Now, the good Mr. [Gene Nichol] exclaims how unfortunate this is, because "it will only hurt the students." What arrogance, or stupidity! Nichol fails to understand, or simply will not admit to the fact that the revoked donation is clearly his own doing, and that it is he who has hurt the students, not the donor. His unthinking decision to remove the cross reflects badly not only on himself and the school's official board, but also on the school itself, which has gained national notoriety over this controversy and is already distinguished as one of the most liberal colleges in the country.

If Hampton City Manager Jesse Wallace seeks a future that strategically positions Hampton as an economic engine in the region; if he seeks prosperity for Hampton and for Hampton Roads; if he seeks living-wage jobs -- he should tear down the hotel and parking garage and open this waterfront!

So tear the hotel and parking garage down. What then? Tap the city's "from the sea to the stars" theme. How about an aquarium linked by a reflecting pool to the Air & Space Center? The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk brings in $42 million annually into Connecticut's economy. In the Tampa Bay area, the Florida aquarium and associated arts and culture add $521 million to the Tampa Bay economy. And Baltimore's National Aquarium --which brings an estimated $150 million into the economy annually -- is an economic engine that contributes mightily to the quality of urban life.