Plymouth Rock, 1620. This year, it seems especially appropriate to send a holiday greeting (and thoughtful commentary) from Massachusetts to all of the descendents of settlers, immigrants, expatriates, refugees, and displaced peoples who are collectively known as citizens of The United States of America. May the spirit of freedom and hope that inspired our respective first generations continue to live in us and our children. To my overseas colleagues I also extend seasons greetings and the hope that, like online forums such as this, a world in which ethnic, sexual, and social identities are essentially unimportant will become a reality in our lifetimes. Thanks to Traveler for the morphing pillow which served as a cloak. Peter (Dr Zik)