If life is good, the two narcissists involved in this article will non-breed themselves into extinction. Sarto

Read the other day that one out of four young adults is packing some kind of venereal disease. Rates for the sex-saturated hook-up crowd must be considerably higher. That means that Tracy has almost certainly loaded up on her share of pathogens.

Along with a full account of her sexual exploits, I wish our twenty-four year-old heroine had provided us with a history of her venereal diseases, and how honest she was with her partners about any incurable STDs she might have carried into their oh-so respectful exchange of virus and bacteria laden body fluids.

The bishops are being pretty wise, I think, by not excommunicating a lot of people these days. Makes for poor press. Frances says it is hard to excommunicate yourself. Actually, Frances, it is quite easy. Just admit how far out the Catholic mainstream you are and join some other church that doesn't gag over the thought of abortion violence. Hombre

I read the original story and wrote an e-mail advising this couple to stay childless. They are clearly too narcissistic to have a child. A dog would be better, although the dog won't take care of them when they get old and sick. Hombre

I didn't finish reading this entertaining and well-written piece, but I hope it ended with both of our narcissistic friends happily childless. God help the baby that saddles the selfishness of this pair. Bill Taylor

I just love your column How the World Works. But I am a pessimist when I think about the scenario you just described. The problem, of course, is lack of moral and political will to accomplish the changes you think are coming. Can you imagine our get government out of our lives mindset dealing with the kind of changes that can only be brought about by government using its power? I cannot imagine the market place accomplishing such a thing. I remember a discussion I had with the CEO of a power company a few years ago. He said that replacements for oil had to be profitable within a very short time, or industry would not mess with them. That leaves the government making long term investments. And then, after all that expense, business will demand that government hand everything over so that a few well placed kajillionaires can get even richer...like they're hoping to do with the Internet right now.

Author Leonard did not exactly fill me with confidence. We might have the science and the soft technology to meet the energy gap when crunch time comes. But we do not have the political and moral will. In a democracy, nobody votes for sacrifice. The conservatives will force us to depend on the "magic of the market place" to solve the problem, which is like using a axe for brain surgery. The market is notoriously indifferent to the suffering it creates, and the powerful and well-placed will make sure that they sacrifice nothing, market place be damned. We will do as we traditionally do: Lurch toward the abyss. In the end, the powerless and the not-so-well placed will be the ones to go over the edge. Our military and intelligence apparatus will keep discontent in check. The oligarchs who really run this country and this world will walk away with a smile.