PATCH: Speed up direct string concatenation by 20+%!

[Terry Reedy]

"> Forgot to mention this, in case you haven't done so post your original
> message/patch on the python-dev lists since that's where the decisions
> are made. This group is more end-user oriented.
>
> http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-October/thread.html

It is often good to get community input first, as the OP has done.  When he 
wishes, the OP should submit his latest (not original) version of the patch 
to SourceForge (not the list) and then optionally post a new message with a 
link to the SF item for discussion.

tjr