_First of all, try saying that title five times fast, “A New News Source,” “A New….”  Now, let’s move on to more serious subjects.  When I’m writing an article- or searching sites looking for interesting viewpoints-, I go through a variety of news sites.  I do this because I like having well-researched, accurate articles that reflect various views. 

When I first went to the BET News site, there were three articles/photo albums (the stories are actually a series of photos with slightly longer captions than normal) that immediately caught my attention.  The first was an article in the hip hop news section.  It was “100 Best Songs of 2011.”  Browsing through the article, I found multiple songs I’m going to have to download on my ipod.  (There’s nothing like a fast beat to make you push a little harder during a workout).  The second article that I found extremely interesting was “The Year in Obama Insults.”  I usually do a post at the end of year with the stupidest quotes of the year, and I can see at least one insult that is going to make the list.  “This Day in Black History: Dec. 24, 1865: Ku Klux Klan Founded,” also caught my attention.  I’m a history major, so most historical stories capture my interest. 

Overall, I would have to say I am very impressed with the News section of the BET site, and would recommend it to anyone.  It has a wide variety of topics, as well as a large number of photographs.  One annoying thing about the site, though, is that it switches the page on you after about a minute.  I was in the middle of reading and pondering a caption, and the site automatically switched my page from the political quotes article I was reading to “When Hip Hop Meets Football.”  During the time it has taken me to write this paragraph, it has switched again to “Dolled Up Celebs.”  Despite this small failing, I am definitely adding BET news to my resource list.

_2012 is a presidential election year, meaning that a serious portion of news time will be dedicated to this topic.  Obviously, we know who the Democrat's presidential candidate will be.  I will be doing a post about President Obama’s “rough” campaign platform at a later date. 

But with the wide variety of interesting debate comments and moments, I thought I would do an overview of who is running on the right.  (I do not support any candidate at this point…from either party.  Participants/Contenders will be appearing in alphabetical order). 

This being a cynical website, I will be posting a couple of less-than-intelligent quotes from each candidate.  I WILL do my best to find verification of every single quote.
Note: Hermain Cain has “suspended” his campaign. 

Candidate: Newt Gingrich

Bio:
   Son of a career military member.  Bachelor’s degree from Emory University and Master’s and Doctorate in Modern European History from Tulane University.  Taught History and Environmental Studies at West Georgia College for eight years.  Represented Georgia in Congress for 20 years, including four years as Speaker of the House. 

Views:
   Immigration conservative.  On Day 1 on office he plans to end all immigration-related lawsuits against states immediately, including those pending in Arizona and South Carolina.  Website states “The Gingrich Administration will secure the border by Jan. 1, 2014 by any means necessary.” 
   Pro-Israel- wants to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in accordance with Israel’s statement that Jerusalem is their capital. 
   Wants to restore “conscience clause” and strengthen existing ones.  This clause allows anyone in the medical environment to refuse to perform a procedure that he or she finds morally or ethically objectionable based on religious teaching. 
   Repeal and re-place Obamacare.
   Option of a 15% flat income tax.    

Media/Outside Commentary:
   Chicago Tribune contributor Steve Chapman: “Gingrich is an condescending, self-important egotist.”  (Source1)
   Weekly Standard editor William Kristol: ...who mocked the "Olympian sense of exemption from standards and logic" that he said allowed the candidate to claim he was not a Washington lobbyist, despite pocketing $1.6 million in fees from Freddie Mac. The mortgage giant is a bête noir of small-government purists.” (Source2)
    On Friday’s “Morning Joe,’’ on MSNBC, host Joe Scarborough, who’s had his own problems with the former House speaker, noted that “Newt Gingrich, when he attacks Michele Bachmann, sort of speaks in a different tone and is far more condescending to Michele Bachmann than he is the men on the stage.’’  (Source3)

Newt Gingrich Quote:  (yes, I only have one…this one says everything you need to know about the guy.)
"It doesn't matter what I do," he answered. "People need to hear what I have to say. There's no one else who can say what I can say. It doesn't matter what I live." (Note 1)


Note 1: I found this quote in multiple places.  Both the Huffington Post and The Guardian report the quote, stating that it came from an interview conducted by Esquire with Newt Gingrich’s second wife. Sources for this quote:
Michael Tomasky, “I report, you decide,” The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2010/aug/10/us-politics-newt-gingrich-sociopath
Elyse Siegel, “Newt Gingrich’s Ex-Wife Goes Public: Messy Relationship Life, Meltdowns, and 2012,” The Huffington Post, August 10, 2010. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/10/newt-gingrichs-ex-wife-go_n_676834.html

Source1: Steve Chapman, “Newt Gingrich’s biggest problem,” Chicago Tribune, December 16, 2011. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman/chi-gingrichs-big-problem-20111216,0,3076773.story

Source2: James Rainey, “United on the right, against New Gingrich,” Los Angeles Times, December 16, 2011. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-gingrich-20111216,0,3186074.story

Source 3: Melinda Henneberger, “Opinion: Does Newt Gingrich have a woman problem?  With Michele Bachmann, yes,” The Washington Post, December 16, 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/opinion-does-newt-gingrich-have-a-woman-problem-with-michele-bachmann-yes/2011/12/16/gIQA4lYuyO_story.html?tid=pm_politics_pop

"Success is the ability to get along with some people, and get ahead of others." - E.C. McKenzie*

Let not the mind be like concrete- all mixed up and permanently set.

Work to make yourself indispensible, but never get the idea that you are.

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." — John Wooden“God will not look you over for medals degrees or diplomas, but for scars."- Elbert Hubbard*

Ordinarily, anything whispered or shouted is not worth listening to._

"Funny, when you're dead how people start listening."- The Band Perry


*Some of the quotes I found online, meaning that I cannot 100% verify the author.

I was thinking about labels today...Christian, Muslim, Liberal, healthy, Bi-Polar, over-weight, under-weight, Southern, etc.  I was also wondering why we, as Americans, are so damn eager to label OURSELVES?  People are so proud of claiming to be one thing or another.  (But they seem to get so angry if someone else labels them as something.) 

I think the government is one of the biggest offenders (or enablers) of labeling people.  You "qualify" for food stamps, you're "lower middle class," or you vote "conservatively."
This being an election year, citizens will yet once again get a preview of presidential candidates running around to "swing" states and ignoring the rest of the union.  In this case, you don't even have a label.  You're only a miniscule portion of an electoral vote.  An electoral vote that they're only worried about if you live in a certain state or region. 

I'm so annoying to people doing polls.  I'm always "independent" when they ask whom I vote for.  I refuse to answer basic "yes" or "no" questions on most big issues...I'm a big believer in the shades of gray, not a black and white world.  I can (and do) argue both sides of issues...often in public, on this very blog. 

So, I invite everyone to join me in celebrating National Unlabeling Day. 

Here's a personal story mildly related (feel free to skip...the good stuff is over):
I was reading through an old blog post (on this same subject written about two years ago), and thought this a fairly appropriate personal story to go along with this.  Long story short: I used to drink too much.  Husband dragged me to doctor who put me on medication to help with my bi-polar mood swings.  Within about four months (somewhere between three and six anyway), I had quit drinking. 

I went to AA for awhile, but quit going.  Why?  There were various reasons, but the biggest was that I was trying to have a life, not spend everyday at AA, with AA people, talking about drinking.  In my eyes, alcohol is still controlling your life in that scenario.  Another is that I don't have a desire to drink.  Ever.  I never liked the taste of alcohol in the first place, I liked the effect.  Third, I didn't fit in real well- I haven't been arrested, didn't cheat on my husband, didn't waste the family fortune (ha-ha...what little we had at the time), didn't move or have to quit a job because of drinking.  Plus, quitting for me was amazingly easy compared to what I saw other people going through.  (For those who know anything about AA, I've only got one white chip.) 

I saw on the calendar the other day that it was my "5 year sober" date.  My grandma, a wise lady, has said all along I was never an alcoholic, I was drinking because I was bi-polar.  Well, today, I'm shedding at least one label attached to me.  When doctors ask on forms about prior medical history, or when nosy people want to know why I'm not drinking (husband is in the Navy), I'm just going to say "I just don't".  I'm not an alcoholic.