sprinkles, if you will.
Happy fall, loves.
Love and meows, Rina
Yield: 2-3 servings
Active Cook Time: 20-25m | Inactive Cook Time: 1h | Total Cook Time: 1h 25m
Category: Soup, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Fall, Winter
Source: very slightly adapted from A House in the Hills
Special Equipment: immersion blender/high-speed blender/food processer
caramelized shallots:
4 large shallots, thinly sliced into half moons
4 Tablespoons neutral oil (grapeseed, avocado etc.), divided
3 ½ cups scrubbed, peeled & cubed sunchokes
3 cloves garlic*
1 medium onion, large dice
1 ½ cups non-dairy milk of choice
1 ½ cups vegetable broth
½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
Optional, fresh thyme, to garnish
*For the billionth time, use as much garlic as you want - sometimes 3 cloves just isn't enough!
Caramelize the shallots: place a large saute pan over low heat and add the oil. When warm, add the shallots and stir to coat. Cook low and slow, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until they caramelize. This can take a loooooong time, but hang in there!
Roast the veggies: preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the sunchokes, garlic and onion onto a baking sheet, and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of oil and some salt. No need for foil or parchment paper. Stir well to coat, and then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the veggies can be pierced easily with a fork.
Prepare the soup: in a medium pot, add the roasted veggies, non-dairy milk, broth and some salt. Place over high heat and bring to a low boil, then cook for 3-5 minutes.
Blend the soup: use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree, or add to a high-speed blender and puree there.
To serve: ladle into bowls, top with the caramelized shallots and thyme (if using) and dig in.
To keep: the shallots should be made right before they're going to be used, since they'll lose some texture in a container, but the soup can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer.


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Chicken Egg Rolls
1 pkg. rice wrappers
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup green peppers, sliced thinly
1/4 pkg. bean thread noodles
1 chicken breast, diced
2 tblsp hoisin sauce
2 tblsp oyster sauce
S&P to taste
garlic powder to taste
Squeeze out carrots till nice and dry. Soak bean thread noodles in hot water till pliable. Lightly saute veggies till they are tender crisp. Season chicken with s&p and garlic. Cook chicken till done. Shred it when cooled.
Mix veggies, noodles and shredded chicken in a large bowl. Add sauces.
Peel off one rice wrapper. Keep remaining under a damp towel so they dont dry out. Spoon 3-4 tsp on to wrapper. Roll up till end and dab with water to seal ends. Repeat. Once they are all rolled up deep fry till golden brown.


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We send all orders via the Royal Mail. Please note that orders placed after 4pm GMT cannot be dispatched on the same day. For more information please visit our Delivery & Returns policy.
Pledge Sticker
Hands up if you're going to pledge to shop small. Designed exclusively for Holly & Co, this sticker will show your true support of all the small, independents out there.
In stock
We hope you love your order, but should you wish to return it you can do so by following the instructions set out in the returns section of our Delivery & Returns policy.
About Stormy Knight
Stormy Knight was launched in 2013 by Bristol-based illustrator Sarah Knight. A lover of animals and silk-screen printing (among many other things) it's easy to see the inspiration behind Stormy Knight's designs. Sarah graduated in 2006 with a first degree in illustration and has been drawing and painting ever since, illustrating for newspapers and magazines alongside designing the Stormy Knight product ranges. Drawing her inspiration from food, nature and fun, her cute designs are sure to brighten anyone's day.


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Let Afi and Zozo tell you about your heart
Did you know?
Your heart is in your chest, keeping your body functioning right! If you hold your fist up, your heart is about as big as your closed fist, right inside of you!
See how much you've learned! Take this short quiz
Check out what our friends at healthychildren.org have to say about your heart !


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With beautiful, natural scenery and a small-town feel, the village of Liverpool is a wonderful place to call home. So shouldn't your home be as comfortable as the surrounding community? At Bath Renew, we've been providing expert bathroom remodeling in Liverpool, NY since 2003. Our team is known for personalized, affordable service. Whatever you envision for the ideal bathroom remodel, we can make it a reality with high-quality products and fast installations that will transform your bathroom into your favorite room!
Throughout Liverpool and Onondaga County, NY, Bath Renew is known as the most trusted contractor to handle any size bathroom remodel. Our vast product selection includes everything from accessible walk-in tubs to efficient bath conversions, and we complete many of our installations in as little as a single day. We always stand behind the quality of our products and services, and every replacement tub, shower, and bath accessory is backed by a lifetime warranty for your peace of mind.
As the first choice in Liverpool, NY bathroom remodeling, Bath Renew is the one-stop-shop for updating your bath into a more functional, stylish space:
Throughout the Liverpool, Syracuse, NY, and surrounding region, there's nobody more qualified than our locally-owned bathroom remodeling company to help you turn your bathroom into a showpiece. If you'd like to learn more about the products and services we offer, just give Bath Renew a call today! You can also fill out our online form now to request a free, no-obligation consultation and estimate.
For a limited time, we're offering $750 off or 12 months same as cash financing.


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Made from our GENESIS I CBD strain, our Night Time Dropper is made of a 1:1 ratio of CBD : THC. The dropper bottle contains 15 ml and equates to approximately 300 drops. The Night Time Dropper is sold only in California and is manufactured, produced, and distributed in compliance with CA Prop 215 SB 420 Section 11362.5 and 11362.7 of HSC.
Product currently unavailable to be purchased online. Complete a Patient Application here and we will contact you in regards to your purchase.


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The CLPP Student Group is a space for Five College students to come together and collectively learn about reproductive justice and intersecting social justice movements. We learn through workshops, movie screenings, guest speakers, and discussions. CLPP Student Group strives to hold a space where folks can think through difficult truths within a community of support and develop an intersectional understanding of social justice. All are welcome! Dinner will be provided.
Apply now to manage our paid summer internship program – the Reproductive Rights Activist Service Corps – and our national activist network, the New Leadership Networking Initiative.
CLPP is looking for candidates who:


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You won't believe how easy it is to make these elegant shortbreads. And once you read the story behind them, you'll love them even more!
Spiced Shortbread Cookies: Almost Too Pretty to Eat
Zha Jiang Mien: Easy Family Noodle Meal
A heaping serving of noodles and sauce is the ultimate comfort food. Zha Jiang Mien is a dish I like to share with my family — and you
School Cafeteria Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
Remember these peanut butter chocolate bars from the school cafeteria? Here's how to make them at home (and maybe make them a little healthier, too)!
Easy Apple Pie (With Lard Crust)
It's not as hard as you think to make an apple pie from scratch… so why not go whole hog?
My First Attempt at Making Vegetable Tempura
How do you get kids to eat their veggies? Deep-fry them, of course! But making vegetable tempura at home is easier said than done.
Fry Sauce, With an Asian Twist
What's fry sauce? Well, let me tell you. Then I'll show you how to make it — with an Asian twist
Cool Off With Mung Bean Shaved Ice
Put down the blue raspberry syrup! Cool off the traditional Chinese way with mung bean shaved ice with this recipe for mung bean soup with tapioca.
How to Stir Fry, According to My Mom
Want to make stir-fry at home, but don't know where to start? Here are some tips for how to stir fry — plus an easy recipe.


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There is a phrase I once heard – "being part of something special makes you special"- and our approach to recognition celebrates just that, being special. Innovation at PwC requires the unique talents of our people. By recognizing how special our people truly are motivates them to participate and contribute to something that is not only special for them, but also for our firm. Recognizing innovation in a way that is celebrated both individually and collectively has helped us to drive behaviors of sharing, collaboration, and brainstorming, which are key to successful innovation. As such, we developed a multifaceted approach to recognition as a way to not only recognize people individually, but to also recognize their efforts collectively.
Early on when we started mapping out our approach to recognition, we held some focused discussions with our people to hear what truly motivates them to innovate and feel special. To be honest, we all had our bets…would it be cash or prizes? Interestingly enough, the overwhelming majority said it was neither, but that professional development and networking opportunities were the real motivators. Using this information, we devised a recognition program devoted to awarding unique professional development and networking opportunities to our most active participants.
Our three focus areas around recognition include:
Personal Recognition – Be part of the club and get some status. Everyone loves receiving airline and hotel points, so why not receive points for innovating? We first developed a points program based on participation and activity within PwC iPlace. Points are awarded based on the contribution of ideas, comments, and votes. As points accumulate, one can achieve certain status levels – bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. These levels of achievement provide benefits focused on opportunities for professional development and networking. Types of benefits include performance notes from leaders, lunches with market and office leaders, participation in leadership innovation meetings, and networking events with other innovators across our firm.
Local Recognition – The office where everyone knows your name. Being recognized by the leadership of one's practice, office, and local market is key to motivating our people. Local leadership is provided a quarterly report of active contributors and innovative ideas from people in their market. Office leaders will often recognize these individuals through newsletters distributed to the market, town hall events, and other office related functions. For example, leaders have invited these innovators to lunches and networking events to share their ideas in a public forum.
National Recognition – Be a leader among peers, everywhere. Being recognized on the national stage is important to creating an innovative culture and motivating participation in the innovation process. Leadership has taken this as an opportunity to recognize both people and ideas, recognizing that both quantity and quality are an important balance to innovating. Being that innovation is key enabler to how we continue to deliver value and remain relevant to our clients, people and ideas help us create competitive advantage. There have been various communications recognizing teams and individuals who have contributed to innovation through sharing their ideas and collaborating on others. People have been recognized for efforts related to implementing ideas that help drive greater efficiencies and create opportunities. For example, our Senior Partner has launched three national campaigns for ideas in the past year, and with each campaign, participants receive personal recognition notes and selected ideas are discussed in firm-wide communications and events.
Recognition no matter how big or small makes everyone feel special. Being special in the eyes of peers and leaders reinforces key behaviors which contribute to innovation. This approach also encourages new people to participate as they see innovators being recognized for their efforts and want to be part of something special. We have over 120 people across our firm who achieved an elite innovator status, and the number continues to climb. From our newest associates to our partners, together these individuals are contributing to something special and making a difference in how we deliver value to our clients and firm.
So how do you make your people feel they are part of something special? What are some other ways you are recognizing innovation that have proven to be successful within your organization?


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Magnolia French Chantilly Lace and tulle Bodysuit In light pink and nude
Designer: Girl&aSeriousDream
A one of a kind French lace bodysuit made from delicate Chantilly and lined in soft tulle with thin straps.
Finished with hand-cut French lace neckline.
Pictured in pale pink.
Part of our Couture Collection. Handmade in the USA from the finest European textiles.


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Can I just say? It's been a long time since I have played much Foosball.And when I did used to play with some frequency, it was always with a partner. So I only had to pay attention to two handles. One for each hand. That was enough for me.So you must understand, I am really not what you would call a Foosball player. I'm just NOT.Have I made adequate excuse for what I'm about to admit??? *wink*My mother-in-law got the kids a Foosball table for Christmas. What a great gift! They have been enjoying it tremendously. (As have their friends!)A few days after the game was all set up, Joshua fractured his left hand. Had nothing to do with Foosball. Had everything to do with the fact that he wasn't thinking about the wooden frame inside the couch when he decided to punch the couch, in an attempt to scare his little brother. *sigh*Now, if you think a hand in a splint would keep a teenage boy from playing two-handed games like Foosball, you need to think again. Joshua continued to play. With only his right hand.Yes. One hand for four handles. And when he challenged me to a game, saying he could BEAT ME, well, what was I supposed to do?Of course I accepted the challenge. I mean, really! I had two good hands, and he had only one. How hard could it be for me to win that game???Let me just say, it wasn't hard.It was impossible!The boy kicked my b*tt. *head hung in shame*But, in one of our repeat matches I scored five goals! Never mind that in the game right before, he shut me out 10-0.What can I say? I have an amazing son! *grin*
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
The One-Handed Wonder
Posted by Karen Hossink at 6:00 AM
Labels: Adventures in Mothering, Joshua
3 comments:
- Jodi@ underthegeorgiasun.com said...
Sounds like you and I have something in common. I can't play foosball to save my life! haha!
- Irritable Mother said...
Jodi - Then if you ever find yourself in Michigan, we'll have to play a match. It would be great for one of us to know what it's like to win. *wink*
- Leah @ Point Ministries said...
Wow!! I'm impressed with the fella's Foosball skills. Go Joshua!!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Damian Murphy:
|Damian Murphy
|Ronald, Flamo, Jimmy, Patty Pan
|Official Handicap
|Home Course
|Modderfontein Golf Club
|Favourite Course on SOS Golf Tour
|Gary Player Country Club
|Favourite Course on TV
|Augusta National
|Favourite Course anywhere you've played
|Gary Player Country Club
|TaylorMade RBZ 9.5°
|TaylorMade RBZ 3 wood 15°; TaylorMade Burner Rescue 19°
|Cleveland CG7 (4-PW)
|Cleveland CG15 52°, 56°,60°
|Favourite Club
|7 iron
|Strength in your game
|Weakness in your game
|Consistency off the tee
|Twitter Name (if applicable)
|Superbru Profile (if applicable)
|Best finish on Tour
|1st (and second twice)
|What you love about golf
|Time with Friends
What the Tour said about Damian Murphy in the past
"Representing for the Toon army and crushing the drives!"
"Larger -than-life Irish Saffa mate of ours. Miserable, grumpy and unapologetic: Everything you look for in a career critic and future Chairman of the SOS™ Golf Tour."
"Only man I know who is already cursing about the shit shot on his downswing!"
" Jeano's. The coolest thing since………….. Wait never mind!!!"
"Always enjoy his odd quirk or slander."
"Skilled Golfer with knowledge on and off the course"
"The tour playa hater…… ET will be proud!"
"Always quick to chirp… which is always needed / awesome among the guys. A good laugh. BUT very f*cking pessimistic!!!!"
"the man's man, always prepared. He carries his weber around with him 24/7, just in case a braai breaks out"
"Murphy for Chairman"
"Vote for Damian Murphy as Chairman, he starts speech's with a joke which is better than the chairman being the joke"
The Boss.
The tour's very own pastel coloured Sumo wrestler.
Damian is a great golfer and a great mate to all of us. Most of the time he is f%$$%uccckkkk#d though.
The Chuck Norris of golf admin. Secretly loves Chip Robertson!
Best guy to play matchplay against! Jirrrrr, maar hierdir ou kan goeie gholf speel! Patty Pan O Hoolihan.
I would never say anything nasty about the guy who receives this form.
Sucker for punishment! Taken SOS to the next level.
His golfing trousers were personally selected by non-other than Stevie Wonder.
2014 should be a good year for the Irishman, unless the shank returns.
The chairman who is growing SOS exponentially deserves and is definitely capable of winning the 2014 season.
Admin extraordinaire, and probably our chairman forever. That's why he gets all the pies.
2014 Chairman after being re-elected for doing a stellar job in 2013. Chilled on the course, helps you to keep a cool head. Always keen for a round. Great golfer who unfortunately missed out on top spot by 1 point in 2013. Expect him to come back with guns blazing!
Now playing great golf, 2014 is the year for PattyPan to Win.


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Trisha regularly teaches yoga to running groups in Greater Cincinnati and is the official yoga teacher to the 109th W & S Thanksgiving Day 10k Run & Walk.
Cross-train your running. Stay strong and balanced with yoga.
Yoga packs serious perks for runners and walkers of all sizes and abilities, like improving mobility and strength, easing aches and pains, and helping you recover from long runs.
Trisha's extensive background in movement + having run her share of half and full marathons means she knows how to tailor yoga to the individual runner.
It doesn't take much so you don't have to rearrange your whole schedule. Yoga breaks incorporated into your weekly routine will go a long way in supporting your running lifestyle.
Beyond the physical benefits, yoga for runners and walkers is especially helpful in regulating the nervous system - providing that down beat (regulation) we all need. Your body and mind will thank you! PS: you don't have to be able to touch your toes to be successful.
A recent write-up about Trisha's work with runners in, A Grateful Lens: A Non-Yogi's Look at Yoga


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Date Received: 2018-06-11T00:00:00
Product: Private student loan
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Consumer Consent Provided to Share Complaint: Consent provided
Consumer Complaint: This complaint is against Discover Student loans. A loan was taken out to pay for college expenses. After graduation, the borrower had a hard time finding a job in his profession. He worked part time and then went to the XXXX XXXX. After graduating from the XXXX XXXX it took him almost a year to find a job. During this time, Discover would not work with the borrower on payments. The borrower paid on the loan but Discover told him they would not accept the payments unless it was the XXXX a month payment. He tried on numerous occasions to work with Discover to set a payment plan that he could afford. Discover finally told him he could make payments based on income on the phone then the next month they put the loan in default with no warning. The loan is now in collections and the problem is that he now has to find a way to XXXX. This is such a big problem in the United States. Discover gave him bad advice and would not work with him in any way.
Company: DISCOVER BANK
State/Zip: OH 442XX
Company Response to Complaint: Closed with explanation
Was Company Response Timely: Yes
Did Consumer Dispute Company Response: N/A
Complaint ID: 2932592
The above data is from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Keep in mind that every company will get a complaint from time-to-time, even the great ones. But there are a few key data points that will give you an idea about how well the company values their customers and handles consumer issues.
Look at the item Company Response to Complaint: and Did Consumer Dispute Company Response: to get a better idea of how this was resolved. And the field Consumer Complaint: can give you some context of the issue.
In particular what you are looking for was that the company response was timely and that the consumer did not dispute it. The posting of complaints has proven to be a valuable resource for both companies and consumers.


text: 10530 Cerveza Dr.Escondido, CA 92026 $1,200,000 5 5 4,510 FT2 Must see to believe this luxury estate home with breathtaking panoramic views, this multi-level Tuscan-style home is situated on 1.8 acres in the private community of Hidden Meadows. Custom designed & outfitted with every amenity you could want including a gourmet kitchen, office, master suite, theater room/game room, & much, much more. Outside enjoy the resort-style pool with waterfall & spa & multiple entertaining areas. Plenty of room to add casita,etc. see SUPPLEMENT Neighborhoods: Hidden Meadows Architectural Style: Custom Built View: Custom Built Equipment: Fire Sprinklers,Garage Door Opener,Pool/Spa/Equipment Other Fees: 0 Sewer: Septic Installed Topography: ,RSLP,GSL FACTS & FEATURES Type: Single Family Residence Year Built: 2011 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: Full: 4Half: 1 Garage Spaces: 3.0000 SQFT Home: 4,510 Lot Size: 1.82 Acres Stories: 4 Parking: Concrete, Direct Garage Access, Garage Faces Front, Garage - Two Door, Garage Door Opener Pool: Heated, In Ground, Heated with Propane, Filtered, Salt Water, Waterfall Area: Views: Mountain(s), Panoramic School District: Community Features: Heating: Propane,Forced Air Cooling: Central Air Flooring: Carpet,Tile Appliances: Propane Water Heater, Dishwasher, Microwave, Refrigerator, 6 Burner Stove, Built-In Range, Self Cleaning Oven, Convection Oven, Double Oven, Gas Oven, Self Cleaning Oven, Barbecue, Gas Cooking, Propane Cooking HOA: LOCATION Share This Listing: The information being provided by CARETS (CLAW, CRISNet MLS, DAMLS, CRMLS, i-Tech MLS, and/or VCRDS) is for the visitor's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties visitor may be interested in purchasing. Any information relating to a property referenced on this web site comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of CARETS. This web site may reference real estate listing(s) held by a brokerage firm other than the broker and/or agent who owns this web site. The accuracy of all information, regardless of source, including but not limited to square footages and lot sizes, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be personally verified through personal inspection by and/or with the appropriate professionals. The data contained herein is copyrighted by CARETS, CLAW, CRISNet MLS, DAMLS, CRMLS, i-Tech MLS and/or VCRDS and is protected by all applicable copyright laws. Any dissemination of this information is in violation of copyright laws and is strictly prohibited. CARETS, California Real Estate Technology Services, is a consolidated MLS property listing data feed comprised of CLAW (Combined LA/Westside MLS), CRISNet MLS (Southland Regional AOR), DAMLS (Desert Area MLS),CRMLS (California Regional MLS), i-Tech MLS (Glendale AOR/Pasadena Foothills AOR) and VCRDS (Ventura County Regional Data Share).


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The Latest News
Fernandes 1997 Nostalgia Beer Festival!
To celebrate 20 years of brewing at Fernandes Brewery Tap & Bier Keller we are holding a special nostalgia Beer Festival from Thursday 21st - Sunday 24th September. We are heading back to all things 1997! There will be 20 beers including some special collaborations and guest beers and you will have the opportunity to win your drinks at 1997 prices!! Get your thinking caps on because there will be some golden oldie's thrown into mix at the pub quiz on Thurday from 9PM If you want to find out a little bit more about the history of Fernandes Brewery and how they make.. Read more
Rhubarb Rocks @ Fernandes
Wakefield Music Collective are proud to present Rhubarb Rocks @ Fernandes, Fri 17th February - Sun 19th February. An incredible musical act each day, plus there will be Rhubarb & Custard Beer Available! It's a weekend you don't want to miss
Back to Basics Beer Festival at Fernandes
With over 20 different beers to quench your thrist...
Wakefield Walkabout Beer Festival at Fernandes Brewery Tap & Bier Keller
WAKEFIELD WALKABOUT BEER FESTIVAL AT FERNANDES! Friday 22nd to Monday 25th May Including 20 Fernandes Beers & 10 real ciders. Live music on Sunday from 4pm It's going to be a great bank holiday weekend...
Time to talk Rhubarb
Each year Wakefield, the centre of the Rhubarb Triangle, celebrates the wonderful vegetable that is Rhubarb with a three day festival. This year the festival took place Friday 20th- Sunday 22nd February. Now in its ninth year, the Rhubarb Festival has attracted more than 125,000 visitors from across the country. As usual Fernandes Brewery brewed a special beer for the event – this year brewer Steve Hutchinson created Rhubarb and Custard; a 4% golden rhubarb beer made with new season forced rhubarb grown at Oldroyd's Farm in Rothwell. Steve said: "The custard part is actually .. Read more
Fernandes Beer Festival
This years beer festival is completemented by a tutored tasting on Thursday 12th June (tickets £10 a head from Fernandes) and an open brew day with brewer Steve Hutchinson from midday on Saturday 14th June. See poster below for full details:


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Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has urged the embattled nation's politicians to unite behind the latest round of austerity measures or risk Greece being forced out of the EU.
The Prime Minister told parliament that the country will run out of money next month if they did not vote through the latest round of cuts and reforms he has agreed with the country's lenders, the troika.
He faces the tough task of convincing his allies in the socialist and moderate Left parties to help him push through the agreement by November 12th. On that date the troika are expected to decide on whether to release the next round of bail-out money worth €31billion.
"Today we concluded the negotiation on the measures and the budget. If this deal is approved and the budget is voted, Greece will stay in the euro and exit the crisis; if the deal does not pass … the country will be led to chaos. Mr Samaras warned.
It is clear that Samaras will face difficult challenge with opposition party SYRIZA openly opposing the cuts and even faces a rebellion from within his own coalition with the Democratic Left Party saying that it would not support the reforms.
"The Democratic Left has fought on the issue of labour relations, to protect workers' rights which have been already weakened. It does not agree with the result of the negotiations. We will not vote in favour of the labour reforms," it said.
Wednesday also saw the release of the latest Eurozone unemployment data and it doesn't paint a very pretty picture. The European Union's statistics agency Euro stat reported that the jobless level has now hit 11.6%.
There are now 18.49million people out of work in the single currency region with an extra 146,000 joining the legions of unemployed in September alone. In the entire European Union there are now up to 25.751 million people out of work, up by 169,000 since August.
The Eurocrisis is far from over…
As of 10:30 am
The Pound to Euro exchange rate is currently trading at 1.2393
The Pound to US Dollar exchange rate is currently trading at 1.6115
The Pound to Australian Dollar exchange rate is currently trading at 1.5505
The Euro to US Dollar exchange rate is currently trading at 1.3003
The Euro to Pound exchange rate is currently trading at 0.8068
These Exchange rates are provided by TorFX, a leading foreign exchange broker, providing unbeatable exchange rates for all yourcurrency needs.


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Ralph's Reviews: Stephen Curry Has Surpassed LeBron James As NBA's Most Popular Star/
Stephen Curry just captured his second consecutive NBA MVP Award. On a nightly basis in the NBA, Stephen Curry's highlight reel of that night's game goes viral on television, social media platforms, and continually blows up the Internet. He essentially makes LeBron James an after thought. James gets over-shadowed and made nearly irrelevant, especially during the regular season. For a decade James had been the face of the NBA, but there's a new baller in town and his name is Stephen Curry.
Stephen Curry has truly been a game changer. Kids from all over and of all ages want to play like Curry. They want to tweak their game to be like his. There are several reasons why Stephen Curry is beloved by just about everyone. From his charm off the court, to him being a family man, just an all around good guy, and oh yeah he's got crazy game on the basketball court as well. Curry is a small guy in terms of on the basketball court, but his quickness, ability to get around defenders, ball handling skills, long range shooting, which includes consistently drilling half court shots and buzzer beaters, are just the norm for Curry. Curry is not the most physical or athletic player, but he makes up for by his intelligence on the court and the skills that he has. Kids and teenagers that are physically built like Curry now feel they have what it takes to play the game, if they put the time in the gym and learn the fundamentals of the game just like Stephen Curry. Curry is someone that kids look up to. He inspires them and is a joy to watch on the basketball court. Stephen Curry Is at his peak and fans of basketball can't get enough of him.
In a recent playoff game against The Portland Trail Blazers Curry came off the bench, because he's been dealing with an ankle and knee injury and scored 40 points. Which included 17 of those points coming in overtime. The 17 points were the most points ever scored by a player in overtime of a playoff game. Curry's second consecutive NBA MVP Award was a unanimous decision. Curry is in a class all by himself, as no other player in NBA history has ever won MVP with a unanimous decision. Very impressive. Curry is also part of a team in The Golden State Warriors that set an NBA record by going 73-9 on their regular season overall record. Breaking the 95-96 Chicago Bulls record of 72-10. I believe Curry led his team to their 73 wins. Without him eh, they probably win about 55 games. Curry gives his team an edge more than any other player currently playing the game.
LeBron James was the NBA's most popular and most polarizing figures for the NBA for a decade, but now as much as he hates it, the younger, flashier Curry has surpassed him. James won't admit, but it is clear to me and basketball fans alike that Curry has indeed surpassed James as the NBA's most popular star.
Bottom-Line: I do believe that Stephen Curry is now the star of the NBA and has uncrowned and surpassed LeBron James.
This concludes another Ralph's Reviews.


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New Member
So I just got the new Kylo Ren FX lightsaber and it has inspired me to get a Kylo Ren costume for the release of TFA and possibly Halloween. The problem is I don't know how to make this stuff and everything store bought looks like a cheap piece of crap. So I'm wondering if anyone here would be interested in making at least a nice Kylo Ren Helmet for me?


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Allison Hedge Coke's publications include The Year of the Rat, Dog Road Woman, Off-Season City Pipe, Streaming, and Burn, the free verse play Blood Run, her memoir Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer, and the play Icicles. She is the editor of anthologies Ahani, Sing: Poetry of Indigenous Americas, Effigies, and Effigies II. Hedge Coke came of age working fields, factories, and waters and is currently at work on a film, Red Dust. She teaches creative writing for the University of California Riverside.


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How to let go of the 'all-or-nothing' approach to health
All-or-nothing thinking is also known as black-or-white and it's when things are viewed as all good or all bad.
All-or-nothing thinking often means that anything less than 'perfect' is perceived as a failure.
Having these incredibly unattainable standards sets you up to feel like a failure believing: "Nothing I ever do it good enough", "If I just weighed less then..." or "Everyone is prettier and thinner than me".
All-or-nothing thinking keeps you stuck, unhealthy and unbalanced...
...unable to eat anything in moderation and constantly yo-yo-ing from one extreme to another. Flipping from restriction to binge eating. Inactivity to killing yourself at the gym. From feeling motivated and excited to feeling like it's not even worth trying.
But you are not the problem. All-or-nothing thinking is holding you back.
You don't need to change yourself. You are enough just the way you are.
You just need to stop thinking it's 'all-or-nothing'.
The first steps to letting go of the all or nothing approach is to realise when you're doing it. Awareness is key. Take this short test to help you work out if you are a black or white thinker:
Is an 'all or nothing' approach to food holding you back from being healthy?
If you can relate to one or more of the following, you probably have an all-or-nothing approach and can benefit from making a mindset shift (more on that later).
- I try to be 'good' when I've eaten something 'bad'.
- I often think: "I've ruined it already so I may as well..."
- I eat really well during the week but I blow out on the weekend.
- Seeing a number on the scale that I did not want makes me feel like I've failed.
- Sometimes I say, "I really shouldn't be eating this. I've been so good on my diet"
- I punish myself with exercise, detoxes, counting calories when I haven't been good enough.
- I have tried to quit sugar/alcohol/carbohydrates only to binge on them later.
- When I over eat, I try to skip meals or under eat to make up for my bad eating habits.
- I feel guilty after I eat bad food.
- I make myself do 30-day 'clean eating', yoga or fitness challenges when I feel guilty.
- I kill myself at work but on the weekends, all I want to do is lie on the couch and zone out.
- I lie in bed at night criticising what I ate that day.
- I feel like nothing I ever do it good enough.
How to let go of the 'all-or-nothing' approach
1. Notice when you're stuck in black and white thinking
The first step is to become aware of when you're using an 'all-or-nothing' approach. Often, using words like 'always', 'never' or 'nothing' will give you a clue that you're stuck in the cycle.
Try this instead: Count your success. At the end of each day, take 2 minutes to note the things you did well that day.
Just before turning off the lights to sleep, I tell my partner the things I am grateful for about myself that day. This is important for me as my normal default is to run through all my flaws and faults. I don't talk about the things I didn't do well enough, only the things I am proud of doing or grateful to have learned.
2. Give yourself permission to enjoy food throughout the week
If you spend Monday to Friday being incredibly 'good' (aka strict), then when it gets to the weekend, you're going to feel like you deserve a treat for your hard work. When you're feeling deprived, one cheat meal will often turn into a cheat weekend.
Try this instead: Give yourself permission to enjoy treats during the week.
I personally like to have a couple of squares of chocolate every day. If I'm at a birthday party and there is cake, I'll have it if I feel like it and often I'll share. Say to yourself: "I am allowed it if I want, but do I really feel like it?"
3. Food is neither good or bad. Adjust your language about food.
I get that you've been taught to think that there are good foods or bad foods. There aren't. Enjoying a piece of cake is not bad and salad is not good. Having cake and feeling guilty about it defeats the purpose. All food can be enjoyed in moderation at some time.
Try this instead: Don't refer to food as 'good' or 'bad'. Become aware of your language. You'll notice just how common, socially acceptable it is to label food as good/bad (black/white).
Just because everyone else refers to food as good or bad doesn't mean you have to. Your thinking will change when your language does - and your behaviour will change with it.
4. Find the silver lining and practice being an anti-perfectionist
Good enough is really is good enough. Something is better than nothing. Any small effort is worthy of being recognised and applauded.
Try this instead: Add the word 'but' to negative statements.
Like this: "I didn't get to exercise today BUT I did get to bed an hour earlier tonight and my body needs rest" or "I overate at dinner tonight BUT I understand why that happened" or "I ate chocolate today BUT I really enjoyed it" or "I didn't eat enough vegetables today BUT I did have two pieces of fruit".
When I'm feeling less than perfect, I'll repeat to myself "I accept myself and accept others". It helps me let go of my need to be perfect and my expectation that everyone else must be perfect too.
What works for you? Please share with me in the comments below :)
Want to stop binge eating and get out of the all-or-nothing mindset?
If you need help to stop binge or emotional eating, are sick of obsessing over food or feeling guilty after you eat, then I'd love you to check out my online program, Keep It Real.
It was designed to help you eat healthier without the struggle. And with access to the course for the life of the program, you'll never have to waste money on another diet program again.


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Travel Insurance
15% off Travel Insurance for all RACV Members
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Choose from RACV's range of international travel insurance plans, whether you are going overseas solo for work or holiday, as a family or with a travelling companion.
RACV Domestic is the travel insurance you need within Australia, with cover for lost or stolen luggage, cancellation or disruption of your travel and rental car excess cover from the moment you leave your home.
Consider a 12-month travel insurance policy if you travel regularly. An Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance policy through RACV will cover you for multiple trips anywhere more than 250km from your home.
When you rent a vehicle this insurance covers you up to $8,000 against the excess payable if your rental car is involved in an incident, is stolen or damaged.
A cruise can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so you want to make the most of it. Give yourself some peace of mind with cruise travel insurance.
Get the latest updates and information regarding travel hazards and 'do not travel' advice.
Before setting off to explore new parts of the world or visit the grandkids, it's important that you choose the right seniors travel insurance policy to suit your holiday.
Planning a family holiday? Whether you are travelling domestically, overseas or even multiple times throughout the year, you and your loved ones can get coverage in case of emergencies by taking out RACV Travel Insurance.
Find information on specific activities, exclusions and advice by visiting the RACV Activities Travel Insurance hub.
RACV offer a great selection of travel insurance policies to suit a range of travellers, providing the security and reassurance you need to enjoy your journey. You can also easily access and organise your RACV Travel Insurance online - so even if you are at the airport ready to fly, there's time to pack the security of travel insurance for your trip.
If you are overseas, RACV Travel Insurance gives you access to 24/7 support and a global network of medical and emergency experts to help you. If you're travelling within Australia only, a domestic policy provides great insurance cover from the moment you leave home. All RACV Members receive a 15% discount on Travel Insurance.
Smart traveller
Stay informed when you're travelling. Check smartraveller.gov.au for the latest updates on the safety at your destinations.
Recent travel alerts
Think carefully before visiting countries with "Do Not Travel" status, as your RACV Travel Insurance won't cover you for these destinations.
Holidays don't always go to plan
Stay healthy and happy while you're travelling home and abroad
Should something go wrong, we're here to help
Find out if your pre-existing medical condition is covered
Better understand your policy, and learn what you need to know to compare and make an informed decision
RACV Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statements
RACV Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Booklet for new policies purchased on or after 27 November 2018.
RACV Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Booklet for new policies purchased 25 September 2017 - 26 November 2018
RACV Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Booklet for new policies purchased 8 July 2016 - 24 September 2017.
RACV Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Booklet for new policies purchased on or after 16 September 2015 - 7 July 2016.
Benefits are subject to the terms and conditions (including the limits, sub-limits and exclusions) of the insurance policy. Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (ABN 44 004 060 833 AR 001243563) is an Authorised Representative of the underwriter Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (ABN 80 000 438 291 AFSL 246 548). Any advice provided is general in nature only. Please read the Combined Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement carefully to understand what this policy covers. Words with special meanings RACV Caravan Insurance is issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Limited ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678. The information on this website is general advice only so before making any decisions, please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement.


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As someone who often feels out of place in this big ol' city of Charlotte, I talk a lot about my mountain roots. Let's be honest, I miss Asheville and would probably move back there at the drop of a hat if the right opportunity came along.
Until then, though, I'll be down here in the Queen City daydreaming of the rolling hills of Carolina and escaping on weekend getaways to my hometown when I am able.
This past weekend happened to be one of those special times. As I mentioned last year, Highland Brewing's Cold Mountain Saturday has become somewhat of a tradition for Justin, myself, and two of our very best friends. If you follow me, you know that I am a North Carolina beer chaser. Therefore, when the holy grail of craft brews is released every winter, there is no way I am going to miss that celebration.
We spent Saturday hopping between breweries in Asheville's South Slope district after enjoying a delicious lunch at Buxton Hall BBQ.
If you're in Asheville and looking for some good comfort food, Buxton Hall is the place to go. Also, their bourbon Cheerwine slushy is a must order. Sip with caution, though, as this potent little drink has the potential to knock you on your backside.
After Buxton Hall, our group migrated next door to my personal favorite Catawba Brewing.
Even though the weather outside was in the mid-60s, that didn't stop me from enjoying a pint of Catawba's King Winterbolt winter ale. I came to the mountains for winter beers and by God I am going to drink winter beers. *slams fist down on table*
However, others in our group stuck to what they know and sipped on the always-satisfying White Zombie.
From Catawba we traveled down the hill to Twin Leaf Brewery where I had a Belgian-style wit known as White Noise. This was my first visit to Twin Leaf and I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with their set-up.
While the tasting room was bustling with patrons playing giant Jenga, table tennis, and various board games, we decided to take our rowdy crowd to the picnic tables out back where we could sit under the warm mountain sun and laugh as loud as our hearts desired without disturbing too many bystanders.
We spent just enough time at Twin Leaf to enjoy one brew each and take 1,000 selfies before heading over to Highland Brewing for the day's main event — COLD MOUNTAIN.
Watching the sun set behind the mountains from the roof at Highland was the perfect ending to a perfect day I hope I always remember.
I can honestly say that this day was one of the best days I have had in a long time. Sometimes, you just need to go home — wherever that might be — and let what's familiar comfort your soul.
Justin and I crashed at my dad's that night and woke up Sunday morning ready for a big, hearty breakfast.
Naturally, we visited our favorite breakfast joint in Asheville — Corner Stone. There is nothing more satisfying after a day of drinking than filling your belly with a breakfast bowl that combines sausage, home fries, cheddar cheese, and scrambled eggs.
Like any good Southerner who still preaches that Sunday is a day of rest, we spent our remaining time in the mountains visiting with folks. Visiting my friend, her husband, and their newborn baby boy. Visiting my family. Just visiting.
Then, that night, we packed up our dogs in our Tacoma and headed back down the mountain toward Charlotte.
Follow Hali's beer chronicles on Twitter & Instagram:@HaliDawnLedford, and on Untappd: @HaliDawn


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Sunday delivery is available in most larger cities across Canada and the US, including our own local wide delivery area. Call or Email us for details or to be sure. Most international countries do not offer Sunday delivery, but again you may Call or Email us so we can look into it for you.
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With these beautiful flowers, you can see why the butterflies are so attracted to them. Give someone special a little bit of the garden today. This gift will always be remembered! Very unusual. Add a large card for your message. Accent your gift with chocolates, a teddy bear and/or some themed mylar helium balloons. Flower delivery widely available.
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Tiffany meets Mission style lamp. Is this wrong?
I really don't know about this. When I was searching around various lighting websites today, I came across a few examples of 'hybrid' table lamps. They were roughly the shape of a mission style lamp, but they were as ornate as a Tiffany style lamp. I won't post any pictures here, because I don't own any, but do a quick search and you'll find lots of examples (or just press the following link: http://www.google.com/images?q=tiffany+style+mission+table+lamps)
To me, both styles are beautiful in their own distinct way, but they are very different styles. Tiffany style table lamps are ornate, with lots of organic details and flourishes. Mission style was opposed to such opulence, and therein lies its beauty. Putting them together doesn't feel quite right.
And yet… some of the examples seem to work quite well! I particularly like when the stained glass lamp shade uses simple geometric shapes (although one could argue that such a style moves away from the organic lines of a true Tiffany piece). Others may prefer examples that lean more towards the ornate. Either way, we live in interesting times, where there is such a rich history of table lamp design to draw from, and adapt to create a new aesthetic!


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Period: winter
Location: Dolomites
What is included: guided tour with showshoes
Snowshoes are a very simple and fun way to experience an excursion on powder snow in total safety. They are an ancient kind of footwear, recently brought back with a new use: fun. They are used to explore unspoiled nature and discover the mountains special spots in winter time.
Snowshoes are suitable for adults and children, since no special technique or capability is required, except for… walking.
The Dolomites are the perfect destination for a daily hiking on snowshoes, because there are many wild areas without any ski slopes or ski resorts to spoil the fairy-tale atmosphere.
Like for all sport activities, also for snowshoes excursions there are different levels of difficulty. If this is your first experience or there are children with you, we will be likely to propose you an easy itinerary, or if you have already experienced this activity you can also try a more challenging trail. For this reason you will be helped by a patented local alpine guide who will suggest you the best route for your excursion.
Contact us to personalize your snowshoes excursion.


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Sydney Cole
Sydney is both flexible and beautiful. Just taking a simple peek at this hot Californian girl, you'll have no choice but to be hypnotized by her sultry eyes. She is a stunning blonde with long flowing locks and a face that will render you unable to resist her. She most definitely has that "it" factor. Sultry and seductive,
Sydney loves to take on a challenge. Even with her tiny 5'2" frame, this blonde bombshell is a force to be reckoned with. Her natural looks topped with a body to die for, we guarantee this fun-loving, party babe would be an absolute blast to spend a night on the town with.


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Alex and Storm have known each other since they were in elementary school together [queue the AWWWs!]. They may have taken different paths to get to one another, but the important thing is that they found each other at the exact right moment and fell in love!Read More
Nema and Brandon got some of the best Northeast Ohio has to offer in the way of nature's beauty! Voinovich Park has a timeless view of the lake, but we were pleasantly surprised to catch some pretty fall colors while venturing around.Read More
The way Christine looks at Ben can fill a room with joy. It's not difficult to see that these to are irrevocably in love! Everything from the beautifully written ceremony to the graciously hosted reception was just lovely! We're just happy that this truly was their best day ever!Read More
These are their hand-holding, bear-hugging, family-smooching moments! Make sure you catch the bubble finale!Read More
What if nothing else mattered more than simply making it to the altar together? The dreams for their wedding day changed in the blink of an eye. But nothing held these two back from celebrating their nuptials. Nothing!Read More
May you wake up each day with the same fire behind the anticipation of seeing a new day together, and look at one another with the same joy and excitement for years to come! Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Reiss!Read More
From her sequin bow all the way down to her adorable little tootsies, the camera just loved Hannah!Read More
Add together wide open fields of green, a rich golden sunset AND the Swenson's Food Truck - you've got yourself a Gallegly wedding to remember!Read More
Rachel and Jim instantly create sparks in front of the camera. Their perfect day made our job seem effortless. True love makes for a beautiful day! The weather was just a delightful bonus.Read More
Maksen is a happy, spunky little fella…and the camera just loves him! Thank goodness for silly sounds and puppies strolling by to get some smiles! This guy is starting to talk and will be walking before they know it! You should hear him say a very exaggerated, "WOW!"Read More
When someone shares a love of both Fall and abandoned brick buildings with me, I get giddy! It was a perfect morning to meet for their engagement session before their big day rolls around in just a couple of weeks!Read More


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LYNN NEARY, host:
This is Talk of the Nation. I'm Lynn Neary in Washington. Neal Conan's away. Many of the just over three and a half million people who lost their jobs since the beginning of the recession have lost their health insurance as well. Even people who had health insurance face tough financial questions. A recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation says nearly half of all Americans report someone in their family cutback or put off medical care or skimped on prescription medicine to cut costs. And some hospitals and doctors report seeing patients whose health is suffering because of the recession. Stressed out about their financial situation, they may be drinking or smoking too much and canceling gym memberships, when they need them most. Is it possible to stay healthy and save money on medical costs? We'll find out. It's part of our occasional series, Your Life in a Recession. Today, your health care in a recession. Later on, on the Opinion Page, Clarence Page takes issue with Larry King's assertion that there's a lot of advantages to being black these days. But first, your health care in a recession. Are you cutting back on your health care? What are you doing to reduce your health cost? Tell us your story. Our phone number, 800-989-8255 and the email address is email@example.com. And you can join the conversation at our Web site, go to npr.org and click on Talk of the Nation. NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner is here with us in Studio 3A to help through the maze of health care once again. Good to be with you, Julie.
JULIE ROVNER: Nice to be here.
NEARY: So listen, is there really hard evidence that people are cutting back on medical care because of the recession or is this all anecdotal?
ROVNER: Well, there are some hard evidence. We certainly see the poll that you cited from the Kaiser Family Foundation, I should point out that was done in October, which was really just at the start of what we think of as, you know, the big financial meltdown. And I should point out that these were not necessarily people without insurance. We're seeing a lot of people with insurance. One of the things we've been seeing certainly accelerate over this last year is people with insurance being asked to pay more by their employers. Particularly this year, I think a lot of people have their open seasons and their new insurance starts at the beginning of the year. And they're being asked to pay more in premiums, in co-payments, in deductibles, so suddenly, their health costs are going up. One of the things we're seeing is that people may be asked to take these wage freezes or you know, even pay cuts.
NEARY: Right.
ROVNER: And yet, their health-insurance costs are going up at the same time. Health insurance or health care - health spending is going up still much faster than inflation and much, much faster than wages. So we're all feeling this pinch of health-care costs going up much more rapidly. And it obviously hurts much more at a time when we do and feel like we do have less money to spend on it.
NEARY: Yeah, so what are the health implications if people are beginning to skimp on health care as a way to save money?
ROVNER: Well, certainly this is where it becomes much more anecdotal, but you know, talking to doctors, talking to hospitals, you know, you're seeing people, obviously if you go off your blood pressure medication or your cholesterol medication that can have health care, you know, consequences large and small. You can obviously have a heart attack or a stroke or, you know, something catastrophic. People who are, you know, taking antidepressants can have, you know, problems with depression coming back, you know, more chronic conditions that can recur. Certainly there are issues of people simply having, you know, a lot more stress. People who had been going to the gym and losing weight are now, you know, reported to be gaining weight again, you know, eating perhaps cheaper but more, you know, more caloric food and therefore gaining weight or perhaps even just more comfort food...
NEARY: Right.
ROVNER: (Laughing) And gaining weight because we are stressed.
NEARY: Of course, because this whole, you know, stress is going to make people sicker.
ROVNER: That's right. And you know, stress is not helpful for people who have certain chronic conditions, things like, you know, high blood pressure which stress can actually have an impact on.
NEARY: Yeah. Let's take a call now. We've got Lynn calling from Northern California. Hi, Lynn.
LYNN (Caller): Hi.
NEARY: Go ahead.
LYNN: Well, I just wanted to share that I know that I need a colonoscopy. We're supposed to have a screening beginning at the age of 50. And if you have any changes in your bowel habits, then you're definitely supposed to have it done. And I'm not having it done because of the cost. And I've spoken with another patient recently who didn't even want to have a chest CT scan done because he was afraid if he had lung cancer, he wouldn't be able to afford the costs.
NEARY: And do you have health insurance?
LYNN: I do, but it's just all the deductible and all the part that you don't get covered that could be enough to wipe you out.
NEARY: Yeah. All right, well, thanks so much for calling us, Lynn.
LYNN: You're welcome.
NEARY: Now, there's a good example. Somebody has health-care coverage and yet putting off what we know is a really good preventive test.
ROVNER: That's right, and there's at least anecdotal evidence. Here's an anecdote of people who are not going and getting recommended tests and certainly preventive care would be the first thing to go. You're not sick, you feel healthy, you know you should get it, but its money out of your pocket that you may not necessarily, you know, want to spend or feel that you're able to spend right now. And those are the first things that are going to go. I mean, obviously if you fall down or slip on the ice and break your ankle, you're going to go and get that dealt with. But it's the preventive stuff, the stuff that you know you ought to get, that you feel like you can perhaps put off until maybe you feel like you have the money.
NEARY: Now, this woman has health insurance, a lot of people still do, but what about people who have lost their health insurance because they've lost their job?
ROVNER: Well, a lot of people are in this situation where they're really desperate to try and find health insurance. Now, there is something called COBRA, it is a provision of an enormous tax and spend law from 1986, but it's the best known provision. It lets you keep your health insurance from your job for up to 18 months, and in a few cases, 36 months and if you leave or lose your job - but it's very expensive. Basically, what it says is you can keep that health insurance, but you got to pay the entire premium. It's pretty much where people discover just how generous their employers are when it comes to health insurance, because people gets some sticker shock when they discover that , you know, the average premium just for a single person can be about a thousand dollars. Families USA did a study a couple of months ago and found out that in - I think it was 41 states that the average COBRA premium was three quarters of the unemployment benefit, so it's just really unaffordable for most people to try and sign up for that COBRA benefit. In recognition of that, the stimulus bills that are now going through the House and the Senate would actually subsidize that COBRA benefit.
NEARY: Oh, really.
ROVNER: Sixty five of it, 65 percent subsidy, and it would be retroacted back to last September. So if you've lost your job since last September, you would be eligible for that subsidy. Now, I think, it's only a nine-month subsidy, so it wouldn't be...
NEARY: But it would help, that would be a big help for people...
ROVNER: It would be a big help.
NEARY: Who are trying to bridge the gap between one job to the next.
ROVNER: Exactly, would let you keep. And another important thing to know about COBRA is that if it's too expensive for your whole family but there's someone who's in the middle of some kind of health event, someone who's pregnant, someone's who's undergoing chemotherapy, you could actually sign up for COBRA just for that one person, you don't have to take it for the whole family. So that's an option, that it would be a little bit less expensive, but just to keep that health insurance going for that one person is a possibility under COBRA.
NEARY: I want to bring our second guest into the conversation now. Francesca Lunzer Kritz is with us. She writes a weekly column on health-care costs for the Los Angeles Times. She's also here with us in Studio 3A. Thanks for being with us.
Ms. FRANCESCA LUNZER KRITZ (Writer, Los Angeles Times): Nice to be here.
NEARY: And you have your own health situation today, I know, you've got a cold. So we'll understand that as we go along. But I wanted to ask you to continue this conversation about COBRA because I know in one of the articles that you have written that I read that you said - I think you recommend that even if it seems very expensive this is an option people should really try to take advantage of.
Ms. KRITZ: This is if they have no other alternative for two reasons. One is, it continues care and having a discontinuation in care can mean that when you go back to getting insurance either through your employer or on your own, you may not be eligible for some insurance. You need to have a continuation care, particularly if you have pre-existing condition. And the other reason that is important is that it may well be the least expensive option you can get. Although, it's expensive, if you buy insurance on the open market in most cases, COBRA will be the least expensive option for you.
NEARY: If you can't do it, if you lose your health insurance during this period of unemployment and then you get a new job. What's the disadvantages or what...?
Ms. KRITZ: It's very variable but you may, if you have a pre-existing condition and then you let your insurance drop, you may find that when you go get your insurance or for a member of your family when you get a new job, you may find that that condition is not covered for a period of time. Again I'm couching it because you may find that could be one of the ways that you can certainly find out what's specific to you is that the Department of Labor is offering information both online and through telephones, and you can call them. Go to the Department of Labor. I believe its dol.gov and look up, job benefits toolkit, and you'll be able to find lots of information. And then there'll be a toll-free number, and you can call them and ask them very specific question related to you. And they can answer your very specific question.
NEARY: Now, once COBRA runs out, what happens then?
Ms. KRTIZ: Well, you...
NEARY: Can you continue that same health care?
Ms. KRITZ: There is an extension as Julie mentioned to 36 months for some people but for now, once it runs out, it runs out. What remains to be seen is what other changes could happen if the economy continues to worsen and if COBRA is the way that the president decides that he would like to help people fund their health insurance, it could continue. Another way that may do it is that there may be an expansion of Medicaid. Medicaid now, for the most part only applies to people who have children. There could be changes to Medicaid so that even if you don't have children you may qualify. It's worth looking at your papers every day because there is going to be something new and there could be something new in your own state. You want to become familiar with happens in your state. And I have found in calling state health insurance agencies, there are people standing by the phones who really want to give you good information. And if you simply put into a search engine, state health insurance agency or state health insurance information, you're going to get a toll-free number with people sitting there. And although, I can give you good general information, you can get information that pertains directly to you by calling these agencies.
NEARY: Now, Julie?
ROVNER: At the very end of COBRA, if you actually, if you couldn't afford to do COBRA for the entire time, for that entire 18 months, you must be offered something called a COBRA conversion policy. Now, the quirk of a COBRA conversion policy is that it could be even more expensive than COBRA and usually is more expensive than COBRA because the only people who go to the end of COBRA are people who really have trouble getting insurance. So they are really expensive, but if you really need it there is insurance at the end of COBRA.
NEARY: Now, talking, Julie, just in terms of health-care reform, is that something that's separate from what we're discussing now with what the president is proposing regarding to COBRA? I mean, that's...
ROVNER: Yes, that is something that is separate. This is - what's going on in this stimulus which is called, I think, the recovery package, this is intended to be a down payment sort of an immediate short-term get people sort of over the hump of what's going on with this recession and then Congress are going to start looking at health reform later on in this year.
NEARY: Any idea how long that's going to take?
ROVNER: I would not hazard a guess.
(Soundbite of laughter)
ROVNER: Some months, I think would be a safe assumption.
NEARY: Could have been within a year though, let's say? I mean, we're in a, you know, we're in an emergency situation. It seems to me there is emergency legislation being considered but even the long-term reform needs to be acted on quickly, I would think.
ROVNER: Certainly the hope is within a year.
NEARY: Yeah. All right, we're going to take a short break right now. They're going to return, continue talking about your health care in the recession and how to cut costs without hurting your health. We'll get more of your calls in a moment at 800-989-8255 or send us an email to email@example.com. I'm Lynn Neary. It's Talk of the Nation from NPR News.
This is Talk of the Nation. I'm Lynn Neary in Washington. Even if you still have health insurance, there is a good chance your costs are going up. In one survey, 40 percent of big companies raised premiums for their workers last year. Even more plan to hike them in 2009. We're talking about the tough choices many face in this economy, your health care and a recession. Are you cutting back on your health care? What are you doing to reduce your health-care costs? Tell us your story. Our phone number is 800-989-8255 and our email address is firstname.lastname@example.com. You can join the conversation at our Web site. Go to npr.org and click on Talk of the Nation. NPR health care - health-policy correspondent Julie Rovner is with us and we're also joined by Fran Kritz. She writes a weekly column on health care costs for the Los Angeles Times, and we have a link to her latest comment at npr.org/talk. Let's go to a caller now. We're going to go to Andrew who is calling from Cleveland, Ohio. Hi, Andrew, go ahead.
ANDREW (Caller): Hi, actually, I find that recently my entire life has been mirroring all the current events in the news, by preceding it by about five months. Earlier this summer, I was forced to get rid of my health insurance. My employer at the time was part-time and they provided it, but I couldn't afford it through them so I had to get it on my own. And then overtime, the paycheck that was coming in from that employer just wasn't enough to cover the monthly costs and I had to drop off health insurance. I did so midstream through a course of medication. I kept up with the course of medication as prescribed and the unfortunate thing recently is I've had to - there is a whole process involved in stopping this medication. And I've kind of had to research that myself and go to that myself without the ability of going to see my doctors, simply because I can't afford the office visit. And it's been tricky. It involves a lot of personal research and support from friends but I just, you know, there's a lot of days where I'm like, OK, what is this side effect? Why am I feeling this way? And it's really - it's scary. And also, you know, when you feel this sensations that you're feeling before and you're worried that something is wrong, and that's only compounded when you think to yourself, well I could go and get check out, make sure nothing is seriously wrong and then you stop and think, well, dear God, what if something is, what then? You know, what am I going to do? And you just - you're left with no choice and no choice.
NEARY: Fran, do you have any thoughts to offer to Andrew?
Ms. KRITZ: Well, one thing that we have been suggesting and it's really a suggestion of public health officers as well is that there is a network of community health centers, clinics and community centers now. It's not the same as going to your doctor where you can schedule appointment at two and be seen at 2:30. You may have to wait, there may be a small co-pay, it may not be convenient to your home. You may not be able to get the exact same drug that you're taking. It may not be on the drug list that they offer but it is one way of people being able to be seen by a physician, and to very possibly continue your course of medication at a low cost. And it's worth looking through your state health department or city health department to ask. I don't mean to make this seem as though it's a panacea. It's not the same as simply having a doctor who knows you. But there are very able and enthusiastic providers who are providing care.
NEARY: And are there doctors or are there physicians there at this community...?
Ms. KRITZ: That's a very good question, you may see nurses. You may see a doctor. You may see what they call physician extenders, physician assistants. You probably can ask to see a physician for a particular concern and then be followed up by a nurse. The other thing is that your local hospital may well have a clinic that - not the emergency room. Don't go there unless you have a clear emergency because the fees from some of that insurance are very high, but you can call the hospital. And ask there if they have a clinic. Even here in Washington several have recently opened up and they will see people who don't have insurance. Again, there can be a waiting time. There can be co-pay.
NEARY: How can people go about trying to find out about these community health centers in their community or the clinics as you just mentioned?
Ms. KRITZ: I believe that the city numbers are always 311 and if you call 311 in your city, you should be able to find - ask for resource, ask for community health resource. The other one is that there is a community health center association which you can look up on the Web, and also your state and city and local health department and your public library. The libraries are - I checked my library yesterday in Silver Spring and they had medical resources as well. And you might have bypassed these things before because you were employed and insured. But now they might be something not to bypass at all. And again we don't mean to make this - you may have a wait, you may have to wait a few days. You may not see, you may see a nurse or you may see an extremely experienced nurse who knows these issues, but at least it's a way into the system. You can get some help this way.
NEARY: Andrew, is that any help to you at all or have you already tried all of this?
ANDREW: Well, the problem is in the past, when I've approached the clinics in our area, a lot of times the wait was so great for just basic health issues, like say, you've got a really nasty bug or something's going on, by the time you can get in or find the day that you can get in to see these people, you know, might have already passed. You know, and it's just - it's kind of crazy. As far as my predicament, I was very fortunate in that the medication I was taking was a very low dosage. So, I, you know, I able to kind of do it on my own. And I was - I got off when I was scheduled to get off medication. But it is, I guess, I know that the resources are out there but, you know, as it is, I now have a full-time job and it's, you know, you don't want to become a squeaky wheel saying, I need to take time off to wait all day at a clinic.
NEARY: Yeah. I'm sorry, did want to answer...?
Ms. KRITZ: I want to say for a bug, I was talking about either a check-up or a medical condition. If you're not feeling well, the flu, an ear infection, a child's ear infection - one option may well be, whether people have insurance or not, is a growing number of retail clinics in stores and in chain pharmacies. If you have insurance, the co-pay can often be as little as $10, and if you don't, it tends to be about $50 or $60. And if you work with the pharmacy there may be some discounts. So if you are concerned about a child whose sick today, those are generally staffed by nurse practitioners.
NEARY: Andrew thanks to your call. We want to get to some other folks as well. So, thank you so much for calling in. I want to read an email that came in as well. This is from Sarah from - I believe she's writing from Cincinnati. As someone who's been chronically sick, I can say that my health care is not only scaled back but its nonexistent. I have lupus untreated because of a lack of health insurance. No medications, no doctors, nothing. I am afraid this means I will die earlier but I don't have a choice in the matter.
You know, this just speaks to the urgency of this situation and you know, we're hearing these stories, it's hard to know how widespread a story like Sarah's or Andrew's is, but if their alternative is to go to free clinics that they have to wait a long time for, why not - why doesn't the government, you know, move more quickly to create some kind of system even if some people feel that, you know, national health care, you're going to have to wait. I mean, it almost sounds ironic to say, we're waiting for community health program, weeks for community health programs for these people but we don't want a national health care system because we're going to have to wait too long for doctors.
ROVNER: I actually spoke to the association community health centers earlier today who were saying that they are seeing a very big upswing in demand. There is more money for them also in the stimulus bill but obviously, you know, it's hard to imagine it will enough to shorten the wait by a whole lot. And these are places, you know, I might point out that serve people with insurance and people without insurance and people with Medicaid. I mean, it's for people who are underserved, you know, in areas where there are not a lot of health-care facilities, as well as people who don't have a lot, you know, either a lot of money or don't have insurance. So, it serves a variety of sources, community health centers and...
NEARY: And I don't mean to over-dramatize this but Sarah seems to feel that's it's possible she's - really truly feels it's possible she's going to die soon.
Ms. KRITZ: I think that there are - Atul Gawande wrote a piece at the New Yorker and what she talked about when - just last week where he said in the switch from Medicare to Medicare part D because there was some ramping-up time, he thinks that they're probably people who died because they couldn't get their medicine on time.
NEARY: So this is a real thing?
Ms. KRITZ: This is a real thing but I want to make suggestions and again, these are stop gap. These are Band-Aids. I don't pretend that anything I'm suggesting is an alternative to a national health reform. But that's not happening today, and these people are calling in today. And my other suggestions would be to go to the foundations, the lupus association. If you have a condition and you should call the organization. Again, I believe that search engines are your best friend. Librarians are your best friend. The other thing that you would want to do is go to helpfinder.gov and look up the calendar of observances. Cause very often there are free testings on certain days. If it's National Ovarian Cancer Week or Breast Cancer Awareness Month there'll be free mammograms, there'll be free ovarian screenings. Those organizations have some money that they can use to be able to certainly pay for screenings and then perhaps to pay for treatment. And then I want to suggest, in fact a clergy member mentioned this to me, and you want to go to your church, you want to go to your synagogue. If you find yourself with health bills, you have to pay them. You will find yourself in terrible debt. Look for every resource of assistance. No one's - I'm not pretending this is easy but I just urge you to look at every avenue including your pastor or your rabbi, these associations.
NEARY: All right, let's take another call from Louis(ph) who's calling from across Wisconsin. Hi, Luis.
LOUIS (Caller): Hello there. How is it going?
NEARY: Good, good.
LOUIS: When I found myself in a situation like the previous caller who even with insurance from a retail company chose not to have the colon procedure after I turned into my 50s, simply because after the insurance and with the deductibles, it still would have been three to $4,000 out of my pocket. And that was just - that would have wiped out my so-called emergency medical savings account.
NEARY: Right.
LOUIS: Since then I lost my job but did maintain the COBRA, which is absolutely fantastic for just dental. Unfortunately, with a pretty bad sweet tooth here, I'm at the dentist constantly. And that really comes in handy. Now, my question is the company that owned the store that I lost my job from is now selling that store. It's a local company selling a major hardware chain. And I'm wondering how that's going to affect the COBRA I have now and should continue to have well, since September for almost another year.
NEARY: All right, let's get to Julie on that. Julie?
ROVNER: You should, the rules under COBRA, if the company goes out of business then there's nothing to COBRA, too.
LOUIS: Right.
ROVNER: But I believe that if the company is still in business and I assume - and it's still offering health insurance, I think even if it gets sold as long as still offering health insurance, you should you're right to COBRA should go with that. I'm not a 100 percent sure.
NEARY: Any places you should go to...
Ms. KRITZ: The Department of Labor.
NEARY: Yeah, that kind of thing.
ROVNER: Department of Labor will be able to tell you. But there's something I do want to add to both to this caller and to the previous caller. You know, the one that's thing that most dangerous I think in this, you know, current economic climate is to go bare, to go without insurance, particularly if you have a pre-existing health condition. The important thing to remember is 63 days. And that's the cut off after which you're considered to have a break in health insurance coverage. If you can't afford the COBRA, and obviously there's going to be a lot of people who cannot afford the COBRA, you can find health insurance and even if it's just bare-bones Health Insurance that won't cover very much that you know - that will only, you know, pick up in the biggest of catastrophes. At least it will keep you covered that when you get another job and do get, you know, health insurance with that job, you will not get dinged by that pre-existing insurance, you know, exclusion which goes on for a year. So, it is important to keep some kind coverage. And if you do have to find it, you know, you can get on the Internet. You can get, you know, maybe the bare-bones coverage that it's not going to do very much while you have it. But it will protect you for the interim before you have to - you know before you get to move back to what you consider more comprehensive coverage.
LOUIS: Now, question about that plan they're trying get through with the stimulus plan to subsidize part of COBRA.
NEARY: Mm hmm.
LUIS: That's 60 percent?
NEARY: Sixty five.
ROVNER: Sixty five.
LOUIS: All right - so with that, I'm still looking at $240 a month for the health part of COBRA, which a lot of people out there with jobs is probably be willing to pay both being on an unemployment. Again, I'd pray for that.
NEARY: That's tough, that's tough.
ROVNER: Yeah, it's not a bad idea.
NEARY: Louis, thanks so much. I just want to thank you for calling in, Louis, because we're trying to get some more callers on.
LOUIS: All right, have a great day.
NEARY: All right thanks so much. And we're talking about your health in a recession. And I want to remind you that you are listening to Talk of the Nation from NPR News. Let's go now to Robert. And Robert is calling from Aberdeen, South Dakota. Hi, Robert.
ROBERT: (Caller) Hello, can you hear me?
COHEN: I can, go right ahead.
ROBERT: I'm 50 years old and I had health care offered by my employer but it was - I could afford to buy a policy a little bit cheaper on my own. The employer basically was just a vehicle to offer the health care. But my hours are being cut back. I drive a truck and because of the recession or what not, I - mine and everybody's hours have been cut back. And I had been put in a position where I can no longer afford to pay for it. I mean, it's literally just groceries or health care and I'm - like I said, I'm 50, so, I'm at that age where all the preventive things are really becoming important. And I just don't feel that I have any direction to go. And, you know, even the preventive stuff, you know, I mean I go in for a check up and you know, jeez, they cost me - it cost me a week's pay.
NEARY: Yeah, so you would just wait until - Robert, you're - what would your reaction then be? You're just going to wait until you actually have to go, where there'd be an emergency?
ROBERT: Something goes wrong. I believe there's so many people in that situation. Yes, that's where I'm at.
NEARY: Yeah, Fran.
ROBERT: I have - I did note preventive is out of the question, and if something catastrophic goes wrong, well then I guess I'll have to deal with that. But if, you know, I mean, jeez, I just don't feel like there's anything I can do except, you know, wait for an emergent situation.
NEARY: You know, Fran, one thing I wanted to ask you about - because I think in one of your columns, you said that, and I don't know how real this is, that there's a possibility you should talk to your doctor because maybe you can negotiate prices. Is that real or...?
Ms. KRITZ: You can possibly negotiate prices if you pay cash. But if you are insured, you cannot. They have made a...
NEARY: Oh I see.
Ms. KRITZ: For the most part. They have in fact, I thought you'd able to say doctor can you waive the co-pay. But according to American Medical Association, you cannot. They've made that contract with the insurer and they cannot waive it, and they may not be able to waive the fee. If you're paying out of pocket, you may want to go to your doctor and say, can we make up a payment schedule? But I wanted to make a suggestion, and that is first of all, Julie's suggestion to have at least something - something bare-bone, something high deductible is really crucial for - both for catastrophic coverage and for continuation of care - continuity of care. But also, if you go into a hospital, now if you don't have any resources and let's say you need a CAT scan, the BusinessWeek reported that they are now saying to people, well, I see that you haven't maxed out your credit card or I see you have a 401k. And they may ask you to use those resources. So, having some insurance will help you to pay for some of those costs. If you find yourself not being able to afford care, particularly if you've gone to an emergency room, my daughter - we have insurance. My daughter went to the emergency room for an asthma attack. If we hadn't had insurance, it would have been about $450. We'd pay on our way out and I asked what would happen? And they said, well, we would send you a bill. Don't wait for them to send you a bill. Go up to the financial office. Work out a settlement with them without a credit card so that you're not paying interest. Sit down with them. Work out a payment plan if you find yourself in that situation.
NEARY: All right. Thanks for calling, Robert. Appreciate that. And just, sort of in conclusion, one other thing just a moment left. And maybe either one of you can take this about this whole idea of not getting the preventive care. This is a potential serious problem, creating more serious problems with the health care system and people aren't getting the preventive care.
ROVNER: Yeah, it's clearly going to raise costs down the line for people who don't get preventive care and then end up needing more expensive care later.
NEARY: Yeah. And I don't know if you wanted to answer that, Fran.
Ms. KRITZ: I'll just add quickly that the agency for health care research and quality on its Web site has a list of tests that you should have right through your life. Look it through, when you need a colonoscopy, when you a mammogram, and then go to helpfinder.gov and find the observances calendar, match the tests you need to the match - to the tests that maybe available for free or very little cost.
NEARY: OK. Francesca Lunzer Kritz writes a weekly column on health care costs for the Los Angeles Times. And Julie Rovner is NPR's health policy correspondent. Thanks to both of you for being with us.
Ms. KRITZ: Thank you.
NEARY: Up next, a new president and new talk of progress in race relations. Is black the new black? Syndicated columnist, Clarence Page joins us on the Opinion Page. Stay with us. It's Talk of the Nation from NPR News.
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About Us
Welcome to The Waukee Arrowhead Website! Here you will find all of the content that our 26 wonderfully talented staff members have produced. Five out of this group make up the editorial team, who lead the class along with our advisor, Kent Peterson. I, Dana Aguilar, run The Arrowhead's online platform, while Felicia Williams produces our monthly paper. Our yearbook editors, Claire Petersen and Gaby Shepard, work to produce our 2018-2019 yearbook. Together, our goal is to spotlight the stories both inside of our community and out, creating quality pieces that fulfill our responsibilities as student journalists. Thanks for checking out The Arrowhead and feel free to shoot us an email!
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Singer Gaz Coombes has been forced to cancel his upcoming gigs after being "Bruce Lee'd" by his 15-year-old daughter.
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Shows in Utrecht, Lille, as well as several in Spain and Italy have been cancelled, while UK dates have been rescheduled to May, but the singer promised fans he would be "back soon".
He said he had surgery on the break at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, and thanked the "amazing" staff and "wonderful" NHS for his treatment.
Coombes's gigs were promoting his third solo album, World's Strongest Man – the follow up to 2015's Mercury Prize-nominated Matador – which charted at number 12 in the UK in May.


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Tony's Spotlight/
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