With Washington State in a pertussis epidemic — a King County baby died of whooping cough mid-December — there’s more interest in vaccinations, especially among new parents. Pertussis comes with a caveat, which is that the newborn are best protected by vaccinated adults, since it takes a series of shots to build immunity.
As new parents quickly learn, managing the series of shots that is a complete vaccination schedule is a daunting task. The CDC offers schedules in “easy-to-read” formats, but if there’s anything that’s suited to a smartphone, it’s this.
Search on “vaccination” in the iTunes app store, and you’ll see a wealth of results, from the American College of Physicians Immunization Advisor (aimed at medical professionals) to all-in-one milestone-guide apps like Baby Sense and Tot Tracker, which include vaccination suggestions. (There are also apps that sort out travel vaccinations for you.)
The Vaccination Scheduler app ($0.99), in contrast, does only that — it helps parents manage their children’s vaccination schedules, in more than 90 countries. Founder David Freuden says the app’s country-specific vaccination schedules are based on data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), cross checked with the U.S.’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The app’s information is updated whenever WHO or the CDC publish new data.
The idea was to make it as easy as possible to see a child’s immunization schedule, and also to be reminded ahead of each visit to the doctor’s office. Last November, it was rated the #1 New Medical App by Apple. On the home screen, you’re prompted to enter your child’s name (it tracks up to six) and date of birth, and it provides you with a suggested schedule. As you complete the immunizations, they transfer into History, so you can call up who’s gotten what shot.
You can tell the app to email you vaccination reports (a PDF) that shows the completed vaccinations (vaccination name, date, your notes) as well as what’s up next. In later days, that record may be one of the most useful things; the primary factor behind the rise of pertussis, for instance, is that kids may need booster shots more quickly than anticipated. Knowing exactly when children got every single one of their shots, years later, can be critical.
For those of us who discover new music in used vinyl bins rather than at the club or on the radio—KEXP, I really will tune in more often, and Jet City Stream, I love you when I do—all the year-end best-new-whatever lists go right over our heads. The pleading from hipper friends to listen to Alt-J and Head and the Heart (what, not new?), just reminders of how blissfully out of touch we are with today’s darlings.
That’s because yesterday’s are so much better. And if you’re still with me, this look back at 2012 rock by way of the early ’90s is for you. Here’s to another excellent year of grunge-era revival.
10. New and reissued Brad records
Known since 1992 as Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard’s side project, Brad has created its own spotlight in recent years. (Thanks in no small part to vocalist Shawn Smith’s beautiful delivery and various solo and collaborative efforts of his own.) April 2012’s United We Stand is one of their best releases, a collection of melodic, optimistic tunes consistent with their rock-lite sound. Razor & Tie, the label behind the latest record, also reissued Brad’s out-of-print Welcome to Discovery Park, originally released in 2002—the first step of a planned catalog reissue. A side project no more, the band will tour Europe in February.
9. Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder ditch electricity, get songs onscreen again.
In 1992, Cornell’s quieter-than-Soundgarden “Seasons” appeared on the Singles soundtrack and Pearl Jam performed a still-rousing MTV Unplugged. Twenty years of full-band backing must have had the frontmen eager to ditch the earplugs. Following acoustic solo album releases in 2011, they each embarked on one-man acoustic tours highlighting their crooning and plucking talents. (No shows for either in Seattle, though.) Both also lent solo songs to films in 2012. For Gerard Butler dud Machine Gun Preacher, Cornell performed (and received a Grammy nod for) “The Keeper,” while Vedder’s “Satellite” appeared in West of Memphis. The West Memphis 3-benefiting film opened on Christmas Day; the soundtrack drops January 15.
8. New Original Sonic Sound plays after decade-long hiatus.
What happens when the statesmen of Mudhoney and a couple of friends (Tom Price, Bill Henderson, and Young Fresh Fellows’ Scott McCaughey) get together and cover ’60s garage legends the Sonics? Fuzzy, red-hot rock that’s faithful to the original’s near-frantic pace and power—and screaming only Mark Arm and original Sonics vocalist Gerry Roslie have the pipes for. The guys came together, played several shows, and released a covers record in 2000, then went silent until December 2, 2012. That date saw them reunite at the Tractor Tavern and rip through four Sonics classics. Even better, Mudhoney and the Sonics share a Showbox bill on February 2.
7. Pearl Jam and Jay-Z recall Pearl Jam and Cypress Hill.
In 1993, some record label genius (seriously) thought to pair then-popular rock and hip hop acts for the soundtrack to the pretty cool (no, seriously) flick Judgment Night. The compilation record featured Pearl Jam jamming with Cypress Hill on “Real Thing,” possibly thanks to the acts meeting at the rock band’s “Drop in the Park” concert a year earlier. (Most daring/awesome mashup: Mudhoney and Sir Mix-A-Lot on “Freak Momma.”) Nearly two decades later, with Pearl Jam headlining Philadelphia’s Made In America fest, hip hop magnate Jay-Z led the band through a heavy rendition of his “99 Problems.” Long live rap rock. The good stuff, anyway.
6. Eddie Vedder, Radio DJ
Twice in the nineties (’95 and ’98, so sue me), Vedder hosted broadcasts of live music, songs off his favorite records, conversations with friends, and, of course, political musings. On December 5, he returned to the airwaves with a shorter, but similar program of special punk tunes and seemingly bemused, low-voiced commentary. While the first two shows were available to anyone with a radio, last year’s was on Sirius XM’s fan-fueling Pearl Jam Radio. Bet the audience was a good chunk of those earlier listeners, though. Vedder’s show was the launch of a series, so we’ll hear more from him (and his record collection) this year.
5. Mark Lanegan releases seventh solo record.
Former Screaming Trees frontman Lanegan has, since that band’s 2000 demise, collaborated with many (and varied) artists and released several of his own records. This year’s solo Blues Funeral was perhaps the best release of them all. Like Lanegan’s post-Trees catalog itself, it’s a unique offering that’s less guitar rock than trippy blues grab-bag. He croons over drum loops and atmospheric fuzz, jangly riffs and heavy percussion. The marriage of somber themes (“Harborview Hospital,” “The Gravedigger’s Song,” “Bleeding Muddy Water,” etc.), layers of static-laced instrumentation, and dance-floor beats adds up to one surprisingly addictive record. It’s Lanegan’s latest reminder that a well-established musician need not stay within genre, or even show himself—the guy rarely appears onstage in the US—to stay relevant.
4. Barrett Martin rocks again with new band, old songs.
You may be more familiar with Martin contemporaries Matt Cameron and Dave Grohl, but the Screaming Trees and Mad Season drummer’s talents shone just as bright in 2012. Martin, who nearly achieved a PhD in Musicology, traveled the world, released his own jazz records, and sessioned with a slew of artists since his former bands gained grunge fame, jumped back into rock with Walking Papers, a bluesy supergroup fronted by the Missionary Position’s Jefferson Angell. His global music education gives the band’s self-titled debut world music flavors that deftly complement his heavy percussion. Live, Martin pounded like no other—with a big, happy grin. And as he told this fortunate writer, he not only played a couple of Mad Season songs at Walking Papers shows, he also worked with guitarist Mike McCready on a 2013 reissue of that band’s work. He’s also Walking Papers’ social spokesman, posting eloquent Facebook updates on their tours and progress on a second album, planned for 2013.
3. Mudhoney finally takes the spotlight.
If any of Seattle’s grunge-era bands deserve the documentary treatment, it’s Mudhoney. They came before all the ones you think of as classics, and are still around after so many others have faded away. (January 1, 2013, in fact, marked 25 years.) They’ve survived personnel change, addiction, the major label rollercoaster—and the 2012 doc I’m Now relates the entire story. Brought to you by the team that made Tad: Busted Circuits and Ringing Ears, the film will handily satisfy rock fans of all stripes, not just those who get a kick out wry, punk-loving frontman Mark Arm and his cohorts. It was a great year for those folks, though: a DVD of the band’s blissfully ignorant 1988 Berlin show was also released, and Mudhoney revealed that its eleventh studio record will hit this spring.
2. Storied Seattle rockers highlight 12.12.12: The Concert for Sandy Relief.
The highest-profile live music event of the year (decade?) included key players from our city’s grunge glory days—all who re-cemented their mythic status by bookending the Madison Square Garden-set spectacle. Early on, Eddie Vedder joined Roger Waters for a slow-burning performance of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.” Hours—and killer Stones and Who sets—later, Paul McCartney invited Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic (and Pat Smear) to the stage. The quartet basically reset the rock and roll universe with “Cut Me Some Slack,” an original, out-of-nowhere jam. Watch and get chills—again.
1. Soundgarden returns with King Animal.
Thanks to a slick, long-term PR/social media campaign, by the time Soundgarden’s King Animal dropped on November 12, the band’s studio return surprised no one. The same can’t be said for the mighty, majestic record itself. It’s solid from start to finish, 52 minutes of heavy-duty rock only this band could make. That’s the key: it sounds like Soundgarden—evolved. Big, loping tracks that draw from punk and metal and classic rock without a single derivative note. Chris Cornell’s golden voice deftly soars and dives. Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd power each song with near-ruthless rhythm. Kim Thayil shreds with unearthly skill and creativity. Maybe it’s just giddiness induced by the band’s resurrection, but there’s a real sense of healthy inspiration in Animal’s 13 songs. Soundgarden, again, sounds like a band with a future. Next chance to see that translated live (if you actually scored tickets): February 7 and 8, at the Paramount. Here’s betting that won’t be our last chance.
A slightly belated yet still sincere Happy New Year from us here at Glimpses with thanks to +Russ and the Space Needle’s magnificent fireworks display.
UPDATE: Dear fellow fans of Mr. Dempsey, this is not meant seriously. It is perfectly fine with me if Mr. Dempsey or anyone else says “ferry boats.” If he pulls off this Tully’s thing, I’ll start calling them ferry boats in his honor.
UPDATE UPDATE: Patrick Dempsey’s investment team’s bid was accepted yesterday. If a bankruptcy judge approves the sale on January 11, the deal should be final by the end of the month.
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE: Dempsey is quoted by the Seattle Times as saying: “I love it up here, seeing the rain and the ferries.” Huge win for local nomenclature.
“Ferry boat! Love being in Seattle,” tweeted Patrick Dempsey this morning, in what must be a deliberate tweaking of local sensibilities. After all, one of the first things people noticed about Grey’s Anatomy was the “ferry boat” locution that no one around the Pacific Northwest uses.
We don’t know how they do things in Lewiston, Maine, but around here it’s the Washington State Ferries, not the Ferry Boats. Get with the program, Dempsey!
The star of Can’t Buy Me Love is in town to see if he can buy a lifetime supply of lattés instead. Today, Dempsey is bidding in an auction of the now-bankrupt Tully’s Coffee Co. (“Big day tomorrow,” Dempsey tweeted last night. “Hope we can pull it off.”)
Dempsey is part of an investment team called Global Baristas, who are one of seven bidders for Tully’s. Other bidders of note are Baristas Coffee Co. (aka the “bikini baristas”), who offered just over $10 million, and of course Starbucks, though the Latté That Schultz Steamed has let it be known that they want only to purchase about half of Tully’s stores (Tully’s owns 47, and has licensed 58 and has 12 franchised coffee shops and 71 licensee-operated locations, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal). The non-performing stores would be sold off or closed.
Dempsey’s investment team says they’re interested in getting the most out of all of Tully’s existing stores, which may be why this barista is smiling. If they can pull it off, we’ll overlook the ferry boat thing.
Because I want you to win friends and influence people, here are two sentences you can say during Sunday’s Seahawks/Redskins playoff game that are guaranteed to impress.
1) “They’re in the Pistol formation.”
2) “Looked like the read-option.”
You can’t just randomly blurt these statements out and look cool. Besides, you’ve already got “Who needs a Mike’s Hard?” for that. No, you must know the perfect moment to deploy these advanced football proclamations!
Say “They’re in the Pistol formation” when you see this:
This, friends, is the Pistol formation. Notice: Quarterback Russell Wilson is standing five yards behind the line of scrimmage, and running back Marshawn Lynch is directly behind him.
If pressed for further explanation by football neophytes, explain patiently that the Pistol was invented by longtime University of Nevada head coach Chris Ault in 2005, and that among its many advantages are that the running back is hidden behind the quarterback–the defense can’t see the running back’s movements at the snap, and so can’t they tell right away which way the run will go. The result of this play, incidentally, was the Hawks’ first TD in the win over San Francisco. Here’s more on how the Seahawks use the Pistol, from Field Gulls’ Danny Kelly.
Say “looked like the read-option” when you see something like this:
…followed by something like this (it may be easier just to watch the highlight of this one):
This time, running back Lynch is lined up to quarterback Wilson’s side. At the snap, Lynch runs toward Wilson. When they meet, Wilson will either hand the ball to Lynch, who’ll continue running left, or keep the ball himself and run right. Which OPTION Wilson chooses depends on how he READS the movement of the defense. Hence, the read-option.
If some smart-ass wants to quiz you about it, explain how Wilson makes his read: By watching the defensive end lined up on the side Lynch is on. If the end stays put or comes upfield, Wilson hands the ball to Lynch, who runs away from the end to the other side of the line. If the end runs down the line of scrimmage toward Lynch, Wilson keeps the ball, and runs around the end. The beauty of the read-option is that it can eliminate the defensive end from the play without anyone having to block him. The read-option is one of the plays in the spread offense, which Chip Kelly’s Oregon Ducks thrash the Huskies with every year. The result of this particular read-option play was Lynch scoring a touchdown.
The Seahawks also sometimes fake the read-option and pass instead–they scored the game-winning touchdown in Chicago that way. Here’s more on how the Seahawks use the read-option from National Football Post’s Matt Bowen.
The crazy thing about the Seahawks’ use of the Pistol and the read-option is that neither was in the playbook at the start of the season. The Seahawks used the read-option only sporadically until early December, and didn’t use the Pistol at all until Week 14 against Buffalo. Less than a month later–and after scoring more points in a three-game stretch than any team had since 1950–both strategies are a key part of the offense. Much credit is due to Seahawks’ offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell for his creativity, and quarterback Russell Wilson for running such a complicated offense as a rookie. (You know, that’s ANOTHER smart sentence you can say. On the house.)
So how are you going to sound smart when the Seahawks are on defense? Happily, the Redskins also use both the Pistol and the read-option, so you’re set there too. Don’t worry about repeating yourself, the worst TV announcers have been doing it for years and no one seems to notice.
The Seahawks play the Redskins at FedExField in Landover, MD, at 1:30 PST on Sunday. The game will be televised on FOX.
On December 19, 2012, car-sharing service Car2Go launched in Seattle, and has been adding cars to its fleet ever since. The full fleet will top out at 330 cars, non-electric versions of the Smart Fortwo. Seattle’s usage area — where you can park and leave the car in legal public parking areas — runs from North 130th Street (up by Haller Lake and Pinehurst) to South McClellan Street (before the West Seattle Bridge). At 38 cents per minute for the rental, you make a cheap short-term cabbie.
Not coincidentally, perhaps, the older car-sharing service Zipcar has just announced its sale to the Avis Budget Group for what amounts to $500 million. For Zipcar members (Did you know you’re called a “Zipster”?), the primary benefit would seem to be Avis’s intent to use its rental fleet to supplement Zipcar’s on the weekends, when demand for Zipcars is heaviest. One recent Sunday where I live, on Capitol Hill, I found the nearest Zipcar was on 6th Avenue downtown.
Avis also says they want to “leverage Zipcar’s technology to expand mobility solutions.” So who knows? Perhaps you’ll soon be able to drive off with a nearby Zipcar for a lower daily or weekly rate. (The deal is expected to be final by spring of this year.)
Over the weekend, I had the chance to try out Car2Go, in the perfect scenario for their point-to-point service. I was going to a holiday party over in the Mount Baker area, with an undefined end time. With a Zipcar reservation, you’re pressured to plan out your fun in advance — you have to let them know when you’ll be returning the car, and when it’ll be free for someone else.
With Car2Go, you just drive to where you want, park, and walk away– although you can “keep the meter running” if you want, like a Zipcar experience, but without having to change the length of your reservation. The trips, there and back, took about 12 minutes, for an average of $5.50 each way. No one else tried to snag the car, so I drove the same Car2Go back home and parked in front of my house, where I’d found it to begin with.
The total cost ($11.13) was almost exactly the price of a one-hour usage of a Zipcar, even though I’d spent two hours at the party, and left whenever I felt like it. It’s also nice to return at a reasonable pace, rather than driving like a bat out of hell while cursing red lights.
Not that you can drive a Fortwo like a bat out of hell — the gas-powered version is not speedy, and its automatic transmission has an unnerving lag between gears. The faster you accelerate, the more you notice the shifting transition, when acceleration vanishes. This quirkiness is one reason why Daimler has ended up fobbing off the Smart Fortwo on car-sharing fleets.
The experience of getting into a Car2Go is similar to Zipcar. There’s a card reader mounted on the windshield. On my first-ever use, it took three attempts to get the car to unlock — I eventually had to take the card out of my wallet and place it near the reader.
After a short delay — use it to walk around the car for a quick visual inspection — the car unlocked and I got in. A touchscreen asked me for my PIN, and to rate the condition of the car’s interior and exterior (happy face or sad face). The key, which you find next to the touchscreen, goes into a slot by the hand brake, not on the steering column.
When you arrive and shut the car off, the touchscreen asks you if you want to end your trip or keep the car in service. You note if you’ve run into anything, and then use your card once you’ve exited the vehicle to lock the doors.
