Local politicians like Jan Drago and Greg Nickels line up to offer big tax breaks to biotechnology companies, in the mistaken notion that there will be a huge biotech boom that will employ thousands of people. They haven't seen the numbers, I guess. In July, biotech companies released their quarterly financial results, and the picture was not pretty. ZymoGenetics Inc., one of the largest biotechs around, posted a $23.8 million loss for the quarter that ended June 30. That's not an annual loss, either--it's just three months out of the year. Now, many companies have big losses, but the loss is dwarfed by how much income they bring in the door; for example, a $23.8 million loss might seem small if your revenues are around $400 million. That would be about a 6% loss--a little blip in your balance sheet. But what were ZymoGenetics' actual revenues for the quarter? A measly $8 million. That's right, they're operating at a 297.5% loss. ZymoGenetics is not unique in the biotech industry. Targeted Genetics, a Seattle company, had a $5.3 million loss on $1.5 million in income. That's a hefty 353% loss. Those thousands of jobs Greg Nickels keeps yammering about are nowhere in sight.

The capitalist counter-argument is that, sure, companies fail all the time, but they don't just go away. They get bought out, go through mergers, or downsize and eventually become profitable. But that doesn't create jobs. Quite the opposite. The folks who win from buy-outs, mergers, and downsizing are always the shareholders, not the workers who get laid off. With biotechs, there's a second loser: the taxpayers. Once we shell out for special street cars and tax cuts for biotechs, we've lost money needed for more important things like real infrastructure improvements; road repairs; real mass transit; medical care for the poor, elderly, and workers on the margin; teacher salaries--you name it. The next time we hear a political schmoozer say, "This will lure biotech companies to our area," we should respond with derisive laughter and a collective "Get real!" --Maria Tomchick

Ron Sims is so set on attaining higher political office that he's willing to do anything to get noticed. Including letting Southwest Airlines skip out on its financial obligations at SeaTac Airport. Southwest Airlines doesn't like having to pony up a portion of the costs for upgrades at SeaTac, so they want to move to Boeing Field. Problem is, once Southwest leaves, so will Alaska Airlines and other budget carriers. A mass exodus to Boeing Field will not only put a halt to SeaTac Airport renovations, it will put a halt to the light rail extension to SeaTac, which is dependent on those terminal and highway renovations getting done on time. In the meantime, the thought of hundreds of flights taking off and landing at Boeing Field means the worst traffic nightmare since anyone noticed the viaduct slipping. Sims, predictably, hasn't said, "No, not over my dead body, you corporate low-lifes," like he should. Instead, he's "considering" the deal, which means he's trying to figure out how much political capital he can earn by prostituting himself to the first big corporation that's wanted something from King County government in a long time. Taxpayers, get out your wallets, because if this thing gets approved, we'll have to pay for a new freeway spur, new terminal, runway improvements, bus service, street car (or some other one-destination boondoggle, since the light rail line doesn't stop at Boeing Field), and several noise abatement measures. Or we could just tell Ron Sims how we feel about all this: 206-296-4040 or exec.sims@metrokc.gov.--M.T.

Ex-CIA agent Gary Berntsen has filed a federal lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency claiming that the agency is overclassifying his manuscript and violating its own regulations by missing review deadlines.

Berntsen's book covers events that took place while he worked as an intelligence officer in the Middle East, including Osama bin Laden's escape from Tora Bora during the US invasion of Afghanistan -- a subject which sparked controversy during the 2004 US presidential elections.

The book also details the CIA's response to the al-Qaida bombings of two US embassies in East Africa.

In 2001 Berntsen commanded a covert team code-named "Jawbreaker" which operated in Afghanistan.

According to CIA spokesman Paul Gimigiliano, Bernstsen's book is being subjected to the same review process as any other employee.

This is only one of several recent battles between ex-CIA agents and the agency over the publication of their books.