Grilling enthusiasts all over the world have searched long and hard for the answer to the question: “How do you grill the perfect steak?”This is a wonderful question and deserves a wonderful answer. After all, good quality meat does not come cheap these days. My hopes with this article are to give you all the necessary grilling instructions and techniques possible so that your investment is not wasted. This guide will work equally well for both gas and charcoal grills.GRILLING STEP 1The first step is to choose the right piece of meat for grilling.A great steak starts with a quality piece of meat. The problem for many beginners when they go to the supermarket or local butcher is choosing the good meat from the bad. There are a variety of steaks to choose from and it can be very confusing. If you have a butcher shop nearby, you should definitely get your meat there as opposed to the supermarket. Supermarket beef has been sitting on a shelf for God knows how long whereas the beef from a butcher shop is cut fresh.Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a great piece of meat for grilling:GRADEThere are generally three different grades of beef in the United States: Prime Grade, Choice Grade and Select Grade. Prime is at the top of the grading scale and only makes up for a very small percentage of beef produced in this country. Prime Grade beef is usually reserved for restaurants. Choice and Select are usually the grades of steaks that are available to today’s consumer at supermarkets or butcher shops. So when going to your local butcher or supermarket , be sure to choose the best quality you can find. If it is not labeled on the package, be sure to ask for help.MARBLINGMarbling is a very important factor in grilling a good steak. Marbling is the visible lines of fat that you see on the meats surface. Marbling is what gives your beef its great flavor. Now of course the more fat you have on your meat, the less healthy it will be. But I think many of us would rather enjoy a flavorful meal once in a while than the healthier alternative. The marbling should be thin lines of fat and should be evenly distributed throughout. Stay away from thick marbling as this will give you a tougher piece of meat. If you visit a butcher shop, they will definitely be able to help you choose beef with good marbling.CUT OF STEAKThe last factor I would like to talk about is the cut. There are a variety of different cuts available today and it can be quite confusing. The best cuts for grilling in my opinion are the Rib-Eye, T-bone, Porterhouse, New York Strip & Sirloin. There is of course the Tenderloin cuts which give you your filet mignon and Chateaubriand. These cuts are very tender but contain very little fat and are not very flavorful. I recommend avoiding these cuts for grilling. The Rib-Eye probably contains the most fat out of the bunch, but is definitely one of the more flavorful cuts. My recommendation would be to test out a rib-eye, T-bone, Porterhouse and New York Strip to see which one you like the best, as we all have different preferences.
The speedily increasing incidence of obesity among children is one of the most challenging dilemmas facing the society today. Obesity has become an epidemic among children and adolescents in the United States, effecting about 17 percent of them. Obesity increases the risk for diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic health problems. It also decreases the quality of life. Growing public awareness of the magnitude and adverse health consequences of childhood obesity has led to an array of efforts aimed at increasing physical activity as well as promoting healthful eating. As childhood obesity is a serious public health problem calling for immediate reductions in obesity prevalence and in its health and social consequences, parents need to understand this entity and how to address it without adversely affecting the childs psychology. Parents are concerned or would soon get concerned about the ideal weight that their child should have to remain healthy. The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Consistent with this, the health-at-any size approach is encouraged. This is focused on health rather than weight. It focuses on the whole person, physically, mentally, and socially. This approach shifts the emphasis to living actively; eating in normal, healthful ways; respecting each individual; as well as health and wellbeing for all at whatever size they may be. Health-at-any-size advocates support for appropriate lifestyle and behavior changes to achieve these objectives.
This must clearly be understood that being overweight does not mean that he or she is obese too and that there is a difference between being overweight and obese. How do we decide whether an individual is overweight or obese? There are scientific guidelines which decide this and classify obesity. The commonest parameter is body mass index commonly known as BMI. It is the ratio of weight in kilograms to square of height in meters. Now how do you calculate this? Suppose John’s weight is 80 Kilograms and his height is 1.6 meters. Then multiply 1.6 by 1.6 (this will give square of height in meters), we get 2.56. Now divide 80 by 2.56 (This is the ratio of weight in kilograms to square of height in meters). The answer is 31.25. So John’s BMI is 31.25. A person is said to be overweight when his body mass index is over 25 while he or she is called obese if it is 30 or more. This classification helps to choose the various modalities of treatment available for obesity and also identifies simply overweight individuals who can adopt measures to prevent their progression to obesity.
Height and weight measurements and BMI need to be considered as part of an overall assessment and not as the single measurement for determining health status. Use of this measure alone has resulted in inaccurate labeling of children. Tables for BMI are based on assumptions that higher weight means higher body fat. However, some children with higher body weights will not be over fat, depending on physical activity, age, stage of puberty, gender, and ethnicity. For example, a recent study shows that one in four children categorized as at risk have normal body fat, and one in six in the normal weight range have high body fat. Children grow and mature in different ways, and a childs weight for height or BMI can best be evaluated in relation to his or her own growth history. Also, growth spurts may be preceded by an increase in body fat. Thus an over ambitious attempt to impose BMI standards on children in a blanket manner may interfere with normal growth of many.
Parents have a large role to play. Diet pattern and physical activities of children are to be focused upon. They should be aware that eating slowly helps children to recognize when they are full, so encourage slow eating. Planned and low-fat snacks which are portion-controlled can help keep kids remain satisfied between meals and stay away from overeating; thus snacks must be planned. Allocation of specific areas for eating and that too on a table is essential but it should not be in a room with a television. Children should focus on meals while eating rather than becoming unaware whether they are full while watching the television. A particular type of food like candy or cookies should not be abandoned and let everyone in the family enjoy them in moderation. Be aware of what is served at school or pack a nutritious lunch for your child. Have a dinner with the whole family as regularly as possible. Use this time to enjoy your meal and learn about your child’s activities that day. Unless your doctor recommends it, do not put your child on a restrictive diet. Children have specific nutritional needs, so limiting what your child eats can interfere with healthy growth and development.
It should also be understood that when you are physically active, your child is more likely to be physically active. Find activities that you are comfortable participating in and have your child join you. When your children get praise and positive feedback while they are being active, they are much more likely to keep going with the activity, thus, applaud your children whenever they engage in any sort of physical activity. Be a proud parent, show enthusiasm and give appropriate rewards for engagements in physical activities. Mention your child’s successes to your friends while your child is around. A step further, get together with neighbors and start a regular group activity plan for all the children on your street. If you see an opportunity for starting a new activity in the community, volunteer to help.Last but not the least stigmatization of an obese or overweight child either at home or at school brings about loss of self esteem, depression and compensation through satiety of overeating. It leads also to a perception that the child is doomed to his or her fate and efforts to loose weight are not destined to bring about positive results. Thus encouragement and appreciation of the childrens overall capabilities, behavior and personality, may encourage them to approach correction of obesity more positively. Parents should propose to the schools that acceptance and respect for oneself along with others can be effectively addressed as part of the overall school policy on acquiescence of diversity. Refusal to tolerate teasing or harassment of or by students or staff should become a strategy. Obesity prevention programs need to be periodically assessed by appropriate professionals to ensure that they do not create unintentional stigmatization or promote dangerous eating and exercise behaviors. All aspects of the measures required to control obesity are to be exercised in a comprehensive manner to meet the advancing menace of this draconian problem – an obese society.
Male genital warts are the most common STD around today. If You have It you’re not alone. There are many other males going through the same thing you’re going through.
Male genital warts are not only very stressful for the sufferer but they are ugly, which further increases the levels of stress. They are highly infectious and can be transmitted to other sexual partners by mere contact of the skin.
If you already suffering from male genital warts, consider yourself fortunate, treatment is available and will make living with them a little more bearable. The first thing to do is to consult your doctor about your problem. Don’t be embarrassed, the thing to keep in mind is that, for your own peace of mind, get your self treated. But more importantly think of the sexual health of all your future partners. If you need another reason to seek treatment, remember this,if left untreated, male genital warts can cause more serious problems, such as cancer. So make sure you get treated as soon as possible by visiting your doctor.
Male genital warts are contagious even in the early stages when they are not visible to the naked eye. That’s what’s so important to learn. You may not even know you have it and be spreading it around infecting others, who may infect others again. Male genital warts can be spread from direct physical contact with the skin. You would need a microscope to see them. However, they may be there just the same and they can be contagious.
The best way to prevent spreading male genital warts is to use a condom each and every time you have sex. However, even condoms may not prevent the spread of the disease. That’s why it’s so important to get male genital warts treated, if you are sexually active and you do feel that you have them.
If you feel you have male genital warts, it’s imperative that you get checked out by your doctor right away. He or she will be the one to determine if you do in fact have the disease. If you do, there are treatment options. You can have the warts burned off with a laser, or they can be frozen off by using liquid nitrogen. Either of these procedures may leave scarring, however slight, but they are great ways to get rid of the genital warts. There are also creams and other treatments that still may be available from the major drug companies that can help you. You should ask your doctor about these because, while they may not work for everyone, they may work for you.
Remember this, you’re not alone. Male genital warts effects many men. And it can lead to cancer if not treated effectively. So if your intuition tells you that you may have contacted male genital warts, don’t waste another minute. Get yourself checked out so that you can get rid of this unsightly and embarrassing sexually transmitted disease once and for all.
About the Author: Author’s Biography: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to alternative and Herbal Medicine, for more information please visit
Alberta is one of the most populated provinces of Canada. It consists of major cities which are involved in metropolitan activities. Since the population rate is high in the province of Canada, this directly explains the requirement and use of vehicles in the whole province. There are many ways through which one can buy a car in Alberta, however financing a car is not as easy as it seems. Many people face problems in car financing, thus car loans Alberta is known to be the best possible solution. There are many Alberta based companies that extend every possible help to get hold of a car you desire.
Auto loans Alberta refers to the idea of obtaining a car loan through different sources in the province of Canada. Auto loan is one of the most reasonable ways through which one can obtain a large amount of cash for vehicle purchase. However, to obtain an auto loan Alberta, one has to go through a systematic procedure. For inexperienced people, the first step would be to find a suitable financial loan consultant. These consultants provide advice or consultancy services for people who are considering an auto loan. With the help of these consultants, one can get help with managing credit history. Also, these financial loans consultants help people to find sources which offer loan schemes that are suitable according to their affordability or financial needs. The whole systematic process of obtaining a car loan in Alberta is easier to proceed with by getting the help of an experienced car loan agent or a consultant.
Firstly, the main advantage of getting car loan is mainly for people with low income and thus who cannot afford to buy a car. These people can get hold of a car through car loans. Also, the legal rights of ownership of the car are given to the user and not the car loan agency or institution. Since car loans schemes are very flexible, one does not require depositing a heavy amount to initially obtain access to the large amount of money. All the loan payments are made to the financial institution that provides the auto loan. These payments are made on monthly basis. Also, the payment rates are decided according to the affordability and budget of the person buying the car. Furthermore, if one faces problems with monthly pavements, the auto loan financial institution is willing to help a person renegotiate the payment deals or structure.
There are many companies or financial institutions in Alberta which assist people in the field of car financing. There are also many companies which specialize in providing assistance to people who have bad credit loan history. Special individual with unpreventable credit history can take full advantages of such companies. In all cities of Alberta, financial institutions which provide auto loans very easily, advertise about their services to attract their potential clients, thus they are not very difficult to find.
Getting an auto loan Alberta is not a difficult process. One should follow a clear channel to gain maximum advantage of the available auto loan for car financing.
About the Author: Get Approved for a
auto loan Alberta
fast and get your
auto financing
. Providing Canadians with the lowest rates and best bad credit auto financing options .
Marion Schaffer is running for the Green Party of Ontario in the Ontario provincial election, in the Oakville riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed her regarding her values, her experience, and her campaign.
Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.
A suicide bomber killed 43 people in Iraq Sunday, injuring an estimated 40 more.
The attack occurred southwest of Baghdad and targeted members of a government-backed militia, Sons of Iraq, also known as the Sahwa, who were waiting to collect their pay. Early reports say the attacks killed at least three soldiers and injured an additional thirteen, while three accountants died and four more were wounded. It’s not yet clear who the remaining casualties are.
A survivor of the bombing said that “[t]here were more than 85 people lined up in three lines at the main gate of the military base to receive salaries when a person approached us. When one of the soldiers tried to stop him, he blew himself up.”
An Iraqi military official said that “[t]he suicide bomber blew himself up in the biggest group of Sahwa members. We generally let them enter the base in groups of 10 for them to get their salaries.”
A second suicide bombing took place in Western Iraq, when an attacker fired upon Sahwa militants in Al-Qa’im before blowing himself up, killing three people, with six more injured.
Credit for the attacks has not yet been claimed, but al-Qaeda is considered the probable culprit.
The Sahwa movement is a Sunni militia group that split from al-Qaeda in 2006, and with US support have been one of the groups fighting al-Qaeda. In recent months, members of the militia have said that they have come under attack from other militant groups, and support from the Iraqi government has been reduced.
Israel‘s defence minister has ruled that the man who shot dead four Israeli Arabs is not a terrorist, because he is Jewish. The decision means that the families do not receive the compensation as family members of people classed as victims of terrorism. The laws governing compensation only recognise terrorism as being perpetrated by “organisations hostile to Israel”.
Ariel Sharon had previously described the act as “a despicable act by a bloodthirsty terrorist,” and The Jerusalem Post described the gunman as a “Jewish far-Right fanatic”.
The families will receive a lump sum instead of a lifelong payment. Arab Israeli leaders described the law as racist.
“The decision raises a strong scent of racism, which distinguishes between a Jewish terrorist and an Arab terrorist,” one member of parliament said.
The Anti-Defamation League, a US based organisation set up to combat anti-semitism, has also condemned the killing and described it as terrorism.
“We strongly condemn today’s terrorist attack by a Jewish gunman in Shiloh. The perpetrator is in police custody and we are confident he will be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, in a statement released on the day of the attack.
Member of the Knesset Mohammad Barakeh, has demanded an amendment to the current law. He is asking that the law recognise as victims of terror anyone hurt by “hostile activities by a terror organization.” According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the Prime Ministers Office has requested that the Attorney General review the issue.
The 19-year old Nathan Zaada shot the four Israeli Arabs in an industrial area of the town of Shfaram on August 4th. He was later killed by a mob.
After 25 years of working as an injury attorney on thousands of cases ranging in value from ten thousand dollars to millions of dollars there are three key principles that stand out for me when it comes to getting maximum dollar value from a case. They are:
1) IDENTIFY ALL INJURIES; 2. MAKE SURE EACH INJURY IS PROPERLY DIAGNOSED; 3. MAKE SURE EACH INJURY IS APPROPRIATELY TREATED.
STEP ONE: IDENTIFY ALL INJURIES
“What?”, you say, “Isn’t that the doctor’s job?”
Maybe.
But is it the doctor’s job to make sure you get maximum recovery on your case? In this day of specialization doctors are increasingly aware of their own area of specialization and less aware of injuries outside their area. It’s sort of like the “forest for the trees” metaphor. An orthopedic surgeon, for example, can certainly spot a bone break. But is it realistic for him to also know symptoms of TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder)?
TMJ is an abnormal condition with facial pain and poor function of the lower jaw. It is caused by a defective or dislocated TMJ joint (i.e. jaw joint).
One common sign of TMJ is clicking of the joint when the jaws move. A young Chinese immigrant was cruising the freeway in his Volkswagen bus one night when he was struck from behind by a semi-truck. His injuries were numerous and various.
One day, after he had seen many doctors, he was visiting with me, discussing his case. My attention was drawn to an audible “pop” sound which coincided with the opening of his mouth. TMJ? You better believe it. He brought it to the attention of one of his doctors so a referral could be made to a TMJ specialist.
HEAD INJURY
Another common malady in accident cases (especially auto accidents) is a “closed head injury”, which is injury to the brain without skull fracture. One type of closed head injury is a “concussion” which is a violent jarring or shaking injury to the brain. Closed head injuries are quite common in car accidents and can occur even though the injured person did not strike their head. There is a type of closed head injury known as “contre-coup concussion” that is described in the following paragraph:
“A rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head can force the brain to move back and forth across the inside of the skull. The stress from the rapid movements pulls apart nerve fibers and causes damage to brain tissue. This type of injury often occurs as a result of motor vehicle crashes and physical violence, such as Shaken Baby Syndrome.” Source: Brain Injury Association of America.
STEP TWO: MAKE SURE EACH INJURY IS PROPERLY DIAGNOSED
How do you make sure each injury is properly diagnosed? Use a checklist.
There at least twelve (12) common symptoms of closed head injury. You can obtain a list of these from a neuropsychologist. (A “neuropsychologist” is the medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of closed head injuries.)
You can also obtain from a TMJ specialist, a list of common TMJ symptoms.
Another way to make sure all injuries are identified is to tell your doctor. At your first visit, certainly, but also on later visits. Be sure to tell your doctor about symptoms that are new or worse since the accident. Sometimes your pain might be most severe in your neck right after the accident. Later, when that pain subsides your knee could be troubling you most and your knee could turn out to be the most seriously injured part of your body.
If your doctor doesn’t listen, tell your attorney. You might feel something is minor or not important so you are reluctant to tell your doctor or attorney. The best practice is to tell your doctors and attorneys everything. Let them decide what is important.
If your attorney won’t listen get another attorney. Find someone who will listen. Attorney-client relationships are like all relationships: there is no substitute for good communication. And that requires listening…on both sides.
STEP THREE: MAKE SURE EACH INJURY IS APPROPRIATELY TREATED.
Make sure all of your injuries is appropriately treated by going to the doctor right after your accident. Stoicism was a philosophy practiced in ancient Greece. The essence was “suck it up, don’t complain, be a man.” This philosophy may have worked in Ancient Greece but it doesn’t work in a modern injury case. Not if you want to get top value for your injuries. If you are hurt, go to the doctor. Follow his treatment recommendations.
Insurance defense attorneys love to bring up in court that the injured person did not follow doctor’s recommendations. That’s because juries expect you to follow your doctor’s advice.
There’s a legal principle called “mitigation of damages”. It says you must take steps to reduce the harm you suffer when someone causes you injury. If you fail to follow your doctor’s advice, you have failed to “mitigate your damages.” There is a specific “jury instruction” for this that the judge will give the jury if you haven’t been faithful to treatment recommendations. As a result you may get less money than you deserve.
Even something as small as missing an appointment can make a difference. Doctors don’t like it when patients miss appointments. They sometimes write in large letters: “PATIENT FAILED TO SHOW.” Juries get to see all the medical records. Imagine their reaction to just one of those comments. So make your appointments. Do your part to get better.
If the TMJ specialist tells you to wear your brace daily for six weeks, wear the brace. If your doctor prescribes daily exercises, do the exercises. If surgery is recommended and the second opinion doctor agrees. Get the surgery. Your case will be worth much more after you complete the surgery.
CONCLUSION
By following the advice in this article you avoid mistakes that will cost you thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars on your injury case.
Rex Bush is founder of Bush Law Firm near Salt Lake City, Utah where he handles personal injury cases in Utah and throughout the United States and Canada. For more information on personal injury issues visit his website:
The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has warned that the state of the housing market in the United Kingdom is the current biggest domestic threat to the country’s economy, due to lack of house building, and regulatory issues.
In an interview to be aired on Sky News today, he said the housing market is the “biggest risk” to the economy and has “deep, deep structural problems”. Of house building he said: “There are not sufficient houses built in the UK. To go back to Canada, there are half as many people in Canada as in the UK, twice as many houses are built every year in Canada as in the UK and we can’t influence that.”
“We’re not going to build a single house at the Bank of England. We can’t influence that. What we can influence […] is whether the banks are strong enough. Do they have enough capital against risk in the housing market?”
Carney also said the Bank of England would look into the procedures used to issue loans and mortgages to see if they were being granted appropriately: “We’d be concerned if there was a rapid increase in high loan-to-value mortgages across the banks. We’ve seen that creeping up and it’s something we’re watching closely.”
Kris Hopkins responded to Carney on behalf of the government, saying the government “inherited a broken housing market, but our efforts to fix it are working”. “We’ve scrapped the failed top-down planning system, built over 170,000 affordable homes and released more surplus brownfield sites for new housing. We’ve also helped homebuyers get on the housing ladder, because if people can buy homes builders will build them. Housebuilding is now at its highest level since 2007 and climbing. Last year councils gave permission for almost 200,000 new homes under the locally-led planning system and more than 1,000 communities have swiftly taken up neighbourhood planning. It’s clear evidence the government’s long-term economic plan is working.”
Earlier this month, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development called on the UK government to “tighten” access to the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme introduced by George Osborne and the coalition government in 2013. ‘Help to Buy’ has also recently been criticised by three former Chancellors of the Exchequer — the Conservatives Norman Lamont and Nigel Lawson, and former Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling. Darling said: “Unless supply can be increased substantially, we will exacerbate that situation with schemes like Help to Buy.”
The Phoenix Bar on Broughton Street in Edinburgh. Image: Brian McNeil.
Live music venues in Edinburgh, Scotland are awaiting a review later this year on the 2005 licensing policy, which places limitations on the volume of amplified music in the city. Investigating into how the policy is affecting the Edinburgh music scene, a group of Wikinews writers interviewed venue owners, academics, the City of Edinburgh Council, and local band The Mean Reds to get different perspectives on the issue.
Since the clause was introduced by the government of the city of Edinburgh, licensed venues have been prohibited from allowing music to be amplified to the extent it is audible to nearby residential properties. This has affected the live music scene, with several venues discontinuing regular events such as open mic nights, and hosting bands and artists.
Currently, the licensing policy allows licensing standards officers to order a venue to cease live music on any particular night, based on a single noise complaint from the public. The volume is not electronically measured to determine if it breaches a decibel volume level. Over roughly the past year there have been 56 separate noise complaints made against 18 venues throughout the city.
A petition to amend the clause has garnered over 3,000 signatures, including the support of bar owners, musicians, and members of the general public.
On November 17, 2014, the government’s Culture and Sport Committee hosted an open forum meeting at Usher Hall. Musicians, venue owners and industry professionals were encouraged to provide their thoughts on how the council could improve live music in the city. Ways to promote live music as a key cultural aspect of Edinburgh were discussed and it was suggested that it could be beneficial to try and replicate the management system of live music of other global cities renowned for their live music scenes. However, the suggestion which prevailed above all others was simply to review the existing licensing policy.
Councillor (Cllr) Norma Austin-Hart, Vice Convenor of the Culture and Sport Committee, is responsible for the working group Music is Audible. The group is comprised of local music professionals, and councillors and officials from Edinburgh Council. A document circulated to the Music is Audible group stated the council aims “to achieve a balance between protecting residents and supporting venues”.
Interior of the main auditorium of the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. Image: Brian McNeil.
Following standard procedure, when a complaint is made, a Licensing Standards Officer (LSO) is dispatched to investigate the venue and evaluate the level of noise. If deemed to be too loud, the LSO asks the venue to lower the noise level. According to a document provided by the City of Edinburgh Council, “not one single business has lost its license or been closed down because of a breach to the noise condition in Edinburgh.”
In the Scotland Licensing Policy (2005), Clause 6.2 states, “where the operating plan indicates that music is to be played in a premises, the board will consider the imposition of a condition requiring amplified music from those premises to be inaudible in residential property.” According to Cllr Austin-Hart, the high volume of tenement housing in the city centre makes it difficult for music to be inaudible.
During the Edinburgh Festival Fringe during the summer, venues are given temporary licences that allow them to operate for the duration of the festival and under the condition that “all amplified music and vocals are controlled to the satisfaction of the Director of Services for Communities”, as stated in a document from the council. During the festival, there is an 11 p.m. noise restriction on amplified music, and noise may be measured by Environmental Health staff using sophisticated equipment. Noise is restricted to 65dB(A) from the facades of residential properties; however, complaints from residents still occur. In the document from the council, they note these conditions and limitations for temporary venues would not necessarily be appropriate for permanent licensed premises.
Busker sitting in sealed window of St Cecilia’s Hall on Niddry Street, Edinburgh during 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Image: Brian McNeil.
In a phone interview, Cllr Austin-Hart expressed her concern about the unsettlement in Edinburgh regarding live music. She referenced the closure of the well-known Picture House, a venue that has provided entertainment for over half a century, and the community’s opposition to commercial public bar chain Wetherspoon buying the venue. “[It] is a well-known pub that does not play any form of music”, Cllr Austin-Hart said. “[T]hey feel as if it is another blow to Edinburgh’s live music”. “[We] cannot stop Wetherspoon’s from buying this venue; we have no control over this.”
The venue has operated under different names, including the Caley Palais which hosted bands such as Queen and AC/DC. The Picture House opened in 2008.
One of the venues which has been significantly affected by the licensing laws is the Phoenix Bar, on Broughton Street. The bar’s owner, Sam Roberts, was induced to cease live music gigs in March, following a number of noise complaints against the venue. As a result, Ms Roberts was inspired to start the aforementioned petition to have Clause 6.2 of the licensing policy reviewed, in an effort to remove the ‘inaudibility’ statement that is affecting venues and the music scene.
“I think we not only encourage it, but actively support the Edinburgh music scene,” Ms Roberts says of the Phoenix Bar and other venues, “the problem is that it is a dying scene.”
When Ms Roberts purchased the venue in 2013, she continued the existing 30-year legacy established by the previous owners of hosting live acts. Representative of Edinburgh’s colourful music scene, a diverse range of genres have been hosted at the venue. Ms Roberts described the atmosphere when live music acts perform at her venue as “electric”. “The whole community comes together singing, dancing and having a party. Letting their hair down and forgetting their troubles. People go home happy after a brilliant night out. All the staff usually join in; the pub comes alive”. However licensing restrictions have seen a majority of the acts shut down due to noise complaints. “We have put on jazz, blues, rock, rockabilly, folk, celtic and pop live acts and have had to close everything down.” “Residents in Edinburgh unfortunately know that the Council policy gives them all the rights in the world, and the pubs and clubs none”, Ms Roberts clarified.
Discussing how inaudibility has affected venues and musicians alike, Ms Roberts stated many pubs have lost profit through the absence of gigs, and trying to soundproof their venue. “It has put many musicians out of work and it has had an enormous effect on earnings in the pub. […] Many clubs and bars have been forced to invest in thousands of pounds worth of soundproofing equipment which has nearly bankrupted them, only to find that even the tiniest bit of noise can still force a closure. It is a ridiculously one-sided situation.” Ms Roberts feels inaudibility is an unfair clause for venues. “I think it very clearly favours residents in Edinburgh and not business. […] Nothing is being done to support local business, and closing down all the live music venues in Edinburgh has hurt financially in so many ways. Not only do you lose money, you lose new faces, you lose the respect of the local musicians, and you begin to lose all hope in a ‘fair go’.”
With the petition holding a considerable number of signatures, Ms Roberts states she is still sceptical of any change occurring. “Over three thousand people have signed the petition and still the council is not moving. They have taken action on petitions with far fewer signatures.” Ms Roberts also added, “Right now I don’t think Edinburgh has much hope of positive change”.
Ms Roberts seems to have lost all hope for positive change in relation to Edinburgh’s music scene, and argues Glasgow is now the regional choice for live music and venues. “[E]veryone in the business knows they have to go to Glasgow for a decent scene. Glasgow City Council get behind their city.”
Ms Martina Cannon, member of local band The Mean Reds, said a regular ‘Open Mic Night’ she hosted at The Parlour on Duke Street has ceased after a number of complaints were made against the venue. “It was a shame because it had built up some momentum over the months it had been running”. She described financial loss to the venue from cancelling the event, as well as loss to her as organiser of the event.
The Mean Reds at the Blind Poet, Edinburgh during Saturday Wolf Sessions, November 8, 2014. Image: Brian McNeil.
Sneaky Pete’s music bar and club, owned by Nick Stewart, is described on its website as “open and busy every night”.”Many clubs could be defined as bars that host music, but we really are a music venue that serves drinks”, Mr Stewart says. He sees the live music scene as essential for maintaining nightlife in Edinburgh not only because of the economic benefit but more importantly because of the cultural significance. “Music is one of the important things in life. […] it’s emotionally and intellectually engaging, and it adds to the quality of life that people lead.”
Sneaky Pete’s has not been immune to the inaudibility clause. The business has spent about 20,000 pounds on multiple soundproofing fixes designed to quell complaints from neighboring residents. “The business suffered a great deal in between losing the option to do gigs for fear of complaints, and finishing the soundproofing. As I mentioned, we are a music business that serves drinks, not a bar that also has music, so when we lose shows, we lose a great deal of trade”, said Mr Stewart.
He believes there is a better way to go about handling complaints and fixing public nuisances. “The local mandatory condition requiring ‘amplified music and vocals’ to be ‘inaudible’ should be struck from all licenses. The requirement presupposes that nuisance is caused by music venues, when this may not reasonably be said to be the case. […] Nuisance is not defined in the Licensing Act nor is it defined in the Public Health Act (Scotland) 2008. However, The Consultation on Guidance to accompany the Statutory Nuisance Provisions of the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008 states that ‘There are eight key issues to consider when evaluating whether a nuisance exists[…]'”.
The eight key factors are impact, locality, time, frequency, duration, convention, importance, and avoidability. Stewart believes it is these factors that should be taken into consideration by LSOs responding to complaints instead of the sole factor of “audibility”.He believes multiple steps should be taken before considering revocation of licenses. Firstly, LSOs should determine whether a venue is a nuisance based on the eight factors. Then, the venue should have the opportunity to comply by using methods such as changing the nature of their live performances (e.g. from hard rock to acoustic rock), changing their hours of operation, or soundproofing. If the venue still fails to comply, then a board can review their license with the goal of finding more ways to bring them into compliance as opposed to revoking their license.
Nick Stewart has discussed his proposal at length with Music is Audible and said he means to present his proposal to the City of Edinburgh Council.
Dr Adam Behr, a music academic and research associate at the University of Edinburgh who has conducted research on the cultural value of live music, says live music significantly contributes to the economic performance of cities. He said studies have shown revenue creation and the provision of employment are significant factors which come about as a result of live music. A 2014 report by UK Music showed the economic value generated by live music in the UK in 2013 was £789 million and provided the equivalent of 21,600 full time jobs.
As the music industry is international by nature, Behr says this complicates the way revenue is allocated, “For instance, if an American artist plays a venue owned by a British company at a gig which is promoted by a company that is part British owned but majority owned by, say, Live Nation (a major international entertainment company) — then the flow of revenues might not be as straightforward as it seems [at] first.”
Despite these complexities, Behr highlighted the broader advantages, “There are, of course, ancillary benefits, especially for big gigs […] Obviously other local businesses like bars, restaurants and carparks benefit from increased trade”, he added.
Behr criticised the idea of making music inaudible and called it “unrealistic”. He said it could limit what kind of music can be played at venues and could force vendors to spend a large amount of money on equipment that enables them to meet noise cancelling requirements. He also mentioned the consequences this has for grassroots music venues as more ‘established’ venues within the city would be the only ones able to afford these changes.
Alongside the inaudibility dispute has been the number of sites that have been closing for the past number of years. According to Dr Behr, this has brought attention to the issue of retaining live music venues in the city and has caused the council to re-evaluate its music strategy and overall cultural policy.
The Parlour, Edinburgh. Image: Brian McNeil.
This month, Dr Behr said he is to work on a live music census for Edinburgh’s Council which aims to find out what types of music is played, where, and what exactly it brings to the city. This is in an effort to get the Edinburgh city council to see any opportunities it has with live music and the importance of grassroots venues. The census is similar to one conducted in Victoria, Australia in 2012 on the extent of live music in the state and its economic benefit.
As for the solution to the inaudibility clause, Behr says the initial step is dialogue, and this has already begun. “Having forum discussion, though, is a start — and an improvement”, he said. “There won’t be an overnight solution, but work is ongoing to try to find one that can stick in the long term.”
Beverley Whitrick, Strategic Director of Music Venue Trust, said she is unable to comment on her work with the City of Edinburgh Council or on potential changes to the inaudibility clause in the Licensing Policy. However, she says, “I have been asked to assess the situation and make recommendations in September”.
According to The Scotsman, the Council is working toward helping Edinburgh’s cultural and entertainment scene. Deputy Council Leader Sandy Howat said views of the entertainment industry needs to change and the Council will no longer consider the scene as a “sideline”.
Senior members of the Council, The Scotsman reported, aim to review the planning of the city to make culture more of a priority. Howat said, “If you’re trying to harness a living community and are creating facilities for people living, working and playing then culture should form part of that.”
The review of the inaudibility clause in the Licensing Policy is set to be reviewed near the end of 2016 but the concept of bringing it forward to this year is still under discussion.
