The Weekend Wrap: Tech Shakeups, Seawall Jousting, Pro-Pot Progress

We have Paul Swortz, from The SunBreak Flickr photo pool, to thank for this eye candy.

Let’s begin with the week in technology: RealNetworks’ CEO Rob Glaser stepped down suddenly; TechFlash owned the story, and has a “What they’re saying” round-up.

Microsoft made the Google v. China news twice: The hackers exploited an Internet Explorer flaw and then Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer said he “didn’t get” what all the fuss was about. (In one sense, there’s no arguing with that statement: there is absolutely nothing out of the ordinary about hackers tunneling in through IE.)

Zillow is third in real estate websites, and Redfin surged into the top 20, at 18. The “Baby Einstein” people are suing the UW researchers who noticed a distinct lack of Einsteins so far.

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On the political front, Mayor McGinn announced he’ll try to speed up the Alaskan Way seawall replacement, and the governor said (I’m paraphrasing): That’s nice, dear, we’re still building a tunnel. The City Council–who’d earlier announced publicly they didn’t trust the Mayor–were miffed at not being properly notified. This is the same City Council who unanimously approved the “blank check” Viaduct replacement plan that leaves Seattle taxpayers on the hook for all cost overruns.

In transportation news, a bunch of people took off their pants and rode the light rail. You can still get a free ORCA card (until March 1) thanks to an extension. 330,000 cards have been handed out so far. The Seattle Times properly raps Sound Transit for making the elderly and disabled wait in long lines to get their ORCA card–Seattlest mentioned what a hassle it is last July.

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Finally, in the grass is always greener bin, I spoke to one of the author’s of Washington’s marijuana legalization initiative, and Sightline declared Seattle more environmentally sustainable than Portland. 

On The SunBreak, Seth wondered how the Seahawks’ new org chart was coming along, and we went out for a Taste of Chicago. Clint recommended Mudhoney at Neumo’s February 8, Josh and Audrey discovered $5 Cover is web-based, Eugene Mirman made fun of his book reading in Seattle, and Jeremy dropped into the “Pussy Room.”