LETTERS

CAN WE STAY YOUNG?

"Imagine the sweeping adjustment society will have to make if the baby boomers rock on for another century." DAVID NELSON BLAIR Easton, Pennsylvania

Yes, the prospect of living 100 years or even longer is quite exciting [MEDICINE, Nov. 25]. Yet what will mankind do with this extended life-span? Will we use these extra years of life to wage war against both the environment and one another? Or will we use the time to teach, grow, respect the earth and live in peace with our neighbors? CHRISTOPHER J. RENNER Phoenix, Arizona

I love scientists; they are truly some of our brightest stars. Without them, life would be hellish; and because of them, life for the Methuselah wannabes will be hell. I am thrilled to see that scientists have found another way to let the wealthy inherit what's left of the earth. I say to the rich and famous, good luck, enjoy the long and youthful life your money will buy, strive to be like your furniture--antique--and change spare body parts as often as your cars do. Hold on to what's left of the earth--along with the nine-legged, three-eyed frogs; the leafless trees; and the insane cows--because I'm outta here! CORA DIXON New York City

How much easier life would be for everyone if the emphasis were on how to grow old gracefully rather than on how to stay young forever. JOANNE PILESKI Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Considering the world we live in, why would anyone want to live past 70, let alone 120? MATT SLAVICK Levittown, Pennsylvania Via E-mail

The most obvious negative associated with dramatically increased life-spans is a worsening overpopulation problem. And how about conflicts between the young and the aged because the young will not be able to get jobs? Since anti-aging treatments will most probably be expensive, the gap between the (long-lived) rich and the (mortal) poor will widen further. Finally, if you live to be 120 years old, you will have to work the majority of those years in order to survive. Do you really want a job as a greeter at Wal-Mart when you're 115 years old? BOB CHAMBERS San Diego Via E-mail

Your article was "infotaining," but every one of us will still die one day. In America, surrounded by distortions of death, we need help coping with that reality. Facing old age, sickness and death prompted the Buddha to seek enlightenment. We can live and die expressing the best qualities of our humanity, but seeking to be forever young isn't likely to produce that result. KEN MEECE, Director St. Joseph Health System Eureka, California Via E-mail

When I lie dying 40, 50 or even 60 years from now, I will face death not with fear for myself, but for the burned-out, used-up world my generation and the ones preceding it left behind. CHRISTOPHER M. HADDAD Alsston, Massachusetts Via E-mail

The fact is that genetic engineering "breakthroughs" are coming along at an incredibly slow pace. Human benefits are 30 years or more away, too late for 78 million baby boomers who need help now. Why neglect what we already have in hand? The already proven benefits of DHEA hormone therapy are enormously impressive. In human studies, DHEA has been shown to dramatically decrease risk to cardiovascular disease and restore immune balance, thereby decreasing risk to autoimmune disorders. While genetic engineers strive year after year to make fruit flies and worms live longer, real people are using DHEA and achieving very satisfying results. STEPHEN CHERNISKE Santa Barbara, California

With all the debates and rantings about Medicare during the past year, why in heaven's name would scientists want to create a world with even more old people? I think part of the reason we get old and die is so we can make room for all the babies being born. BENJAMIN DAHLBECK Chicago

I can imagine all the seas awash with cruise ships taking us 120-year-olds to vacation hideaways. And the endless golf courses. Our old wives will have to put up with us geezer husbands chasing them around the bedroom with renewed libido. Holy cow! And I thought paradise was only a dream. I hope that the mad scientists will quit dragging their feet. I don't have time to wait. HARRY MASS Tarzana, California

While science seeks to prolong Americans' lives, the rest of society is making it clear that old people are increasingly undesirable. GAEL GIBNEY New York City

SEX SCANDAL IN THE MILITARY

In our desire to offer women equal rights in the U.S. armed services [NATION, Nov. 25], we seem to have lost sight of the main purpose--to attain difficult military objectives against strong enemies with maximum efficiency and minimum loss of American lives. The armed services have made a good attempt at enlisting both sexes in these goals, but the losses exceed the gains. EDWARD J. KINGSBURY Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts

Enlisted women on bases throughout America are bringing sexual harassment charges against their straight male comrades-in-arms who can't keep their hands to themselves, let alone act like professional soldiers. This "do kiss, do tell" situation threatens order and cohesion in the ranks! I urge you, President Clinton, don't take any chances as regards military effectiveness. Enact a policy barring all heterosexual men from the military, and allow only women and gays to serve. RICH WILSON Houston

The U.S. is a strange nation. We Americans live in a state of constant optimism that somehow we are going to change human nature. We think we can put men and women together in a high-stress, testosterone-charged, macho environment and expect them to stay away from one another. That's nonsense. We're not going to change human behavior. DON YARROLL Glen Ellyn, Illinois

CONSPIRACY THEORIES

Pierre Salinger's theory that TWA Flight 800 was destroyed accidentally by a missile test-fired from a U.S. naval vessel [NATION, Nov. 25] is not all that questionable in light of the National Transportation Safety Board's inconclusive explanations. It brings me to quote history's most famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes: "When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." KAM-WAN WONG Durham, England

As you reported, it cannot be said for certain what caused the tragic TWA crash. At the same time, it is clear that if it was the result of "friendly fire," this would amount to an unmitigated political scandal. It would not be the first time a U.S. Navy vessel fired at and destroyed a civilian aircraft; neither would it be the first time in the U.S. that a major cover-up involving high echelons of society took place. The lack of proof at this stage, therefore, does not mean much. REGINA ASARIOTIS Southampton, England

A RESPONSE FROM D.A.R.E.

Your report on the D.A.R.E. (drug Abuse Resistance Education) program needs clarification [EDUCATION, Nov. 11]. You might have led your readers to think that d.a.r.e programs receive 100% of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act funds. However, community D.A.R.E. programs, which number approximately 10,000, are managed at the local level by communities that use a wide variety of funding methods. Also, you failed to include any reference to the many favorable D.A.R.E. evaluations and surveys that exist. And finally, your article said I met with Gilbert Botvin, the author and evaluator of the Life Skills Training antidrug program. In fact, no such meeting took place. GLENN LEVANT President and Founding Director D.A.R.E. America, Worldwide Los Angeles

SHATNER AS POP-CULTURE ICON

In his review of the new film star Trek: First Contact [CINEMA, Nov. 25], Richard Corliss showed once again that he fails to appreciate the talents of the original Trek cast. He writes about Patrick Stewart's performance in the new movie: "Here is real acting! In a Star Trek film! From the successor to William Shatner!" Corliss has not yet learned to fear the wrath of the original "classic" Trekkers. It was not necessary for him to offend a pop-culture icon like Shatner in order to glorify the talent of his progeny. CAROLE N. SHIRK Leola, Pennsylvania

BARBIE COMES TO COMPUTERS

As the mother of three young girls (and a boy), I was disappointed in "Barbie Boots Up," describing Mattel's president Jill Barad and the launch of three Barbie interactive computer programs [BUSINESS, Nov. 11]. Sure, my girls like to play with Barbie--a lot, in fact. But we encourage our children to engage in a variety of activities. I fail to see how creating 15,000 Barbie fashion outfits on a computer will give girls an edge. I'm amazed at how American society reinforces extreme stereotyping, as with this Barbie software, and then bemoans the fact that young girls in later years falter in math and science. Is a Barbie program truly in their best interests or merely another frightening example of the power of consumerism? I hope that when my children are teenagers, unlike Barad's two sons, they have better things to do with their time than be online eight hours a day. CAROLINE STARCK Germantown, Tennessee

The idea that girls don't like computers, don't use them and are not getting the skills they need is not true at our house with its three girls! I like to go on the Internet with my mom. I'd rather have software I can learn from, like Amazon Trail, Treasure Math Storm and all the Carmen Sandiegos. Unless I want to be a fashion designer, which I don't, Barbie Fashion Designer won't help me. MARCY CAMERON, age 11 Palisade, Colorado Via E-mail

As a high school student, I witness examples of female subordination daily. Stereotypes are so ingrained in our culture that they are seldom questioned by my peers. If Mattel's president Jill Barad is truly concerned about American girls' future, she should approach female computer illiteracy in a manner that does not enforce the stereotypes we are supposedly trying to banish. Mattel's Barbie Fashion Designer program will only distract girls from the healthy activities that steer them away from oppression. CLAIRE CREVEY, age 17 Indianapolis, Indiana

The next thing: a Barbie divorce doll soon with all Ken's accessories. JIM GARVIN Albuquerque, New Mexico

THE DEATH OF A CARDINAL

I was sadly disappointed in your one-paragraph Milestone on the passing of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin [NOTEBOOK, Nov. 25]. In the past 30 years, he changed the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S., helping it to be more inclusive. Cardinal Bernardin greatly affected the life of all Chicagoans of every denomination, as shown by the nearly 100,000 people paying their respects at his wake. At one time or another he was mentioned as a possibility to be the first Pope from America. Your issue was full of military scandal, technologic equipment and even more reporting on O.J. Simpson. I feel bad that you failed to tell the story of a small man with a small voice, who saw despair and gave all of us hope. DAVID O. CORSI Burr Ridge, Illinois

APPLE FANS SPEAK OUT

I was very surprised in your recent coverage of new electronic and computer gear [TECHNOLOGY BUYER'S GUIDE, Nov. 25] not to read about any of the dozens of technologies that Apple has put in its customers' hands. While I know that you can't list everything, it does make me wonder what other first-rate equipment your evaluation team omitted. And, of course...why? PAYTON FLETCHER Bad Schwalbach, Germany Via E-mail

A lot of us are big Mac fans, and we use Macs here in the office. They are extremely good for graphics and multimedia. But there were no new Apple products this year that quite made the list. We look forward to next year.

American Indians harvested vast quantities of buffalo by stampeding them off cliffs. Because these buffalo ran blindly ahead, they unwittingly followed the rest of the herd to their death. Your recent guide contained no reference to the Macintosh family of computers and contributed to the Windows herd mentality. Shouldn't you ensure that people have their heads up and eyes forward, so they will not run mindlessly off the cliff? GUY KAWASAKI, Apple Fellow Apple Computer Inc. Cupertino, California

MACHINE OF THE YEAR?

Regardless of how inexpensive and jaw-droppingly cool the Nintendo 64 game machine's 3-D graphics might be, for you to select this as the "Machine of the Year" doesn't make sense [TECHNOLOGY BUYER'S GUIDE, Nov. 25]. There is more to home computing than playing one of Nintendo's five neat-o video games. For family transportation, would you recommend dirt bikes as cheap, exciting alternatives to a minivan? TODD SPANGLER New York City

THINKING ABOUT BOYCOTTS

Texaco oil company executives use racial terms [DIVIDING LINE, Nov. 25], and California has voted to end affirmative action. A new approach will have to be developed to end job discrimination and promote equal opportunity. I suggest that the victims of racism and sexism vote with their dollars. Those companies that do not hire and promote minorities and women at all job levels in a way that reflects their percentage of the population should be boycotted. Those companies that do not use the services and products of minorities and women should be boycotted. The American people can then decide whether or not to buy that business's products. Through purchasing power, we can eliminate racism and sexism from business. ELI PARKER Chicago