the den - october | 2012

The DEN Issue 35 October, 2012 1

THEDENDEN

Distance Education Newsletter

Issue 35October 2012

The CSU Distance Education Newsletter

FeaturesBreast Cancer AwarenessMental Health MonthFire Safety for SummerCaz’s TomatoesThe Romantics

CSUDistance Ed

CSU Global BlogsEquity and Diversity

RegularsQuiz

2 The DEN Issue 35 October 2012

From The EditorIssue 35, October 2012

Caroline Allen, Ron Collingridge, Susan Laverick

Cover PICTURESusan Laverick

Welcome

We have gone pink this month as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Susan Laverick has almost become a regular contributor. She is a CSU student who lives in Switzerland and gives those of us who are stuck at home a glimpse of what we believe to be a more exotic life.

As this semester draws to a close I hope that everybody gains the marks that they deserve and want. By studying through Distance Education we take a differ-ent road to achieve our academic roles and each and everyone of us should be proud of the work that we are doing.

As many of you know I belong to the Country Women’s Association of New South Wales and in 2013 we will be studying sharks, so we have a shark quiz to get you in the mood for summer swimming.

A big thank you to Ron Collingridge for his timely and important feature on Fire Safety for Summer. Part 2 will occur in the November DEN.

To all those students who are graduating in December - congratulations and don’t forget to send photos for The DEN.

Please try to contribute one of last month’s contributors was quite excited. “Woohoo! I made it into the newsletter! Yay for me!”

So think about it, see your ideas or photos in print; it is your newsletter and I need your contributions to make it more interesting.

Until next month, happy semester III or enjoy the break.

Sandra J Stewart

CONTRIBUTORS


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.

email letters to the Editor & submissions to [email protected]

FEATURES

8. National Breast Cancer FoundationBreast Cancer Facts

9. Mental Health MonthCelebrate, Connect, Grow

10. The RomanticsSusan Laverick

13. Caz’s Tomatoes

14. Fire Safety for SummerPart 1 by Ron Collingridge

REGULARS

4. Distance EdComics from his Facebook page.

6. CSU Student NewsEquity and Diversity

7. CSU Global Exchange ProgramStudent Blogs

12. QuizShark Quiz

"I feel like such a city slicker, being excited to see food growing rather than on the supermarket

shelf." p13

“also, the Shelle ménage à trois: prodi-giously talented Sir Percy Bysshe Shel-ley, his eighteen-year old wife, Mary, (La Wollstonecraft’s daughter, seduced when she was just sixteen) and her lovely step-sister, Claire.” p10

A bush fire can be a terrifying situation. Strong gusty winds,

intense heat and flames will make you

tired quickly. p14

Growing by expand-ing our horizons and trying something new that creates meaning

and purpose.p9

In this Issue


Distance EDhttps:/ /www.facebook.com/DistanceEDatCSU

Distance Ed


Distance Ed


Equity & Diversity at CSU (Charles Sturt University)Brand new Job Centre Australia Disability Foundation Scholarship. Open to both On Campus and Distance Ed students with a disability, any year, any course.

Like other Foundation scholarships it closes 12 November for Continuing students and 10 Feb-ruary for new students! Other Foundation scholarships for students with a disability include the Douglas Schneider Memorial Scholarship.

Equity and Commonwealth Scholarships final applications close on the 30th November via UAC website http://www.uac.edu.au/equity.

DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR CHANCE FOR A SCHOLARSHIP IN 2013 - APPLY TODAY!

CSU Student News

http://www.csu.edu.au/courses/fees-and-costs/help-with-costs/scholarships/foundation/any-year/job-cen-tre-australia-disability-scholarship#tab3

CSU Student News


CSU Student NewsCSU Global Student Blogs

http://csu-global-blog.csu.edu.au/

Follow the blogs of CSU global students as they blog about their study and work experiences overseas. Check out the CSU global website to see how you can become a CSU global

student.TO FIND OUT HOW VISIT CSU GLOBAL

http://www.csu.edu.au/csuglobal

CSU Student News


National Breast Cancer FoundationBreast Cancer Facts

* Breast Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Australia.** 1 in 8 women will develop breast can-cer* By 2020 an average of 47 women every day are predicted to be diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia.** More than two in three cases of breast cancer occur in women aged between 40 and 69 years.* On average, seven women die from breast cancer every day in Austra-lia. Finding breast cancer early increases the chance of surviving the disease.** Although rare, breast cancer can also affect men. 113 men were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. This is approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases.

Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer have an 89% chance of

surviving 5 years after diagnosis.

Improvements in survival are attributed to earlier detection of breast cancer through regular mammograms

One in 688 men will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

What is Breast Cancer?“Breast cancer is a malignant tumour that originates in the cells of the breast. Cancer develops when cells grow abnormally and multiply. These abnormal cells develop into cancerous growths that can, in some cases, spread (metastasise) to other areas of the body. Breast cancer occurs predominantly in females, although men can also develop the disease, accounting for approximately 1% of cases.” http://www.bcna.org.au/sites/default/files/bcna_current_stats_oct_2012_0.pdf

Why is early detection important?

Approximately 5-10% of breast cancers are due to a known

genetic mutation or a strong familyhistory.

“If breast cancer can be detected early, subsequent treatment will generally result

in better healthoutcomes.2 Benefits of early detection may include increased survival and/or

improved quality of life due to less inva-sive treatment.” http://www.cancersa.org.au/cms_resources/PS-Early_detection_of_breast_cancer_reviewed_May04_up-

dated_Jun09.pdf

“Cancer Council Australia has three recom-mendations for women for the early detec-tion of breast cancer:1. If you are aged 50–69, have a mammo-gram every two years through BreastScreen Australia.(If you are aged over 40 you may choose to attend BreastScreen. If you are aged over 70 you should discuss the role of continuing mammography with your doc-tor. Mammography is not recommended for women aged less than 40.)2. Be ‘Breast Aware’ by familiarising your-self with the normal look and feel of your breasts.3. See a doctor immediately if you notice any unusual breast changes.”

Recommendations

Breast Cancer


– Celebrate, Connect, Grow

Mental Health Month, October

Mental Health Month (MHM) is a national mental health promo-

tion campaign held in October each year.

MHM aims to increase awareness and to promote mental health and wellbeing for all people of NSW. Health is just not physical but our mental health is just as important to our wellbeing.

Mental health issues affect more than one in five Australians every year, with anxiety dis-orders being the most common mental health challenge, followed by depression.

Mental Health Month creates an opportunity for people to think about the ways in which we can enhance our social and emotional wellbeing, thereby building our personal

http://www.dhi.health.nsw.gov.au/Transcultural-Mental-Health-Centre/Programs-and-Campaigns/Men-tal-Health-Month/2012/default.aspx

The theme for this year’s MHM is ‘Celebrate, Connect, and Grow’. The campaign will focus on:

Celebrating the positive things in life, as well as the strengths and values that help us through more challenging times.

Connecting with others by paying attention to our close relationships and reaching out and making new friends.

Growing by expanding our horizons and trying something new that creates

http://www.wnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/index.php?select1=Media&mr=398

Ten tips to stress less: Share something that makes you laugh Ask for help Remember we all make mistakes Swim in the ocean or go for a walk with a friend Tell someone you love them Focus more on the things you can control Play your favourite song Do more of what’s important to you Reminisce Celebrate when things go wellhttp://www.hnehealth.nsw.gov.au/news/me-dia_releases/media_releases_current_year/temp10/celebrate,_connect_and_grow_dur-ing_mental_health_month_2012

“There is is still a lot of stigma about mental health conditions, but the truth is that most people will have at least one family member, friend or co-worker who experiences a mental health condition,” Ms Constable said.

“Anxiety and depression are much more common than most people think, and Mental Health Month is about recognising that men-tal health conditions affect a diverse range of people in our community.

“Building strong connections with family and friends is a great way to support each other through mental illness, so the activities planned for this month are a perfect opportu-nity to get together and learn more about how we can all play a part in improving the mental health of our communities.”

Hunter New-England Health-Press Release

Mental Health Month


Yvoire is a bijou, be-flowered medieval village nestling on the very edge of Lake Geneva’s sapphire waters. It attracts tourists year-round thanks to a win-ning combination of historical charm and epicurean hot spots.

Our favourite restaurant might not have a Michelin star but it certainly deserves one: a modest crêperie with simple wooden tables, red-checked plastic tablecloths and crêpes to die for. We might not

return, alas, for we tied puppy’s lead to a chair while demolishing caramelized apple crêpes.

Of course, the folly of trying to keep a hyperactive 15 week old golden retriever

The RomanticsSusan Laverick

safely tethered was instantly apparent when she enthusiastically bounded after an elderly passerby, dragging the chair in her wake, making a crashing din across the cobblestone courtyard. So we slunk away and enjoyed sorbets de fraise by the water, watched by haughty swans and a beseeching puppy.

My thoughts strayed to the English Romantics who, in 1816, abandoned the depressing London summer for Geneva’s more temperate climes. The liberal Swiss welcomed this band of brilliant writers, refusing to condemn the sexual liaisons which had caused such scandal in Blighty.

There was charismatic Lord Byron, (''mad, bad and dangerous to know”, according to the heart-broken Lady Caroline

Lamb), struggling with love for his half-sister, Augusta and a luminous genius which did not suffer fools; also, the Shelley ménage à trois: prodigiously talented Sir Percy Bysshe Shelley, his eighteen-year old wife, Mary, (La Wollstonecraft’s

and enjoyed sorbets de fraise by

the water,

The Romantics


The Romanticsdaughter, seduced when she was just sixteen) and her lovely step-sister, Claire. The Shel-leys found a modest apartment in Geneva, while Lord Byron leased the exquisite Villa Diodati in Cologny. The two households soon congregat-ed at the villa, which suited Byron because he was busy seducing Claire. Above all, Dio-dati’s location on a steep hill ensured seclusion from what Byron cotemptuously termed ‘English boobies’ – the tourists who came to gawk at the poet celebrity. His gorgeous Italianate villa still stands today, although converted into apartments, but its lovely ivory stone walls and moss-green shutters are visible from le route du lac.

So I rather think that had Byron and the Shelleys remained in London, Mary’s Fran-kenstein might not have been penned. It was conceived on a wine and opium-soaked eve-ning, while dramatic summer storms, light-ning and winds from Siberia (la bise) lashed the lake and Jura mountains. The Prisoner of Chillon, a romantic sonnet of chivalry, was inspired after Byron had spent an afternoon sailing on the lake and stopped to visit the lovely

Château de Chillon.

The Romantics loved beauty and iri-descent colour - from Mont Blanc’s icy pearlescent tips, to the lake’s dazzling prism of

cornflower and periwinkle blues, where sky and water often smudge into cerulean turquoise. A wel-come change from the ubiq-uitous grey of London. Perhaps, however, Thomas Henry Graham’s 1818 water colour captures this more

poetically than my clumsy photographs. Susan Laverick

His gorgeous Italianate villa still stands today,

Bio for Susan LaverickDisclaimer: The lovely (Susan’s words she has never met me in person) Sandra insisted on this SLSusan left Sydney after finishing university, hundreds of years ago. After working for an American bank, she needed to perfect her English, so found a niche at the BBC. She heeded her mother’s advice and caught a French-speaking husband. They moved to Switzerland and live in a humpy on the shores of Lake Geneva. Susan returned to Australia (2009-2012) for family reasons during which time she enrolled in a f/t DE post-graduate degree at CSU. She welcomes visitors, particularly those who will dutifully admire her golden retriever puppy*

The Romantics


Shark QuizAs the summer months approach and we all start to go swimming how well do you know sharks?

1. All Sharks are man-eaters.2. Sharks have no bones.3. Sharks sink when they stop swimming.4. Shark skin is soft like human skin.5. A shark’s hunger can be satisfied with one good meal.6. Sharks never lose their teeth.7. Sharks can’t live in fresh water.8. Sharks aren’t fish.9. No shark is smaller than 1 foot long.10. Shark pups go out looking for food on their own.11. More people are killed by bee stings than by shark attacks.12. Sharks will help us find a cure for cancer.13. Sharks are in the middle of the food chain.14.Large sharks may eat rubbish that is in the water.

15. The bull shark can live in both salt and fresh water.16. Name the shark that is extinct and has 6 inch long teeth.17. What does the white shark’s zoological name, Carcharodon carcharias, mean?18. White Sharks in the Pacific grow faster than those in the Atlantic.19. How long do Great White Sharks live?20. What is Great White’s cruising speed? 21. What is its defence or attack speed?22. Do female Great White Sharks lay eggs?23. What is a baby shark called?24. What shape are a Great White’s teeth?25.Is a Great White’s Upper Jaw connected to its skull?

Adapted from http://library.thinkquest.org/J001458/shrkquiz.htm

http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/safari/shark/quiz/quiz.htmlThere is a fun online Ultimate Shark Quiz at http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/sharkweek/ultimate-quiz/ultimate-quiz.html

Shark Quiz


Caz’s Tomatoes

….And look, here they are a few months later. I’m so excited! I was very sceptical that this was actually going to work, but as you can see, I have tomatoes growing. I transplanted a couple of the plants from the pot to the ground, and then when I found that they were actually growing, I planted a few more. Unfortunately I didn’t have room for all of them (I seemed to have thousands of plants!!!), but I’m hoping that these ones will grow and keep me supplied with tomatoes for some time to come. Caroline Allen

My gardening knowledge is some-

what limited. However I’m very excited

about a recent project I undertook. A

few weeks ago I had a tomato in my

fridge which was looking a little the

worse for wear. Rather than toss it in

the bin, I decided to cut it up and bury

the seeds in a pot of potting mix. I then

covered the pot with glad wrap to cre-

ate a greenhouse. I was quite scepti-

cal as to whether anything was going

to happen, but now I have about a

gazillion little tomato plants. Once they

get a bit bigger, and the weather gets

a little warmer, I’m going to plant them

outside and hopefully soon I will have

my own supply of tomatoes.

Caroline A

llen

"Hmmm....now if only I could plant a piece of chocolate and make THAT grow..."

Caz’s Tomatoes


Fire Safety for SummerPart 1 of a two part series by Ron Collingridge

Most of this advice is general in nature.This in-formation is based on NSW systems, and other states may use different terms. For example, catastrophic fire wether in NSW is called Code Red in Victoria. Ron

PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVEBush fires are a natural part of the Australian environment and occur regularly, but many people fail to prepare for them. When threat-ened by bush fires, people will often leave it too late to make critical decisions and often have few safe options left.

This bush fire season is expected to be a busy one compared to previous years. The rain experienced in recent years has lead to increased growth and as this growth dries out, the landscape is more likely to expe-rience fires. Many areas are expect-ing above average fire activity this fire season. You need to know your risk of bush fires. If you live, work or travel in or close to bush-land then you are at risk from a bush fire and need to know what to do should one occur.

In some conditions burning embers can travel many kilometres ahead of the main fire.That’s why you need to

PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE.

The coming fire season is expected to be a difficult one with forecasts predicting a hot and dry late spring and summer.

The Bush Fire Survival Plan booklet will help you to make the important decisions that you need to make well before you are threatened

by a bush fire. Your Bush Fire Survival Plan can help protect the lives of your family and will also give you information about the ways in which you can best prepare your home to survive the threat of a bush fire. They are available from your nearest fire control cen-tre or they can be downloaded from the RFS website. Keep your Bush Fire Survival Plan in a safe place where everyone can see it. Sometimes, no matter how well prepared you are, things don’t go to plan. That’s why, whether you plan to Leave Early or Stay and Defend, you need a back-up plan. Your Bush Fire Survival Plan will help you with this.http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attach-ments/Attachment_BushFireSurvivalPlan

A bush fire can be a terrifying situation. Strong gusty winds, intense heat and flames will make you tired quickly. Thick, heavy smoke will sting your eyes and choke your lungs. It will be difficult to see and breathe. The roaring sound of the fire approaching will deafen you. Embers will rain down, causing spot fires all around you. Power and water may be cut off. You may be isolated. It will be dark, noisy and extremely physi-

cally and mentally demanding.If you have any doubts about your ability to cope, you should plan to

LEAVE EARLY

Fire Safety for Summer


Fire Safety for SummerKnow The Alert LevelsDuring a bush fire Alert Levels are used to give you an indication of the level of threat from a fire – the three Alert Levels are Advice, Watch & Act and Emergency Warning.

During bush fires you may hear these Alert Levels being used on the radio. The NSW RFS website and the Bush Fire Information Line (1800 679 737) will be able to provide you with more

information.During emergencies an Emergency Alert telephone-based warning may also be issued, but fires can often threaten suddenly and there may not always be time. Never wait for a warning

before taking action.The Bush Fire Alerts should be included in your Bush Fire Survival Plan as triggers to Leave

Early or be prepared to Stay and Defend where appropriate



Fire Safety for SummerGrass FiresHigh rainfall over the past few seasons has resulted in a very high fuel load, especially in grass areas. In many areas this fuel has frosted off and cured, resulting in the highest fuel loads seen for some time.

Grass fires can be especially dangerous be-cause they can start quickly and spread rapidly, catching people off-guard. They can be very hot and produce large amounts of heat which can kill anyone caught out in the open.

As previously mentioned, the first step is having a Bush Fire Survival Plan. This will help you not only understand the level of risk in your area but also help you and your family pre-pare for it. Everyone’s Bush Fire Survival Plan will be different, so it’s important to talk about it with your family and ensure everyone in your house knows what your plan is and where you might go during a fire.

You should also prepare yourself by ensuring you have an Emergency Survival Kit, which you can use or take with you if a fire starts. Things you might want to include are a battery pow-ered radio, a torch, spare batteries, first aid kit, candles, woollen blankets, emergency contact numbers and a bag for valuables. You can then add items like clothing, money, ATM cards and medicines if you need to leave before or during a fire.

Once you’ve prepared yourself, you should pre-

pare your property. Things to consider include:

• Having well maintained firebreaks mowed, ploughed, slashed or even grazed along fence lines or around your home, shed and storage areas which can slow a fire’s spread.

• Have a well maintained area around your home, such as lawns, paths or gardens. Keep the grass cut.

• Seal under floor spaces to stop embers entering under your house.

• Make sure you’ve got water for firefighting, in case a fire is on your property. Have water tanks filled and connected to a pump.

• Have a diesel pump. Electric pumps won’t work during a fire if the power goes out. • Store things like fuel or woodpiles well away from your house.

• Check the access to your property. Ensure cattle grids or

bridges can hold the weight of a fire truck.

• Make sure you’ve got adequate levels of insurance for your home, contents, machin-ery and crops or stock.

Machinery such as tractors, slashers, harvest-ers, welders, chainsaws and grinders can start grass fires. To help reduce the risk of fires starting or spreading:

• Check machinery is free from any faults and mechanical defects which could start a fire



Fire Safety for Summer. • Ensure machinery is fitted with an ap-proved spark arrestor.

• Carry a working water fire extinguisher or knapsack.

• Limit the use of equipment during hot, dry and windy conditions.

• Slashers shouldn’t be used unless conditions are mild or are accompanied by an independent means of suppressing a fire.

• Grinders shouldn’t be used unless conditions are mild or the surrounding area is dampened down to prevent an ignition.

These are just some of the things you can do to reduce the risk to your property. Your Bush Fire Survival Plan will give you more sugges-tions on how to reduce the risk.

What to do during a grass fire

If you see a fire, report it immediately to Triple Zero (000). This means we can get the right resources like firefighters and trucks there as quickly as possible. The earlier you report the

fire, the earlier we can get to it and start pro-tect you and your community.

The safest place to be during any fire is well away from it but because grass fires can start and spread so quickly, it’s important you know what to do if a fire starts.Grass fires can generate large amounts of heat, so make sure you protect yourself by covering up all exposed skin with protective clothing like:

• Long sleeved shirt and pants, made from a natural fibre such as cotton.

• Sturdy leather boots and woollen socks. • Leather gloves.

• A wide-brimmed hat.

• A face mask or towel to cover your mouth or nose.

• Eye protection such as goggles.

Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep hydrated and be aware of your level of physi-cal fitness, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and sunburn.Much of this is information gained from the NSW Rural Fire Service.



Shark Quiz answers1. False2. True3. true4. False5. True6. False7. False8. False9. False10. False11. True12. False13. False14.True15. True16. The Carcharodon megalodon is an ex-tinct shark that had teeth six inches long17. its scientific name is derived from the Greek words carcharos, which means “ragged” or “jagged,” and odon, which means “tooth.18. False Those in the Pacific grow about 30 cm per year, in the Atlantic about 20cm per year.19. At least 23 years but maybe longer.20. 3-4.5km an hour21. Up to 60km/h22. No23. Pup24. Triangular25. No

Email letters to the Editor &submissions:

[email protected]: Photos sourced from stock.xchng http://www.sxc.hu/homePrintmaster Platinum 18. All other photographs and graphics as indicated.Sandra Stewart Editor,

The DENNEXT MONTH - November 2012

Through the Lens: RedIts so easy everybody can

contribute

Greatest Achievement this year

My craft for the holidaysWhat I want to read.

Tips for students tackling semester 3 for the first time.

Please Contribute

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Newsletter

Internet Links for further information:Breast CancerNational Breast Cancer Foundationhttp://www.nbcf.org.au/Australian Government Cancer Australiahttp://canceraustralia.gov.au/Breast Cancer Network Australiahttp://www.bcna.org.au/news/2012-10/oc-tober-breast-cancer-awareness-monthBreast Cancer Net-work Australiahttp://www.bcna.org.au/

the den - october | 2012

Documents

csu student newsequity

breast cancer awareness

editor submissions

rivcoll src publication

ron collingridgeregulars4

distance edcomics

student members

happy semester