Clearing out the Clutter

Wednesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

In case I haven't made it clear, I love the Clutter Tree.  I spent so much time watching it the rain last night, it was like I was spellbound.  The tree was one of the main reasons I bought Clutter Headquarters all those years ago, and my fascination with it continues to grow with each pasisng day.  It seemed like just a week ago that the leaves were struggling to come out, and now thanks to a few days and nights of solid rain, they're in full bloom.  They're such a lush dark green, and they fill up almost every window in the place, which can almost give the impression that we're located in the woods.  (Note: We are not located in the woods.)  It's so calming to look out of these windows, that one might think that one doesn't need to clear out the Clutter for the day.  However, one would be wrong.  So, help yourself to a nice medium DD, and let's get to work.

The news out of Oklahoma is just devastating, so it was nice to see a story about a woman finding her dog in the aftermath of Monday's tornado.   As you watch the clip, tell me if you agree that the dog looks like it wants to ask, "What the #$#$ just happened?"

Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn (R) will only support federal relief aid for his home state if it comes with corresponding spending cuts somewhere else.  Let that sink in for a second.  Senator Coburn doesn't want to talk about that right now, calling it "insensitive" to discuss.  I would go with something like he's a psychopath who doesn't believe it's his job to help his constituents, especially in a time of disaster, but that's just me.

Apple to Congress:  If you're going to give us a way to legally hide billions, we're going to legally hide billions.  This isn't complicated.

I find myself a little fascinated by this poll that says a majority of Republicans don't think the 2012 presidential election was fair.  I certainly understand that they didn't like the result, but it was unfair?  Do they really in their heart of hearts believe that the Democratic Party was out sending union thugs to intimidate GOP voters, and flooding the polls with undocumented residents to commit massive voter fraud, the licks of which are unprecedented in history?   That's the only explanation they can come up with, as opposed to say, a comprehensive party platform that's hostile to everyone except wealthy white guys?  As the son of two mental health professionals, I feel qualified to say that this level of mass paranoia is both incredible and perhaps a little sad.  These voters must feel so terrified of everything that's different from them. 

First we had the Virginia GOP candidate for attorney general who wanted to force women to report miscarriages to the police or face jail time.  Now we have the Virginia GOP candidate for lieutenant governor who opposed desegregation and also compared Planned Parenthood to the KKK. Sometimes I struggle to remember that these people live in the same country that I do.

All of the above insanity is just part of the reason I'd love to hear President Obama give a Bulworth speech, like this one written for him by Ezra Klein of The Washington Post.

Apparently the Mediterranean diet can make you both healthier and smarter.  No word yet on whether or not it can make you funnier, a better listener, or more popular, but I'm sure those studies are on their way.

Who's hungry?  (pic via uwex.edu)

Myrtle the Turtle is back after some home renovations.  How do you move a 550lb/90-year old turtle?  Anyway she agrees to.  Make sure you watch the video that goes with the story.

ESPN is cutting hundreds of jobs despite being the most profitable component of the Disney empire.  Did some investor complain about the profit margins here?

Why was the Doctor Who crew in New York on Monday?

I'm not the world's biggest fan of The X-Men.  I've seen a couple of the movies on cable, but they weren't "appointment television" or anything.  The trailer for the new Wolverine movie doesn't do anything to make me change my mind, but what do you think, Clutterheads?

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We're going to close things out again with one more song from The Doors.  This is L.A. Woman, which features great work by everyone in the band, it's today's, "Song of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, you guys.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of the day, and come back soon so we can hang out again.  You know BDH and Little Buddha start getting restless when they go too long without seeing you.  Until next time, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Sunday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Well, hello there.  How are you?  How utterly fantastic to see you again.  Come on in, have a seat.  Could yesterday have been any nicer?  BDH, Little Buddha and I took our first walk of the year to the local park, which was lovely.  It's amazing how quickly the two of them ran up that hill, considering how small they are.  They got to the top without hesitation and then had to wait for me to catch up, huffing and puffing all the way.  Thankfully they're very patient with me.  In any case, it's time to get to work, so help yourself to a nice medium iced DD, and let's clear out a little Sunday Clutter.

Clutter would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Class of 2013, particularly those students who attended Boston College and Boston University.  As you leave school and head off into the "real world," I can only think of one thing:  The T will be less crowded for the next 3.5 months or so, and that's a wonderful thing.

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Andrew Miller wasn't going to let a little thing like taking a foul ball off the head stop him from getting the job done Friday night against the Minnesota Twins.  Now that's focus.

Let's see how our old friend Josh Beckett is doing with the Los Angeles Dodgers this year.  Winless, you say?  Heading to the disabled list, you say?  That's a shame.

Clutterheads, I'm still struggling for the words to express how amazed I am by last night's Doctor Who season finale.  I can't remember the last time I found a show to be such a treat.  I knew it was going to be a good one when I had goosebumps in the first 30 seconds.   It was appropriately serious with just a dash of humor.  There were outstanding performances across the board by Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, and the rest of the cast.  The notion of death was so powerful throughout the episode.  The mystery of "the impossible girl" Clara was explained in a way that was satisfying (though it will be interesting to see where she goes from here.) 

We ended with a peek at The Doctor's past that looks like it will be part of the 50th anniversary special on November 23rd.  Fortunately we don't actually learn The Doctor's name...I'm still floored... It was such a treat and such a reward for fans.  I'll be watching this one several more times to fully process it.  A hearty thank you to everyone involved.  The second half of this season could have been much stronger, but if that's what it took to reach this episode, I'll accept that trade-off. 

Bravo.  (pic via radiotimes.com)

Okay, so this season of Doctor Who has come to a close, but there's still a number of monthly specials to look forward to  this year, as well as Matt Smith and David Tennant in the special on November 23rd, and I can't wait.  For now, I guess I'll just watch this clip another 200 times.

 

In the meantime, Matt Smith's upcoming movie with Ryan Gosling seems to be drawing some attention.  Part of me is sad about this because I'm guessing it signifies the beginning of the end of Smith's time with Doctor Who but the rest of me hopes the movie does well, because Clutter would love to see Smith start getting the same level of recognition that other Clutter favorite Benedict Cumberbatch is now receiving.  Of course, you all already knew how great both of these guys are.  That's right, if you want to learn about the next hot British actor, Clutter has what you need.

Clutter isn't the world's biggest Anchorman fan, but we are a sucker for anything that features the song "Sirius" by the Allen Parsons Project (also known as the Chicago Bulls theme song), so do the classy thing and watch the new trailer for Anchorman 2:

 

Britney Spears meets The Smurfs.  I really don't know what I can add to this.  I hope Smurfette can handle the competition?

Can they work it out?  (pic via hollywire.com)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's close things out with former Dixie Chick Natalie Maines playing a tune off her new solo album (with a guitar that seems to be as big as she is) for today's, "Song of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was terrific to see you, as always.  Be good, enjoy the rest of your weekend, and we'll see you back here again for more silliness soon.  For now, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Thursday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back to the house of random, and a happy Thursday to you all.  The weekend is almost here, thankfully.  However, there's still plenty to be done before then, so help yourself to a nice medium iced DD, and let's clear out a little Clutter.

Berkshire Hathway is moving some stocks around in its portfolio.  What are Warren Buffett and company focusing on now? 

Speaking of stocks, apparently nothing can slow down the stock market.  Actually, I smell a drop coming, but either I'm right about that, and there's a sale coming, or I'm wrong, and the vast Clutter portfolio will continue to swell to new heights, so either way, it's all good.

I know we talked about this for a bit yesterday, but if our deficit problem is basically solved for now, how about we start talking about growing the economy instead of stifling it with budget cuts?  How about we all finally start acting like adults and seek to find ways to solve the serious problems facing this country.  Or we could just hold the 37th vote to repeal Obamacare.

The Vatican ordered a cardinal to leave Scotland and pray for a few months as his punishment for sexual misconduct.  Here's a crazy idea, how about he faces criminal charges instead?  Is this really considered a legitimate punishment by anyone?  He's basically being told, "You've been a naughty boy.  Now go think about what you did."  With such a perverted sense of morality, criminal justice, and sexual behavior, it's still unbelievable that anyone looks to these loons as leaders of any type.

I watched the first inning or two of the Boston Red Sox game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, and things got off to a great start when Big Papi hit a 3-run line-drive home run in the 1st.  I switched over to the season finale of NCIS for an hour, and by the time I got back, the Sox were losing 5-3, which ended up being the final score.  Moral of the story, it's a good thing NCIS is on summer hiatus now.  No more distractions!  For instance, I watched all of last night's game, and the results were much better.

By the way, don't ever make Red Sox sideline reporter Jenny Dell angry.  You won't like her when she's angry.

Dude, what the hell?  (pic via sportsrants.com)

Just two days left until the Doctor Who season finale.  Thankfully, there are still the remaining 50th anniversary specials to look forward to this year, or else I might be throwing a wee bit of a tantrum over likely having to wait an exceedingly long time before the start of the next season.

So Robin Williams is coming back to television in the fall.  I won't say that I have high expectation for his new show, but I will be happy if it ends up being any good.  I still remember when his movies and stand-up specials were "must see," and it was an exciting adventure just to try to keep up with him.  Good luck to you, sir.

Now that Happy Endings has been cancelled, will Elisha Cuthbert be heading back to the resurrected 24 as Keifer Sutherland's daughter?  I'd be okay with that.

Elisha Cuthbert (pic via webseriesnetwork.com)

Who's coming with me to The Hangover Part III?

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I still can't get over that cardinal nonsense.  I'll tell you, I'd rather be a member of a religion run by the guys from Monty Python's Flying Circus.  Check them out for yourself with today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your day, and make sure you come back soon so we can do this all over again.  For now, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back!  Come on in.  How's your day going so far?  It's gorgeous out there!  I went to the gym and then walked around downtown Boston and back to do some errands.  It was so relaxing, but my feet need a rest, so let's get down to business.  Let's shake things up a bit.  Help yourself to a Sam Adams Summer Ale, and let's clear out some Saturday Clutter.

I left the gym last night and stopped at the local liquor store on the way back to Clutter Headquarters, when something caught my eye.  There was a display of the new 12-packs of Sam Adams Summer Ale in cans.  I spent a few minutes deliberating, and then finally my curiosity got the better of me, so I bought a 12-pack.  So, what's the verdict?  Has Sam Adams discovered a new way to package beer to make you forget you're drinking out of a can?  Clutter says no.

I will concede right now that most of this might be in my head.  I haven't had beer out of a can since at least college.  Okay, let's be honest, high school.  I'm sure there's some part of me that just can't get over that I'm holding a can instead of a bottle, and I'm having flashbacks to drinking Miller Genuine Draft, and that's what my brain is expecting to taste.   This beer does still generally taste like Sam Summer, but that metallic aftertaste is still there, which is a fail for me.  However, I guess if you want to bring it to the beach, or a tailgating party or something, it's fine.  However, I'll be sticking with the bottles.

A good try.  (pic via craftcans.com)

Why is To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee suing her literary agent?

Let me get this straight, the incoming president of the NRA once called the Civil War, "the War of Northern Aggression," and he makes his predecessor look like a moderate?  Great, give me another Sam Summer.

It's sad to see former pitcher/current Toronto Blue Jays announcer Jack Morris embarrass himself with his accusations that Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz is cheating.  It's telling that not one member of the Blue Jays team said anything during their game against Buchholz, which would clearly make them idiots if they didn't notice something was wrong, but Morris just says whatever comes to mind as he tries to distract folks from the fact that this year's highly-touted Blue Jays team is shaping up to be as miserable a disaster as last year's Sox team. 

Meanwhile, Sox pitcher Felix Doubront got lit up like a firecracker in yesterday's 7-0 loss to the Texas Rangers.  Granted, Texas has a terrific line-up, but I have increasingly less faith in Doubront as time goes on.  I don't know if it's because he has a "dead arm," and something can be done to fix it, but he never inspires confidence, and if he doesn't start showing signs of life fairly soon, the Sox should start thinking about guys like Allen Webster, and any other prospects they have high hopes for.

How awesome would it be to have Metallica play the national anthem before a Red Sox/Patriots/Bruins/Celtics  game? By the way, does it freak anyone else out as much as it did me, to learn that the youngest member of the band is bassist Robert Trujillo, who's 48 years old?

I see this trailer for a movie called Aftershock.  The first half seems like it's going to be some type of Hangover-ish comedy, and then it takes a sharp left turn into natural disaster/horror movie.  It's like they spliced highlights from two different movies together:

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We're going to let James Hetfield and Kirk Hammet from Metallica take us out with their rendition of the Star Spangled Banner for today's, "Clip of the Day."  Seriously, the only thing I see wrong with having this lead off a game, is that it might get some players so revved up they start a fight in the first inning.  Other than that, rock on.

 

Thanks for stopping by, kids.  It was great to see you, as always.  You are certainly welcome to come back later tonight if you want to watch Doctor Who and/or the Red Sox with us.  Otherwise, enjoy the rest of your day, and we'll see you back here again for more fun soon.  Until next time, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Friday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, and a happy Friday to you all.  Congratulations on suriving the week!  I know we're all looking forward to the start of the weekend, but there's still some important work to be done first.  Help yourself to a nice medium iced DD, and let's clear out a little Friday Clutter.  Everyone ready?  And we're off...

Congratulations to Boston Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz on being named the AL Pitcher of the Month for April.  It's good to see that going 5-0 with a 1.19 ERA for the month gets you some recognition.  Seriously, he and Jon Lester have just been amazing so far, and if this is the beginning of the "mature" Buchholz, all bets are off.  The guy's always had the tools.  The question just seemed to be if his head would catch up, and so far, so good. 

On a roll.  (pic via ctpost.com)

Happy belated birthday to Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  The Red Sox catcher turned 28 years old yesterday.

Salty.  (pic via zimbio.com)

The Obama administration is apparently willing to put up a fight to make sure that girls who are younger than 15 years old have to face as many obstacles as possible when they need emergency contraception.   It's bad science, bad policy, and it sells out a vulnerable population solely for political gain.  A complete failure of leadership by the White House, mere days after President Obama stood before Planned Parenthod and expressed support for their mission.  Actions speak louder tha words, Mr. President, and these are deafening.

Shameful.  (pic via msnbc.com)

The stock market continues to climb upwards, though LinkedIn took a hit on disappointing earnings.  I'm sure I still don't get the full value of the LinkedIn experience, but feel free to connect with me, if you like.  I'm always happy to hear from you, Clutterheads!

Unemployment claims dropped to a five-year low this week.  It would be nice to know what the results would be if we didn't have an obstructionist government harming economic growth due to a pathological obsession with the deficit, but ah well, we all have dreams.

It makes me so angry to hear that the cause of a recent fire was careless disposal of smoking materials.  First of all, STOP SMOKING.  It makes me a cranky old man, but seeing kids smoking these days drives me nuts, when we all know the story here at this point:  It's addictive and likely to kill you in a bad way if you don't stop.  Second, smokers drive me nuts when they just toss still-burning cigarettes onto the sidewalk.  It's littering, and are you telling me that they really can't even take the three extra seconds it would require to put your foot on your bleeping cancer stick and grind it out?  What lazy selfish pieces of garbage, and now being lazy cost someone their life for no good reason whatsoever.

What kills more Americans each year: suicide or car accidents?  The answer may surprise you.

Media critic Howard Kurtz lost his job at the Daily Beast after mis-reporting a key detail about Jason Collins, the NBA player who came out this week.  I always liked reading Kurtz's column in the Washington Post,  and I'll be curious to see where he lands next.

New York Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain is the latest member of the team to join the disabled list.  Does any other team in baseball have nearly as much money tied up up in players on the DL as the Yankees do right now?  They're pushing $100 million in lost players right now.  Who's in second place?

Oh, I don't know what to make of this:  Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is set to star in an Entourage-type show for HBO.  The Rock is entertaining as all hell, but Entourage ended up being an abomination of a television program, ending its run with what I still say is the laziest series finale ever written.

RIP, Chris Kelly.  The former member of the rap group Kriss Kross died yesterday of a drug overdose at age 34.

Condolences as well to the family and friends of Slayer guitarist Jeff Hannerman, who died yesterday liver failure.  The heavy metal star was 49 years old.

If you want a fun little read, and really, who doesn't?  Check out this oral history of The Hangover.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We're going to close things out with a cool video that Mom Clutter sent over earlier this week.  Check out this fantastic shadow theater group's performance on, Britain's Got Talent, for today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Seriously, how cool was that?

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your Friday, and we'll see you back here again for more fun soon.  Until next time, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Monday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back!  How are you?  How was your weekend?  BDH, Little Buddha and I had a great time again outside yesterday.  I love this nice weather, though at the risk of being a Debbie Downer, we could use some rain around here.  The Clutter Tree in particular could use some water so he can really pop into full bloom.  Other than that, though, it's all good.  It's also Monday, so let's get to work.  Help yourself to a nice medium DD, because it's time to kick off the week with a little Clutter.

John Lackey and the Boston Red Sox took care of business yesterday, beating the Houston Astros 6-1, for the sweep of the four game series.  Lackey looked strong, giving up five hits over six innings.  Mind you, it was against Houston, but still, it looks like we're finally starting to get a glimpse of the pitcher that Boston signed all those years ago, and if that's the case, there's even more to be excited about when it comes to this team.  Oh, and Big Papi?  He "only" went 2-4 with 2 RBI, thus lowering his batting average all the way down to .516.  I hope that slump doesn't last too long.  The Sox have today off, and then Jon Lester takes the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

We all celebrated the end of the Sox "sell-out streak," but if they keep playing at anything resembling this level, my guess is that it might start being a little more difficult to get tickets again.  If there's a game you want to see later this year, it might be a wise move to buy them now while you still can at face value via the team's website.

Just like that, Daniel Bard's latest stint with the Sox is over.  The reliever heads back to Double-A to make room for the returning Joel Hanrahan.  Here's hoping Hanrahan's hamstring problems are behind him, and he can be a consistent closer for Boston.

As far as I can tell, the biggest news from the 2013 White House Correspondents Dinner is this trailer showing Daniel Day-Lewis preparing to play President Barack Obama.  You have to give it to him, no one commits to a role like this guy.  See for yourself:

 

As Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson continues to recover from hernia surgery, he can enjoy the fact that his latest movie, "Pain and Gain" topped the box office charts this weekend.

In case you're wondering exactly how "The Rock" got so damn big for this movie, here's a look at his diet during filming.  Long story short, he worked out like mad and ate a lot of food.   A lot of food.  I think I would have been set for the day after Meal #3, maybe Meal #4, but after that, it would have just been ugly.

Happy belated birthday to Jenna-Louise Coleman.  The Doctor Who companion turned 27 on Saturday.  I can't believe we forgot to get her a present.

Birthday girl.  (pic via exposay.com)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Seeing how today's Monday, I think we need to close things out with something awesome...something funny...something involving Alison Brie.  You've seen her do drama (Mad Men), you've seen her do comedy (Community), now see her do Internet memes for today's, "Clip of the Day."  (Shout-out to Clutterhead Mathew Helman for directing me to this bit of awesomeness.)

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Have a good day (even if it is Monday), and make sure you come back again soon, because you know we mope when you're gone.  Until next time, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Friday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, and a happy Friday to you all!  We survived the week, folks, and that's reason to celebrate right there.  It's supposed to be another nice day out, so help yourself to a nice medium iced DD, and let's close out the week with a little Friday Clutter.

Former president George W. Bush came out of hiding for a day to attend the dedication of his new library.  He's right about one thing:  History will judge his legacy and he is not going to be happy with the final verdict.

The eternal image.  (pic via businessinsider.com)

Barbara Bush isn't that excited about the notion of Jeb Bush running for president.  That's rough.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell claims to belong to the party of compassion, immigrants and hard-working tax payers.  When did he leave the GOP?

Dan Kennedy says there are some questions about what exactly happened in Watertown last Friday.

Do you think a "Boston Strong" candle will be a big seller?

Note to self:  It might finally be time to look into refinancing Clutter Headquarters, because these low rates are just ridiculous, and it doesn't make sense to leave that money on the table if I don't have to.  Hell, I could probably build a new wing for BDH and Little Buddha with those savings.

I am absolutely rooting for Benedict Cumberbatch to take out Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and the rest of the Enterprise crew in the new Star Trek movie.  Don't let me down, J.J. Abrams.

 

Mark your calenders, everyone.  Arrested Development returns one month from today, and it looks as funny as ever!

There are only three episodes of How I Met Your Mother left for this year.  We kick things off next Monday with Barney's bachelor party (which will clearly be legendary), and where will we end to set up the final season of the show?

What are you doing on August 12th?  Should we have a Clutter field trip to see the reunited Black Sabbath in concert?

It's good to hear that Wayne's World alum Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey have stopped fighting, because what hope is there for the rest of us if Wayne and Garth can't get along?

This article about why Gawker.com is refusing to remove an article about Hulk Hogan's sex tape is more interesting than you might think at first glance.  (Don't worry, clicking on the link doesn't force you to actually watch the tape.

Not only is there a new Doctor Who episode on Saturday, but it's time for the look back at the 4th Doctor, played by Tom Baker, on Sunday!  This was my original Doctor.  I thought funny guys with curly hair were cool (still do, actually), and he seemed like a madman I wanted to travel through time with in a funny blue box.  Apparently they'll air the Pyramid of Mars adventure after the retrospective, and I remember that one scaring the hell out of me as a little kid.  Can't wait!

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  This has been a crazy couple of weeks, and I think we could all use a good laugh (I know I could), so let's have Eddie Izzard explain religion to everyone in today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your day, and let's do this again soon.  Sound like a plan?  Maybe we could meet up this weekend to go on a shopping spree on Boylston Street or something.  Think about it and let me know.  For now, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Monday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back!  How are you?  I'm sorry we couldn't hang out yesterday, but BDH, Little Buddha and I had so many errands to run, we just couldn't get back in time.  There's a number of things I want to cover from the last two days,  so I think we're going to have to clear out a little Sunday and Monday Clutter today, so help yourself to a nice medium DD, and let's get to work.

Sunday was an incredibly emotional day as the Boston Red Sox returned to Fenway Park for the first time since the Marathon bombings.  The team had a moving ceremony before the game which paid tribute to the victims, marathon volunteers and law enforcement.  David Ortiz (finally making his return to the team) closed things out with the greatest F-bomb in Boston history:

“This is our [expletive] city, and nobody is going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong.”

It's great to hear that the FCC won't be issuing any fines here, because it was exactly what we all needed.  Thanks, Big Papi. 

That by itself would have been enough, but the Sox also went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3, thanks to yet another strong performance from starting pitcher Clay Buchholz, and a three run blast by Daniel Nava in the 8th inning.  I know Nava made history when he hit a grand slam on the first pitch he ever saw in the major leagues, but I would argue that this was the most important home run he'll ever hit in his career.

One for the history books.  (pic via zimbio.com)

Throw in a little Neil Diamond showing up unexpectedly to sing "Sweet Caroline" live (along with a recording of him singing, which led to some awkward audio issues), and you've got yourself a hell of a day a the park.

 

After the game, I met up with some good friends for dinner and to see 42, the movie about Jackie Robinson.  As far as the movie goes...Jackie Robinson's story is an important one that deserves a full exploration, and this movie just doesn't do it justice.  It's a superficial review of a short time period, that doesn't give you a deep understanding of any of the characters. 

Disappointed to hear that football announcer Al Michaels was arrested on a DUI charge this weekend.  There's no excuse for that dangerous behavior.

The New York Jets traded cornerback Darrelle Revis to to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Apparently NY couldn't convince the Bucs to take Mark Sanchez as well.

This week's Doctor Who episode was a vast improvement over all of the other ones from ths year so far.  It was a much darker storyline and seemed to put this season back on course.  Hopefully we'll stay on the right path for the rest of year.  I know I'm intrigued to see what's in the center of the TARDIS next week.

What exactly is in there?  (pic via unrealitytv.com)

As predicted, Van Halen rocked in Australia this weekend, but who decided the band members should all wear matching vests?  Or any vests, for that matter? 

Could Seth MacFarlane really be brought back to host next year's Oscars?  What do you think, Clutterheads?  Great idea or worst notion ever?

Wait, Reese Witherspoon and her husband were arrested over the weekend?  There's no way the Clutter favorite has ever done anything wrong in her whole life.  This must all be  her husband's fault.  Yeah, that's the ticket.

Reese Witherspoon  (pic via glamour.com)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  There's really no one better to close things out for us today than David Ortiz, so here he is with today's, "Clip of the Day/Week/Month/Year."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your day, and make sure to come back for more fun soon.  Until next time, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Thursday Clutter

Welcome back.  Come on in, make yourself comfortable.  It feels like it's been forever and a day since the last time we met up.  How's everyone doing?  The world feels like it's going a little crazy, or crazier than usual, I should say.  I can't help but think that we could resolve so much of the anger in the world if we just gave everyone a puppy.  BDH and Little Buddha support me on that one.  What do you think?  These are crazy times my friend, but we push on, so help yourself to a nice medium DD, and let's clear out a little Thursday Clutter.

In case you missed it, Stephen Colbert explains what tough SOB's people from Boston are, and shows the healing power of humor, because these are times where we could use an extra loud laugh:

The Colbert Report
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 If you are focused on whether or not you're having more sex than your neighbors, you are reallllllllly missing the bigger picture here.

The stock market is struggling a bit, but is it a momentary response to bad news, or the beginning of a bigger slump?  It's not enough of a drop yet to inspire some unscheduled purchases, but the investment desk at Clutter Headquarters is keeping an eye on it.

It was such a welcome distraction to watch the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 on Tuesday night.  Baseball continues to be that small window where nothing else matters except the next pitch.  The only disappointment was that much of the fun of seeing Terry Francona again was lost in the moment, but I'm sure Tito would understand.

We'll always be your biggest fans, Tito.  (pic via news-herald.com)

When I was a kid, the Sox were still a "25 guys, 25 cabs" team.  I love that things are different with this team.  It's obviously great that this team is off to a better start and winning more games than they did last April, but it's also nice to be able to just like this team again. 

Red Sox reliever Joel Hanrahan went on the DL since the last time we all hung out here, and it's not at all clear that he'll be the closer when he returns.  I have no horse in this race, I just want the Sox to have a dependable guy in the 9th inning, be it Hanrahan or Andrew Bailey, and neither guy has filled me with confidence so far.  I'll be happy for whoever wins/keeps the job and hope that the other guy handles it like a professional.

RIP, Pat Summerall.  The longtime football announcer died Tuesday at age 82.    It's funny, I keep hearing his voice from the Madden 2005 computer game I still have somewhere around here.  Oh, I'd have such fun listening to Summerall call the action as I set the game on "beginner" and had the New England Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins 140-3.  Good times.

Similarly to the Red Sox, everyone at Clutter Headquarters is feeling even a little more appreciative than usual that a new Doctor Who episode will be here to entertain us in just two days.

This is funny, I was just thinking about Friends a few days ago and wondering where the characters would be at this point.  Apparently I won't be finding out the answer any time soon. 

Maybe it's tied to my mood this week, but I want to see Man of Steel, and I want to see it right now.  How freaking awesome is this movie trailer?

 

Good luck to Ozzy Osbourne in his ongoing fight to stay sober.

Van Halen is off to Australia for their big concert this weekend, but that's not all lead singer David Lee Roth has on the schedule for this year.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's have The Standells close things out with today's, "Song of the Day."  Boston, you're my home, and no one is going to change that.

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It really was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your day, and you know that you're welcome to come back again later today if you want.  (The spare key is under the mat.)  Otherwise, be good, and we'll do this all over again soon.  For now, that's today's Clutter, and it's so good to be back.

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back!  Come on in.  I'm sorry we couldn't meet up yesterday.  Damn real world, getting in the way of our fun.  However, we're all here now, and that's what matters.  Big plans for the weekend?  The Boston Marathon is on Monday, so BDH, Little Buddha and I  plan on doing a lot of stretching and cardio today and tomorrow to make sure we're in peak watching condition.    Speaking of those two, they just made a fresh pot of coffee, so help yourself to a nice medium DD, and let's clear out a little Saturday Clutter.

RIP, Jonathan Winters.  The comedic legend died yesterday at age 87.  My strongest memory of him is playing the son of Robin Williams on Mork and Mindy, and I also have this recollection of his discussing his mental health issues, which was something that didn't seem to happen that often in the 1980's.

Boston Mayor Tom Menino's health woes continue.  This time it's a broken leg suffered on Friday.  Here's to a speedy recovery and a long period before any new challenges surface.

It's interesting to hear that Twitter is developing its own music app.  Also, according to that story, Twitter has allowed music to be embedded in tweets since 2010?  I don't think I've ever seen one of those, but if that's the case, I'm going to be tweeting Van Halen songs on a daily basis.  My followers will love that, right?

Okay, if Kickstarter can help fund a Veronica Mars movie, what kind of project do you think Clutter could execute with it?  Send me your suggestions, Clutterheads.  I sense an opportunity for world domination here.

I'm sure this doesn't apply to any of you folks, but just in case you know someone who hasn't filed their taxes yet, you might want to remind them that their time is just about up.

San Diego Padres slugger Carlos Quentin only gets an eight-game suspension for breaking Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke's collarbone after being hit by a pitch?  That seems weak.  I know Major League Baseball can't just suspend him for as long as Greinke will be out (presumably several months), but the punishment doesn't seem to match the severity of the crime here.  It will also be interesting to see how future games between the two teams play out this year, because the Dodgers are not happy about this at all.

This isn't over.  (pic via foxsports.com)

Speaking of the Dodgers, I'm really looking forward to seeing 42, the new movie about Jackie Robinson, next Saturday.

Would it make me a bad person if I said I have no sympathy for Kobe Bryant if it turns out he has a ruptured Achilles tendon?  Not that I'm happy he's injured, but I can't seem to get up to a place of feeling bad for him.  Pretty sure it's connected to that whole him being a rapist thing.

Okay, it's Saturday, which means it's time for a new Doctor Who episode.  Like I mentioned earlier this week, tonight's story was written by Mark Gatiss, who has done a good job over the years, both with The Doctor and Sherlock, so here's hoping this is a recovery from last week's miss.

Hearing that Clutter favorite David Tennant is shy just makes me like him all the more.

I should know better, but there's a pretty good chance I'll be in the theater watching The Hangover Part III when it comes out.  Yeah, pretty good chance.

 

On the flip side,  I will not be watching any horrible remake of Point Break.  Come on, what's the point of that?  There's no one in Hollywood today who can match the power of Keanu Reeves as Johnny Utah uttering the words, "I am a FBI agent!"  Add in the wonder of the late Patrick Sawyze as Zen surfer / bank robber Bodhi and Gary Busey doing his Busey thing as Keanu's partner?  No way, forget it.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I think we'll let Jonathan Winters close things out with a routine from The Jack Paar Show from 1964.  After watching this bit,  it's easy to see how much Robin Williams learned from him.  Here's today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your Saturday, and make sure to come back again soon.  For now, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.