[Dixielandjazz] A little diplomacy please

[James Kashishian]

I read Tom's remark this am, and was eagerly awaiting PLad's reply (I
was sure we would hear from him).  Actually, John jumped in first with
his response with the above Subject Line.

When I read Tom Wiggins' remark:

> "Many countries that we play in are at least thirty years behind the
USA in
> culture, 

I wondered about what he was trying to say, as the general feeling in
Europe is that one of the things lacking in the U.S. is culture.  

Example:  when I pointed out to my Mother's husband a few years ago that
the stone steps he was climbing in a very old Irish Inn in the Wicklow
Mountains south of Dublin had been worn down over the centuries by
people passing over them, he remarked that the U.S. has much the same
thing......he had seen it before at Disneyland!  He wasn't joking!!

Well, perhaps Tom was referring to "behind" in the creature comforts
department.  The U.S. could probably beat a lot of countries there, and
they certainly beat just about the whole world when it comes to service.
Just TRY to get someone to do you an odd job on your home in good ol'
Europe, or at least in Spain!  Or....get a band to play a song you would
like to hear.  You are more likely to get the "I'm an artist, and not
your servant" look, than the song.

But, culture?  Dunno what Tom was thinking when he wrote that.

Jim