Clearing out the Clutter

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Holy windy Saturday!  The Clutter Tree is swaying every which way, and BDH is worried it's going to blow away.  We're trying to explain to him that it will be okay, but he seems anxious, poor guy.  Well, make yourself comfortable, grab a medium DD, and let's see if we can power through some Clutter while still keeping an eye on the tree.

Let's see, Mittens held a small event in Detroit's enormous Ford Field yesterday, where he pointed out how many Cadillacs his wife Ann owns.  Other than that, it was a good day for the campaign.

Let the fun begin! (pic via dailykos.com)

We probably shouldn't be so hard on Mitt Romney, those stadiums are hard to fill, and it's not like any other presidential candidate has had a better turnout in a smilar setting recently.  Oh, wait:

(pic via townhall.com)

I'm at a loss for words to describe this bizarre video of Virginia Delegate David Albo (R) spending three minutes explaining to his colleagues in detail how his bill to force ultrasounds for women seeking abortions, cost him some..."action" with his wife:

 

Did Foxwoods Casinos buy Boston.com?  Their ads on the sides of the site's homepage completely overwhelm the news articles.

To the disappointment of every GOP presidential candidate, the S & P 500 reached its highest level since 2008 yesterday.

Index funds are a good default investing tool for most people, but Warren Buffett remains a notable exception to that rule, as his company Berkshire Hathaway beat the S & P 500 for the 39th time in 47 years.

They can't use the stock market to make their case, so the Republican presidential candidates are forced to continue lying about President Obama supporting infanticide.  Not to sound like too much of an old fogey, but I can still remember "back in the day" when such ludicrous accusations would have been confined to late night talk show callers who would then pivot to charges that the government was putting some sort of mind control drug in our water supply.  The ongoing implosion of the Republican Party remains one of the most fascinating political developments I've ever seen.

If the Obama administration is looking for a new Ambassador to the Bahamas who actually wants the job, BDH, Little Buddha, and I are willing to consider it.

NL MVP Ryan Braun was defiant in his first public comments after having his suspension for failing a drug test overturned.  He does baseball no favors by referring to the drug testing program as "fatally flawed."  Major League Baseball should always be striving to have the strongest and fairest policy in place, and if there are errors, they should leap at the chance to improve them.  However, there's still no explanation for why Braun's specimen showed such high levels of testosterone, and no proof of tampering was provided by anyone.  Hopefully Braun is clean, but he should expect to spend the year under a microscope.

Boston Red Sox players react to the Braun decision.

I'm fascinated by the fact that Dan Shaughnessy was paid to write a column today about how David Ortiz yelled at him for something he didn't do.  Does Shaughnessy have incriminating photos of his editors at the Boston Globe?  I wonder if he was at all embarrassed about turning in such a lazy/uninformative piece of writing, or if he really just stopped caring after the Red Sox destroyed his beloved, "Curse of the Bambino."  Just throw in the towel if you have nothing left, Dan.

Say good night, Dan. (pic via bostonsportsmedia.com)

In other news, Major League Baseball may be forcing Frank McCourt to sell the Los Angeles Dodgers, to the relief of the team's fans, but no one said anything about the parking lots.

ESPN's Gordon Edes reports on Manny Ramirez's comments upon joining the Oakland A's, and also slips in a criticism of Peter Gammons for printing Terry Francona's emotional comments about Ramirez a few years ago.

We have the first look at new Star Trek villan Benedict Cumberbatch in action!

A belated happy birthday to Abe Vigoda!  The actor, who has been rumored to be dead for 30 years, turned 91 yesterday.

Still alive.  (pic via aveleyman.com)

I don't know actor Patrick Wilson, or his show, A Gifted Man, but he seems like my kind of guy.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Abe Vigoda still lives, but he definitely didn't come out on the good end of this scene from The Godfather after trying to set up Al Pacino to be killed.  Well, you can't win them all.  Here's today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Have a good day, try not to get swept away by the wind, and we'll all meet back here again for more fun soon.  Until next time, today's Clutter has been cleared.

Thursday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, how are you?  We're (less than) a week away from Leap Day (someone can't do math), and Little Buddha's been trying to explain that concept to BDH all morning, but I don't think it's sinking in yet.  Why don't we leave the two of them alone for now, grab a medium DD, and clear out some Clutter in the meantime.  Sound good?  Here we go...

The GOP wrapped up their first season of Crazy Debates last night in Arizona.  No more debates are currently scheduled, but maybe they'll convince everyone to come back for a post-season wrap-up special hosted by Dr. Drew.

No one had a performance to be proud of last night, but Rick Santorum particularly demonstrated that he's not prepared for being the front-runner on any level.  It remains a brutal indictment of Mitt Romney that Mittens couldn't put this guy away five months ago.

Santorum isn't holding back any of the crazy now, saying that teens were less sexually active before contraception was readily available.  Meanwhile, Romney surrogate New Jersey Governor Chris Christie wants to make sure everyone knows Santorum thinks Satan is coming after us.  You really couldn't make these stories up.

The Romney camp sent out an edited edition of an endorsement from the Detroit News, and the newspaper isn't happy about it at all.  Turning an endorsement into a negative news story is an impressive trick.

Glad to hear that George Huguely was convicted of killing his ex girlfriend.  He was described as an abusive thug, and may he serve every one of his 26 year sentence. 

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell (R) abandoned his support for the legislation recently approved by the Virginia House that would mandate a trans-vaginal ultrasound for women seeking an abortion, instead saying that it should be an abdominal one.  (The same McDonnell whose master's theisis called working women "detrimental" to the family.)  McDonnell clearly realized that the original bill would kill any chance he has of seeking higher office, and it's a step in the right direction, but the state shouldn't be mandating any procedure.  This should be a situation between a woman and her doctor, and the state should recognize them both as competent adults.  No matter how loudly Republicans scream about "small government," they can't resist a chance to interfere in reproductive health issues.  It's a fetish, really.

McDonnell (pic via politico.com)

If you want to invest in the stock market, you're better off just buying an index fund than an actively-manged fund.  The index funds consistently beat the majority of their active competitors, so why should you pay for someone's salary and marketing expenses for worse results?

A new paper suggests that eating gluten-free products may be a waste of money for people without celiac disease.  The paper's authors say that the main problem is there's no set definition for "gluten sensitivity," so perhaps more research is needed.

Big Papi has arrived in spring training. So has the Laser Show, and they both sound ready to get down to business.  It's amazing that David Ortiz is about to become the longest-tenured member of the Boston Red Sox, assuming that Jason Varitek is about to retire.  Where does the time go?  By the way, can we lose the whole "captain" notion this year?  It's an idea whose time has come and gone, and with Varitek's expected pending retirement, let the concept go into the sunset with him.

Terry Francona and Manny Ramirez clearly don't exchange Christmas cards.

The Boston Celtics must be thrilled to have the All Star break now after losing 119-104 to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night.  It was the 8th loss in 9 games for Boston, though Doc Rivers called it a, "team-building game."  The Celtics are now off for the next six days, so they can rest up and figure out what they need to do to be relevant in the second half of the season.

I'm thrilled (and a little relieved) to hear that Eddie Van Halen is getting good reviews so far as Van Halen launches their tour.  There have already been countless clips from the first few shows, thanks to the band allowing video cameras into the shows this time, and he sounds locked in.  Can't wait to see for myself!

Uh oh, what's actor Sacha Baron Cohen threatening to do at the Oscars that has the Academy in such a tizzy?

Sacha Baron Cohen (pic via celebrity-gossip.net)

So sorry to hear that Seinfeld actor Daniel Von Bargen attempted to kill himself by shooting himself in the head.  I hope that he comes through in one piece and can get some help after that.

Jennifer Aniston doesn't sound excited about a Friends reunion, but there's no way they won't do it at some point down the road.

Friends can't stay apart forever.  (pic via epguides.com)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  President Obama was in the news a few weeks ago for singing an Al Green tune, and now he's back for more, singing Sweet Home Chicago with B.B. King and company at a recent White House concert.  I'd say that's pretty cool, though I imagine the GOP would find a way to claim it's proof that he's a Muslim terrorist.  Either way, it's today's, "Song of the Day," so check it out:

 

Thanks for stopping by, it was great to see you as always.  Have a good day, and feel free to come back later today if you want to go to happy hour or to just hang out.  We'll still be here trying to explain the concept of Leap Day.  Otherwise, we'll see you again tomorrow for more fun and coffee.  Until next time, that's the Clutter, and we are outta here.

Wednesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back to the house of randomness.  What is with the weather?  It was supposed to snow last night, but today's forecast calls for a high in the mid-50's.  I have several meetings today, and my brain tells me that it's late February, so of course I need my winter jacket, but I don't if it's really going to be that warm.  What to do?  I'm having a brain cramp here.  Okay, first things first.  Grab a medium DD, then let's clear out some Clutter, and then I'll figure out what coat I need.  Here we go...

It can't be a good sign that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear another case regarding affirmative action policies in higher education.  The scope of the ruling could be narrowly tailored to the case involving a woman who was unable to get into the University of Texas, but no matter what, it's hard to imagine it won't be a restrictive outcome.

Casting a cloud over the entire election process, it appears that 25% of all super PAC money this year is coming from five donors.  The Supreme Court may think that money equals speech, but these guys have their surround sound stereo blasting at 11 while the rest of us are barely above a whisper.

Mitt Romney continues to follow Rick Santorum's lead by claiming President Obama has led some sort of "war on religion."  I wonder if there's any part of Mittens that feels the slightest bit of shame at the depths to which he will sink to try to win this campaign.  His rhetoric is so consistently not-based in reality, that it seems like he will truly say anything at all for a vote.

The struggle for control of Romney's inner voice continues.  On the one hand, you have the "severe conservative."  On the other, you have the man saying that cutting growth slows down the economy.  That's not going to play well with the base, though not much is these days.

The search for the "real Romney" continues. (pic via invisiblechildren.com)

The S.S. Romney continues to take on water, as a new poll shows him losing his once-considerable lead over Rick Santorum in Arizona.

GOP Senate candidate/former Representative Pete Hoekstra is running as fast as he can from his own racist campaign Super Bowl ad.

Republican Indiana State Rep. Bob Morris thinks the Girl Scouts sell gay abortion cookies.

Wait, what's this?  Conservative voters use the safety net too?  Shocking.  One of the greatest cons in American politics is getting middle and lower-income voters to repeatedly vote against their own economic interests.  Needing help isn't a moral failure, it's a simple fact of life.  We should be looking out for each other, not looking down on each other.

Comcast is launching its own version of Netflix.  I hope it's a better service than "On Demand," which lists about 5000 programs, of which, three are interesting.

Johnson & Johnson CEO Bill Weldon finally lost his job after the company was forced to recall seemingly-all of its products at one point or another over the last few years.

There's a new edition of Sam Adams coming out to celebrate the Boston Marathon, and the best part is,  you don't have to run the marathon to drink it!

The saga is over:  The Boston Red Sox are getting a Chicago Cubs pitcher named (not "that") Chris Carpenter as compensation for Theo Epstein.  Carpenter is projected as a hard-throwing middle reliever-type and doesn't seem that bad.  The Red Sox never should have let Theo go before they knew who they were getting in return, but since they did that, Carpenter seems about a good a prospect as they could have hoped for.  Let's move on.

Chris Carpenter (pic via bleacherreport.com)

There's nothing I love hearing from a player more than boston Red Sox third baseman/Tom Brady's future brother-in-law Kevin Youkilis's comment, "I’m going to make it as hard on them as possible not to bring me back.’’  Good luck, you sweaty bull.  Force ownership's hand and make them offer you a new contract at the end of this season.

Let the fun begin! (pic via espn.com)

Speaking of which, condolences to Tom Brady on the passing of his longtime quarterback mentor Tom Martinez, who died yesterday of a heart attack while undergoing dialysis.

Denver Broncos backup quarterback Brady Quinn probably hasn't won any supporters with his whining about Tim Tebow.  This might be why you're a backup, Brady.  Broncos VP John Elway is clearly looking for a way out of "Tebow Time."  Make your case that you deserve the job in such a dominant fashion that Elway can say there was no way for him to ignore you.  Otherwise, shut the hell up.

Community returns on March 15th!  Get with the program and watch this show, my friends.   If there's room on TV for The Bachelor, there's room for this well-written program.

Who would dare go after the estate of The Godfather author Mario Puzo and why?  Doesn't sound like a wise move, unless they're prepared to sleep with the fishes.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's have Willie Nelson take us out with his amazing cover of Coldplay's, "The Scientist."  If today's "Song of the Day" doesn't move you, then...well, that's just sad.  Enjoy the master at work:

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  I'll be running around town today, so if you see me and identify yourself as a Clutterhead, I'll buy your coffee.  Until then, I still need to pick out my coat, and today's Clutter has now been cleared.

Tuesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  How was your weekend?  The coffee is just about ready, so grab yourself a medium DD, and let's clear out a little Clutter.

Without the Adelson family, Newt Gingrich would have returned to his "historian" roots months ago.

A new poll shows Mitt Romney with a two point lead over Rick Santorum in Michigan as Mittens scrambles to avoid a potentially disasterous loss in his home state.

I sometimes wonder how headline writers keep a straight face while they work.  This article asks, "As Rick Santorum campaigns on faith, family issues, could he alienate moderates?"  Do you know what you call a moderate who isn't offended by Santorum?  A radical conservative.

CNN commentator Dana Loesch says, what's the problem with Virginia's proposal to force women seeking abortion to submit to a state-mandated assault with a trans-vaginal ultrasound?  I mean, it's not like they're virgins.

Dana Loesch (pic via addictinginfo.org)

Here's another example of our inability to deal with veterans who are struggling with mental health issues, as a depressed veteran may be prosecuted for his suicide attempt.

As of today, which member of the Boston Red Sox was the biggest winner from last September's collapse?  My vote is for Dice-K.  I was reading this article about his return from Tommy John surgery and realized that I don't have nearly my usual level of frustration about him right now.  There are a number of active players ahead of him on my s&^t list right now, and he doesn't even top the list of disabled players, since I still wish bad things for John Lackey.  Come the 2nd half of the season, I might even look forward to Dice-K's return, until his first start is 120 pitches, 7 hits, 8 runs and 5 walks in 4 2/3 innings, but for right now, he's okay.

Welcome back? (pic via pressherald.com)

Oh Theo, why did you stick us with reliever Bobby Jenks?  Apparently he's not likely to return until mid-season.  Jenks did nothing last year, with a 6.32 ERA in 19 games, and he consistently looked more freaked out than any reliever I've ever seen.  Maybe it's for the best that he'll be out for a while longer, it's just a shame the Red Sox are responsible for his salary.   Somewhere off in the distance, his former manager Ozzie Guillen can be heard laughing hysterically.

I'm looking forward to watching Carl Crawford play like he's got something to prove this year, once he recovers from wrist surgery.  He's far too talented to have another disastrous season like he did in 2011, and a return to form would be the equivalent of the Red Sox making a major trade for a left fielder this off-season.

Oakland A's fans don't have a lot to be excited about this year, but at least they can watch "Manny being Manny," as soon as Ramirez serves out his 50 game suspension.  Let's see,  I think we'll set the over/under on Manny's home runs this year at...23.5.  What's your bet?

Meanwhile, the Albert Pujols era has begun in Anaheim.  Let's set his over/under for home runs this year at...79.5...or maybe 40.5.  Yeah, let's go with that instead.

Is this the final year for New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera?

Is Peyton Manning moving to Monday Night Football?  I hope not.  I know I said he should call it a career if his neck isn't fully recovered from all of his surgeries, but the guy always sounds like he's got a head cold.  He may be a perfectly good analyst for all I know, but there's no way I'm listening to that voice for three straight hours.

WWE wrestler/Boston College alum Kofi Kingston gives his thoughts on the infamous dive bar Mary Ann's.

I disliked last week's episode of How I Met Your Mother, because I thought there were major plot problems with Robin and Kevin's break-up, and the notion of pairing Ted and Robin up seemed like a complete waste of time because we know Robin's not "the mother."  Without giving anything away, in case you haven't seen it, HIMYM bounced back this week with another strong performance.  The Ted/Robin issue was addressed, and it was a strong performance by every member of the cast.  It really feels like we're watching a group of best friends tell their life story, and 99% of the time, the stories ring true.  Well done.

Stephen Colbert returned to The Colbert Report last night after delivering a warm confidential message.

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After yet another disappointing opening weekend, maybe Nicolas Cage should take a break from acting for a bit and find a hobby.  After making something like 100 bad movies in the last 10 years, it might do him some good to pause for a bit and recharge his batteries.  Maybe he could draw comic books or something, I know he likes those.  Just get him and his hair off the screen and let the public forget about him for a while.

Everyone needs a rest now and again. (pic via allmoviephoto.com)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I really was finished with the Whitney Houston clips, I swear, but then Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell decided to pay tribute to her at a fundraiser for President Obama, and there was just no way I was going to pass that up, so check out today's, "Song of the Day," which I'm (pretty) sure will be our final Whitney song (for now.)

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Have a good day, and come back again soon, so we can do this all over again.  Until next time, that's the Clutter, and we are outta here.

Sunday Clutter

 Hi everyone,

Happy Sunday to you all.  What's the plan for the day? BDH, Little Buddha and I are off to the gym, and then we have a few errands to do after that.  Hey, don't be fooled, those two may be small, but they can move the plates.  It's pretty amazing.  However, we have business to take care of before that, so grab yourself a medium DD, and let's clear out a little Sunday Clutter.  Everyone comfortable?  Here we go...

First Mitt Romney was attacking Rick Santorum for his pursuit of budget earmarks, even though Mittens had done the same thing.  Now Romney's attacking Santorum for working with organized labor in the past, even though, that's right, say it with me now, Romney's done the same thing.  However voters feel about earmarks or unions, why should they think they can trust Romney on either issue.  The man stands for nothing and looks foolish when he makes attacks like this, given his own multiple positions.

Romney's also managed to anger both the auto industry and the Tea Party with his thoughts on any type of bailout.  That's a pretty neat trick to pull off.

Quick quiz:  Do you know what it means to be "Spreading Romney?"

I wonder which Republican senator says s/he will call for a new GOP presidential candidate if Mitt Romney loses his home state of Michigan.  How remarkable is it that we're even having this conversation about the supposedly-"inevitable" candidate?

Rick Santorum doesn't see the need for public education.  It's nothing but them there teachers interferin' with the family, and if we just went back to a nation of home-schoolers like we had 200 years ago, everything would be fine. 

In further Santorum news, apparently "Mr. Sweater Vest" also decided that Protestants aren't real Christians.  Is that a big deal?  Mittens should be punching himself in the face every morning for not being able to beat this guy. 

Stop me if you've heard this one before:  A rising GOP star, who is aggressively anti-immigrant, is now being accused of threatening his male lover, who's an undocumented Mexican immigrant.  Bonus points for the fact that the guy was forced to step down as Mitt Romney's Arizona campaign co-chairman.  I wonder if conservatives are more upset with him for being gay or for having a Mexican boyfriend?  Republican hypocrisy, it's the gift that keeps on giving.

The tributes and condolences continue to pour in for New York Times reporter Anthony Shadid, who died in Syria on Thursday from an asthma attack.

Anthony Shadid (pic via yahoo.com)

The Massachusetts legislature needs to find a way to prevent MBTA riders from having to bear the full burden of the T's current budget problems.  Cutting routes would hurt the state's economy, and dramatically raising fares is essentially a tax hike on middle and lower income people.

There's no way to know for sure, because I'll never try this, but if someone made me drink a bacon milkshake, I'm pretty sure that I would severely vomit for an extended period of time.  Pretty sure.

Evening Clutter goes well with a Sam Adams, but let's be clear, alcohol is just as dangerous as other drugs, even though we tend to put it in a "lighter" category than something that comes in pill form and it's a much more widespread problem:

And while 8 percent of Americans ages 12 and over use illicit drugs, 34 percent are addicted to alcohol or indulge in what public health officials consider risky drinking.

Johnson and Johnson recalled yet another product.  This time it's infants' Tylenol, due to a defective delivery system.

Spring training has finally officially begun.  Of course I'm excited for the start of a new season, as I have been for each of the last 30 years.  It's just not the same at Clutter Headquarters without having Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy on the TV.  It's going to be a season of transition.  I have less of a sense of this year's team than I have had in probably 10 years.  The new players need to demonstrate their value, and the returning team needs to show some indication that they won't tank it again like they did last year.  Boston sportswriters are all clamoring for public apologies from the players.  That would have been nice, but it's clearly not going to happen at this point.  I just hope they'll show that dedication on the field, and of course I'll be watching every step of the way...and probably talking about it once in a while here.  Let's see what you've got, boys. 

Let the games begin. (pic via bleacherreport.com)

Having said that, I still miss Tito and feel bad about how he was thrown under the bus last year.  I hope he's able to move on from the horrible end to his Red Sox tenure and finds the happiness he so deserves.  I'd much rather keep him and ditch the owners, but I will root for whatever team he manages next and wish him the best of luck.

Are the Oakland A's really going in on Manny Ramirez?  Well, the whole point of Moneyball is seeing value where others don't, right?

ESPN apologized for using a racist slur in the headline to an article featuring Jeremy Lin.  I wonder who's getting fired for this.

More former football players are suing the NFL for allegedly hiding the dangers of playing with concussions.

Family and friends said goodbye to Whitney Houston yesterday.

In a shocking development, Nicolas Cage's new movie, Ghost Rider, is getting bad reviews.

2012 just keeps getting better and better.  First Van Halen released a new album, then spring training started, and just over a month from now, Don Draper will be back:

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  When you read and watch all of these stories about Whitney Houston this week, the first reactions tend to be, "What a shame/what a mess of a person."  I'd rather have that not be the lasting impression, so we're going to take a trip back to the 1993 Billboard Awards.  I know we played this same song last Sunday, but watch this live performance and enjoy the power of the woman who was in control of her life, her talent and the audience, and let that be the lasting memory.  Here's today's, "Song of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  I know tomorrow is a holiday, so you're welcome to come back tonight to hang out if you want.  I'll go get some more Sam Adams (to be enjoyed in moderation).  Otherwise we'll see you all back here again for more fun on Monday.  For now, it's off to the gym for us, so that's the Clutter, and we are outta here.

Thursday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  How's your week going?  What's the plan for the weekend?  No one got much sleep at Clutter Headquarters last night, so we have an extra large pot of coffee ready today.  Feel free to help yourself to a medium or large DD, and then let's clear out some Thursday Clutter.

Move over, Chuck Norris.  Rick Santorum now has the coolest endorser ever:  Megadeath guitarist Dave Mustaine.  I expect the Megadeath classic, Symphony of Destruction, to be played at every Santorum event going forward.

The idea of Mitt Romney losing the Michigan primary has to be the same level disaster as Al Gore losing Tennessee in 2000.  If Gore had won his home state, no one ever would have heard of a "hanging chad."  If Mittens loses his home turf, wouldn't that shatter his claim of being the "inevitable" candidate?  I don't know how anyone can vote for someone whose own dog ran away from him.  If your dog doesn't approve of you, neither will I.

President Obama's approval rating is back to 50%, he holds a sizeable lead over all of his potential opponents, and people are feeling better about the economy.  Guess there's only one thing left for the GOP to do:  Crank up the tired culture war to 11 and claim that if we re-elect the socialist secret Muslim, the gays will be trying to convert teens to adopt their radical agenda, and these conversion ceremonies will take place in churches and they'll throw free contraception at everyone who objects.  I can see the TV ads now.

The GOP brags that they agreed to the payroll tax cut extension in exchange for cutting funding for preventative health care and to help Louisiana continue to recover from Hurricane Katrina.  You have to give this to Republicans, they leave no doubt where they stand on the issues.

The next generation of Camelot begins today as Joseph Kennedy III (Robert Kennedy's grandson) formally announced that he is running to replace retiring-Representative Barney Frank in the MA 4th Congressional District.

If you're going to rob a bank, you probably don't want to do it while a cop is using the ATM outside.  Seriously, the suspect, a homeless man who allegedly told the officer to shoot him, sounds like a sad case.

You can't accuse The Heart Attack Grill of not living up to its name.

Truth in advertising.  (pic via nydailynews.com)

There are already reports of players grumbling under new Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine's more intense spring training camp.  There's not a single player on this team (except Dustin Pedroia and maybe Jacoby Ellsbury) who's earned the right to complain about anything this year.  Maybe Valentine will still end up being a nightmare for everyone, but for right now, the players should just shut up, nod their heads and do their jobs.

Just throw the ball, Josh.  (pic via bostonherald.com)

Boston Celtics announcer Greg Dickerson battles Tourette syndrome, OCD and epilepsy?  Good for him for coming forward and telling his story.  I'll bet that will be particularly inspiring to any little kids who are Celtics fans who also have to deal with any of those issues.  Cheers.

A new report says Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning actually had a 4th procedure on his neck earlier this year.  The alarm bells seem to be getting louder and louder here.

Remember that one day when we thought Albert Haynesworth would be a good player for the New England Patriots?  That seems like years ago.

Was the investigation of Lance Armstrong suddenly closed due to political pressures?

A Different Kind of Truth is now Van Halen's 14th consecutive top 10 album.  The CD came in at #2 this week.  It would have been #1 if not for that damn Adele.  Damn you, Adele!  (shaking angry fist)  Still, that's not bad for a group of guys who haven't released an album together in almost three decades.  Not bad at all!

Storming the charts again.  (pic via ew.com)

If Bill Murray is out for Ghostbusters 3, then so am I.  Solidarity, brother.

Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kate Upton looks like she's actually eaten a real meal before, and that makes her Clutter-endorsed.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We clearly need to let Rick Santorum's new buddy Dave Mustaine take us out with today's, "Song of the Day."  I want you to listen to the song and imagine Rick Santorum walking into a room of supporters (wearing his sweater vest, of course), arms outstretched, indicating everyone should go crazy, as the line, "Just like the pied piper, led rats through the street," blares over the loudspeakers.

You know that would be the greatest visual ever.  Mittens would drop out on the spot, because who's going to take on THAT?  Santorum should give it some thought, because Megadeath is playing before a much larger crowd in this clip than he's ever going to get by himself.  Check it out:

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Come back soon, and we'll do it all over again.  For now, today's Clutter has been cleared.

Sunday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  How are you?  It's cold out there!  I'm sorry I don't have any hot cocoa to help you warm up.  Would you like some tea?  Of course, we always have coffee at Clutter Headquarters.  Why don't you help yourself to a nice medium DD, and we'll get down to business.  Sound like a plan?  Okay, here we go...

It's fall of 1992...or maybe the beginning of 1993.  I'm in a car in upstate New York with my friends Vanessa and Johanna.  I forget where we're heading, but I'm listening to the two of them are singing along to, "I Have Nothing Without You," from The Bodyguard soundtrack for maybe the 400th time.  They're tormenting me, and they both know it.  We get to the start of the chorus for the third time, and they combine with the song to hit a note that I'm sure is going to break all of the windows in the car, and I debate whether I can throw myself out of the car without significant injury, but alas, I remain, and we listen to the song once again.  Life is hard.

It's a story that brings a smile to my face every time I think about it, and it was the first thing that came to mind when I heard that Whitney Houston died at age 48 yesterday.   The cause of death is currently unknown, but it's a story that's more sad than surprising.  Houston's substance abuse struggles and her rocky marriage to Bobby Brown are well-documented, but she had such a voice and superstar presence when everything was going her way.  She will be missed.

(pic via instyle.com)

Mitt Romney narrowly defeated Ron Paul by three points (39-36%) in yesterday's Maine caucuses, where Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich didn't campaign, so...he's got to be feeling good about that.

Mittens also won the straw poll at the CPAC convention on Saturday.  Rick Santorum, who came in second, had a classy response.  I hope this show goes on for a few more months.  I just can't turn away, no matter how hard I try.

Showing that their supposed defense of religious liberty was a false issue, the GOP goes all-in on the war against birth control and says they'll fight to allow any employer to deny contraceptive coverage.

There was a four alarm fire in the neighborhood, but I'm relieved to here that no one was killed.  I wondered why it seemed smoky this morning.

Wth the start of spring training just a week away, the GOP presidential primaries might be over before the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs finally settle the issue of compensation for Theo Epstein.  The Red Sox are set up for serious criticism here if they don't get a significant player or two after all this.

Speaking of spring training, the first televised Red Sox game is right around the corner when the Sox take on Boston College on March 3rd.  It should be a real nail-biter!

Okay, what's your guess, Clutterheads.  Did Bill Belichick wear a hoodie while he golfed at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am?  The answer is right here.

Reports indicate that (soon-to-be-ex) Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning still has a long way to go before he could compete on the field again.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  In honor of Whitney Houston, (and as a shout out to Vanessa and Johanna), I think we'll close out with a little track that you may have heard once or twice in your life for today's, "Song of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, my friends.  It was great to see you as always.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and we'll see you back here again for more fun soon.  For now, today's Clutter has been cleared.

Friday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Come on in.  Happy Friday! I'm going to Buffalo Wild Wings in Saugus for dinner tonight, and I'm very excited about that.  In fact, in order to properly celebrate, let me just say that I'll buy a beer for anyone who comes up and identifies themselves as a Clutterhead.  Free beer and great wings.  How does life get better than that?  Think that over while you grab a nice medium DD and we close out the week with a little Clutter.

Obama for America is pushing hard for the cool kids vote by announcing the release of the 2012 campaign playlist on Spotify.

It's probably a stretch, but it's amazing that there's a way to semi-reasonably craft a scenario where Mitt Romney doesn't get the Republican nomination.

Conservative columnist Cal Thomas calls Rachel Maddow a good argument for using contraception.  Keep it classy, San Diego.

Uh oh, time may be finally up for Newt Gingrich:  His sponsor/life-line won't be writing any more big checks.  I still find it remarkable that Sheldon Adelson and his family had $11 million just lying around to throw at a long-shot.  My upper limit for a raffle ticket is closer to $10, or if I went to one of Adelson's casinos, I might drop about $100. 

Gingrich. (pic via reason.com)

Young conservatives are looking for dating tips.

What does Steve Jobs' FBI file say about him?

A new study shows that despite being called, "social media," Facebook really attacks your social skills.

A national settlement with several major mortgage lenders over their abusive foreclosure practices is worth $318 million for Massachusetts, and it still allows Attorney General Martha Coakley to pursue several outstanding legal claims.

He hasn't even declared yet, but Joe Kennedy III already leads his Republican opponent 60-28 in the race for the MA 4th Congressional District, according to a new poll.

Condolences to the family and friends of longtime Boston radio and television personality Dave Maynard, who died yesterday at age 82.  I remember him as the host of Community Auditions and as a contributor to Evening Magazine when I was a kid.  I had no idea that he was the creator of The Phantom Gourmet as well.

Dave Maynard. (pic via cbsboston.com)

A new study reveals how exactly massage helps sore muscles.

Congratulations to Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis on his recent engagement.  His future brother-in-law seems like a cool guy.

It's a good thing the Boston Red Sox didn't go through with the trade for Oakland A's pitcher Rich Harden last year.  Harden will be having major shoulder surgery that will sideline him for all of 2012.

If you ever wanted to go out with Heidi Watney, here's your chance.

Heidi Watney (pic via howigit.com)

Chad Ochocinco will soon be gone forever.  That's news to many New England Patriots fans who thought he'd already been missing for at least a year.

Have you seen this man? (pic via bleacherreport.com)

Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas certainly has a right to his extremely conservative political views, but he's got to figure out how to deal with the media, or he's going to become a distraction that the team doesn't need.

The Boston Celtics had their chances, but they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers 88-87 in overtime.

The new season of Doctor Who starts filming in 10 days.  It's exciting to hear that Toby Whitehouse will be writing one of the episodes again this year.  Some of you may know Whitehouse from the show he created called, Being Human.  He's also written three terrific Who episodes, and I'm sure #4 will also be great.

The positive reviews for A Different Kind of Truth can't be stopped.  I like this author's suggestion that the band should have named the album 1985.  Meanwhile, the band is putting the finishing touches on their set in anticipation of the tour that starts next week.  Have I mentioned what great birthday presents Van Halen tickets make? 

Clarence Clemons may be gone, but his legacy lives on with the E Street Band. 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Given all of the current ridiculous posturing over contraceptive coverage, and the complete disrespect of women's health that's implied, we clearly need to let Monty Python's Flying Circus wrap up this week with today's, "Song of the Day."  I half-expect Rick Santorum to use this song at a campaign event.  These are strange days, my friends.  Strange days, indeed.

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Have a great day and remember to stop by Buffalo Wild Wings tonight.  Otherwise, we'll see you back here for more fun soon.  Until next time, we're outta here.

Thursday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, how are you?  Come on in and make yourself comfortable.  What's on the schedule for the day?  I'm still looking for a present for BDH's birthday next Tuesday, so let met know if you've got any suggestions (You can email them to bitsofclutter@gmail.com).  A small blue dog is harder to shop for than you might think.  However, let's focus on the present right now, so grab yourself a nice medium DD, and let's clear out a little Clutter.

John McCain says Rick Santorum swept Mitt Romney on Tuesday because not enough voters turned out.  That reminds me when John Madden said the key to the New England Patriots winning the Super Bowl would be to score more points than the other team.  Seriously, if Romney is supposedly the "inevitable" candidate, shouldn't he be able to turn out enough supporters to win a contest?  Sort of seems like a fundamental requirement for the role.

At the end of the day, Mitt Romney's problems are real, and they boil down to one simple fact:  He has no base.  He'll probably still win the nomination, though that will have much more to do with his opponents than him, but there's nothing about Mittens that makes his especially "electable" this year.

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out how I traveled back to the 1950's with all of these stories of birth control being controversial.    Me thinks that since the economy is on the upswing, the GOP has no choice but to go back to fighting the same old tired culture wars.  Republicans should really think long and hard before they decide this is a fight they want to pick.  I know their default move is to oppose anything from the Obama administration without hesitation, but this one could blow up in their faces, even within their own ranks. 

A new Gallup poll gives Congress a favorability rating of 10%.  My ongoing question is, who are the 10% who approve of this mess?

Congratulations to Washington State for passing their marriage equality bill.  Governor Chris Gregoire has already indicated she'll sign the legislation into law.

What's that noise off in the distance?  It sounds like the early days of spring training.

The day I've dreaded has finally arrived:  This is the final season of House.  It's the right call, the show has clearly run out of gas, which is understandable after eight years.  The fortunate thing is that I have about 20 years of Hugh Laurie television shows and movies to catch up on.  I remain convinced that Hugh (I feel like I can call him that) and I would have a great time hanging out at a pub, so just name the date and location, and I'll be there, sir.

Who's up for a pint? (pic via contactmusic.com)

Former Red Sox pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd was usually high when he pitched in the 1980's?  Get the hell outta here.  I'm floored.  I'm also looking forward to seeing him in the Jackie Robinson movie (as pitcher Satchell Paige) where I'm sure he'll hold his own against Harrison Ford.

Coming soon to a theater near you.  (pic via checkoutmycards.com)

Former Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie got a big pay raise, signing a $1.15 million contract with his new team, the Houston Astros.  Lowrie made $450,000 last season.

The NCIS 200th episode was a bit of a let-down.  I'm a sucker for stories which show how life might have gone differently if other choices were made, but the story was rambling, and most of the "alternative endings" didn't really make much sense to me.  However, the segment involving Gibbs with his dead wife and daughter was well done.

Director Jason Reitman is making a major change in his presentation of Reservoir Dogs.  Or, will the twist not matter at all?

How many of you had this poster on your dorm wall? (pic via iwatchedit.com)

Matt Damon may be gone, but The Bourne Legacy lives on:

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  In honor of his pending departure from our television screens, we're going to let Hugh Laurie take us out with today's, "Clip of the Day."  It's been a fun ride, Doctor House:

 

Thanks for stopping by, my friends.  We hope you were as entertained as we were.  Either way, come back tomorrow, and we'll start the fun all over again!  Later.

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

There's just one day left.  One day left until the New England Patriots take on the New York Giants.  What the hell are we doing to do for 24 hours?  Well, grab yourself a medium DD, and let's clear out a little Saturday Clutter, while I figure out what the rest of today's game plan is.

After three days of scathing national criticism, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation abruptly reversed its policy and said it would continue giving grants to Planned Parenthood for breast exams.  I'm glad they changed their mind on this misguided policy, but they've still done significant damage to their brand, and I'm not sure they're going to be able to repair that any time soon.  If I was a Komen donor, I think I'd just give directly to Planned Parenthood instead.

To the utter dismay of Mitt Romney and the rest of the GOP, the economy exceeded expecations by adding 243,000 jobs in January.  Well, at least Romney has his natural ease with talking to average middle class voters to fall back on.  Oh, wait.

Mittens is looking for his second consecutive win with a strong lead going into today's Nevada caucus.  The Newt is hoping to do well enough just to make it to "Super Tuesday in March.

The Sports Illustrated football writers have made their Super Bowl predictions.  Do any of them give the New England Patriots a chance?

Just a quick note:  Of course our focus is on tomorrow's big game, but don't think for a second Clutter has forgotten that Red Sox pitchers and catchers report for spring training two weeks from tomorrow.

A great evil could finally be vanquished as the New York Times is looking to sell the rest of its share in the Red Sox.  Any of you want to go in on some shares with us?  We have about $10 on us at the moment, so you might have to write the check, but I swear we're good for it.

Former Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis has been suspended two games by his current team, the Orlando Magic, for acting like a "big baby."  Can't say they weren't warned about that.

The positive reviews for Van Halen's new CD, A Different Kind of Truth, continue to come in.  Have I mentioned that the album comes out in three days?

I think it will be a great move if this report about Adam Lambert touring with Queen is true.  There's no chance that Lambert could ever replace former singer, the late great Freddie Mercury, but he's got the charisma and the pipes to fill in.

Watch out, Biff.  Marty is bringing the DeLorean and the flux capacitor to Broadway!  That's outstanding.  Even if you're not ready for it, your kids are going to love it.  I believe this calls for a replay of a former, "Song of the Day."

 

Black Sabbath original drummer Bill Ward said he wouldn't participate in the band's reunion unless they paid him enough.  The rest of the band said, see ya.

Has anyone else seen this Aaron Eckhart "Feeding America" commercial?  I'm sorry, but this thing's a disaster.  We're talking about a serious issue here, and a) The way he cracks a grin at the end is totally wrong, tone-wise, and b) He comes across as a self-absorbed arrogant ^%^&* when he implies he's much better looking than the guy whose story he's telling.  Instead of wanting to support an anti-hunger organization, I'm left wanting to punch Eckhart in the nose:

 

Hmm, David Tennant's movie, The Decoy Bride, is available On-Demand for $9.99.  That might help pass the time today.  It looks like a bit of a mess, but it's got the former Doctor, so it can't be all bad, right?  I mean hell, look at this trailer before you press play.  Isn't that Furio from The Sopranos?  You're damn right it is.

 

Wait, what's this all about?  Am I...am I...am I going to have to watch an episode of, Whitney?  Oh I just threw up in my mouth.  What are you doing to me, John Cleese?

First it was Pat Sajack, and now it's Harry Potter.  Is everyone in Hollywood drunk on the job?

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We've been talking a lot about Gronk's availability for the last two weeks.  The New England Patriots definitely need him out on the field tomorrow, but here's just a brief reminder that #83 Wes Welker ain't that bad either, as you'll see in today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Try to stay warm out there today, and you're free to come back later and watch The Decoy Bride with us.  Otherwise, we'll see you back here for more fun tomorrow.  Go Patriots!