LETTERS

THE CLONING BREAKTHROUGH

Even if the basic scientific procedure of creating mammals from cells that are not embryonic can be easily mastered, the routine cloning of humans is still a long way off [SPECIAL REPORT, March 10]. Using the reproductive procedure that produced embryologist Ian Wilmut's lamb Dolly requires dozens of surrogate mothers. The work of Wilmut and his colleagues is a great step toward understanding important fundamental biological processes, and it does raise serious ethical issues, but don't belittle the scientific effort by calling it "easy." JENNI HARIKRISHNA Kuala Lumpur

We shouldn't hastily ban human cloning. Nature clones us--look at identical twins. Shall we ban them? No! Go ahead--send in the clones. TITUS STAUFFER Houston

What a concept: Farmers cloning their best milk cows and ranchers replicating their best wool producers. Why not clone our best laborers so we can produce a group of subhuman slaves? And how about fighting our wars with literally thousands of Rambo-like killing machines? If they are wiped out, no loss--we can just make more! Maybe, eventually, we can use cloning to create a whole new race of superpeople with a pure conformity of mind and body. God have mercy on us all! STEVE BLACK Dallas

Those who oppose cloning and other forms of genetic engineering should take into account that nature and evolution have permitted humans to reach the level of intelligence necessary for genetic engineering. Is it not natural, then, for us to explore its potential? Perhaps it is time for nature to pass the torch of biological control to the hands of humans. BRIAN HOUSE, age 17 Denver

The benefits of cloning technology may be great, but the potential for misuse is beyond frightening. How long before every petty dictator, multimillionaire industrialist, king, queen and drug lord has a clone or two made of himself or herself, then raised in confinement, so that when a heart, lung or kidney gives out, a spare is just a phone call away? How much further will this cheapen human life? STEVE GONTO Savannah, Georgia

Clones have been around for some time. They act alike, dress alike and talk alike. Same mannerisms, same expressions, and following the same trends--just like sheep. They're called yuppies. CHARLOTTE WEBB Redding, Connecticut

Hello, Dolly, brave new ovine; art thou a wolf in sheep's cloning? DENISE KEENEY BODEY Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

You mentioned cell biologist Ursula Goodenough's quip that if cloning were perfected, "there'd be no need for men." If your article had been written by Jorge Luis Borges, Annie Proulx, Thomas Pynchon or another author with a penchant for serendipitous character names, I'd know for certain that "Goodenough" was herself a clone. JONATHAN BRENNER BALKIND London

WHERE THE DIFFERENCE LIES

Robert Wright's otherwise excellent article "Can Souls Be Xeroxed?" [SPECIAL REPORT, March 10] stated that humans share "99.9%" of the same genetic code. But two car keys can be 99.9% identical and yet one may start up a VW and the other a Mercedes. It's not the amount of difference, it's where the difference lies. ROB VERMEULEN Redwood City, California

IF WE EVER DUPLICATE EINSTEIN...

Charles Krauthammer missed the opportunity of a lifetime in his speculation about the potential of cloning [SPECIAL REPORT, March 10]. He implied that we might clone Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr. or even Thomas Jefferson. Perhaps we could use bits of dna that linger in their remains. We could raise the clones in structured isolation and see what they would do. If dna survives the decomposition of the human body, then we should examine the ultimate cloning possibility. Let's scrape the Shroud of Turin for whatever tiny bits of human matter may still cling to that cloth, clone the dna and find out if the Man of the Shroud was just some 14th century monk, as carbon dating apparently reveals, or if he really was the Son of God. Then perhaps we could see what Jesus Christ would do today. LARY S. LARSON Idaho Falls, Idaho

All of Krauthammer's examples of possible subjects for cloning are men. Why waste the resources? If we can clone the ewes, who needs the rams? ROBIN LEE HORVATH Camden, Maine

While cloning is definitely a big deal scientifically, it should not be a big deal ethically. Cloning is just another method of reproduction. All this talk about re-creating a Hitler or an Einstein is baloney. While genetic characteristics such as height, hair color and sexual orientation may mirror the original, the thoughts and ideas of a clone will not. They are unique to each person. One day we will look back and wonder what all the fuss was about. BILL STOSINE Iowa City, Iowa

Einstein, King, Jefferson, Salk, Chopin--go ahead, clone them all. Chances are that at least three would be placed in day care at six weeks of age, given mind-numbing doses of television and videos from toddlerhood through adolescence and educated in dumbed-down public schools with expectations and outcomes far lower than those of a few generations past. Our biological gestation period may be only nine months, but our spiritual, emotional and intellectual development lasts a lifetime. TOM KOWITZ Portland, Oregon

All that science could ever clone would be Einstein's hardware body, not his software soul. A clone of his mere body would be delightful to photographers and such, but the genius of his soul would shine in any body. DAVID MILLER Nevada City, California

WHY CLONE?

It's 11:30 a.m. I am sitting in my apartment waiting for a package to be delivered. The company told me I have to be here to sign for it, but it could be delivered anytime before 8 p.m. This is the best argument yet for cloning myself. THOMAS WALKER Chicago

Is it true that the Chicago Bulls are going to clone several Michael Jordans so that they can win the N.B.A. championship forever? WILFORD WARE CORBIN Franklin, North Carolina

Now all the Washington politicians can be cloned. One group can take care of the business they were elected to handle, and the other group can spend their time looking for things to charge the President with. And there will need to be an extra President too--so there will be someone to attend all the court sessions. CAROLYN VAN RIPER Albert Lea, Minnesota

THE ULTIMATE CHESS GAME

I enjoyed your article about the upcoming rematch between champion Garry Kasparov and Deeper Blue, the world's best chess-programmed computer [TECHNOLOGY, March 10]. Once again I'll be rooting for man over machine. However, you referred to Kasparov as a "genius geek." I believe America is alone in its insistence on viewing chess players as geeks. In many parts of the world, Kasparov enjoys a status equal to that of Michael Jordan or Joe Montana in the U.S. I hope you will get over the childish geek thing in your future coverage of John Wayne's favorite game. DAVID WRIGHT Sacto, California

Of course, the machines will win--eventually--given enough time and money. But Kasparov has invested only part of a lifetime and minimal funds in his achievements--and he can do a lot more than play chess. How much time and money have gone into developing a computer program that can compete with him in this one tiny niche? JOHN DAY Columbus, Ohio

SHOCKING IDEA

The deregulation of the electric utility industry [BUSINESS, March 10] has got to be the stupidest idea since the government broke up the world's finest phone company--no, even more stupid! What value can a power company in another state offer the consumer? Only large corporate users benefit from the economies of scale that deregulated competition brings. All that extra paperwork costs something, and the expenses will fall on small users--the poor and the frugal. I bet my electric costs next year will look more like my telephone bill--or even my water bill, of which actual usage is less than 20% of the total. Bleah! TOM PITTMAN Spreckels, California

I disagree with your assertion that people "probably couldn't care less where the power was generated." The growing number of utility "green pricing" programs is evidence that many people do care and will pay a premium for renewable energy, even if it comes on top of an already high electricity rate. The future for renewable-energy technology, such as wind-generated electricity, is bright. LAWRENCE W. MILES Bellevue, Washington

As you noted, consumers will wonder what is the "wisdom of tampering with an industry that provides electric power that is among the cheapest and most reliable anywhere." We take this point to heart in Florida, where our electric prices are right at the national average. There is a real danger in trying to impose a one-size-fits-all federal solution on the electric utility industry. The complex decisions involved in deregulation are best decided at the state level. What works in a high-rate region could be disastrous in lower-rate regions such as the Southeast. Utilities support competition and consumer choice. But as with any market offer, "Buyer beware!" TIMOTHY L. GUZZLE, CEO Teco Energy, Inc. Tampa, Florida

A BRIGHT AND HEALTHY SON

I was out of the country on a trip to the Amazon and so have only just now read the commentary by James R. Gaines about the murder of JonBenet Ramsey [ESSAY, Jan. 20]. In this piece, Gaines referred to the fact that I and Roald Dahl decided to leave Manhattan after our son Theo was brain damaged in a car accident. After Theo was injured by a taxi, we had years of sleepless nights not knowing how it would come out. But I think that your readers should know that my son is exceedingly bright and healthy and normal in every way. PATRICIA NEAL New York City

WHITE HOUSE SLEEPOVERS

It is small wonder the U.S. government has scant success in selling democratic principles to foreign governments such as China [NATION, March 10]. The whole world watches as the President transforms the White House's Lincoln Bedroom into a high-perk bed-and-breakfast free-enterprise zone to raise campaign funds. If any foreign-government honcho wanted to play down the merits of democracy, all he would need to do is tell his people to sit in front of the TV during a U.S. presidential campaign and watch the democratic process degenerate into disgusting mudslinging. The worst part is imagining where all the money for the campaign ads comes from. RICHARD STEWART SMITH Huntington Beach, California

American political workers go to Russia to assist Boris Yeltsin in his campaign. The cia sends agents to foreign countries to influence their governments. As long as the U.S. plays such a big role in determining the fate of people in other countries, those nations ought to have half a chance to say, through donations, which party controls the U.S. government and what it does to them. YISHAN WONG, age 18 St. Paul, Minnesota

Why on earth would anyone want to spend a night in a place like the Lincoln Bedroom, let alone pay for the privilege? The furnishings of the room look like stage props from the Addams Family set. Do guests in the morning wake up to Lurch entering with orange juice and eggs over easy? GEORGE SONNENSCHEIN La Jolla, California

MEXICO'S DRUG CHALLENGE

Narcotics may come through Mexico, but the destination point is in the U.S. [WORLD, March 10]. Authorities in Mexico may look the other way when, loaded with drugs, a plane takes off or a truck passes through, but what happens when it crosses the border into the U.S.? And when it is unloaded? Is it visible only south of the border? Every blind officer in Mexico must have a matching blind official in the U.S. EDGAR BECERRA Mexico City

The U.S. has failed to prevent the ever increasing flow of drugs across its borders. It is the largest narcomarket in the world, with drug use now seen frequently among elementary and high school students. Before passing judgment on Mexico, the U.S. should examine whether it could be certified as cooperating in the drug war. JUAN MARIO STETA Mexico City

Why should the U.S. government have been warned that Mexico was about to arrest its own top drug fighter for corruption? Who is the U.S. to be notified in advance about what Mexico does in its own internal affairs? America's drug problem is created and based in the U.S. As long as there is a buyer for any commodity, there will be a supplier. All the money the U.S. has used in this "war" might have been better spent on educating its citizens about drug use. FRANCISCO J. ORTIZ Richmond, British Columbia

Drug demand is so powerful in the U.S. that it will still have to certify Canada and all other nations as cooperating in the fight against drugs. And then American drug cartels will somehow find a way to get drugs. It is market law: someone will always fill the demand. JOSE L. RAMOS Mexico City