Differences between New Zealand culture and US culture, part 843,016: Brent does not find a toothpaste that tastes like bubblegum vaguely disturbing. I do, because I feel that a toothpaste must be *fiercely* minty, in a kind of scouring-out-your-oral-scuzziness-so-that-nothing-remains-behind way. A bubblegum-flavoured toothpaste is a wimpy copout, to me. I don't even think this consciously, but when he brought it home I thought aha! Another contrast between us starkly illustrated.