Tag Archives: The Sunbreak

News

The Worst that Could Happen, State by State

Ranked state by state, here are all the terrible things that could happen to Americans. Infographic via topmastersinhealthcare.com

The state of health care is in serious flux these days, but before you start worrying about paying the hospital bill, consider what landed you on the gurney in the first place.

TopMastersinHealthCare.com calculated which fatalities, ailments, and generally bad things stand at getting a shot at you, based on which state you live in. And honestly, other than ranking 33rd in mental health (psh.. insanity, self-awareness; same difference), Washington is doing pretty alright.

Here’s what the infographic says about Washington and some of the other states, and the many ways things can go poorly. Pull up the interactive graph and play along.

Lightning strikes: Don’t worry too much during a storm, Washington ranks well at 7th place, whereas Florida comes in at 51st in the highest probability of getting struck.

Murder Rate: It’s 2.4 per 100,000 people in WA state (162 total in 2011), but despite our comparatively low murder rate, Washington comes in at 11th, just one ranking shy of being in the top ten states with the lowest rate of murder. Still, considering 51st place winner Washington DC has a rate of 17.5 per hundred thousand people, I’d say we’re looking pretty safe.

Traffic Fatalities: Keeping up with our low and favorable scores, Washington ranks 6th, which I find amusing since AllState seems to think Seattleites are some of the worst drivers. And the win for least amount of traffic fatalities by state goes to Wyoming. Shocking, right?

Cancer Deaths: Unfortunately, Washington is 27th in rank for deaths by cancer, just past the tipping point of the middle of the line. But apparently no one is dying of cancer in Utah, the state that comes in at 1st for most cancer free. At the opposite end of the spectrum, West Virginia ranks highest for cancer deaths. They also take the second highest spaces for obesity and loss of teeth — yikes.

Incarceration Rate: Mississippi and Louisiana are not the places to be if you want to avoid getting locked up. Comparatively, Washington is in the 10 states with the lowest scores. Cheers, everyone. And Maine gets 1st place in the lowest amount of jailbirds.

Obesity Rate: If you thought Texas, you’d only be sort of right. Texas is 37th, but Mississippi has the widest margin of obesity for its residents at 51st. Washington comes in at 20th place with 24.5 percent.

Loss of Teeth: Washingtonians definitely appreciate their teeth. We come in 6th place for the finest (and most complete) sets of pearls, with Mississippi coming in toothlessly at 51st.

Gonorrhea: If you look at the graph, the bacterial STD seems to have started and stopped with the midwest and the south. Apart from Texas and a few others, Gonorrhea is least prevalent in states west of the Mississippi, and Washington is no exception — we’re at 14th place for those with the clap.

Chlamydia: Again, the graph is very visually telling. Every southern state ranks high for chlamydia, but DC takes the cake with 932 infected per 100,000 people. Washington ranks 12th.

Unemployment Rate: Nevada has the highest amount of those unemployed, with Illinois taking a close second. Washington? It’s not terrible, but it’s also not great. The Evergreen state ranks 28th in unemployment. So where are people never at a loss for a job? A place with also a good amount of real estate: North Dakota.

Mental Heath: Among adults admitting to mental health problems, Washington ranks high at 33rd place, our highest score yet. At least we’re not Illinois, who ranks highest in realm of the mentally unstable. And at the other end, no one is going insane (or admitting to it) in South Dakota.

All things considered, things look pretty good for Washington State residents. Knock on wood.

Want more? Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and let’s be friends. 

News

The Days Ahead: Sustainability, Beats, Cocktails, and Horror

Many thanks to @Marxiano for his photo “Rays over the Sound.” Tag your snaps with #seattlesunbreak for a chance to be the featured photo on Thursdays at The SunBreak.

Your days off are yours. But we at The SunBreak like to think that a little direction can help make your weekend just a little bit better. So here are our picks for the last weekend of September. You know, other than swilling pints during Oktoberfest.

Seattle gets electronic with Decibel Festival 

The bass started bumping last night at the 10th anniversary of Decibel Festival. Bassheads and electrophiles from all over the Pacific Northwest will be here this weekend, rocking to the likes of Shabazz Palaces, Lorde, Kid Smpl, and ODESZA from 10 Seattle venues—one of which is on a boat. Online tickets aren’t available anymore, but you can still buy them in-person at Broadway Performance Hall from 12-10, or if you’re lucky, at the show.

Cocktail competition at BevMo! in Issaquah

Tonight four drinkmasters will compete for the title of Grand Mixology Champion at BevMo!’s new location in Issaquah. But for visitors this means prizes, plenty of sippable 21+ beverages, and power in your hands to determine which drink and bartender wins. It starts at 6 tonight, and the 2-hour event is free. Alex Negranza of Liberty will be there.

 

Sustainability celebrated in Ballard on Sunday 

Test ride an electric bike, sip on Ballard-made craft brews, watch chef demonstrations, drink Seattle’s newest infatuation — cider — and bring the kids for plenty of petting zoos, prizes, and interactive exhibits. It’s all about “living lightly” at this festival, and with more than 75 contributors for their 10th anniversary it’ll be hopping this Sunday from 11-6 at Ballard Commons Park. Entrance is free.

Discounted weekends through October at the EMP

Beginning on Tuesday, it’s 31 Days of Horror at the EMP this October. Which means that adults in costume receive $5 off admission and children under 12 get in free every weekend. For special events choose from Carrie: The Musical (complete with bloody dunk tank), or a Bowie-themed bash that goes down Oct. 12 with costume contests, “cosmic drinks,” and a Bowie cover band. Check out the website for more details.

 

Want more like this? Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And don’t forget to tag your Seattle snapshots with #SeattleSunBreak. We like seeing what you see. 

News

Car-sharing Startups’ Unknown Fate

1 Comment
The fate of car-sharers like UberX, Lyft, and SideCar will either be determined tomorrow or suspended until further notice. Photo via Lyft’s Facebook page.

The fate of those pink mustachioed cars that ferry people around for the cost of a donation will be decided tomorrow, among the other app-based car-sharing startups. California legalized ride-sharing last week, but it’s still uncertain which direction Seattle will lean tomorrow when the Seattle City Council decides how to juggle aggrieved taxi drivers, a city population that is 50/50 on public transport vs. driving solo, and a free market that deserves evolution.

Because so much is up in the air on this vote, councilwoman Sally Clark is proposing a halt to all ride-sharing app-based business until the best decision presents itself. Recently, she told Geekwire, “I think it’s either shut them down completely until we have the new regulatory framework fully ready, or put in place short-term rules addressing safety and consumer protection.”

For-hire licensing is one of the biggest elements that the vote will hinge on, and cabbies have a lot to say about that. The president of the Seattle-King County For-Hire Association says that a regular taxi license acquired for a few thousand dollars 20 years ago is worth $360,000 today. But isn’t that also part of the reason these off-the-grid ride-sharers started popping up in the first place? Not only has the city failed to issue enough licenses to accommodate our quickly bloating population, purchasing them is just too expensive.

It’s tough to say which direction the vote will swing, but it’s certain that public opinions will play a huge factor. UberX certainly wants you to care, and have provided emails and twitter handles for making your piece heard with the respective authorities.

What do you think? Is ride-sharing the way of the future?

Want more? Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and let’s be friends. 

Bar, Drinks, Eats, Food

What to Know Before Ordering at: Henry & Oscar’s

A “must-have cocktail” according to Entertainment Weekly, The Bogart is Tanqueray with lime, Cointreau, and sage. Don’t be shocked when you find you have a hole in your mouth.

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, I walk into Henry and Oscar’s. Although the 4th Ave. and Vine bar is more of an immersive lounge than it is a typical gin joint. Think fur-coated booths, engraved personalized glassware for regulars, and four walls of plasma screens for those lucky enough to be in the back room. It’s exactly what you’re thinking — dinner and a movie. Henry and Oscar’s is owned by the people behind Big Picture, and after drinking the Bogart, it’s one of my new favorite haunts.

It’s always nice having a friend on the inside give you the scoop, and I’ve always wanted to be that friend. So here are five things to know before ordering at Henry and Oscar’s: 

1. The bar feels made for the customer. In the front of the house, there are literally fireside couches. Forget the bar stool — why can’t I drink cocktails on couches more often? Mohair lines the high-backs for total cush, you’ll find privacy and expensive attention to detail at nearly any angle, and the cocktails are classic adaptations, stiff, and rarely exceed $10. It feels like, for once, the bar had the drinker in mind.

2. It’s $18 for a personalized, engraved glass of choice. Drink included. You know how only the classiest of places have the throw-back to old world dining with personal liquor cabinets? Well, I like the different angle Henry and Oscar’s took. Instead of a locker to store your booze, you can buy a personalized, engraved glass of your choice, kept in-house, and ready for your favorite drink whenever you dine. Best part? It’s only $18 to do so (I double-checked) and your first drink is included in that price. Glassware options are rocks, wine, or martini — per what you fancy most — and the cabinet is already getting full.

3. Forget the calories. Order the meat. In addition to the typical before and after happy hour times, they also feature a special, fresh-that-day option that unquestionably goes for $3.50. When I went, it was house-rolled lamb meatball sliders, with a fragrant mint jelly glaze and slaw. The offerings are always changing for the extremely happy hour feature, but ohmygod don’t miss the Chicago dog (6.25 during HH) of Vienna beef smoked in Mac & Jack’s beer, with all the Chicago spicy fixings. HH is all day on Sundays and game days.

4. Film screenings in back, bar in the front. The owner is a third generation theater owner, so you know his crew understands an audience and a movie. When there, ask to be seated in back room, where the lights are dim, the screens can be selected, and the bartender can tailor-make your cocktails for whatever is currently showing. The Breaking Bad finale next Sunday 29th? Meth-Tinis. (One can only wonder.) And on Wednesdays — in fact, it kicks off tonight — they host a sci-fi film series, led by science fiction authors.

5. Reserve the “Director’s Chair.” Forget communal dining. Here it’s all about the lounge, and PRIVACY. Especially if you’re fortunate enough to snag the rumored best seat in the house, “The Director’s Table.” And at the “Love Booth,” lovers sit side-by-side, and the high-backs are high enough for no one to bother you (or see what you’re up to). Those are the only two themed seatings, but the lounge is armored with the recipe for a perfect date: dim lighting, the feeling of ultra privacy, and a sprawling, plush sectional in the center.

Henry and Oscar’s is located at 4th Avenue and Vine, and is open every day at 4.

Want more? Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and let’s be friends. 

Announcements, News

Show Us Your Side on Instagram with #seattlesunbreak

 

Fall is in the air; show us your side of things. Photo courtesy of Flickr and lwestcoat.

The SunBreak has an Instagram! For years we’ve been flexing our photojournalism muscles with Flickr, with regular contributions from the likes of The Great Beyond and lwestcoat, but we want to expand our reach to everyone with an Instagram account. And we want to invite you to show us your sunny side of Seattle.

As you can probably tell, we don’t have any photos just yet. So to kick off our debut into Instaland, we’re inviting our readers and editors in tandem to show us their side of the city.

Please send us your view of things by hashtagging your art #seattlesunbreak. We’ll be enjoying, and liking, and tagging your work from this end, and saving it up for our new photostream series. Every Thursday, we’re going to be publishing some of the best snaps we’ve seen from the week, with the chosen-by-the-editor best as our featured and credited photo!

“First Hill.” What’s your view of the city like? #SeattleSunBreak Photo courtesy of brianv78 and Flickr.

Meanwhile, we’re going to be curating our own photos — some behind the scenes, most Seattle centric — under the name TheSunBreak. The point of the venture is to connect more easily, so don’t be a stranger. Grab your iThings Seattle, it looks like it’s going to be a perfect day.

Talk to us!

@theSunBreak, #seattlesunbreak

News

Seattle’s Smallest Park Arrives Wednesday on Capitol Hill. In a parking spot.

2 Comments
So long, parking spaces. Micro parks are in your future. Photo via SDOT

McGinn said that people want more parks and safer walking places, and it looks like SDOT is listening—at least a little.

All puns aside,  Seattle welcomes its first parklet on Wednesday. What is a parklet? It’s a mini 24-hour public park that takes up the place of otherwise usable parking spaces.

The pilot program is in the first stage of its three-fold trial run (Belltown and International District, you’re next), and if people like what they see, we can expect more to pop up all over town. The construction for the first of the park babies began on Monday, and yes, already by Wednesday we’ll see the beginning of these tiny, shiny park benches and foliage, with this one on East Olive Way, between East Howell and East Denny. Specifically, right in front of Montana Bar.

Here you go, E Olive Way. Yes, right on the street.

The idea comes from San Francisco circa 2009, a city that now has 40 functioning parklets since they began, with more being constructed every year. The phenomenon has gone global at this point, and if Seattle follows suit after our first three, we might start seeing a lot more of these.

The SDOT are behind Seattle on this, but it’s worth mentioning that every iParkMini is privately funded (Montana Bar’s got this one), so there’s no telling what design angle private funders might take. Costs hover around the $10,000-$15,000 range, excluding expensive liability insurances and annual permits, but some have taken to Kickstarter to get parklets up and running and have done so successfully.

To be able to apply to be a parklet, your space has to be and do a number of things:

  1. Accomodate drainage
  2. Be smoke-free and booze-free, of course
  3. Comply with all specs from the Americans with Disabilities Act
  4. Have some barrier between traffic and park users
  5. Not be higher than 8 feel tall
  6. Be on streets where traffic doesn’t exceed 30 mph
  7. Be on streets with existing permanent parking lanes

All we know right now on the East Olive location is that there is a ramp, stairs, “landscaping” that needs to be done, and that it’s open for business tomorrow night.

Swing by  East Olive at 5 pm tomorrow and see the smallest park in Seattle for yourself. Here’s hoping Leslie Knope approves. What about you?

Do you like me? Follow The SunBreak on Twitter and Facebook and whatnot.