It’s not very often that I find myself applauding the US State Department. But recently Condoleezza Rice’s fiefdom joined forces with leading US companies to issue tips for Americans traveling abroad. One is: “Slow down. (We talk fast, eat fast, move fast, live fast. Many cultures do not.)” Another is: “Speak slower. (A fast talker can be seen as aggressive and threatening.)” Sound advice for everyone, it seems to me, not just Americans.