This is a selection of recent popular blog articles from SeattleIAM where you will find the best blogs from Seattle, Washington as well as video uploads, social networking, rumors, and blog authoring

Greenhouse Gas Legislation is Small Step Forward

Dennis Dubois’s recent post in Energy: Strategies, Policy, and Best Practices for the Northwest reports that Seattle has passed legislation to “require large construction projects to account for the resulting greenhouse gas emissions,” however the law has been criticized for feel good rather than actually doing anything for global warming. Buildings are “responsible for a sizeable chunk of the carbon dioxide we put into the atmosphere” and there are three approaches to reducing emissions: “a carbon ‘tax,’ carbon caps in building codes, and more restrictive energy-efficiency standards.” The new law applies none of these according to an article in the Seattle P-I by Jennifer Langston called “City Council wants builders to account for global warming.”

Regardless of the lack of application in the law, Dubois believes it is a step in the right direction. He states in his post that “the debate alone will make owners more aware of the connection between their buildings and climate change.” As well, Langston sees it as an “awareness tool.” The main point may be simply to show “builders how their choices -- where material comes from, architectural designs -- can affect global warming.” Early next spring, Seattle city departments will begin to evaluate greenhouse gas emissions as they review proposed construction projects and they are “working with the county to devise a consistent approach.”

Slim-to-None Chance for Sonics Stay

According to his recent post from Sonics Insider, Eric Williams writes that “the effort to keep the Seattle SuperSonics in the Puget Sound area is on life support.” Sen. Margarita Prentice says of the situation, “They are about as close to [being gone] as I have experienced” and believes there is no good reason for the departure. She puts the blame squarely on the City of Seattle. Her comments “were the Renton senator’s harshest since Sonics chairman Clay Bennett and his Oklahoma City-based ownership group purchased the team in July 2006.”

In the post, Prentice reminds us that “Seattle city officials, along with the powers-that-be in Olympia, worked to kill an effort proposed by Bennett’s group during last year’s legislative session to build a new arena for the Sonics within her district in Renton.” Bennett wanted to stay, said the senator, and spent a lot of energy trying to make it work. Now, the “chances are slim for a new arena proposal to develop.” It is uncertain if Bennett want to continue working on a plan to keep the Sonics in the Northest.

Microsoft Defends Pricey Facebook Investment

The latest post from John Cook’s Venture Blog discusses Microsoft’s recent $240 million investment in Facebook. Microsoft executive Bruce Jaffe says that “the $15 billion valuation that it placed on Facebook in October is ‘rich,’ but… the social networking startup has prospects that could be worth well more.” Jaffe was responding to Red Herring publisher Alex Vieux’s allegation that Microsoft “overpaid and ‘bubbled’ the value of Facebook.”

Jaffe justified the value, Cook notes in his post, by pointing out that “Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing just invested $60 million at the same valuation.” Jaffee sees Facebook as an “interesting asset at an interesting time which is extraordinarily unique” and says they “feel good” about the investment. Over the last few years, Microsoft has “acquired more than 50 companies at about $10 billion in value” and is “looking globally for acquisition targets.”

Huskies RB Coach New Head Coach For Indiana

Molly Yanity posts “breaking news” on Huskies Football blog today. According to two sources for Terre Haute Tribune-Star reporter Tom James, “the Huskies running backs coach Trent Miles will be named the new head coach at Indiana State this afternoon.” Miles was meant to fly out today for the announcement, but has been delayed due to weather.

Our blogger mentions in her post that “Miles is a native of Terre Haute… played at Indiana State… [and] served as a graduate assistant coach there in 1987.” Miles “bounced around” in the college ranks before landing on Tyrone Willingham's staff at Stanford. He coached wide receivers “for a season at Stanford, all three years and Notre Dame and began coaching running backs when the staff came to Washington.”

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