Clearing out the Clutter

Tuesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Happy Tuesday to you all.  The Super Bowl is just five days away, and the new Van Halen album is two days after that.  My head's already spinning, so let's cut to the chase and get down to business.  Everyone have your medium DD?  Yes?  What about you over there in the corner, good to go?  Okay, let's clear out some Clutter.

The Apprentice returns on February 19th, and what do you know?  Donald Trump just happens to be talking about running for president again.  Do you remember when he said he had some guys who'd uncovered some really shocking information about President Obama's birth certificate?  Whatever happened with that?

I'll do it, I swear, I'll do it. (pic via abcnews.com)

NBC doesn't like Mitt Romney's campaign ad that features Tom Brokaw announcing a story about Newt Gingrich's ethics troubles.

Meanwhile, Newt's got his own problems, as he's being sued by the co-author of Eye of the Tiger to to stop using the song at his rallies.

Chris Matthews to Mittens:  What comes around, goes around:

 

David Axelrod reminded the public of one of the major differences between President Obama and Mitt Romney:  One of them lets their dog travel inside the car on trips.  This is a distinction that is of particular importance to BDH and his friends.

Rick Santorum will release four years of tax returns that nobody asked for.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has entered Twilight Zone territory, claiming that Congress has given President Obama everything he's asked for.  Perhaps three years of obstructing every Democratic proposal has left Senator McConnell suffering from exhaustion.

It's the end of an era as the main house on the Kennedy family compound is being donated to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for public use.  BDH wants to know if we'll be donating Clutter Headquarters to his institute.  I told him I'd get back to him about that.

Which street drug is now being tested as a quick fix for severe depression?

A teenager who's survived cancer is now growing his hair long for other cancer survivors.  His reward?  To be kicked out of his school.  That's clearly sending the right message.  Helping others in need is nice, but you gotta keep that hair short.

It turns out there's no actual legal definition for "natural" when talking about most foods, so paying extra for "natural" Tostitos is probably a waste of money.

Las Vegas sports books are rooting really hard for a New England Patriots Super Bowl win.

New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team, and he may have to step it up if Rob Gronkowski is limited on Sunday.

Everyone is talking about how much Gronk will be able to do at the Super Bowl, and how much pressure that will put on Wes Welker and Hernandez.  However, former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch says, don't forget about me.

Will Big Papi be the first Red Sox player to actually go to arbitration in ten years?

Former Red Sox pitcher/Massachusetts native Manny Delcarmen has apparently surrendered to the dark side of the force, signing a minor league deal with the New York Yankees.  Our condolences to his family and friends during this challenging time.

(pic via bostondirtdogs.com)

Jenny Dell isn't the only new face coming to NESN.  Former player Matt Stairs is joining the network as a studio analyst.

Will Prince Fielder's signing with the Detroit Tigers help him repair his relationship with his father, former Tigers slugger Cecil Fielder?  (It's worth clicking on that link just to see the picture of a young Prince in Zubaz pants.)

I have to say I really enjoyed the Ferris Beuller's Day Off sequel, though I missed Sloan and Cameron:

 

Axl Rose and the current Guns 'N Roses lineup are returning to The Ritz, the site of the band's famous 1988 performance.  That 1988 show was amazing to a 14 year old Clutterhead.  I just wish it was the original band playing again this time.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Last week, we had Zaak Wylde playing the Star Spangled Banner and suggested he should play it for the Super Bowl.  We're all about choices here at Clutter, so today, we give you the option of Chickenfoot guitarist Joe Satriani's performance for today's, "Song of the Day."  Check it out:

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  I hope you had as much fun as we did.  Have a good day, stay warm, and come back soon for more fun and randomness.  Until next time, today's Clutter has been cleared, and we're outta here.

Monday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Happy Monday to you all.  I know, the weekend blew right by, but think of it this way, the Super Bowl is only six days from now!  BDH and Little Buddha want to have a party on Sunday, and they've already written down all of the snacks they want.  It's unclear to me whether these are just for the two of them, or if they want to invite other people.  I'll figure that out later.  For now, grab yourself a medium DD on this chilly Monday, and let's clear out a little Clutter.

Just another reminder that the GOP's supposed abhorrence of debt is a complete sham. 

Things are looking very good for Mitt Romney in Floriday's primary tomorrow.  What's the point of being one of the richest presidential candidates ever if you can't buy a state, right?

Who's benefitting more from this weak group of GOP candidates, Mitt Romney or President Obama?

How much does it pay to be an ex-president?

The Boston Globe's Adrian Walker provides an alternative perspective on the late former mayor Kevin White.

I don't know, I think I'd be a little uncomfortable if I was on the New York Giants and watched Bill Belichick cracking jokes and looking relaxed at his press conference yesterday.  That can't be a good sign.

Yeah, we're set for Sunday. (pic via espn.com)

The New York media is trying to create a controversy by claiming Tom Brady guaranteed a victory at yesterday's team rally.  Of course, that's not what happened, but it sells papers.

Clutter doesn't gamble much, but we'll take the under on how many times Peyton Manning is shown during the Super Bowl.

Defense continues to be the name of the game as the AFC beat the NFC 59-41 in yesterday's Pro Bowl.  Does anyone know how much tickets cost for this game?  I understand that it's certainly not a "real" game, and I understand why.  You don't want to risk serious injury to a star during an All Star game, but I'd be pretty irritated if I spent real money to watch these guys play at less than half-speed.

LeBron James may not be able to stand tall in the 4th quarter of post-season games, but at least he can dunk like this:

 

For those of you who have been wondering all this time, wonder no longer:  We now know exactly when rapper Ice Cube had "A Good Day."  That's up there with this detailed analysis of exactly how long Bill Murray spent trapped in "Groundhog Day."  Never underestimate the power of the Internets. 

How am I supposed to wait until May for the U.S. premiere of season two of Sherlock, when I can find clips like this all over YouTube?  (Bonus points for the inclusion the original version of yesterday's, "Song of the Day" here.)

 

Van Halen's, A Different Kind of Truth, is eight days away, and the excitement continues to build as the previews of more and more tracks are released.  The album seems to have an old-school vibe, as this is the heaviest the band has sounded since their Fair Warning days, and that's not a bad thing at all:

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I think we'll let the New England Patriots take us out with today's, "Clip of the Day."  Something tells me we'll have a few more of these this week.

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  We hope you enjoyed your time here as much as we enjoyed having you.  Have a good one, and come back soon, because you know there's always more randomness to deal with.  Until next time, we're outta here.

Sunday Afternoon Clutter

Hi everyone,

Come on in.  Welcome back, how are you?  How's your weekend going?  Little Buddha and I have been chasing BDH around Clutter Headquarters all day trying to get him to calm about for next week's big game.  The little guy finally wore himself out, so he and Little Buddha are taking a nap.  I hope you don't mind it's just me here today, but at least I have fresh coffee!  Help yourself to a medium DD (or a Sam Adams Spring Ale, if you prefer), and let's check out a little Sunday Clutter.

The late former mayor Kevin White is being fondly remembered throughout Boston after his death on Friday.

Mayor White (pic via politico.com)

The anticipation is building as the New England Patriots were sent off to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl by 25,000 fans.

Vince Wilfork is ready to go! (pic via patriots.com)

Mitt Romney is pulling away in Florida just two days before the state's primary.  Does Newt Gingrich have another comeback in him, or is this the beginning of the end for him?  Hopefully he can figure out a way back, besides the endorsement of Herman Cain.  I think the public really needs another 50-100 GOP debates to have a real sense of the candidates.

Mittens is really trying to sweep the leg with this ad.  Simple and to the point:

 

I was just thinking about something.  Mitt Romney has touted Domino's Pizza, which Bain Capital bought during Romney's tenure, as an example of his success as a businessman.  Isn't this the same Domino's which has been running nonstop ads forever now talking about how much they used to suck at everything?  Is that a subliminal attack on Romney?  Has the DNC been funding these ads the entire time?  Or am I just hungry?

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is doing everything they can to regain Democratic control of the House, which would require flipping 25 seats.  With polls showing support for a Democratic House is growing, could they pull this off?

It appears that Twitter's new attempt at censorship is extremely easy to get around.

Could it be that the Boston Red Sox might actually get a player of "significant value" from the Chicago Cubs as compensation for former general manager Theo Epstein, if for no other reason than Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig wants to discourage other baseball executives from trying to get out of their contracts early?

Tim Wakefield is still waiting for a call from the Red Sox.  Wakefield's talking about being open to retirement or pitching for another team, but you know it would kill him to fall just short of being Boston's all-time wins leader.  I wonder if the chances of that call happening have increased at all, now that it appears pitcher Roy Oswalt will be signing with the St. Louis Cardinals despite being pursued by Boston.

Is anyone worried that the Red Sox home opener is on Friday the 13th this year?

R & B singer Etta James was buried in style yesterday.

Mom Clutter and I saw The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep yesterday.  Streep was terrific in her performance as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, but the rest of the movie isn't particularly good.  You really don't get a sense of what made Thatcher who she was, and the scenes showing her struggling to get around in the current day and talking to the ghost of her late husband Dennis are too long.  The plot is disjointed, and it never really comes together as a story.  However, there are times where it's impossible to see Streep's face, and it looks like you're watching footage of the real former prime minister.

 

Who do we have to thank/blame for a possible Spice Girls reunion?

Remember them? (pic via idolator.com)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's have Peter Tosh take us out with his take on Nina Simone's classic, "SinnerMan," for today's, "Song of the Day."  I love the orginal, but this ain't bad either:

 

Thanks for stopping by, my friends.  It was great to see you as always.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and don't forget to come back again soon.  I promise BDH and Little Buddha will be awake, and we'll clear out a brand new round of randomness.  Until then, today's Clutter is now cleared.

Sunday Clutter: One Week From Today

Hi everyone,

We at Clutter Headquarters have been doing our best not to talk about the big game because it seemed so far away.  However, we just can't wait any longer now that it's only seven days from now.  BDH is particularly excited because this is the first time he's ever seen this contest.  He's furiously studying the rosters, learning all the angles, and doing everything he can to be prepared.  Honestly, Little Buddha and I can't keep up with him.  He's been begging me to write about this for a week now, and I can't think of a better subject for the 1000th Clearing out the Clutter post than:

PUPPY BOWL 2012!

That's right, the 8th annual Puppy Bowl kicks off on February 5th at 3:00 on Animal Planet.  Friends, you know I love my Boston Red Sox, I love my Monty Python, and I love my Doctor Who, but there is no better two hours of television each year than watching these 10 puppies compete on the field of battle.  The "goal" is for them to drag their toy across the goal line, but it's a bonus when that happens.  It's mostly puppies playing with their toys, chasing after each other, and then getting distracted by the camera and running towards that instead.  Bonus points go to the guy who came up with the idea of putting a camera underneath the water dish.

It's simply impossible not to grin right from the opening moment with the line-ups are announced, as you'll see in this clip from Puppy Bowl VI:

 

 Now just because these puppies are the cutest things ever, don't think for a second they're not warriors.  Puppy Bowl isn't all fun and games, it can get pretty rough out there.  Just check out this clip from the classic Puppy Bowl III (a game still talked about at Clutter Headquarters) to see what I mean:

  

 

These guys need to take a break from the game at some point, though, and that's where the halftime show comes in!

  

 

For those of you who may be sensitive to these sorts of things, I should point out that Puppy Bowl can get a little...risque..at times:

 

 

Somehow in all of this confusion, the puppies do manage to get it together long enough to actually score touchdowns:

 

In all seriousness, the puppies in Puppy Bowl are all from shelters, and the real point of the show is to raise awareness about the number of dogs who need a good home.  We would house all of these little guys at Clutter Headquarters if we could (and BDH thinks that's the greatest idea he's ever heard), but they just won't fit.  

If you can't watch Puppy Bowl VII live, set your DVR now.  It plays all afternoon and evening on the 5th.  You won't be able to stop grinning, and it's for a good cause.  Tell them BDH sent you!

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Happy weekend, Clutterheads!  Great to see you again, come on in.  What's the plan for the day?  It's certainly much nicer out than it was yesterday.  Mom Clutter is coming soon, so BDH, Little Buddha and I have to finish cleaning up Clutter Headquarters before she gets here.  However, we have time for a quick break, so make yourself comfortable, grab a medium DD, and let's clear out a little Saturday Clutter.

Condolences to the family and friends of former Boston Mayor Kevin White, who died yesterday at age 82.  Mayor White was a truly historic figure who oversaw the transformation of Boston into a leading city during challenging times.

One of the most interesting stories I've heard about Mayor White was about his efforts to avoid a riot in Boston, as was happening in so many other cities, after the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968.  He did this by getting WGBH to broadcast a James Brown concert from the Boston Garden so that people would stay home instead.  It was an extremely tense situation, but it worked out:

 

A new poll shows Mitt Romney with a nine point lead in Florida over Newt Gingrich.  Is this the beginning of the end for Newt, or just the latest chapter of this soap opera?  In the meantime, Romney is now trying to claim that his tax rate is closer to 50%.  Come on, Mittens, now you're just being silly.  It's amazing that such a successful businessman doesn't have the slightest idea how to talk about his money.

Ron Paul continues to claim that he never read his own racist and homophobic newsletters.  Apparently he just threw his signature on them, collected a paycheck and never thought twice about what might be going out under his name.  Actually, I can appreciate that.  BDH and Little Buddha have been writing Clutter for over a year now, and I don't have the slightest idea what they claim I've said.  I just cash the checks and go on my merry way.

Is it finally time for the long-awaited Facebook IPO, or is this just another mean tease?  Either way, there's a lot of money to be maid with your vacation pictures.

The Red Sox still need another starting pitcher, but at least NESN has hired ESPN's Jenny Dell to replace Heidi Watney, so the pieces are slowly starting to fall into piece, right?

Welcome to NESN, Jenny Dell. (pic via barstoolsports.com)

Additional Red Sox tickets go on sale today.  Just a reminder, I'm always available if you ever find yourself with an extra ticket you can't use over the course of the season.

Gordy Gronkowski (a name right up there with "Benedict Cumberbatch") says his son Rob has a high ankle sprain.  Clearly Mr. Gronkowski needs a primer on the New England Patriots approach to media relations:  Say nothing of value at all costs.

I'm telling you, this is all part of Bill Belichick's master plan.  He signed Chad Ochocinco in the off-season and had him do nothing all year to make sure opponents didn't bother to scout him.  Belichick looked at the schedule, determined that the Patriots would be likely to play the Ravens in the AFC championship game, which meant that they'd face Bernard Pollard.  The same Pollard responsible for injuries to Tom Brady and Wes Welker in past seasons.  The hooded one knew there was a good chance that no-good dirty rat would try to take out another Patriot, and that would mean New England would need a secret weapon in the Super Bowl. 

What better weapon than a well-rested Ochocinco?  He'll have the freshest legs on the field, and watch him and Tom Brady "suddenly" develop this outstanding chemistry as they team up for three touchdown passes.  We'll find out in the off-season that Brady and Ochocinco have been working together for hours at every Patriots practice all season.  Tell me that's not freaking brilliant, and tell me that you wouldn't be surprised if that's revealed to have been the Hooded One's plan all along.

It's all going according to plan. (pic via bostonherald.com)

Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay are trying to downplay this week's battle in the press over the state of the Indianapolis Colts.  Just shake hands and walk away, guys, this story is already getting old.

The Boston Celtics are finally a .500 team.  Boston followed-up their impressive come-from-behind win over the Orlando Magic on Thursday with a 94-87 win over the Indiana Pacers last night.   The win gives the Celtics a 9-9 record.

Sarah Jessica Parker is filing in for Demi Moore as Gloria Steinem in the new Linda Lovelace movie?  I have a hard time seeing Carrie Bradshaw in that role.

Clutter has long had a crush on Reese Witherspoon, but it's been years since she's made a movie we actually want to see, and, This Means War doesn't seem likely to be the one to break that streak:

 

We had a trivia question for Skidmore Clutterheads involving yesterday's, "Song of the Day."  The school's a capella group, The Bandersnatchers, used to sing a "TV Medley" in their shows which included the theme song to, "Welcome Back Kotter" (yesterday's song).  The question was, what was the next complete song in the medley after that?  For those of you playing the home game, "Welcome Back" led into one line from the "WKRP in Cincinatti" theme song, but that was followed by a full rendition of the theme song from, "Greatest American Hero."  Thank you to everyone who played, and yes, folks, this is the kind of Clutter that rattles around in my head when you're not around.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  For a band that's been out of the spotlight for so long, Van Halen is doing a great job building the buzz for their new album, "A Different Kind of Truth."  They've been releasing previews of a number of new tracks, and we've finally come across the hard rock jam that fans have been waiting for.  "China Town" sounds a little bit like David Lee Roth's song, "Shyboy" from his solo career, and that's just fine by me.  Van Halen is still in fine form, as evidenced by today's, "Song of the Day."

 

Okay, folks, we have to get back to our cleaning.  Thanks for stopping by, it was great to see you as always.  Have a fun day, and don't forget to come back tomorrow for Clearing out the Clutter's 1000th post.  BDH is especially excited about it.  Until then, that's the Clutter, and we're outta here.

Friday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Happy Friday to you all.  It's certainly a dreary Friday.  Bleah.  However, but it's still Friday, so that still counts.  What's the plan for the weekend?  Tell me all about it while you enjoy a nice medium DD, and we wrap up the week with a little Clutter.

Mitt Romney turned in an aggressive performance in last night's GOP debate.  We'll see if it was enough to finally break Newt Gingrich's momentum.   I suspect we'll be seeing many ads, both in the primary and general election, featuring the clip where Romney defended health insurance mandates.  We also have the latest entry in the "Mitt Romney Flip-Flop Hall of Fame," where he claimed that he hadn't seen one of his own campaign ads that he approved.

Meanwhile, off the debate stage, Mittens is showing a real focus on the issues that matter to the American people, calling Newt Gingrich mentally unstable.  Hey, whatever it takes to distract from the fact that your tax returns and personal financial statements don't match up, right, big guy?

I'm having a hard time understanding whether or not Bob Dole will endorse Newt Gingrich.  What do you think he's trying to say with this quote?

Arizona Governor/Tea Party favorite Jan Brewer knows how to use a dog whistle as well as everyone, saying she felt, "a little bit threatened" by her meeting with President Obama this week.

How often does a president get to say he's both cutting and increasing defense spending?

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she wants to take a break and doesn't plan to return for Obama's second term.  I wonder what the official odds are on a 2016 campaign?

That's all for now.  (pic via wikipedia.org)

Bill Gates says taxes should be raised on the wealthy, and he disputes a link between taxes and job creation.  Which GOP presidential candidate will be the first one to attack the Microsoft founder as a socialist who doesn't understand capitalism?

Congratulations to US Representative Barney Frank, who announced he's getting married to his longtime partner. 

Chad Ochocinco's not doing much with the New England Patriots right now, so he's got plenty of time to become friends with House Speaker John Boehner.

Score one for censorship as Twitter announces a new system which will allow it to block certain tweets by country.

Hey, who wants to go to Taco Bell for breakfast?  Excuse me, I just threw up a little in my mouth.

Would you start your day with this? (pic via usatoday.com)

I suspect this is going to make some friends of mine unhappy, but New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker has taken a break from his Super Bowl preparations to get engaged.  His fiance, Anna Burns, is a former Miss Hooters International.

The happy couple. (pic via yardbarker.com)

Uh oh, the Peyton Manning era is clearly winding down in Indianapolis, but I hope it's not going to get ugly first.  Everyone, just shake hands and call it a day.

Youk says he feels good and is ready to turn the page on the 2011 season.  He may annoy some of his teammates, but there's no doubt that a healthy Youk is key to the Red Sox having a better 2012.

The Orlando Magic were determined to avenge last week's embarrassing 31 point loss to the Boston Celtics.  Things didn't work out as planned though, as the Celtics erased a 27 point deficit this time to beat Orlando 91-83.  This was the third consecutive win for Boston, so maybe achieving it in such a dramatic fashion will slow down the rumors of the team's dismantling just a little bit.

I just watched the movie Groundhog Day, which seems to get better with age.  If you New Hampshire Clutterheads have any questions about Phil Connors' day from hell, the film's writer, Danny Rubin, will be at Red River Theaters in Concord tomorrow to take your questions.

Congratulations to Doctor Who's Matt Smith and Karen Gillan for winning the awards for best Male Drama Performance and Best Female Drama Performance, respectively, at this year's National Television Awards.  These two are a strong duo, and I'm sorry Gillan's being written out of the show next season.

A winning pair. (pics via telegraph.co.uk)

Happy belated 57th birthday to Eddie Van Halen.  I'm looking forward to celebrating by purchasing, "A Different Kind of Truth" on February 7th.  One thing the album previews have consistently shown so far is that Eddie is still the king of the guitar. 

Ferris Beuller is back!  But why?  Looks like we'll find out at the Super Bowl.

The members of Monty Python's Flying Circus (sans Eric Idle) are reuniting for a new movie.

Condolences to the family and friends of actor Robert Hegyes, who died yesterday from a heart attack.  Hegyes was best known for playing Juan Epstein on Welcome Back Kotter.  He was 60 years old.

Robert Hegyes (pic via tv.yahoo.com)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I think we'll let John Sebastian take us out with the theme song from Welcome Back Kotter for today's, "Song of the Day."  Here's a trivia question for you Skidmore alumni Clutterheads.  The Bandersnatchers used to sing this as part of their "television medley" number.  Can you name the next full song that followed it in the medley?  It's already stuck in my head.  Such is the curse of the Clutter.

 

Thanks for coming, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  BDH and Little Buddha have gone back to bed, because the gloomy weather makes them sleepy.  I'm still around, though, so come back later in the day if you like, or we'll do this all over again tomorrow.  Until next time, this clutter is now cleared.

Thursday Clutter

Hi everyone,

How are you?  Come on in, and make yourself comfortable.  How's your week been?  Anything interesting going on?  Everyone at Clutter Headquarters is very excited to see that our 1000th post is coming up on Sunday.  We feel like we should throw a party or something.  But let's not think about that right now.  Let's stay in the moment, so grab yourself a nice medium DD, and we'll clear out some Thursday Clutter.

If I could give one piece of advice in life, it would be this, do not mess with Navy Seal Team Six.  Whether you are Osama Bin Laden (still dead, according to the State of the Union), or Somali pirates, it will not end well for you.

The State of the Union speech was popular with those who watched it.

The GOP presidential candidates debate again tonight, which is great, because voters clearly get upset when we go more than a day without a debate.   The main question is, will Newt Gingrich have a strong enough performance to hold off Mitt before next week's Florida primary?

The DNC would like to know exactly how much Mitt Romney had hidden in his "ordinary" Swiss bank account and why:

 

What happens next after the Florida primary?

Just in case you were worried, Michele Bachmann says she'll run for another term in Congress. 

Former WWE CEO/current Connecticut Senate candidate Linda McMahon is in dangerous territory if her best rebuttal about how many pro wrestlers have died at a young age is that "only" five of them died while under contract with the WWE.

It's really hard to think of a dumber comment than East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo's response to how he would respond to several police officers being charged with violating the civil rights of several Latino members of his community.

The Federal Reserve won't be raising interest rates any time soon, so my savings account will continue to earn $1.15/year in interest.  Sweet.

In a win for public health, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed the ordinance requiring adult film actors to wear condoms while filming movies in certain locations.  Now we'll see if the film companies follow through on their threats to move out of L.A.

The current Burger King ad says that the Whopper has a new best friend, which is the new fries.  My question is, who was the old best friend, and why did they get the boot?  Did the Whopper and the onion rings get into a fight over the chicken sandwich?  Have I thought too much about this?  Probably, let's move on.

In a world where all things are relative, it looks like the Boston Red Sox got a deal by signing Adrian Gonzalez when they did and not getting wrapped up in the Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols negotiations.  The seven years they signed Gonzalez for seems to be the right upper limit for a deal.  The nine and ten year deals that Fielder and Pujols signed are likely to come back to haunt the Detroit Tigers and Anaheim Angels near the end.

Would the Red Sox rather have pitcher Edwin Jackson over Roy Oswalt?  At age 28, Jackson is six years younger than Oswalt, so he could be a better investment over the long-term.

I think Tim Thomas made a bad call by skipping the Boston Bruins visit to the White House, but I sort of wonder if Red Sox management helped with this hit piece in yesterday's Boston Globe.  Is this the beginning of easing Timmy out the door?

Given that he's been a complete non-presence for the New England Patriots this year, how awesome would it be if Chad Ochocinco came through with a major play in the Super Bowl?

The Indianapolis Colts hired their new head coach.  I wonder if anyone talked to Peyton Manning about this first.  My guess is that didn't happen.

Will CBS face a lawsuit from the BBC if they go forward with their own modern day version of Sherlock?  It sounds like there are a lot of potential legal questions here.  My advice is, when in doubt, side with the show that has a star named "Benedict Cumberbatch," because really, how can you not?

Congratulations to Community start Danny Pudi and his wife on the birth of their twins.  Hopefully there will be an opportunity for Community to come back from hiatus and sneak in a joke about this somewhere.

A new Showtime series takes a look at the hard work that goes into being a comedian.

Does anyone still watch CSI?

Would anyone still watch The Office if Rainn Wilson leaves for his own spinoff?  The show has already taken a hit without Steve Carrell, but really, why would you watch with no Dwight, right?  Conversely, would you watch a show that was primarily about Dwight? 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Van Halen has released a 90 second preview of another song off their new album, "A Different Kind of Truth."  This one is called, "Blood and Fire," and judging by this clip, I would have made this the first single, but for now it will be today's, "Song of the Day."  Check it out:

 

Wait, what's this?  They've also released a preview of another song called, "Stay Frosty."  This snippet sounds like it's the sequel to their classic, "Ice Cream Man."  I can't wait for February 7th to get here.

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  We hope you enjoyed our time together as much as we did.  You know how much BDH, Little Buddha and I love to hang out with you.  Come back again soon, and we'll do this all over again.  For now, we're outta here.

Wednesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back to the house of random.  You may remember we were waiting for the gas company to visit Clutter Headquarters yesterday.  They gave me five hour window (for what I was told would be a 10 minute visit), so of course they came after six hours.  That didn't leave anyone in a good mood, but BDH, Little Buddha and I are determined that today will be a better day, so make yourself comfortable, grab yourself a medium DD, and let's do what we do, which is clearing out the Clutter like no other...

President Obama kicked off his reelection campaign with his State of the Union address last night.  The core theme of the night was economic fairness (along with multiple reminders that Osama Bin Laden is dead).  I enjoyed the proposal that people making over $1 million should pay 30% in taxes, which just happens to be twice what Mitt Romney paid last year.  It seemed like a solid enough speech if you remember that Congress isn't going to do anything this year, so none of Obama's policy proposals are going anywhere.  However, President Obama tells a good story, and it's going to be a serious challenge for the GOP nominee to match his campaigning skills once this race goes to the general public, who doesn't want to be lectured by the wealthy and told they should stop acting so jealous.

(As an aside, I once had a conservative friend tell me in all seriousness that he knew President Obama doesn't like America because he didn't wear an American flag pin.  Well, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden had their pins last night, but House Speaker John Bohner's pin was nowhere to be found.  So when exactly did Speaker Boehner renounce this country?  I expect to hear this topic discussed at length on Fox "News.")

The State of the Union is an important speech, but the top highlight of the evening really was the standing ovation for retiring-Representative Gabrielle Giffords in the chamber.  Cheers to Representative Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican, who helped Rep. Giffords up and down as needed during President Obama's applause lines.  It's nice to see we can cross party lines every once in a blue moon.

 

Mitt Romney's campaign is starting to have just a twinge of that car-accident feel.  You should look away, but you just can't.  Did he really say that "banks aren't bad people" yesterday?  Now, he may really believe that, much like his "corporations are people too" statement, and banks have certainly been good to him.  However, could he possibly make a statement that's less in touch with the country this year?  The revelation that he has a Swiss bank account doesn't help him any either.  Mittens may still very well right his ship, regain his lead over Newt Gingrich, and go on to win the GOP nomination, but it's hard to imagine how he's going to transition to a message that shows any ability to connect with the general election voters.  

The death of co-founder Steve Jobs hasn't slowed down the Apple juggernaut yet, as the company reported its best quarter ever, with earnings up 118%.

My calendar still says January, but Sam Adams says it's time to sell their Alpine Spring Lager, so I guess that settles that.  Thanks for everything, Winter Lager.  See you again in August.

Never argue with Sam Adams.  (pic via beerstreetjournal.com)

Yay, I can finally get that job I've always wanted with Disney now that employees are allowed to have facial hair.

I don't want Facebook Timeline, I don't want it, I don't want it, I don't want it.  I have a number of friends who have already made the switch, I've looked at their pages multiple times, and not one of them has changed my mind.  Phooey.

Only a foolish person would worry about whether or not New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will be able to play in the Super Bowl after spraining his ankle against the Baltimore Ravens.  I'm still pretty sure Gronk broke his neck earlier this year with a dive into the end zone, and even that didn't stop him.  A sprained ankle?  No problem.

 

A new interview with Peyton Manning makes it sound pretty clear that he understands his time with the Indianapolis Colts is coming to an end.   There seems to be some debate about whether the interview also shows Manning's preparing for retirement or still wants to play in the NFL anyway.  As I said before, if he's not healthy enough by March to know for sure that he can still play, I hope he'll call it a career and ride off into the sunset.

Manning could follow the lead of longtime Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who retired yesterday after a remarkable 17 year career that was spent entirely in New York.  Posada was a whiny pain in the a## as far as every Red Sox fan is concerned, but there can be no doubt of his value to his own team.  Cheers, Jorge, now get the hell out of here, you whiny bastard.

 

All Star slugger Prince Fielder finally has a new home, as he signed a 9-year/$214 million contract with the Detroit Tigers.  This will be interesting to watch.  I have no doubt that Fielder will likely be great for the first few years with Detroit (the same team his dad Cecil was a star with), but even though he's only 27 years old, Fielder is a big man (5-11, 275 lbs), and you can't tell me he's it's a sure thing he won't physically break down during the second half of that contract. 

Actor Matthew McConaughey is "Dazed and Confused" once again.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to actress Demi Moore, who dropped out of the upcoming movie about adult film actress Linda Lovelace, citing health concerns.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's take a look back at Mr. McConaughey and the rest of the crew from "Dazed and Confused," for today's, "Clip of the Day."  Have a good one, my friends.  It was great to see you as always.  Try to stay out of trouble, and make sure you come back soon.  We get antsy when you're not here.  Until next time, today's Clutter is cleared.  Later.

 

Tuesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  How are you?  Come on in.  BDH, Little Buddha and I are just waiting for the gas company to come and change our gas meter.  They said they'd be here sometime between 8am and 8am tomorrow, or something like that.  Why don't you make yourself comfortable, grab a medium DD, and we'll clear out some Clutter until they get here, okay?  Cool, let's do it...

Mitt Romney came out swinging at last night's GOP presidential debate in Florida last night.  He scored a number of hits on Newt Gingrich, including the ethics fine that Gingrich paid while in Congress, and accusations of influence-peddling after he left.  We'll see if that's enough to halt Newt's momentum, as the latest polls show him still surging past Mitt one week before the Florida primary.

The GOP's Final Four.  (pic via politico.com)

Mitt Romney finally released his tax records, and they show that he paid a tax 13.9% effective tax rate, due to the fact that most of his income was from investments which are taxed at a lower rate than wages.  It will be interesting to see what else the records reveal.

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson appreciated the return on investment he got from supporting Newt Gingrich in South Carolina so much that he's agreed to give Newt's super PAC another $5 million.

Rick Santorum is the latest person to carry on the proud GOP tradition of being unwilling to correct voters who claim President Obama is a secret radical Muslim.  Hey, if people want to try to make the country's leader out to be a terrorist who hates America, why should a presidential candidate have to correct them, right?  If you can't win on the issues, always go for prejudice.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul refused to submit to a full pat-down by the TSA as he tried to board a flight.  Seems Senator Rand has discovered a belief in a person's right to privacy over their own body.  That's ironic.  Can we hope that this new-found belief might someday find its way into his voting record when it comes to anti-choice legislation?  Probably not.

Wait a second, the U.S. Supreme Court also came out with a unanimous statement of support for the right to privacy in a case involving the police use of a GPS system on a suspect's car.  Where am I?

(Speaking of privacy, I know I should be creeped out, but I still find it fascinating that it seems like every website I go to now has a Van Halen ad waiting for me.  Technology is tracking my every move, which isn't cool, but is somehow still interesting.  Okay, back to the news...)

The Boston Bruins were honored at the White House yesterday, but goalie Tim Thomas skipped the event because he feels the federal government is too big.  Thomas certainly has the right not to attend, but it's a bush-league move that's disrespectful to his teammates, and turns a non-political moment into one.  Being invited to the White House to celebrate your championship doesn't mean you support the current president, and it's disingenuous to claim you're not doing it for political reasons when your entire explanation is based on your political ideology.  Disappointing move.

The Bruins and President Obama. (pic via 3chicspolitico.com)

Boston City Councilor Mike Ross announced he won't run for the Massachusetts 4th Congressional District seat, as the Democratic field continues to clear for Joe Kennedy III.

Is Facebook going down on January 28th?

Right field is starting to take shape for the Boston Red Sox, now that the team signed former San Francisco Giants World Series hero Cody Ross to a one year deal for $3 million.  Ross and Ryan Sweeney will replace J.D. Drew, and it's hard to believe they won't improve on the team's production from that spot last year.

Welcome to Boston, Mr. Ross. (pic via zimbio.com)

This has been a challenging season so far for the 7-9 Boston Celtics, but they stepped up last night to crush the Orlando Magic 87-56.  Not bad for a bunch of old guys who haven't clicked yet.

Former independent professional wrestler Andre Davis was sentenced to 32 years in prison by an Ohio judge for not telling the women he slept with that he is HIV+.

I've been thinking about this one for a while, but try as hard as I might, I really can't imagine what it must be like to be in a position to turn down a $100 million contract.  Wait, hold on...nope, can't do it.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Steven Tyler has taken a lot of abuse for his rendition of the national anthem before the AFC championship game.  I didn't think it was the greatest performance ever, but I certainly didn't think it was the worst I've ever heard either.  I'd hate to see a similar controversy break out at the Super Bowl, and I think I have just the thing.  Let's have former Ozzy guitarist/Black Label Society founder Zaak Wylde perform it.  Just listen to today's, "Song of the Day," and tell me this wouldn't get everyone jacked up at the start of the game.  Gronk and Wilfork would take out two Giants before the game even started:

 

 

Thanks for stopping by, my friends.  It was great to see you as always.  The gas company still hasn't arrived, so you're free to hang out longer if you want.  Otherwise, have a good rest of your day, and remember, you're welcome to stop by for more fun and randomness whenever you like.  We have an open door policy for Clutterheads.  Until next time...

Monday Clutter

Hello everyone,

Happy Monday to you all.  No one at Clutter Headquarters got much sleep last night, thanks to lingering excitement from the Patriots game, so our apologies if today's Clutter seems more rambling than usual.  Let's see what happens, though, so help yourself to a medium (or even a large) DD, and let's get going.

You may not have recognized many of their defensive players (including my new cousin Sterling Moore), and you might not have known what a "Gronk" was before this year, but ladies and gentlemen, I give you your new AFC champion New England Patriots!  It wasn't a pretty win.  Tom Brady had what must have been his worst playoff game ever, with no touchdown passes, two interceptions, and a number of throws that missed badly.  His first words after the game were, "I sucked pretty bad today," and that would normally indicate that Patriots lost badly, but thanks to other players stepping up, particularly defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, and a botched Ravens field goal kick by Billy Cundiff at the end of the game, the Patriots held on to win 23-20.  Whether it's by skill or luck, all that matters is that the team found a way to win the game.

I have to give Wilfork credit for playing the game of his life, grabbing Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, and some of the Ravens running backs several times with one hand and not letting them get away.  The man clearly has the strongest hands on the planet.

A true beast of a man. (pic via nbcsports.com)

It felt like a sucker-punch to the gut when tight end Rob Gronkowski's ankle bent at an unnatural angle in the third quarter.  However, Gronk continued to demonstrate that he's more machine than man, by returning to the game shortly after that.  He says he'll be good to go for the Super Bowl, and I've never been happier there's a two week break until then.

Oh, and who are we playing in two weeks?  That's right, the 2007 Super Bowl rematch is here, as Eli Manning and the New York Giants knocked out the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in overtime.   So now we have two weeks of suffering through the stories of,  "Can the Patriots avenge their 2007 loss, or will Eli Manning truly become an elite quarterback by winning more Super Bowls than his big brother, in the house that Peyton built?"   If that's the price to pay, so be it.  It's on, like Donkey Kong, boys and girls.

See you in two weeks, Eli. (pic via bigdumbanimal.com)

Very sorry to hear that Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona) will be retiring from Congress this week.  We're just a year removed from her shooting, and it's still a miracle that she survived.  Hopefully this won't be the final chapter of her life in politics, but whatever she does next, I wish her continued progress in her recovery, and all of the happiness possible.

 

How much of a complete disaster will it be for the GOP if Newt Gingrich wins the Florida primary?  The polls certainly look good for him right now.  No wonder Mittens has flip-flopped once again and now decided to release his tax returns tomorrow.

While his opponents take turns throwing mud at each other, President Obama is focused on something important today:  Celebrating the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

I hope the students who had to jump out of their building while it was on fire are okay.  I was walking by that street about five hours after the fire was put out.  There were police cars all over the place, so I knew something was up, but didn't realize that's what it was.

Disgraced former-Penn State football coach Joe Paterno died yesterday due to lung cancer.  The news broke while I was watching several NFL preview shows, and there seemed to be some confusion over what Paterno's legacy is.  Let's keep it simple.  Paterno's legacy is that he enabled years of child abuse to take place under his watch.  That's it. 

Shame, shame, shame on me.  A very happy belated 78th birthday to actor Tom Baker who played the 4th version of The Doctor on Doctor Who.  Baker was the Doctor I grew up with as a kid.  He was awesome, and it was easy for me to relate to him as we both had a good sense of humor and more curls than a guy really ever should have (this was a particularly big deal for me when I was younger.)  I wore an outstanding copy of his outfit for a Halloween contest when I was in 6th grade.  I nailed the look, but the problem was that none of the judges had any idea who I was supposed to be, and I was deprived of my rightful prize.  Bastards.

Happy birthday! (pic via scifinow.co.uk)

The ads for Kiefer Sutherland's new show, Touch make it seem like it's about Jack Bauer's autistic son saving the world.  Does each season take place over the course of a day again?  Can Kim Bauer take a day off from Happy Endings to help the family out?  How will this work?

I hope actor Tracy Morgan is okay after being hospitalized at the Sundance Festival. 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  The New England Patriots are certainly lucky to have Tom Brady, and Bill Belichick, but they really are a team above all else.  Whether they're stars or not, everyone focuses on doing their job, and doing whatever they need to in order to help the team win.  The names change year over year, but the spirit remains the same.  That's how they got this far, and that's why they're going to take out the Giants in two weeks.  If Myra Kraft is watching over this year's squad, she must be very proud.  So on that note, let's have the team take us out with what might be our first, "Picture of the Day." 

(pic via vladimirjones.com)

It was great to see you as always, my friends.  Thanks for coming by, I hope we weren't totally incoherent.  BDH, Little Buddha and I are off to get more coffee.  You're welcome to join us, otherwise, we'll see you back here again for more fun and randomness soon.  Have a great week, and this Clutter is now cleared.