Issue 24August 2011The CSU Distance Education Newsletter

THEDENDEN

Distance Education Newsletter

The DEN is a Rivcoll SRC Publication

PPDouble P EditionPets and Pirates

Hi everybody Sorry that this edition is so late but it has been rather an emotional month between struggling with an assignment and losing my four legged companion of 16 years. I was so looking forward to doing the Pet section this month but it was difficult for a couple of weeks. Thank you to everybody that has contributed this month. Helen Tait has provided some wonderful photos of Puffins, I have fallen in love with these exquisite birds and Helens beautiful photographs. Many of us have wonderful relationships with our pets and from the photos that I have received there are some very lucky pets living with DEN readers. Thank you so much for sharing your other family members with us. Throughout this issue I have taken some extracts from Worlds Saddest Internet Argument Techniques. See if you can find them all, there are seven plus some suggestions for a solution. Thank you so much to everybody that contributed and I hope that the second half of this semester is good to everyone.Sandra Stewart Editor

Issue 24, August, 2011

FEATURES

3. To DE or not to DE... Susan Laverick

4. Staying Motivated to Study hints and tips

5. Self- motivation and Time Use

16. Questions that haunt me

20. Skull & Cross Bones Section Pirates

21 Puffins photos by Helen Tait

27. Green Cleaning with Bev

REGULARS

4. Student Senate Report

5.. Rivcoll DE Report

6. Through the Lens - Pets

16. Book Review The ladies of Missalonghi

17. Movie Review: Oranges and Sunshine

18.Bushfire By Sandra Stewart Short Story

26 Poetry by Dream

28. Shaggys Recycled Crafts - System card Box

22. July Colouring Masterpieces

31. Colouring - Celebrate Spring

32. Next Month

CONTRIBUTORSKrystal Brosz, Rebecca Colles, Dwaine Bailey, Sharon Crossett, Rebecca Fraser-Goring, Sharon Gwyn, Bev Hennessy, Liz koschitzke, Susan Laverick, Jessica Leard, Richard Maher, Sarah Mawby, Sandra Stewart, AJ Zauner- De Ville,

Email letters to the Editor & submissions to theden@live.com.au

Disclaimer: The DEN is a Rivcoll SRC publication and the opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the editor, staff or student members. Association by persons or companies with The Den does not necessarily reflect the religious, political, sexual or racial beliefs of those parties. The Editor and Rivcoll SRC do not accept any responsibility for any omissions, errors, inaccuracies, or the views and opinions contained in any article accepted for publication. The editor reserves the right to edit or reject any articles submitted for publication.

To DE or not to DE.... Recently there was a polarizing discussion on the MAF regarding both the merits (or otherwise) of DE study and what constitutes a genuine DE stu-dent. It was also suggested that DE students might receive a learning experience which is in some ways inferior to that enjoyed by campus students. The debate was informed by a range of personal experiences which, even allowing for the genuine complaints, suggested that CSU does distance education pretty damned well. I am writ-ing because I would hate anyone contemplating DE study to feel discouraged. I am also, make no mis-take, reluctant to have the DE experience devalued in any way. For those of us who cannot physically attend a CSU campus, DE offers a priceless academic lifeline. It enabled me to re-train after years in another discipline, while living in Europe. In 2006, I compared the course offering and structure which I particularly wanted with several of the most respected DE players in the field (including Australian and UK universities). I chose CSU because it seemed to provide a first-class learning experience and admirable DE philosophy. I was not disappointed.

The impulse to classify a DE student accord-ing to geographical distance from the university surely misses the point. The genuine DE student might arguably be anyone who studies part-time or full-time, and who is unable, for whatever reason, to physically attend a campus. That person might be overseas, in Australia (regional or city) or even living in proximity to one of the several university cam-puses.

There are, it is clear, advantages which the DE student cannot enjoy: there is no substitute for lecture halls and tutorials or communion with other students. DE also requires enormous self-discipline and motivation if academic momentum is to be maintained. Residential schools can alleviate the

sense of isolation from academia, while subject forums (ah...another hornets nest...) can help. I was fortunate: the lecturers in my discipline (English) were assiduous in their care of forums and provi-sion of academic support.

Of course, if all else fails, there is the incom-parable MAF (which has sadly taken such a batter-ing of late) for humour and support, whether DE or internal student, lurker or poster. So while CSUs DE might not be perfect, I pay tribute to it and wouldnt be on my current academic path without it.

Given the pirate theme of this months DEN, I am fully prepared to walk the plank on this one.

Susan Laverick (post-graduate study....far from Wagga....)

Sorry about the plank Susan but it was the only picture I could find.Sandra editor

PS: I am in agreement with you

Staying motivated to study.5 Ways to Stay Motivated By Jamie Littlefield, About.com Guide

Many distance learners agree that the most dif-ficult part of studying online is staying motivated. Because students must take the initiative to complete their courses completely on their own, without the physical presence of teachers and other peers, many students find it easy to become distracted and discouraged in their work. Dont let this happen to you plan ways for yourself to stay motivated before youre tempted to stray from your books. Use these five motivational tips to stay on task:

1. Connect with your classmates. Sure, virtual people may be hard to connect with, but making an effort to actually get to know your classmates can be rewarding. If you find students from your area, consider a physical study group at a restraint or bookstore. If not, try to create an online support group of peers. Theyll appreciate having someone to keep them on track in their work and youll reap the benefits of being accountable as well.

2. Discuss what you learn. Find a friend or relative who has similar interests or who would enjoy hear-ing about your studies and let them know whats going on in your classes. Youll understand the material better when you have a chance to explain it out loud and will be motivated to stay on task in order to keep up with the conversation.

3. Chart your progress. Dont rely on campus coun-sellors; design your own map of completed classes and post it somewhere that is visible daily. Theres a certain satisfaction that comes with watching your goals be accomplished. When times get hard, you can always turn to your chart and see how far youve come.

4. Reward yourself. You get rewarded for good credit and safe driving, why shouldnt you reward yourself for doing well in your coursework.

Whether it be a night on the town, a new dress, or even a new car, setting up a reward system just may be the extra push you need to succeed. If you stick by your system, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

5. Take time for fun. If youre spending all your time working, studying, and watching after the kids, youll likely suffer in all areas. Everyone needs some down time to re-group. So, set aside a little time every week for a favorite activity. Youll be more productive when you return to your work.http://distancelearn.about.com/od/managingyourwork/a/motivation.htm

Student Senate Reportwith Richard

Not much happening at either Senate until after September as its a change over period. Still working on third mode and a few other papers/working groups. The Septemberc ontribution should however be significant with a lot going on. (plus assignments should be done by then also! ;) )Richard Maher

Winning by LosingHowever badly you have disproven or embarrassed this person, it turns out it was part of their master plan to get that reaction out of you, to prove some kind of point they cant seem to explain. They honestly seem to think that despite flailing uselessly in making their original argument, they are smooth enough to convince people they are a master puppeteer pulling everyones strings. http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/

There are no reports this month from the Rivcoll DE Representative but there is a DE Questionnaire put together by Ashley Innes that will help Rivcoll identify certain problems within the DE Mode of CSU. THe questionnaire can be

found at http://rivcoll.com/?p=809

assessment weighting system. The weighting of each part of your work should affect your choice of where to place emphasis. If one semester essay is worth half the total marks, it makes sense to put more effort into that essay; some advocate putting about half your effort into the essay in such a case.

Managing tasks and time

As soon as you have finished a task, such as reading a topic, make sure you cross it off and enjoy the feeling of satisfaction. This crossing off and gaining enjoyment practice can help to increase your motivation to work and to both start and finish tasks. Most managers and many academics do this as a basic way of surviving the day.

It is your own responsibility to organise yourself and your life, what you study, when you study it, and how you study. You should be flexible in this and be prepared to redo your timetable or schedule in the light of experience. Do not just drop scheduling yourself completely, but alter the schedule itself if it proves unsatisfactory.Taken from CSU Learning Skills http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/my-studies/learning/self-help-resources/motivbro

Think carefully about your original purpose in enrolling at university.

Think about why you want to do this and keep remembering what you are trying to achieve and why this is important to you.

Mental work is hard and the mind is very clever at throwing up feelings and suggestions to you so that it can avoid working. It might, for example, suggest that doing the housework or building a study is what you need before you start. The brain is clever at devising schemes to avoid university work. A strong motivation can help to keep you studying and succeeding.

make use of the pressure to study in a positive way. Organisation and discipline are both needed. Forcing yourself to start is often the hardest part, once you are into the reading and note-taking or whatever, it may seem rewarding and worthwhile.

It is easy to sit around thinking 'I should be working' but not actually doing so. If you notice that you have this habit, then do something about it.

You can just open your textbook at the place you last marked, or read over your last module notes to get yourself going. Naturally if you have an assignment due shortly, then that is more likely to be a profitable thing to work on. The fear of deadlines can be put to good use.

Planning

You need to make lists and draw up a personal timetable to allocate your time in the most productive way. Set the time for work or other obligations in one colour and what topic or subject you will study in the blanks, in a different colour. Run it into the evenings and weekends too, as these are prime study time.

At the start, allocate equal time per subject and only adjust this when you need, falling behind in oneAs part of time allocation, have a good look at the

Self-motivation and Time Use

The BacktrackIf you cant unsay something you just realised is hor-ribly wrong, the next best thing is to claim you never said it. This is an extremely ballsy maneuver on a forum without an edit function, and usually forces reliance on the old, Oh, you just misinterpreted what I said maneuver. http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/

Rivcol l DE REport

Through the LensPETS

Muffin is 12 years old and starting to go grey. He's huge for a cat and can get the dog in a headlock when the dog annoys him too much. He enjoys vanilla ice-cream, original glazed krispy kreme donuts and getting his fur combed.

Muffin theMagnificent & Clancy the Intellectual.

Jessica Leard

Through the LensPETS

How long have you been together? Mischa (4 years), Dora (4 months), Mini since 9 weeks (she died aged 8)

Age of pet? Mischa (8 years), Dora (10months)

What is special about them to you? They are my children; my family; my babies.

Any talents: Sleeping, Eating and Breathing... usually on me (if they can)

Thats Mischas Bear.

I have a Hungarian Viszla (Mischa) and a Stafford-shire terrier (Dora a.k.a the explorer) -also pictured is mini (rottweiler who sadly passed away not so long ago because of Leptospirosis)

Richard Maher

Mr and Mrs Randy Snail Love NestThey have been at it for about 2 months non stop, but only one lot of eggs thus far, are separating them this week, just have to catch them apart long enough to do so.

Sharon Crossett

Matilda (top), adopt-ed via RSPCA Albury and Patch, adopted via Albury-Wodonga Animal Rescue

Rebecca Fraser-Goring

Through the LensPETS

My daughter Alarah with 'Ruby' the children's python snake (not our pet but an animal we met at playgroup this week with Reptiles Up Close). 'Best Friends" my son Nicholas with Foxy, his grandma's dog

Sharon Gwyn

Meet the busy snails.

Together Matilda & Patch

Not really my pet ...

Foxys best friend.

Any talents As a kitten she used to kick around a small ball with a bell in it, and would play soccer with you if you kicked it back to her and as she has gotten older, she loves helping with uni work.

Through the LensPETS

Who are/is your pet/s? Cat Midori (Dori)How long have you been together? I got Dori at 8 weeks old in February 2007Age of pet? Nearly 5 (adult) years was born in December 2006What is special about them to you? Loves green enviro shopping bags, or any other bag/suitcase (attached photo)!

Introducing Dori.

Sarah Mawby

The Sandra and Jeremy MenagerieMonty and Gabby in their prime. Monty was a street dog, when we found him up his paws were cut and swollen he was with us for 11 years and we think that he was about one when we adopted him. He passed away suddenly from heart failure earlier in the year.

Gabby had been with me for 16 years (longer than my husband) she passed away in her sleep three weeks ago. They loved life on the property. Gabs was a swimmer she would get a stick from the dam for hours. Monty would run up the side ready to rescue her, except he would only get his feet wet. Monty was a Foxie X and Gabby a Kelpie X.We are getting a miniature foxie in two weeks time.

Coco passed away on Palm Sunday this year, she was at least 36 and we had been with us for seven years. A beautiful, gentle, cuddly donkey.

Timmy Tiger Twoshoes - we found him at 3 weeks of age in our shed, alone, hungry and frightened. This phot at six weeks..

A few months ago expressing his thoughts on study. He has a huge fluffy tail and rules the house.

Meshak and Marnie

There are also 8 bunnies. This photo was whn 5 were little. I fi-nally sorted out who the boys were so no more baby bunnies. Although they all live together.

SandraStewart

Lady who has been with us for three weeks. She is a Border Collie Cross Kelpie. We got her 4 days after we lost Gabby. She had been advertised for over a month and we hadnt thought about another dog then. She was waiting for us to need her for her forever home. She is nearly 5 months old. This was taken the first night that we had her.

Puppy whom we have had since he was 2 months old was a con job from our vet. He is almost 3 now. Puppy knows that he is the only dog in the world and even if there were others he would be the cutest. Favourit trick: Picking up dried donkey poo in his mouth and running around in circles

Marnie and Meshak now best friends. Coco was Meshaks soul mate. Both donkey sanctuary donkeys who love cuddles and human company. Marnie is about 30 and has been with us a little over a year. Meshak is about 34. They are the most wonderful creatures and are wronged by their reputation.

Players Players Progress we have had her for 7 years. She is 27 although our farrier thinks from the grey and teeth wear that she may be 37. She is another cuddle bub. My study is the window at the left.

Shumba the senior cat we have had him since six weeks and he is almost 12. All of our cats have an obsession with draping.

Kia (Kiara) 23 year old quarter horse with us for 6 years. Eat-ing is what she does best.

Here is a picture of me when I first came to the Zauner-De Ville household, and they called me Jack because I kept trying to jump out of my box on the way home in the car. I just wanted to see the world, and who my new mummies were.

Here is a picture of me at about 5 months old. I was playing in the back yard, and suddenly decided to sit down and have my photo taken. Unfortunately, Mummy AJ didnt have her camera on her, but I sat patiently and waited for her to go and get her camera and take some photos. Honestly, humans are so slow when it comes to these things, but I was patient, and it shows how wonderfully photogenic I am.

This one is a photo of me after I... well... had my boy-bits taken away. Not. Happy. Jan.

Hi, my name is Jack, and I live with AJ and Kai and my sister Rei in a lovely house in Wagga.

This one is of me and my toys. I think I was playing and got really really tired and just fell asleep.

This is me doing commando rolls on the floor. I do this quite frequently... it feels good. I also do it on the couch, and on the Mummies bed.. but dont tell them that.

This one is of me and Rei just hanging on the couch. We do this a lot. I love hanging out with Rei.

And I know that this last one isnt of me, but Rei really does do the best impression of a meerkat Ive ever seen.

Jacks Page

Jack & AJZauner -De Ville

Rehas Brag!!

Reha came into our lives in August 2009 as a beautiful little chocolate English Staffordshire terrier. Spoilt from day 1, she has come to a routine of sleeping during the day and playing from 3.30 in the afternoon when her Grampy picks her up! She is my inlaws first grandpuppy! She is very much loved and is a joy to the whole family. A puppy pre-school drop out, Reha goes everywhere with us, and loves going to the markets and meeting all the people and kids and other dogs, weve made sure she is extremely socialised and well behaved when were out and about. She has played in the snow, loves swimming in the beach, loves the swimming pool and just wants to be with her family! She also loves the tennis ball, and will chase it until she falls down. She loves bush walking and wont go far out of your sight before running back to see whats taking you so long! She is now 2, and very cheeky and has a lot of attitude!

Krystal Brosz

Through the LensPETS

This is my pet Sally. I got her from the Animal Welfare League SA when she was 12 months old, she is now nearly 7. I was told she is a Rotty X, but I now think (as do many vets) that she is a Kelpe X.

Left: This is Sal shortly after I go her, when I was determined she was not going to be on the furniture!!!

Sally has Separation Anxiety. In the mornings when I leave for work I prepare her treat toys, she gets four every morning, one of which is a kong. Fortunately she totally loves vegetables, so they are the main kong filling that I use. She loves to sit on the couch with me, and frets if I am at the computer for too long; sometimes she will try to climb onto my lap which doesnt really work when Im sitting in a computer chair. Im going out tonight for the first time in a long time, and the vet has given me some Valium to calm her down so she doesnt keep my neighbours awake all night.

Right: A more recent shot, on a cold morning. Shes

still not allowed on the bed though. Well, except for the

occasional weekend morning.

Tired after playing with a toy.

Sal also does not like other dogs, I have to walk her where and when no one else walks. Im constantly on look out for other dogs. A couple of weeks ago she was so frantic when two ladies were running towards us with their dog that, as they ran past she slipped out of her walking harness and ran after them. I think she just wanted to play though . . .

She will tolerate my parents dog Bruce, as long as he doesnt get too close to me, and as long as he is ok with her occasionally stealing his ball (the only time she will play with the ball is when Bruce is going after it. If hes not around she ignores it).

Sally and Rebecca Colles

1. Sit on sofa. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your elbow as though you were going to give a bottle to a baby. Talk softly to it. 2.Withrighthand,positionrightforefingerandthumboneithersideofcat'smouthandgentlyapplypressuretocheekswhileholdingpillinrighthand.(bepatient)Ascatopensmouthpoppillintomouth.Allowcattoclosemouthandswallow.Droppillintomouth.Letgoofcat,noticingthedirectionitruns. 3.Pickthepillupoffthefloorandgogetthecatfrombehindsofa.Cradlecatinleftarmandrepeatprocess.Sitonfloorinkitchen,wraparmaroundcatasbefore,droppillinmouth.Letgoofcat,noticingthedirection it runs. 4.Retrievecatfrombedroom,andthrowsoggypillaway.Scootacrossfloortopickuppill,andgofindthecat.Bringitbackintothekitchen.Takenewpillfromfoilwrap,cradlecatinleftarmholdingrearpawstightlywithlefthand.Forcejawsopenandpushpilltobackofmouthwithrightforefinger.Holdmouthshutforacountoften.Droppillintomouth. 5.Pryclawsfrombacklegsoutofyourarm.Gogetthecat,pickuphalf-dissolvedpillfromflooranddropit into garbage can. 6.Retrievepillfromgoldfishbowlandcatfromtopofcloset.Callspousefrombackyard.Kneelonfloorwithcatwedgedfirmlybetweenknees,holdfrontandrearpaws.Ignorelowgrowlsemittedbycat.Getspousetoholdheadfirmlywithonehandwhileforcingwoodenrulerintomouth.Droppilldownrulerandrubcat'sthroatvigorously. 7.Retrievecatfromcurtainrod,getanotherpillfromfoilwrap.Makenotetobuynewrulerandrepaircurtains.CarefullysweepshatteredDoultonfiguresfromhearthandsettoonesideforgluinglater. 8.Getspousetolieoncatwithheadjustvisiblefrombelowarmpit.Putpillinendofdrinkingstraw,forcemouthopenwithpencilandblowdowndrinkingstraw. 9.Checklabeltomakesurepillnotharmfultohumans,drinkglassofwatertotaketasteaway.ApplyBand-Aidtospouse'sforearmandremovebloodfromcarpetwithcoldwaterandsoap. 10.Retrievecatfromneighbor'sshed.Getanotherpill.Placecatincupboardandclosedoorontonecktoleaveheadshowing.Forcemouthopenwithdessertspoon.Flickpilldownthroatwithrubberband. 11.Fetchscrewdriverfromgarageandputdoorbackonhinges.Applycoldcompresstocheekandcheckrecordsfordateoflasttetanusshot.ThrowT-shirtawayandfetchnewonefrombedroom. 12.Callfiredepartmenttoretrievecatfromtreeacrosstheroad.Apologizetoneighborwhocrashedintofencewhileswervingtoavoidcat.Takeanotherpillfromfoilwrap. 13.Tiecat'sfrontpawstorearpawswithgardentwineandbindtightlytolegofdiningtable,findheavydutypruningglovesfromshed,forcecat'smouthopenwithsmallspanner.Pushpillintomouthfollowedbylargepieceoffilletsteak.Holdheadverticallyandpouronecupofwaterdownthroattowashpilldown. 14.Getspousetodriveyoutotheemergencyroom,sitquietlywhiledoctorstitchesfingersandforearmandremovespillremnantsfromrighteye.Callatfurnitureshoponwayhometoordernewtable. 15.Getlastpillfrombottle.Gointobathroomandgetafluffytowel.Stayinthebathroomwiththecat,andclose the door. 16.Sitonbathroomfloor,wraptowelaroundkitty,leavingonlyhisheadexposed.Cradlekittyinthecrookofyourarm,andpickuppilloffofcounter. 17.Retrievecatfromtopofshowerdoor(youdidn'tknowthatcatscanjump5feetstraightupintheair,didyou?),andwraptowelarounditalittletighter,makingsureitspawscan'tcomeoutthistime.Withfingersateithersideofitsjaw,pryitopenandpoppillintomouth.Quicklyclosemouth(his,notyours). 18.Sitonfloorwithcatinyourlap,strokingitunderthechinandtalkinggentlytoitforatleastahalfhour,while the pill dissolves. 19.Unwraptowel,openbathroomdoor.Washoffscratchesinwarmsoapywater,combyourhair,andgofindsomethingtooccupyyourtimefor7-1/2hours. 20. Arrange for RSPCA to get cat and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How to give your cat a pill...

This appears in a lot of places this one from: http://www.nanceestar.com/CatPill.html

Book Review

My favourite book of all time, the book you read between books, the book you take on a plane/train/bus is THE LADIES OF MISSALONGHI by COL-LEEN McCULLOUGH.

The time is just before World War 1, set in a small town in the Blue Mountains near Sydney. The main character is Missy Hurlingford who lives with her widowed mother and maiden aunt in the house called Missalonghi. The town was run by the wealthy Hurlingford clan but if you were part of the Hurlingford clans manless women you were bullied, pitied, exploited and patronized.

A stranger, John Smith, moved into the nearby bushlands and Missys dreary existence changed because of this

Each time I read this book I find something extra that I had missed beforehand. I feel sure that you will enjoy this book.Bev Hennessy

Where the acedemic worm takes a break.

Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognise a mistake when you make it again.

What do you see here?

This one is quite tricky! The Word TEACH reflects as the word LEARN.

QUESTIONS THAT HAUNT ME!

Can you cry under water? How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered? What disease did cured ham actually have? How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage? Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up like every two hours? If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from? If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons? Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune? Why did you just try singing the two songs above? If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes? Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized? How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

The Ladies Of Missalonghi By Colleen Mccullough.

These email gems were contributed by Liz Koschitzke some time ago but my non-filing system let me down.... sorry LizSandra Editor

The Edgy CardThis is a variant of Super Tunnel Vision, but its so prevalent it needs a special mention. Do you dis-like one of this persons jokes or artworks? Its not because its bad or poorly done or doesnt make any sense. Its because YOU DONT GET IT, MAN. Its too ironic for you to understand, or possibly its so offensive that your puritan sensibilities reject it. It must be one or the other. http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/

Movie Review Main cast: Hugo Weaving, Emily Watson and David Wenham

Oranges and Sunshine tells the story of Margaret Hum-phreys, a social worker from Nottingham, who uncovered one of the most significant social scandals in recent times: the forced migration of children from the United Kingdom. Almost singlehandedly, against over-whelming odds and with little regard for her own well-being, Margaret reunited thousands of families, brought authorities to account and worldwide attention to an extraordinary miscar-

riage of justice. She dis-covered a secret that the British government had kept hidden for years: one hundred and thirty thousand children in care had been sent abroad to commonwealth coun-tries, mainly Australia. Children as young as

four had been told that their parents were dead, and been sent to children's homes on the other side of the world. Many were subjected to ap-palling abuse. They were promised oranges and sunshine, they got hard labour and life in institutions. I had no idea what this movie was about but am glad that I saw it. I never knew that our government, as well as the British government, exported children right up until 1972 . . . I was alive then and I thought society was civilised, but obviously it wasnt, in fact far from it. This atrocious ex-porting of children from England to Australia (part of the White Australia policy) reminded me of the book/movie A Rabbit-Proof

Fence. Again, children (indig-enous) were taken far away from their parents (often being told they werent wanted) and so many ended up being abused and all were traumatised from being removed from their families. This also happened up until the 1970s. I dont feel terribly good about being an Australian. Anyway, it is worth seeing as long as you dont have any similar childhood experiences as it would be too emotional. As a mother of 3 (beautiful!!) sons, (18, 16 & 12), I thought I would get upset but I saw it as con-firmation that what happens to you as a child, does affect you for the rest of your life, even if you dont want it to (yes, I am studying psychology!!). It also shows that you may be a humble Social Worker (in this movie), or humble anyone, but you can and must stand up for wrongs that have been done to others who are not able to stand up for themselves. Empowerment it is a great feeling!

Liz Koschitzke

Super Tunnel VisionSo theyve dismantled your arguments and shredded all your points. Have they taken every-thing away from you? No! You still have your dig- no wait, thats gone. There must be something though! Aha! Someone mentioned you made a grammar error. Attack it with all your might! Surely this is the foundation of all their argu-ments. Dont get distracted by the evidence or anything, man! Eyes on the prize!http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/

BUSHFIRE The young mothers sharp hearing detected the distant sound, so she paused, but determined that no action was required. She continued grazing on the small patch of sweet green grass that she knew would give both her and the baby nutrition. She remained oblivious to the unfolding inferno. Closer to the nucleus the hillside was now red with fury. Fiery sparks soared upward into the clear night sky, it became lit with the flashes, glows and shimmers of an exotic dance. Eucalyptus giants exploded, bringing their structures hurtling to the ground and spreading deadly tentacles of fire further outward to catch and light tired and dried undergrowth. The flames grabbed at the dry vegetation, transforming it to a fiery red dragon of flames moving with unsurpassed urgency and aggression, determined to conquer and destroy in its mission to sustain its own life. The fires force pushed the flames upward to lash at tree limbs, producing an inescapable antenna of havoc. Nocturnal creatures tried in vain to flee. Arboreal mammals such as possums and koalas journeyed upward to a higher space as instructed by their instincts. This knowledge would normally have saved them but instead they found themselves captured by the brutal force of the flames. Their hearts pounded in fear, their lungs burned as they inhaled smoke and cinders with each desperate grasp for life. They felt excruciating pain as scorching flames burned their tender skin. For many the end was swift. Diurnal birds awakened, powerless to flee in the dark, their safe nests became tombs of death.

Fingers of light stretched vainly over the hill attempting to deliver the last tentative moments of heat that had scalded the earth throughout the still and scorching daylight hours. All animal life had sought refuge where it could, as far away from the unrelenting furnace of rays as possible. The heats intensity had made breathing difficult and activity near to impossible. The departure of the setting sun gave little relief to an earth that had spent long hours absorbing its intense heat.Her day though, had been spent restfully; being a creature of the night had its advantages during summer, an earthen underground abode provided cool shelter from the prevailing ground temperature. She had rested in comfort, waking only occasionally to appease an itch or feel the movement of her growing baby. With a scratch, a sigh and a change of position her blissful subterranean slumber resumed whilst the heat of day continued.

She remained in her home until light had surrendered to darkness. At the entrance she lifted her head to smell and feel the air on her rounded sensitive nose. The night was cool enough and she stepped into a moonlit night where golden beams filtered through the eucalypt canopy.Further afield atop an insignificant hill the world, as she knew it, was about to change. The stillness was ruptured by an explosion, a thunderous boom that ricocheted through the still night air.

As the inferno spread with increasing ferocity and speed the wombat became alerted to the thickening of the air and its pungent odour by her acute sense of smell. Her hearing had detected that stillness was being overtaken by crackling, crashing and an intense sound of like but not the same as wind. Immediately she realised that she must leave her pleasurable feeding ground and return to the burrow where she would be safe under the ground. Survival was her first instinct, the lives of herself and her joey must be protected. She fled with the swiftness of an Olympic sprinter not allowing events around her to distract her from her flight. As she ran she felt sharp stings and her skin felt as though she was being attacked by a nest of meat ants. Unknown to her the bushfire had changed direction; she was no longer just fleeing from danger but also speeding towards its death like flames. The out of control blaze had acquired greater velocity; it was becoming more merciless and driven in its intensity. The areas already devoured by its unyielding force now stood as charred remains, blackened mausoleums of death. Kangaroos and wallabies that had escaped the first onslaught raced past her, cockatoos squawked and screeched overhead to warn their flocks of the danger. Occasionally a lifeless individual would fall from the sky to land in front of her. Nothing stopped her. She continued to run despite the pain in her legs, the tightness of her burning lungs and her wombat bodys exhausted reaction to the severe heat. The smell of burning flesh reminded her that surrendering was not a choice.

She knew that her burrow was near and with one final burst of adrenalin she lunged toward it and fled inside it travelling to her deep chamber whilst the fire sped over its earthen shield. Two days later, sore, frightened and hungry she felt that it was safe to leave her burrow. She knew that her joey was dead; she could not feel it move. She had communicated with its lifeless form using the gentle tssh, tssh, tssh that she used in life. Eventually she mourned its loss his tiny lungs not yet formed enough to endure the smoke he had been forced to inhale.

The atmosphere was cooler although still thick with smoke, but where was she? Even in moonlight the once familiar landscape was black. She recognised no familiar smells; it was a silent world except for the scrunching noise from her burnt pads on the ground where no vegetation remained. She moved slowly, each step excruciatingly painful as ashes and cinders branded her paws with their remaining life. She had no orientation, all the landmarks that she was accustomed to had gone, her senses detected nothing familiar about this world nothing to tell her where she was.

In bewildered shock she persisted with moving forward driven by her hunger and thirst her necessity to survive in what once had been a safe world of abundance.

(c) Sandra J Stewart 2010This story was entered in the CWA of NSW Short Story Competition in 2010. It was awarded first place and published in The Country Woman Journal

BUSHFIRE

Skull & Cross Bones Section

CUTLASSREQUIRED

Women pirates were a relatively rare occurrence but nether-the-less some female pirates did exist. Wom-en were considered to be an undesirable addition to a pirate ship. All famous pirates had their own Pirate Code of Conduct which was agreed between the crew and Captain. These codes were governed by their own laws, called Articles. Article VI of the Pirate Code agreed by Bartholomew Roberts ( Black Bart ) and his pirate crew in the Shipboard Articles of 1721 stated: No boy or woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man shall be found seducing any of the lat-ter sex and carrying her to sea in disguise he shall suffer death. Women were known to get over such codes by cross-dressing. Females dressed as men in order to seek their fortune, or to follow husbands to sea. The most famous women pirates included Anne Bonney and Mary Read. http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/famous-women-pirates.htm

Famous Women Pirates

Oh no! The pirate

has captured the beautiful

maiden.This is

NOT Anne Bonney

Rebecca Fraser-Goring & Alex

Anne BonnyAnne Bonny (March 8, 1702 possibly April 2224, 1782) was an Irish woman who became a famous female pirate, operating in the Caribbean. While in the Bahamas, Anne Bonny began mingling with pirates in the local taverns. She met the John Calico Jack Rackham, captain of the pirate sloop Revenge, and became his mistress. They had a child in Cuba, although this childs ultimate fate is unknown. Anne rejoined Rackham and continued the pirate life.While she and Rackham were back in New Providence, James Bonny dragged Anne before Governor Rogers, demanding that she be flogged for adultery and returned to him.[4] There was even an offer for Rackham to buy her in a divorce-by-purchase, but Anne refused to be bought and sold like cattle. She was sentenced to the flogging, but later Anne and Rackham escaped to live together as pirates. Anne Rackham, and Mary Read stole the Revenge, then at anchor in Nassau harbour, and put out to sea.Rackham and the two women recruited a new crew. Over the next several months, they were successful as pirates, capturing many ships and bringing in an abundance of treasure. Anne did not disguise herself as a man aboard the Revenge as is often claimed. She took part in combat alongside the men, and the accounts of her exploits present her as competent, effective in combat, and respected by her shipmates. She and Mary Reads name and gender were known to all from the start. Source: Wikipedia: Anne Bonny http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Bonny

Pirate Jokes contributed by: D waine Bai ley

A: Saline, Saline, Over The Seven Seas

Q: What has 8 arms and 8 legs?

A: A buck an ear

A: A nervous wreck

Q: What sits at the bottom of the sea and twitches? Q: Why

are pirates

pirates?

A: They just

arrrrrrr

A man is walking along the docks one day when he sees a pirate with a helmswheel on his crotch. The man goes up to the pirate and says "What's with that wheel you've got down there? Isn't it awkward?" To which the pirate responds "Y'arr - It's drivin' me nuts."

A: Eight pirates!Q: How much does it cost a pirate to get a piercing?

Q: What is this?

NaCl NaCl------------

A: It's rated ARRRR for all the booty

Q: Have you heard about the latest Pirates movie?

The Pity RiposteWhen someone starts throwing out words like droll and pathetic and amused and generally trying to talk like a wealthy Bond villain, he comes across less like the confident, cigar smoking fellow he is imagining and more like a man who has been pantsed attempting to convince clothed people that they are the ones that should feel foolish. http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/

Pirate Code of Conduct http://w w w.el izab ethan- era.org.uk/pirate - co de - con-duc t .htm

The Pirate Co de of Conduc t! A Pirate ship required a level of discipl ine and a Pirate Co de of Conduc t. The Pirate Co de of Conduc t was an imp or tant agreement b et ween the Pirate Captain and his crew. The Pirate Co de of Conduc t consisted of a numb er of agreements b et ween the Captain and pirate crew which were cal led A r t i -c les. The Pirate Co de of Conduc t was necessar y as pirates were not governed by any other rules such as Naval regulations. Pirate captains were elec ted and could lose their p osit ion for abuse of their authorit y. The captain enjoyed few privi leges:

The Captain or any other Off icer is al lowed no more [food] than another man, nay,the Captain cannot keep his Cabbin to himself.An example of the Pirate Code of Conduc t dealt with the following subjec ts:Pirate Co de of Conduc t 1 - Equal Voting R ightsPirate Co de of Conduc t 2 - Fair share of the lo ot and pirates punishments for those who cheatedPirate Co de of Conduc t 3 - G ambling was bannedPirate Co de of Conduc t 4 - No l ights at night - a pirates s leep should not b e disturb edPirate Co de of Conduc t 5 - Each pirate was resp onsible for the upkeep of their weap onsPirate Co de of Conduc t 6 - No B oys or women al lowed on b oardPirate Co de of Conduc t 7 - Penalt y for D eser t ionPirate Co de of Conduc t 8 - No f ighting b et ween pirates on b oard the shipPirate Co de of Conduc t 9 - A Pension according to the severit y of woundsPirate Co de of Conduc t 10 - Shares of the lo ot or b o ot yPirate Co de of Conduc t 11 - Musicians avai lable to play when required!These Pirate codes of conduc t ensured a well-run and harmonious ship!

Pirate Code of Conduct Bartholomew Roberts Shipboard Articles 1721ARTICLE II - Every man shall be called fairly in turn by the list on board of prizes, because over and above their proper share, they are allowed a shift of clothes. But if they defraud the company to the value of even one dollar in plate, jewels or money, they shall be marooned. If any man rob another he shall have his nose and ears slit, and be put ashore where he shall be sure to encounter hardships.ARTICLE IV - The lights and candles should be put out at eight at night, and if any of the crew desire to drink after that hour they shall sit upon the open deck without lights.ARTICLE VIII - None shall strike another on board the ship, but every man's quarrel shall be ended on shore by sword or pistol in this manner. At the word of command from the quartermaster, each man being previously placed back to back, shall turn and fire immediately. If any man do not, the quarter-master shall knock the piece out of his hand. If both miss their aim they shall take to their cutlasses, and he that draweth first blood shall be declared the victor.ARTICLE IX - No man shall talk of breaking up their way of living till each has a share of l,000. Every man who shall become a cripple or lose a limb in the service shall have 800 pieces of eight from the com-mon stock and for lesser hurts proportionately.ARTICLE X - The captain and the quartermaster shall each receive two shares of a prize, the master gun-ner and boatswain, one and one half shares, all other officers one and one quarter, and private gentle-men of fortune one share each. http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/pirate-code-conduct.htm

For All the Teachers.......Polly The PiratePolly is at Pirate School,She goes there everydayShes mad and bad and smellyA perfect pirate in every way.

Shes top of the class at everythingShes better than all the boysIt was no surprise when she won the PrizeFor Making an Appalling Noise.

Shes good at Swords and DaggersAnd can draw a mean Black SpotBut her very best thing, is to pick and flingA great green ball of snot

She cheats at tests, and bribes the swotsAnd poisons the school milkTo get best marks at Being NiceWhich is always difficult.

Yes Polly is a charmer,The best Pirate in the ranksShed capture all the parentsAnd make them walk the plank

Now Pollys in the school yard, You really ought to meet her Shes got grey hair and an eye patchAnd a badge which says Head Teacher?.

http://www.walktheplank.org.uk/pirate_

The Innocent QuestionClassic passive-aggression technique with the easy fallback of I was just asking questions! which plays critics off as suppressors of ideas and criti-cal thinking. Questions include, Can this 9/11video I just stumbled upon be real???? See, because theyre not saying it isnt real, theyre ASKING. http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/

The Passive-Aggressive ApologyWhat better way of looking like a big man than by saying youre sorry? You didnt actually have to be sorry, or admit you did anything wrong, or stop arguing or insulting people. As long as you use the word sorry its clearly an apology, and anyone who complains that you havent stopped doing what you are apologising for, and havent even admitted it, is a bad person who cant let things go. http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/

PuffinsShetland Islands

2008Photos by Helen Tait

AdverbCascading in my heartwhy?

I watch herconstantlyit has to be done

to keep her safe

an orchestra ofnotes caused thisshattered the corepoisoned the music

why?

no different, never the sameindividualtargeted...lost

an orchestra ofpoisoned notesshattered her core

why?

by Dream

Green Cleaning wi th BevDo all your cleaning with these 4 household items: 1. Bicarbonate of SodaFor abrasive cleaning, scouring, stain removal, deo-dorising and water softening. 2. VinegarFor disinfecting, cleaning, deodorising, grease removal, whitening, wood and vinyl cleaning. 3. Bar of Soap(Soap flakes or a simple bar of laundry soap). For general cleaning and grease removal. 4. Eucalyptus OilFor disinfecting, stain removal and general cleaning. Clean cheaply, successfully and safely PLUS replace the following commercial cleaning products: Oven Cleaner - Dish-washing Detergent - Laundry Detergent - Carpet Deodorant - Surface Spray-Floor Cleaner - Carpet Shampoo - Wooden Surface Cleaners - Surface Sprays & Cleaners -Abrasive Cleaners - Bathroom Cleaner - Mould Re-mover - Disinfectant - Toilet Cleaner - DrainCleaner - Window Cleaner - Water Softener - Pre-wash Stain Remover. You'll never have to walk down the cleaning lane at the supermarket again!!

Homemade DisinfectantHalf fill a recyled plastic bottle (an old vinegar bottle is ideal) with cheap (white) vinegar. Fill theremainder of the bottle with water. Add four drops eucalyptus oil and 2 drops green food coloring.Apply lid and shake. For Lavender disinfectant use lavender oil and pink/purple colouring

Carpet Carpet Deodoriser in recycled jar.Three-quarter fill a clean medium-sized jar with bicarbonate soda. Add 6 drops eucalyptus or lavender oil.Apply lid. Shake well to blend. Leave 24 hours of the perfume to permeate the bicarbonate soda. Punchholes into the lid of the jar to form a sprinkle-top container. To Use: Sprinkle onto the carpet area,focussing specifically on areas that require extra deodorising. Leave 30 mintes - then vacuum or brush off. Economical Soap Jelly(Turning a bar of soap into 20 litres of soap jelly)Grate one bar of soap. Put one half in one 10 litre bucket. Put the other half of grated soap in another bucket.Add half a cup washing soda and 2 litres of boil-ing water to each bucket. Stir both buckets until mixturehas dissolved. Top each bucket up to full with water. Leave to cool. Use approx. 1 cup of mix to full wash tub (for clothes) OR use to wash dishes (in place of detergent) Or as a liquid hand wash or hair shampoo. Ref. www.theshoppe.com.au Submitted by Bev Hennessy

How to Combat Internet ArgumentTechniquesThe important thing to remember is that you are dealing with a person who has essentially placed a twig on their head and expects you to believe they are a tree. Armored in that level of "confidence," almost anything you say will be construed by them as evidence that their tree disguise is working, so you will have to be very specific and to the point in addressing exactly what they're doing and why it's not fooling anyone. Chances are they will just end up plac-ing more twigs on their head, praying fervently that this will succeed, but at least you gave it your best shot. http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/ The other idea is not to respond at all and not even read the posts.

Shaggys Recycled CraftSystem-card box

Materials* box, a detergent, or food box* glue - pva, impasto/textured paste, stick glue* paint - any type* bubble wrap* scalpel* paper from old book* buttons* wire off spiral notebook* staples* clips/ safety pins* old zipper* rub-ons* fake flowers* cardboard for dividers, I used the cover of a notebook* tape, masking tape and doublesided tape*stamp, stamp pad* old envelope*lace*bits n bobs Method Detergent box I painted with gesso, then another layer of yellow paint. I stuck down bubblewrap, and painted over that and added more paint to rest of boxI added a strip of note paper to lid, then stuck down a zipper, and stapled this to keep it secure.For the flower/button decoration I threaded buttons and flower onto the spiral off the notebook, cut

to size.I then punched a hole into the box, and poked through the wire, I stuck this down with tape.I cut a piece of card to act as a locking device on the front of the box, sta-pled this in placeI then added the various clips, bits n bobs, rub-ons and buttons to the box.Finally I then cut out dividing cards to fit the box

Food Boxcut a slit 15 cm from base of box, leave a hinge at back, stick down any opened ends with double sided tape* Paint/decorate the box how ever you like.I stuck down pages from an old book, using PVA glue to the outside of boxI then painted the box with gold paintI then added the impasto/texture paste with a paddlepop stick all over the box, once dried I hightlight-ed this, using my finger, with blue paint to give a raised effect.I then made a flower out of the buttons and wire as I did for the other box.I then stamped a butterfly onto the inside of an envelope, once dry I cut this out and stuck it to the top of the box using the inside dome structure of a fake flowerI then added the buttons, stamps, clips and safety pins.To make a lock for this box,I added a shanked button, punched through the box and secured with a safety pin. I then added lace to the lid as a loop. Shaggy :)

July ColouringJess Leard

Sandra Stewart

Sharon Crossett

Colouring - Celebrate Spring

Email letters to the Editor & submissions to:

theden@live.com.au

Topics for SeptemberSpring

Volunteer ExperiencesHave you ever volunteered? Tell us about

it it?Where?

With Whom?For how long and what did you do?

High and low points of this particular volunteering experience.

Regulars

DE CraftBook Review

Movie ReviewMeet other DE students

Come on, dont be shy, tell usyour story..

Your Colouring PageSend in the completed

masterpiece. Book ReviewsMovie Reviews

Its your newsletter, sendme suggestions.

Sandra Stewart. Editor

Acknowledgements: Photos sourced from stock.xchng http://www.sxc.hu/home Printmaster Platinum 18. All other photographs and graphics as acknowledged.

Spring PhotographySpring Craft

Spring StoriesMy favourite place to

visit in AustraliaWhy you like it.

Where it is (you can keep it secret if you like)

When you go there.The best thing about it.

Would you change anything about it?If so, What?

In keeping with this months Pets theme:

Your favouite or funny animal story.

Mystery PhotoCreate a Mystery Photo - well stay with

the animal theme and send both the original and the mystery to me The

DEN

REMEMBER: September 19th isInternational Talk Like A Pirate

Dayhttp://www.talklikeapirate.com/