SeaGate is an economic generator

The conventions held at SeaGate Convention Centre generated more than $102 million in direct net new dollars to our economy, dollars generated by visitors.

I submit that the SeaGate Convention Centre is a true economic generator for Toledo and Lucas County. Mr. McCloskey should gather his facts before lashing out at an entity that creates jobs and brings in millions of dollars to our economy.

SeaGate Convention Centre is operated by a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, employing 30 full time and 35 part time employees.

Ask the hotels, restaurants, and Toledo Mud Hens if the SeaGate Convention Centre is a mistake.

I might add that the city of Toledo provides no general fund dollars for our operation.

JAMES E. DONNELLY

President and CEO

SeaGate Convention Centre

A recent letter referring to the Fallen Timbers Battlefield and a proposed pedestrian bridge over U.S. 24 deserves clarification.

During two archaeological surveys of the battlefield, 111 18th-century buttons were recovered. Of those, 82 were identified as “frog-legged eagle” buttons, a rare style worn only by one army - Gen. Anthony Wayne's Legion of the United States. The remainder were the type used on American military trousers during the same period.

More than 535 lead shot of various sizes were recovered from the site, 85 of them musket balls of the type used in 1790s U.S. muskets. Pieces of a bayonet found at the site were also identified as the type carried by Wayne's men.

The evidence is overwhelming: The Battle of Fallen Timbers did take place at the site.

The Fallen Timbers Monument, owned by the Ohio Historical Society, has marked the vicinity of the battle since 1929. It is a magnificent statue that is itself of historical and cultural significance.

The battlefield, the monument, and Fort Miamis, a Maumee city park, together constitute the National Historic Site, and Congress has mandated that the three sites be preserved and “linked.”

The bridge is an important part of Metroparks plans to make the historic site accessible to the public. It will provide a connection between the battlefield and monument, as well as a crossing for the regional bikeway, which includes the nearby Wabash Cannonball Trail.

DON RETTIG

Director of Historical Programs

Metroparks of the Toledo Area

It appears the United States satisfies all of King George II (oops, I mean President Bush's) criteria for a dangerous state: a stockpile of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, refusal to sign and honor international treaties, ignoring United Nations directives, and a leader not elected by popular vote. I hope there's not another international leader like George Bush out there.

I guess I shouldn't worry because right now we're the biggest and baddest bully on the world block.

Mr. Bush has to be the greatest military strategist in history. I think it was Jay Leno who said “first President Bush gets Iraq to destroy all their weapons, then he invades them.”

Now it's time to get down to the real issue. As John Dean writes, “If the Bush Administration intentionally manipulated or misrepresented intelligence to get Congress to authorize, and the public to support, military action to take control of Iraq, then that would be a monstrous misdeed.

“To put it bluntly, if Bush has taken Congress into war based on bogus information, he is cooked. Manipulation or deliberate misuse of national security intelligence data, if proven, could be a high crime under the Constitution's impeachment clause. It would also be a violation of federal criminal law, including the broad federal anti-conspiracy statue, which renders it a felony to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose.

“It's important to recall that when Richard Nixon resigned, he was about to be impeached by the House of Representatives for misusing the CIA and FBI. After Watergate, all presidents are on notice that manipulating or misusing any agency of the executive branch improperly is a serous abuse of presidential power.”

By the way, don't blame me - I voted for Al Gore.

DENNIS KEMM

Swanton

If one person steals from another and takes only items to make the victim's life difficult, does this mean the thief has no conscience? I haven't figured that out.

The day before my husband was to have surgery, someone broke into my car, which was locked and in my driveway. My driver's license, gasoline credit card, car registration, car insurance card, gasoline mileage book, family pictures, my handicap placard, and several other items were all taken.

The driver's license and credit card were thrown away. They were found and turned over to the police. This meant a trip to the police station to file a report and collect the two items, a trip to the title bureau for a duplicate car registration, a trip to the doctor to obtain papers for a new handicap placard, and another trip back to the title bureau to get the items I needed to drive my husband to the hospital.

Were these items worth anything to the thief? I doubt it. The thief did get a $5 bill and some change. A small amount for all the inconvenience I had. Is this a way to succeed? I don't think so. I'm sure the items that were important to me are now in the garbage.

My husband spent three days in the intensive care unit. A thief made my life very difficult.

CLARE GERMAN

Harley Road

How many of us have called our credit card companies, phone companies, or other companies, with a problem and have gotten those awful computer messages that keep you on the phone forever?

You know, the ones that say, “for your balance, press one; for lost or stolen cards (or cell phones) press 2; for customer service, press 0.”

Why don't they replace those computerized messages with all of those telemarketers who are going to be out of work?

I mean it would be nice to hear a human voice on the other end who could actually help me right away, instead of having to waste my time pushing one button after the other just to get service.

As far as I am concerned, this is a win-win situation for everyone!

LYNDA URBANIAK

Temperance

Regarding the feral cat population, it appears Steve Pollick's question, “How dumb can we be?” is answered:

“Completely dumb.” Neglectful pet owners who don't spay or neuter their pets are responsible for the huge numbers of feral cats who roam the streets in search of food and shelter.

LYNN WALKER

Providence, R.I.