Hello Canada! (Part III)

So there's a few debates/lessons that need to be solved/learned here before my next post on Sinapore.

1) Everyone keeps saying that turkey makes people sleepy because it contains tryptophan (an amino acid that is a natural sedative). This is false... Here some info I found on the net on this topic... "While turkey does contain trace amounts, its not enough to have any effect of humans. In addition tryptophan doesn't act on the brain unless it is taken with an empty stomach and without protein present. What probably makes you tired after thanksgiving diner is the alcohol or binge on carbohydrates. If you are still skeptical... know that milk, beef and beans all contain this amino acid. Experts also say that chicken contains more tryptophan than turkey!" More on turkeys here

Speaking of thanksgiving... All the Canadian exchange students had a nice potluck thanksgiving diner yesterday. It was complete with chicken (couldn't find a turkey in Singapore... they sell peacock though...), real mash potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing and apple pie... yum yum... After the meal we chilled while listening to some Canadian music (French stuff too)... and then we did some line dancing... or was it square dancing. The Albertans were really cool and taught everyone the dance. You can download the video here. No sound...so just imagine some line dancing music stuff playing...


Welcome to Canada it's a maple leaf State.
Canada Oh Canada it's great.


Thanksgiving food... ooo yeah! My contribution to this potluck is the bottle of Mountain Dew you see on the right (can you spot it?).


Some line dancing action... for those of you who can't download the video.

Anyhow.... onto number 2

2) What are the origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival (MAF)? Why do we eat mooncakes?
I was talking to my friend who's from Mainland China and she couldn't tell me what the MAF was all about... So this is just for you! :)
Here's some stuff quoted from the web:

"Also known as the "Full Moon Festival," the Mid-Autumn festival falls on the fifteen day of the eighth lunar month. At this time, the moon's orbit is at its lowest angle to the horizon, making the moon appear brighter and larger than any other time of the year. To the Chinese, this festival is similar to the American Thanksgiving holiday, celebrating a bountiful harvest.

Legendary Origins
According to stories, Hou Yi was a tyrannical ruler who won the elixir of immortality by shooting 9 suns out of the sky with his bow. But his wife, knowing that the people's lives would remain miserable for all eternity if Hou Yi lived forever, drank the potion. The fluids made her lighter, and she floated up into the moon. Even today, Chinese like to think of the moon as home of Chang E.

A Historical Anecdote
The Mongol Hordes of Ghengis Khan subjugated the Chinese, and established the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th Century. However, many Chinese resented the fact that they were ruled by a foreign regime. In the 14th Century, Liu Bouwen helped plot the overthrow of the Yuan Dynasty by organizing resistance. Secret messages were passed along in mooncakes. "

and finally number 3...

3) A bit immature... but come on give me a break.... isn't it obvious who the winner is? Below are pictures, one of Mac (Catherine Bell) from JAG, and one of Hoshi (Linda Park) from Enterprise.


Winner! A good actress too...


Sorry Jay... JAG is a great TV show though...

Hey did you guys notice that MSN was out on Monday? Well here's the reason... apparently some virus.

Wow blogging is so time consuming... I guess I will leave it at that. I'll have more Singapore updates on my next post. It's actually almost exam time and I have plenty of projects due. So I better get myself in gear. Before I leave I guess i'll post up some cool pictures I found on the web... Enjoy... (Courtesy of AP)


The world's most valuable diamond. It is certified as 100-carat, D-color and flawless. It is estimated to be worth 2.94 billion yen.


Lots of hands...


Mexico's 'Fire Volcano' in Colima state on October 8, 2004.

Alright that's it... I'll post in a few days.