Good News from Valerie

I'm back from the hospital, with good news from the preliminary surgery results. The lymph node biopsy was clean, as was the tissue around the tumor. And the tumor itself was MUCH SMALLER than it originally seemed, less than 2 cm--the original measurement was 4.5 cm--the tumor was surrounded by some fiberous stuff (very scientific, huh?) which seems to have contained the cancer. This is exactly what I've been praying for, and with all of your help, this is the wonderful result. I'll get the final lab results next week: they'll look very carefully for any stray cancer cells in the lymph nodes & tissue surrounding the tumor. I ask for your prayers that the surgery has removed the cancer; your prayers have been a powerful help so far! Our prayers and the medical folks are a powerful team.

Blessings,

Valerie Jean Rose, ETS! calendar editor

Eco Fish

Did you know that John Foss, at Central Co-op (Madison Market, 206-321-1201), apparently is operating the first (at least in Seattle) retail fish market selling fish from exclusively self-sustaining fisheries, i.e. "environmentally correct," so to speak? Should you have the time and energy, I suspect your readers might be interested in your reporting on Mr. Foss' fish and, among other things, that his salmon are caught by a long time local activist, Pete Knutson.

Randy Baker, Seattle

Norm Maleng Threatens Canada

Apparently the Honourable (?) Norm Maleng does not appreciate Canada's reluctance to provide speedy extradition for criminals risking death penalty in Washington State. In Saturday's edition of La Presse (Montreal) his following sentence had a chilling effect on me: "I am personally troubled by the idea that a foreign government can restrict the application of our state law for a crime that occurred within our borders." Never mind that "foreign governments" have signed extradition treaties with the USA specifically spelling out the conditions under which such extradition can be requested. Maybe Mr. Maleng wishes to return to the status quo ante, when there were no extradition treaties?

His sentence underlines a worrying trait that I found among far too many US politicians: the willingness to discard any constraint imposed by international treaties whenever it suits them. They tell the rest of world: "Don't dare to tell us what to do, we know better and anyway we are the biggest." No way to win friends and no way to build a better world. Mr. Maleng's implied threat is clear to any Canadian (we have become experts at reading between US lines): "Don't bother me with treaties, we will make you sweat for depriving us of a nice and tidy capital punishment..."

Michel Virard Montreal, QC Canada

Is It Just Me, or Is This Getting Weird?

Did you notice the front page of the Seattle Times today (2/25/01)? Fort Lewis is the site of a new program training soldiers in policing roles in urban situations. Am I weird for thinking there's something a bit suspicious about them starting this training so near where the paramilitary WTO stuff took place? On page 17, four soldiers pose. The assault rifles they carry are those carried by the King County Sheriff and nearly acquired by the University of Washington Police mere months ago. There is a slight difference. The soldiers' weapons have a second barrel capable of firing tear gas, flash bang grenades, or full out explosives. Caption: "Training as part of a more mobile army, infantry soldiers at Fort Lewis prepare to enter a mock house inhabited by "civilians" and "the enemy." Some Highlights of the text: "Soldiers at Fort Lewis are the first in the nation to form a combat unit with the agility of an infantry force and the training of a SWAT team." The troops "learn police tactics; how to kick down a door and the best way to use plastic handcuffs. Explosive grenades on the firing range are sometimes replaced with flashbang grenades, intended to startle instead of kill. "The initial training has attracted worldwide attention. Military observers from France, Thailand and Japan have visited Fort Lewis to tour exercises. German television has twice sent camera crews."

--Paul Richmond

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