Hark! UBC experts herald the holiday season with expertise on everything
from puppies to politics.
Internet great tool for Christmas bargain hunters
The countdown to Christmas has begun for retailers and shoppers
— the time of year that bargain hunters relish. And never before
has comparison shopping been easier as bricks-and-mortar outlets
compete with on-line offerings. Peter Darke, an assistant professor
of marketing in UBC’s Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration,
sees the advent of on-line retailers and plethora of information
available via the Internet as a boon for comparison shopping and
pricing information.
- Contact: Asst. Prof. Peter Darke, Faculty of Commerce
and Business Administration, 604.822.8362
Have a carefree canine Christmas
Holiday decorations such as wreaths and poinsettias may be pretty
but they can pose hazards for puppies and dogs, says Psychology
Prof. Stan Coren, author of The Intelligence of Dogs. Mistletoe,
holly, poinsettias and English ivy can cause gastrointestinal problems,
especially for older dogs as can chewing on spruce, fir or cedar
Christmas trees. Watch unattended boxes of chocolates — caffeine
can make your dog ill. Festive fare for fido is easy, says Coren,
who has some suggestions for special treats that keep your dog healthy.
- Contact: Prof. Stanley Coren, Psychology Dept., 604.822.6458
Star of wonder: comet, cosmic collision or miracle?
Science is full of suggestions as to what might have caused the
Star of Bethlehem to burn so brightly that night 2,000 years ago.
Was it a coming together of Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Venus? There
was such an inter-galactic gathering around 7 AD. Or was it a supernova
that illuminated the sky at that time?
- Contact: Asst. Prof. Jaymie Matthews, Physics and Astronomy
Dept., 604.822.2696
New moon begins Muslim festival of Ramadan
Muslim students, staff and faculty at UBC will start celebrating
the month-long festival of Ramadan on or around Dec. 9 with the
sighting of the new moon. The festival, which started in the seventh
century AD is one of the obligations of the Islamic faith and includes
fasting from food and water from dawn to sunset, praying and reflecting
on spiritual matters and doing good works. Worshippers come together
for iftars, or fast-breaking dinners. Alexandra Bain, a Muslim and
sessional instructor in the Dept. of Classical, Near Eastern and
Religious Studies can explain the origins of the festival, including
the significance of the Night of Power, Dec. 31.
- Contact: Alexandra Bain, Classical, Near Eastern and
Religious Studies Dept., (604) 228-1500
Hungry at Christmas; who cares?
Many Canadians are planning their Christmas feast, but for others
it is just another day of hunger. At the dawn of the millennium,
Prof. Graham Riches, director of the School of Social Work and Family
Studies, thinks it’s time to reflect on this growing issue and Canada’s
Action Plan for Food Security. He says, “Food poverty in Canada
is an acute human rights issue. There are now 698 food banks in
the country and in March 1999, 790,000 people used them. We have
lost sight of the real meaning of food. It is just another economic
commodity subject to the global marketplace and corporate profitability.
Few of us know anymore what we are eating or where our food comes
from. Governments of all political stripes have implemented spending
policies which fail to acknowledge the right to food and comply
with their international obligations to respect, protect and advance
this human right. It is time to assert the right to food.”
- Contact: Prof. Graham Riches, School of Social Work and
Family Studies, 604.822.0782
Christmas celebrations kicked off circa 300 AD
When did people first start celebrating Christmas? And did it look
like our present-day festival? Paul Burns, an assistant professor
of Religious Studies, says Christmas has its origins in the fourth
century.
- Contact: Asst. Prof. Paul Burns, Classical, Near Eastern
and Religious Studies Dept., 604.822.4046
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