| Great Falls 09/02/2011, Page L01 | ||||||||
| THE MUSIC OF LANGUAGE Classical musician teaches Arabic at MSU-Great Falls By POLLY KOLSTAD For the Tribune A cellist for the Great Falls Symphony, Thad Suits understands well the language of music. He plays in the Cascade Quartet, and he and his wife Su make up the Mistral Duo. He also teaches students how to play the cello at his Great Falls studio. Next month Suits will speak an entirely different language, one that he also will share with students. On Sept. 13, Suits begins his second year of teaching an Arabic language class at MSU-Great Falls College of Technology. Suits has studied Arabic for eight years and vacationed in Morocco a few years ago, where he immersed himself in the language. His taxi driver became his guide and companion and refused to speak English. Suits watches Al-Jazeera television and reads Arab newspapers. He remains pen pals with acquainta nces he has made in Arab countries. An Egyptian girl who lived in Alexandria translated some Arabic comic books for Suits, and the two stay in touch. Now living in Canada, she offered Suits an insider’s view of the Egyptian revolution. “She gives me an earful,” Suits said. Word of mouth led Suits to MSU-Tech and a teaching position. “With so much going on in the Middle East and so many of our people over there, the study of the Arabic language has grown in popularity,” said Deb Richerson, who works in the Outreach and Continuing Education Department. Along with teaching the basics of the language, Suits’ also offers an Arabic cultural segment in which he delves into music, the arts and architecture. The semester ends with a sampling of Arabic cuisine. “(The class) helps us better understand the Arab cultures and the language,” said Jana Carter, who took Suits’ course last year. Reading Arabic was especially challenging. “I felt like I was going crazy at times going right to left,” she said. “The language was difficult in that some of the sounds aren’t in English or in the Romance languages.” There are 28 Arabic letters, none of them vowels, and some are difficult to pronounce, with no English equivalents. Arabic dates back as early as the alphabet itself and is used by 150 million people worldwide. Because she loves languages, Alexandra Ferriera took the beginning Arabic class last year and is signed up for the next course. “The Arabic language is difficult to get used to, but I liked it very much and I will continue,” Ferriera said. As a kid, Suits remembers sitting around the dinner table and listening to his father use foreign phrases. His father spoke some German, which inspired Suits to study that language in high school and take a semester in college. The two wars in Iraq encouraged Suits to learn Arabic. “It’s like looking at the code and wanting to break the code,” he said. Suits’ class is offered through MSU-Tech’s continuing education program. Registration is under way for the one-credit class. For more information or to register, visit outreach.msugf.edu.  Great Falls Symphony cellist Thad Suits begins teaching an Arabic language class at MSU-Great Falls College of Technology later this month. TRIBUNE PHOTO/LARRY BECKNER
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Thursday, September 29, 2011
Thad Suits- The Music of Language
First CMR Four letter female athlete
Senior athlete breaks new ground
Pyette becomes first girl to letter in four varsity sports at CMR
By POLLY KOLSTAD
For the Tribune
At 5-foot-1, Lexi Pyette has proven that being small doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish big things as a high school athlete.
Entering her senior year this fall, Pyette is the first C.M. Russell High School female to letter in four varsity sports, earning accolades in golf, soccer, basketball and tennis. This feat is not only a testament to her athleticism and tenacity but also her ability to manage an incredibly busy schedule.
“Lexi is a phenomenal athlete that could do well at any sport,” CMR golf coach Brian Halverson said. “She’s athletically talented, works hard and never complains. In August, she moves from my practice to two a days in soccer. She’s a positive example.”
Pyette is planning to major in medicine when she graduates next spring and has maintained a 3.85 GPA, despite missing as many as one to two days of school a week during her busiest sports seasons.
She can count on one hand the days she’s had off from practice in the past school year — the week between the end of soccer season and the beginning of basketball.
Pyette began playing soccer at age 7 and is a forward on the CMR squad, averaging almost a goal a game. She helped the team advance to state last season.
She plays point guard for the CMR basketball team and said the intense workouts are the hardest practices of the year. Pyette, who averages close to six points a game, doesn’t seem to mind that she’s the shortest player in the program.
“I like to play against the taller girls,” she said. “It makes me work harder.”
Up until this spring, about the only activity missing in Pyette’s repertoire was tennis. But a round of golf one day with CMR tennis coach Deb Erwin changed that.
“She encouraged me to go out and play,” Pyette said.
And that’s all it took. Erwin taught her the basics of the game and was impressed with how quickly Pyette picked it up.
“She was just an incredible find,” Erwin said.
Pyette was already in shape from her basketball conditioning, but said the move to tennis wasn’t the easiest transition.
“All those quick change basketball drills really helped,” she said. “I hate to lose so I would keep chugging along until I won.”
She played No. 3 singles and won three matches at divisionals.
Summer is her time to relax and play golf with her dad, Willie, which she has done since she was 4.
Pyette’s sports strength and conditioning routine includes the Results class with Dan Groux and Jamey Galbraith at the Benefis Orthopedic Center.
Galbraith has worked with Pyette since she was 12 and said she’s a very “coachable kid.”
“She gives it her all and works hard no matter what,” he said.
Pyette keeps her energy level high and her weight stable by eating lots of protein and avoiding most carbs. She drinks plenty of water and gets eight to nine hours of sleep a night. “It feels good when you are in shape and can push your body to the limit,” she said.
Pyette becomes first girl to letter in four varsity sports at CMR
By POLLY KOLSTAD
For the Tribune
At 5-foot-1, Lexi Pyette has proven that being small doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish big things as a high school athlete.
Entering her senior year this fall, Pyette is the first C.M. Russell High School female to letter in four varsity sports, earning accolades in golf, soccer, basketball and tennis. This feat is not only a testament to her athleticism and tenacity but also her ability to manage an incredibly busy schedule.
“Lexi is a phenomenal athlete that could do well at any sport,” CMR golf coach Brian Halverson said. “She’s athletically talented, works hard and never complains. In August, she moves from my practice to two a days in soccer. She’s a positive example.”
Pyette is planning to major in medicine when she graduates next spring and has maintained a 3.85 GPA, despite missing as many as one to two days of school a week during her busiest sports seasons.
She can count on one hand the days she’s had off from practice in the past school year — the week between the end of soccer season and the beginning of basketball.
Pyette began playing soccer at age 7 and is a forward on the CMR squad, averaging almost a goal a game. She helped the team advance to state last season.
She plays point guard for the CMR basketball team and said the intense workouts are the hardest practices of the year. Pyette, who averages close to six points a game, doesn’t seem to mind that she’s the shortest player in the program.
“I like to play against the taller girls,” she said. “It makes me work harder.”
Up until this spring, about the only activity missing in Pyette’s repertoire was tennis. But a round of golf one day with CMR tennis coach Deb Erwin changed that.
“She encouraged me to go out and play,” Pyette said.
And that’s all it took. Erwin taught her the basics of the game and was impressed with how quickly Pyette picked it up.
“She was just an incredible find,” Erwin said.
Pyette was already in shape from her basketball conditioning, but said the move to tennis wasn’t the easiest transition.
“All those quick change basketball drills really helped,” she said. “I hate to lose so I would keep chugging along until I won.”
She played No. 3 singles and won three matches at divisionals.
Summer is her time to relax and play golf with her dad, Willie, which she has done since she was 4.
Pyette’s sports strength and conditioning routine includes the Results class with Dan Groux and Jamey Galbraith at the Benefis Orthopedic Center.
Galbraith has worked with Pyette since she was 12 and said she’s a very “coachable kid.”
“She gives it her all and works hard no matter what,” he said.
Pyette keeps her energy level high and her weight stable by eating lots of protein and avoiding most carbs. She drinks plenty of water and gets eight to nine hours of sleep a night. “It feels good when you are in shape and can push your body to the limit,” she said.
Apples are healthy
Apples- Fitness for September
We have all heard “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
While it may take more than a daily apple to keep you healthy, it is a step in the right direction.
Apples are tasty, an easy snack to carry along, low in calories, a natural mouth freshener, and not expensive.
Apples are for everyone. They’re nutritional treasure: an apple contains only 81 calories, with almost no fat. Apples are a source of fiber: soluble and insoluble. The soluble fiber, help prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus reducing the incident of arteriosclerosis and heart disease. The insoluble fiber provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.
As a source of dietary fiber, apples help aid digestion and promote weight loss. A medium apple contains about five grams of fiber, more than most cereals. Also, apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol, so they are a delicious snack and dessert food that’s good for you.
It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin. Almost half of the Vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. Eating the skin also increases insoluble fiber content. Most often apple’s fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen the skin cells develop more aroma and flavor.
Recently seen eating a juicy red Gala variety on their front porch, Quincey Borggard, age 12, and brother, Kellen, age 9, declare: “We love apples!”
Kids who eat apples may be gaining in the classroom. Eating apples could be the smart thing to do.
| An apple a day now has new meaning for those who want to maintain mental dexterity. It is especially important as we age. New research from the University of Massachusetts suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss, even in test animals that were not prone to developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Although more research is needed, these brain health findings are encouraging for all individuals who are interested in staying mentally sharp as they age. |
Apples also contain hefty amounts of boron, a mineral believed to boost alertness and help curb calcium losses that lead to osteoporosis.
Apples can combat cancer, stroke, and heart disease and help lungs. New Harvard research finds 20% less heart disease in apple eaters. In test tubes, apple antioxidents slowed the growth of human cancer cells 50%. The peel has the most antioxidants.
No surprise that apples make the list of protecting lungs. Chances are you never knew that eating an apple a day is particularly good for your lungs. All the more so if you smoke. In a study presented before the American Thoracic Society British researchers said that apples were more effective than other fruits and vegetables in reducing the risk of developing serious disease including lung cancer. In another study, Dutch scientist found that smokers who ate an apple a day were half as likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
In recent years, apple consumption has been linked with reduced cancer risk in several studies. A 2001 Mayo Clinic study indicated that Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples, helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. A Cornell University study indicated phytochemicals in the skin of an apple inhibited the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43 per cent. The National Cancer Institute has reported that food containing flavonoids like those found in apples may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50 percent.
New research suggests that both apple pectin and apple juice extracts may enhance the body’s ability to protect from colon cancer. German researchers found that components of apples and apple juice react in the colon and help to slow the growth of precancerous and tumor cells. This study is published in the scientific journal, Nutrition (April 2008). Subsequent studies have demonstrated that the components in both apple pectin and apple juice actually enhance biological mechanisms that have anticarcinogenic effects in the colon.
Rugby in Iceland
‘First you beat on each other, then go to a party’
Great Falls natives experience the world by playing rugby internationally
Susan and Don Hamilton of Great Falls recently flew to Iceland to see their sons, Chuck and John, play one of the first rugby matches on that country’s soil.
The Hamiltons play with the Thunderbird Rugby Old Boys, a team comprised of graduates of the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz.
The Old Boys are made up of players from around the world.
“Our inaugural international tour took us to Cuba in 2003, followed by Argentina in 2005,” said Chuck Hamilton, who coaches Illinois’ Northwestern University rugby team. John Hamilton lives and works in Hong Kong and regularly plays for the Pot Bellied Pigs, but travels to join the Thunderbird team.
Both brothers played football for C.M. Russell High, a sport that led them into college rugby.
Chuck’s rugby career began when he was a graduate student at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. John played at Stanford University, where he captained the team. Together they have 45 years of rugby experience.
“In American football there is a lot of protection worn but there is also a higher probability of being hit from the side or from behind,” John Hamilton said. “With rugby, there is no protection, but because of the rules — no blocking, no forward passing — you usually go into a tackle prepared for the hit.”
Reykjavik, a city of some 200,000, has a team of young guys, expats and locals who have played rugby in the United Kingdom and Europe. They practiced twice a week, and were excited to host an official 15-man match on their pitch.
The Americans were welcomed for a week of activities leading up to the game, at the Valdur Sports Club. They saw the “Smoky Bay” area of Reykjavik, where plumes of steam rise from hot springs and provide geothermal energy to heat the local homes.
“Iceland was an amazing destination with a haunting landscape,” Chuck Hamilton said. “A week’s visit does not do it justice. Reykjavik is easy to explore on foot with many nightlife options, and amazing food.”
The Icelanders won the match 45–27.
“The Raiders were well-drilled, and had some speed on the corner,” John Hamilton said. “What they lacked in experience, they made up with youth. “What we lacked in youth we made up for in weight.”
After a match, the Hamiltons and their teammates often go to the host’s rugby club — usually a bar — where they party with their opponents.
“In no other instance I can think of do you get muddy and sweaty with a group of people native to that nation, beat on each other, then go to a party,” Chuck Hamilton. “Often, they take you around town to places tourists don’t frequent.”
On his rugby journeys, Chuck has downed mojitos and smoked Cuban cigars on a hot steamy September night on the roof of the old U.S.
Embassy in Havana, had tea at an old Scottish manor on the shores of a loch, eaten tapas on the back streets of Barcelona and lunched at a mountain top microbrewery in Patagonia.
He has walked the shores of Connemara, Ireland, and sipped lattes overlooking the Mediterranean in France.
“This is why I can’t give up rugby,” Chuck Hamilton said. “I recognize it is the best way to see and experience the world.”
‘First you beat on each other, then go to a party’
Great Falls natives experience the world by playing rugby internationally
Susan and Don Hamilton of Great Falls recently flew to Iceland to see their sons, Chuck and John, play one of the first rugby matches on that country’s soil.
The Hamiltons play with the Thunderbird Rugby Old Boys, a team comprised of graduates of the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz.
The Old Boys are made up of players from around the world.
“Our inaugural international tour took us to Cuba in 2003, followed by Argentina in 2005,” said Chuck Hamilton, who coaches Illinois’ Northwestern University rugby team. John Hamilton lives and works in Hong Kong and regularly plays for the Pot Bellied Pigs, but travels to join the Thunderbird team.
Both brothers played football for C.M. Russell High, a sport that led them into college rugby.
Chuck’s rugby career began when he was a graduate student at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. John played at Stanford University, where he captained the team. Together they have 45 years of rugby experience.
“In American football there is a lot of protection worn but there is also a higher probability of being hit from the side or from behind,” John Hamilton said. “With rugby, there is no protection, but because of the rules — no blocking, no forward passing — you usually go into a tackle prepared for the hit.”
Reykjavik, a city of some 200,000, has a team of young guys, expats and locals who have played rugby in the United Kingdom and Europe. They practiced twice a week, and were excited to host an official 15-man match on their pitch.
The Americans were welcomed for a week of activities leading up to the game, at the Valdur Sports Club. They saw the “Smoky Bay” area of Reykjavik, where plumes of steam rise from hot springs and provide geothermal energy to heat the local homes.
“Iceland was an amazing destination with a haunting landscape,” Chuck Hamilton said. “A week’s visit does not do it justice. Reykjavik is easy to explore on foot with many nightlife options, and amazing food.”
The Icelanders won the match 45–27.
“The Raiders were well-drilled, and had some speed on the corner,” John Hamilton said. “What they lacked in experience, they made up with youth. “What we lacked in youth we made up for in weight.”
After a match, the Hamiltons and their teammates often go to the host’s rugby club — usually a bar — where they party with their opponents.
“In no other instance I can think of do you get muddy and sweaty with a group of people native to that nation, beat on each other, then go to a party,” Chuck Hamilton. “Often, they take you around town to places tourists don’t frequent.”
On his rugby journeys, Chuck has downed mojitos and smoked Cuban cigars on a hot steamy September night on the roof of the old U.S.
Embassy in Havana, had tea at an old Scottish manor on the shores of a loch, eaten tapas on the back streets of Barcelona and lunched at a mountain top microbrewery in Patagonia.
He has walked the shores of Connemara, Ireland, and sipped lattes overlooking the Mediterranean in France.
“This is why I can’t give up rugby,” Chuck Hamilton said. “I recognize it is the best way to see and experience the world.”
Great Falls natives experience the world by playing rugby internationally
Susan and Don Hamilton of Great Falls recently flew to Iceland to see their sons, Chuck and John, play one of the first rugby matches on that country’s soil.
The Hamiltons play with the Thunderbird Rugby Old Boys, a team comprised of graduates of the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz.
The Old Boys are made up of players from around the world.
“Our inaugural international tour took us to Cuba in 2003, followed by Argentina in 2005,” said Chuck Hamilton, who coaches Illinois’ Northwestern University rugby team. John Hamilton lives and works in Hong Kong and regularly plays for the Pot Bellied Pigs, but travels to join the Thunderbird team.
Both brothers played football for C.M. Russell High, a sport that led them into college rugby.
Chuck’s rugby career began when he was a graduate student at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. John played at Stanford University, where he captained the team. Together they have 45 years of rugby experience.
“In American football there is a lot of protection worn but there is also a higher probability of being hit from the side or from behind,” John Hamilton said. “With rugby, there is no protection, but because of the rules — no blocking, no forward passing — you usually go into a tackle prepared for the hit.”
Reykjavik, a city of some 200,000, has a team of young guys, expats and locals who have played rugby in the United Kingdom and Europe. They practiced twice a week, and were excited to host an official 15-man match on their pitch.
The Americans were welcomed for a week of activities leading up to the game, at the Valdur Sports Club. They saw the “Smoky Bay” area of Reykjavik, where plumes of steam rise from hot springs and provide geothermal energy to heat the local homes.
“Iceland was an amazing destination with a haunting landscape,” Chuck Hamilton said. “A week’s visit does not do it justice. Reykjavik is easy to explore on foot with many nightlife options, and amazing food.”
The Icelanders won the match 45–27.
“The Raiders were well-drilled, and had some speed on the corner,” John Hamilton said. “What they lacked in experience, they made up with youth. “What we lacked in youth we made up for in weight.”
After a match, the Hamiltons and their teammates often go to the host’s rugby club — usually a bar — where they party with their opponents.
“In no other instance I can think of do you get muddy and sweaty with a group of people native to that nation, beat on each other, then go to a party,” Chuck Hamilton. “Often, they take you around town to places tourists don’t frequent.”
On his rugby journeys, Chuck has downed mojitos and smoked Cuban cigars on a hot steamy September night on the roof of the old U.S.
Embassy in Havana, had tea at an old Scottish manor on the shores of a loch, eaten tapas on the back streets of Barcelona and lunched at a mountain top microbrewery in Patagonia.
He has walked the shores of Connemara, Ireland, and sipped lattes overlooking the Mediterranean in France.
“This is why I can’t give up rugby,” Chuck Hamilton said. “I recognize it is the best way to see and experience the world.”
‘First you beat on each other, then go to a party’
Great Falls natives experience the world by playing rugby internationally
Susan and Don Hamilton of Great Falls recently flew to Iceland to see their sons, Chuck and John, play one of the first rugby matches on that country’s soil.
The Hamiltons play with the Thunderbird Rugby Old Boys, a team comprised of graduates of the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz.
The Old Boys are made up of players from around the world.
“Our inaugural international tour took us to Cuba in 2003, followed by Argentina in 2005,” said Chuck Hamilton, who coaches Illinois’ Northwestern University rugby team. John Hamilton lives and works in Hong Kong and regularly plays for the Pot Bellied Pigs, but travels to join the Thunderbird team.
Both brothers played football for C.M. Russell High, a sport that led them into college rugby.
Chuck’s rugby career began when he was a graduate student at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. John played at Stanford University, where he captained the team. Together they have 45 years of rugby experience.
“In American football there is a lot of protection worn but there is also a higher probability of being hit from the side or from behind,” John Hamilton said. “With rugby, there is no protection, but because of the rules — no blocking, no forward passing — you usually go into a tackle prepared for the hit.”
Reykjavik, a city of some 200,000, has a team of young guys, expats and locals who have played rugby in the United Kingdom and Europe. They practiced twice a week, and were excited to host an official 15-man match on their pitch.
The Americans were welcomed for a week of activities leading up to the game, at the Valdur Sports Club. They saw the “Smoky Bay” area of Reykjavik, where plumes of steam rise from hot springs and provide geothermal energy to heat the local homes.
“Iceland was an amazing destination with a haunting landscape,” Chuck Hamilton said. “A week’s visit does not do it justice. Reykjavik is easy to explore on foot with many nightlife options, and amazing food.”
The Icelanders won the match 45–27.
“The Raiders were well-drilled, and had some speed on the corner,” John Hamilton said. “What they lacked in experience, they made up with youth. “What we lacked in youth we made up for in weight.”
After a match, the Hamiltons and their teammates often go to the host’s rugby club — usually a bar — where they party with their opponents.
“In no other instance I can think of do you get muddy and sweaty with a group of people native to that nation, beat on each other, then go to a party,” Chuck Hamilton. “Often, they take you around town to places tourists don’t frequent.”
On his rugby journeys, Chuck has downed mojitos and smoked Cuban cigars on a hot steamy September night on the roof of the old U.S.
Embassy in Havana, had tea at an old Scottish manor on the shores of a loch, eaten tapas on the back streets of Barcelona and lunched at a mountain top microbrewery in Patagonia.
He has walked the shores of Connemara, Ireland, and sipped lattes overlooking the Mediterranean in France.
“This is why I can’t give up rugby,” Chuck Hamilton said. “I recognize it is the best way to see and experience the world.”
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