Bored Housewives Network

Getting through the day, one bonbon at a time.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

The differences between Canadians and Americans, as evidenced by two packages of Trident gum

My husband C loves strawberry gum. For a long time he couldn't find one he liked, but recently he discovered Trident Splash, which is a Chiclet-like gum with a flavored filling. This week, during a trip to Montreal, he found what he thought was the same gum. Upon closer inspection, however, there were certain differences. We have decided that the differences between the packages of gum from each country can provide some clues about the differences between Canadians and Americans. Here is what we have deduced after carefully examining both packages:

  1. Canadians are more exotic. Proof: In Canada, the flavor of the gum in question is Strawberry with Kiwi. In the U.S., the flavor is Strawberry with Lime. The two gums taste exactly the same.
  2. Canadians don't have to be told something twice. Proof: Both gums contain graphics indicating that the gum package should be thrown away in a trash receptacle. The Canadian version has only the graphic, while the American version has the graphic surrounded by the words "DISPOSE OF PROPERLY."
  3. Canadians don't have to have everything spelled out for them. Proof: Both versions have a warning that the gum contains phenylalanine. On the American version, the warning reads, "PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE." The Canadian version simply reads, "ASPARTAME CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE," leaving it to phenylketonurics to figure out for themselves that the warning is addressed to them.
  4. Canadians don't rely on gum to clean their teeth. Proof: The American version touts that the gum "CLEANS TEETH," while the Canadian version merely states that the gum doesn't cause cavities.
  5. Canadians speak French. Proof: Do you really need proof?

3 Comments:

  • At 12:15 PM, Blogger Tammy said…

    Ha! It's funny because it's true!

    (Sorry. I had a Homer Simpson moment there.)

    What on earth is a phenylketonuric?

     
  • At 2:02 PM, Blogger Melissa said…

    The funny thing is that I specifically told my husband to look for gum in Canada, because other friends have come back with exotic flavors like coffee and chlorophyll. I didn't expect him to find the same gum in a different package!

    A phenylketonuric is someone who has the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU). In the U.S. they screen all babies for it at birth. People who have it need to avoid phenylalanine or it can accumulate in the bloodstream and cause brain damage.

     
  • At 6:59 PM, Blogger JulieJem said…

    Ugh, it's kind of disgusting how many warnings Americans need. I'm surprised nobody's tried to sue Mother Nature if they're late to work.

     

Post a Comment

<< Home