Odeathoflife is a Celebrity? Who are you odeathoflife??!! Just being nosey! :) As for American business.....well it could well be that you did in fact get excellent service because they at least thought you were a "rich american" dalliance :) Cruising around on a nice sailboat can have that affect, I suspect! :) On the other hand......and as an american....I must admit that "some" American businesses do leave a lot to be desired. Most of the service industry and retail jobs don't pay worth a hoot and often hire "first time workers". Unfortunately, first time workers often think they should be making more than they are, and are pretty much clueless about what it means to work for a living. I've noticed a dramatic decline in some basic social skills on the part of young people in particular (not all of them, mind you, but a good number!) as well as a decline in what we use to call "work ethic". Maybe I'm jaded because I administer employment and training programs for a living and see it every day. Worker attitudes are certainly not helped by companies jumping off shore to hire "cheaper labor", "outsourcing" (very popular in Washington these days),not to mention these crappy "mega firms" and "corporate raiders" who seem to want to shaft everyone to make their millions. Well......that was way OT!!! Sorry 'bout that :)