I was recently watching episodes of Torchwood (second season), a spinoff TV series from the rebirthed Doctor Who series. There was an interesting thought in one episode .. but first, to explain a little .. The Doctor Who genre is science fiction and time travel and saving the world from threats which threaten total destruction. The Torchwood franchise takes one character who had accompanied The Doctor, and plunks him in Cardiff Wales as the backdrop from which to save the world. It's a little farfetched but at the same time, like any creative work, they're able to explore bigger themes.

"Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation" -- hmm, at least that's what today's fortune cookie says. This connected with me and I want to write a little of how I take this statement.

The key is to consider what "discontent" really means. And not only what you mean, but what does one do when they're discontented?

There have been child prodigies throughout the ages. There's the example of Mozart, composing music at age 6 or whenever that was. In high school one of my buddies fit that model, though not to the extreme that Mozart did. My friend was a science whiz, winning four years in a row the state-wide high school science competitions. He of course went on to Princeton and to earn a PhD in Astrophysics.

The eternal quest ... not wanting to be lonely, we reach out for others. Where is our perfect mate? Who might he or she be? Do they live down the street, or thousands of miles away? Is there only one perfect mate, or are there dozens?

The Internet doesn't change any of these questions, it only provides new avenues to answering them. Perhaps you've heard of Internet-spawned romances and the myriad of results from rock solid relationships that will last a lifetime, to stalkers and worse. I, myself, had the great fortune to meet and fall in love with a partner whom I met via the Internet. While wonderful for the time it lasted, it unfortunately did not last long.

Mexico's ancient drink under threat (by Claire Marshall, Sunday, 26 December, 2004 BBC.CO.UK)

This article duscusses Pulque, a drink said to come from pre-Hispanic times. A so-called "nectar of the gods".

But the so-called "nectar of the gods" is in danger of dying out. Beer, rum and brandy are more popular with young people.

Clemente Gonzales is a pulque seller in Ixmiquilpan.

"The custom is being lost. The youth of today are leaving pulque. It's sad, because beforehand it was the base of everything around here," he says.