KEEPI N G THE S TUDE NTS OF RHEA COU NTY HIGH SCH O OL I NFORMED SI N CE 1996
VALENTINE’S EDITION
The Eagle's Nest TURNING 18? REGISTER! PAGE 3
WRESTLERS HEAD TO STATE PAGE 6
Ms. Ballentine’s poetry published Aside from being a theatre arts, creative writing, and English teacher, Ms. Karie Ballentine has been particularly busy— recently, Ms. Ballentine’s book of poems entitled Gathering Stones was published. Victoria Dewitt spoke with her about the inspiration behind her book, and the process of getting it published.
Did you go to Ireland? I’ve been there four or five times.
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Tax increase defeated in polls TYLER@RCHSEAGLESNEST.ORG
Nobody I knew was teaching a specific poetry unit. So I bought some poetry exercises, and started teaching it. Because I always make sure I can do each assignment that I give my students, I wound up writing some poetry myself, and came to really like it.
One of the poetry groups I belonged to was probably 98% African American. They were always writing poems about their heritage, and it got me thinking about my heritage. I started digging into my family’s past and found my roots ended in Ireland and Scotland. It was kind of a backward way of falling into my family’s history.
LOVE, ACTUALLY?
By TYLER HUMPHREY
that nobody out there is appreciating what you do. I wrote the author a letter, and said I really liked your book and have some questions for you. Now, I did not know it at the time but the person’s book I was reading was actually a publisher. He wrote me back with all of the information I asked for, which was cool because people don’t always write back. Then, over the course of a few years, I kept running into him. I do open mic on Wednesday nights
On Super Tuesday, February 5, a sales tax increase appeared on the ballots in Rhea County. The proposal would increase the tax by a half-cent on every dollar, and go towards building school expansions. If passed, it could have raised $500,000 to $600,000 for schools in the county. However, the tax was defeated by a narrow margin of less than one hundred votes. But some citizens refuse to give up on it. Mrs. Fisher is one of these citizens. She is trying to get it put back on the ballot in November and is hoping to maybe even have it on a ballot by August. According to Mrs. Fisher, the sales tax increase is very important, because the High School and Rhea Central Elementary are both facing difficulties with the increasing numbers of students they must accomodate. The alternate method of raising the money for expansions, a property tax, isn’t as appealing. The problem raising the property tax, says Mrs. Fisher, is that only 47% of people own property and would be taxed,
see BOOK page 2
see TAX page 3
What got you started with poetry?
Your book is poetry about Ireland: why specifically Ireland?
VOLUME 12, NUMBER 4
photo by mr. ferrell
Ms. Ballentine autographs a copy of her new poetry volume, Gathering Stones, for sophomore Stephanie Blank.
Most of the times I was on a tour bus, sightseeing and such. However one year I was accepted for a writing residency in Clare, Ireland. I stayed with a woman there whose front yard was the backside of the Cliffs of Moore. It was really neat to walk the cliffs of Ireland. When did you set out to write Gathering Stones? Well, I never set out to write an Irish book per se, but it seemed like I just had a lot of poems about Ireland. When I started getting my MFA (Master of Fine Arts), I
had to do a thesis to graduate. As I started to get my thesis together, I saw that I had a big stack of Irish poems. I thought, you know I have enough poems for a book. So I finished my thesis, and then did this book. How did you go about getting it published? About ten years ago I was reading a book of Irish poems, and any time I’m inspired by a writer, painter, or any kind of artist—if there is a way to contact them, I do. I know what it’s like to think
Students prepare for SkillsUSA competition By SARAH HEATH SARAH@RCHSEAGLESNEST.ORG
On Monday, February 18, seven students from RCHS will be heading to McMinn County High School to compete in this years’ regional SkillsUSA competion. Steve Patton was chosen to compete in the Carpentry division. In the competition, Patton will frame a wall using wood and steel studs, cut and install common and hip and jack rafters, install drywall and baseboard moldings and window trim. He will be judged on accuracy, ability to read and interpret blueprints, workmanship and the proper use of tools and equipment. The Cosmetology classes will be sending Brittany Ballard and Crystal Pilkey to compete. Crystal will compete in the
Job Skill Demonstration competition where she will demonstrate and explain a skill that she uses in Cosmetology. Holly Carney will compete in the Nail Care competition. The purpose of this specific competition is to evaluate each contestant’s preparation for employment and to recognize outstanding student’s excellence and professionalism in the field of nail technology. The contest consists of six separate segments; oral communication skills, acrylic application, tip and wrap application, nail polish application, nail art and a written exam. Holly Carney will be demonstrating her manicuring skills on Lacy Clingan. Carrie Hood will compete in the job interview competition. This competition is divided into three phases: completion of em-
ployment application; preliminary interviews with the receptionist; and in-depth interviews. Hood will be evaluated on her understanding of employment procedures faced in applying for positions in the occupational area for which she is training. Zach Taylor will compete in the action skills competition. He will present a five- to sevenminute demonstration to show his knowledge in the graphic arts field. In this competition Taylor will take a written test, operate a printing press, and design a page layout. Taylor will also be competing the Job Interview competition. SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization that serves teachers and students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations.
photo BY SARAH HEATH
Graphic Arts student Zach Taylor practices operating a printing press in preparation for the SkillsUSA competition.
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The Eagle’s Nest • Valentine’s Edition • February 2008
Making sense of elections By ALEX GREEN ALEXG@RCHSEAGLESNEST.ORG
Super Tuesday has come and gone, and it seems that we know only little more than we did before the electionpalooza. Hillary and Obama are still running neck and neck across the board, while McCain still leads the Republican party in delegates. The only thing we can be sure of in these post-Super Tuesday days is that the national conventions are going to be interesting, if not a little controversial. If you’re a little lost in all this election-season mayhem, don’t feel too bad. It can be confusing. Let me try to explain what’s happening: First off, this year is an election year. Come the Tuesday following the first Monday in November, America will cast its vote for the next president of the United States. The road to election day is a long one, however. As some of you may know, the road to the 2008 election began in early 2007 when candidates began to embark on the campaign trail, visiting various states across the nation, raising money, and rallying support. In the early stage of presidential elections, candidates compete within their own parties for delegates to attend their national conventions. It is these delegates who will ultimately choose one candidate to represent their party on the presidential ballot. Back in those early days, political pundits tried to predict who would be the frontrunners for each party, the Democrats and the Republicans. What those pundits foresaw was a race between John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomi-
BOOK
from Page 1 at Barnes and Noble, and ran into him there a couple of times. When I realized that I had enough poems for a book I thought of him because first of all he’s Irish, he is a publisher (Celtic kat publishing) and of course, I knew him. So I e-mailed him and said hey, I’ve got a manuscript I’d like you to look at if you have the time, and he said sure! Did you write all of it in Ireland? Or was it some here, some there... I wrote the majority of it here. I thought that when I went to that residency that I would be able to be inspired and just sit and write it all down, but it didn’t work like that. I would sit in the desk that she had for me, and nothing would
nation and a race between Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Rudy Giuliani for the Republicans. For the most part, these predictions proved accurate, although a few dark horses have risen, some frontrunners have
“
If you’re a little lost in all this election-season mayhem, don’t feel too bad. It can be confusing. Let me try to explain what’s happening...
”
fallen, and some candidates have died and come back to life. Heading into the summer, many predicted that Clinton, Obama, and Edwards would split votes and end up with almost a three-way deadlock. What happened, however, was that Clinton and Obama split the votes, and Edwards won’t be invited to the Democratic National Convention. As the Democrats buckled down at the beginning of 2008 to ride strong into the convention, Edwards, the former senator from South Carolina, couldn’t keep up with his two counterparts, and he dropped out of the race. On the Republican side, the McCain, Romney, and Giuliani lead never really happened. It’s true that Giuliani led the party all summer, but as 2008 approached, he slid down in the polls. Giuliani couldn’t regain momentum after repeatedly coming in fourth or fifth place in state primaries and caucuses, and he was forced to quit the race in January 2008. McCain, on the other hand, come to me, so I would go walk out on the cliffs, or do whatever. There was so much to see and so much to do, that I felt like I was wasting time by sitting there. I just sort of stored the memories, and then when I came back, I was relaxed and was able to go back in my head and remember what I had seen and felt. What is Gathering Stones about? The first part [A Time to Speak] is about folklore and fairies—that sort of thing; that idea that we have of Ireland. The second part [A Time to Die] is mostly history, it explores the struggles for freedom, and the more recent Troubles in Northern Ireland. The third part [A Time to Dance] focuses on the beauty of Ireland. What advice would you give to stu-
was a frontrunner back in 2007 as well. As 2008 inched closer, however, he consistently slipped farther and farther down the candidate list. In November 2007, many Americans, including myself, had already counted Mac out. What the former POW pulled next was miraculous. Some have nicknamed him the Phoenix, because he rose from his own ashes to soar again. Although not winning the first caucus of the year (Iowa), a New Hampshire win gave McCain the spark that he desperately needed. McCain continued to rise in the polls, and he currently appears to have the nomination wrapped up. A few other dark horses rose to the occasion as well, and one of these is now McCain’s only opponent en route to the Republican National Convention. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was hardly even mentioned in the original talk, but he became the Cinderella story of all the candidates, even though he appears to have lost the nomination. Finally, Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachussetts, was predicted to lead the Republican party up until convention time, and he almost succeeded, but due to McCain’s hefty delegate lead, Romney dropped out of the race last week. So what’s the deal with the delegates? Here’s a brief explanation: Delegates are people involved with the major political parties of the United States, and they have the power to pledge their support to a candidate. By supporting a candidate, the delegate pledges to vote for his or her candidate for the presdidensee ELECTION page 5
dents who are aspiring writers? Keep writing! Also, depending on what you want to do for a living, self-publishing may not be the best way to go. In some circles, if they find out a book is self-published, it’s almost like it was never published at all. When you’re ready to get serious, don’t publish it yourself because you wanted it so badly that you didn’t want to take the time or put forth the effort in getting it published by someone. [Ms. Ballentine’s book, Gathering Stones, can be purchased online at amazon.com, or from the publisher, celticcatpublishing.com. It can also be found at the Chattanooga Barnes and Noble, or purchased from the author herself— Ms. Ballentine has a few copies. There’s also a copy in the RCHS Library.]
Rhea County Primary Election Results
Winners of Rhea County’s support on Super Tuesday Democrat 2,250
2,597 total votes
2,026
1,500 750 405 166
0
Clinton
Obama
Edwards
Republican
3,357 total votes
2,000 1,500
1,577
1,053
1,000 500
418 179
89
0
Huckabee
McCain
Romney
Paul
Thompson
41
Giuliani
RESULT DATA FROM CNN.COM
GUIDANCE CORNER SENIORS Submit your FAFSA, if you haven’t already! Print the Free Ap-
plication for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Worksheet available at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You can check the status of your filing online at the FAFSA web site, or call 1-800-433-3243.
On the Web. Take a look at the Early Financial Aid Estimator— www.act.org/fane/index.html
JUNIORS Job Shadowing. Job Shadowing day this year is Friday, February 22. All Juniors can participate, as can any Seniors who shadowed last year. Forms must be returned to Guidance by Wednesday, February 20.
EVERYONE The 4th Six Weeks ends on February 19, and grade cards will be given out on the following Wednesday.
Parent/Teacher Conferences will be Thursday, March 6 from 3:00 – 6:00 pm.
Student Life Valentine’s Day? Don’t buy it. K.I.S.S. on V-Day I am walking through Target. Everything is red and pink. Hearts and half-naked bow-wielding cherubs are everywhere. The holiday dreaded by many will soon be here. Why must we put up with such a nightmare? There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine’s Day. Some believe that it’s a holiday to honor Saint Valentine, a Roman priest who LAUREN refused COLLINS to give up Christianity, or possibly, a Roman priest who ran around performing secret marriages for young couples caught in forbidden love. For others, it’s just a day we have to appreciate our loved ones. You know how the saying goes, “There are those who makes things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened.” Well, in this case, we
all wonder what happened. No one can really say for sure. Since at least the Middle Ages, February has been a month for celebrating love with greeting cards, candy, f l owe rs , t h e works. It’s all so mushy a n d pointless. I don’t understand why we have to set out one month, particularly one day, to show the ones we love how much we appreciate them. The holiday is completely fatuous. I don’t have a “significant other,” but even if I did, why on Earth would I want to buy him something for a temporary “aww”? It’s rather sick. Who gets pleasure from stuff like that!? I like genuine feelings and real people. You need to be aware that
no one really cares about candy, flowers, or any other nice gestures for Valentine’s Day. They last a few days and then “poof!”—the appreciation is gone. Sure, they’ll smile. Who wouldn’t? I would smile just being graced by his prese n c e . Why can’t that be enough? Why can’t we just treat our loved o n e s w i t h kindness and respect all year around? That definitely means much more to me than some cheesy little gift someone attempted to put thought into. Unfortunately, we do have those who are oblivious to the ridiculous commercialism of this holiday. I asked my friend Hunter Green what Valentine’s Day meant see VALENTINE page 5
When I think of Valentine’s Day, I picture some cupid guy shooting his love arrow into me, which would then somehow, by some love magic, show me my true love. Well, my friends, this is entirely and completely false. No one should ever expect to find their true love on Valentine’s Day. The relat ionships started on Valentine’s Day simply do not last. ValenWILL tine’s Day GARRISON in high school simply means that every guy in the school is going to try and be romantic that day...in school. I mean, how romantic can you be inside a school? What are you going to do, bring a couple of candles to the cafeteria and tell the teacher to dim the lights while you and your lady friend enjoy some nice cafeteria food? Seems to me that all you guys out there would wait
to turn on the charm until school’s over, when you can actually be a little romantic. Ask that girl out on a date. Take her out to dinner. When you pick her up from her house, that’s when you give her flowers. I’m not saying people shouldn’t bring those little Valentine’s Day cards with a piece of candy to school. In fact, some of my best memories of Valentine’s Day are back in grade school when my whole class would exchange the different little cartoon Vday cards, where each guy in class was ripping all the candy off the cards and then searching for a card that gave a clue to which girl liked him. So take note ladies, the way to my heart is a piece of candy and a little square card with a cartoon character saying something that gives me a clue that you like me. And all you romantic guys out there—save the smooching ‘till after school and we’ll all have a better Valentine’s Day. Everyone knows smooching’s better when done after hours anyway.
Now’s the time to register to vote! By CORY SMITH CORY@RCHSEAGLESNEST.ORG
Just about any time you turn on the television these days, you meet a barrage of political commercials and election updates. This display of politics may encourage you to register to vote in this election and have your voice heard. It’s not a difficult task—you simply fill out a registration card and return it to the election commission office. In about thirty days you will receive your registration card in the mail and will then be able to vote. The next question is, where do I find this registration card, and
COURTESY OF RHEA COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION
LEFT: The Tennessee voter registration form is simple and straightforward. You must turn 18 before the next election to register, and submit your form at least 30 days before you intend to vote.
what do I need to have with me to fill it out? Mrs. Brenda Dodson, the Administrator of Elections for Rhea County, said that this form is available at several places: the Public Library, the Department of Safety (where you go to get your license), and at the Election Commission office on Court Street in Dayton. She added that all you need to bring to register is yourself—you don’t need a driver’s license, social security number, or any other fancy documents to fill out the registration form. Mrs. Dodson warned that registering does not immediately enable a person to vote. She cautioned that you must register thirty days before the election that you plan to vote in; this allows your registration card time to be processed.
The Election Commission office is where you need to return your application. It’s open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm. The application can also be mailed to the office to be processed, but remember, mail the application with enough time to arrive and still fit inside the thirty day window. The forms can be mailed to: Rhea County Election Commission, P.O. Box 181, Dayton, TN. Mrs. Dodson plans to come to the high school sometime in April to hold a voter registration drive, as well.
TAX
from Page 1 so they would have to pay more to make up for the other 53%. She also says that half-cent sales tax would hardly be noticeable, as opposed to an increase in property taxes. Since the proposition was defeated by such a small margin, RCHS seniors who are able to vote by August or November could be a deciding factor in the final outcome, if they get out and vote. Students who can’t vote could also help by encouraging their parents to go to the polls as well.
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The Eagle’s Nest • Valentine’s Edition • February 2008
Amazon takes on iTunes
Will Smith is legend
Admit it or not, there are those among us who find comfort in turning on their computers and double-clicking the big icon of a lime that sits nonchalantly on their desktop.
You may remember Will Smith from movies such as Bad Boys, The Pursuit of Happyness or Independence Day. Well, Smith hits another box office hit in I am Legend,
TECH TOOLS
MOVIE REVIEW
by Matthew Price
by Nilam Patel
But what about those of us who are sick of missing album art, fake songs, and the plague of viruses that follows if you download the wrong file? What about those of us who actually want to pay for music and support the artists we love? Granted, there are always stores like the iTunes Store, but is it truly the best way: buying songs for 99¢ each, only to find out they won’t work with the new MP3 player you got for Christmas? Luckily for us, the Amazongods heard our pleas and introduced the Amazon MP3 store in September of last year. The project is certainly ambitious. Striving to create a successful music store is no small feat, and yet Amazon pulled it off as smoothly as the recording industries would allow. In all, their music database contains over 3.1 million songs from more than 270,000 artists, with most of these songs priced from 89¢ to 99¢. Additionally, most albums are priced from $5.99 to $9.99.
which was released in December 2007. I am Legend is a sci-fi blockbuster with nocturnal vampire-like beings roaming the streets of New York City. Will Smith plays Robert Neville, a scientist searching to find the cure for the cancer virus that has left him the sole survivor in New York. The creatures are contaminated with the virus and have
PHOTO FROM AMAZON.COM
Say goodbye to digital music limitations—MP3’s purchased from Amazon.com will play in iTunes, Windows Media Player, and on any device that can play digital files.
Yet perhaps the most exciting feature of Amazon? All of its songs are DRM free. What’s DRM, you ask? DRM, or Digital Rights Management, is the pesky set of restrictions which won’t let you burn your music to certain CDs, or limit which MP3 players and computers you can listen to your music on. Music companies are finally starting to see the light, and songs downloaded from Amazon are playable on virtually any digital music-playing device. This is a major benefit on Amazon’s side, since you’ll never have to deal with upgrade woes again. Did I mention that in addition to all of the above, music downloaded from Amazon is higher quality than almost every other online
Great and Terrible Beauty more great than terrible At first glance, A Great and Terrible Beauty appears to be just another cliché book lurking in the Teens section, but if you take out the time to pick it up it’s actually worth a read.
BOOK REVIEW by Starr Houston
Gemma is a girl stuck in the Victorian age with the unfortunate afliction of independent thought. After the suicide of her mother she is sent from her home in India to Spence, a boarding school for young ladies, where she has to deal with petty girls and the unwanted attention of an Indian boy who followed her from home. She can also conjure a door of light that leads to a place called the Realms. While there she finds out that she is descended from a line of priestesses that governed the mysterious Realms and is the only one who can restore their secret society called The Order. At every turn there is another reason to question who she trusts and more people waiting to thwart her efforts at harnessing the magic. The book captures the struggle
of being a free-spirited woman in a time when society wanted your body and mind both corseted. It also manages to throw in a classic batch of good versus evil in the form of ancient magic. A decent introductory book into the Gemma Doyle trilogy, it’s followed up by Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing. Both of which are much better than the first. It’s dark and angsty, so if you don’t do that sort of thing I would pass it by, but for all the rest of you...I would definitely go get myself a copy.
Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty is available in paperback from Random House Publishers.
music store? Ah, yet there must be a catch. Darn those catches! Amazon requires you to install their special Amazon MP3 Downloader in order to, uh, download their songs. Surprisingly, this isn’t as horrible as it sounds. Not only does the Downloader have a small file size (dial-up users rejoice), but it also has an extremely intuitive interface, so there isn’t much you can mess up. Amazon even tries to make up for the extra steps involved by being able to automatically add your new songs to Windows Media Player and iTunes. The final conclusion? Pros for Amazon’s MP3 store far outweigh the cons, unless you’re someone who likes short-term convenience over the long-term outcome.
a hunger for human flesh. Hunting deer during the day while barricading himself from the zombies at night, Neville tries to live a normal life, with activities such as golf. Along with his German Shepard, Sam, Neville hopelessly tries to find the cure and search for other survivors. For the most part of the movie, Neville, is alone and is shown desperately searching for a cure. Also, Neville deals with flashbacks in which he remembers his family and former life. This movie is captivating and thought-provoking—especially the shots of an uninhabited New York City, covered in lush grass and abandoned cars. This movie is remotely related to sci-fi movies such as 28 Days Later, which can feel like déjà vu; however, Smith’s exceptional acting is captivating. This movie is perfect to watch if you like thrillers or just love Will Smith’s performances.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. pictures
Robert Neville (Will Smith) faces the specter of a ruined New York City in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ sci-fi action adventure I Am Legend, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Music Reviews By KARISSA LINDAHL KARISSA@RCHSEAGLESNEST.ORG
The Willowz Chautauqua
The Willowz’s 2007 release, C h a u taqua, is exemplary of their one-of-a-kind sound. Unusual music layered up with deep lyrics and pure talent make for what could easily be your favorite album of the year.
Bright Eyes Of Montreal
Animal Collective
Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Strawberry Jam
Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? is the eighth album release for psychedelic disco indie rock masterminds Of Montreal. A loose concept album detailing lead singer, Kevin Barnes’, transformation into alter-ego Georgie Fruit, Hissing Fauna details his life with melodramatic lyrics and an upbeat tempo. The first half of the album sends you on a journey through the struggles of everyday life which eventually lead you into the “The Past Is A Grotesque Animal”, the threshold which transcends you into the whimsical world of Georgie Fruit.
Animal Collective brings a new element to their sound every album they release, and Strawberry Jam is no exception. This album is the most melodic and accessible release to date. Animal Collective are generally thrown into the freakfolk genre with artists such as Devendra Banhart or Joanna Newsom, but this album will completely change that notion. A first time listener may be thrown off by all of the things going on in every track, therefore multiple sit and listen sessions are required. If you can get past the overwhelming factor, Strawberry Jam has mass potential.
Cassadaga
Bright Eyes have released their most innovative album yet with Cassadaga. Conor Oberst’s beautiful lyrics blended into a country-folk background keep your ears on edge.
Air
Pocket Symphony French duo Air’s fourth album release Pocket Symphony is their brightest and most song -oriented release to date. Spacious, moody, and fuzzy.
The Eagle’s Nest • Valentine’s Edition • February 2008
VALENTINE from Page 3
to him, and he replied, “I think it is a day of showing your appreciation for someone in your life by buying them really expensive things.” This poor child has obviously been brain-washed by materialistic females seeking a kick to their self-esteem. Hunter! What are you thinking? We are teenagers. We are broke teenagers with emotional stress! Don’t let girls throw this burden on you! Hey, it could save you a few bucks, too. After a few minutes to calm down, I thought, “Well okay, I will give Hunter a second chance.” I asked if he thought Jimmy Dean is back, and this is a tough one, kids! Consider your answer carefully... Same as before, squint your eyes and try to identify the pixelated location shown in the photo above. Make your guess, then submit your answer to the drop box in the library, using one of the entry slips provided. (It’s on top of the card catalog--you remember...that things with all the trays of little cards that have book titles on them? Yeah, that.) The deadline for entries is Friday, February 29th. One entry, drawn at random from all the correct entries received, will win a $15 iTunes Music Store gift card!
ELECTION from Page 2
tial pary nomination. For the Democrats, a candidate must receive the votes of 2,025 delegates to win the party nomination. That makes this year very interesting, because according to CNN.com, Clintion currently has 1,148 delegate votes, and Obama has 1,121. As of right now, either of the two could win the nomination. The reason the candidates are so close is that the Democratic party splits the delegates in each state according to the popular votes that each candidate receives.
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Saint Valentine’s Day was a good or bad holiday. Once again, he disappointed me. “I think it’s a good holiday to spend time with someone you have feelings for,” he said. Listen kids, take it from someone who has learned the hard way: if you really care about someone, why not set out a day in each month, or however often you prefer, with that lucky guy or girl. Set the day aside just for them with no interruptions. Make an attempt to fix them dinner, hang out at your place, or do whatever you two enjoy as long as you let it come from your heart. Unless, of course, you’re heartless like I am. I would just tell them to go make their own dinner. Back to the point, though,
you don’t need to spend money on someone to let them know you care. If you don’t agree with me, you better tell them to hit the road. I will leave you with a few words of advice. If you absolutely insist on celebrating Saint Valentine’s Day, do it with care. If you must give your significant other a gift, I recommend burning a CD or even giving him or her memorable photos. Those things always mean a lot, and they stay with you for as long as you want them to. Please, let me repeat this: stay away from those horrid stuffed bears. I swear, those things come alive when you are sleeping. If you must get them a stuffed animal, do not get them a bear! Be creative. How about a nice stuffed centaur?
So, for instance, if Hillary wins 55% of the popular vote in state X and Obama wins 45% in the same state, and the state offers ten delegates, the two candidates would each receieve five delegates. The Republicans have a different system, however. The Republicans use a winner-take-all system, much like the electoral college. That’s how McCain has such a dominant lead. In the same state X, if McCain wins 51% of the popular vote, and Huckabee wins 49%, McCain wins all ten delegates. In this system, a frontrunner is revealed early in the election year. Now that we’ve endured Super Tuesday, things in the political world have become somewhat clearer, at least for the Republicans.
The primaries are not, however, over. Over the next five to six months, there will still be many state primaries, and the candidates will be working harder than ever to bring in the votes. The most unpredictable and chaotic part of the race is over, though. From here, we can at least focus on four candidates instead of fifteen to twenty. And make no mistake, you will hear about these four candidates in the coming months. Political pundits everywhere will continue to tell us who will top his or her respective party, and how that candidate will do in the general election in November. But whether anyone knows how this will play out, I doubt it— especially if you’re a Democrat.
Sports Eagle tennis team begins season prep By BROOKE SMITH BROOKE@RCHSEAGLESNEST.ORG
photo submitted
A record seven wrestlers placed high enough in the region tournament last week to advance to the state level. ABOVE, FROM LEFT: Coach Head, Nic Fuller, Logan Henley, Quinton Carter, Jacob Henley, Kevin Revis, Cody Graves, and Coach Brown.
Seven wrestlers state-bound By RYAN SMITH RYAN@RCHSEAGLESNEST.ORG
Seven Golden Eagle wrestlers managed to finish high enough at last weeks’ region tournament to qualify for the state tournament. This is a new school record, and Rhea County head coach Zac Brown couldn’t be more proud of his team. Brown, who predicted prior to the region tournament that the team could send six or seven Eagles to state if they wrestled to their full potential, said, “I’m ex-
tremely proud of the guys’ effort and hard work. Having seven state qualifiers shows what hard work and determination can do.” For three RCHS seniors, this is not the first trip to the state tournament. Jacob Henley finished second in the state last year, and hopes to perform well again this year. The one-hundred-and-thirty-pounder managed to finish the regular season with a record of 20-2. When asked his thoughts on his senior season, Henley said,
“The regular season has been a little disappointing for me because of being injured, but I’m very much looking forward to dominating the state tournament.” His fellow seniors, Cody Graves and Hunter Daniel also made trips to the state last year. Graves finished the regular season with a record of 25-8, while Daniel finished at 27-4. The other four state qualifiers are Nic Fuller, who finished 27-9 in the 103-pound weight class,
Logan Henley, who finished 13-5 in the 112-pound weight class, Quinton Carter, who finished 23-13 in the 119-pound class, and Kevin Revis, who finished 26-9 in the heavyweight division. When asked about what he expects out of his wrestlers in the state tournament, Coach brown said, “Henley and Daniel are both returning state medalist, and Cody is a returning state qualifier. I expect all three to leave Chattanooga as 2008 state medalists”
Tennis season has begun at Rhea County High School! Both teams are gearing up to face stiff competition this season. This years’ lineup for the girls team consists of Julie Gillette, Brooke Smith, Lindsey Catlett, Ashley Ellis, Ashley Stewart, Destiny Congioloso, Kelci Frederick, Caylee Cochran, and Hailee Gordon. This talented team has already begun their annual practices at the Racquet Club in Chattanooga and are working hard to make this the best season yet. Coach Lil Andrews has high expectations for her team and is working hard to accomplish her goals for a potentially winning season. “If we play up to our full potential, we should be among the top in the district,” says Coach Andrews. This years’ mens team consists of Kelly Lane, Billy Whisman, Michael Cooper, Nick Tuttle, Matthew Keylon, Stephen Webb, Adam Roddy, Brandon Riggle, Mitchell Barry, Wesley Sanders, Dylan Coulter, Justin Nation, and Jacob Ricketts. Coach Micah Ruehling also has high expectations and says, “I’m excited about the possibilities for the upcoming season. We have enough depth and leadership to make a run at the district title.” Hopefully the coaches’ and players’ high expectations for this year will become a reality. Good luck to both teams!
2008 track season prospects are hopeful By ROCHELLE NORDYKE ROCHELLE@RCHSEAGLESNEST.ORG
Runners, take your marks! Pre-season has already begun for the RCHS Track Team. Coach Mitchell has high expectations for the distance teams this year, having so many returning letterman. The boys distance team currently consists of Jacob Henley, Tim Cook, Tyler Tallent, Artemio Pasquel, Levi Coxy, Zac Barnes, and Arron Patton. The girls distance team is composed of Alyssa Lindsey, Mary-Beth Dyer, Grace Henley, Rochelle Nordyke, Amy Newport, Mallory Dyer, Leanne Patton, and Katie Arnold. The boys and girls 4x8 teams are expected to break the record this year. Tyler Tallent and Tim Cook are anticipated to break the open 8. Tim Cook is also likely to
break the 1 mile. According to coach Mitchell, if Jacob Henley stays healthy, he and Zac Barnes will make their presence known. He is still looking for a girls 1-mile runner and 2-mile runner as well. Brandon McLeoroy is going to be a strong force in the discus and shot; Dillon Peak, Tripp Graham, Ryan Smith and Adam Brown will be throwing as well. Hannah Travis and Chris Roberts will lead the sprinters and be joined by McKayla Gillespi, Brittany Rothfolk, Catron Matthews, and a few crossovers. The coaches are hoping for more freshmen and upperclassmen to decide to come out and join the team. If you are interested in track, official practice began this week. Practice is held every day on the track after school.
photo by julius smith
Ryan Smith and Brandon McLeroy work on their shot-put technique at a recent track practice.
Opinion Perspective:
We all have our differences Throughout life, we as human beings pass judgement on those around us. Often, we harshly critique our peers. Even more often, we do so without truly knowing who this person is. Unfortunately this often harms both the judge and those being judged. The obvious harm is to the judged, but the judge is also harmed. The judge may take one shred of knowledge about his subCORY ject and autoSMITH matically apply many more labels and faults to this person even though they may not be true. This application may keep the judge from seeing the good in the person being judged and keep both in a place of ignorance, bitterness and harm. Throughout history this fault of human nature has harmed or murdered millions of good men and women. During the African American civil rights movement, misconceptions and quicklydrawn conclusions caused riots nationwide that both mentally and physically hurt people. The Communist and Fascist states of Europe in the early twentieth century murdered and persecuted millions upon millions because their victims didn’t fit a certain standard of “perfection.” During the religious crusades
in the Middle East, religious intolerance killed good men, women and children all because they didn’t belong to a particular faith. The same occurred during the Spanish Inquisition. Even more recently, there has been a constant struggle between religious factions and those who don’t uphold the exact tenants of a particular faith: homosexuals, single mothers, Muslims, divorced families, and anyone else who doesn’t agree. As Americans, we should be able to hold to a higher sense of right, beyond that of religious difference, beyond that of political difference. Americans should be compassionate enough to follow the golden rule of treating others the way you wish to be treated. We should be intelligent enough to look beyond labels and find the true nature of our fellow man. Americans should be able to look beyond a faith, a sexual orientation, a political view, or a circumstance to see that the man or woman standing next to them is a human being, just like they are. So, I challenge you: The next time you talk to a person who you have misconceptions about, really talk to them. Find out who they really are. You just may find that they aren’t much different that you.
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Perspective:
Enemy of Democracy? Probably not. Every Monday through Thursday, I stay up to watch A Daily Show and the Colbert Report on Comedy Central from eleven to twelve. I enjoy watching Jon Stewart, ALEX in his arroGREEN gant, sarcastic delivery, dismantle the biggest news of the day while poking fun at any politician who happens to be in the spotlight at the time. Following Stewart, Colbert’s program airs, and he tells the news from his point of view, which is narrow-minded and far to the right. The thing about Stephen Colbert, though, is that he plays the host of the Colbert Report. In an interview with Morley Sayer on 60 Minutes, Colbert admits that the character he plays is a “a well-intentioned, poorly informed, hight-status idiot.” Stewart, on the other hand, does not play a character, but he doesn’t claim to present the hard news either. In an interview with Bill Moyer of PBS, Stewart said, “I
can assure [the viewers] they’re not getting any journalism from us. I do believe [The Daily Show] function[s] as a sort of editorial cartoon.” Stewart clearly states here that he does not intend to come off as a news anchor. So why do many accuse him of poisoning his young viewers by making them cynical and apathetic toward the political process? At East Carolina University, two political science professors polled student reaction to coverage of the 2004 presidential race by CBS News and The Daily Show. What they found was that Daily Show watchers were more cynical about candidates, campaigns, the electoral system and the news media than the network news viewers were. The Washington Post had a field day with this data, using it to attack The Daily Show and label Stewart an “Enemy of Democracy.” What the Post failed to mention, though, was that the Stewart watchers also felt “more confident about their own ability to understand politics,” thus making them more likely to get in-
volved in the voting process. Being one of these viewers, I’d like to give my input: I watch The Daily Show because it’s entertaining, and I do not rely on Jon Stewart for my news. Sure, he presents news, but just as he says, he doesn’t report on it. I actually had no interest in politics until I started watching Stewart and Colbert. I would tune in at night to watch them do their shows and make their jokes, but often I didn’t appreciate the raw humor in the statements. As I watched increasingly more late night television, I developed a desire for knowledge about the issues presented on the Daily Show and Colbert Report. To acquire this knowledge, I turned to true news networks. I began to watch the news and take note of what was going on in the political world, and now that I’ve done that, I have a desire to get involved and make a difference. So does watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report make me more cynical about the government and politics? I don’t really think so. I think it makes me want to know what’s really going on, and in today’s world, is that really such a bad thing?
Just for Fun A REGULAR
RUDOLPH VALINTIN...OH.
Eagle’s Nest
WORD SEARCH
A comic adventure by will garrison, tyler humphrey, and Eric Bailey. PHotography by JAY MADDUX. WIth special guest star brittany conley and the RCHS DRAMA CLUB Make-up head.
V W J A Y B R Q R M T G B G P J O I Q Q
N M Y L F B X M V U E I J B U V Z S B D
H F A K E G Z B L K X Y U H T M A D Y W
G E C R E M W O H N N X Y Y U F Z Q W N
A E D A C B J V H Q A O Q N E W Y O R K
T G O K R H U C K A B E E C Q L W C R Y
H J A R E T H I R T Y S K I L L S U S A
E B W B G D O Q O V L E P X E I X T L R
R K Q R M I X O J M A U B X I R N H V H
I W B D W G E R N O P Q Y K R S I T G J
N L P M R I N F I V B K O O E G E P O K
G A I I V T L K R U I S D T L Y X V A N
S L K J T A V Y W U C C H W A I Q Y E W
T Y S M A L A M I H I R F A N Q U H S N
O M N E M R W J N U G T F U D J Z X W Y
N S C G A I D X E G E M M A D O Y L E O
E Q M L Z G Q M N V O F Y I T Z W L J U
S F J E O H A L F C E N T E Y A S I H L
A J U W N T D I G F H M A X M C Q C N K
G M F X I S T U F F E D C E N T A U R G
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
INSTRUCTIONS: Scour the pages of this issue of The Eagle’s Nest for answers to the clues. Then see if you can find them in the puzzle!
Month for Parent/Teacher conferences: __ __ __ __ __ Days to process a voter registration form: __ __ __ __ __ __ Title of Ms. Ballentine’s book: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Company competing with iTunes for online music sales: __ __ __ __ __ __ Number of RCHS wrestlers competing in the state tournament: __ __ __ __ __ Lauren Collins’ approved Valentine’s gift: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Ms. Ballentine travelled to this country before she wrote her book: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Amount of the proposed sales tax increase for school improvements: __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ Alter-ego on Of Montreal’s album: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Juniors will be doing this next Friday: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Will Garrison’s favorite Valentine cards have one of these on them: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Democratic candidate who won the majority of votes in Rhea County’s primary election: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Heroine in A Great and Terrible Beauty: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Republican candidate who won the majority of votes in Rhea County’s primary election: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Vocational organization holding competitions this month: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __