Ho, ho, hold the Xmas shopping: tomorrow is 13th Annual Buy Nothing Day
Thousands of people around the world will refuse to spend money, demonstrate against consumerism, and culture-jam on November 25, the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season.
The annual event, which started in Vancouver in 1992, has included mass credit card cut-ups and shopaholic clinics in past years. This year, the organizers of Buy Nothing Day are also heavily promoting the documentary Walmart: The High Cost of Living, which critiques North America’s largest retailer.
The event is also meant to draw attention to the environmental consequences of North America’s ever-increasing and highly unsustainable consumption of the planet’s resources. -BRUCE HARPHAM
York prof seeks $10 million in damages from university
York history professor David Noble is suing his employer for $10 million in damages in response to an administration press release which he believes defamed him by indirectly referring to him as anti-Semitic.
The controversy goes back to last October, when Noble distributed a pamphlet critiquing the presence of pro-Israelis on the York University Foundation, an organization responsible for fundraising for the institution. The administration argues that the release did not name Noble, and therefore no defamation took place.
“The case is an obvious abuse of power,” charged Noble.
Noble has had a tumultuous career at several universities in North America, often finding himself at odds with administrators for his political views. -B.H.
South Asian Earthquake fundraiser held by coalition of U of T groups
This Friday night, a coalition of U of T groups led by SAC will be holding a fundraising dinner called Horizon of Hope to raise money for the victims of last year’s South Asian earthquake.
Among the speakers will be Mr. Ghalib Iqbal, Consulate General of Pakistan, and all proceeds will be to the Canadian Relief Foundation.
For more information about the event, which is being held at the Taj Banquet Hall on Steeles Avenue, contact http://psf.sa.utorono.ca.-BEN SPURR
Youth gear up for Montréal conference on climate change with own summit
In advance of the 2005 UN Conference on Climate change to be held in Montréal (Nov 28 – Dec 9), a wide variety of student and youth groups will be gathering to present their own environmental vision from Nov. 24-28.
Organizers have set up two weeks of events, including a demonstration called “Fiddling while the Earth burns,” to criticize the leadership of U.S. President George W. Bush on December 5, as well as a Worldwide Day of Protest on Climate Change on December 3.-B.H.
Sisters share prizes, glory in The Varsity’s iPod giveaway
Heidi Chan, a fourth-year student studying radiation therapy, was the third winner of the StudentPhones.com/Varsity iPod giveaway. The Chan family must have been feeling lucky that day-Heidi’s sister was winner of the third prize in the contest, a pair of red socks from StudentPhones.com. Bringing up the middle was Claudia Calabro, who won second prize, a Cesium MP3 player-the second member of staff of the UC Gargoyle to win.
But wait! There’s one iPod left, so enter at the StudentPhones.com store in the U of T campus bookstore or online at www.vfor.ca.
