Newsletter—December 2007

Meeting of the Chapter
The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Nepean Blue Mountains Chapter of U3A was held at the Penrith School of Arts on Friday 9th November, 2007 at 2pm.
The AGM, among other things, elected a Committee of Management. All positions on the committee were declared vacant.
The following members were elected to the positions on the committee.

From the President
This will be our last newsletter for the year, it covers the AGM of the 9th November 2007 and events coming up prior to the commencement of Term 2, 2008. As was announced at our AGM the fees the year 2008 will remain at $30. The Committee continues to look at ways to combat the rise in running costs of the organisation, unfortunately the Committee have no control over inflation and we are not exempt from these rises. One effective way is to get members, those with Internet facilities, to agree to accept these newsletters by Email.
For the coming year we will see some new faces on the Committee. For those who have served and are now not with us, especially Lynda Henderson, Nick Hill and Lloyd Fell, I thank them for their generous contributions.
The next full newsletter will be at the end of Term 1, all contributions are requested to arrive at the Penrith office by Friday, 14th March, 2008. For those of you on the internet please take a few minutes to look at our revised website. I’m sure you will find some interesting reading.
On behalf of the Committee may I wish all our members a Very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, and we hope to help you enjoy U3A again next year.
              —Reg Grace

Membership Renewal and Enrolment Meetings
Renew your membership for 2008 by mailing the Renewal Form and $30 Annual Membership Fee to the Treasurer at PO Box958, Penrith 2751 or present them in person at either Enrolment Meeting.

1. Wednesday 16 January, 2008 at Lawson
11.00pm—12.30pm
Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre
3 New Street (Cnr. Staple Street)
Lawson - (02) 4759 2592
(Behind the shops).

2. Friday 18 January, 2008 at Penrith
11.00 am—12.30pm
Penrith School of Arts
3 Castlereagh Street
Penrith — (02) 4722 3405
All students must be financial
members of Nepean - Blue Mountains U3A

PLEASE BRING YOUR 2007 MEMBERSHIP CARD AND YOUR 2008 HANDBOOK TO THE ENROLMENT MEETING.

U3A News
U3A Term Dates - 2008
Term 1: 4 February - 11 April
Term 2: 28 April - 4 July
Term 3: 21 July - 26 September
Term 4: 13 October - 12 December

U3A Web homepage
Now, please note that the Newsletters, U3A Tutor profiles and the Constitution are available on our home website: http://www.u3anepean.org, so visit the site for copies of the latest information, and tell your friends as well.
The home website has been extensively updated and modernised, thanks to the enthusiastic and majestic efforts of David Evans.
Tutors should check their entry. If it is not the way you prefer, please email the amendment to David Evans at footloose@tpg.com.au (or telephone 4739 2785)

Would all our members please consider whether you can spare a few hours a week/fortnight/month to assist in the office. If you can help out please contact the Office Manager, Brenda Emerson at the office or on 4721 1735.
Last year one area of concern to our valued office volunteers was the great number of renewals submitted without the renewal application form being attached; these are required to be completed and signed by all members including Tutors to ensure that our insurance cover is valid for all our members. As a result a renewal application form had to be re-posted out to those members, so PLEASE ensure that any future renewals, not only include the fee but the completed renewal application form as well.

Important notice. Please Note
The closing date for 2008 renewals is Friday 28th March 2008. If you wish to retain the benefits and advantages of your membership, you will have to renew by this date, after which you will need to re-apply to the Management Committee for a new membership.

2008 Australia Day Celebrations We are working on having an Information Stall at the Glenbrook Australia Day Parade, on Saturday 26 January in Glenbrook Park. This usually goes from 9.00am to 4.00pm and is a wonderful show for both adults and children.
To enable us to provide a complete presence and promote our Organisation, we would appreciate any assistance in manning the stall throughout the day, for a 30 minute or 60 minute period to allow our other members to take a break.
If you can assist in this matter please contact Tony Bayes on 4739 2661

2008 Penrith Festival
We will have an Information Stall for the 2008 Penrith Festival, on Saturday 15 March at the Penrith School of Arts U3A office. This usually goes from 9.00am to 4.00pm and is a family friendly day that won’t leave too large a dent in the budget.
To enable us to provide a complete presence and promote our Organisation, we would appreciate any assistance in manning the stall throughout the day, for a 30 minute or 60 minute period to allow our other members to take a break.
If you can assist in this matter please contact Tony Bayes on 4739 2661

2008 Springwood Foundation Day Parade We also plan to have an Information Stall, again this year, at the Springwood Foundation Day Parade in Springwood.
This parade is held on the first Saturday in April and usually runs from 9.00am to 4.00pm and is also a local celebration not to be missed.
Once again, to enable us to provide a complete presence and promote our Organisation, we would appreciate any assistance in manning the stall throughout the day, for a 30 minute or 60 minute period to allow our other members to take a break. So all you good folk who came along last year, after the show was over, offering assistance please come a little earlier this year.
If you can assist in this matter please contact Tony Bayes on 4739 2661

U3A Debating in Nepean and Blue Mountains

• Have you ever been involved in a debate (not with your partner, but a real one)?
• Have you ever been in the audience of a real debate?
• Have you ever been labelled a stirrer simply because you enjoy having a point of view?
• Have you ever argued the point even though you didn’t have a point of view?
• Have you ever enjoyed just watching?

We are looking to bring together people who would be interested in setting up a debating club within the Nepean U3A. Hopefully there would be a number of teams based geographically throughout the region, which would debate each other on a regular basis, say once or twice or even more a term.

A possible format for the club would be that members of each team would meet regularly (say weekly) to discuss the current debate topic and provide information from research to help prepare the team’s tactics and strategies. The members would also select speakers to represent their team for the particular debate.

The actual debates would be carried out before audiences from the U3A generally, and perhaps any interested members of the public. It is anticipated that non-speaking members of the teams and the audience generally, would not provide distraction to the speakers through unseemly interjection, and of cause any such behaviour would be immediately discouraged by the adjudicators!

The concept is still very much in the developmental stage at the moment, but it is hoped that debates could start some time in first term 2008. It is also hoped that up to four teams would compete, representing the St. Marys, Penrith, Mid Mountains and Upper Mountains areas. Weekly strategy meetings would be held in suitable geographic locations, and the actual debates would be held at various selected venues.

At present we are looking for expressions of interest from people who would firstly be interested in participating in such a club, and secondly from people who would be interested in assisting in setting up the structure, rules and the actual teams.

If you feel that you may be interested in participating in the club, regardless of whether you have any experience or not in debating, would you please give Mike Boyle a ring on 47514229 or email him on mwboyle@optusnet. com.au, just so that we can gauge if there is sufficient interest in this exciting new initiative. If there is sufficient response, formal nominations will be called at the 2008 registration days. Volunteers prepared to provide some assistance in developing the concept further would also be greatly appreciated.

Please lodge your expression of interest and support for this programme as quickly as possible, and also indicate if you could provide any advice or assistance in setting up the project.

Get your newsletter by email:
You will notice that there is now provision on the Renewal Form for you to nominate if you wish to receive the Term Newsletter by Email; if you agree this will assist us to reduce our postage costs. Simply tick the YES or NO box on the renewal form. If you have an email address but you still prefer to receive a hard copy of the Term Newsletter then tick the NO box, and a copy will be posted out as at present.
The Email newsletter will be in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format and you will require Acrobat Reader, a free copy of which you can download from the Internet on http://www.adobe.com./acrobat.
The Newsletter publication will be in full colour and can be downloaded to your computer before being printed out on your printer.

Vacancy:  Vice-President, Blue Mountains
At the AGM and the election of the Management Committee for 2008, there was no nomination for the important position of Vice – President Blue Mountains and the position was declared a Casual Vacancy.
If any of our Blue Mountains financial members are interested and willing to assume this cloak of responsibility, would you please contact the President at the office on 47223405 or email u3anepoff@pnc.com.au.
Lloyd Fell who has carried out the duties of this position for a number of years is unable to continue in this position. We thank him for his selfless application to U3A over the years and we are looking for another dedicated individual to replace him.
We need a full complement of Committee Members as we advance towards the State Conference to be hosted by us in 2010, and the planning is now commencing for this event.

U3A Office Keys
We are still missing some Office keys so if you have any keys for U3A Offices, rooms, cupboards or filing cabinets would you please contact the Office so that we can update the Key Register.

Curriculum Liaison Officers for the Blue Mountains
Kerry Speak and Colin Bull have kindly volunteered to act as Curriculum Liaison Officers. Their duties are to ensure that there are no problems with the premises that U3A hires for classes and to encourage the recruitment and retention of tutors and students in their areas.
Kerry Speak 4787 7948 or email mspeak@ozemail.com.au looks after Blackheath to Lawson; and
Colin Bull 4751 3713 or email colcar@tpg.com.au looks after Springwood to Blaxland.

Term 4 (15th October to 14th December)
Daily Schedule of Classes is shown on our website www.u3anepean.org.
All the following courses were successfully started:
Philosophy – Plato’s Republic – Lloyd Reinhardt 4782 5479
Architecture – Peter Buckwell 4787 1388
Italian Literature – Silvio Trambaiolo 4787 7837
Calligraphy – Dorothy Meldrum 4787 1790
Current Events – Brian Kearney 4784 3189
How to Trace Your Ancestry for Beginners – Helen Smith 4739 3996
Tai Chi – Sword – Christie Wood 4735 2827.

English Classical Music 20th Century
Paul King started this course on Tuesday 16 October 2007 from 10.30am to 12 noon at 67 Linksview Rd, Springwood 2777. However, the number of students is small so if you are interested in listening to and discussing some of the works of English classical composers (Bax, Bliss, Britten, Butterworth, Delius, Elgar, Finzi, Holst, Tippett, Vaughan Williams, and Walton), please contact Paul King – Tel: 4754 1491 Email: apk@optusnet.com.au.

Men’s Shed
Phil Hill will not continue his course on Building Working Toys from Recycled Materials. However, Phil is involved with setting up Men’s Sheds. If you are interested in participating in a Men’s Shed, contact Phil 4739 4810 or email j_phill@bigpond.net.au

Social activities
Christmas Party
Saturday 15 December, 2007 1-5 PM
at the U3A rooms, 3 Castlereagh St., Penrith.
Come whenever you can to join in some Christmas Cheer during the afternoon.
No charge. Just bring yourself, a happy smile, and a plate.

Thanks to tutors and volunteers
Again this year Instead of a luncheon; the Committee decided to hold an afternoon tea to thank tutors and volunteers for their time and effort. The fifty plus people who went to The Log Cabin on Friday 19th October mingled and met up with old friends and new tutors for 2008.
Certificates of Appreciation were presented by President Reg Grace to long-serving Committee Member Lynda Henderson, retiring Mah Jong tutor Brian Grenenger and retired tutors Nick Hill and Frank Ross. Joan Vaughn-Taylor read two of her amusing poems, and Michael Boyle told us about the U3A Debating Club that we will try to establish in 2008. Thanks go to Nick and Judith Hill for organising the function.
Tony Bayes

Tutors and Volunteers Afternoon Tea
On behalf of the Management Committee and myself we must apologise for the inadequate catering at this function.
The venue was booked on the success of the function last year at the same location, but unfortunately things have dramatically changed.
We will not be returning to the Log Cabin under their present catering management.
Reg Grace—President.

Rotary Pantomime – Cinders the True Story
To be held at Mt Riverview School Hall:
7pm Friday 14th December – tickets $20 each;
2pm Saturday 15th December – tickets $10 for adults accompanied by children – Children Free; and
7pm Saturday 15th December – tickets $20 each.
To book and pre-pay for tickets, contact Jan or Roger Winterburn 4739 1889 or janwin@tpg.com.au.
Rotary is a non-profit organization helping the community.
Lynne Kelly, one of our magnificent office volunteers, has a starring (non-speaking) role.
Now Lynne’s secret is out, we can perhaps look forward to some entertainment at the Christmas party.
             –Editor

New Classes for 2008
2008 Class Timetable on Web Page
The 2008 class timetable can now be viewed on the U3A web page at http://www.u3anepean.org. Details of the course content has been linked to the timetable so that you may click on the course name to learn more about it. Because some of the courses had more information linked to the 2007 timetable than appears in the U3A Handbook (sometimes including photographs) wherever possible they are linked to last year's page.
Most of the courses offered in 2007 will also be offered in 2008. But there are also some new ones:

1. A New Perspective for Family Therapy;
Weekly; commencing Monday 4 February 2008
Penrith School of Arts, Penrith - Room 1 - 10.00am to 11.30am
Phillip Hill; 4739 4810

2. Developing a Culture of Dialogue;
Fortnightly; commencing Friday 15 February 2008
Our Lady of the Nativity Meeting Room, Lawson - 10.00am to 11.30am TERM 1 ONLY
Phillip Hill; 4739 4810

3. Judaism;
(1) Fortnightly; commencing Friday 8 February 2008
2/4 De Vilnits Parade, Penrith - 9.30am to 10.30am
Freda Whitlam; 4721 5515
(2) Fortnightly; commencing Monday 11 February 2008
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre - 10.00am to 11.00am
Freda Whitlam; 4721 5515

4. Creative Writing;
Weekly; commencing Monday 4 February 2008
Lower Mountains Neighbourhood Centre, Blaxland - 10.00am to 12 noon.
David Evans; 4739 2785
Class size limit - 12 Students
(Visit my web page by clicking here: TOMORROWLAND)

4. History: 175 years of the Mechanic School of Arts;
Weekly, commencing Friday 28 April 2008.
Penrith School of Arts, Penrith - 10.00am to 12 noon
Lucy Bantermalis; 0414 914 463
2 Weeks Only, Term 2 ONLY

5. Japanese for Beginners;
Weekly, commencing Monday 4 February 2008
1 Russell Road, Leura - 10.00am to 11.30am
Beryl McAdam; 4784 1877
Minimum Class size 4 Students.

6. Tai Chi – Single Fan Session;
Weekly; commencing Monday 4 February 2008
Penrith School of Arts, Penrith - Hall - 12 noon to 1.00pm
Christie Wood; 4735 2827
An advanced course for those who have done the Beijing 24 set.

7. Time Machine; Witness the dramatic changes to our world since its birth.
(1) Weekly; commencing Tuesday 5 February 2008
Penrith School of Arts, Penrith - VAD Room - 10.00am to 12 noon.
Anthony Bayes; 4739 2661
(2) Weekly; commencing Thursday 7 February 2008
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre - 10.00am to 12 noon.
Anthony Bayes; 4739 2661
Terms 1 and 2 ONLY
Maximum 15 Students at Each Venue.

8. Exploration of the Earth’s Magnetosphere;
(1) Weekly; commencing Tuesday 5 July 2008.
Penrith School of Arts, Penrith - VAD Room - 10.00am to 12 noon.
Anthony Bayes; 4739 2661.
(2) Weekly; commencing Thursday 7 July 2008
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre - 10.00am to 12 noon.
Anthony Bayes; 4739 2661
Terms 3 and 4 ONLY
Maximum 15 Students at Each Venue.

9. An Evolutionary Perspective on Being Human in the 21st Century;
Fortnightly; commencing Thursday 7 February 2008
4 Hope Street, Katoomba - 10.00am to 12 noon.
Liz Connor; 4782 9380
Good to see you back again, Liz!!—Editor

10. Kitchen Gardening in Our Third Age;
Fortnightly; commencing Thursday 7 February 2008
4 Hope Street, Katoomba - 1.00pm to 3.00pm
Liz Connor; 4782 9380
Courses 9 & 10 may be combined as a daylong gathering, with a lunch that will include food that you and others have grown.

11. The Art and Science of Happiness;
Weekly; commencing Friday 8 February 2008
Penrith School of Arts, Penrith - Room 2 9.30am to 11.00am.
Janice Poulson; 4751 5115
8 weeks duration ONLY
The return of another popular Tutor.

News from the classes—Logarithms
Discussing the solution to last year’s HSC Maths question relating to time payments, we found it necessary to revise logarithms, something we hadn’t dealt with since our own schooldays.
We recalled that in those far-off days, while most of us became fairly proficient in their use we now find that we have forgotten so much. However, with a scientific calculator (one that does more than add, subtract, multiply, divide, find square roots and percentages) we don’t require logs to do ordinary calculations, since we can key in any numbers required and carry out the necessary steps. Even raising numbers to any required power, the scientific calculator can come up with a satisfactory answer.
Refreshing our memories with some old fashioned manipulation by using three and four figure log tables, we soon dealt with our revision work recalling that the tables provided us with logarithms of numbers but that we still had to decide the characteristics. We ran into some difficulties when we had to deal with numbers less than 1, when we compared the figures from our tables with the results our scientific calculators gave us—but that is another story.
To deal with numbers less than 1, e.g. 0.5, 0.01, 0.006, etc. we had to remember that the decimal part of the logarithm, called the mantissa, was always positive but the characteristics for such numbers were negative. In the latter case we called them bar numbers.
Do you remember using logs to find volumes of rectangular prisms, for finding areas of circles, volumes of spheres?
Were you ever asked to calculate the weight of air in a classroom? To answer the question you may have been told that water weighs approximately 800 times the weight of air and one cubic foot of water weighs 62½ lbs.
Solving problems like this were made easier by using logs.
Do you still remember?
You didn’t know that air had weight?
Oh dear!
Regarding the HSC problem we hope to deal with that one soon. Until then TTFN.
If you would like to know more, come to the Maths for Retirees class at Springwood.
Bob Perrie - 47589414

Merry Christmas