I asked my children - as a "social studies" assignment, to pay attention and tell me what they find that's different about Canada from their native US.

First, of course, is that everything is in two languages.
Second, the french fries up here are MUCH better - as a rule - than in the US.
Third, "Swiss Chalet" has the best chicken strips on the planet - and their fries are damned good, too.
Finally, ketchup is far sweeter in Canada than in the States.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that most of their observations are centered around food. Most of the other differences are not in their sphere of interest.

For example, there's a commercial on TV- basically saying that all Canadians have to pitch in and use less fuel because of global warming and "Come on Canada, we're up for a challenge, right?"

Aside from the total acceptance of the pseudo-science of Global Warming (which is also accepted by California lawmakers), the end of the commercial is truly where the difference between "The States" and Canada lies.

The commercial ends simply with, "A message from the Government of Canada." (http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/)

This is much more honest than the credits given by "public service announcements" in the US. We have McGruff the Crime Dog. D.A.R.E, The Ad Council, "When You Know.", etc. Basically, all of these try to hide their allegiance and sponsorship from the Federal Government.

It's clearly more dishonest. My own question, of course, is why bother? Everybody in the US knows who is paying for these ads, why hide it behind a transparent facade? Is it just an acknowledgment that the average US citizen is just a touch more uncomfortable with leviathan government than our socialist neighbors to the North?

Is it just momentum? Old habits?

Who the hell knows.

Another related thing that bugs me is the constant lecturing spewed forth by those same Federal dollars. Wedging parenting classes in 30 second breaks between "Married With Children" and "The Simpsons" seems rather pointless to me.

Juxtapose these ads with the ads from the Mormons. Same basic thing, but I didn't pay for the damn things. Also, they're a bit less didactic, and much better produced.

The most irritating ads, which I find downright offensive, are the anti-drunk-driving ads. They show video tapes of kids (usually), doing something kidlike such as playing basketball, or having a party, or whatever. Next frame, shows "Killed by a drunk driver...."

Damnit, I don't need that. The people who drive drunk, and wreak this habit are busily sucking down suds at bars when these air. Only innocent people seem to be afflicted by them.

The latest abomination in this genre is a picture of a wonderful looking teenage girl. Instead of the normal epitaph, we get a picture of a truly pitiable looking creature, obviously burned and brain damaged, barely human - in a hospital. Following that is a modified epitaph, "Not all drunk driving victims die immediately." Or some such crap.

Why do these people insert these ads in commercial time during a sitcom? Or during prime time?? I think it is inappropriate. I feel badly for these victims, but *I* didn't cause the pain, and *I* don't need to be lectured to while trying to extract entertainment!

Obviously, the appeal-to-pity argument is used here. Maybe a small swatch of guilt thrown in that some people may wear - just because it's the "in" thing to do.

Finally, juxtapose that with the "Save the Children" commercials. This time, these are run late at night, after all normal - and certainly post prime time- programming has ended. The appeal to pity is there, but it's not thrown wholesale in our faces. Rather it is presented in such a way as to allow us to turn away -or not. But it is NOT inserted as a zinger during "Friends" to ruin our popcorn, or give us a bout of indigestion.

As part of a nanny-state, these are all in keeping with what one should expect. The government - and its lackey experts- know far more about parenting than we could ever know.

If we don't tell you - over, and over, and over, and over, and over, that driving drunk is a bad idea - then everybody'll go out and wipe out the next generation after imbibing. A corollary of this are the ubiquitous road signs telling everybody not to drink and drive. In I-40 in Arizona, the signs are posted about every two miles! What a waste! What a way to ruin the scenery!

Leave us alone, already!